Chapter 16 - Piercing Through (2)

Starting from areas untouched by hunters, he methodically worked his way through.

A father and son trapped under rubble; a convenience store clerk unable to escape; a family nearly perishing inside their home; a child who had fallen in an alleyway. There were many who needed help.

The size of the monsters varied, likely due to the Fissure's Flood.

They ranged from small ones that any hunter could easily take down to massive ones that required a whole party. It was as if all the monsters from different dungeons had been gathered in one place.

Despite their varied traits and strengths, his rampaging sword didn't discriminate. It cut through thick hides and agile movements alike.

Was it the right move to start from the outskirts? The monsters, which seemed endless at first, noticeably dwindled.

The moon in the sky also seemed to have a limit to how many monsters it could spit out at once. The range of the Fissure's Flood also appeared to be narrowing.

With the immediate danger managed, it was time to move to the next stage. He looked up at the moon hanging in the sky and calculated the distance.

It was a perfect chance to annihilate the enemy in one sweep, a rare glimmer of hope. Determined not to let it slip away, Han Taemin surged forward.

Thump. As soon as he hit the main road, he began scaling the tall buildings, ascending vertically.

As if climbing stairs.

"Invest 5 points into mana."

[Mana: 25]

[Mana: 30↑ NEW]

Striking a target dozens of kilometers away was a basic tactical maneuver, a skill every knight should possess. In his past life, that's how battles usually started.

Step.

Even a hundred-meter-tall building quickly revealed its peak.

At the moment his speed reached its zenith, Taemin used the building's edge as a springboard and leapt high. He then thrust his arm forward with all his might.

His target was the moon hanging in the sky. If that was the core of the Fissure's Flood, then he could destroy it.

Forgetting about speed, his sword shot forward like a beam of light, instantly covering the 14-kilometer distance. He saw his sword pierce the surface of the moon, but nothing changed.

It was only natural that the attack failed, as he had sacrificed power to dramatically increase the distance.

The real issue was his insufficient level. If his stats had been higher, he might have pierced through by sheer force.

"I guess it won't work."

Han Taemin muttered as he stood up, his body aching after landing on the rooftop.

Despite his effort, that was the best he could achieve. Expecting anything more would be unrealistic. He knew better than anyone that this was the best possible outcome.

What he honed in his past life were not miraculous spells but rigorously tested techniques.

His accomplishment came from scraping together what little mana he had. Even if he tried again, the result would likely be the same. Unfortunately, he needed to find another way.

There had to be something else.

It made no sense that with so many hunters gathered, there was no means to reach the target. While the hunters' skills might be underestimated, their abilities certainly couldn't be.

Searching like one looking for an oasis in a desert, his eyes darted around.

Suddenly, lightning surged nearby, generating enough heat to tingle his skin. Turning quickly, he saw someone emitting mana like a typhoon not far away.

Yes, she was there.

* * *

Running between buildings.

Yoo Sora chose the building closest to the core for the showdown.

The place closest to the sky and the first to face the moon. It was the perfect battleground.

She planted her spear on the ground and unleashed her mana. Five cone-shaped spearheads began to spin wildly.

She added mana combustion and elemental intensification to her chain of abilities, which included lightning strike, thunder blast, and rain of lightning.

Clang, clang. The spearheads roared with a deafening noise.

Yoo Sora gazed at the moon, her legs apart and shoulders squared.

The core of the Fissure's Flood was relatively fragile. The more troublesome aspect was the monsters guarding it, essentially its protectors.

These monsters, abnormally strong due to the core's power, were more formidable than bosses.

However, for some reason, the protectors were nowhere to be seen now.

Did they only appear when a direct threat was sensed? Or had they not yet formed?

Whichever it was, it was clear she had to deal with the core before any protector appeared. She straightened the heavy lance in her hands.

Sparks flew from the gaps between the spinning spearheads, whipping around like lashes. The accumulated energy at the spear's tip turned into a storm that swept through the area.

With a shout, Yoo Sora unleashed the storm of lightning, sending it towards the target the spear pointed at.

