Acquired the Scam Rune in the Academy

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Ji Yoon-jae did not doubt the success of the operation.

Today, he briefly argued with Cha Soo-yeon about the risks of the operation and the future direction of the clan, but he didn’t think for a moment that this operation would fail.

‘…This dungeon has quite a high difficulty level.’

That’s understandable, the opponents are tigers that have already lost their fangs.

The undiscovered dungeon that was the site of this operation was a trading place that the <Villain> clan had recently relocated, and the level was so high that even the boss room raid had not yet been attempted, so it was a top-tier dungeon.

No matter how capable that Do Jae-hyun is, who has foiled the clan’s plans so far, and how excellent the skills of A-grade Holder Kwon Oh-jun are…

It wasn’t at all difficult to overwhelm the party that had just finished conquering the dungeon.

So even when Do Jae-hyun used some kind of wide-area status anomaly skill, Ji Yoon-jae was not particularly worried.

Most of the clan members had their feet tied, but at best it was a fear that only binds for about 3 seconds.

He thought it was the last struggle of a rat driven into a corner.

‘…What is it?’

But his actions did not end there.

Instead of attacking while he had inflicted status anomalies, Do Jae-hyun took out something like a stone tablet and made a sudden move.

And then the intense light pouring out of nowhere.

A golden light covered Do Jae-hyun.

And after that.

It felt as if the figure of a dragon appeared.

“…!”

Something’s weird.

I can’t leave it like this.

That thought stuck in Ji Yoon-jae’s head.

So without any further delay, he raised his sword.

Using movement buff runes and speed stats to the extreme, he charged at Do Jae-hyun.

It was to preemptively eliminate the danger before Do Jae-hyun could use any more petty tricks.

But….

“Rush.”

As his eyes opened.

And a line of spells were chanted.

All of Ji Yoon-jae’s movements became meaningless gestures.

“What…?”

Ji Yoon-jae doubted his own eyes.

Disappeared.

Do Jae-hyun’s figure completely disappeared from sight.

It wasn’t about increasing his speed or using movement buff runes…

It wasn’t that kind of movement concept.

As if space itself was distorted, his body transitioned as if it never existed in the first place.

‘Where to?’

If he disappeared, there must be a direction.

Not the front.

Ahead there were only the confused <Judgment of Fire> party members.

Definitely not the sides either.

Since Koo Myeong-hoon and the clan members were coming together, if it was the sides, the sign would have been clearly felt.

‘Then….’

Only one left.

Ji Yoon-jae hurriedly looked back.

But it was already too late.

“……!!”

“Kyaak-!!”

A chilling scream fills the dungeon.

The orderly arrangement of magic is distorted, and red blood spurts into the air.

Cha Soo-yeon.

The target was Cha Soo-yeon.

She hastily severed all magical connections and deployed defensive magic against Do Jae-hyun, who had suddenly appeared behind her, but…

Do Jae-hyun’s sword managed to stab her chest through her back.

‘That makes no sense. How on earth?’

Ji Yoon-jae simply could not believe it.

The distance between Do Jae-hyun and Cha Soo-yeon was at least 200 meters.

It wasn’t a distance that could be narrowed in less than a second, and even if it could be narrowed, it wasn’t a distance that S-grade Holders like Ji Yoon-jae or Cha Soo-yeon wouldn’t be able to react to.

Yet Cha Soo-yeon was hit.

That was a speed that fits the term ‘instantaneous’ perfectly.

The moment Do Jae-hyun moved, he appeared behind Cha Soo-yeon, smashed all her magic, and stabbed her with his sword.

As a result, Cha Soo-yeon’s gravity magic, which was unleashed around the boss room…

It was crumbling easily as if it never existed.

“Ugh- F*ck, f*ck! Why aren’t you bastards coming faster-!!”

“All clan members, protect the branch manager!”

Cha Soo-yeon’s screaming voice echoed, and Ji Yoon-jae hurriedly issued orders as the person in charge.

Swish- Swish-!

Clang! Clang!

Ji Yoon-jae, Koo Myeong-hoon, and 9 clan members surrounded Cha Soo-yeon.

As if he had not fully achieved his intended goal, Do Jae-hyun pulled out his sword with a dissatisfied expression and stepped back.

