Episode 61: The Reward Beyond Dimensions (3)
Kang Min-hyuk was immersed in the same worries as those he encountered in the Green Dragon situation. Could he defeat an A-class Werewolf with wizardry alone? It was utterly impossible. The monsters were immune to the third circle’s magic, and the elimination of a safe distance could, and likely, would allow the Werewolf the opportunity to bite. So, what could he do? Kang Min-hyuk pondered over his options. By reviewing his experiences as a reinforced warrior and Elisha’s abilities and other excellent wizards, he found his own way to defeat A-class monsters.
He discovered that the fourth circle was the minimum level that could inflict damage to the Werewolf, but it seemed that it wouldn’t be enough to defeat it. With the circle’s correlation, Kang Min-hyuk thought that there could be a way to achieve his goal.
Kyaak!
The Werewolf rushed toward Kang Min-hyuk. Due to the accumulated damage, the Werewolf’s speed was not as fast as it had been initially, but it was still too fast for the wizard to pause. Kang Min-hyuk spread mana in the air, stony-faced even in a dangerous situation that could have ended his life.
Hwaak.
“Aqua Arrow.”
A bunch of Arrows formed out of water appeared and burst into the Werewolf.
Pow!
No damage was inflicted, but the attack was aimed at the eyes, and it hindered the Werewolf’s vision. Semi-blindness didn’t mean that the monster couldn’t navigate, though; all five senses were honed to precision, and it turned to scent to hunt its prey.
Kang Min-hyuk foresaw the change.
“Poison, Wind.”
Vrooom!
Wham!
The poison wasn’t potent enough to cause lethal damage, but it was a type that caused paralysis, and the wind-spell was fanning it. The effect was not dramatic. Although the Werewolf’s speed did not decrease at all, Kang Min-hyuk initially wanted the smell of poison to interfere with the Werewolf’s senses in an attempt to disrupt its ability to track.
“Rock!”
Puck!
Kang Min-hyuk ran.
Summoning a rock hindered the Werewolf’s advancement, and at the same time, he double-cast second circle magic.
“Dark fog.”
Kurrureung.
Fog summons was a brand of magic that had not yet been developed in the reinforced civilization, and dark fog caused sightlessness. While turning off time with some Circle one magic, Kang Min-hyuk made the Werewolf unable to determine his location. The Werewolf reared up, gnashing its great, dripping jaws at the air Kang Min-hyuk had just inhabited. It was using its keen hearing to locate its prey.
Flames were born from Min-hyuk’s hands.
“Fire burst.”
“Fire Lance.”
Pop!
Raagghhh!
A spark broke out on the chest of the Werewolf. Kang Min-hyuk was using the schism – one mind held back the Werewolf’s advance while the other prepared third circle magic. The Werewolf’s face crumpled with pain; mighty fangs exposed in a dark grimace.
“Noise!”
Skkreeeeee!
A high-pitched sound filled the room, echoing off the walls. It was the moment that the Werewolf really lost its cool and began to panic in confusion.
Kang Min-hyuk used to think that the only way to tackle A-class monsters was to attack from a safe vantage point. It seemed a natural prerequisite. So, with a quick cast, he hindered the opponent’s advance, blocking sight, smell, and hearing in turn. Even A-class monsters are living creatures. There is no ability beyond the senses, so even small magic will have a great effect. Kang Min-hyuk thought quickly and turned to move to cast. He held his breath.
In the meantime, his brain’s abilities were actively reviving, and he quickly prepared the 4th Circle magic.
Raagghhhhhh!
The Werewolf shrieked. The fog that obscured its view, the harsh smell that irritated its nose, and the noise that filled its ears were enough to make it snap. When it lost track of its prey, the beast rallied around, brutally ravaging everything in its path.
Kwakwang!
The ground broke; frenzied jaws were tossing about the Orcs corpses that lay scattered upon the floor, and dark green blood spattered everywhere.
Suddenly, the monster’s pointed ears pricked up, twitching to attention. For the Werewolf to capture the slightest movement, he focused every sense into his hearing, jerking its head this way and that to decipher its surroundings.
“Rune flare.”
“Rune flare.”
A double-cast. The damage was incurred, at last.
Pop!
Rrrrumble!
The Werewolf was engulfed in a raging flame. However, its eyes were alert and full of hunger. Even though it had already been hit several times by magic that exceeded the fifth circle’s power, the Werewolf did not fall but captured the location where the magic began. And the moment it was about to rush in, magic stuck right next to it.
“Fire burst.”
Pop!
Min-hyuk immediately darted away from the space he’d cast within, knowing that his opponent would instinctively attack the location where magic was last used. The Werewolf ducked its head, spurred the ground, and attacked the starting point of the magic.
Finally, Dark Fog’s effect faded; the smoke was lifted, and Kang Min-hyuk was present in the Werewolf’s view.
Kwa-duk!
The Werewolf tried to bite. However, Kang Min-hyuk had no problems evading the attack. He disappeared in a wisp of smoke, and the fiery mana left in his place was sucked into the Werewolf’s body. It was the power of Illusion.
