Whish― Thud―!!!
Twisting his head in an instant to dodge the buttstock I swung, Lee Seung-hyeon deflected the attack with his blade and hid into a tiny shadow again.
'Anyway, places to come out are limited.'
There is a reason I decided the battlefield to be indoors. Outside has too many variables. Especially at night, everywhere is full of shadows.
"Is there nothing you can do other than running away? Well, I wonder if there is anything you can do other than picking weak people to kill."
Scared? Triggered? As I provoked him like this, Lee Seung-hyeon retorted immediately.
"Kuaaaaaa―!!! I will kill you unconditionally!!!" "Ah, then come out and fight. Don't hide in the shadow like a retard."
Whish―!!!
A hidden weapon flew from the shadow.
'Oh sh*t, surprised me.'
I twisted my body to dodge.
'Definitely, an assassination-specialized Awakened is different.'
Style is completely different from opponents I fought until now.
"[Light]."
Flash―.
"Kueeeeeek―!!!" "Come out of the shadow. I can make this room shadowless, you know?"
Of course, I can't fill it with light to that extent. Shadows are created even by collars, and I can't shine [Light] on all such places. It's a bluff. Swaaa―. Coming out from the shadow behind the wardrobe, the last one remaining, Lee Seung-hyeon. He was frowning as if the [Light] magic filling the room was painful.
"Kill... unconditionally...."
Muttering like that, Lee Seung-hyeon approached right in front of my eyes in an instant and swung his dagger. Kiiing―! Crunch―!!!
'Enough to make sparks fly...!'
Using bayonet skills, I started close combat with the bastard. But?
'As expected, still pushed back in close combat.'
Even without shadows, I am pushed back in basic close combat. Lee Seung-hyeon is a guy who professionally killed people. Experience difference is big. Slash―.
"Kueup―!" "Ke, kekeke―!!! Y-you bragged so much, serves you right!!!"
'Ugh, stings.'
My arm was slightly cut, and blood splattered a bit.
'This much is within expected range.'
I didn't think I could kill this bastard without receiving any wounds.
"Hup―!"
Whoosh―.
"Kueeung―!"
As I counterattacked without caring, Lee Seung-hyeon made a slightly surprised expression. I continued to launch heavy attacks utilizing the weight of bayonet skills. Ran, Na, Chal. Pshh―!
"Kueeup―! This bastard...!"
Unfortunately, the bayonet attached to the muzzle couldn't pierce the bastard, but I succeeded in inflicting a small wound. Whish―! Whish―! I continued to persistently thrust the bayonet tip at the bastard. Puk―! Puk―!
"Doesn't worrrrrk―!!!"
The bastard said that, then suddenly disappeared from in front of my eyes.
"!!!"
This is....
'Unconditionally behind―!'
Thinking that, I jumped into the air in an instant with [Leg Strength] skill and twisted my body. Claaaaang―!!!
'Crazy―!!!' "W-what― dodged thiiiiiis―!!!"
Surprised one was Lee Seung-hyeon as well. Each was flustered by the other's ability.
"...." "Tch...!"
His momentum became more subdued than before. And finally, he started attempting a conversation-like conversation with me.
"Hey, let's talk a bit."
—That guy, a vicious aura is felt.
The voice of darkness, more vicious than anyone, spoke to Lee Seung-hyeon.
—Be careful for now. A strange aura is felt from him. This is... talk first. Buy time for your mana to recover while dragging time.
'Tch, damn it.'
Lee Seung-hyeon wanted to refuse, but since there was power received from the voice of darkness until now, he couldn't disobey its words.
'What aura is felt, seriously.'
He already launched several decisive blows, but all failed. He cut the skin once or twice, but no fatal blow landed.
"Hey, let's talk a bit."
'Let's try at least.'
"...What do you want to say?"
'Is that bastard tired too? He accepts the talk.'
—Probably... so. Since he doesn't look like a strong man with mana overflowing like an ocean.
Saying the aura was strange earlier, now saying he isn't that strong, the voice of darkness.
—I said the felt power is strange, didn't say he is strong.
'Got it... I will keep stalling for time.'
"What on earth is your identity? What are you to block all my attacks?" "Your attacks are too obvious. Aren't you a loser hiding in shadows anyway? Just need to pay attention to places with shadows...."
Crack―.
Lee Seung-hyeon felt very twisted at that answer.
—Endure. Your problem is revealing emotions too directly.
'Fcking hell, can't do this because it feels like sht.'
But even thinking that, pressing down anger squeeze― once, he spoke again.
"K-Kheu-heu-heu, you know well about me... Are you perhaps a fixer sent from JK Cleaning?" "JK Cleaning? What is that? Cleaning company?" "...? You don't know?"
'What is this bastard? Serious?'
At first he thought he was lying but... he looked like he really didn't know.
"Anyway, you came to kill me, right? Right?" "Of course."
'F*ck, means he knew beforehand and prepared.'
He appears from the shadow. Therefore, fixers sent from JK Cleaning to kill him couldn't prepare either. Just met death vainly by him popping out from the shadow suddenly in accommodation or alleyway. But this bastard....
