Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 439

I already knew a lot about the demon named Christopher. His abilities, combat style, name, and even his past.

So there was no reason to go for a scouting mission now. With that in mind, Yeonwoo grasped the White sword in one hand.

It was necessary to have something like the final form of White or at least a heavenly sword to inflict significant damage.

There was one more hidden sword left, but he didn’t think it was worth using against Christopher. Just as Yeonwoo made that judgment, a pressuring force flew toward him.

Whoosh!

The refined mass of violence was aimed right at Yeonwoo’s abdomen.

Even from a distance, the sheer power was such that if it hit him directly, it wouldn’t be surprising if it pierced right through.

Yeonwoo spun the White sword he’d grabbed in his left hand. The enormous blade blocked the pressure of that power.

A tingling sensation transmitted through his fingertips. But the creation of Pillar, the blacksmith, was not easy to break with just that.

While there was a slight unease, especially compared to the doppelganger, it was still an excellent weapon overall.

If things really got tough, he could always coat the White sword with the doppelganger, taking advantage of both the wide blade’s benefits and its durability.

Thump! Thump! Thud!!!

Christopher unleashed a series of pressure attacks while gauging the distance. It had become quite bothersome compared to old times.

Back then, he would have charge recklessly instead of being mindful of his disadvantages, but now he precisely understood his advantageous range.

Yeonwoo wouldn’t be able to break through Christopher’s defenses with his long-range attacks, but Christopher merely needed to land one hit, that’s all.

In the end, it meant that Yeonwoo had to be the one to rush in. Such a disrespectful child, completely disregarding the premise of a sword versus pressure match.

This was exactly why he didn’t want to fight Christopher.

‘But still, it’s not like I mind.’

In this fight, what Yeonwoo had to focus on the most was preserving himself. Life was paramount, and he had to conserve his strength.

And even if he could ask whether he could kill Christopher, that was a tale of knowing one and ignoring the other.

‘I have no reason to kill him alone.’

Even though he talked about reaching a conclusion, sadly, the current society wasn’t built that way.

In an era where one had to master various skills to survive, safety was the most important aspect.

At Freedom Academy, he had engaged in duels amidst the picturesque scenery of fields.

But a romantic fantasy where two parties faced each other one-on-one to settle old vendettas could hardly materialize in this harsh world.

“Hey, hey, hey! That guy! He’s here to bother Yeonwoo again!!”

“Yoo-min! Calm down!”

“How can I calm down!!?”

A noisy voice carried from the outskirts of the open space. Did they plant a loudspeaker in their throat?

Kim Yoo-min, who no longer hesitated to throw punches at people, dashed forward, kicking up clouds of dust.

In one swift motion, her tightly wound fist struck Christopher’s face.

“Gah…!?”

Boom!!

It was an unbelievable sound for a punch, and Christopher’s body flew in a spin.

He bounced on the ground a few times, akin to a skipping stone, before stopping and wobbling as he got back on his feet.

“Not him! Fight me instead!!”

Breathless, Kim Yoo-min shouted like that, while Yeonwoo watched her with warmth.

Such a well-raised classmate; she had nothing to envy about the ten masters.

*

‘This feeling….’

As Christopher rose, he felt astonishment at the fact he had momentarily lost consciousness. Surprisingly, it was a sensation he was quite familiar with. It was the first feeling he had upon regaining his senses.

“That’s right, it was you two the first time we met. Man, my memory is getting worse. I forget things really often.”

Could it be that Kim Hyun-soo was coming too? Glancing toward where Kim Yoo-min had rushed, Christopher realized that wasn’t the case and tilted his head.

If the three of them teamed up, they could easily defeat him. Yet the reason they weren’t coming was also quite simple.

“…So two is enough, huh?”

Nice. That’s cool. Maybe it’s a belief in comrades, or something like that.

It felt very beautiful—something that had nothing to do with demons at all.

“Great, so all the main characters are gathered.”

As Christopher turned his neck, it made a cracking sound.

Having received a hit by chance, he could still feel that he had a long way to go before facing his demise.

*

Although Yeonwoo’s extreme dislike for children stepping into dangerous places meant not much would come to light, Shar was already sufficiently powerful.

It didn’t matter what they called him—Master, Expert—what mattered was that his abilities had already entered the realm of Master.

The Demon King Hyuk Mu-ryeon was considered almost unbeatable. And this training was conducted by none other than a Dragon.

With a genius intelligence that couldn’t be measured by human standards, he raised the fundamentals of his martial arts to profound levels, consistently improving himself.

In fact, if he weren’t Yeonwoo’s kid, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Shar was the most powerful force in humanity.

