Chapter 113
If you’d like to make a one-time donation to support our translations or subscribe to read up to 20 chapters ahead, you can do so via Buymeacoffee
For every 2 donation, Ill release an extra chapter the following day.
Moon Ga-eun barely calmed her startled heart.
It was a sudden attack.
Kim Do-yoon, a classmate who had been unpleasant from the first impression, attacked them for no reason in the dungeon they came out to for practice.
The first target of the attack was Moon Ga-eun, herself.
Kim Do-yoon amplified his abilities with a [Berserk Potion] and then rushed in relentlessly using Assault runes and [Ruthless Charge].
If it wasn’t for Do Jae-hyun who quickly noticed the situation.
If it wasn’t for his body shield defense as he threw himself in.
Kim Do-yoon’s exploding sword would have definitely reached her body.
‘To protect me…’
The reason why Do Jae-hyun, whose specialty was evasion, collided with Kim Do-yoon using body shield instead of utilizing evasion.
It was to protect Moon Ga-eun.
She looked at Do Jae-hyun standing in front of her.
His body was full of wounds from enduring the collision and explosion.
However, he was standing firmly like a wall protecting the front.
Knowing that if he was penetrated, it would become dangerous for those behind.
While drawing her bow, Moon Ga-eun blankly looked at Do Jae-hyun.
‘What should I do…’
It was a strange feeling.
She knew this wasn’t the time or situation for it, but…
She kept seeing Do Jae-hyun’s back.
She ended up staring endlessly at his back.
That wasn’t all.
The first one to quickly notice the surprise attack and move to block it.
After that, calmly defending against the explosion and capturing the opportunity for a counterattack.
And when he was pushed back, the…
‘….Back hug.’
Because she had no composure earlier, she only recalled it now when she had room to think with the opportunity for a counterattack.
That she hugged Do Jae-hyun with a back hug when he was pushed towards her by the explosion.
That rough texture and soft warmth still remained in her hands.
Normally she would have been surprised and jumped up, but maybe because of the situation, it wasn’t as flustering.
Also…
‘Well, we’re a couple after all.’
Do Jae-hyun and her have been dating for 100 days.
…Outwardly.
And now Moon Ga-eun knows too.
For couples who have dated for over 100 days, this level of skinship is just playful affection.
So she needed to be more nonchalant about things like back hugs.
For when she needs to pretend to be a couple again sometime.
Then…
It might happen again.
‘Hmm, hmm.’
If her best friends like Kang Juyeon or Kim Chae-eun found out about this, she would be grilled to the bone, but…
It’s fine as long as it stays hidden.
…Moon Ga-eun thought so as she pulled on her bowstring.
Now wasn’t the time for idle thoughts.
It was time to support Do Jae-hyun with cover fire.
***
Ippotranslation
***
From now on, it’s a battle against time.
The duration of [Berserk] is 10 minutes.
The duration of [Berserk Potion] is about an hour.
The reason why the time is longer in proportion to the penalty, and also because my own skill [Descendant of the Barbarian King] is affected by the level.
So I needed to defeat Kim Do-yoon within 10 minutes.
I utilized [Agile Agility] with my lightened body.
My original speed stat is 46, amplified to 69.
With stats far surpassing usual, the rune utilization was even more effective.
Shhh- shh-
Clang, bang!!
My merciless stabs with the sword were barely blocked by Kim Do-yoon’s sword.
Stabbing strikes going in by combining [Wave Sword Technique] and [Water Sword Technique].
If he was an ordinary Holder, he wouldn’t have even been able to react, but somehow he blocked it.
‘He must have viewable runes too.’
Damn bastard.
He looks like the weakest, but has everything needed.
On top of that, my sword was blocked by Kim Do-yoon’s.
This didn’t just end with a failed attack.
Boom, boom-!!
The loud explosive sound rang in the room once more.
Kim Do-yoon’s [Explosive Sword’s Aura] spewed fire once again.
I barely evaded the explosion, but I couldn’t avoid a grazing wound on my shoulder area.
At least because I have high fire resistance, it’s just this much.
If I was wearing [Scorched Lizard Leather Armor], I could have blocked it perfectly, but unfortunately the ‘Art of Weapon Exchange’ didn’t have the ability to change armor.
And from the explosion just now, it was certain.
‘This bastard, he used soundproofing items too.’
Two huge explosions happened that should have echoed through the room.
Yet no professors or students have come to our room.
This was surely because before attacking us, Kim Do-yoon drank the [Berserk Potion] and also used magic items to create powerful soundproofing in the room.
Otherwise, people would have come immediately.
‘It’s okay. I just need to take him down.’
It didn’t change anything.
