Chapter 247 Penalty (2)
From the beginning, it was a situation with only two choices. The King of Steel or Lee Su-yeon. The duel would end only after one of them died. Then, who should survive?
—It would be better to have this person as a colleague rather than me.
Lee Su-yeon made a thoroughly rational judgment. Unlike her, the King of Steel would play a key role in the Queen’s Match if they could recruit him. But, Yoon-seok couldn’t agree.
’What is she talking about?’
The King of Steel was just a mere candidate. He was also the unpredictable type. But he would have to give up Lee Su-yeon, who had already helped him in so many ways, just to chase after the possibility of recruiting him?
—If you die, that man dies, too.
It was difficult to understand rationally or emotionally. Therefore, Yoon-seok broke through the iron bars and stormed into the arena. He had already made up his mind: the King of Steel would die here today.
’It’s not like we had much of a special relationship anyway.’
Yoon-seok didn’t feel anything other than a little disappointment. He just met him once on the lower floors by chance, that’s all. Rather, Yoon-seok was quite glad things had turned out this way. It was a fight he’d been waiting for since the day he lost.
And was there a better place for them to fight than this arena?
“Crash.”
The moment the King of Steel wrapped his watermelon-sized palm around Yoon-seok’s-
“Last Command.”
「Last Command is used.」
「The performance of all general skills increases 150 times for a minute.」
「Remaining usage 0/3.」
That was his last usage, but he didn’t think it was a waste. He used this skill to fight against the SSS-rated Sephylem. However, his opponent was the King of Steel this time, one rank higher than that woman. It wasn’t a loss if he could use this to win.
’This is the only way to match his size.’
He could feel the ridiculous pressure from the King of Steel’s hand.
Crackkk-!
His mask split. After confirming Yoon-seok’s face, the King of Steel raised an eyebrow.
“I knew that gaze was familiar, so we meet again. Nameless swordsman.”
He was disconcerted by the sudden reunion for a second, but was he happy to see Yoon-seok? The King of Steel wore a widening smile, and at the same time, the pressure around Yoon-seok’s head was growing.
“If you have nothing else to show, die.”
Yoon-seok closed his eyes rather than struggling to escape.
「43 swords are used. Magic increases by +1.」
「99 swords are used. Strength increases by +1.」
「200 swords are used. Magic increases by +1.」
The number of Skywrath Swords orbiting around him increased continuously, and his stats rose rapidly in proportion.
Clenchh-!
Yoon-seok slowly opened his eyes as the pressure against his skull gradually disappeared.
「Actual stat of agility has reached MAX.」
「Actual stat of strength has reached MAX.」
「An abnormal being’s approach was detected.」
「Actual stat of durability has reached MAX.」
「Actual stat of endurance has reached MAX.」
「Due to the power Transcendence, the limitation disappears.」
Time crawled by, each second feeling like a minute. It felt like Yoon-seok could do anything right now.
“…”
Questions arose in the King of Steel’s eyes. He’d already put so much strength into it, but why wasn’t Yoon-seok’s head exploding yet? He seemed very curious about that fact.
Smile.
Yoon-seok wasn’t courteous enough to answer. In the time that seemed to have stopped, Yoon-seok found and read the messages sent by Lee Su-yeon earlier.
—Oppa, avoid fighting him head-on until you are sure that you have higher stats. That’s the only way to defeat this monster.
What would it be like? Was he capable enough to overpower this man now? Well, he would find out soon.
“…?”
Yoon-seok raised his hand and set it over the hand holding his head. Then, he slowly peeled away the King of Steel’s fingers as if taking away the toy he was holding. The King of Steel’s eyes started to waver. For the first time since starting to ascend the Tower, he was being pushed back.
Boooooom-!
Yoon-seok, after removing his hand, stuck his sword into the King of Steel’s shoulder. Instead of sword energy, Natural Energy filled the gap, and his now overwhelming muscle strength penetrated through the steel-like muscles. However…
’I can’t cut through him completely even if I do this?’
It was impossible to tear through the muscles and bones all at once. He was the one who attacked, but the Judgment Sword had a fine crack across its blade now too. Yoon-seok, quickly pulling the sword away, smiled.
‘…What the heck is that body of his?’
If he kept striking like that, the sword would break first. However, using magic wouldn’t work, and he wasn’t skilled enough to externally maintain the Natural Energy.
Clank.
Either way, his sword couldn’t be used if the battle continued. With that quick judgment, Yoon-seok sheathed his sword.
‘I don’t have to insist on using a sword.’
Yoon-seok’s main weapon was a sword, but he had the flexibility to use other abilities or weapons.
‘This will have to do.’
Yoon-seok clenched his fist and instilled Natural Energy through it. Still, his reach would be shorter since he couldn’t use magic or other skills.
“A swordsman that abandons his sword… interesting.”
When Yoon-seok rushed in, the King of Steel stepped into the air and jumped higher.
“Stepping on the sky.”
It was a clever move to widen the distance and keep watching.
’So annoying.’
His current state would maintain until the Last Command effect disappeared.
’He called it Wind Strike?’
Yoon-seok smiled and unfolded his clenched hand. Copying the King of Steel’s movement, he fired a blast of wind up.
Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-!
It was a little funny to realize after doing it, but Yoon-seok finally discovered the principle of Wind Strike.
’So it was a technique that applies the principle of strongness and gentleness.’
Was this what they meant by all rivers running to the sea? He wasn’t using a sword, but in the end, it wasn’t much different.
’Then what about stepping on the ground earlier? What was that?’
He shouldn’t be thinking about it in this urgent situation, but Yoon-seok was curious.