Not to mention, he could also use magic, so there was no need to explain how formidable Shar’s combat power was.

Then came the combination with Tae-oh’s growth. More than anything else, his mimicking ability as a doppelganger had vastly improved.

Tae-oh and Shar were pushing Kai from different directions.

Two entirely different individuals in physique, personality, and even speech, they nonetheless pressured him in remarkably similar ways.

“…Impressive.”

Kai praised the two with a few brief words, causing the children to smile simultaneously.

Yet their hands didn’t stop; they clearly understood the basics of combat.

Tae-oh, who had been evaluated as unsuitable for close combat, could now fight on the frontlines thanks to his mimicry talent.

Like a reflected image in a mirror, he mimicked human forms, shadows of themselves.

Tae-oh was now imitating Shar. Mimicking physical capability and actions.

Even though there was a lack of diversity, just by perfectly mimicking Shar’s level of physical capability and martial arts was incredibly daunting.

What’s more, the two had different physical conditions, making it impossible to be completely identical.

With Tae-oh possessing a high schooler’s stature and Shar maintaining that of a young child, they felt like they were facing two entirely different people.

Shar’s long nails grazed Kai’s body, while a tail, sharp as a thorn mace, struck him like a whip.

Tae-oh did the same. The claws and tails created by shadows pressed him hard. Though their timing was identical, the length and speed were different, leaving Kai in complete defense.

He grabbed hold of the tails with one hand and swung them in a circular motion, leveraging his inertia. However, Shar was not the type to be flustered by such basic tactics.

As he spun, Shar quickly assembled his magic. Grabbing the earth from the ground to halt his spinning motion, he kicked out.

Kai’s eyes caught a gap as he fluidly shifted his body to evade the kick. But he didn’t rush in.

‘This fight is, after all, akin to a play.’

It was merely a theatrical performance to avoid Moryo’s gaze and pretend to fight seriously.

From the moment he first encountered Choi Yeon-woo until now, Kai had always thought of only killing Moryo.

True, he had tried to test Choi Yeon-woo with the intent to kill, but really, it was simply an examination.

There were many ways to pass a test. Just by knowing how strong these children were, one could understand how strong Choi Yeon-woo was.

And above all, it was impossible for the being known as Dragon to reveal such a clear opening.

Though he appeared cheerful and innocent, this child was genuinely at the top of the food chain.

Assuming he could rush in without thinking, all he would encounter would be the gaping jaws of a savage beast waiting for that moment.

Kai’s speculation turned out correct as Shar smiled brightly and said,

“You aren’t being deceived, are you!?”

“…? Noona, what did you do?”

“No need to worry about Tae-oh!”

The Dragon, absorbing all the mishaps and how to conduct battles witnessed up close, made even Kai—who thought he had forgotten about fear—break out in a sweat.

‘Even if it weren’t for Choi Yeon-woo, this child would’ve succeeded one day.’

Fundamentally, a living creature, and especially a strong creature, never imitates others.

Lions and elephants have their unique methods and do not learn how to swing punches from humans.

Yet the little dragon before him was different. Perhaps because he had grown up alongside humans since childhood, he wasn’t caught up in the dragon’s way of doing things.

He appeared eager to utilize everything he could from his father’s teachings.

“Excellent.”

In his fight against Moryo, he found something more important than his own life.

Having lost everything precious alongside the light, Kai thought he would never again feel human sensations. He believed he would never walk toward a future.

But at this moment, he was looking toward the future. Like the times he lived as a human before descending into a Shadow Warrior.

‘…By the way, was I once human too?’

He would definitely cut down anyone who might bring harm to these lovely children, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.

That was the least repentance he could offer for his long-standing mission to kill Moryo.

*

Boom!! Each punch darted forward ridiculously fast. It was Kim Yoo-min. Her elemental mana had maximized the impact of her powerful strike to its limits.

There was no choice. Christopher gritted his teeth and decided to take the hit.

His vision spun. It hurt. He never expected to feel pain from mere strikes.

When he faced forward, Christopher swung his fist. He struck, he received hits. He sliced, he swung back.

Amidst the stinging sensations, Christopher felt the undeniable reality of being alive.

Unlike Choi Yeon-woo, there would be no support coming for him. The Violence Cult was that type of place.

They don’t stop someone from dying. They cherish dying just as much as they do killing.

“Haha, ha ha ha!!”

As blood splattered, Christopher laughed. When was the last time he laughed this much? He couldn’t even remember.

Surely, it had been since he heard she had finally become a mother.

Oh, sweet death. When would another day come that was so perfect for dying like this?

(To be continued in the next chapter)