Chapter 171 – The Battle (Part Six)

“You’ve grown stronger.”

Min Ji-hoon said.

Though they hadn’t yet crossed swords, and the fight had barely begun, he could tell his opponent was incomparably stronger than before.

Just a moment ago, Min Ji-hoon had tried to twist the very space around Baek Il-ho’s legs, intending to break them and swiftly subdue him.

But his ability had no effect.

It wasn’t because of his own problematic physical condition, nor was it because this was his first real fight in a long time.

Until now, almost every enemy Min Ji-hoon had faced within the usual standards could be easily suppressed by his powerful spatial manipulation alone.

However, not every case could be resolved so simply.

From Il-hyeon’s transformation ability and Jeong Jin-seong’s stasis ability to Min Ji-hoon’s spatial manipulation.

Nearly all abilities, to directly affect an opponent’s body, had to overcome the innate ability resistance present in all living beings and project their power through it.

The magnitude of this resistance varied wildly depending on the target, primarily determined by their ‘class’ as an Awakened or a monster.

But now, due to Baek Il-ho’s elevated class, even Min Ji-hoon’s spatial manipulation was unable to directly interfere with his opponent’s body.

The only times Min Ji-hoon’s ability had failed to work directly were against monsters of an absurdly high grade. This was the first time it had happened against an Awakened who wasn’t even protected by a specific defensive ability.

“It wouldn’t be fun if it ended so easily.”

*CRASH!*

Stomping his foot and viciously shattering the ground, Baek Il-ho closed the distance in an instant and swung his sword at Min Ji-hoon.

Completely exposed to the attack, Min Ji-hoon had no weapon to parry or deflect it.

He had given Peacemaker, the only sword he ever used, to Il-hyeon as intended, and he hadn’t brought any other weapon.

All he had now were his bare hands.

Yet, with those very hands, Min Ji-hoon blocked Baek Il-ho’s strike.

Baek Il-ho’s sword was stopped dead by Min Ji-hoon’s left arm, yet not a single drop of blood spurted from his limb, nor did he feel even the slightest impact.

The reason was simple.

Despite appearances suggesting a clear collision, the sword and his arm had never actually touched.

Min Ji-hoon had twisted the space between them, effortlessly nullifying the sword strike, and instantly shot out his right arm.

*WHAM!*

His fist slammed squarely into Baek Il-ho’s abdomen.

The full impact of the incredibly powerful punch was delivered—a blow that would have instantly pulverized the internal organs of even the most durable Awakened.

But just as Min Ji-hoon had nullified Baek Il-ho’s attack a moment before, this time, Baek Il-ho did the same.

Baek Il-ho absorbed the entirety of the impact and damage from the fist that had struck him, using his ability, and wasn’t even knocked back by the recoil.

*Whoosh!*

Instantly spinning around, Baek Il-ho swung his sword, adding the force from Min Ji-hoon’s punch to create a tremendous strike.

*KRA-KA-KA-BOOM!*

Min Ji-hoon reacted quickly and pulled back, but Baek Il-ho’s sword strike completely overturned the surroundings, shattering everything.

The ground was gouged out, and debris flew in all directions.

Of course, Baek Il-ho didn’t stop there; he immediately pursued the retreating Min Ji-hoon.

But strangely, the more he moved his legs, the farther the distance between them grew.

At first, they were within striking distance, but by the time Baek Il-ho stopped, they were so far apart their faces were mere blurs.

It was because Min Ji-hoon’s ability had distorted the space, making any attempt to run futile.

However, Baek Il-ho was not without options.

*Fwoosh!*

Baek Il-ho’s figure vanished in an instant, only to reappear behind Min Ji-hoon.

It was something impossible to achieve by simply moving quickly through the space Min Ji-hoon controlled; Baek Il-ho hadn’t traveled through that distorted space at all.

Position Designation.

It was the ability of Baek Il-ho’s sword, Lawbringer.

As long as a location was within his line of sight, he could designate several positions, allowing him to teleport freely between them.

Thanks to this, he could reach his desired location without passing through the space Min Ji-hoon had twisted, and he thrust his sword toward his opponent’s neck.

His opponent wasn’t wearing even a single layer of a simple Defensive Coat.

A single strike was all it would take to end the fight.

*CLANG!*

But a sharp metallic sound rang out as the attack was blocked.

In the hands of Min Ji-hoon, who had turned to face him, was now a long spear.

He had used his ability to pull a spear lying on the ground—whose it was, he didn’t know—to block the attack. After pushing Baek Il-ho back, he swung the spear in a wide arc.

*Kiiiing!*

The path of the spear Min Ji-hoon had swung.

A faint, thin line appeared, following the spearhead’s downward arc, and from it, space began to split apart.

*RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE!*

The sundered ground split in two and began to sink, creating a massive chasm. The central building of the Aegis headquarters was also cleaved in half.