Kang Min-hyuk went on to prepare four spells: three offensive spells, and the other using Illusion. Illusion’s purpose was not offensive. Illusion entices opponents by altering their reality. The moment the Werewolf hit the Illusion, the mana of the fire attribute prepared in advance was unleashed.
The set-up was complete, and the battle entered its final phase.
“Rune flare.”
Pop!
Rrrrumble!
Rrumble!
When the last magic prepared by Kang Min-hyuk exploded on the Werewolf, a strong flame arose from within the beast.
Eh eh, eh, eh!
The Werewolf howled in pain. Its solid outer armor prevented most attacks, but it could not withstand the internal shock. Heat radiated from inside of the Werewolf. It was Elisha’s technique.
It wasn’t an ideal solution…
* * *
He thought it would be perfect. Even in the simulation training that was repeated several times in his head, the Werewolf crumbled. The reality was grim. If A-class monsters were easy targets, they would have already been conquered by wizards.
Kyaak!
From then on, it was a series of crises. The angry Werewolf charged in, and Kang Min-hyuk used circle one magic to block its approach as much as possible. But that wasn’t the perfect solution. Unless the Werewolf was defeated, there would be a limit of stamina and mana as a wizard, and eventually, he would perish.
If he had repeatedly used the Circle 4 magic from a safe distance (the iron fence, for example), he might have defeated the Werewolf, but now he was in grave peril.
Hwaak!
Hook!
“Ugh!”
Kang Min-hyuk fell to the floor. The Werewolf’s attack narrowly passed in front of him. When he blocked its sight, smell, and hearing, it didn’t neutralize its power. He had no time to refocus and concoct another plan. Also, it became apparent that the Werewolf was developing immunity to the sensory distortions.
He recalled a passage from the spell-book he had learned the techniques in. The effect of repeated use of the spells eventually wore off against opponents such as Class A monsters. As the immunity developed, the Werewolf gradually located Kang Min-hyuk. Min-hyuk generated powerful attack magic with a moving cast, but the Werewolf still showed no signs of falling.
He was at the edge of a cliff…he had no time to climb the high iron fence, and death drew ever closer.
“Think, think.”
His head twisted tight. He needed a way to break through that hard shell.
It was then that Kang Min-hyuk came up with an idea. He recalled the Trial. He had made a mental method by watching the flow of mana there. But what would happen if the flow that created ‘a phenomenon’ by collecting mana at a point is applied to magic?
It was a remarkably simple solution and a necessary gamble in the current situation – it might be the only means of survival.
“Dark fog.”
Kurrureung.
The surroundings were colored with darkness. Since it couldn’t stop the immunized Werewolf, he summoned Illusion and took the Werewolf away to gain a moment. His brainpower was activated. This time, the split-mind did not use separate spells but worked together on the completion of one. The casting was fulfilled at an incredibly fast speed.
Thinking divided into two was effective not only for the advantages of multi-casting but also for single-use magic. Kang Min-hyuk used a form of explosion he had discovered in the Trial space.
Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwang!
There was a huge explosion. The Werewolf blasted away, and pathetic yelps fell from its jaws.
“If this doesn’t work, I’ll die.”
Min-hyuk’s mouth was bone-dry.
The Werewolf emerged from the smoke.
Tuk.
Blah.
It fell. Beneath its charred fur and glazed eyes, no trace of life could be found.
* * *
The last blow was a gamble, but it worked. Kang Min-hyuk stared at the inert Werewolf and sat down on the floor.
Thump.
“Hoowook, hoowook.”
He gasped for breath. His body trembled. Strong-of-heart as he was, Kang Min-hyuk couldn’t control his shaking as the adrenaline left his body, leaving a sense of physical shock.
“What was that magic?”
The explosion phenomenon; its power was not that of Circle 4. Like the magic Elisha used, the power of the explosion reached six circles.
“That was obviously ungraded magic.”
It was magic that does not have a fixed circle but changes its power depending on the circle it was cast from. It was a treasured form even in magical civilization, and representatively, the Illusion learned by Kang Min-hyuk was no different.
When using explosions, Kang Min-hyuk consumed a huge amount of mana. Four circles rotated fiercely, causing strong explosive power, and the mana used at that time was more than three times higher than the sum of Circle four. As his body settled, laughter bloomed in Kang Min-hyuk’s face.
“Ha ha ha ha ha.”
He succeeded! Dealing with the class-A Werewolf was a gamble, but in the killing crisis, Kang Min-hyuk unveiled a secret to defeating A-class monsters. Of course, there were still many things that were lacking.
If it wasn’t a Werewolf, but a monster that used mana, most of his confusion methods wouldn’t have worked, and two or more A-class monsters could never be defeated in such a way. However, he had to be happy because he succeeded in what was said to be impossible.
“I am strong.”
People called Archmage in the fortified civilization may have had more power than him, but he had greater potential. The guards would arrive soon…it was time to leave. Kang Min-hyuk didn’t want his power to be revealed in that way. He descended the emergency ladder, pulled out of the railing, and left the training ground before others arrived.
A few seconds later…
The guards arrived just as Min-hyuk departed. Their mouths dropped open at the sight that greeted them.
“It’s Hell…”
Ravaged carcasses of numerous Orcs…it was a familiar thing at the Monster Wave training ground. The problem was with one of the corpses in particular.
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