Chapter 146 – Again (２)

‘So that was it.’

Gijun smiled.

‘The reason he was so confident.’

He now understood why Amalta had been shouting, boasting he’d defeat Gijun.

But what a twist.

Gijun, too, had acquired the same technique as Amalta.

The only difference was the weapon they used.

Realizing this, Amalta’s face crumpled into a ridiculous expression.

But only for a moment.

“It… surprised me a little. I thought you’d merely been playing around, but clearly you’ve endured harsh training in secret.”

Amalta spoke honestly.

He’d never imagined Gijun would have honed the same skill as himself.

Thus, he assumed Gijun had completed a grueling, bone-deep training regimen.

After all, he too had endured immense suffering to acquire this new technique.

‘…That’s not quite it.’

Of course, Gijun felt a twinge of guilt.

He’d certainly struggled, but he hadn’t endured bone-aching pain or overcome agonizing trials.

‘Well, anyway….’

Gijun adjusted his grip on the sword and smiled again.

‘This works out.’

And he rather liked this situation.

From the start, Gijun had requested the spar with Amalta to get a real feel for the Blaze Sword’s power.

And if his opponent, Amalta, had also acquired the same technique, he could test its full force properly.

The moment that thought finished, Gijun and Amalta’s eyes met.

Then, as if with no one taking the lead, both launched themselves toward each other.

BOOM!

Both figures vanished in an instant.

Gijun’s speed was, of course, unbelievably fast.

But now Amalta’s speed had risen to match Gijun’s, leaving him no room to lag behind.

Even Gijun flinched in surprise at that.

Crack!

An instant later, their sword and spear collided.

Clang-clang-clang-clang!

A fierce gale erupted around them, whipping through the air.

“…!”

“!!”

The veins stood out on both their foreheads, taut with strain.

He’s strong.

So heavy.

Each had no choice but to marvel at the other’s power.

Gijun found himself stunned by Amalta’s crushing pressure, so immense it made his head spin.

And Amalta was seized with shock at the sheer force of Gijun’s flames—so fierce that the moment their weapons met, his guts felt scorched.

The two of them drew apart again, taking a brief moment.

Then they charged at each other once more.

Just as Gijun’s sword swung toward Amalta, the man twisted his body and sent his spear spinning in a rapid arc.

Ssssssssssh!

With the terrifying power in his shoulders, his wrist strength, and the spring of his thighs, Amalta’s spear tore through the air and rained down on Gijun.

But of course, Gijun wouldn’t allow that strike to land.

Crash!

The moment Gijun twisted to dodge Amalta’s spear, a blazing flame erupted from the empty space.

Terrifying.

After all, Amalta was a Seeker too.

His skill with flames was remarkable.

Not that his touch was as refined as Gijun’s.

But it was raw, explosive, and fierce.

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BAM!

Once the fire burst forth, it kept spreading with relentless force, swallowing the entire area.

That’s Amalta for you.

He had no concept of holding back.

He just poured out everything he could in the moment.

As the fight dragged on, Gijun’s own chest began to burn hotter.

Then I’ll face him the way I do.

If that was the case, Gijun wouldn’t stay still either.

His weapon had always been speed.

Faster.

Gijun moved.

Pushing his pace even further.

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, he was behind Amalta, and his sword lashed out.

Crash!

Amalta blocked Gijun’s blade.

But in that very instant—

BAM!

“…!”

Gijun’s flames erupted across Amalta’s body.

Amalta desperately rushed to put distance between them.

But it was no use.

Flash—

A light burst from the spot where Amalta had fled.

And at the same time—

BOOM!

The flames exploded.

It doesn’t matter how far you run; you’re still in the palm of my hand.

Gijun could see it all.

How Amalta would move.

Even what Amalta was thinking.

Then there’s no reason for me to get hit.

Gijun shifted his feet.

Crack-crack-crack-BOOM!

A storm of flames exploded from the spot where he’d been standing just a moment ago.

‘I saw that coming.’

Gijun smiled as he looked at Amalta.

“Hoo, huff…”

Amalta, his entire body blackened by Gijun’s attack, glared at him.

*

Time flowed quickly.

It had already been over thirty minutes since the two had begun facing off.

‘Tenacious bastard.’

Amalta clicked his tongue.

‘He’s a damn monster.’

Gijun was strong.

He’d thought he’d barely caught up, but he was wrong.

As he grew stronger, so did Gijun.

No — it felt like Gijun had raced far ahead, far faster than Amalta could ever match.

‘Still, this much is impressive.’

Amalta thought so.

He’d already traded a decent number of exchanges with Gijun.

Gijun, too, was showing signs of fatigue.

If he could hold his own this long against that monster, then his own growth wasn’t worthless.

‘But….’

He couldn’t let it end like this.

‘Even if it’s just for a single moment, I will surpass you.’

Amalta admitted it.

Gijun was strong.

He would never be able to surpass Gijun.

No matter what effort he put in.

Even if just for a single moment.

One second — no, even if it were less than that, a fleeting instant — he wanted to surpass Gijun.

‘I’ll show you.’

So he’d burn everything he had in this moment.

This single attack might leave him so exhausted he couldn’t move for days.

But now, he was certain — this moment was worth pouring everything into.

‘Then….’

He gripped his spear in his left hand and spread his right hand open.

Whoosh! Crackle!

Tiny sparks ignited on each of his fingers.

