The Forest Of Screaming Corpses (4)

Meanwhile, Yu Seha, Ma Hana, and Pyo Dok-ju were engaged in a life-or-death duel.

At the same time, the [Third Guild] branch in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, was in chaos.

“Catch him! Catch that guy!”
“He’s escaping! Hurry!”

Amidst the shouting people, a man was fleeing.

The man, who looked to be in his mid-30s, was cursing profusely as he ran with all his might.

However, it was just a civilian who hadn’t even awakened a [Status Window].

Bang!

“Aaagh!”

As the resident-regular hunters stepped in, he was soon subdued as his head was hit to the ground.

Another man appeared before him.

A middle-aged man with strikingly graying hair.
It was the Vice Guild Leader who had been friendly to Ma Hana and Yu Seha.

“Hunters, please search him, just in case.”
“Yes, sir.”

At the request of the Vice Guild Leader, when the man’s body was searched, a bundle of confidential files spilled out.

The Vice Guild Leader quickly picked them up and checked.

The first thing that caught his eye was a profile file labeled Ma Hana (Guardian) and Yu Seha (Sword Saint).

Fortunately, it only listed their classes and did not record their stats or skills.

Of course, even this alone was a shocking incident.

“You, you bastard! Stealing information about the hunters who work hard for the sake of the country!”

The Vice Guild Leader glared at the man in anger.
The man was the Vice Guild Leader’s subordinate.
More specifically, he was the one who suggested not reporting to the higher-ups during the <Break Out>.

He never liked how the man usually dawdled…
But to think… to think he was doing something so shady behind their backs!

“Vice Guild Leader, please forgive me…”

Puak!

“Ack!”
“Speak! Where did you sell this to? To whom? Why are you not answering?!”

The subordinate, who trembled at the Vice Guild Leader’s punch, soon began to speak with tears in his eyes.
Hearing that, the Vice Guild Leader’s face turned pale.

“What did you say…???”

Class Hunter?!

Pang!

The sound of the air bursting and tearing apart resounded around.

Yu Seha rushed ahead like a flash of light.

It caused this explosive flow of magic, like a lightning strike.

The [Charge] exerted by the strength of the ‘Kappa Rhino’ gave it an unstoppable sprint.

As he pulled his sword from his waist, several thoughts passed through Pyo Dok-ju’s mind.

‘…Damn it.’

Where did it all go wrong?!

Class Hunter, Pyo Dok-ju.

In terms of strength, she was C-grade.

She accepted demonic energy and became a demon, climbing up from originally being a D-rank nobody.

Therefore, it was natural for her to receive poor treatment from those around her.

The place commonly known as the underworld was a survival-of-the-fittest kind of world where villains and demons intermingled.

Clearly, as someone in the lower ranks, she couldn’t assert herself properly.

This was true even in the Crime Clan she belonged to.
It was no different with the [Class Hunters].

There were too many cruel and successful women around.
She always lived by picking up scraps in the back alleys, watching out for them.

‘No.’

Pyo Dok-ju sensed it instinctively.
This couldn’t go on.
At this rate, one day, she would get caught up in some trivial matter and die without being able to resist.

Therefore, Pyo Dok-ju decided to struggle.

But there was a major problem now.

The fact that she had no power.

Demons gain demonic energy during the process of making a contract with the devil.

And demonic energy fundamentally draws out the potential that an awakened person possesses.

Even after all that, the fact that she barely made it to C-grade meant she was no different from trash.

‘Then I just need to raise my position!’

If strength wouldn’t do, then she had to gain power and lead a group.

For that, she needed to produce results and gain recognition from the organization.

So, a few months later, luck smiled upon the fierce woman.

A top group that couldn’t be compared to something like the <Class Hunters>.

A supreme organization known as [Tartarus], a mix of villains and demons, also referred to as a [Major Clan] of the underworld.

She had made a connection with an executive from that place.

―Sounds like it could be fun.

The executive handed over the precious demon’s stone powder to her without any conditions.
Along with the words to use it as she desired.

The second stroke of luck was the fact that she received information that the <Sword Saint> had appeared all by himself.

It was information provided by a Guild employee who was usually addicted to alcohol and gambling, using debt reduction as a pretext.

