Chapter 426 – Part 2 – Woo Seong-jae

What Woo Seong-jae saw wasn’t Choi Seong-min.

‘I-I’m going to die.’

It was the grim reaper itself, who had come to take his life.

“You can’t try to run away like that after causing such a mess.”

Swiiiish-

Daggers appeared in both of Choi Seong-min’s hands.

“Did you think you could escape from my grasp?”

Choi Seong-min walked over with a wicked grin.

The gleam in his eyes under the hood was more murderous than ever.

“Ch-Choi Seong-min Hunter…”

“What. Want to have a chat? Or beg for your life again?”

A chilling smile played at the corners of Choi Seong-min’s mouth.

“You should hope for reasonable things. Did you hope to survive after pulling such a stunt?”

At his resolute appearance, Woo Seong-jae abandoned the thought of begging.

‘This time I’m really going to die.’

His Insight was already telling him.

That the only slight chance of survival he had was to fight back.

‘The probability is as low as eye crust, but I have no choice but to bet on it.’

As if reading Woo Seong-jae’s thoughts, Choi Seong-min smiled with satisfaction.

“Yes. That’s how you should come out. Go ahead and struggle with everything you’ve got.”

Watching him smile like a villain, Woo Seong-jae equipped his hunter gear.

Gleaming golden helmet and golden armor, along with a long Blue Dragon Crescent Blade.

All were EX-grade legendary equipment enhanced with Magic Cores, and their intimidating presence was enough to make even fellow S-rank hunters gasp.

Though Woo Seong-jae was equipped with enviable items, he couldn’t let his guard down.

‘The opponent is Hunter Choi Seong-min with 50 million combat power. I can’t be careless. Moreover, the equipment he’s wearing is also EX-grade like mine…’

Suddenly, Woo Seong-jae’s eyes bulged as if they would pop out.

‘Wh-what? I thought his combat power was 50 million…’

The potential combat power of Choi Seong-min that he saw with Insight was beyond imagination.

‘150 million…?’

At the combat power that had tripled, Woo Seong-jae couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

‘It was 50 million just the other day, what is this…’

“Oh, my potential combat power is as much as 150 million?”

Choi Seong-min, who had read his thoughts, spoke as if delighted.

“Is it because I killed the criminal hunters this time? Or because I killed over a hundred S-rank hunters and Peter Fields at the Pentagon before that?”

“……”

“Answer me. You can tell with your Insight.”

“…It seems you’ve grown rapidly since the Pentagon. You must have made EX-grade equipment with Magic Cores too…”

Woo Seong-jae’s eyes turned to Choi Seong-min’s equipment.

“Assassin’s Shadow Hood and Shadow Armor… Equipment I haven’t seen before.”

“The armor was made with the Magic Core you gave me, and the hood was made with what I got from the Pentagon.”

“The options are all fraudulent…”

Looking at the equipment, Woo Seong-jae could finally understand.

How Choi Seong-min had been able to come to the neutral country instantly.

‘That armor has teleportation abilities.’

And what about the hood?

It even had an option with an obviously fraudulent name called Shadow Manipulation.

‘I was wrong.’

Woo Seong-jae had to admit it.

‘I don’t have even a speck of chance to win.’

That attacking Choi Seong-min would be tantamount to suicide.

“What? Where did that momentum from before go? Did you lose heart after seeing my equipment and combat power?”

“……”

Woo Seong-jae couldn’t even speak properly.

Because he was nervous.

His back was already soaked with cold sweat.

And for good reason, as he was facing an opponent with 15 times higher combat power.

It felt like standing in front of a gigantic wall of unknown height.

‘There’s nowhere to retreat. As long as he has the Shadow Movement technique, I can’t even run away.’

Woo Seong-jae aimed his Blue Dragon Crescent Blade at Choi Seong-min.

Fighting spirit blazed in his eyes once again.

If he couldn’t avoid it, he had no choice but to clash head-on.

Even knowing it was as reckless as headbutting concrete.

‘Rampage, Madman’s Strength, Gaze of Annihilation.’

