Chapter 241 – Two Against One

“I’ve liked you for a long time, Hye-won.”

“A-are you crazy? Don’t do this!”

As Kang Hyuk-su pretended to harass Jeong Hye-won according to the dark mage’s orders, the dark mage watched with a satisfied smile.

‘He’s doing well. Heh heh.’

In truth, the dark mage had been hoping Kang Hyuk-su would take over soon.

He preferred watching over doing it himself.

‘Getting older, my stamina’s not what it used to be.’

Just sitting in a corner and voyeuristically enjoying it was enough for him.

“Please, stop it!”

Seeing Kang Hyuk-su persist even though Hye-won was clearly resisting made the dark mage drop his guard.

‘He must really want her.’

Letting his guard down, the dark mage leaned his staff against the wall and settled in to watch.

‘No way he’d suddenly attack me.’

He never imagined someone who couldn’t even break a binding spell would dare attack.

In other words, he was completely off guard.

That’s why, when Kang Hyuk-su suddenly turned and shouted, the dark mage was caught completely off guard.

“Haaaah!”

Kang Hyuk-su’s roar rang out, stunning the dark mage for a moment.

‘Crap!’

By the time he grabbed his staff, Kang Hyuk-su was already upon him, shield in hand.

Bang-!

Kang Hyuk-su’s charge smashed the dark mage through the wall.

Kang Hyuk-su blinked in surprise at how easily the wall gave way.

“…What is this? Styrofoam?”

Stepping through the broken wall, he found himself in a large space filled with props.

“This is… a set?”

It turned out the room they’d been in was a set designed to look like a real room.

“Ugh, you brute.”

The dark mage, who had rolled across the floor, stood up unharmed.

Fortunately, his ever-active mana skin had absorbed the damage.

Kang Hyuk-su drew his sword and shield.

“Where are we?”

“Can’t you tell? It’s a set in China.”

…“China?”

He’d feared it, but to think they’d actually been kidnapped to another country.

“Enough about that. A sneak attack? You must have a death wish.”

The dark mage pointed his staff at him.

Even that was enough to make Kang Hyuk-su tense up.

“You think you can take on me, China’s rank 10, one-on-one?”

“Who said it was one-on-one?”

Suddenly, another voice cut in, and both the dark mage and Kang Hyuk-su turned.

Jeong Hye-won stepped out from the ruined set.

“With me, it’s two against one.”

“Hye-won!”

Kang Hyuk-su looked at her in surprise.

“I told you to run, why didn’t you?”

“I couldn’t just leave you behind.”

“You’re going to fight with me?”

Jeong Hye-won nodded.

“I owe him. I have to pay him back.”

She wanted to make the dark mage, who had kidnapped and humiliated her, pay for his crimes.

“Heh, fine. Bring it on, both of you. One extra small fry doesn’t change anything.”

Even facing two, the dark mage was confident.

They couldn’t break his bindings, and since his stealth hadn’t been detected at first, he was sure he had the upper hand in combat power.

‘Their level and combat power are both lower. No way I lose to these weaklings.’

With that arrogance, Kang Hyuk-su raised his shield.

“Then, without further ado…”

Kang Hyuk-su charged in.

“Let’s go!”

In an instant, he closed the gap.

It was the same shield charge that had just knocked the dark mage through the wall.

Bang-!

This time, however, the dark mage didn’t budge.

A barrier formed with 4,000 mana held him firmly in place.

“You think the same trick will work twice?”

The dark mage aimed his staff at Kang Hyuk-su.

Black ropes shot from the air, binding his limbs.

“I’m your opponent!”

At that moment, Jeong Hye-won rushed in and pounded on the dark mage’s barrier.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He’d underestimated her because she was a woman, but the weight of her punches was no joke.

‘Damn, she might actually break the barrier.’

He couldn’t let his only defense be broken.

The dark mage turned to fire a dark arrow at Jeong Hye-won.

Slash-!

Kang Hyuk-su cut through the ropes with his sword and charged at the dark mage.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

His blows were even heavier than Jeong Hye-won’s.

‘How is his damage this high? Isn’t he supposed to be a tank?’

The dark mage’s face twisted in shock.

‘Are these two really only level 3,600?’

Despite having the advantage in both level and combat power, he felt like he was being pushed back.

‘Each blow is almost on my level.’

A thought flashed through his mind.

‘Could it be that our combat power is actually very close…?’

Just because he’d avoided their detection while stealthed didn’t mean the gap was huge.

If your combat power is even one point lower, you can’t see through stealth.

‘I thought I could look down on them, but maybe the difference isn’t so great.’

He had to admit it now.

These two were nearly his equals.

“Fine. If that’s how it is, I’ll fight for real!”

The dark mage’s body glowed red.

It was Hellfire, the signature skill that incinerated everything nearby.

Sensing this, Kang Hyuk-su and Jeong Hye-won retreated in unison.

Fwoooosh-

They barely dodged the fiery blast, then charged in again.

The dark mage slammed his staff into the ground.

“Come forth, my pretties!”

Four skeletal knights appeared, wielding greatswords to defend him.

A green magic circle formed at his feet.

It was the Undying Domain, a skill that made his summons immune to all physical attacks.

“Heh, all you can do is swing your swords and fists. My skeletons are invincible!”

It was true.

As a warrior and a martial artist, Kang Hyuk-su and Jeong Hye-won couldn’t defeat the skeletons inside the Undying Domain.

