Chapter 114
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[You have emerged victorious from the duel! With the mysterious power of the Rune Hunter, you can copy one of your opponent’s runes. Please select the rune you want to copy.]
[1. Explosive Sword Aura 2. Sword (Not Selectable) 3. Agility (Not Selectable) 4. Endurance 5. Iron Wall Defense (Not Selectable) 6. Three Sword Style 7. Magic Control (Not Selectable) 8. Sprint (Not Selectable) 9. Ruthless Charge (Temporary) (Not Selectable)]
The rune I could get from Kim Do-yoon was practically set.
[Explosive Sword Aura].
It was his trademark, one of the few epic runes he possessed.
The moment this appeared, there was no need to look at the other options.
Besides, even if they weren’t unavailable runes, runes like [Endurance] or [Three Sword Style] were unnecessary for me.
I already had superior runes like [Sturdy Endurance], [Water Sword Technique], [Wave Sword Technique] that had much better effects.
Given the restrictions on acquiring runes, I could no longer blindly obtain any rune like before.
[You have acquired Explosive Sword Aura. As it is a level 7 epic rune, its level will be lowered to 4 upon registration.]
[You have obtained a new rune.]
[You gain +1 Strength, +3 Magic due to the nature of the rune]
<Rune Information>
◎ Name: Explosive Sword Aura
◎ Grade: Epic
◎ Level: 4
◎ Engraved Location: Left Forearm
◎ Special Effects: –
: When striking an opponent with a sword or colliding with a specific object, you can freely cause explosions. (The intensity and quantity of explosions is proportional to the rune’s level.) The source energy of the explosions is substituted with magic power, whose nature is of the fire element. If you do not possess runes to control magic power, it will be deactivated. Also, if your magic power is depleted, you cannot utilize this rune.
: If you possess fire-element magic power runes, the might of this rune will slightly increase.
: By utilizing runes related to magic power amplification and condensation over time, even more powerful explosions become possible.
◎ Derived Skills: –
–
◎ Detailed Information: –
: Condensed magic power just before the explosion is gathered in the sword. As long as you can wield a sword, you can cause explosions anywhere and demolish anything.
The dense rune information flooded my view.
This was practically at the level of a brick wall.
Perhaps because it was such a powerful direct combat epic rune, the explanation was quite lengthy and the conditions were also quite complex.
‘Well, I meet all the conditions anyway.’
The source energy of the explosions is substituted with magic power.
Therefore, I need to possess magic-related runes to use this rune.
Fortunately, I meet all those criteria.
I have the [Magic Control] rune, and also possess the auxiliary runes [Magic Amplification] and [Fiery Flames] to strengthen this rune.
Since I’ve obtained so many runes up till now, I was fully prepared to perfectly utilize this unfamiliar new rune.
‘But what’s the criteria for a sword?’
While reading the information, I suddenly had that question.
This was quite an important matter for me.
No matter what anyone said, my main weapon was a sword, but recently I had been learning from Yoo Eun-seol and was utilizing daggers and short swords just as much.
The wider application was an advantage, even if the explosions would be noisy.
‘Can’t tell from the rune info.’
It did say sword, but the exact range was not clearly described.
I would probably have to test it out myself to find out.
But then, random information windows popped up again out of nowhere.
[Due to the newly acquired rune, associated existing skills have been influenced and updated.]
[Information for derived skill ‘Quarter Knife’ has been updated.]
[Information for derived skill ‘Staircase Slash’ has been updated.]
‘What the, so suddenly.’
Skill associations.
I had thought they would derive someday, but didn’t expect them to appear from such unexpected places.
I hurriedly checked the skill info for [Quarter Knife].
<Skill Information>
◎ Name: Quarter Knife
◎ Derived From Rune: Master of Martial Arts (Dagger)
◎ Cooldown: 30 minutes
◎ Conditions: 4 daggers used
◎ Effects:
: Throw 4 daggers at the opponent. It is simply a throwing technique, but condensed magic power is imbued in one random dagger, allowing it to deal a powerful strike. Not even the user knows which of the 4 daggers will have the magic power.
* Dynamite Bomb (Explosive Sword Aura)
: Due to association with a specific rune, a new effect has been added. When using the skill, the user can now imbue the skill with explosive properties if desired. This property is only applied to the one dagger with the imbued magic power.
‘Wow, so this is possible.’
[Quarter Knife] had the association [Explosive Sword Aura] added, granting it a new effect.
[Quarter Knife] is a throwing skill where magic power is focused into one of the four thrown daggers like a game of Russian roulette. The additional effect allowed imbuing the magic-imbued dagger with explosive properties.
My rare ranged attack was strengthened with greater power through this enhancement and improvement.
Since the effect could also be unused if undesired, the convenience was also superb.
‘So instantaneous runes can cause this.’
I quickly realized why the skill was strengthened through rune association.
I had obtained magic-related runes like [Fiery Flames], [Swirling Tidal Waves], [Fragmented Earth Garden] and more several times already.
Yet those didn’t associate with other skills before, because those magic runes took a lot of time to invoke and convert magic power into their respective elements.
On the other hand, [Explosive Sword Aura] could instantly cause explosions the moment magic power was invoked.
Compared to other magic runes, the intermediate process was omitted, and it was much faster
Thanks to that, it seemed that the information was updated like this while affecting the skills.
The skill information for [Staircase Slash] also had a similar effect.
‘It seems that the other skills are not good because they are physical.’
In addition to these skills, there are two more sword skills.
[Combo] and [Hide Attack].
However, unlike the previous skills, these two skills were only the skills with a ‘physical attack propensity’, so it seemed that no effect was added.
Kung, koo-u-
Malevolent malevolent-
“No, how did this… .”
“Group 32 members, is everyone okay?!”
