Chapter 86

<Chapter 87> Everyone Fights for Different Reasons

KWAANG!

Chul-soo and Jekyll were already outside the building.

Or rather, they had been forced out.

The building’s outer wall collapsed under the impact of their battle.

“Man, he’s turned into a total monster.”

Chul-soo clicked his tongue lightly as he stared ahead.

There stood Jekyll, transformed into a grotesque figure.

GURGLE GURGLE.

His flesh moved irregularly all over his body.

The change was evident.

He appeared to be about twice the size of an average adult.

His whole body was covered in gray, muscular flesh.

Around his mouth protruded sharp fangs the size of arms.

There was no way this was normal.

This was indistinguishable from the monsters flying around earlier.

“Looking pretty cheerful there, but are you sure you’re okay?”

“Haha, judging people by appearances is bad form, Mr. Chul-soo.”

Bad form? This was beyond that point entirely.

There was no way this was still human.

If someone walking by shot him, it’d definitely be considered self-defense.

‘However… it’s clear his power and speed have changed too.’

Everything about him was incomparable to before.

Just looking at his size, strength goes without saying…

But his reaction speed and senses seem heightened as well.

‘This guy feels stronger than Yu-jin Kim when I last fought him.’

Of course, I’ve improved greatly in this short time too…

But there’s no guarantee my techniques will work on this monster.

‘Meh, whatever.’

I came here ready to risk my life anyway.

I anticipated it would be tough, and that Jekyll might have some hidden trump card.

Though I didn’t expect it would involve turning into a monster himself…

!…

!…

……

‘Well, as long as he’s organic, cutting off his head should finish him.’

In which case, my job is simple – swing my sword.

-Sky Piercing Sword: Mist Concealment

Chul-soo vanished instantly.

Then reappeared right next to Jekyll.

A combination of the “Mist Concealment” technique to hide his presence and “Supersonic Speed” to move faster than the eye can follow.

With that momentum, he swung his sword.

-KLANG!

“!!”

“Haha, your blade can no longer harm me.”

But the sword was blocked by Jekyll’s arm.

He wasn’t using any weapon or equipment.

Rather, his arm was covered in a hard shell-like substance.

‘Tough.’

Even my sword can’t cut through it.

I’ve never thought my equipment or swordsmanship was lacking.

It’s just that Jekyll’s body has become abnormally hard.

“Much more interesting than expected.”

Jekyll swung his fist.

Chul-soo instinctively raised his sword to guard.

-ZZZIIING!

With a deafening sound, Chul-soo’s body was pushed back several meters before he could regain his balance.

-Or so he thought, until Jekyll appeared in front of him and swung another punch.

“Tch!”

It was too late to dodge.

Chul-soo poured all his magic power into his sword and swung it.

The punch and sword collided mid-air.

The impact forced his arm back.

Rather than resisting, Chul-soo spun backward with the force.

And kicked Jekyll’s chin.

-Sky Piercing Sword: Roundhouse Kick

Considering how heavy Jekyll was, normally this kick should have sent him flying.

Instead, it only seemed to cause minimal damage.

But that’s enough!

While his wrist throbbed painfully, Chul-soo thrust his sword forward.

TCH!

However, Jekyll caught the sword with his hand.

“What kind of reaction speed…”

He completely blocked an attack aimed from his blind spot.

This momentary hesitation cost him.

Jekyll’s punch slammed into Chul-soo’s side.

“Ugh!”

Chul-soo’s body went flying sideways, skidding along the ground in a cloud of dust.

Jekyll casually tossed the sword aside with a smirk.

“Aw, what a shame. I transformed into a monster and it ended so anticlimactically. I was holding back before.”

“Nah, same here.”

Suddenly, Chul-soo appeared from the side and delivered a kick to Jekyll’s head.

CRACK!!

Both parties heard the cracking sound.

A merciless blow powered by magic, delivered without regard for physical limits.

Powerful enough to deal damage to the current Jekyll.

But what surprised Jekyll more was:

“How are you still standing after that…?”

“Because my durability skyrocketed after getting beaten up by Yu-jin Kim!”

Chul-soo extended his hand.

The sword responded to its master, returning to his grasp.

The blue magic power swirling around the blade was vividly clear.

‘Wait, is that magic-generated lightning?’

Magic with its own distinct properties and physical force.

Not just Chul-soo’s magic, but even the ambient magic in the air responds to his sword.

Truly a man blessed by the love of magic and blade.

-Sky Piercing Sword: Original Technique – Blue Lightning

Holding the sword encased in blue lightning with both hands, he swung down with all his might.

Just like Yu-jin did to him on their first day.

-ZZZIIING!!!

Jekyll raised his arm to defend.

Unlike before, cracks appeared in the shell this time.

‘What kind of power…!’

Fortunately, the cutting power hasn’t increased much.

But this level of raw power is threatening enough.

Enough to make the ground beneath him sink slightly.

“What did you say earlier?”

“Looks like my sword can hurt you after all, Jekyll?”

“Cheeky bastard!”

