Sword Ghost (1)

Hack,
Guh-ack-!!!

Kim Min-su gripped the golden spear tightly with his hand.
He felt a terrible pain along with a twisting sensation in his organs, worse than he had expected.
With trembling eyes, he lifted his head.

But, Na Tun-tun.
Undoubtedly having reached the mature A-rank level,
A strong opponent with power far greater than his own.

If judged purely by the logic of strength,
This situation is not so strange.
No matter what Kim Min-su did, he could not overpower her.

But fights between Awakened Ones,
Are not decided simply by the magnitude of power.
Situations, compatibility, condition, environment, etc.
Countless diverse variables greatly influence the outcome.

In that sense, Kim Min-su had some confidence.

‘At least in one thing…’

The first strike.
He believed he could gain overwhelming advantage in what is commonly called the first hit.

In fact, Kim Min-su’s ability
Was recognized by all as a one-hit kill level power in that regard.

Kim Min-su, currently 17 years old.
A senior clan member of <Tartarus>.
An orphan from a miserable background, having lived in the back-alley slums without proper parents.

It is true that at the young age of 5, he was taken in by Moon Ha-yeon and showed various achievements.
But that did not mean that ordinary riffraff could dare to even look at the three major crime clans,
He was not at the level to join <Tartarus>.

Moreover, not just a disposable ordinary clan member,
But just below the leadership.
As a senior clan member entrusted with at least some important duties,
It was clear that Kim Min-su’s treatment was higher than what his power and age would suggest.

Indeed, the <Clan Master> ‘Tang Seo-ran’,
Cruel, cunning, and using everything she could, did she treat Kim Min-su well just because she found him cute?

There was no way.
There is always a reason.

Kim Min-su’s unique ability [Peacemind].
A unique ability of a very high grade called Legendary.
And in reality, it possessed corresponding power.

The ability’s nature is to reduce the opponent’s hostility infinitely to zero.
It can be stacked, and if activated more than twice on one target,
It effectively makes it impossible for them to harbor hostility toward Kim Min-su.

It is a power that cannot be dismissed as ‘Is that all?’
All living beings, including humans, live based on hostility.
Based on that, they are wary of others, fear them, cope, and respond.

Reducing that to zero means
Blocking all arbitrary actions of the target.
It was effectively the pinnacle of mental abilities.

Moreover, the ‘demon’ that appeared when the ability was activated earlier could control the target with reduced hostility as Kim Min-su wished.

Of course, the duration drastically shortens depending on the opponent’s strength, but it was still an absurd power.

It was no wonder Moon Ha-yeon evaluated that his unique ability could overturn the academy.

“Cough… Guh…”

Kim Min-su thought.
Remove Na Tun-tun’s hostility,
Even if just for a minute, control her…
To break through this chaotic situation.
To reverse the tilted battle situation and find a way out.

But reality was not so.
His proud ability did not work at all.

“…H-How on earth!”

Na Teun-teun looked at Kim Min-su, whose face was contorted.
She answered his question.

“You look like you feel strange… I see. You are Kim Min-su. We have heard stories about our hero.”

Your ability.
Activation principle.
Even the skill’s name.
Lastly…

“That it rapidly loses effectiveness against those who know everything.”
“……!”

That’s right.
Most abilities have conditions and costs.

[Peacemind], having overwhelming influence, also had a fatal weakness.
If the opponent knows the ability’s precautions and conditions in detail beforehand,
The ability itself effectively does not work.

Kim Min-su was horrified.

“…H-How… could a girl like you know information that only Moon Ha-yeon knew…”

At that moment, the word ‘hero’ came to mind again.
Yu Seha, who was called a hero in the news.

Kim Min-su flinched.
If his thought was correct, all doubts were resolved.

Yu Seha…
That guy…

‘Did he have the power to read others’ memories!?’

Then it could be explained.
Like when he embedded his magic as insurance during sparring matches.
Just like embedding his magic.

If he also read his own memories,
Predicting the ambush and informing others all made sense.

Well, in reality…
Yu Seha just knew from the very beginning,

But Kim Min-su, unable to think that far,
Considered it a reasonable inference.

Whoosh-!

“Ugh!”
“……”

At that moment, Na Tun-tun drew her spear.
It was not drawn with the intention to finish him off.
She drew it hurriedly to respond to the fire and ice attacks flying toward her head.

Bang-!

Na Tun-tun flew backward, turned her body, and regained her stance.
She looked at the woman supporting Kim Min-su.

“…Blood Witch…”
“Damn, why are you saying that as soon as you see it?”

Moon Ha-yeon gathered strength in her hand.
Forced healing through [Fusion of All Things].
Moon Ha-yeon ignored Kim Min-su’s apologetic words and quickly assessed the situation.

She never imagined that even the trusted unique ability had been countered.
The situation was worse than expected.

‘…Still, I have to get there somehow.’

By any means necessary, I must reach ‘there.’

First, the thought was to shake off Na Tun-tun.

However, hearing the faint cries from behind, she realized it was impossible.

‘Fuck!’

Moon Ha-yeon quickly cast a spell.
An ice wall rose behind her, acting as a barrier.

