Chapter 50. Pick That Up

— By the way, what is this technique called?

A scene from a week ago flashed through Kim Do-Joon’s mind.

— This technique is called Violent Stream! Sounds impressive, right?!

— Ah... yeah... Is it a name that you came up with yourself, Karlish?

Kim Do-Joon asked, intrigued by Karlish's boastful demeanor.

— I can't remember exactly, but probably yes. All the other spear techniques of the God of Storms are pretty lousy. On the other hand, the one that I remembered is a well-crafted masterpiece.

Once again, Karlish replied proudly.

— What do you mean by that?

— It means I refined and created those techniques myself, you idiot.

Hahaha!

Karlish’s pride in his spear techniques was evident, and rightfully so. The Violent Stream technique that he taught was truly remarkable.

Kim Do-Joon looked around. They were on a rocky mountain within the Orc Labyrinth. All of the rocks, trees, and stone floors nearby were ground down as if drilled by a giant drill.

To think this is a technique created purely by mana control and spear movements, not from a skill made Kim Do-Joon feel amazed.

— It is indeed... amazing.

— Of course, it is! It is amazing!

Soon, Kim Do-Joon recalled a question that’d been nagging at him since the start of the training. Earlier, Karlish mentioned the spear techniques of Nox, the God of War and Storms.

Kim Do-Joon wanted to clarify what Karlish meant by

the spear technique of a god

. Was Karlish taught by a god?

— Of course not. The spear techniques of the God of Storms are based on the mythology of Nox, passed down through generations.

— Based on mythology?

— Yes, that’s right. Martial arts are often created by mimicking animal movements or natural phenomena. Countless inspirations gave birth to countless martial arts, but only a few are truly practical...

— Oh, I see.

— The spear technique replicates the feats of Nox from the myths, hence why I said

“based on a god

.” Nox is one of the most ferocious gods, known for his wild and merciless storms that slaughtered the giants of the underworld.

The myth was more violent than Kim Do-Joon had expected. Then again, Earth's myths also had similar stories.

— The current spear technique embodies that ferocious wind. As the name Violent Stream suggests, this skill creates a swirling flow to pierce through enemies.

—

Ah

, I see. Your explanation helps me visualize the spear technique better.

Thanks to listening to the origin story of the spear technique, Kim Do-Joon started to see the outline more clearly despite not fully grasping it yet.

— Well, that's a good sign! Thoughtlessly swinging a weapon makes you mediocre at best. Constantly thinking, pondering, and imagining is how you become a top-tier warrior! Imagery is especially crucial!

— Absolutely.

Kim Do-Joon agreed, nodding.

— From now on, whenever you use the technique, shout its name loud and clear! Just hearing the name Violent Stream should make your enemies tremble and flee!

Hahaha!

— Um, no, I don't think that's necessary...

Karlish laughed heartily, while Kim Do-Joon showed an awkward smile. The idea of shouting a technique name during a fight felt ridiculous, especially at his age—almost humiliating, even.

Violent Stream, huh...

That was where the memory of the past ended.

In the present, Kim Do-Joon found himself in a paradoxical place—both extremely noisy and eerily silent. In contrast to Eldora’s gentle yet powerful breeze, violent wind swirled around him. It tore through everything in its path with ferocious intensity.

— Hey, you idiot! Stop! You're pushing your limits!

Kim Do-Joon’s spear vibrated fiercely, perhaps because Karlish was shouting at him.

He was overexerting himself, pushing his mana control beyond his limits.

Kim Do-Joon split what should be a single stream of mana even further, making it twelve strands. It felt as if he was forcibly tearing apart his nerves. The pain became excruciating beyond ten mana threads.

I can do it!

Although he wasn’t confident, he was trying to be optimistic. His concentration peaked, and all other sounds faded. All he saw was his target, high up in the sky.

Kim Do-Joon split his mana even further. He knew he could win this. He’d experienced being enveloped by thousands of mana threads during Karlish’s demonstration.

