Chapter 99

‘Thankfully, they’re letting their guard down on their own.’

As expected, perhaps they couldn’t ignore the outward image, for the enemies showed a momentary lapse in vigilance when we didn’t move.

“Gyaaah, ugh!”

Wang Yong, the weakest, was already fatally wounded from the earlier attack. The remaining members, including Woo Kibeom, numbered five.

Frankly, taking them all on at once was unreasonable, so it was necessary to properly flip the board around this point.

Slither.

“Fierce Wolf, Bone Bear, Black Yin, Phantom Wood Hungry Ghost, Old Man Tree Specter.”

Poof!

Fwoosh!

Without a second thought, I summoned all the Shikigami I possessed and sent them charging. Most of the nearby opponents began to visibly panic.

If Kongsami had been here, it would have been a bit easier. Unfortunately, it had been left behind in Sahwanje’s Nest, so I couldn’t summon it.

‘…First, just one more.’

Ignoring Wang Yong, who was screaming as he was being pounced on by the enlarged Sorisoe, I dashed towards Heo Jitae, who had the next lowest Level.

“Y-you son of a btch!”

Whoosh!

Even in the sudden situation, Heo Jitae reflexively pulled out a talisman and deployed an Offensive Spell.

But that’s the wrong answer. In a situation like this, it would have been better to use Deception first or deploy a Defensive Spell to buy even a little time.

“Soul Specter Punishing Wolf.”

Screech!

Fwoosh!

Bihyeong’s Intermediate-Rank Offensive Art, boasting rapid deployment speed. It pierced Heo Jitae’s heart, inflicting a fatal wound before his spell could even be completed.

“…Kuhuk! Kek!”

That makes two out of commission. But now that the enemies know my strength, they won’t let their guard down and will respond by grouping together.

Therefore, I began charging straight towards the leader, Woo Kibeom, while using the Shikigami to block the path.

“Huh, for someone whose head’s blood hasn’t even dried yet, you’re quite a handful, it seems.”

Woo Kibeom reluctantly threw down Choi Dain, whom he had been holding, and entered a Combat Posture.

Certainly, he had a composure born from long experience.

With the talisman in his left hand, he skillfully deployed a Defensive Spell, while his right hand was hidden behind his back, making it impossible to tell what he was aiming for.

‘…Seems quite accustomed to battle.’

However, I can confidently say that in this Exorcism Academy worldview, the number of beings who have experienced more battles than me can really be counted on one hand.

Ultimately, for me, Woo Kibeom’s current actions weren’t such a novel repertoire either.

Whoosh.

I timed it, and just as the Defensive Art was about to be completed, I subtly drew in Spiritual Power and deliberately flicked a talisman with my hand.

In response, Woo Kibeom hurriedly activated the Art he had prepared, but in fact, that was just a thrown talisman, nothing more or less than Deception.

The real one is right here.

“Clear Chain Binding.”

Keeeing!

Charrrurrr!

Perhaps because the move he had prepared was already broken, Woo Kibeom clicked his tongue and hastily brought out his hidden right hand to deploy another Art.

“Tsk!”

Whoosh.

I concentrated and engraved that series of processes into my mind.

‘Spiritual Power rotating counterclockwise, one Cursed Technique inscription at each vertex of the hexagon.’

It’s the Intermediate-Rank Offensive Art, Six Slash Slaughter, which has few users due to its difficult control.

At this distance, simply moving my body wouldn’t be enough to avoid it. So, I deliberately brought out Doodoori, which I had kept in reserve from the shadows, and activated the Mist Veil of the Dark Noon I obtained in Spain to enhance it.

Whoosh.

Slurrr.

After that, I simply used Doodoori’s massive body as a shield to take the attack instead.

Fwoosh!

Kwa-jajajak!

[Gwooooh─!]

Doodoori’s body was almost shredded to pieces by that powerful force. I rushed towards Woo Kibeom, who had one arm caught in my Binding Spell Formula, slipping a talisman onto my hand.

