Chapter 61 – Part 1: Vice-Captain of the Corps (6)

“What?”

“Who are you?”

Seol-Hwi had appeared only 2 feet away, startling them.

“…Captain?”

It felt to Seol-Hwi that even though her voice trembled, it hadn’t lost its dignity.

It made him angry.

“Hah.”

The weak were being trampled. After dying over and over again, Seol-Hwi only despised it more.

What little of his rationality hadn’t been swallowed by his anger wasn’t interested in negotiating.

“Nice weather,” he spat. “Feels good.”

The system was like a chance and a curse. It honestly felt like it was making fun of him right now.

“Hey, who are you?”

“Answer us, fool!”

Seol-Hwi checked to make sure he had his tiger mask on before he spoke.

“One of you will die here. I plan on keeping the other one alive. Why? No reason in particular, I just thought it would be fun to make one of you grovel under me.”

He didn’t get a reply, but Seol-Hwi knew what they had to be thinking as they eyed him: They had the advantage in this fight, but if he could sneak up on them like that they had to be a bit wary of him. But since Seol-Hwi wasn’t wearing a Hidden Truth uniform, they’d think he’s an outsider.

Combat Mode: <Turn-Based>

Seol chose turn-based mode for the enemy’s safety, not his own good. If he used simulation mode, he’d kill them before he had the chance to make them hurt.

Seol-Hwi [Vice-Captain of the Hidden Truth Corps]

Health: 710k

Internal Energy: 1.21 million

Coins: 2

Grandmaster

Combat Power: 5.91 million

The time had come.

He caught Kyu Yeon stepping towards him before the window appeared.

[Warning! Kyu Yeon has found a weakness in Seol-Hwi. How will you respond?]

▶ Counterattack

▷ Defend

▷ Run Away

Seol-Hwi wasn’t worried at all, just a little annoyed.

Kyu Yeon sprung towards him. Seol-Hwi saw it and didn’t hesitate. He thought it was a good chance to practice the synergy between the Peak Flourishing Demonic Martial Arts and the Fiery Bare-Handed Demonic Martial Arts. Fortunately, he was fast enough to pull it off.

Seol-Hwi’s fist collided with Kyu Yeon’s with a deafening roar. The flames on Seol-Hwi’s hand hungrily spread to Kyu Yeon’s body.

“Ah! Ah! Ahhhhhhh!” Kyu Yeon grabbed his broken hand and screamed. The tongues of flame biting at his body made it even worse, as the windows confirmed.

[Critical hit! Inflicted 1.8 million damage to Kyu Yeon.]

Kyu Yeon [Private Guards 4th Member]

Health: 1.52 million/3.32 million(↓1.8 million)

The difference was huge. His health, which was originally higher than Seol-Hwi’s, had dropped drastically. The fact that he knocked down Kyu Yeon in one hit was, frankly, surprising, even knowing the difference in their combat power. Seol-Hwi wasn’t done, though.

[Found a weakness in Kyu Yeon. How would you like to respond?]

▶ Attack

▷ Use Martial Arts

▷ Use Toolbox

▷ Approach the Opponent

“Urk! Agh! Ackkkk!”

As soon as Seol-Hwi saw Kyu Yeon, he immediately popped him with his fist. It wasn’t a technique, just a simple punch, but it sent internal energy crashing into Kyu Yeon. Kyu Yeon took it right in the face and went bouncing back, tumbling head over heels through the air.

[Critical hit! Inflicted major damage to Kyu Yeon.]

Kyu Yeon [Private Guards 4th Member]

Health: 530k/3.32 million(↓990k)

The damage was stacking up. Kyu Yeon flopped over, unconscious and slack-jawed.

“Don’t play dead.” Seol-Hwi walked over and grabbed him by the hair. “I’m not done with you.”

[Warning! Kang Seok found a weakness in Seol-Hwi. How will you respond?]

Seol-Hwi wasn’t shocked. Of course the other man would attempt a surprise attack.

▶ Counterattack

▷ Defend

▷ Run Away

Seol-Hwi had a sudden bright idea.

