Chapter 129
A vein popped on Bang Ho-win’s forehead. If he knew that Yoo Seodam would hinder him to this extent, he would’ve killed him sooner.
“This is….!”
Suddenly, Bang Ho-win could feel an unknown energy pulling him down from the shadow.
“You’re using some suspicious magic again!”
Bang Ho-win tried to break away from the shadow. He circulated his naegong and put all of his strength into his legs.
‘…..what!’
However, he couldn’t break away easily. The unknown energy in the shadow was extremely thick.
Yoo Seodam smiled in satisfaction. Truth is, it was magic that he had been preparing for six months just for this moment. It was a binding magic that couldn’t be torn apart easily. Of course, it was impossible to bind a Hyunkyung Expert for a long time. If it was Seol Jungyeon, if she seriously tried, she could break away from it in 10 seconds… However, his opponent right now wasn’t in his top condition. He was heavily injured.
On top of it, Yoo Seodam wouldn’t just let Bang Ho-win try.
“I see…”
Swoooshh~~!
Bang Ho-win bloodshot eyes stared at Yoo Seodam as his naegong spread in all directions.
“If I kill you…. I can get rid of this annoying shadow!”
Bang Ho-win rushed towards Yoo Seodam as he shouted. However, Yoo Seodam had already disappeared.
Quickly figuring out what’s happening, Bang Ho-win could see Yoo Seodam in the distance not too far from him. He kicked the ground once again and his body shot forward towards Yoo Seodam. The ground split in half, but unfortunately, his kick narrowly missed the target.
Bang Ho-win gritted his teeth, he was annoyed. This fight was supposed to be a fight he could easily win. He only needed one proper hit. However, Yoo Seodam, who was way weaker than him, kept slipping from his attack like a damn loach.
“…Do you think I can’t catch you even though I only have one arm?”
Bang Ho-win circulated all his remaining naegong and moved rapidly towards Yoo Seodam and swung his fist.
Boom!!
However, the item skill [Barrier of Brightness] was activated. A pure white light burst out, completely protecting Yoo Seodam from the impact. It was a skill that could only be triggered once. But Yoo Seodam was satisfied that he could survive longer. And then Yoo Seodam rolled over the ground and leaped into the sky.
To be fair, Yoo Seodam was quite fast. Thanks to the skill inside his boots, he was able to achieve speed comparable to an SS-rank Body strengthening-type hunter.
However, against a Hyunkyung Expert, his speed was like a poodle running in front of a car.
Crack!!!
“Kuuuukkkkkk.”
Yoo Seodam could feel the bones in feet shattering because of Bang Ho-win’s sudden kick. In retaliation, he swung his sword towards Bang Ho-win. However, Bang Ho-win easily dodged it and crushed his wrist. After that, Yoo Seodam could feel several hits on his abdomen before his consciousness turned dim.
“Kuhh…!”
It was inevitable for him to get hurt. It was already a miracle that he had lasted for more than a few minutes against a Hyunkyung Expert. He was aware that he was still alive because of [Death Rejection] skill that had already been activated and was recovering his stamina while cutting down his life span.
However, it’s still not enough…
‘Just a little bit more…. I need to keep him busy until the Rift is closed….’
Yoo Seodam stood up once again. Because his right hand was broken, he couldn’t wield his sword with it. That’s why he pulled out the ether blade with his left hand and tried to swing it. But, Bang Ho-win easily caught the blade with his fingertips.
Snap!
Bang Ho-win broke the blade into two and used Yoo Seodam’s own blade to stab it in his abdomen. (P/N “You have my respect, Stark. I hope they remember you.”)
“Keuuuk!!”
As blood poured out from Yoo Seodam’s mouth, Bang Ho-win circulated his naegong and broke away from the shadow without delay.
Bang Ho-win turned his head and looked into the distance. He could see that the portal was on the verge of being completely closed.
He felt regretful. Bang Ho-win really wanted to kill Yoo Seodam. But, he couldn’t afford to waste any more time. He thought that even if he left him alone, he would be trapped here and eventually be killed by skeletons.
Boom!!
Bang Ho-win kicked the ground and leaped into the air. Suddenly, the size of the portal became smaller than before. It was now at the size where only two or three adults could fit into.
‘I can still get out!’
As Bang Ho-win reached closer to the portal, he could see a female swordsman with golden hair and blue eyes standing in front of the portal.
Her name was Celeste Costantini. However, Bang Ho-win didn’t know about it. The only thing that he knew was the fact that she was blocking him.
“Get out of the way!!”
Bang Ho-win scattered his naegong and tried to activate ‘Heart and Mind Domination Technique’ to make her move away. Unfortunately, his opponent wasn’t someone from Murim but rather a hunter. On top of it, she didn’t make any eye contact with him as if she already knew the condition to activate the ‘Heart and Mind Domination Technique’.
‘Try to stop my punch then!’
Whether she was a hunter or something else, Bang Ho-win didn’t care at all. By scanning her power, he could tell that she was only at a level of first-grade swordsman. If that is the case, he only needed to punch her once to make that cheeky woman crumble into dust.
