Chapter 167: Next (5)

“

Kyahh?

”

Kwon Oh-Jin couldn’t help but laugh at Xiao Lin’s unexpectedly adorable scream. Who would’ve thought that a woman as dignified as a lone flower in a snowfield could make such a cute sound?

“That was quite a cute scream,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.

“Y-You!” Xiao Lin’s face flushed as she glared at him with wide eyes.

She never imagined she would suffer such humiliation. Biting her lip hard, she raised her sword high up. A chilling cold and murderous aura headed toward Kwon Oh-Jin.

“I won’t let this slide,” Xiao Lin said.

“Hey, you’re the one who screamed. Why take it out on me?”

“B-Be quiet!”

She concentrated her mana and prepared to swing her sword.

Even though Kwon Oh-Jin had managed to land an unexpected counterattack, he couldn’t move properly due to his severe condition.

Xiao Lin would surely win if she continued attacking. However, her expression suddenly twisted just as she was about to swing her sword.

“

Argh!

”

The lingering blue lightning that had seeped into her paralyzed her.

Crackle, crackle!

She gritted her teeth and tried to move, but even taking a single step sent a needle-like pain coursing through her.

“What’s wrong? Hurts too much to move?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked with a chuckle.

He gripped his spear tightly.

Lightning Charge.

Crackle!

Blue lightning condensed into the spear, not just once but five times, like a volcano on the verge of erupting.

In the past, the spear would’ve shattered the moment he poured this much mana into it.

This is nothing compared to when I created Adam’s Apple.

That was just an ordinary apple. Imbuing mana into a sturdy silver spear mixed with Starstones was much easier.

“

Ugh!

”

Xiao Lin noticed the overwhelming energy emanating from Kwon Oh-Jin’s spear and swallowed hard.

She dragged her sword across the ground and whispered, “Earth.”

Snow-white flowers bloomed following the tip of her sword.

“Freeze.”

The flowers that sprouted from the cracked earth spread their roots, freezing the ground solid.

Crack, crack, crack!

A layer of transparent ice covered the ground, and a blizzard raged as pure white petals scattered through the air.

“You won’t be able to move in that condition.” Xiao Lin looked at Kwon Oh-Jin’s spear.

A powerful attack didn’t mean anything if it couldn’t land.

Kwon Oh-Jin exhaled a cloud of frosty breath and smirked. “Is that so?”

Just as she said, the blizzard prevented him from approaching her.

“Then I’ll just do this,” he said.

“What?”

Kwon Oh-Jin drew back his spear. He took a deep breath and extended his left arm forward while stepping back with his right leg. His right arm gripping the spear stretched as far back as possible. With a powerful stomp, he threw the spear at Xiao Lin.

Blue lightning pierced through the fluttering snowflakes as the spear launched forward.

Crackle!

In the blink of an eye, the spear appeared right in front of Xiao Lin.

“Explode!” Kwon Oh-Jin shouted.

The condensed blue lightning inside the spear erupted like a volcano.

Xiao Lin narrowed her eyes as the ferocious wave of lightning threatened to consume her.

“

Ugh.

”

I just need to block this one.

A thrown spear was undoubtedly dangerous, but throwing away one’s weapon carried an enormous risk far greater than any other attack. If she could deflect this one strike, Kwon Oh-Jin would be left weaponless and unable to continue fighting.

She gripped her sword with both hands and let out a short battle cry, “

Haaah!

”

Swirling white petals gathered and completely covered her blade.

“Snow Flower Strike.”

Rumble!

She swung down, slicing through the incoming wave of blue lightning as if to cut it in half. The raging blizzard split the ground in half and crashed against the lightning. Dozens of ice pillars shot up where her sword wave passed, towering so tall that they even blocked the stands.

The sword strike, made of snowflakes, cut through the lightning toward Kwon Oh-Jin.

Xiao Lin’s eyes widened.

“

Huh?

”

Kwon Oh-Jin had suddenly disappeared.

No way!

She quickly looked up.

He stood on top of the dozens of ice pillars that had shot up.

“When did he get up there!?”

Xiao Lin hastily swung her sword toward him. Although the blow didn’t carry her full power like before, the white sword strike still possessed a murderous aura.

Kwon Oh-Jin kicked off the ice.

Predicting that he would use Lightning Steps, her eyes gleamed as she gripped her sword tightly.

He isn’t that fast when he uses Lightning Steps.

Perhaps he hadn’t fully mastered the skill yet. His movements in the air were much slower than moving on the ground.

She focused and traced the point where the lightning would materialize in the air. Lightning Steps was a technique where Kwon Oh-Jin created lightning in the air and stepped on it to move. If she could predict the point where the lightning would form, she could strike when he stepped on it.

Lighting sparked in mid-air.

Crackle!

Now!

Xiao Lin’s eyes narrowed as she swung her sword. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out.

Bang!

Before she could even check what that sound was, Kwon Oh-Jin abruptly changed direction in mid-air as a mechanical device echoed out.

Shhhhhh!

“W-What?!”

Xiao Lin’s eyes widened as she tried to follow him, but Kwon Oh-Jin landed behind her first. He had shot his wire shooter into the ice pillar.