The line continued onward, punching a hole in the white barrier that surrounded them, and finally, it even split the sky above.

“As expected…”

The retreating Baek Il-ho muttered, staring at the scene with a dazed expression.

The sight of the vast sky being sliced open, leaving a pitch-black scar, was the very pinnacle of ‘class’—a sight that could only inspire awe.

Min Ji-hoon, who had been a recluse, had retired after the first cycle and had been completely inactive ever since. Furthermore, his deteriorating health had left him in such a terrible state that even daily life was a struggle.

His track record had naturally stagnated, and it was a time when even his existing skills should have grown rusty.

Yet, Min Ji-hoon’s Awakened rank classification had not dropped significantly even recently. He remained an S-Rank, just one step below his rank during his active days.

Considering that the ranks of retired Awakened typically plummeted along with their stagnant records, this was a remarkable exception.

And the reason wasn’t simply a matter of honoring a veteran’s past achievements.

“Yes, there’s no way you’re merely at the S-Rank level.”

Baek Il-ho said with a smile.

Contrary to public perception that he was overrated due to past accomplishments, for Min Ji-hoon, the ‘S’ rank was actually an underestimation resulting from his inactivity.

No matter how much he suffered from his terrible illness, his strength, which transcended common sense, was beyond comparison.

“I suppose I’ll have to give up the title of the sole SS-Rank Awakened.”

“So you’ve also ascended a level.”

Min Ji-hoon said nonchalantly.

Baek Il-ho, like Min Ji-hoon, had been known as one of the world’s only four S-Rank Awakened, but he had surpassed that stage long ago.

The two Awakened facing each other here were the only two SS-Rank Awakened in history.

“Min Ji-hoon, you surely could have reached an even higher realm…”

“That is a task to be left to the next generation.”

A realm beyond their own.

It certainly wouldn’t be easy, but it was something someone would eventually achieve.

*Fwoosh!*

Once again using Lawbringer to move, Baek Il-ho instantly appeared right in front of Min Ji-hoon.

The fiercely swung sword and spear clashed, sending a series of tremendous shockwaves through the area.

As Min Ji-hoon extended his hand, the surrounding space twisted violently, and soon, the ground beneath them began to surge upward.

The completely distorted space caused the ground they stood on to tilt sideways by about forty-five degrees, while the land beside them began to rise up as if a piece of paper were being folded from both sides.

The pull of gravity shifted accordingly, and a truly bizarre landscape unfolded within the barrier.

The scale was so extreme that anyone unfamiliar with Min Ji-hoon would have assumed, nine times out of ten, that they had fallen victim to a crude illusion-type ability.

But all of this was happening in reality.

Even the government and Aegis Awakened, who had been trying to enter through the breach in the barrier, were so pale with fright at the unbelievable battle taking place inside that they couldn’t even think of stepping in.

*CRUNCH! CRACK!*

Amidst the space where everything was twisting indiscriminately, Min Ji-hoon blocked several sword strikes before finding an opening and immediately swinging his spear.

It wasn’t a strike imbued with simple force, but one that sliced through space itself.

*SHWIIING! SSSST!*

But even the power to sever space was useless against Baek Il-ho.

Slicing through space was still a form of physical intervention, and to him, it was merely another source of energy.

Baek Il-ho gripped his sword and slammed it downward, unleashing an explosive burst of energy from its tip.

*KABOOOOOM!*

The ground bulged and erupted in an explosion, sending not only Baek Il-ho but also Min Ji-hoon flying. They tumbled across the ground amidst the immense shower of debris scattering everywhere.

Baek Il-ho absorbed even the impact of that explosion and was able to get up without any issue, but Min Ji-hoon was not so fortunate.

With no Defensive Coat to protect him, he couldn’t avoid injury, and dark red blood trickled down from his forehead.

Though he got up immediately after falling, Min Ji-hoon frowned slightly at the sight of his own blood.

“Why don’t you just give up here?”

Baek Il-ho said, looking up.

Having been thrown to opposite sides, they were caught in the distorted gravity of their respective surfaces, effectively positioning them at each other’s zenith.

“Give up?”

“I don’t want to kill you, of all people. You’re already at your limit, struggling just to stand.”

In response to Min Ji-hoon, who also looked up as he asked, Baek Il-ho spoke as if he knew everything.

Though Min Ji-hoon had gotten up as if nothing was wrong, it was obvious that in his physical condition, he had already reached his limit.

Just coming here had been an act of thoroughly abusing his body and shortening his lifespan; if he continued to fight, death would be unavoidable.

“Yes, you’re right. It seems my limit has already arrived.”

Min Ji-hoon quietly nodded.

Since a while ago, his arm had been trembling uncontrollably, even in the middle of the fight.

Then, Min Ji-hoon looked up again and opened his mouth.

“And I felt the same way about not wanting to kill you. But we’re past the point of having such luxuries. Be careful not to die.”