Chapter 47: Spider Hunt (4)

[Translator - Hestia]

[Proofreader - Kaya]

Chapter 47: Spider Hunt (4)

Blue aura and a murderous gaze meet in the void.

Choi Hyungtae touched his forearm as he thought.

‘Our raw strength was about even.’

He had forced his way through during the clash, but he knew that if Fafnir had resisted, he wouldn’t have been pushed back so easily.

Choi Hyungtae had an advantage in other areas besides raw strength.

‘Aura output.’

Dark energy, in terms of pure destructive power, was a step behind aura.

[TL/N: Changed (Dark Aura → Dark Energy)]

This was due to the characteristics of mana and spirit power.

While it caused a debuff that drained the target's stamina,

Aura, which was pure mana infused with willpower, was advantageous in a clash of strength.

【Hmm.】

Fafnir was thinking the same thing as Choi Hyungtae.

If they clashed with equal force, he would be at a disadvantage.

Fafnir’s level was even one stage lower than his opponent’s.

【I can’t win against this opponent with skill alone.】

Thanks to his experiences in life, he could draw out power beyond his level.

But if he fought Choi Hyungtae, who was at the very peak of the 5 Star, head-on, the result was obvious.

【I’ll have to actively use my long reach.】

A giant of 3 meters.

Fafnir, inhabiting a draconian corpse, had much longer arms than a human.

If he held a weapon like a sword or spear, the advantage of his long reach wouldn't have been as noticeable.

But because Choi Hyungtae was also a martial artist specializing in hand-to-hand combat, Fafnir had the advantage.

‘Then, let’s begin.’

【Shall we make a move?】

The probing battle lasted only 2 seconds.

The explanation was long, but only a fleeting moment passed before the two closed the distance.

[Kenex Combat Style]

[Chapter 4]

[Straight Punch]

A direct attack using his superior arm length.

His tightly clenched fist fell towards Choi Hyungtae's head.

“Normally, you’d either retreat or counter, but…”

A chilling smile formed on Choi Hyungtae's lips.

The moment he extended his fist, he was certain.

Even if their strength was similar, his speed was superior.

He narrowed the distance by extending his right foot forward.

[Heavy Fist]

He quickly unleashed his fist, imbued with power enhanced by mana.

【You think you can land a preemptive strike from a delayed attack?】

Meaning that despite attacking later, he would hit first.

He had accurately targeted the weakness of the draconian corpse, which had low agility.

While surprised by Choi Hyungtae's attack, he withdrew the straight punch and used his left arm to defend his chest.

【Kuk.】

He had defended without fully drawing out his dark energy, causing a crack in his forearm.

While groaning, Fafnir advanced his left foot.

While retracting his right arm, he aimed for Choi Hyungtae’s back.

[Iron Body]

An aura defense technique that perfectly blocked the corpse explosions.

Fafnir also deployed dark energy at his fingertips. It pierced through the blue aura, but due to high energy consumption, it only managed to leave scratches on his armor.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Choi Hyungtae had him within arm’s reach.

There was barely any space to extend his hands, but Choi Hyungtae didn’t try to force his way out.

He skillfully converted the aura he had been focusing on defense into his hands.

[Vulcan Punch]

Mechanically moving both arms, he punched Fafnir’s chest.

Tukwak—! Tukwak—!

“I won’t give you any distance.”

If his attack range was insufficient, he simply stuck close.

It was a distance where he couldn't properly exert his strength, but he compensated for the lack of destructive power with aura.

He threw over 10 punches in 1 second and then pushed Fafnir with his shoulder, creating distance once again.

“With this much, he should be—?”

【Those are fierce fists. You even know how to use my attacks against me.】

Parts of Fafnir’s torso were caved in, but the blue aura flickering around his eyes became even clearer.

“That armor. It’s not ordinary.”

【It’s armor bestowed by my master. It’s too good for me.】

When Choi Hyungtae launched his barrage, Fafnir deployed dark energy, and the Dragonscale Armor moved according to Fafnir's will.

It concentrated defense on the areas he was striking.

By maximizing damage absorption, it reduced the strain on Fafnir.

Hudok, hudodok—

Parts of the armor, shattered by the impact, fell away.

It was an epic-grade artifact, but because it was a growth-type item, its actual performance was slightly below unique-grade.

Even so.

Thanks to Fafnir’s will and the added dark energy, it endured the close-range aura strikes without its durability reaching rock bottom.

“You’re tough, aren’t you?”

【This body is quite sturdy.】

“I’m not complimenting you, you bastard!”

【Hmm? If a physical body is strong, one can enjoy battle for longer, can’t one?】

The hunter and undead clashed again.

Close-quarters combat ensued without pause.