Recall that feeling!

Kim Do-Joon tried to remind himself, gripping the vibrating spear tightly. At that moment, the spear felt like an extension of his own arm. Finally, he split his mana into twenty threads and thrusted his spear toward Eldora!

Kaboom—!

A fierce vortex shot forth. Kim Do-Joon’s spear was the cannon, and the projectile was the wind. Mixed with tiny, sharp ice shards, it became a blizzard.

— You dare wield the wind before me? Disperse!

Eldora frowned and shouted. Although he could not move, Silaphe could. The spirit, visible only to Eldora, appeared before him. Another vortex spun in the opposite direction of Kim Do-Joon's to protect Eldora.

You fool! Don’t you know that any wind will bow before Silaphe?!

Eldora's eyes gleamed with mockery.

Seeing that, Karlish spoke softly to Kim Do-Joon.

— There’s a story of the God of Storms’ daughter being kidnapped and imprisoned in the Fortress of Storms. Nox single-handedly pierced through the storm surrounding the island to rescue her.

The two storms clashed.

— This was how Nox earned the title of God of Storms, and also the legend that the Violent Stream embodies.

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon's wind began to push back against Silaphe’s vortex.

Rumble— Rumble— Rumble—

"No way! How could Silaphe..." Eldora watched in shock as his wind was torn apart.

It was a deeply humiliating moment for him. If it had been a higher-ranking spirit, he might have understood, but to be overpowered by a mere human?!

Soon, Eldora's concern shifted from wounded pride to survival.

"

Aaargh!”

He could not afford to worry about such petty things anymore. The ice storm pierced through his wind and struck him directly.

If only... if only my feet were on the ground...!

If he wasn’t mid-air, Eldora could’ve redirected the attack to the earth. His absolute power, granted by the World Tree, allowed him to deflect any strike. But now, suspended in the air, he had no such advantage.

Unable to flow anywhere else, the damage tore into him completely. Without his power, he was just an ordinary being with fragile skin and flesh.

Boom—!

Eldora's body slammed into the ceiling. Instead of subsiding, Kim Do-Joon's wind kept pushing, breaking through the ceiling and sending Eldora's body upward.

Crash—! Crack!

As the ceiling and the dirt floor shattered, Eldora's body soared high into the sky. His mangled remains fell unceremoniously onto the asphalt. Kim Do-Joon's wind surged upward, clearing all rain and storm in an instant.

Whether it was a coincidence or not, at that moment, the dark clouds began to part. The once obscured sunlight illuminated the ground, filtering through the broken ceiling and reaching the shelter.

"W-we won!"

"We really won! We're alive!"

"What the hell! He’s definitely not an E-rank!"

As the warm light began to shine, people's faces lit up with relief and joy. The barrier that Siwelin had set up between Eldora and the people vanished. People started to gather around Kim Do-Joon, some wanting to thank him, others to express their admiration.

However, the first to reach him was his daughter, Kim So-Eun.

“

Waaah!

Daddy! Daddy!”

Kim So-Eun ran to him, oblivious to the dried blood, sweat, and dust covering his body. This time, Kim Do-Joon couldn’t push her away.

Siwelin silently approached, placing a hand on his back. A warm, healing light flowed from her into Kim Do-Joon. People crowded around, but no one disturbed the moment between Kim Do-Joon and his family.

“Daddy...” Kim So-Eun started crying.

Stroking Kim So-Eun's hair gently, Kim Do-Joon dropped back, exhausted. Perhaps, he could finally rest a little.

Siwelin smiled warmly, placing a hand on his forehead. She silently assured him that she’d take care of things. Kim Do-Joon's eyes began to close.

As he drifted off, something caught his eye. It was Eldora's sword, likely flung aside during the battle. It was still embedded in the ground, completely unguarded.

"Pick... that up..." Kim Do-Joon murmured, pointing to the sword.

Siwelin couldn’t help but laugh at his sense of duty even in this moment.

