Chapter 29 (Continued)

 

The lightning caused drones in the sky to malfunction and crash to the ground, shattering into fragments.

 

The thunderclouds covering the sky over New Yongsan Street and the storm on the ground were all under the control of the woman behind Dalbi.

 

She was the greatest force of Ahsung High School.

 

Oh Baek-seo.

 

The reason she was called a genius in Neo Seoul was not for any other reason. It was because she possessed power that warranted such a title.

 

Enormous magical power, outstanding magic precision, and formidable abilities.

 

Her unique ability was ‘Cloud Master.’

 

Under the thunderclouds created by Baek-seo, her magic was amplified several times over.

 

Boom!

 

Clang!!

 

A swift slash, as rapid as a lightning strike, was parried by Kim Dalbi who quickly regained her stance and raised her sword to block.

 

A thunderous sound accompanied by a clear friction noise echoed, and waves of magic spread out, distorting the ground and walls.

 

“Oh Baek-seo….”

 

Dalbi’s eyes narrowed.

 

“Hello.”

 

The one who struck with the sword, Baek-seo, spoke in a measured tone.

 

“You dared to touch the Leader….”

 

Swoosh!

 

Brilliant magic, a mix of blue and purple, flowed along the blade. Immediately, several straight sword paths appeared simultaneously in Dalbi’s field of vision.

 

The unique ability, Cloud Master.

 

First Magic Formula, ‘Butterfly Dance.’

 

Baek-seo’s magic attribute was originally water, but thanks to her unique ability to manipulate clouds, she could also utilize thunder.

 

Thus, using the ability of the Cloud Master, she created a technique that generated multiple lightning strikes. She applied this to her swordsmanship, creating a new technique named Butterfly Dance.

 

The elegant sword strikes imbued with lightning cut through the air with no room to evade. If they hit, even Dalbi’s magic-enhanced body would be sliced like paper.

 

Dalbi focused, swinging her flame-infused sword continuously.

 

‘Clang, clang, clang, clang,’ the metallic sounds of clashing swords and simultaneous explosions echoed. However, unable to block all the attacks, Dalbi sustained deep wounds on her cheek and arm.

 

Woo-jin was about to join the fight, but.

 

[Graaargh!]

 

A goblin suddenly emerged, aiming for Woo-jin’s back.

 

“!”

 

Swoosh! Woo-jin dodged the goblin’s club swing. Even if it had hit, it wouldn’t have been life-threatening. It was more like a warning shot. It was definitely Dalbi’s intention.

 

Woo-jin turned around. Five goblins were targeting him.

 

He had no choice but to deal with them.

 

Meanwhile, Dalbi and Baek-seo’s swords clashed incessantly, causing continuous explosions of lightning and flame magic.

 

New goblins also charged at Baek-seo. However, before they could even touch her, their heads were severed or their bodies were cleaved in half, dissolving into smoke that mingled with the rain.

 

They were helpless against Baek-seo’s lightning-fast sword strikes. It looked as if a protective barrier made of blades surrounded her.

 

Baek-seo moved through the seemingly slow-flowing time, continuously drawing precise and swift trajectories with her sharp blade.

 

“Tch!”

 

Barely distancing herself from Baek-seo, Dalbi pushed off the wall and leapt onto the building’s rooftop.

 

Simultaneously, numerous wisps of smoke rose in the air, summoning a horde of goblins. They all descended toward Baek-seo, wielding iron clubs, swords, and spears.

 

Whoosh! Dalbi began spreading flames from the rooftop. She was clearly up to something.

 

Baek-seo extended her sword to the side and bent her knees.

 

For a moment, her figure remained as an afterimage, washed away by the rain.

 

In just a split second, Baek-seo’s magic formed a path through the air. It was a gentle flow, like waves rolling silently.

 

This flow of magic pierced through the descending goblin horde.

 

Soon, lightning spread out.

 

Swoosh.

 

The sharp sound of the blade cutting through the air echoed softly.
Immediately.

 

Slash, splat!

 

The falling goblin horde’s bodies were cleanly halved and fell to the ground, sprawling lifelessly.

 

Baek-seo had already reached the building’s rooftop, leaving a trail of sword paths behind her.

 

The unique ability, Cloud Master.

 

Second Magic Formula, ‘Butterfly Effect.’

 

Under the thunderclouds created by Baek-seo, any enemy who wasn’t exceptionally strong had no significant impact. They just met their end by being sliced.

 

Unless Dalbi summoned high-ranking goblins or wielded her own goblin powers, the tide of battle wouldn’t turn.

 

For some reason, Dalbi wasn’t using her full power.

 

‘We need to subdue her somehow, now.’

 

Woo-jin thought. They had to press Dalbi now.

 

“Hoo…!”

 

Woo-jin had just defeated the goblins attacking him.

 

He planned to ascend the building and join Baek-seo in attacking Dalbi.

 

“……!”

 

At that moment, Baek-seo, still in the air, had a look of surprise.

 

On the rooftop, Dalbi was being engulfed by flames.

 

Baek-seo’s sword quickly traced a bright path through the air, but.

 

Whoosh.

 

The sword path only managed to split the flames in half.

 

Soon, the flames were futilely extinguished by the rain, leaving Baek-seo alone on the rooftop.

 

‘She escaped.’

 

Both Baek-seo and Woo-jin on the ground understood the situation.

 

Dalbi had fled.

 

In the game, Dalbi often spread flames and teleported away unless she was fighting with all her might.

 

The solutions were either to not give Dalbi the chance to teleport or to push her to fight with all her strength.

 

“Tch.”

 

Woo-jin clicked his tongue.

 

Considering the skill was used in emergencies, it must consume a huge amount of magic.

 

Given that it couldn’t be activated during a full-power fight due to its stringent conditions.

 

‘She might still be in the area.’

 

He didn’t want to let her go just like that.

 

Even if he ultimately lost her, he needed to extract as much crucial information as possible….

 

[Ah, Woo-jin….]

 

“A thick, strained voice pierced through the rain, reaching Woo-jin.

 

He turned and saw a goblin, its upper body still intact after being cut by Baek-seo.

 

“?”

 

All the other goblins had turned to smoke and vanished. For some reason, this one remained intact.

 

Woo-jin approached and looked down at the goblin. It squeezed out its voice with its remaining strength.

 

[The master asked me to tell you this…. Because of that woman, the listening ears are gone for a while….]

 

If the goblin referred to its master, it was talking about Dalbi.

 

By ‘that woman,’ Woo-jin figured it meant Baek-seo.

 

But what did it mean by ‘listening ears’?

 

Suddenly, something caught Woo-jin’s eye.

 

‘…A drone?’

 

The drones that had crashed to the ground with Baek-seo’s arrival.

 

There was nothing else appropriate.

 

The goblin coughed up blood and spoke with difficulty.

 

[The master has a plan…. When the plan succeeds, she will tell you everything…. That’s what she said….]

 

“What kind of nonsense is….”

 

Woo-jin couldn’t finish his sentence.

 

His eyes gradually widened.

 

A possibility had suddenly occurred to him.

 

“……?”

 

What Dalbi’s secret was.

 

Why Dalbi couldn’t reveal the secret.

 

Thanks to the goblin’s message, Woo-jin could guess.

 

[So then….]

 

Swoosh.

 

The goblin squeezed out its last words and turned into smoke, disappearing.