Choi Hyungtae’s aura, piercing through the Dragonscale Armor’s weakening defense, even crushed some of the scales.

“You can’t move anymore, right?”

【No. I’m perfectly fine.】

“If you were human, you’d be dead already.”

【I’m undead. Since I’m already dead and revived, I should have at least one advantage.】

Fafnir was now in tatters.

On the other hand, Choi Hyungtae suffered no damage except for some scratches on his armor.

He was clearly the one pushing the offensive.

Why was he acting so relaxed?

‘I’ll crush that head of his.’

The common weakness of undead was the head.

Even this bizarre undead resembling a draconian wouldn’t be exempt from that rule.

Feeling an inexplicable sense of impatience, Choi Hyungtae leaped forward and threw a straight punch.

【I know this feeling.】

At that moment.

Heprecisely read Choi Hyungtae's movements.

Hoo-woong—

His first missed attack.

It was only a difference of an inch, but the blue energy surrounding his fist grazed Fafnir's abdomen.

“Lucky you. You dodged well for such a slow body.”

【Do you really think it was luck?】

“Undead. Can you still say that after looking at your own body?”

Choi Hyungtae let out a snicker.

The match was already decided.

Coincidentally, they were both martial artists who used their fists.

He hadn’t given Fafnir any room to utilize his advantages and had been relentlessly attacking.

He had unilaterally struck him to the point of almost knocking him down.

【Then why don’t you see if it really was luck?】

“I was going to do that anyway.”

Choi Hyungtae’s eyes gleamed fiercely as he slowly approached.

He had already grasped their distance.

Although Fafnir had the right of first attack due to his long arms, even reacting after seeing it wouldn’t be too late.

However.

Even after he moved into striking distance, Fafnir didn’t make a preemptive attack.

‘Is he planning to receive my attack?’

What a fool.

If he maximized his aura output, Fafnir’s dark energy would be no match.

Didn’t he know who would have the advantage in a head-on clash?

“Just return to being a corpse.”

[Lightning Speed]

[Elemental Fist]

[Aura Release]

Concentrating aura on his feet, he lunged forward in an instant.

Imbuing earth elemental power to strengthen his sturdiness.

He put his fully manifested aura into his fist and forcefully unleashed it.

【I told you I had a grasp of it, didn't I?】

Fafnir’s figure slipped backward.

It was so fast that even if he reacted the moment he saw the attack, he absolutely wouldn’t have been able to dodge it.

Choi Hyungtae’s strike, delivered with conviction.

Hoo-woong—!

Once again, his fist tore through empty air.

Choi Hyungtae also staggered greatly due to the force he had put into the attack.

“H-how!”

【I have rather good eyes.】

Fafnir casually touched the blue aura with his fingers.

[Eye of the Martial God]

A unique trait that allowed him to quickly learn any martial art and even read the movements of others.

Choi Hyungtae’s fighting style was as an infighter, the same direction Fafnir was aiming for.

【Your style. There’s a lot to learn.】

As they say, practical experience is the best teacher.

Even while being beaten, Fafnir observed Choi Hyungtae’s muscles and movements.

【Thanks to you, I’ve learned an efficient way to engage in close combat.】

“You read my movements?!”

【If you doubt it, why don’t you see for yourself?】

Fafnir beckoned with his hand.

【Come on.】

＊ ＊ ＊

Waves of blue aura and dark energy clashed repeatedly.

Choi Hyungtae’s pupils trembled more intensely than when the Red Spider hunters were massacred.

‘This doesn’t make sense?’

The tactic of striking preemptively after a feigned retreat

He had used his superior speed to bait enemy attacks, then close in and inflict damage.

The opponent’s martial prowess was around early to mid 5 Star.

Their raw power was nearly equal, but Choi Hyungtae was superior in all other stats.

‘But why are my actions being read!!’

Even when attacking with superior speed.

Fafnir's counterattacks awaited him at the end.

As if he were possessed by a ghost.

【Hehehe. This fight. It’s quite enjoyable. There’s a lot to learn.】

Fafnir poured out his thought with a chuckle.

His past self.

In other words, back when he was Park Haneul, he used an outfighting style, maintaining distance and forcing the opponent to take damage.

【I first recognized my mistake at the Arhan Guild.】

During a duel with a quicksword user.

He hadn't considered the advantages of his physical body and acted according to his past memories, resulting in his entire body being lacerated.

After that, he realized that an infighting style suited his new body.

【I was in the midst of developing my own combat style, but…】

He encountered Choi Hyungtae, a perfect teaching tool.

A hunter who had reached the peak of the 5 Star.

By (good?) fortune, he was a martial arts expert specializing in the infighting style that Fafnir was pursuing.