"Daddy?" Kim So-Eun looked at her dad.

"Sorry... Daddy needs to sleep for a bit..."

With those final words, Kim Do-Joon fell into a deep sleep.

***

Swish—!

A giant's head was severed. Despite being composed of storm and rain, it still had a tangible form, so it could be cut.

The one who struck it down was the Karma Guild.

“Karma has defeated the giant!”

“

Woohoo!

”

Oh Tae-Jin of Karma killed the giant. As the giant fell, the dark clouds began to disperse. The unnaturally gathered storm clouds retreated, and sunlight bathed the battlefield.

"Where is that guy?!”

Shin Yoo-Sung ran up, asking urgently. He had been in the rear, focusing on healing. The high-ranking Hunters, including Oh Tae-Jin, had joined the fray.

"I don't know, maybe he fled," Oh Sang-Jin replied, shaking his head.

"Damn it!" Shin Yoo-Sung cursed, stomping his foot in frustration.

Thud—!

When he stomped his foot in frustration, the ground caved in slightly. After a moment of seething, he looked at Oh Tae-Jin and asked.

“Are you hurt?”

“Do you think I would get hurt that easily?” Oh Tae-Jin replied.

Although his response sounded arrogant, he was the one who took down the giant. Nobody could really blame him for his confidence.

Shin Yoo-Sung pouted and said, "Well then, I'm off. There are still so many people who need treatment."

"Take care," replied Oh Tae-Jin.

Shin Yoo-Sung left, leaving an awkward silence behind. Oh Tae-Jin stood there, surveying the scene around him. The area was filled with injured people, some weeping while holding the bodies of their fallen comrades.

Despite the swift response from Shin Yoo-Sung and the Mir Guild, they could only minimize the damage. Looking at the devastation, Oh Tae-Jin thought he achieved another great accomplishment.

Just another day on the job.

Meanwhile, at the temporary command center, the entire hall erupted in cheers at the news.

"We've finally taken down the spirit!"

"Really?"

"

Yay!

"

Spokespersons from various guilds hugged each other in celebration. They decided to rejoice in the victory and face the grim reality of the incident reports later.

"What happened to that guy?"

The association president, who had been sitting solemnly in the middle, asked the reporter.

The reporter knew exactly who he meant—the suspicious person who had summoned the spirit.

"That person escaped. We don't know where they went..."

"

Hmm...

"

The association president's face darkened. The situation was now under control. The monsters had stopped appearing. The giant spirit, their biggest headache, had been defeated. However, the suspected mastermind slipped away, so it didn’t feel like a total victory.

Didn't people say that guy had long ears?

The association president pondered about that particular detail.

A special effects makeup?

But why would one do that? Or, could that have been a religious symbol or a mark of that person’s organization?

Various thoughts swirled in his mind. The man could also be part of a terrorist group.

But there were reports of similar incidents happening abroad too, no?

Not just South Korea, they had received brief reports of disasters occurring simultaneously in other countries.

The association president wondered if a single organization really had such power. And if they did, what their motive was.

Why attack Hwaseong and not Seoul? There’s really no reason for that.

The more he thought about it, the less the assumption about the individual being a terrorist made sense. His thoughts then turned to the strange pillar that had recently appeared.

Wait a second... The stem...

The root produced monsters. Did this mean the creatures emerging from the stem were similar beings?

Amidst the noisy meeting room, the association president closed his eyes and sank deep into thought.

Bang!

Just then, the room fell silent as a subordinate burst through the door.

"President!"

The subordinate ran up to the association president, speaking urgently.

"We found another one of them in Seoul!"

"What?!”

The association president's eyes widened in shock.

"What did you just say?"

"There was another one?"

"Where in Seoul!?"

The room buzzed with panic. The subordinate hurriedly pulled a USB drive from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"It was at the academy shelter. Someone there managed to film it and sent us the video."

All eyes turned to the small USB drive on the table. The association president's eyes gleamed sharply as he commanded.

"Play it immediately!”