…It should have been that way.
Sounds of two metal clashing against each other rang as the sword which Celeste swung hit Bang Ho-win’s right arm and produced a slight shock wave.
“What the!!!!”
Bang Ho-win’s eyes opened wide as he didn’t expect her to have that much power.
‘This is mugong?’
A hunter with a body strengthening ability who also uses mugong? Bang Ho-win couldn’t believe it, but it didn’t matter now. Because he needed to hurry. He had no time.
Although he had been pushed out due to being careless and running out of naegong, if he paid more attention, he was confident that he would be able to get rid of her instantly.
However, Bang Ho-win’s fist couldn’t reach her.
Her speed was too fast for a first-grade swordmaster. On top of it, she could also launch a counterattack against Bang Ho-win.
“This rotten bitch…!!”
Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwang…!!!
Bang Ho-win circulated his naegong and infused it into his punch. After the third punch, Celeste couldn’t hold on any more and flew back into the portal due to the impact.
As she was flying back, Bang Ho-win could see her saying ‘This is for my father’.
“Ah.”
As the portal closed completely, Bang Ho-win’s right arm, which was still stretched out because of the previous attack, was also severed.
It was as if the battles up until now were nothing but a dream, the silence covered the world.
Bang Ho-win, who lost both of his arms, looked into the air for a long time with blank expression.
Why did it turn out like this?
Even when he thought about it again, he still couldn’t understand the situation he was in.
Where have my arms gone? Why is the space between my legs empty, and why am I trapped here?
Such questions passed through his head, before, eventually a certain face came to mind.
“Yoo….Seo….Dam……!!”
Anger engulfed Bang Ho-win’s whole body. He couldn’t forgive him.
He had hindered him from recovering his lost power by capturing Seol Jungyeon. Now, let alone Murim, he couldn’t even return to Earth.
Bang Ho-win shouted once again as he found one thing that he could do now.
“YOO SEODAAAMMM!!”
Bang Ho-win turned away and ran towards the place where Yoo Seodam had fallen. Even though the distance was the same, he took dozens of times longer to get there. But still, it wasn’t that long before he reached there.
Bang Ho-win found Yoo Seodam collapsed in the same place as before with blood flowing out from his abdomen. It was as if he was waiting for him.
“…I thought you were busy. Do you have time left?”
[10…9…8…]
Despite the situation he was in, Yoo Seodam was still mocking Bang Ho-win. In retaliation, he shouted angrily towards him.
“I will make sure you cannot talk like that ever again…!!”
“Scary~ Can you even do something terrible….to me… when you don’t have that little thing anymore?”
[8…7…6]
Even while coughing blood, Yoo Seodam kept blabbering.
Bang Ho-win slowly approached him and said,
“I will make you suffer to the point where you feel death is better…. do not even think of asking for forgiveness from me….”
“Forgiveness?”
[5…4…3…]
As if he found the word funny, Yoo Seodam smiled and raised his middle finger.
“This-“
With a faint smile, he spoke,
“-is what you don’t have now.”
“…..What!!!”
[2…1…0]
Bang Ho-win stretched his hand toward Yoo Seodam before realizing that something was wrong.
‘…ah….’
He had no arms left.
….Wheeing!!
In the next moment, Yoo Seodam disappeared as a white light enveloped him.
“Ah…ah…ah…….”
After belatedly realizing the situation, Bang Ho-win screamed and shed tears of blood which splattered on the floor.
However, no one was there to respond to him.
* * *
[Dimensional travel is complete.]
The blunt mechanical voice tickled my ears.
<Seodam. You are in critical condition because you lack blood! Staying like this can be really dangerous!>
‘······.’
My head hurts because the system keeps screaming. I think I can take out a potion from the inventory and drink it. Oh, by the way will it recover blood loss? I don’t know.
The world is getting darker. Everything is blurry. Is this the Earth?
<We have successfully transported into this world. Your goal will be complete as long as you live and can return to Earth!>
Oh, I see.
It was a tougher fight than I thought. I thought I could win no matter what.
However, naturally, there was no such thing as a guaranteed fight.
I thought I had come to my senses the other day. But it seems like I’ve become quite arrogant since I could hunt protagonists rather easily. Did I forget that for a hunter, the most important thing is prudence?
When I thought that my precious person was in danger, I overworked myself.
It was my mistake.
I was stupid.
That’s why it turned out like this.
If I had been a little wiser, it could turn out better.
<Now is not the time to think like that…>
The system’s voice gradually faded away.
Why was it fading away? Where did it go? You also don’t know?
I don’t know. I’m sleepy. I think it would be comfortable if I fall asleep.
Yeah, let’s go to sleep.
<…Yoo Seodam…You’ve worked hard… Now rest well…>
System’s voice turned smaller and smaller.
‘…..Professor!’
The world became completely dark after I saw the scene of a pure white naked girl with fluttering black hair and a bullet necklace jumping onto me.