No matter how many times they were knocked down, they’d just get back up.

But there was a way.

“Come at me!”

Kang Hyuk-su’s taunt skill lured the skeletons out of the domain.

“No, don’t go!”

Despite the dark mage’s orders, the skeletons, entranced, charged at Kang Hyuk-su and were quickly cut down.

“Ugh.”

With his bodyguards gone in an instant, the dark mage tried to cast another spell.

“This is what we were waiting for.”

Jeong Hye-won, having waited for his skills to be used up, attacked the now-vulnerable barrier.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Her fists and legs moved at blinding speed, unleashing every skill she had.

‘What the hell? Why is she so strong?’

Panicking at the overwhelming force, the dark mage tried to bind her, but it was useless.

In the martial artist’s berserk state, she was immune to all control skills.

“Haaaah!”

Bang!

With a final blow, the barrier shattered.

With his only defense gone, the dark mage tried to escape.

‘Shadow Rift!’

He attempted to slip into another dimension, but-

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Kang Hyuk-su closed the gap and stabbed with his sword.

It was a Silence Strike, a skill that temporarily blocks enemy skills.

Thud!

“Argh!”

The sword pierced the dark mage’s shoulder, dragging him out of the rift.

With his escape cut off, the dark mage tried one last skill.

Ssssh-

He turned invisible.

He just had to run now, but-

Smack!

Kang Hyuk-su, having predicted his location, punched him, breaking the invisibility.

“You’re not getting away.”

He grabbed the dark mage by the scruff and punched him in the gut.

“Ugh!”

“You could’ve just kidnapped me. But you took Hye-won too?”

Smack!

“You thought you could look down on us because we were bound?”

Smack!

“Don’t kid yourself. If we’d had our weapons, your bindings wouldn’t have lasted a second.”

Smack!

“Ugh!”

After letting go, the dark mage collapsed, unable to move.

His low stamina couldn’t withstand Kang Hyuk-su’s brutal punches.

“We’re not done yet.”

Kang Hyuk-su straddled him and hammered down with his fists.

Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!

“Stop!”

Jeong Hye-won pulled him back, and Kang Hyuk-su stood up, looking annoyed.

“Why are you stopping me?”

“You’ll kill him at this rate.”

“This piece of trash deserves to die.”

He raised his fist again, but Jeong Hye-won grabbed his arm.

“That’s enough. He can’t fight back anymore.”

“That’s not enough for me. I want to pulp him.”

“If you kill him, you’ll be a murderer.”

“I don’t care. No one but you will know. You’re not going to report me, are you?”

He tried to laugh it off, but Jeong Hye-won was serious.

“Do you really want to become a murderer?”

“He tried to kill us. He tried to rape you. Why should he live?”

“Even so, killing him makes you just as much a murderer.”

“I don’t want to hear that old lecture. I have to punish him myself.”

“Just report him to the Association. Let the law handle it.”

“That won’t satisfy me. He tried to touch you…”

Kang Hyuk-su drew his sword, ready to kill.

“Go to hell.”

He swung, but Jeong Hye-won pushed him aside and blocked the way.

“No! Don’t kill him!”

“Move! He’s not even human. The world’s better off without him.”

“I know! But can you really live normally after killing someone? Isn’t it better to let the law punish him?”

“He’s still dangerous…”

“I’m not saying let him go. I’m saying send him to prison. The Association will make sure he can’t hurt anyone.”

“…”

“He can’t do anything now.”

“I guess so…”

Jeong Hye-won’s words made Kang Hyuk-su hesitate.

He wanted to kill the dark mage, but with her stopping him so firmly, he couldn’t.

At that moment-

“Heh heh heh heh heh heh.”

The dark mage, lying on the ground, suddenly started laughing.

“What, did he go crazy from the beating?”

Kang Hyuk-su taunted, but the dark mage just laughed and looked at Jeong Hye-won.

“Hey, girl. Want to know why he wants to kill me so badly?”

“Because of what you did to us.”

“That’s part of it, but there’s another reason.”

“Another reason?”

“He wants to kill me to hide his own crime. If I get caught, his secret will come out too.”

“Kang Hyuk-su committed a crime?”

Jeong Hye-won looked at Kang Hyuk-su, who flinched.

“What crime?”

“He’s been stalking you.”

“…Stalking?”

She stared at Kang Hyuk-su.

“Is it true?”

“Hye-won, I…”

“That pervert followed you from your guild and even found your home address.”

“Shut up.”

“Did you really follow me home?”

“I… I just liked you, that’s all…”

“Heh, most people don’t stalk the ones they like.”

“Shut up.”

“What did you plan to do with her address? Maybe something worse than what I tried?”

“You son of a-!”

At that moment, a dark arrow formed over the mage’s shoulder and shot at Jeong Hye-won.

Bang!

The explosion sent her flying.

“You bastard!”

Losing all restraint, Kang Hyuk-su swung his sword.

Slice-

The dark mage’s head rolled across the floor.

Having finally killed him, Kang Hyuk-su ran to Jeong Hye-won.

“Hye-won! Are you okay?”

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

Thankfully, her armor had absorbed most of the blow, leaving only minor injuries.

“Ah…”

Seeing the severed head on the floor, Jeong Hye-won’s mouth fell open.

“In the end…”

“I’m sorry. I had no choice.”

“…”

Was it really unavoidable?

As she looked at Kang Hyuk-su with doubt, a slow clap echoed through the room.

Two men appeared, applauding.