Chapter 47. There are Two Options

Shin Yoo-Sung saw a small breeze form on the hooded figure’s hand. It grew and rose up to the sky, causing dark clouds to gather.

Even though it happened in a flash, it didn’t escape the eyes of an S-rank Hunter like him. But noticing wasn’t the same as knowing how to stop it.

"Ah! You must be the Hunter sent for support!”

At that moment, his subordinate approached the hooded figure and spoke. Shin Yoo-Sung quickly grabbed his subordinate's shoulder and pulled behind him.

"Guild Master?" The subordinate looked confused.

"Who are you?" Shin Yoo-Sung asked.

There was hostility in his voice. It was a rare emotion for him. He didn’t understand why he felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort upon seeing the hooded figure.

Shin Yoo-Sung trusted his instincts because they’d saved his life multiple times. Thus, more than half, no, over seventy percent of him already considered the hooded figure an enemy.

"Aquila," said the hooded figure, not answering Shin Yoo-Sung’s question.

Aquila was the word that brought the wind and rain. As the figure uttered the word again, the wind and clouds began to gather this time.

Rumble—

Soon, the rain and wind gathered and formed a gigantic shape, causing Shin Yoo-Sung’s eyes to widen.

"A spirit?" Shin Yoo-Sung muttered, looking at the giant.

The giant called Aquila seemed to be a summoned being made of nature's power.

If that was the case, was he facing a Spirit Summoner? He was aware that among registered Hunters, summoners were quite rare. Hence, if he were to limit it to Spirit Summoners, there would be even fewer of them. This was a big clue.

But that was assuming the opponent was a registered Hunter.

None of the high-ranking Spirit Summoners I know can summon a giant like that...

Rumble—

Just then, the giant started to move, charging its massive fist toward Shin Yoo-Sung. Even though it was made of wind and rain, a fierce and undeniable force surged within it.

"Damn! This guy really is an enemy!" Shin Yoo-Sung shouted.

At this moment, his guess had turned into a certainty at a hundred percent.

Shin Yoo-Sung stood in front of his subordinate, shielding him. As he extended his hand, a white, translucent barrier appeared, blocking the giant's fist.

Rumble—

Crackle! Crackle!

"G-Guild Master!"

The subordinate shouted from behind. As rough sounds echoed, cracks began to appear on Shin Yoo-Sung's barrier.

The scene was shocking for the subordinate. To him, Shin Yoo-Sung was an all-powerful S-rank Healer! For his barrier to crack, the giants must’ve been powerful beyond belief! It was a situation where two giants were clashing.

"

Hmph!

"

Bang!

Shin Yoo-Sung's skill did not break until the end. Though the barrier had cracked, it withstood the giant's attack.

"Not as tough as I thought."

Shin Yoo-Sung spat out taunting words, hoping it’d make the opponent lose composure and make things easier.

"..."

However, the opponent remained silent. The hooded figure didn’t even reveal their face.

Tsk!

Shin Yoo-Sung clicked his tongue. This type was the most troublesome as an enemy!

"Hunter Shin Yoo-Sung!"

"What's the matter?"

"What is that monster...?"

Meanwhile, other Hunters from nearby guilds gathered. They’d rushed over upon seeing the giant. Dozens of Hunters quickly surrounded the hooded figure and the giant.

Noticing that there was no escape for the opponent, Shin Yoo-Sung spoke to the hooded figure again.

"Surrender. I'm curious about your identity and why you attacked me... but we can talk about that later."

The hooded figure silently observed the surroundings. Their lips remained tightly shut.

"Aquila."

Once again, the hooded figure called the giant.

Shin Yoo-Sung began to suspect that they could only say that one word. The hooded figure reached into their coat and pulled out something. It was a large gemstone, about the size of a fist.

Is he trying to escape?

This thought flashed through Shin Yoo-Sung’s mind. Just as he was about to scream for him to stop, the hooded figure shattered the gemstone.

Clang!

Then the figure said, "These are the people who harmed our mother. Kill them all."

For the first time, words other than "Aquila" came out of his or her mouth. Soon, an ominous energy poured out of the gemstone, and the giant began to grow about twice as large. The figure chose not to flee, but to fight.

