A Disaster-Level Assassin Has Been Freed

Chapter 107: What Rank? (3)

Peok!

Kwakwakwakwakwakwang-!

The 4th Hydra, struck by a kick imbued with monstrous strength, flew off at a terrifying speed. The immense impact shattered the perfume shop's wall to pieces, and even the building next to it collapsed with a rumble, as if hit by a catapult.

“Kyaaak!”

“W-what? Is it a fight?”

“Quick, run! This way!”

“Crazy, what kind of fight is this in the Inner District, not even the Outer District?”

At the sudden commotion, passersby shrieked and fled. Perhaps because they were residents of the Dark City Kalbaron, their response was quite swift.

Thus, Harang's surroundings quickly became deserted and quiet. Amidst the billowing dust clouds, intermittently falling stone fragments made tut-tut sounds, heightening the tension.

That was right.

Harang was, for the first time in a while, tense.

‘I expected it, but she’s strong, as expected.’

It seemed like a situation where I had unilaterally gained an advantage, but in reality, it wasn’t so. In the brief moment I kicked the 4th Hydra, the opponent had also quickly raised her leg to defend.

Although she was inevitably sent flying due to the rebound force, the opponent who would soon appear would undoubtedly be perfectly fine.

“Not bad. No, is it bad?”

Harang muttered.

I wasn’t sure. The fact that the opponent I was to fight was considerably strong, and that such a strong opponent was merely ‘No. 4’, was clearly not a good sign.

But for some reason, the corners of my mouth kept turning up. My heart pounded rapidly. Gush, gush, blood, hormones, and aura spreading throughout my body keenly awakened Harang's senses.

‘Strange. I hated fighting so much in the village, but now, I feel quite alright.’

Harang recalled his duel with the Mercenary King Austin. I recalled the thrilling exchange we had, and the moment when my sword broke, and we couldn't settle the match. It was one of the most regrettable moments.

But now, that wouldn't happen.

In my hand was a Demonic Sword of unknown name.

It was an unlucky fellow that would someday bring a great crisis to its owner, but for now, it was incredibly reassuring.

“Come.”

Swish, Harang said, assuming a stance.

A moment later, the 4th Hydra flew through the still-settling dust.

Kwaaaaaang-!

Graduates, a clash between swordsmen who were eyeing the pinnacle among them!

A tremendous roar erupted from the clashing swords. The shockwave, spreading out in concentric circles, blew away the building debris as if it were a typhoon. It was truly a jaw-dropping display of monstrous strength.

At this, Harang frowned slightly.

‘This is different from what I thought.’

Given her not-so-large physique, I had thought the 4th Hydra would be a speed or technique-focused swordsman.

However, the power emanating from the opponent was beyond imagination. I, who had never been pushed back in terms of power by anyone among the Godok, was breaking into a cold sweat, so there was no need to elaborate further.

“Haaaap!”

Hoo-wook-

Kwang!

Kwaaang!

She even pushed me away by thrusting her sword with a kiai. The impact from the X-shaped slashes that followed was also immense, forcing Harang to continuously step back. I wanted to deflect even a little of the opponent's power.

“Hmm.”

But a moment later.

Harang stopped retreating and stared straight at the 4th Hydra.

Simultaneously, I rooted myself with the aura of wood, and clad my body with stability and hardness using the auras of earth and metal, then provoked the opponent with defiant words.

“Bring it on.”

“What?”

“With what you’re most confident in, bring it on properly.”

“……Ha!”

The 4th Hydra, so flustered that she momentarily forgot to even swing her sword.

She let out a hollow laugh, then looked at Harang with eyes half-filled with anger and half with curiosity.

And said.

“Are you saying you’re going to engage in a direct power struggle with me right now?”

“That’s right.”

“Why bother? Why? We haven’t fought for long, but that doesn’t seem to be your forte. What’s the reason for deliberately holding back and fighting? Do I look that easy to you?”

“That’s not it, but……”

“But?”

“Because I want to train.”

“……Train?”

“Yes. Train.”

Harang nodded.

Until now, Harang had avoided direct power struggles as much as possible due to the constraint of his corrosive aura. Most attacks were met with evasion rather than defense, and even when I took the offensive, it was common to aim for openings and cut off the opponent's breath rather than openly clashing swords.

‘But, is this really a good thing?’

It was not.

At least, Harang thought so.

Until now, I had been unavoidably bound to a limited fighting style, but now that I possessed a proper sword, there was no need to deliberately avoid clashes and only deflect offensives.

Sometimes, I would push forward strongly.

Sometimes, I would overwhelm the opponent in a contest of strength versus strength.

Harang believed that knowing how to do such things would increase the number of cards I could play in a fight, and also increase the methods and number of ways to lead the situation to a favorable phase.

So…….

“Please help me.”

“……”

“I haven’t fought this way for a while, so it feels awkward. So, you’ll have to indulge me.”

“……”

“So that I can fully sharpen my senses not in the traditional assassin’s way, but in a swordsman versus swordsman…… direct confrontation.”