“Ugh- Ugh– F*ck, f*ck! Kill that bastard-!!”

Cha Soo-yeon screamed again.

She was not in a normal state.

Her whole body was soaked in sticky blood, and there was a huge hole in her chest.

It seemed she was also having trouble properly breathing, as she was clutching her chest and gasping for breath.

Seeing her disheveled appearance, Ji Yoon-jae was dismayed.

He had never seen Cha Soo-yeon like this before.

Not once since joining <Villain> and becoming her direct subordinate.

She had always shown a cold and ruthless appearance.

He had thought that even as a fellow psycho, would he be able to hand over his business card in front of this person.

And that knife-like facade was possible because of the strong force she possessed.

The reason why Ji Yoon-jae had always obediently submitted to her without a word was because her power was that much stronger.

‘Yet….’

Such a Cha Soo-yeon was hit with one blow.

An A-grade Holder as close to S-grade as evaluated in <Villain>.

Within the clan, aside from the Master and Submaster, there was no one who could follow her.

That brilliant reputation meant nothing now.

The solid magic barrier was torn like paper, and the opponent’s attack far exceeded her reaction speed.

Certainly the opponent must have been depleted of magic and exhausted…

With an incomprehensible skill once, the situation was instantly reversed.

Death.

With that one blow, Cha Soo-yeon was on the brink of death.

Ji Yoon-jae bit his lip until it bled.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t even been able to chase the shadow of that blow.

“Lim Jin-hyeok.”

“Yes!”

“Heal the branch manager. Bring all the potions you have and pour them on her.”

“Understood!”

The clan member called Lim Jin-hyeok hurriedly stuck to Cha Soo-yeon, and Ji Yoon-jae turned his head again to look at Do Jae-hyun.

He stood there with a leisurely expression, his sword resting on his shoulder.

“Just what… Did you do.”

Words squeezed out, biting his lips until they bled.

At that, Do Jae-hyun snorted.

“Can’t you tell? I was trying to kill your boss.”

“…I’m asking what skill you used.”

“Why would I tell you that? Both you and Cha Soo-yeon have only been asking funny questions.”

Do Jae-hyun speaks with hollow laughter.

He soon changed his expression coldly and glared at Ji Yoon-jae.

“Disgusting bastards. You messed with the wrong person.”

A chill tone.

And the air around growing even colder than that.

At that moment, Ji Yoon-jae was startled.

And took out his two short swords.

“……!!”

Clang-!! Clash-!!

The next moment two weapons collided intensely.

Somehow, Do Jae-hyun, who was quite a distance away, was now right next to him.

It wasn’t the ‘teleportation’ when he first attacked Cha Soo-yeon.

However, it was fast.

Boasting an insane speed, Do Jae-hyun approached Ji Yoon-jae in an instant.

‘Movement buff rune?’

No.

It wasn’t a movement that could be explained by movement buff runes like [Agile Agility].

Overwhelmingly high speed.

This was clearly…

A sense of disparity and pressure coming from an enormous difference in stats.

Through the crossed swords, Do Jae-hyun quietly chanted with sharp eyes.

“Get ready to pay the price, Ji Yoon-jae.”

Together with those words.

Magic was instantly pulled up from the crossed swords.

Boom-!!

Soon after, a fierce explosion occurred on Do Jae-hyun’s sword.

That was definitely…

It was once the specialty of Kim Do-yoon, who was a former comrade.

[Explosive Sword Aura].

‘F*ck. Just what the hell is going on…!!’

Swept away by that intense magic, Ji Yoon-jae’s head was full of nothing but questions.

***

Ippotranslation

***

It’s a shame.

My lethal strike towards Cha Soo-yeon ended in vain, leaving my appetite unsatisfied.

[Distortion’s Shadow] allows me to ‘Blink’ right in front of my opponent in an instant, attacking fiercely while ignoring all defensive measures with its ultimate skill.

Reading its skill description briefly, I immediately judged:

To kill Cha Soo-yeon.

There was no hesitation in my actions after that decision.

Rush.

It felt as if my sword would pierce Cha Soo-yeon’s heart with that command.

‘As expected, Cha Soo-yeon is still Cha Soo-yeon.’