And it wasn’t just mentioned casually; it was information sworn upon an oath.

There was no way it could be false.
Since she was the only one who went to collect the debt, no one else could know about it.

Therefore, Pyo Dok-ju moved towards this place.

Everything went according to plan.

Now, all that remained was to taste the sweet fruit!

But… but why on earth?!

“Why did things get so messed up?!”

Pyo Dok-ju screamed, gathering blood-like demonic energy into the blade she was holding.

Perhaps due to forcing herself to gather strength quickly, she could barely respond to the onslaught of Yu Seha’s attack.

Bang!

A rough and crude noise resounded.

The [Turtle’s Long Sword] and an unknown curved blade.

The two blades clashed against each other, beginning a struggle for their owners’ lives.

“Ughhhh!”

Veins bulged on Pyo Dok-ju’s hand.

She intended to exert brute force and crush him with power.

But soon, she was shocked.

‘I-I’m…’

Being pushed back?!

Kagakak!

With sparks flying, Yu Seha’s blade was gradually pushing back the curved blade.

[Flowing Slash]’s strike, strengthened by the [Song of the Sword], showcased a ferocity that more than compensated for the difference in abilities with Pyo Dok-ju.

“Damn it!”

In the end, Pyo Dok-ju, prepared for disgrace, rolled to the side to escape the range of [Flowing Slash].

Shuck!

Immediately after, the sound of a tall old tree being cut down was heard from behind.

“Tsk.”

Yu Seha clicked his tongue.

Pyo Dok-ju felt relieved inside at this.

Fortunately, the [Charge] that the opponent used was just an ordinary charge.

‘If it had been a (Rare) grade charge that allowed for direction changes or repeated use…’

The outcome would have been decided long ago.

Pyo Dok-ju hurriedly prepared to attack before the opponent could regain his stance.

However, Yu Seha’s shout was faster than that.

“Meowi!”
“…!”

Suddenly, Ma Hana approached and took the spot next to Pyo Dok-ju before she realized it.

Pyo Dok-ju did not mind much seeing the feline girl who had approached so closely.

‘Anyway, she’s a normal Guardian class.’

As a pure tanker with no attack skills, she was not very threatening.

At most, she might try to swing her shield and defend.

However, she soon realized that her thoughts were mistaken by the unfolding scene.

“[Push Shield]!”
“…?!”

Bang!

An invisible shockwave burst out from the shield, striking Pyo Dok-ju’s abdomen.

“Keuk!”

The pain felt like being hit by a giant sledgehammer, making her grimace involuntarily.

Ma Hana, who had stuck close, took out a dagger from her bosom and reversed her grip.

A subtle blue light swirled around her hand.
This was surely evidence of the [Dagger] trait.

“Don’t… underestimate me!”

However, Pyo Dok-ju, even in a state of exhaustion, possessed the strength of a C-rank hunter.

“…!”

Beyond the shield, [Transparent Sight] was activated.

Ma Hana saw Pyo Dok-ju raise her blade high like a baseball bat.

A murky grayish power wrapped around the blade.

The flickering energy soon took on a cylindrical shape and was sublimated into a [Skill].

Whoom! With a sound, the blade of the curved blade swung like a club.

Baaang!

Ma Hana’s body flew backward.

Even though it was perfectly blocked by the shield. The blow was so strong that her arms tingled.

It was a derived skill of the [Blunt Weapon] trait.
At the same time, it was a skill tree branch called [Home Run].

She didn’t know why she was using a blunt technique with a curved blade.
But there was no rule against it either.

“…This much!”

It was when the confidently shouting Ma Hana tried to stand up.

She suddenly fell to her knees due to the dizziness that followed.

“What?!”

Why?

She perfectly blocked it with her shield.

It wasn’t painless, but the ’Pearl Spitting Tortoise’s [All-Out Headbutt] was far stronger.

To be knocked down by this…?!

Soon, she realized one thing.

‘…It’s the power of a rune!’

A tingling sensation spread through her body.

Certainly, [Paralysis] was the type of power contained in the rune she used.

And she was correct.

In Pyo Dok-ju’s [Home Run], there was a skill rune of a C-class monster called ‘Electric Mushroom’.