The storm, moving with the force of a jet stream, was not something a human could normally wield, but her extraordinary strength allowed her to control the backlash and direct it precisely.

The distance of over 10 kilometers was covered in an instant. The storm of lightning from her spear seemed poised to engulf the moon.

I can do it. It was not impossible for Yoo Sora to think that she would succeed.

However, her confidence wavered when the lightning storm hit the moon.

The surface split in two upon impact, briefly revealing a glowing core. Biting her lip, Yoo Sora realized the truth that the moon's exterior was a decoy, and the real core lay within.

This meant the moon itself was―

'The guardian…?!'

As expected, the magical barrier created by the moon pushed back the lightning storm. Unable to withstand the force, her spear skidded across the ground.

"Keugh."

The shock Yoo Sora received was no small thing, but she didn't retract the lightning storm. Once unleashed, she had to see it through.

'Even if it meant cutting through the core or at least the guardian.'

Increasing the distance weakened the power, and enhancing the power decreased the range. Yoo Sora was caught in a dilemma, struggling within this irreconcilable contradiction.

The most troubling aspect was that the guardian stood in her way.

Even if she continued the tug-of-war with the moon, her mana depleted without a clear solution.

The pressure got bigger and bigger, and it felt as though a giant was crushing her.

'No.'

She steadied her faltering will.

Losing focus would lead to her mana being exhausted first.

If she fell here, no one else would come after her. Being the top hunter in Korea was both an honor and a heavy burden. Despite her resolve, one knee gave way.

It was dangerous.

In that moment of realization, someone appeared behind her, providing solid support.

"Is this what it means to be number one? Hah, I expected more from an SS-rank, but you're just another monkey."

The tone was rude enough to make anyone angry.

Yoo Sora's face twisted in an instant. The intrusion of an uninvited guest in a critical situation was anything but welcome.

"Who…?"

"Doesn't matter."

Tap. When a stranger's hand touched her side and back—

"What do you think you're doing?"

Yoo Sora growled. She couldn't afford to act right now. If she lost focus even for a moment, all her efforts so far would be wasted.

But the stranger seemed equally adamant and responded bluntly.

"Shut up and concentrate. I'm not interested in you."

Her mouth twisted in anger at the insult rising within her chest.

But the intruder, Han Taemin, showed no concern for her reaction and quietly murmured.

"Think about the people here. If you fall, they will die horribly."

Who was he to talk about caring for others while making such crude remarks?

Yoo Sora thought to herself. She knew she had many fans, but she never imagined a scoundrel would approach her like this during the Fissure's Flood.

"Take your filthy hands off me. I don't have time to argue with you…"

"With all the mana you have, you're using it so poorly. Do you even think about what you're doing? Or are you just arrogantly assuming everything will work out because you're strong?"

"W-What?!"

Such outrageous words. Interrupting her wasn't enough, now this? She was so shocked she could barely speak, appalled by the arrogance of the stranger.

"I'll help you. Move your mana as I guide you."

"Who do you think you are to give me orders?"

Guiding someone's mana was extremely difficult and dangerous.

Hunters with such abilities often found this area to be particularly challenging.

It wasn't likely that Yoo Sora would follow the instructions of a complete stranger, especially someone as suspicious as this. She was about to reject him quickly, but it was already too late by then.

Another force of mana had already entered her body.

"Well, even if you teach a monkey, it wouldn't be able to follow."

"Y-You…"

Her face twisted in anger, but it was only for a moment.

Yoo Sora's eyes widened. Her chest felt warm, and then the mana she thought had reached its limit burst forth like a flood.

It felt as if her head was splitting open and a new sense was being born inside.

Ziiiing, screech!

The cone-shaped spearheads accelerated even more, vibrating violently as if they were about to break. The sparks that flowed out couldn't contain their power and scattered wildly.

The force was so intense that she almost let go.

It was only after the lightning storm roared as if it would pierce through the blood-red sky that Yoo Sora could face reality.

A bizarre phenomenon.

An unbelievable level.

The question lingered in her mouth.

"What the hell…?"

"I told you, didn't I? That you were using it so poorly."