Woo Seong-jae generously applied buffs to his body.

As his stats were amplified, killing intent overflowed from his entire body.

He planned to unleash his maximum power and end it from the very beginning.

“Uaaaaaah!”

Woo Seong-jae charged with great momentum and seized the initiative.

‘Explosive Slash!’

Whoooosh-!

Sharp blade wind grazed past Choi Seong-min’s cheek.

But that didn’t mean it was over.

Boooooom-!

An explosion occurred in mid-air.

The deeply sunken ground and scattered debris showed how powerful the explosion was.

A devastating blow that wouldn’t leave even bones to collect.

Having seen it explode right in front of him, Woo Seong-jae couldn’t help but hope.

‘Maybe?’

No matter how much he looked around, he couldn’t sense Choi Seong-min’s presence.

Just as the corners of Woo Seong-jae’s mouth were about to rise.

“How can you get your hopes up over just this much?”

“…!”

Choi Seong-min’s voice came from behind.

Swish-!

“Kuk!”

At the stinging pain, Woo Seong-jae reflexively swung his Blue Dragon Crescent Blade.

But as expected, nothing was caught.

Only an unexpected message appeared.

[You have been poisoned with deadly poison that leads to death.]

[Health decreases by 1% every minute.]

[The effect accelerates the more you move your body.]

[Will not naturally detoxify until health reaches 1%.]

‘What is this? Deadly poison?’

Bewilderment appeared on Woo Seong-jae’s face.

His forearm had been slightly cut by the attack he just received, and it seemed poison had been applied to it.

“I was originally saving that poison to use against strong opponents.”

Choi Seong-min, who had appeared from behind at some point, spoke with a grin.

“But I grew so rapidly that even I was surprised, so there was no chance to use it.”

“……”

“So consider it an honor that I’m using it on you. It’s an S-grade poison, after all.”

“…Are you planning to toy with me?”

Having the combat power to kill him instantly yet using poison could only be seen as an intention to toy with him.

“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not going easy on you, I’m using it strategically. You have three EX-grade items, so how can I attack carelessly? There might be reflection options.”

It made sense.

Actually, Woo Seong-jae’s golden armor had an option that reflected 90% of damage.

For Choi Seong-min who didn’t know about the options, it would be safer to attack after reducing his health to 1%.

“So move around enthusiastically until you’re at critical health.”

“……”

Woo Seong-jae almost spat out curses at Choi Seong-min’s mockery.

That’s how disadvantageously the situation was turning out.

‘Huu… I just need to not move. Just not move.’

Woo Seong-jae didn’t move a single step from his position.

Knowing the opponent’s intentions clearly, he had no intention of moving as desired.

When he stood still like a stone, Choi Seong-min smirked.

“Right, you’re trusting in your reflection option?”

“……”

“But by any chance, doesn’t that only reflect when you receive a killing blow?”

“……”

Though he flinched, Woo Seong-jae didn’t show it and just maintained silence.

“I know because I’ve had such an option too. It was an option that reflected 90% of damage when receiving a killing blow… but this had clear disadvantages.”

Choi Seong-min’s hand moved at invisible speed.

Swish- Swish- Swish-

In an instant, three wounds appeared on Woo Seong-jae’s cheek and arm.

Speed that he couldn’t respond to even though he had grasped it with Insight.

Blood trickled down from the open wounds.

“In other words, it doesn’t reflect unless it’s a killing blow, right? Therefore, it becomes almost useless against opponents who have figured out the option’s blind spot. Like this.”

Swish- Swish- Swish-

Once again, the dagger grazed his body.

“Keuuk!”

Finally, when flesh was torn off, Woo Seong-jae unconsciously stepped back.

“If I just don’t deal killing damage like this, reflection doesn’t work. I can inflict pain as much as I want. Like torture.”

“……”

“You thought I wouldn’t be able to attack carelessly because you have a reflection option, right? What now?”

Swiiish- Swiiish- Swish-!

“I can torture you to my heart’s content like this.”