“Tsk!”

Kwa-ching─!

Jjeeong!

Completely overwhelmed, Woo Kibeom, with a face full of regret, infused power into the bracelet on his wrist, severed the Spiritual Power chain, and retreated once.

Pasa-sak!

Then, the bracelet, having expended its power, lost its light and slowly crumbled. It seems he had been carrying a one-time-use Cursed Tool on his person for escaping situations like this.

Without regret, I gave Doodoori an instruction to directly return Woo Kibeom’s attack to his comrade, Kwak Dowoo.

[Gwook!]

Fwoosh!

“Gyaaaaaah─!”

Kwak Dowoo, who had been dealing with Han Seoa and Choi Dain, failed to notice it in time, was directly hit by Doodoori’s Curse, and collapsed on the spot.

Simultaneously, Doodoori, who had also sustained some damage in the previous fight, reached its limit with this final attack and was Spirit Dismissed.

Seeing that sight, Woo Kibeom frowned and spoke to me.

“What are you? Someone this skilled isn’t common even among active-duty members. Are you perhaps older than you look?”

“Who knows.”

“…Damn it, I’ve never seen a fighting style like this before. A ridiculously strong guy has shown up.”

It’s a fight between players who already know everything about each other anyway. From that one exchange just now, we recognized that the other wasn’t to be taken lightly.

‘…Stronger than I thought.’

Actually, in terms of Level alone, Harvey, whom I fought in Spain last time, was higher.

However, unlike Harvey, who lost his composure, stimulated the Citadel of the Dead, and self-destructed, Woo Kibeom is responding to my movements with a calm attitude. As expected, suppressing a skilled person close to Level 50 head-on was quite a tough task.

‘Still, I’m roughly two moves ahead, right?’

Looking only at the results, we exchanged blows back and forth, but in that process, the one who manipulated the opponent was clearly me.

Woo Kibeom knows that too, which is why he’s retreated and can’t easily rush in.

But still, in terms of pure specs, he’s superior. Woo Kibeom is probably thinking that right about now and is surely preparing a decisive move utilizing his spec superiority.

‘There’s no need to rush to end the match as he intends.’

After all, only two enemies remain in the back.

Han Seoa and Choi Dain, and if the Shikigami join forces, it should be possible to clean them up sufficiently.

I just need to calmly calculate the moves, pressuring Woo Kibeom slowly as if playing a game of chess.

“H-hey, boss! The kids are almost all done for!”

“…Tsk.”

Woo Kibeom, who had been careful not to move recklessly, ultimately, as the situation turned out that way, hurriedly drew in power, intending to settle things with me.

‘It’s obvious a High-Level Art is coming.’

To definitively bring me down, that’s the only way. However, that was precisely my planned move for victory.

‘Preparation is complete.’

Since we were apart, Woo Kibeom probably unconsciously thought the distance was sufficient, but in fact, that was a trap I had devised in advance.

The High-Level Art—to be precise, the moment he recites the Incantation and constructs the Art to deploy it—Woo Kibeom will meet his end without even knowing what happened to him.

‘…Come on.’

I continued the standoff without showing any sign of that fact, and eventually, Woo Kibeom, unable to hold back, crossed the line.

“Guiding Cover Sharp Rhinoceros Fierce Curse……”

The Incantation for the High-Level Art that finally began. In response, I immediately moved to settle the match.

‘It’s over.’

But at that moment, suddenly, an intense wave of Spiritual Power surged from somewhere and stretched out towards me.

Kwa-ga-ga-gak!

Jjeeong!

“…Hup.”

I reflexively deployed a Defensive Spell to block the assault, but even though it wasn’t a properly powered attack, the shock reverberated to my bones.

The opponent was a bewitching young woman wearing traditional Chinese clothing unique to China, with long braided hair hanging down.

