ALL NOVEL Chapter 464
Chapter 465: Blood is Gushing
Blood was gushing everywhere. Not only was his right leg limping, but from the severed stump of his right arm, blood was erupting like a hot spring.
It must be painful. Yet, Hwayo seemed rather pleased. How could dying be such a joyous occasion for that boy?
Even Yeon-woo had rarely been cornered to that extent. It was uncommon to have an entire shoulder sliced off. Understanding the value of sacrifice and the loss it entails only deepened the matter.
‘What a fierce spirit.’
He was on fire with the will that, although he welcomed death, he wouldn’t just go down easily. It was downright infuriating.
Here he was, so close to the death he wished for, yet he was struggling to avoid it.
Helping him out of a drowning situation was akin to demanding he hand over his belongings.
Despite these thoughts, the flow of battle itself wasn’t too bad. Perhaps due to the sense of crisis that one fatal blow could lead to death, our party’s injuries weren’t as extensive considering the opponent’s strength.
It could be said we poured all our energy into defense. In fact, aside from Kim Yoo-min, no one had received a strike that posed a real threat to Hwayo.
We fought by covering each other’s gaps, so that was natural.
In stark contrast, Hwayo’s injuries were immense, to the point where he seemed one mistake away from being killed.
However, regardless of that expectation, Hwayo’s tenacity was staggering.
‘Lack of variables…’
Despite such serious injuries, there were not enough variables to land a decisive blow on Hwayo.
Perhaps this was to be expected; the absolute numbers had decreased significantly.
The absence of Yeon-woo and Kim Yoo-min was that significant. Even if three were not an absolute, it was undoubtedly hard to inflict effective blows.
In that sense, there was no choice but to hope for Kim Hyun-soo to come through.
He was likely waiting not too far away. But given Kim Yoo-min’s poor condition, the likelihood of their joining us was low.
‘Hmm…’
[Shar is here!!]
The voice ringing in Yeon-woo’s thoughts was none other than Shar. Today, too, Shar cheerfully expressed her opinion, forcing Yeon-woo to look at her with reluctance.
‘No matter what, how can you muster the courage to say such a thing in the midst of all this?’
[Hehe, it is a bit scary, but…!]
Speaking honestly yet with determination, Shar said,
[But I want to help! They are all dad’s friends, but they are like big brothers and sisters to me.]
‘Well… that’s true.’
Just as Yeon-woo wants to help her friends, it was clear that Shar felt the same towards them.
After all, since she’s close to Yeon-woo, it was inevitable that she would grow close to them too.
Caring more for loved ones is a natural human instinct. It was something that couldn’t be blamed on Shar.
It was compelling enough. She clearly explained why she wanted and needed to step up. After pondering for a moment, Yeon-woo let out a sigh.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help; under the current situation where mana was scarce, it was obvious that Shar’s pure physical prowess would be more beneficial.
‘Don’t get hurt.’
[That’s something I can’t promise!]
Shar’s cheerful reply made Yeon-woo chuckle. It wasn’t a good tendency to resemble their father in that regard. With a whisper, Yeon-woo reluctantly nodded.
“Do your best. I acknowledge your skills, Shar.”
“I’ll do my best-!!”
With a spirited salute, Shar equipped her ominous gauntlets and ran off.
The party offered her somewhat bewildered looks, but soon they grinned as if to say they believed in her.
It was an impressive scene. It felt like a father watching his daughter take on a part-time job to help out while he sat home doing nothing…
[Dad, you look so pitiful.]
‘Is that so…?’
Yeon-woo stroked Tae-oh’s head that was protruding next to him. At that moment, he was tasting a bitter feeling that could only be described as a crushing sense of defeat.
Well, in a situation like this, there was only one thing Yeon-woo could do.
“Fighting!!”
Cheering at the top of his lungs. Ever since ancient times, the only thing left for the defeated to do was that.
He couldn’t imagine that he’d be pushed off the mound by his own daughter…
*
He had never thought killing something would be enjoyable. Yet, in this moment, Hwayo was feeling pleasure.
Striking, smashing, and throwing—there was undoubtedly a primal thrill to such destructive actions.
Perhaps the reason he had never felt this before was because he had been rejecting his fate.
If he had accepted that he could not die, then he should have also accepted the star’s fate of killing everything.
Or maybe he had simply finally found the leisure to acknowledge that reality.
With the equal death he now held, perhaps he believed he could atone by killing those he had slain.
‘That’s insane.’