Jekyll attempted to swing his arm again.

Meanwhile, Chul-soo unleashed a barrage of techniques:

-Sky Piercing Sword: Bone Crusher

-Sky Piercing Sword: Thunder Strike

-Sky Piercing Sword: Blue Pine Tree

-Sky Piercing Sword: Cloud Cutter

-Sky Piercing Sword: True Edge

-Sky Piercing Sword: Thousand Worlds

A storm of sword strikes too fast for the eye to follow.

Cracks appear in Jekyll’s armor, then it shatters and breaks apart.

‘Show yourself.’

Finally, the interior beneath the armor is revealed.

The mass of flesh hidden beneath the hard shell.

‘There must be a reason he created that shell. By investing so much in defense, it means being cut by a sword would be fatal.’

No matter how great a monster, if it gets sliced, it dies.

As proof of this truth, Chul-soo swung his blue-tinged sword.

-PLOP

At that moment, his thigh was pierced.

He looked down.

One of the monsters from earlier was crawling out from the ground.

‘…Didn’t that one disappear before?’

I thought these things go berserk and become uncontrollable.

Turns out Jekyll had one hidden in reserve.

This must be his “hidden ace.”

“I told you, your sword can’t reach me.”

-ZZZIIING!

This time, Jekyll’s punch finally connected with Chul-soo.

Sending him flying dozens of meters before crashing to the ground.

Meanwhile, Jekyll’s armor was already beginning to regenerate.

Overwhelming power and regeneration.

This is truly the realm of genius that mere talent cannot touch.

Jekyll dusted himself off.

“It’ll take a thousand cuts from that sword to kill me.”

-CRACK!

Suddenly, a bolt of blue magic energy flew through the air, severing Jekyll’s right arm.

A perfectly timed strike exploiting the brief window before his armor fully regenerated.

The severed gray arm flew through the air.

Turning his head, he saw Chul-soo already standing upright with his sword.

“Only a thousand cuts?”

“Hah!”

Jekyll’s arm made a snapping sound as it began regenerating.

With unbelievable speed, his arm restored itself and Jekyll grinned maniacally.

“Excellent! Absolutely excellent, Kim Chul-soo!”

Sword and monstrous fist collide once more.

Pushing and countering each other, they continued their struggle across several meters.

*

Peaceful downtown suddenly found itself invaded by monsters.

Seems that’s exactly the situation we’re in now.

The first to recover from the shock was the Class President.

“…Human-shaped monsters. Reminds me of something I’ve seen before.”

Those eyes, which had lost their light, had regained their heroic gleam.

Calmly observing her surroundings while regulating her breathing.

She briefly glanced between Yu-jin and Young-hee.

Yu-jin nodded understandingly at her look.

“Rime, can we count on you?”

“Hmph.”

Rime let out a sigh and shrugged.

“If Young-hee’s fine, I’ll take care of both of you.”

“…Are you sure? With your skills, maybe I should stay-”

“I’m not a hero like you guys. I don’t have any obligation to help.”

The Class President silently nodded in agreement.

We are academy students.

Which means we’ll eventually bear the title of “Hero” in the future.

Therefore, we have an obligation to fight here.

That’s different from Rime, who is merely an ordinary citizen.

“Are you really okay with this?”

“…Even if I told you not to go, you’d go anyway, wouldn’t you?”

Yu-jin pulled a box from his coat while smiling.

Inside was the glove Rime had given him as a gift.

Rime’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“You kept that?”

“In case I ever needed it.”

Yu-jin put on the black glove.

Though it was his first time wearing it, it suited him perfectly.

Rime turned her head away primly.

“Know that I’ll be mad if you get hurt wearing that.”

“Don’t worry.”

Yu-jin ruffled Rime’s hair affectionately.

When he looked at the Class President, she nodded immediately as if waiting for it.

“Then, please take care of Young-hee.”

With that, the two dashed off to join the battle.

Young-hee watched them go with a complicated expression.

“…Normally, I should be fighting alongside them, right?”

Already the area was chaos.

People were running around everywhere.

The police who had arrived were doing their best to guide them.

In the distance, monsters were still flying about.

Young-hee nodded determinedly.

“Rime-san, I want to-!”

“No.”

“But I haven’t even said anything yet!”

“I know you want to fight too.”

Young-hee nodded quickly.

“You must have seen me fight before. I can handle myself. At least I won’t be a liability. So please-”

“That’s not the issue. You shouldn’t meet the person you’d be fighting.”

“Huh?”

Before Young-hee could ask what she meant,

-KWAAANG!

Something crashed through the building wall and fell.

Despite its injuries, it quickly got back up.

At the same time, Young-hee’s eyes met with his.

“…?”

“Young-hee? What are you doing here?”

Black hair.

Eyes filled with resolute will.

Rough hands gripping a sword.

Yet retaining a pure expression.

Definitely someone unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar.

“Ahh…”

After losing his memory, it’s been a very long time.

Young-hee encountered Chul-soo.

And simultaneously, her delicate shoulders began to tremble with fear.

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