I’m not sure exactly, but she definitely seemed to be a considerable powerhouse.

“Sis? Why……”

“Didn’t you notice? If you had fought like that just now, you would have surely died.”

“……”

An opponent whom even Woo Kibeom calls ‘Sis’ and cannot treat lightly.

She was undoubtedly the new combat power of Woo Kibeom’s group, the one who could supposedly face the 1st-Rank Exorcist, Yoo Taejin, head-on.

Looking at Woo Kibeom’s group, who had suffered a humiliation close to a complete defeat, the woman continued with a tone of disappointment.

“Oh? Come to think of it, weren’t you supposed to be the second strongest here? You’re much more useless than I thought.”

“My apologies, Sis. It seems that guy Yoo Taejin has also acquired new talent under him.”

“So, is that one stronger than that man named Yoo Taejin?”

“…No matter what, probably not to that extent.”

Taking advantage of the gap while they were conversing, I quickly Appraised the woman’s information.

Ding!*

And her identity was, frankly, a completely unexpected kind.

【Xiao Chen】

▶Level 62

▶Stats

【Stamina : B-】

【Spiritual Power : A+】

【Art Formula : S】

【Mental Strength : B+】

▶Traits (8/10)

【Burial Prevention (S-)】

【Flower’s Meditation (A+)】

【Output Enhancement (B-)】

【Synesthesia (B)】

【Growth Acceleration (B)】

【Precision Control (C+)】

【Sensory Expansion (C+)】

【Researcher (C)】

‘Why on earth is this woman here?’

Come to think of it, that was it.

A luxurious cheongsam made of high-quality fabric, with long hair braided and hanging down on both sides.

It was definitely identical to the appearance of Xiao Chen, the Barrier Master of Night School who appeared in the original game.

‘…This is bad.’

As I said before, except for Hectail, who is my extreme counter, I have no confidence in winning against a member of Night School. At least not now.

Especially this Xiao Chen, among them, is practically my natural enemy with the worst compatibility.

‘Well, it’s because she doesn’t use Forbidden Arts at all when fighting.’

Xiao Chen is a Barrier Master, a genius who further developed the Barrier Technique unique to the family she belonged to and made it her own.

And that is a level of Cursed Technique that I, as I am now, simply have no way of dealing with.

I glanced sideways and first joined up with where Han Seoa and Choi Dain were.

Similarly, the two surviving subordinates of Woo Kibeom also hurriedly created distance, and we faced a touch-and-go situation before a powerhouse of an insurmountable level.

“So Yoo Taejin isn’t coming after all. Then what should we do with these guys?”

“If Sis could capture them and hand them over to our side……”

“Hmm, not really interested.”

“Ah, why are you being so cold, Sis? Think of how devotedly we’ve served you all this time.”

“He’s much better looking than you.”

“……”

Come to think of it, I remember Xiao Chen had a setting of being quite fond of appearances.

Surely, the reason she first became interested in Night School was because she liked the unique atmosphere of Bihyeong.

Anyway, if we fought head-on, it was clear we’d be annihilated in less than ten minutes, so we had to find some other method.

“But still, just letting them go feels a bit off, doesn’t it? Why not take them hostage and call out that man named Yoo Taejin or something?”

“…Before that, there’s something I’d like to say for a moment.”

“Huh? Why?”

I didn’t want to reveal it at this point, but there was no choice.

To Xiao Chen, who asked in a voice full of leisure, I decided to throw out the bait I had been saving.

“By any chance, don’t you want to leave this place?”

At those words, Woo Kibeom sneered, and Xiao Chen chuckled as if to say lies wouldn’t work.

“Your side hasn’t given up for seven years and still hasn’t found a way, right? It doesn’t seem like such an incompetent group would have any possibility left.”

But to such a Xiao Chen, I continued with confidence.

“You can leave.”

“What confidence is that based on?”

“Because I already know the method.”

At those words, the expressions of everyone present shook meaningfully.