“……”

“Excuse me? Why are you still silent?”

“……Hehe, hehehehe.”

“Hmm?”

Harang made a puzzled expression.

It was only natural. The 4th Hydra, who until now had only glared at me with a murderous and combative look, was suddenly bursting into laughter, so it was a situation he couldn't understand.

However, the 4th Hydra felt the same way.

‘He dares to train against me?’

‘And in the field I’m most confident in?’

‘So that’s it. He thought I was only that much…….’

‘Looks like I’ve been seriously misunderstood.’

It was absurd.

So utterly absurd that empty laughter kept spilling from her lips. Hehe, hehehe. As the 4th Hydra’s laughter echoed softly through the ruins, Harang’s expression hardened. It was because I realized the atmosphere was flowing strangely.

‘I think I misspoke…… Should I apologize now?’

For Harang, whose goal was not to kill the opponent but to extract information from them, the current ominous air couldn’t help but feel burdensome.

It was then.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The 4th Hydra took out three finger-sized glass bottles from her bosom and threw them to the ground. At this, Harang hastily retreated.

Dangerous-looking smoke was rising from the broken glass bottles. Although I was resistant to almost all poisons, given who the opponent was, there was no harm in being cautious.

‘It’ll all be detoxified after a good night’s sleep, but if I get drowsy during battle, it’ll be quite bad for my concentration…….’

“Hmm?”

But a moment later, something unexpected happened.

The smoke rising from the broken glass bottles didn’t spread around but was quickly absorbed into the 4th Hydra’s body.

It was only then that Harang realized.

That the opponent hadn't been using her full power until now.

Duduk

Dududuk-!

Eudeuk, eudeudeuk…… Kwadeuk, ttuduk!

Her skeleton forcibly elongated.

Accordingly, the muscles filling the spaces between them also swelled enormously, enormously. Her height, which had been only about 170cm, now easily exceeded 2m, and her bloodshot, reddened eyes were now high enough to look down on her opponent.

At this, Harang said.

“Is that a Black Magician's elixir?”

“……How did you know?”

“I’ve seen it a few times in the village. It wasn’t a good memory, though.”

It was true.

Children who were sure to be eliminated in the endless competition. Those who were gravely injured and barely breathing, or those destined to be discarded because they were judged to lack talent.

The village forcibly fed such individuals the Black Magician's medicine, and they became excellent human weapons, serving as live combat opponents for the Godok.

‘Of course, it doesn’t feel exactly the same. That was a potion, and this is smoke. Besides, this seems much more stable.’

However, if asked if there was no connection between the two, I felt that wouldn't be the case.

Ultimately, it meant that my suspicion towards Black Hydra had grown stronger than before.

Having thought this far, Harang once again assumed a combat stance and opened his mouth.

“It seems I absolutely must have a talk with you.”

“……Has your mind not changed?”

“What thought? Ah, the thought of wanting to fight you in a direct power struggle?”

“Yes.”

“It still hasn’t changed.”

“Hoo……”

The 4th Hydra let out a sigh.

A hot and fierce breath, as if coming from the maw of a beast, no, a Monster.

A moment later, she nodded and went into the building debris to retrieve a new sword. It was a greatsword that looked twice as large as the one she had wielded before.

“Then.”

Koong-!

“Here I come.”

Shweeeeeeek-!

A powerful stomp that created a crater in the ground, followed by a figure darting out like lightning and a thrust extending in coordination.

Harang shivered at the opponent's offensive, which had become much more tyrannical than before.

It was not a tremor born of fear.

He smiled and extended his sword to meet hers.

***

Kwang!

What happened?

Kwaaang!

Exactly when, from what moment, did the conviction of victory begin to fade, and fear start to fill its place?

Kwaaaaaang-!

The important thing was, the moment this relentless barrage stopped, I would be the one in danger.

Knowing this better than anyone, the 4th Hydra, despite her shortness of breath, continuously swung her greatsword.

Kwang! Kwang!

Kwakwang! Kwang, Kwaaang!

I believed there would be no defeat.

No, I hadn't even thought it would reach the concept of victory or defeat in the first place. Hadn't I absorbed three elixirs? At this level, a fight against her direct superior, ‘No. 3’, would be somewhat established, so I had judged that I could easily crush such a brat and ask what I was curious about.

It was a miscalculation.

The brat kept getting stronger.

Stronger.

And even stronger.

No, the expression ‘got stronger’ might not be accurate.

Should I say it felt like he was gradually awakening his momentarily forgotten instincts? The black-haired young man initially stumbled around as if overwhelmed by power, but now, he had become so accustomed to wielding a ‘Strong Sword’ that he could withstand my monstrous strength head-on.

That tormented her.

That made her afraid.

An incomprehensible talent that seemed utterly unreachable, even impossible to understand!

As she experienced despair at that overwhelming presence, she suddenly wore a shocked expression, as if struck by lightning.

‘Could it be?’