The giant now loomed so high that one had to crane their neck to see it. The Hunters started to step back in shock.

“

Uh...”

In the midst of it all, Shin Yoo-Sung felt cold sweat trickling down his back.

***

Kim Do-Joon's first impression of the figure was that they were exceedingly delicate. Judging by the shape of the face, they were likely a man, but one could easily mistake them for a woman, especially with their long, chestnut-colored hair.

Their skin was so pale it seemed almost translucent, showing veins, and their features were so finely detailed, they looked beautiful yet unreal.

It was a face that should have evoked admiration, yet all Kim Do-Joon felt was an odd sense of discomfort.

The uncanny valley...

That was the perfect analogy. It was the instinctive revulsion one feels when something non-human looked almost, but not quite, human.

"Put Hyun-Seung down!" The team leader shouted, aiming his weapon at the figure.

However, fearing what might happen to the hostage, he couldn’t get closer to the figure.

Thud—

Surprisingly, the figure complied, and put Hyun-Seung down.

"

Ugh

...

Aah...

Keugh...

”

“Hyun-Seung!”

The team member named Hyun-Seung groaned, crawling along the ground. His eyes were unfocused, and saliva dribbled from his mouth. Despite this, a faint smile tugged at his lips. He desperately tried to reach the team leader and Kim Do-Joon, thinking he’d survived.

"

Khak!

"

Suddenly, the figure placed their foot on Hyun-Seung's back, causing him to freeze.

The seemingly gentle step was enough to immobilize Hyun-Seung. Like a fish caught in a net, Hyun-Seung's eyes began to shake.

Then, the figure looked around, finally resting their gaze on the roots of the World Tree.

"This is where it has taken root, Mother," the figure murmured in a reverent tone, as if greeting a God, while still pinning Hyun-Seung underfoot.

"What do you want?" Kim Do-Joon asked with a frown, trying to remain calm.

“Did you just ask what I want?” The figure tilted their head, as if pondering the question, before answering. "You natives seem more intelligent than I thought. Do you know how to grow plants by any chance?"

"Plants?" Kim Do-Joon replied with a baffled look.

It was a nonsensical question, but Kim Do-Joon didn’t dismiss it. There could be clues to the figure's motives in their words.

"If you have ever grown plants, you would probably know that they often attract pests. Sometimes, there are beneficial insects, but more often than not, harmful ones," said the figure.

"What are you talking about? Just tell us what you want!" The team leader could not hold back his frustration any longer and shouted.

"Well well... If I must say... It would be nice to have some kind of a pesticide. It's a hassle to kill each pest one by one," the figure said, looking down at Hyun-Seung as if he were an insect.

Then the figure pressed down with their foot.

Crack—!

"

Aaah!

" Hyun-Seung screamed with a cracking sound.

It sounded as if his spine was breaking.

"Hyun-Seung!" The team leader's eyes widened in horror.

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon had already sprung into action, spear in hand, charging at the figure with imperceptible speed.

"Are you seriously charging at me? Not very bright, are you?" The figure smirked, a look of contempt on their face.

— You must have them under your control in just a single strike.

Yes, I am aware.

Kim Do-Joon knew he had to strike decisively. He thought that this was the best chance, while the figure was unaware of his true abilities.

Swoosh—!

With a swift motion, Kim Do-Joon hurled his spear. It was so fast that the team leader barely saw his attack.

However, the figure managed to react to his attack, raising a hand to block the spear.

“Huh?” Kim Do-Joon looked confused.

The figure’s movement halted all of a sudden.

What’s going on?

As Kim Do-Joon looked down, a thorn that appeared from their shadow was piercing the figure. It was the black thorn that did not cause any pain or injury but immobilized an individual.

The figure's eyes widened in surprise.

Got you!

Then, immediately, Kim Do-Joon struck the figure with his spear.

Baaam—!

A resounding crash echoed and dust rose from the ground. Their vision was clouded momentarily but soon settled under the rain, revealing the scene.

In the middle, the figure stood there completely unscathed, narrowing their eyes. w

"That was an impressive little trick," the figure said in a mocking tone.