Thud.

He grabbed Xiao Lin's shoulders with both hands.

“

Huh?!

”

She tried to swing her sword in shock.

“You’re too late,” he said.

He released a terrifying amount of lightning from his hands and struck her.

Crackle!

“

Kyahhhhhh!

”

This time, a more agonizing scream rang out as Xiao Lin’s eyes rolled back and she collapsed to the ground.

Thud.

Shock filled the entire arena.

“W-What the hell?”

“The Snow White Flower... l-lost?”

As silence blanketed the crowd, Spica lifted the orb in her hand and shouted, “U-Unbelievable! Something unbelievable has happened!”

Her excited voice echoed throughout the arena.

“Defying everyone’s expectations, Awakener Kwon Oh-Jin has defeated Awakener Xiao Lin!”

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted.

“

Woaaahhhh!

”

“With this, Awakener Kwon Oh-Jin has defeated three of Deneb’s twelve apostles and claimed victory!”

Spica glanced at Deneb’s contorted expression and smiled broadly.

Deneb bit his nails and cursed under his breath, “Damn it!”

Xiao Lan leaped over the railing and rushed toward Xiao Lin.

“L-Lin!”

She cradled the unconscious Xiao Lin in her arms and glared at Kwon Oh-Jin with fiery eyes.

“You!”

Her energy flared as if she would charge at him, but Allen stopped her.

“That’s enough. The match is already over.”

“

Ugh...

”

Allen looked down at Kwon Oh-Jin, who was standing with great difficulty and breathing raggedly. “It seems we’re the ones who failed to distinguish the difference between courage and recklessness.”

They had never imagined that an Awakener who had just reached seven stars would be this powerful.

Deneb stomped in frustration. “Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”

After fuming for a while, Deneb finally rose from his seat.

“Don’t think this means you’ve beaten all of my children.”

Kwon Oh-Jin won the bet, but he had yet to defeat the strongest among Deneb’s twelve apostles who belonged to the Seven Stars.

“But a win is a win, so...” Deneb glared at Vega, who was watching Kwon Oh-Jin with a proud expression. “I’ll give Vega some of my divinity.”

He placed his right hand over his chest to extract a portion of his divinity.

“Next.”

This single word froze the arena that had been filled with cheers.

Deneb and Vega turned with wide eyes toward Kwon Oh-Jin.

“What?”

“My child?”

However, Kwon Oh-Jin didn’t seem to care about their gazes. Gripping his abdomen that had been pierced by Xiao Lin’s sword with one hand, he casually gestured toward Xiao Lan.

“You’re next, aren’t you?”

Kwon Oh-Jin’s lips curled into a twisted smile. His eyes gleamed like a ferocious predator eyeing its prey.

He looked at Xiao Lan and chillingly laughed.

“What are you waiting for? I said you’re next.”

“You crazy bastard!” Xiao Lan shouted and stomped with a fierce scowl.

The arena floor cracked as if a cannonball struck.

Boom!

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Deneb asked.

“Wouldn’t it be a shame to end things here?” Kwon Oh-Jin ran his tongue over his lips while looking at Deneb and wagging his index finger. “Let’s do another round.”

A chilling, murderous aura swirled in Deneb’s eyes. He clenched his jaw and fists as he glared at Kwon Oh-Jin.

“Are you... saying you want to face a fourth opponent?”

“That’s right.”

Deneb burst into laughter while clutching his stomach.

“

Ha. Hahahahaha!

”

“M-My child! What are you saying!?”

Just as Vega was about to rush into the arena, Riarc stepped in front of her.

“Lady Vega.”

Vega’s brow furrowed slightly. “Step aside.”

“That kid wouldn’t have proposed another round without some sort of plan.” Riarc looked at Kwon Oh-Jin, who was clutching his stomach and breathing heavily.

Despite the near-fatal wound, Kwon Oh-Jin’s eyes still burned brightly with a fierce hunger and an insatiable thirst.

“Fine... I’ve already lost a portion of my divinity...” Deneb’s cold eyes turned toward Xiao Lan. “Xiao Lan, didn’t you say you wanted to teach that arrogant bastard a lesson?”

“Yeah.”

Xiao Lan gently laid Xiao Lin outside the arena. She glared at Kwon Oh-Jin with burning eyes and nodded.

“I’ll make sure to crush him.”

Xiao Lan stepped into the arena.

Kwon Oh-Jin’s face lit up with a bright smile. “That’s more like it.”

He slowly closed his eyes and tilted his head up.

Thump, thump, thump.

His pounding heart echoed in his mind like a giant drum. His head felt hot, and his vision grew blurry as if he were drunk. The searing pain from his wound spread like ink, but none of it felt unpleasant. It was actually quite the opposite. He hoped that this strange exhilaration would never end.

Just a little more.

He felt as though he was on the verge of grasping something. If he pushed just a bit further, he felt like he could break the wall in front of him and witness a new landscape.

But I need prey.

A burning thirst surged within him. A hunger that couldn’t be satisfied urged him forward.

Xiao Lan approached him with a fierce expression.

As he slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of blue flames danced within them.

Fwoosh.