Chapter 88: Jeon Jong-Du (3)
Dont try those cheap tricks, you bastard!
Jeon Jong-du, red as a raging locomotive, charged towards Kang-hoos shadow.
Since he was only one and the shadows were many, Kang-hoo easily evaded.
He chose the shadow farthest from Jeon Jong-du and completed his move. As always, it was a perfect maneuver.
But then.
Whoosh!
At that moment, Kang-hoo clearly heard a loud noise. It was the sound of something heavy flying through the air.
Damn it.
Checking the situation, he saw Jeon Jong-du, now even faster, charging from the opposite side.
The speed was beyond imagination, leaving Kang-hoo no chance to use his skills again.
Kahaha!
Jeon Jong-dus face, growing larger and closer like in a horror movie, filled Kang-hoos vision.
Boom!
Then the collision occurred.
Kang-hoo spread a protective barrier to block Jeon Jong-dus assault, but it was impossible to do so without any damage.
Kugh!
He was thrown into the air.
Simultaneously, a wave of pain, starting from his elbow, the collision point, spread throughout his body.
This guy is insane.
A curse, almost a compliment by Kang-hoos standards, escaped his lips. Jeon Jong-du. His strength was indeed as legendary as his reputation.
While flying towards the wall, Jeon Jong-du extended his arms forward, taking a grappling stance.
He planned to catch Kang-hoo, whether he bounced back or fell from the wall, and finish it then and there.
Fortunately, Kang-hoos mind was clear, and although he was hit, he wasnt seriously injured.
[Veil of Skill]
[Leap]
Thus, laying down the Veil of Skill and entering stealth, he used the Leap skill to bounce off the wall and escape the scene.
He was lucky to have his next move planned out, or else he would have been caught and killed instantly.
Youre quite skilled. Seems like you have quite a few options for escaping a tight spot.
Shut your trap, you brat.
Kang-hoo cursed at Jeon Jong-du, who was suddenly showing off, giving him a thumbs-up.
Seeing him smiling broadly at himself was quite irritating and slightly wounded his pride.
But on the other hand, he felt the fight might get more interesting.
A character like Jeon Jong-du was the most challenging opponent for Kang-hoo.
Assassination, after all, should be about striking a fatal blow, causing serious injury, or ending the life of the opponent in one strike.
But hunters of this type, with their enormous size and strength, do not easily fall.
Especially compared to other classes, who might withstand one or two effective attacks.
With guys like Jeon Jong-du, getting caught meant death.
For such opponents, catching their prey marks the beginning of a fatal strike. Thats what he aimed for just now.
[Leap]
Swoosh!
Kang-hoo charged at Jeon Jong-du.
A passive and defensive battle made it difficult to create an opening in Jeon Jong-dus defense.
Even if he did create one, Jeon Jong-du could quickly regain his posture and be ready to defend before Kang-hoo could approach.
In the end, actively engaging and inducing a reaction was the only way to actively create an opening.
This was both the advantage and disadvantage of a berserker.
Powerful due to their immense strength, but in the process, they often unwittingly expose their own vulnerabilities.
As a Berserker, Kang-hoo himself was surprised at how swiftly his body moved, defying common sense and control.
Heh.
Jeon Jong-du laughed, seeing Kang-hoo attack straightforwardly from the front.
He had faced many hunters from the assassin class before. Such textbook patterns were all too familiar to him.
Probably, Kang-hoo would pretend to come in and then retreat, or use a movement skill like before.
Jeon Jong-du, unimpressed by ordinary dagger attacks, stretched out his arm, openly intending to grab him.
Just then.
[Gwi-yo-mi!]
Kang-hoo used a skill he had never used before.
Isnt a battle a contest of various skill options?
This skill had its own merit. Initially, the name had put him off.
Boing! Twing!
Suddenly, a human-sized medium slime filled Jeon Jong-dus view.
Jeon Jong-dus arm, stretched out with the intention of catching Kang-hoo, penetrated the slimes body.
Sh*t!
The slime, unexpectedly resilient(?), clung to Jeon Jong-dus arm like a thick booger, refusing to let go easily.
Meanwhile, Kang-hoo, having conjured the slime and successfully moved laterally to target Jeon Jong-du, was now behind him.
It was a predictable rear movement tactic, but with the addition of slime creation in the mix, it became an unpredictable variable.
No. Even this is predictable.
But Kang-hoo, refusing to be complacent, decided to twist the situation further.
At the moment entangled with the slime, Jeon Jong-du would naturally expect Kang-hoo to position himself behind.
[Shallow Chaos]
So, he silently cast Shallow Chaos on Jeon Jong-du.
Loss of directional sense.
Distortion of surrounding vision.
A pretty good choice for someone who relies on instinct and possesses great strength.
Damn it!
Bang!
Jeon Jong-du smashed the slime.
The force was so strong that the slime burst entirely, scattering jelly-like droplets from the sky.
The bright eyes of the slime turned into an X, signaling its pitiful demise.
So far, so good.
Jeon Jong-du immediately turned his gaze to the back, precisely to the rear side where Kang-hoo was.
Having experienced countless situations of being caught from behind as an assassin, he wasnt startled.
He stretched out his arm fiercely. It would be quick to catch him at this distance.
Just then.
Whizz!
?
Jeon Jong-du saw Kang-hoos figure, which was clearly visible, dissipate like smoke the moment he touched it.
It was visible, but it wasnt there.
Was it a hallucination?
Or sensory disruption?