Crash! It shattered instantly.
The flashing claws came rushing.
Moon Ha-yeon hugged Kim Min-su and barely rolled to evade.

Behind them was visible,
A giant cat over four meters in size.
A cat with a wolf-like form exuded a fierce aura.

“What, it’s faster than I thought?”
“…Neung Ha-ack.”

A-rank hunter, Neung Ha-ack.
Unique ability [Bell of the Black Cat God].
A monster-type skill that transforms the body into a giant black cat.

Moon Ha-yeon rolled her eyes.

In front was Na Tun-tun, raising a golden spear and shield.
Behind was Neung Ha-ack in black cat form.

The two gradually closed the distance.
No matter how strong Moon Ha-yeon was,
She was not S-rank.

Effectively equal in strength.
Two such skilled individuals.
In short, it was a desperate crisis.

Moon Ha-yeon bit her lip.
She thought it was a disaster.

Still, she could not die like this.
She was about to use her ability against the two…

At that moment.
A familiar old man’s voice echoed in her mind.

-Bow down.

“……!!!”

Moon Ha-yeon felt a chill.
She hurriedly grabbed Kim Min-su’s head and bowed as if paying respect.

Immediately after…

―!!!!!!

An indescribably chilling sensation reverberated.
First, a beam of light,
Then a scraping sound like chalk on a blackboard,
Finally, a massive shockwave swept like a storm.

A sword that dared to surpass the speed of sound, showing unprecedented phenomena.
Sword energy like a natural disaster.
Only the mature A-rank hunters Na Tun-tun and Neung Ha-ack noticed this.

They saw it.
Four sword energies flying in a shape like a diamond or square?
Flying in an undefinable form.

Yes, they saw it.
They definitely saw it.
Therefore, they reached the same conclusion.

‘W-What on earth is this…’
‘W-Where is it coming from!?’

An ultimate technique that cannot be discerned.
Neung Ha-ack shouted in a beastly voice at the hesitant Na Tun-tun.

“Tun-tun! Don’t try to dodge, block it!!!”
“……!!!”

However,
A calm voice as if mocking that echoed in their ears.

“I’ve already cut you down, fools.”
“……?!”
“……!!!”

In an instant, Na Tun-tun realized.
She saw an old man who had come without anyone noticing.

At the same time, she felt burning pain.
The pain was so intense that tears welled up as she looked down.

Thunk, roll.

The right arm holding the spear.
Had been cleanly cut off and was rolling on the ground.
It twitched as if signaling the nerves were still alive,
Recklessly releasing magic.

Na Tun-tun couldn’t even swallow.
She looked ahead.

Her comrade, Neung Ha-ack.
She, transformed into a giant black cat, also had her front leg cleanly cut and was rolling on the ground.

A critical moment where they had to stop bleeding immediately.
But Na Tun-tun and Neung Ha-ack.
Could not move at all.

Under the overwhelming presence of the old man standing in the center,
They were not even allowed to raise their heads.

‘H-How many seconds?’

Half a second?
A tenth of a second?
She didn’t know.

The old man, appearing like a phantom, unleashed a sword strike never seen before.
That alone rendered them unable to respond and combat ineffective.

Breath caught sharply,
Trembling,
Na Tun-tun clearly saw.

Ten comrades fighting in a distant place.
They made eye contact with each other,
And then all charged without hesitation.

All were A-rank hunters not inferior to Na Tun-tun and Neung Ha-ack, and possessed the <Assassin> class.
From the incantations and symbols shouted by each, it was clear they used <Ultimate Skill>.
Surely, it was swift and powerful firepower capable of inflicting fatal wounds even on S-rank monsters.

But Na Tun-tun was horrified.
Forcing herself to overcome fear, she shouted loudly.

“No, don’t come!”

And one second later.
The predicted tragedy unfolded.

“……”

The old man, expressionless and detached, watched the hunters closing in like lightning.

Though it was less than one second in real time,
To the old man, it looked like the slow clamor of sluggish worms.

Without any change in expression, the old man drew a scimitar labeled ‘3’ at his waist and a gladius labeled ‘2’ on his shoulder.
Interestingly, the blades were engraved with the initials GHS.

Immediately after, a single swing.
That was all.

Bang bang bang-!!!

A storm of sword strikes erupted.
Blood spurted like a fountain.
The <Ultimate Skill> unleashed by the A-rank hunters was torn apart like paper.

Exactly ten heads were severed and flew into the air.
Then, one by one, stacked like a tower,
Ten severed heads were placed upright right in front of the old man with a crackling sound.

Plop.

“……”

Na Tun-tun felt the hot liquid on her face.

A red and yellow liquid mixed with blood and brain matter.

Despite the deaths of her comrades touching her face,
Na Tun-tun could not say a word.
The same was true for Neung Ha-ack.

“……”
“……”
“……”

A silence as quiet as a mouse continued.
Hunters, villains.
A large-scale battlefield with over a thousand combined.

No one spoke or acted.
No one dared to speak in front of this old man.

Only one person.
Just one person.

Steady preparation.
The advantage of information warfare.
With overwhelming morale and surprise attacks,
The scales of victory that had clearly tilted…

Were overturned in an instant…
By an old one.