[Static Shock P]. It increases mana consumption by 1.5 times and grants a [Stun] effect passively.

Ma Hana, having grown significantly, ended up with just [Paralysis].
Normally, she would have been knocked out by this.

“…Tsk.”

Pyo Dok-ju clicked her tongue as she looked at Ma Hana, who hadn’t been [Stunned] by her attack.

[Static Shock P] consumed a lot of mana.
It also had a cooldown of 30 minutes.

It was practically Pyo Dok-ju’s trump card.

Her plan to eliminate at least one person here had failed.

And there was one more person who realized this.

It was Yu Seha.

Sensing that Pyo Dok-ju’s hidden trump card had disappeared, he charged in with the intent to kill.

Sharp as a bee, he thrust his sword forward as if stinging.

“Keuuk!”

It was a simple thrust, but the recently grown strength stat of Yu Seha was a whopping 19 points.

Objectively speaking, it couldn’t overwhelm Pyo Dok-ju.

However, it wasn’t a force to be ignored either, and she began to sweat coldly.

Once again, their swords moved wildly.

The bursting flames served as a beacon.

The sword blade brushing past various parts of her body was no different from the touch of the Grim Reaper.

One minute passed like that.

After exchanging dozens of blows, Pyo Dok-ju realized an important fact.

‘This man. Other than being a [Sword Saint], he’s below average!’

His swordsmanship was poor.

He didn’t even properly hold the sword.
Nor did it seem he had learned how to wield it professionally.

He was merely covering all situations with balanced abilities and lightning-fast reflexes.

‘…His eyes are good.’

All of this was possible because of Yu Seha’s dynamic vision.

His eyes never left her blade, almost to a bizarre extent.

His gaze, which seemed to want to capture her, was even more chilling.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Pyo Dokj-u, who forcefully pushed him away, charged inward.

I’ll kick him down and finish him off right here!

However, she had to hurriedly respond to the incoming thrust as if Yu Seha had anticipated it.

Kang!

“…Wh-What?!”

Immediately after, she was astonished.

To a third party, it would just look like an ordinary thrust.

But Pyo Dok-ju could tell.

The thrust Yu Seha just performed.

‘…M-my technique?’

There was no doubt about it.

It wasn’t something that could be called a [Sword Technique].

It was just a trick, a kind of survival skill honed over years of swinging a sword.

But that made her all the more certain that this was her skill.

From his posture and his actions to his stride.

It felt as if she was confronting herself.

It didn’t end there.

After finishing the thrust, Yu Seha twirled the sword in his hand and took his distinctive stance.

He lifted the flat side of the blade, not the edge.
He assumed a posture as if he would strike at any moment.

‘Unbelievable.’

It was undoubtedly the stance for [Home Run].

Bang!

“Ugh!”

The startled Pyo Dok-ju was a beat late in defending against the attack.

Fortunately, the damage wasn’t significant.

The reason was that what he had just performed was merely an ‘imitation’ of hers.

‘Just as I thought.’

This wasn’t a [Skill].
If it had been a skill, there would have been a clear manifestation of magic.
Yu Seha’s sword showed no such sign.

‘…But.’

Even so, the fact that it was mimicked in a similar manner made no sense.

However.

With a single word from Yu Seha that soon followed, Pyo Dok-ju’s ‘common sense’ crumbled.

“What? Why did the [Blunt Weapon] trait come out instead of [Swordsmanship]? Hey, lady. Don’t you have [Swordsmanship]?”
“…What?”

Pyo Dok-ju was dumbfounded, as if someone had struck the back of her head.

Bluffing…? Was he bluffing?

‘…No.’

His gaze was precisely focused on the air.

It meant he was clearly recognizing the message that appeared.

Then, could it be…?

‘…Does that mean he just obtained the [Blunt Weapon] trait by merely mimicking it from me?’

That… such a thing…

“That’s impossible!!!”

“Ah, damn it! That scared me for a minute.”

Pyo Dok-ju screamed.

Meanwhile, Yu Seha, unaware of her feelings, was just as flustered.

What’s with this lady?

‘Why is she suddenly screaming and making a fuss?’