Chapter 62 - Elysion's Castle (4)

Chaeng!

Chae-aeng!

The two Reaperswords clashed violently as the battle continued.

My entire body's nerves were on edge in this intense battle of wits that I was experiencing for the first time in my life.

Simply looking three or four moves ahead and attacking was meaningless.

Because the Doppelgänger could also read that many moves.

Kwaaaaaang!

We were pushed back by each other's attacks and once again reformed our lines.

Now that Pallas's Shield had been destroyed, I too needed to be cautious.

If I were to get injured, it would affect the challenges in the subsequent rounds.

The Doppelgänger knew this well, too, so he was putting his heart and soul into making a single scratch on my body.

Of course, a long, long build-up would be necessary for this.

At an equal mana level, for him to make me create an opening and exploit it would be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.

-This is just absurd! How can you not make even a single tiny mistake?

“What's so surprising about it?”

I looked at the guy and smirked.

Even though it was a match of equals, I was the one leading the fight.

I relentlessly clung to the Doppelgänger's injury, and occasionally, I could find a momentary opening that the Doppelgänger allowed.

Just like now.

No matter how brief the moment, no matter how much he possessed my enlightenment, it didn't make sense to miss an opportunity like this.

Swish!

The tip of the Reapersword grazed his shoulder, and blood splattered.

With this, I had crossed the eighth ridge of the match.

But the Doppelgänger did not allow a follow-up attack.

The unconscious sword strike he extended was a perfect move for defense. Even though he was an enemy, I couldn't help but admire it.

-Aren't you curious? What our match would have been like without Pallas's Shield.

The Doppelgänger caught his breath and took a step back.

“That's a meaningless hypothetical.”

-Relying on item power isn't like you. Isn't that right?

The Doppelgänger complained for the first time.

“This feels strange. A guy with the same face as me making pathetic excuses.”

I had never once argued about the fights I fought.

Of course, I had no experience of losing, but even that one time I turned to ash from the dragon's breath, I accepted the result cleanly.

If I had tried to make excuses like others, there were plenty of excuses to be made.

At that time, I was carrying an injury, and it was true that I was not in optimal condition.

I took a breath and rushed towards him.

Now was the time to make a decisive move. It was time to attempt a big attack.

I filled the Reapersword with mana.

The guy's Reapersword, sensing the change, also emitted a fierce resonating sound.

Kwaaaaaang!

The two swords created a deafening roar, and the one who was clearly pushed back was the Doppelgänger.

I immediately squeezed out my mana and drew a tempestuous arc with the Reapersword.

A red line was revealed through the slash in his collar.

The Doppelgänger forced a smile.

-It's a victory of item power after all. Right?

“You have Guyeopcho's Necklace too, what are you talking about?”

-Still, the circumstances are different. You know it all.

Even if I emptied my magic power over and over, Guyeopcho's Necklace would replenish it, so there was no need to save magic for the next round.

This point was quite significant.

If I didn't have this item, my entire fighting strategy would have been completely different.

“You have a long tongue. Unbefitting of Johan Raven.”

Shwaaaaaak!

Having seized the momentum, I immediately continued my attack.

This time, a wound appeared on the Doppelgänger's chest.

His pupils momentarily wavered. But he soon smiled.

I didn't like his somewhat unnatural appearance.

If he had my appearance, the Doppelgänger should rightfully be detached from all situations.

-How does it feel, watching yourself crumble?

He panted and looked at me with a sneering gaze.

“Pathetic.”

-Even this patheticness is a part of you. Of course, you'd want to deny it.

“No. With this, there's something I've come to know for sure.”

At a glance, the Doppelgänger perfectly resembled me, but in reality, he was a different being.

That form was not Johan Raven, the ruler of the Kalia Continent and the most perfect Sword Master.

-You're just a human after all. That's why you lost to the dragon, isn't it?

I didn't want to hear anymore.

It was the Doppelgänger's acting, making me mistake it for another self of mine hidden in the subconscious.

Kwaaaaaak!

My Reapersword immediately pierced his mouth.

Along with him, I slowly closed my eyes.

I had won, but it wasn't a very pleasant scene.

[You have defeated the Doppelgänger.]

[Will you continue the challenge against a new Doppelgänger? You can obtain higher rewards as the number of challenges increases.]

I had no injuries, and my stamina wasn't very depleted.

Thanks to Guyeopcho's Necklace, my magic power was fully charged.

When the new challenge began, Pallas's Ring would soon be reset.

Most importantly, I gained valuable experience on how to deal with the Doppelgänger.