He certainly wasn’t a madman driven by bloodlust; his self-justification was a bit outlandish. That wasn’t exactly a response anyone would cheer for.
If one had to pick who knew Hwayo best in this world, it would be Yeon-woo. Naturally, since his tedious past was forced into his brain by her.
In summary, Yeon-woo was the only one who truly understood him. If she was saying this much, it was clear how naive Hwayo’s thoughts were.
There were no Demon Kings that behaved completely according to their own will in this world. But this kid was claiming to reflect on himself, which was particularly frustrating.
“Yeah!! Shar!! Beat him up good!!”
“Ugh!!”
Like a character controlling a massive boxing robot, Yeon-woo swung his fists in the air. Each time, Shar continued a fierce battle with Hwayo.
The sight of her fighting with only her left leg while her right leg was fixed to the ground like a stump was quite pitiful. However, pitiful didn’t mean it was not threatening.
She struck attack after attack. The reason Shar was able to deliver such reckless assaults was entirely due to her being a Dragon.
It seemed there were dragons in that other world, but Hwayo had a rather perplexed expression as he faced a humanoid dragon.
[What the…!?]
“Hyah!!”
With an adorable shout, Shar launched her fist. It was a perfectly suitable and powerful strike, infused with a finesse characteristic of martial arts.
At the same time, she seamlessly flowed into a series of strikes.
It was no wonder Hwayo would be confused. It was his first time fighting a humanoid dragon, and an expert at martial arts, no less.
Probably among all dimensions, she was a super rare breed. Excluding those like Je Gal Seong-ryong who resembled dragons.
Though a high-spirited young lady, it looked quite embarrassing for the mighty Demon King of an era to be struggling against a child smaller than herself.
‘Any who said that would reevaluate their beliefs after getting hit by Shar.’
Indeed, some regarded Yeon-woo and her friends as the rising stars of the Hunter world, the future of this realm. However, lurking in the shadows of the powerful was another presence.
That was Shar. In this elite group, her existence as a dragon, having learned everything by watching and listening, was undervalued simply for her youth.
But look at her now. It was hard to fathom where such strength was hidden in that frail body.
At the same time, her finesse demonstrated why “dragon” was often synonymous with “monster.”
Even more impressively, her aggression and proactive stance were pushing Hwayo back even more than when Yeon-woo was present. Children do indeed excel.
As Hwayo’s attack grazed off her scales while she hunkered down, a red ice infused with blood surged up in the gap created.
The crimson ice lightly pierced Hwayo’s body, freezing the spot it had penetrated.
Baek In-hwa’s conjured icy orb twirled gracefully as Shar darted in front of Hwayo.
With a dazed gaze, Hwayo swung Lucrecia, which he held in his left hand.
“Whoa?!”
“Gah, sister!!”
Shar ducked under the sweeping Lucrecia like a club, maintaining her posture to surge forward.
In what was known as “The King” stance of modern boxing, Shar skillfully extended her fist forward.
That was precisely the problem! A dragon, a creature typically believed to defy common sense and norms.
Martial arts were supposedly incompatible with modern fighting styles. Ignoring all the distracting talk from outsiders, dragons forged their own paths.
She definitely threw a jab, but instead of a straight, she followed with a beautifully executed uppercut. Swaying like a boxer, she showcased her footwork.
It was an unexplainable gap that Hwayo could only find bewildering as a martial artist.
‘Why can’t I do that, even though I’m a dragon?’
It seemed there was some secret sauce only pureblood dragons had. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t do it.
With his mana reserves nearly depleted, it was hard to see it as a valid strike. But it was clear they were maintaining an overall advantage.
At that moment, when he thought to just hold out until Kim Hyun-soo arrived…
A familiar color of mana began to materialize in Yeon-woo’s senses.
They say even a tiger comes when talked about, and it seemed that particular man wasn’t exactly gentlemanly either.
Standing like a shadow casting over the pit, looking down below, Kim Hyun-soo’s figure was there, exuding confidence.
Yeon-woo waved his hand, about to call out, but an ominous feeling made him lower it instead.
Regardless of others, Yeon-woo’s ears caught that voice.
“Who’s been bullying our little sister…”
Kim Hyun-soo’s voice was low, a sinister murmur as though he crawled up from hell.
This was a situation where raising a hand would lead to total confusion over friend and foe.
“There he is, brother!!”
So, instead of waving his hand, Yeon-woo decided to accurately point out the target. Get that guy!
(To be continued in the next episode)