But how could the infamous <Villain> among our top talents disappear so easily?

Despite losing all defensive capabilities, Cha Soo-yeon…

Reacted in that brief instant, matching my attack speed.

A spot slightly grazed near her heart.

If striking from the front, it would be her chest, if from the back, near her shoulder blade.

She turned in that direction, blocking ‘lethal damage’ at the very least.

‘…She is a bitch after all.’

I couldn’t help but admire her judgment at that moment, even if she was the enemy.

Of course, it’s not like she avoided a fatal injury.

She barely escaped instant death, but Cha Soo-yeon was now completely incapacitated.

If treatment failed and time passed like this…

Death was the only fate awaiting her.

‘Luckily the villain bastards are also stupid.’

I look around at the <Villain> clan members surrounding me.

As soon as Cha Soo-yeon was hit, these bastards completely shifted their attacking direction, which was initially towards our party, wholly onto me.

I did target Cha Soo-yeon anticipating this to some extent, but I didn’t expect them to stupidly gather towards me all at once like this.

It would have been troublesome if they dispersed and simultaneously targeted our party, but since they moronically rushed at only me…

With my strength now fully recovered, I couldn’t ask for a better thank you.

“Do… Jae-hyun…”

Another voice was heard from somewhere.

A sword and body filled with ominous aura.

And pupils that have lost focus.

Once a member of <Anti-Villain>, 2nd year senior Koo Myeong-hoon.

After I briefly knocked him down by feeding [Explosive Sword Aura] to Ji Yoon-jae, now a senior groupie who has attached himself to <Villain> shows up.

“Senior. I was wondering where you disappeared to, but you were sucked into Villain huh?”

“Ugghh… After killing you… hehe… Lady Ji-ah…”

“You drank a berserk potion too.”

He was now out of control.

No matter how much I told him to get a grip, it was meaningless to a beast moving blindly after losing all reason.

I took out [Sword of Penitent].

‘Let’s get this over with quickly.’

As seen previously when facing Ji Yoon-jae, my condition now is perfect.

And that’s all thanks to one rune.

[Forgotten Dragon Knight’s Pride].

This rune boasted the most overwhelming performance among all I’ve obtained so far, easily the best morale boosting rune.

Not only due to the ultimate skill [Distortion’s Shadow].

With its special effect of accelerated wound healing and magic recovery speed, my depleted magic has been completely refilled, and boosted magic power from increased magic potency allowed each of my magic attacks to deal powerful blows.

On top of that, the derivative skill, [Dragon Transformation].

At first I thought dragon wing-like things grew out with the skill, but physically there were no noticeable changes other than scales appearing on my skin.

Rather, this skill resembled [Berserk] instead.

A skill that temporarily increased abilities by 30% for a certain duration.

The percentage was lower than [Berserk] but had less penalties and a longer duration.

“Huff…”

As a result, with both [Berserk] and [Dragon Transformation] used together, my amplified abilities showed an 80% increase effect.

It doesn’t exactly double despite being amplified from base abilities, but it’s still devastating.

Abilities pumped up to nearly twice as much.

It could be considered top tier A-grade Holder level abilities.

Swish- Whoosh-

Pushick-!!

Utilizing those overwhelming abilities, I instantly approached Koo Myeong-hoon at my utmost speed.

Then lightly slashed his shoulder.

“Kuak-?! Kwaaaaak?!”

Koo Myeong-hoon, who didn’t even notice me approaching, let out a late scream.

Not wanting to hear more of that irritating sound, I used the [Combo] skill.

Three sword strikes on his back.

“Kwek, Kwerk-“

Unable to withstand that ruthless blow.

Koo Myeong-hoon foamed at the mouth and collapsed.

Faced with the overwhelming difference in abilities, he could do nothing.

‘Looks like he did get some special power from <Villain>.’

Koo Myeong-hoon seemed to have clearly received exceptional abilities granted by <Villain>.

He possessed an ominously bulging sword that looked like it was made of magic, and his surroundings overflowed with sinister energy.

Showing signs of losing his senses, it was easy to tell he had also taken [Berserk Potions].

If left alone, he might have become quite a headache.

But…

‘…Ignorance is bliss.’

I lightly shook my sword.

I just had to take him down before he could show anything.

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