The techniques used by the King of Steel could be seen as a kind of martial arts. His independent martial arts, which were naturally formed over numerous fierce battles.
’I’m curious about the principle…’
Although Yoon-seok had the desire to dig into his skills one by one… sadly, there was no time for that.
’I have to end this quick.’
Hiding behind the palm blast, Yoon-seok approached the King of Steel. Following the wind, Yoon-seok raised his hand and stabbed at his shoulder again.
Whooooosh-!
A body at this stage no longer needed weapons.
Slash-!
Yoon-seok smiled widely as his hand pierced through the bone. But had he let his guard down for a moment? Or, did he not expect the King of Steel to react in this state?
“Concussion.”
The King of Steel’s fist slammed into Yoon-seok’s abdomen. Yoon-seok belatedly realized that he gave up his right shoulder not because he couldn’t respond.
‘Give and take.’
It was just to create a more advantageous situation. This beast only thought of tearing him apart with all his might until one of them died from the start.
Booooooom-!
His durability stat had already exceeded the system, but the impact seemed to make all his internal organs explode from the inside. Yoon-seok immediately recovered by circulating magic. However, did that moment seem like an opportunity in the King of Steel’s eyes?
Booooooom-!
The King of Steel punched Yoon-seok’s jaw. With it came a wave of nausea and dizziness as the world seemed to shake.
“…….”
Yoon-seok couldn’t understand. He was several times faster than usual, several times tougher, and several times stronger. However, this man confronted him in that state without being intimidated. The difference in rating between them was one level, but was the gap this wide?
‘…No way.’
Yoon-seok recovered his brain first rather than healing his abdomen. With only one arm left, King Steel’s abdomen was unprotected from the attack he had launched.
Boooooooooooom-!
Yoon-seok put strength in his waist and swung a fist into his stomach on the rebound. Although he didn’t have a technique like the King of Steel that destroyed internal organs, Yoon-seok had the strength left to make up for it.
“Gahahahahah!”
King of Steel let out a weird sound like a laugh and vomited blood. Then, he headbutts Yoon-seok.
Boom-!
Yoon-seok’s barely recovered brain was shocked again, and his sight lost focus. However, his body moved by instinct, not reason. If he were pushed back now, he’d lose. The instinct that led him to victory was shouting.
Boom-!
Avoid one more time. Block one more time. Recover one more time. Yoon-seok wielded his fist according to instinct while his sight continued to shake.
“Crazy bastards…”
The challenger watching the duel behind bars stopped breathing. It was hard to watch a fierce battle between top 100 rankers. Except for the fact, their speed was hard to keep up with the naked eye, and each shock wave was creating cracks across the arena outer wall-
“They’re both out of their minds…”
No weapons, no skills, no powers. They didn’t avoid nor stop it. There was no time to confirm each other’s abilities when the duel began. Having clashed with the brute force since the start, they wielded their fists to bludgeon each other to death. Like they were sure that was the only way to win.
Booooooooom-!
It was completely different from the fight of the top rankers they imagined, but those who were watching felt greater despair. Could they last even a second if they were in that position?
“There are a hundred monsters like them…?”
Someone in the cage muttered blankly. And at that moment, the two stopped swinging.
「Last Command effect has ended.」
The battle between 14th and 95th place. The fight between the two, safe to regard as absolute powerhouses, ended in just a minute. One fell to his knees on the floor, and the other struggled to stand and look down at their opponent.
“Geuhehehehe.”
The King of Steel laughed as if he was having fun. There was no mirror to confirm, but Yoon-seok thought his expression couldn’t be much different while looking at him.
“I have waited for this day.”
It was the King of Steel who opened his mouth first.
“Today, I…”
The King of Steel, his arms torn off and his body sunk to the floor, laughed. He didn’t have the energy left to move even one toe, but vigor was still emanating from his body.
“So you’re still lacking. Nameless swordsman.”
Step by step, Yoon-seok slowly approached him. Although he was still recovering his body by circulating magic, Yoon-seok wasn’t in good condition. The Last Command effect, which made a minute feel like a few hours, ended, and the vitality surging through him disappeared. However, unlike the last duel, he was the one who could stand and move.
Thud.
Yoon-seok stood in front of King of Steel. He didn’t avoid Yoon-seok’s gaze. No, rather, as much as he had enjoyed the battle, even at this moment when his life was about to disappear, it still seemed like a game to him.
’Did I win…?’
It was such a hard battle that it still didn’t feel real. It wouldn’t be strange no matter who lost. But today, he won. And unlike the duel back then, they would never see each other again.
Clank.
Yoon-seok drew his sword. He instilled the rest of his Natural Energy into the sword’s tip.
And it was then-
「An abnormal being’s approach was detected.」
「An abnormal being’s approach was detected.」
「An abnormal being’s approach was detected.」
Like a serious computer error. From the moment he broke into the duel, the number of phrases that had emerged began to drastically increase. Yoon-seok didn’t know why, but he thought he had to end the duel soon. But the moment he tried to extend his sword forward-
「Due to the approach of an abnormal being, the selection match will end.」
「All remaining challengers will be given 30,000,000 AP as a winning reward.」
His eyes turned black.
「Tower of Heaven gives a penalty to rule-breaker Choi Yoon-seok.」
Rulebreaker? Even after destroying the waiting room and making all kinds of a fuss, there had been nothing like this so far.
’…So they want to give it a go?’
It was also the case when the King of Steel and Lee Su-yeon were put together in the selection match. It seemed like the Tower wanted to put a leash on him…
‘Interesting.’
Yoon-seok’s eyes turned cold.
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