There was still a bit of time before Kang Seok reached him, and now that he decided to defend instead of attack…

Kang Seok struck perfectly. His sword stabbed deep—but not into the man with the tiger mask.

“Incredible. You went straight for your own comrade.”

“W-What?”

Seol-Hwi was enjoying himself.

“It won’t be easy to get out of this. This sword is all the proof people will need.”

Kang Seok’s face was painted with shock and disbelief and a fleeting flash of fear.

“I said one of you would die, but I didn’t say I’d do it with my own hands.”

“You—”

Kang Seok didn’t get to finish his sentence.

[A great opportunity! Found a weakness in the Kyu Yeon. How would you like to respond?]

▶ Attack

▷ Use Martial Arts

▷ Use Toolbox

▷ Approach the Opponent

He chose south, placing him right behind the enemy.

“I bet people call you an asshole all the time, right?”

“Ack!” Kang Seok swung around, but he was too slow. Seol-Hwi smacked him in the stomach, tipping him off balance. Seol-Hwi then punched him in the face, dodged gracefully around his sword, and then punched him in the face again.

“Ugh!”

Seol-Hwi dodged around Kang Seok’s blade again and hit his face a little harder.

Kang Seok [Private Guards 3rd Member]

Health: 2.98 million/2.99 million(↓10k)

The damage was minor, but Kang Seok backed away.

“You—eh!” Blood dripped down his nose, reminding him of the insult. “You fucking bastard!”

Seol-Hwi didn’t know if Kang Seok had a method of drawing out internal energy better than what Seol-Hwi knew, which was why Seol-Hwi was only using normal punches.

“So boring.”

Combat mode: <Simulation>

He changed the combat mode because there was nothing else like it for dealing with the enemy.

In the Hidden Truth Corps, there was something known as the “Hidden Blood Method.” You could say it was a martial arts for hiding your blood, but it was really a technique for decieving opponents for assassinations. As an assassination technique, it contained many methods for a one-shot kill. It was more than just a one-shot technique, though. Two strikes, three strikes—it didn’t matter how many it took, even if it cost the user their life afterwards.

The reason why he was using the Hidden Blood Method rather than the Slaughtering Method was because it was the most aggressive technique he had.

Seol-Hwi drew his sword at the same time as he used the White Light Body Demonic Martial Arts, releasing a white fog.

Ah. It looked different. He was used to it being a mist, but this time it was a sea of fog.

“Ugh!” Kang Seok’s attack collapsed.

Here? He moved to and a half steps to the left as Kang Seok’s form broke. Seol-Hwi hit him on the head with the hilt of his sword and watched his opponent fall to the ground.

Crack!

Blood splashed.

Crack! Crack!

Bones broke.

Crack!

The body collapsed as Seol-Hwi continued to hammer his fist down.

Kang Seok [Private Guard 3rd Member]

Health: 2.89 million/2.99 million(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)(↓10k)…

Seol-Hwi kept beating.

Kang Seok [Private Guard 3rd Member]

Health: 32k/2.99 million

Kang Seok was unconscious.

“From now on…” Seol-Hwi wasn’t talking to Kang Seok—Seo Ryeong was standing next to him. “I have much more to teach you.” He lightly brushed off his hands and checked to make sure his mask was still there. “So learn how to survive.”

Seol-Hwi turned away. He always wanted to see her, to talk to her, to be with her—but not now, strangely. Guilt, anger, sadness—his emotions were tangled.

However, Seo Ryeong caught him as he tried to brush past her.

“Captain.” She paused. “I wanted to see you.”

Seol-Hwi’s heart clenched from just a few words, but he didn’t let it show.

“What are you saying?”

Seo Ryeong didn’t answer. It seemed she just bowed as he walked away, but then she seemed to feel something and turned around.

“Huh? What did you say?”

What did I say? He hadn’t said anything.

But then his doubts vanished. Not because of her, but because of the window.

<Congratulations. Seo Ryeong’s favorability changed to “Admiring.”>

20%[↑66%]: Favorability[↑Admiring]

Another new word.

“W-What’s this?”