“Assistant, contact Shin Seong’s professor right away!”
By the time I sorted out my newly acquired abilities.
The door to the room we were in opened, and the surroundings became very noisy.
Professor Kim Kwang-bu and students of <Harvesting By-product>.
They flocked in together.
The result of the fierce battle, and suspicious traces such as soundproofing items and [Berserk Potion].
A sufficient explanation was needed.
“My name is Do Jae-hyun, the leader of Group 32, Professor.”
After I led my tired body out.
Calmly, I began to explain to Professor Kim Kwang-bu.
***
Ippotranslation
***
– Kim Do-yoon, a freshman in the warrior class, was a spy for <Villain>!
-The spy appeared again after Ha Do-kwon…
-Rampant Villain, is the academy continuously being played?
-First-year Do Jae-hyun who was ambushed establishes the <Anti-Villain> circle.
-A first-year establishing a circle for the first time in 6 years, approval confirmed.
“….”
Chae Soo-yeon had quietly closed the newspaper.
After Kim Do-yoon’s failed assault on Do Jae-hyun, the academy and all forms of media focused on the incident, publishing articles about it daily.
Most of the article contents were about <Villain>.
That <Villain> spies were overflowing in the academy…
This incident should spur efforts to weed them out…
The ambushed Do Jae-hyun must be protected… etc.
For a while, the infiltration of <Villain> into the academy, which had been quiet, was continuously brought up, and negative public opinion regarding it poured out ceaselessly.
That <Villain> couldn’t be in the academy.
The criminal organization’s roots must be eliminated.
The newspaper contents were filled with such opinions.
Quietly looking at him…
Chae Soo-yeon heavily opened her mouth.
“Yoon-jae.”
“Yes, professor.”
Without a single moment of hesitation, the answer shot out from Ji Yoon-jae’s mouth as he knelt on one knee.
Despite clearly being angry, Chae Soo-yeon did not apply any pressure.
She was most dangerous at times like these.
At times like these, he had to answer without any delay.
Ji Yoon-jae, who had received the most praise and punishment from her, now understood her tendencies better than anyone.
“The ripple effects of the failure… are quite big.”
This operation was a failure.
Not just a failure, but a complete failure.
They didn’t even remove the target Do Jae-hyun, and didn’t conceal that this incident was <Villain>’s doing.
They didn’t succeed in a single thing, only incurring enormous backlash from the aftermath.
It was an operation that completely whipped up a storm.
“I’m sorry. I should have carried out the operation as well…”
Ji Yoon-jae had also participated in this operation.
His role was to dispose of Kim Do-yoon after everything ended.
But the plan where the frenzied Kim Do-yoon would be defeated was not in his head, so he was unable to make an appearance in any of the related situations.
The only thing he could do was quietly slip away from the scene when everyone’s gazes were gathered after it all ended.
“It would have been dangerous for both you and me if you did. You judged well.”
A rare word of praise came from Chae Soo-yeon’s mouth.
And as she said, this was rational judgment.
While Kim Do-yoon’s capture would only strengthen the academy’s vigilance at most and not cause major issues, it was a different story if Ji Yoon-jae was caught.
“Because you’re a senior clan member.”
That was because Ji Yoon-jae’s position was different from ordinary clan members.
The academy branch of <Villain> operated like an outpost organization.
Ordinary clan members moved according to orders handed down, but the delivery method of those orders was all done secretly through intermediaries.
Due to that, the intermediaries delivering the orders also didn’t know it was <Villain>’s mission, and the ordinary clan members receiving the orders also couldn’t know who was above them at all.
So even if they were exposed during operations, only the fact they were <Villain> members would be revealed.
No other facts could be uncovered through interrogation.
But in Ji Yoon-jae’s case, where he directly communicated with the branch manager Chae Soo-yeon and carried out missions, if his identity was exposed, it could become a risk to the entire <Villain> clan.
As a senior clan member occupying a position in the clan, he had to be prudent in his actions and mission execution.
“Anyway… Given how things have turned out, we’ll have to lie low for a while.”
Fatigue seeped from Chae Soo-yeon’s voice.
It was an expression unfitting for her, showing distress.
At that, Ji Yoon-jae bowed his head and answered.
“We’ll go with the original Plan A.”
The original Plan A.
To infiltrate Do Jae-hyun’s <Anti-Villain> circle as a member, then spread misinformation and twist the direction to cause confusion in the circle’s activities.
Considering the even larger size <Anti-Villain> would now gain following this incident, it was a plan that had become much more important than before.
Chae Soo-yeon quietly nodded at Ji Yoon-jae’s words.
And…
She added one more thing.
“Plan Do Jae-hyun’s assassination again. While maintaining Plan A.”
“Again… you say?”
“Mm-hm – Due to this incident, I clearly realized it. That kid Do Jae-hyun is too huge of an obstacle to our activities.”
He easily subdued the berserk Kim Do-yoon, even if it was said to be with the archer department’s help.
Compared to the ‘Ha Do-kwon Incident’ previously used as a benchmark, Do Jae-hyun had become incomparably stronger.
It was a growth speed nearing astonishment.
Something Chae Soo-yeon and Ji Yoon-jae had completely missed…
It was why this operation had ended in failure.
“If left alone, someday he’ll stab us in the back.”
Chae Soo-yeon was wary of Do Jae-hyun.
He was already growing at far too quick of a pace for a promising student of unprecedented caliber, and such a student Holder was even establishing a circle called <Anti-Villain>?
He was an individual far too dangerous to them, an obstacle to the organization’s policies and a threat to their activities there.
A cold light glinted in Chae Soo-yeon’s eyes.
“Before that…”
So an even more important matter.
“He must be killed.”
Do Jae-hyun.
The fact that he had now become a target for elimination rather than vigilance.
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