He possessed outstanding skills, enough to remain the number two of the Red Spider.

【Thanks to him, I was able to make up for my shortcomings.】

The essentials of infighting that Choi Hyungtae had built upon countless experiences.

Applying what he read with the Eye of the Martial God in actual combat proved highly effective.

【It will take time to completely make it my own. But wouldn't this much be enough for now?】

The balance of the battle had returned to equilibrium.

Scars began to appear one by one on Choi Hyungtae's body, whose every action was being read.

The cumulative damage was still greater for Fafnir.

But Choi Hyungtae, having lost the initiative, was deeply shaken psychologically.

“Shit! This doesn't make any sense!!!”

He reads my movements after being hit a few times?

And incorporates it into his own style?

How could a half-dead corpse do something like that!

“Shut that shit!”

Driven by instinctive fear, Choi Hyungtae screamed/roared, simultaneously stomping hard.

[Aura Burst]

The aura erupting from his footprint covered a radius of several meters.

Sensing the strong mana wave, Fafnir retreated instead of moving deeper in.

It only resulted in some broken scales.

A brief lull.

【Hmm. It’s not easy.】

Fafnir murmured quietly.

Even if he had learned Choi Hyungtae’s combat style with the Eye of the Martial God,

The difference in their base stats remained.

Had he not received [Punishing Spike] and [Unholy Blessing], he would have been easily pushed back.

【If I hadn’t been wearing the Dragonscale Armor, I wouldn’t have lasted until now.】

All stats increased by 20%.

Moreover, as the accumulated impact increased, the buff effect of the [Punishing Spike] also increased, giving him extra stamina.

【In any case, my goal is to keep him contained.】

He was Yoojin's sword.

Having received orders, he simply had to carry them out.

Grrtt—

Meanwhile, Choi Hyungtae gritted his teeth and calmed his agitated mind.

‘Damn it. I’ve been held up for too long.’

Having inflicted enormous losses on the Red Spider, he needed to escape Ground Zero.

He had intended to avenge them by taking down the instigator of this incident.

But he had been caught by Fafnir.

‘If I hold back any further, it will be dangerous.’

He could either give up on revenge.

Or exert all his strength and defeat Fafnir.

‘Give up after coming this far?’

Choi Hyungtae fully unleashed the rage that seemed to burn within him.

[‘Guardian of Jaturi’s’ blessing - Avenger (Lv1)]

Drip— drip—

Streams of blood that poured from his eyes scattered across his body, drawing strange patterns.

〔Guardian of Jaturi〕

It was a ludicrous constellation name, but its owner was Vidar, known as the god of vengeance.

Driven by his surging rage, a blessing was activated that increased his strength and agility and even made him forget pain.

【Hmm. This might be difficult.】

Fafnir muttered with a troubled tone.

He had gained the upper hand in the psychological battle, but he was barely holding on.

Now he had to face an enemy who had gone berserk and become even stronger thanks to the constellation's blessing.

“Kuaaaaaah!!!!!”

A tearing cry, as if wringing out his lungs.

The moment he used Vidar's blessing, Choi Hyungtae, consumed by vengeance, let out a fierce roar and kicked off the ground.

【Fast…】

Kwaang—!

Fafnir, sent flying over ten meters, braced his feet.

The order was to restrain Choi Hyungtae.

He couldn't fall yet.

He managed to hold his ground, carving a long furrow in the ground, but he was still pushed back several meters.

“Kua! Kuaaa!”

Choi Hyungtae closed the distance in an instant.

Saliva dripped from his wide-open mouth, and his reddened pupils were unfocused.

His appearance was half-detached from the human realm, intoxicated by the power granted by the constellation.

【Even the Eye of the Martial God can’t see this.】

He had exhausted all of his remaining mana to withstand the previous attack.

His legs were dangling, making it hard even to stand.

【I did my best, but I don't know if my master will be satisfied.】

“You did well. You held on better than expected.”

A familiar voice answered Fafnir’s mutter.

At the same time.

[Using Unholy Blessing.]

[Using Ectoplasm.]

[Using Contaminated Skin.]

[…….]

Bubbles rose on his skin.

As heteromorphic divine power permeated him, it weakened Vidar’s blessing.

Divine spells and curses.

Incompatible powers harmonized, reducing Choi Hyungtae’s stats.

Ttaak—!

[Punishing Spike is released.]

The Punishing Spike stacks, filled to the limit, erupted with violent force.

Choi Hyungtae was sent tumbling across the floor from the massive impact.

“Kuh, kuaaaa.”

A high-pitched scream erupted from his mouth, which had seemed to have forgotten fear.

[Translator - Hestia

[Proofreader - Kaya]