'Prepared everything.'
It was his mistake to chase into the room without any thought in the first place.
'To think he could use magic.'
Even if one awakens mana, using magic is very difficult. Because complex and sophisticated manipulation of mana is needed. That is why they say the ratio of people who were originally mathematicians using magic skills is high. But....
'Even if [Light] is a simple magic....'
Isn't mana insufficient? He eliminated shadows by shining light with [Light] magic on almost all places where shadows might fall.
'Prepared beforehand. Laid a trap.'
But even so, shadows cannot be eliminated perfectly 100%. Of course, such shadows are very small, and hard to hide in. So a lot of mana is needed.
"Magic huh, from World Tree Guild?" "Will visit soon though. Not from there." "???"
The more we talk, the more unpredictable. What on earth is that bastard, his identity?
—Now, mana to succeed in an attack just once is charged. Go quickly.
While stalling, mana recharged. Smirk―.
'Now you are dead, bastard.'
Looking at the strangely unpleasant man in front of his eyes, Lee Seung-hyeon smiled. Soon, he will absorb the negative emotions of that person who faced death. That emotion flowing through the knife tip gifted him tremendous pleasure and power.
"Kheu-heu-heu-heu-heu... Acting up is over now you son of a b*tch!!!"
Whish―!!!
He entered the shadow on the collar worn by the man in front of his eyes. And....
Shuk―.
'Disappeared.'
Probably talked to buy time to charge mana.
'Well, even without mana, his basic close combat ability is better than me.'
Even if I refused conversation and fought, there wouldn't have been a high chance of winning. And I thought.
'Place with shadows is....'
Under furniture is all illuminated with [Light] to eliminate shadows. Shadows of scratches or uneven surfaces on the wall? Already seen through. Then the remaining place?
"Clothes."
Simultaneous with saying that, I used the last remaining move.
'Switch to Flame Mana.'
Sorry to the motel owner, but now this room will become unusable.
"[Mana Release]." "Die―???"
Lee Seung-hyeon popped out with a dagger from the shadow on the collar, but his voice and attack were buried quickly.
—Mr. Lee Si-woo's mana amount is like... an ocean.
My mana amount that Seo Ha-yeon metaphorically said is like an 'ocean'. I sent out half of that at once with [Mana Release]. KWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA―!!! Flash―!!!!
[Flame Mana: Can produce strong firepower momentarily. Shines brighter than anyone.]
In an instant, flames shining brighter than anything filled the entire room. And... Shockwaves swept the entire room. No, swept the entire floor where this room is. Walls swept by the torrent broke, and broke again. KWAAAAAAAAAAA―!!!
"KUAAAAAAAK―!!!"
'I prevented guests from coming to this floor beforehand.'
Serial killer is nearby, would there be crazy guests staying here?
—I will give more money, so I wish you wouldn't accept guests on the floor I am on.
There are no guests in the first place. And prepared for unforeseen situations too. The entire floor was engulfed in tremendous shockwaves, and Lee Seung-hyeon was burnt black.
"K-Kueeeee...." "Still alive, rather good. Since I can leave evidence that I killed you."
If he was completely burnt by [Flame Mana] and became ash, it would have been a bit difficult to collect evidence that I killed him. Rather good.
"H-h-how...." "Just die. What is a bastard going soon so curious about―."
The moment I said that, some strange aura escaped from the guy.
'Dark.'
"!!!"
[You have discovered a Seed of Destruction.]
"Seed of Destruction...!"
And that strange aura spoke to me.
"Nice to meet you. Seeker of Destruction." "...What are you." "Seed of Destruction. Didn't you say with your own mouth?" "Ah." "Kukuku, Lee Seung-hyeon... to finish off the guy I chose this easily. As expected of Seeker of Destruction."
[It is a dangerous existence.] [You cannot deal with it at the current level.]
'Crazy.'
"Kheu-heu-heu, want to talk more but... I have to go now due to restrictions. Let's see again in the future."
Then suddenly a small Gate opened.
"Gate? This is...."
A type of Gate seen for the first time. A Gate giving a very dark and unpleasant feeling opened, and that aura started being sucked into the Gate.
[Perceived mana of ???.] [Cannot absorb mana of ???.]
Shook―. Thump...!
Like that, the Gate closed, and disappeared as if nothing happened. What remained were the walls of the motel room turned into ruins, and other rooms seen beyond the pierced walls, also turned into a mess. And Lee Seung-hyeon's corpse burnt black. I carefully slice slice― cut the corpse head with a dagger and put it in the prepared bag.
"Phew, this should be enough."
'Let's calm down. It was an opponent I couldn't do anything about right now.'
Felt tremendous power. Instinctively felt the signal 'Dangerous'. And the strongest among opponents encountered so far. No, the power couldn't be estimated.
"Clearly... an existence behind the destruction."
Goosebumps all over the body started to subside only now.
"Phew...." "W-what happened here!!!"
The motel owner was running up hurriedly. I urgently took out a business card, threw it on the floor, and used [Leg Strength] skill to escape the scene.
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