‘This is the secret technique of our clan.’

A skill only those born with the right body and talent could use.

An ability that amplified physical prowess by combining an inborn physique with a natural gift for mana.

But Amalta had gone a step further.

He had added his talent as a Seeker.

Just as when he had completed the Blaze Spear.

Roooar!

The small sparks swelled, enveloping his entire hand.

Amalta pressed it against his own heart.

Fwoooosh!

The sparks seeped into his chest.

Then wrapped around his heart.

“Kgh, kuhhh…!”

His body glowed red-hot.

His heart pounded as if it might burst.

His breathing grew ragged; his eyes began to bloodshot.

But he felt good.

This state was deeply satisfying.

From there, he poured a storm of mana into his heart once more.

WHOOOOM!

His entire body was engulfed in a raging blaze.

Then he moved.

BOOM!

The moment his foot stamped down, the ground split beneath him, and his searing red body streaked through the air, leaving a crimson afterimage as it hurtled toward Gijun in an instant.

“!!”

Even Gijun’s eyes widened in shock at Amalta’s explosively accelerated movements.

A shrill whistle tore through the air as Amalta’s spear cleaved across it.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Thoom!

The spear sliced the void.

Gijun barely managed to dodge Amalta’s strike.

But the hem of his Robe was already catching fire.

He touched me.

A shudder ran through Amalta.

Finally—his attack had landed on Gijun.

Just once, yes. But this was only the beginning.

Amalta moved again.

A sharp whistle tore through the air!

This time, Amalta’s Spear swept from left to right.

A sharp rip cut the air.

Jun scrambled to widen the distance between him and Amalta—

—but a wet slash tore through the moment.

“…!!!”

Once more, Amalta’s Spear carved across Jun’s chest and passed through.

“Hah, haaah…!”

A cry of shock spilled from Jun’s lips.

At that voice, Amalta shuddered again.

‘Just a little more….’

If he could reach just a bit further, he could bring down Gijun.

But there was almost no time left.

Thirty seconds from now?

No, maybe less than ten.

Already every muscle, joint, and cell in his body was screaming in protest.

Yet his emotions blazed hotter than they ever had before—wild, untamable.

Amalta closed the distance to Gijun in an instant and thrust his Spear.

In that moment, an instinct flashed through his mind.

‘It’ll hit.’

This attack would surely pierce Gijun through.

A lifetime’s worth of experience and accumulated instincts told him so.

This strike—even Gijun could never dodge it.

His Spear would drive straight through Gijun’s heart.

But then, in that instant.

“…!”

He felt something he couldn’t name.

Something was wrong.

It would definitely hit.

His Spear was certain to reach Gijun.

Yet there was something hollow about it.

He had the sense that he was missing something — something tiny, something like a speck of dust.

And then it happened.

[KHAHAHAHAHAHA!]

Laughter rang out from somewhere.

It erupted from the massive something standing behind Gijun’s back.

[So finally this body’s Strength is needed!]

And in that instant.

Flash-!

Crimson flooded before Amalta’s eyes.

At the same time, Amalta felt a searing heat — as though his entire body was being scorched.

KWAHAAAAA!

Everything in the vicinity burst into flames.

“Kyaaaaaaagh!”

A guttural scream tore from Amalta’s throat.

THUD!

The Spear slipped from his grip and clattered to the ground.

‘Ah….’

Only then did he understand.

That one thing he’d been missing.

He’d forgotten.

Gijun wasn’t a swordsman to begin with.

He was a mage.

And in their entire spar, Gijun hadn’t used magic even once.

Absurd. Unbelievable.

Himself—a man who’d tempered his body and trained with the spear his whole life—against a mage…

Who’d overwhelmed him this much with just a sword, without even casting a spell.

That was why he’d forgotten.

He’d fallen into a state of pure, mindless absorption.

Thanks to that, he’d overlooked what he should never have forgotten—his opponent’s greatest weapon.

In the end, he’d walked straight into the trap with his own two feet.

“Da—mn….”

Amalta’s fading consciousness slipped through his grasp, and he succumbed to sleep.

THUD

*

‘…That was incredible.’

Gijun looked down at the fallen Amalta for a moment, thinking.

‘That last attack really….’

Honestly, even Gijun had found it hard to dodge Amalta’s strike.

Amalta was that fast, that threatening—enough to press even Gijun, who’d shown off that absurd physicality back at the Celestial Castle.

‘The guy’s a real monster.’

Of course, Gijun knew it too.

That Amalta’s final technique was one that temporarily maximized his own abilities.

But the fact that Amalta’s body could endure that at all was genuinely astonishing.

‘Who else besides Amalta could pull off a cheat like that?’

If Amalta hadn’t gotten greedy and had instead pushed his body to a more measured level, Gijun would’ve had a much harder time.

[Kyah! Kyahahaha! How about that! This is my true skill!]

Anyway, thanks to Amalta charging in so excitedly, Gijun had been able to use Kutamo to take him down.

But then.

[Achievement Unlocked!]

[The Man Who Drew Out the Soul of the Warrior!]

‘Huh?’

An unexpected Achievement completion message.

And as he looked at the reward that surfaced, Gijun couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

‘…This is ridiculous.’

It was the moment an unthinkable reward landed in his hands.

[Skill ‘Soul of the Warrior’ acquired!]

Soul of the Warrior.

That was the very technique Amalta had used moments ago.