“Uuuk…”

Though there were no major injuries or cuts, minor wounds were increasing.

Of course, Woo Seong-jae wasn’t just standing still either.

Whoosh- Whoosh-!

No matter how hard he swung his Blue Dragon Crescent Blade or used all his skills, he couldn’t hit Choi Seong-min.

It felt like digging in the air.

Even when he emptied his mind and attacked to avoid having his strategy discovered, Choi Seong-min dodged by a hair’s breadth.

Looking at his stats, he understood how he could dodge like that.

‘300,000 agility… He’s truly an impossible opponent.’

He dodged everything that needed dodging while leaving dozens of wounds with his dagger.

It was natural for his entire body to be dyed with blood.

Yet Woo Seong-jae’s feet wouldn’t budge.

“Let’s see how long you won’t move.”

With Choi Seong-min’s demonic voice, the number of attacks doubled.

Swish swish swish swish swish swish-

At this rate, he might die from excessive bleeding before his health dropped.

Woo Seong-jae had no choice but to take a step.

The survival instinct that all humans possess chose to run away.

“Where are you going?”

When he followed with Shadow Movement, Woo Seong-jae thought this was his chance and swung his crescent blade greatly.

But as if anticipated, it ended as a complete miss.

“Moving that much accelerates the poison.”

Along with the mockery in his ear, Woo Seong-jae’s earlobe fell off.

“Kuk!”

A truly hopeless situation.

To make matters worse, messages appeared every time he moved.

[Due to poison effect, health decreases by 1% every 54 seconds.]

[Due to poison effect, health decreases by 1% every 33 seconds.]

[Due to poison effect, health decreases by 1% every 21 seconds.]

………..

…….

[Due to poison effect, health decreases by 1% every 1 second.]

“Heok, heok, heuk…”

Woo Seong-jae panted like someone who had run a marathon.

His health had decreased because he moved too much trying to dodge the dagger.

Of course, it was because of the deadly poison.

‘Haa, haa. Now even holding the Blue Dragon Crescent Blade is difficult.’

Just then, a welcome message appeared saying the deadly poison was lifted.

[The deadly poison has been detoxified.]

[Health has become 1%.]

But the smile vanished at the sound that his health had become 1%.

“Finally became 1%. That was 6 minutes and 30 seconds?”

Unlike the panting Woo Seong-jae, Choi Seong-min showed no signs of fatigue.

“Wh-why are you doing this to me? What grudge do you have against me…”

“What? Are you switching to begging now that you’re cornered? Didn’t you decide not to do that anymore?”

Thud-

Woo Seong-jae’s knees touched the ground.

“Please spare… please spare me.”

He bowed his head and threw away his pride.

Begging for his life was truly the only way to survive.

“I told you before. I hate trash.”

“I’m not trash…”

“You are trash. On the surface, you act noble and wrap yourself in honorifics, but behind the scenes, you spread all kinds of schemes and manipulate the Great Heroes as the boss of all bosses.”

“What schemes? I have no memory of ever doing such things…”

“The Named Boss Karmygas that appeared 10 years ago. That was your doing.”

Woo Seong-jae’s eyebrows twitched, but only briefly.

He quickly returned to his usual expression.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“Stop playing dumb, you bastard. You identified the dungeon where Karmygas was beforehand and deliberately neglected it so he would emerge into the world. To save the world and create the reputation of being Great Heroes.”

When he knew quite detailed information, Woo Seong-jae’s eyes widened.

“How do you know that…”

“I have some connections up above.”

Choi Seong-min grinned and put on a black mask instead of the shadow hood.

Though Woo Seong-jae realized what this meant.

Stab-

It was already too late even if he knew.

[You have killed Hunter Woo Seong-jae.]

[You have stolen the trait ‘Insight’.]

[You have stolen 49 pieces of equipment.]

[You have stolen 85 Magic Stones.]

[You have stolen 9 collectibles.]

[You have stolen 4 possessions.]

[Synchronization rate 100.0%]

[You have replicated the appearance of the killed target.]