There are mental skills that induce distortion in this manner.
But.
He had never encountered an assassin employing such a technique before.
Just as he, a Berserker, was far removed from magical skills, this was uncharacteristic for them. There seemed to be no connection.
In that instant.
Swoosh!
Aaaargh!
Jeon Jong-du experienced an unexpected surge of pain from a place he hadnt anticipated.
It was his groin.
Initially, there was a cold metallic sensation, followed by a fiery pain that seemed to engulf the wound.
Ironically, the intense pain helped to dissipate the Shallow Chaos that had just been cast on him.
But by then, it was too late.
Jeon Jong-du felt the stability of his lower body, which had been solidly supporting his massive frame, begin to falter.
The damage from being hit in the groin was too significant to be dismissed as a mere accident.
Keep going. More.
Meanwhile, Kang-hoo was pushing himself even harder.
His recent attack, a critical skill, had been a resounding success.
Even the most robust body cannot maintain a steel-like hardness everywhere.
There are relatively softer areas. Kang-hoo had been targeting those from the beginning.
[Visual Theft]
He robbed Jeon Jong-du of his sight.
Under normal circumstances, this skill was unlikely to work.
But now, overwhelmed by intense pain in the lower body, Jeon Jong-du couldnt maintain his focus.
Mental attacks are much more effective in such situations.
Jeon Jong-du might be a physically formidable hunter, but mentally, there were definitely gaps.
This son of a!
Whoosh! Wham!
Enraged, Jeon Jong-du frantically swung around, his attacks fueled by anger, aiming to tear apart anything within reach.
But Kang-hoo was not one to be easily caught by such reckless swings.
He observed Jeon Jong-du, holding his breath.
The situation seemed favorable, but a single misstep could result in Kang-hoo being caught, potentially revitalizing Jeon Jong-du.
It could completely turn the tables, leading to a perfect comeback victory.
Then.
Come at me! Attack!
Jeon Jong-dus upper body leaned forward aggressively, attempting to grasp anything within reach.
His lower body, impaired, couldnt keep up with the movement.
When the bodys center of gravity is disturbed, a quick recovery can reestablish balance. Failing to do so causes the body to follow its momentum.
Jeon Jong-du experienced the latter.
As his body leaned forward, his face became an easier target.
[Abduct]
Kang-hoo played his trump card.
It was a risky skill to use against Jeon Jong-du, who could be lethal if caught, but the situation warranted it.
Ugh!
Jeon Jong-du was taken aback once again by the continuous use of skills uncharacteristic for an assassin.
His confusion didnt end there; his heavy body was now being pulled towards Kang-hoo.
The vision block from Visual Theft hadnt lifted yet, leaving Jeon Jong-du almost blind.
Kang-hoo crouched down.
He looked up at Jeon Jong-du, who was being summoned in front of him.
Chin.
He spotted the spot to aim for in a single strike.
Clutching the Blood Dew tightly, Kang-hoo combined it with the beheading skill and thrust his dagger upward as he stood.
Swoosh!
The dagger, heavy with the sensation of cutting through bone, muscle, and flesh, pierced through Jeon Jong-dus tongue and palate.
Despite Jeon Jong-dus massive size, unmatched by any, not all parts of him were equally tough.
Grrr!
Finally, as the effect of Visual Theft faded, Jeon Jong-du, spotting Kang-hoo, bulged his eyes in shock.
The Blood Dew was deep in his face, emitting heat, but Jeon Jong-du was not yet dead.
His eyeballs seemed about to burst at the slightest breeze.
Jeon Jong-du, with murderous intent overlaying his actions, appeared like a demon.
Pop!
Damn it.
Kang-hoos arms were caught by Jeon Jong-du.
Even with the dagger piercing his face, Jeon Jong-du hadnt lost his original monstrous strength.
Swoosh!
Soon, Kang-hoo felt his blood rushing to one side, and his energy started to drain.
One of Jeon Jong-dus constellation abilities had begun to manifest.
The absorption of life force was underway.
It felt as though not only the life force but also the mana from his body was being completely drained.
But that wasnt all.
Jeon Jong-du, gripping Kang-hoos arms, hoisted him high into the air.
It was as if he were on a human amusement ride, suddenly soaring upwards.
In a situation where any normal hunter would have perished, Jeon Jong-du held on.
Instead, it was Kang-hoo who was at risk of a counterattack.
If Jeon Jong-du initiated a downward strike with his added monstrous strength, Kang-hoo might end up like dried fish utterly flattened.
It would be a miracle if anything of him remained intact.
Crazy bastard.
Kang-hoo cursed, watching Jeon Jong-du flaunt his strength.
Even a little more time, and Kang-hoo too would suffer injuries, or worse.
So.
[Blood Flower]
He unleashed his finishing skill.
It was a skill he couldnt use at the beginning of the battle due to the lack of significant wounds.
But now, with deep wounds in the groin and lower jaw, causing heavy bleeding, there was enough material.
Boom! Boom! Boom-boom-boom!
An explosion occurred.
However, unlike previous times when Kang-hoo observed the beautiful end of Blood Flower from a distance, this time he was not spared.
He was caught in the blast, experiencing the explosion of blood and flesh firsthand.
The phrase crazy bastard he had uttered earlier.
It summed up his frustration with Jeon Jong-dus relentless tenacity, making things difficult until the end.
I need a few days of rest.
Anticipating his body being wrecked in the explosion, Kang-hoo sighed quietly.
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.co(m)