"...!" Kim Do-Joon was left in stunned silence.

Kim Do-Joon was truly shocked. Trusting the power of the thorns, he launched his attack with full force, neglecting his defense. And yet, his opponent was completely unscathed.

Immediately after, the figure drew a short sword from their waist and swung it. It was no ordinary sword strike

—

the blade was enveloped in a sharp, cutting wind.

Seeing this, Kim Do-Joon quickly leaped back as far as he could.

Clang!

"

Keugh!

" Kim Do-Joon was sent flying, but was otherwise unharmed.

The Wind Resistance repelled the blade's energy, while his Invincible Body absorbed the remaining impact. Having jumped back as soon as he saw the sword, the force wasn’t too severe.

"

Hmm...

Quite a tough bug, aren't you?"

The figure clicked their tongue and inspected their sword. Though it was not a legendary blade, it had been crafted by a well-known smith. But now, there was a small nick in the edge.

Seeing this, the figure's demeanor shifted slightly. A whirlwind began to form around them, centering on their body.

— Be careful. This place now holds an advantage for your opponent.

Karlish sternly warned Kim Do-Joon.

The swirling wind affected both Kim Do-Joon and the figure, but the figure was likely accustomed to fighting in such conditions.

Understood.

Gripping his spear tightly, Kim Do-Joon trained his eyes on the figure. To avoid being swept away by the wind, he had to stand firm.

The two charged at each other at the same time. The figure moved quietly with the fluidity of water, whereas Kim Do-Joon tore through the wind with sheer force. They clashed in the middle of the battlefield.

Boom!

With a sound like before, dust flew up from the ground. Inside the dust cloud, the figure launched a series of strikes. However, Kim Do-Joon unyieldingly met each one.

In terms of power and speed, they were evenly matched. The difference was that the wind favored the figure, while Kim Do-Joon had the Thorn of Searshader on his side.

The exchange of blows continued with each attack countered by the other.

This is unbelievable...

The team leader watched their battle in awe from the sidelines.

He wasn’t only stunned by the speed, but also by the fact that neither was defending against the other's attacks. Both the figure and Kim Do-Joon were fully open, focusing solely on striking their opponent.

What a brutish fight...

It was a fight that could only be described as brutal, and yet, neither combatant had a single injury. Despite the apparent recklessness, both fighters' eyes were sharp, each analyzing the other for weaknesses.

— Don’t you think that guy also has a skill like you?

I'm not sure. Although I doubt anyone's bare skin could be this tough...

Kim Do-Joon’s mind was racing, trying to figure out which curse item to use on this figure.

I can only apply one curse per day on a single target. So, I need to choose the right one.

The obvious choice was to reduce the figure's defense, but there was an issue. If the figure also had extraordinary healing abilities, that item effect might not be enough. By then, it’d be too late to use the non-regenerative effect because he could only use the curse item once.

I need to test their healing ability first.

To do that, Kim Do-Joon needed to land a significant blow. Therefore, he had two options: find and exploit a weakness, or use his strongest attack.

The first option is still out of reach. Which means...

Kim Do-Joon decided to use the technique he learned from Karlish. It was the first spear technique of Nox, the God of War and Storms. This skill might allow Kim Do-Joon to penetrate the figure's defenses.

However, there was a downside.

— That skill takes time, doesn't it?

As Karlish pointed out, Kim Do-Joon needed time to use that skill.

If I need time, then I’ll make that time. I’ll create an opening.

—

Ha!

Good spirit! If anyone can do it, it's you!

Karlish rarely encouraged Kim Do-Joon. Whether it was to boost Kim Do-Joon's confidence or because he genuinely saw potential, it didn’t matter. Kim Do-Joon only had one job: to execute his plan.

Just then, a sudden attack from the figure struck Kim Do-Joon hard.

Clang—!

Huh?

His insides churned with the force of the blow, and he felt nauseous.

— What’s going on? Why are you blanking!

Karlish shouted, and Kim Do-Joon replied, grimacing.

I’m not blanking...

— Then why...

The blessing of Siwelin has ended.

Kim Do-Joon replied, gritting his teeth.

The balance had been broken.