I planned to take down this trash from the beginning anyway.
I used [Emergency Treatment] on my shoulder area.
As a derivative skill of the rare rune [Combat Healing], it’s the ability to heal injuries even during combat.
Thanks to it, the wounds from the explosion started healing rapidly as if they just appeared.
That wasn’t the end.
“Ugh… Do, Jae-hyun….”
Kim Do-yoon, who had landed a blow on me with [Explosive Sword’s Aura], looked around with dazed eyes.
Moron.
He’ll never find me.
Because I used [Stealth].
[Stealth] is a rune that hides you in specific terrain and erases traces, but if I leave the target’s field of vision or just get in the right position, I can erase my presence right in front of them.
The smoke filled the vicinity from Kim Do-yoon’s explosive ability.
I utilized that opening and obscured vision to use [Stealth].
‘He fell for it completely.’
That’s right.
From the beginning, this was planned and I charged at him.
It would have been fine if the sword strike landed, but after he was blocked and caused an explosion…
Utilizing [Stealth] in that smoke.
This was the strategy I came up with in that short time.
And in this kind of situation.
There was only one choice the berserk Kim Do-yoon would take.
To charge at Moon Ga-eun right in front of him.
“Ugh, ugh…!!”
“Moon Ga-eun, now!”
“Huh?”
The timing had come.
The moment I released [Stealth] and signaled Moon Ga-eun.
I aimed for the bastard’s back using [Wave Sword Technique].
‘Hide Attack.’
An attack after releasing [Stealth] isn’t a simple attack.
[Hide Attack].
A skill that lowers the target’s endurance by a set amount and increases my attack power at the same time, containing both defense penetration and amplification.
A powerful derivative skill I could utilize because I wasn’t detected before attacking.
“Ugh, ugh… Uwaaaa!!”
Because he allowed the sudden blow, Kim Do-yoon started thrashing around crazily.
Despite the agony from being slashed in a vital area full of organs, he somehow tried to move his body to attack me behind him.
Whoosh-
Thwack!!
“Gah, geh…!!”
“No way, you bastard.”
A powerful magic arrow flew in and pierced through his shoulder.
It was cover fire from Moon Ga-eun, who had already drawn her bow according to my signal.
She fired [Extreme Shot], a derivative skill of her main rune [Wind Archer], optimized for one-on-one.
Of course, with her current abilities, she couldn’t deal big damage to Kim Do-yoon.
No matter how much magic power she imbued it with, Kim Do-yoon’s endurance stats were too high right now.
But at the very least, at important moments like this, appropriate attacks could control Kim Do-yoon’s movements a little.
And this level of control was…
Sufficient support for me.
“Explode.”
I shoved the [Sword of Penitent] into Kim Do-yoon’s back.
I poured magic power into it to utilize my ultimate skill.
After maximizing magic power using the support rune [Magic Amplification] as well.
[Sky-Shattering Heavenly Sword], condensing the extremes to the extreme that I could currently use.
It was the strongest combo I had right now.
Boom, boom-!!
“Gah, geh…!!”
The enormous magic blow exploded inside his body.
Kim Do-yoon, who was writhing in agony with a twisted expression, soon collapsed limply.
His whole body was covered in blood…
It had a corpse-like appearance.
“Haa, haa….”
It’s over, damn it.
Really freaking tiring…
As I breathed roughly, Moon Ga-eun quickly approached from behind.
“Do Jae-hyun! Are you okay?!”
With a worried expression, she examined my face.
She checked everywhere in case I was hurt, and even stroked my shoulder that was severely injured earlier.
…Not like Moon Ga-eun’s usual excessive care.
But seeming to be convinced of my unharmed condition, after examining me for a while, Moon Ga-eun let out a sigh of relief.
“Gosh… I really thought things were going wrong.”
“Don’t you know after going hunting with me so many times? I don’t get hurt easily.”
“What do you mean? I saw you chugging potions every time.”
“Did I…?”
“Anyway, you’re really okay right? Your shoulder doesn’t hurt?”
“Yeah. Just out of magic. I’m fine.”
I poked her frowning face to smooth it out.
Then I looked up at Kim Do-yoon collapsed on the floor.
“Phew….”
Although it was a sudden surprise attack, we eventually defended against it and won.
Now it was time to use this as an opportunity to track <Villain> once more and pressure them.
…My newly created <Anti-Villain> will get busy.
[You have won the duel! With the mysterious power of the Rune Hunter, you can replicate one of the opponent’s runes. Please select a rune to replicate.]
And a duel victory reward I haven’t seen in a long time popped up.
Well, this was a bonus.
Please rate this series here.
Schedule: Pending @ UTC+ 12:00 /ippostranslations
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m