Meaning, there was no reason not to challenge.

“Challenge.”

Up to seven times would be easy.

***

A hazy, thick fog had descended.

This place, where one couldn't see an inch ahead, was the usual landscape of the Spring of Elixir.

Min Ha-rin had probably arrived first and was waiting for me somewhere in the spring.

I activated my Mana Eyes and scanned the surroundings.

It wasn't very large, but I remembered the shape of her mana, which was stable and well-managed.

‘Just like that one.’

Finding her wasn't a very difficult task.

“Oh? You really came and found me?”

“I told you. If you were waiting first, I would find you.”

“It's so hard to find people in the Spring of Elixir.”

“By the way, what about the result?”

Seeing Min Ha-rin's expression, it seemed she had achieved her goal. She immediately took out a golden coin from her Inventory.

This coin, issued only in Elysion's Castle, was a commemorative coin for clearing the quest.

Inside the circle, five flag patterns were engraved.

“I succeeded. Five of them!”

It was the moment the devil's number, which had not been broken for a long time after Seo Ji-hoon recorded four, was broken.

“As expected, you weren't an idiot.”

“You could at least give me a compliment.”

Actually, this was a fierce compliment in my own way.

Min Ha-rin then fumbled around in her Inventory and took something out.

“This is an infinite Abyss Rune.”

“A quest clear reward?”

“Yes. It’s amazing, right! I don't think I have to worry about collecting Abyss Runes from now on.”

It was a reward I also received this time.

It meant that from now on, I didn't have to pay an Abyss Rune every time I entered a quest area.

It also meant that I could accelerate my conquest of the Abyss.

“Oh! What happened with you, Unit Leader? It seems like it took you longer than me, could it be…?”

“Could it be, what?”

“Did you break my record too?”

I, too, took out a commemorative coin instead of words and showed it to her.

The number of flags engraved in the round coin was seven.

Min Ha-rin's eyes widened.

“N-No way!”

“Then do you think I forged it or something?”

“It’s not that, but seven is a new record!”

Since the previous highest record was six, that was true.

In fact, I could have aimed for eight or more, but I cleanly stopped at seven.

Because having set the highest record, I didn't want to bear any more risks.

“Then the reward you received, Unit Leader, is…”

“An infinite Abyss Rune.”

“Is that all?”

“No way.”

“Right.”

I liked the infinite Abyss Rune, but there was one more reward that was even better.

Item enhancement.

Elysion's Castle had proposed to enhance the function of one of the items I owned.

I was actually conflicted.

I had three main items.

The Reapersword, Pallas's Ring, and Guyeopcho's Necklace, which were dependable fellows that handled attack, defense, and magic power replenishment respectively.

My current lack of mana was my Achilles' heel, so I first thought of Guyeopcho's Necklace, but I immediately dismissed it.

My mana was at a minuscule level anyway. With the current item's function, it was possible to fully charge it at any time.

Of course, as time passed, my mana capacity would improve, and a moment would come when the current function would be unsatisfactory, but that was a problem to think about then.

I thought what was more important was the present.

Thus, my choice was Pallas's Ring.

Although my combat style placed a greater emphasis on attack than defense, my body was still full of risk factors, so I decided to invest in protecting my body.

“Are you not going to tell me what the other reward is?”

“We're not that close.”

“Right. I see.”

Min Ha-rin just gave an awkward smile.

***

Muwon Sword Family.

Min Ha-rin's heart trembled at the thought of having a private meeting with Han Byeong-cheol.

One of South Korea's Three Sword Gods, the Grand Head of the Muwon Sword Family, and the person Min Ha-rin herself respected most in the world.

Furthermore, to her, Han Byeong-cheol was a benefactor and a hero.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“Yes. Thanks to your consideration, it was a successful expedition.”

“Successful, you say. I'm looking forward to hearing what kind of results there were.”

“Would you like to hear the results right away?”

“No. The most delicious food is best enjoyed by savoring it until the end. Let's hear some stories from your time there first.”

“Understood.”

“First, Seo Ji-han. What kind of person was he in your eyes?”

At this question, Min Ha-rin couldn't help but hesitate for a moment.

It was as if that amazing and intense memory was coming back to life.

“I could understand why the Grand Head sent me with him.”

“It seems he was a great help to you.”

“Sparring with that person was a time for me to deeply reflect on myself. Of course, it was thanks to the memo that the Grand Head had arranged.”

Han Byeong-cheol smiled warmly.

“So that fellow saw the memo I scribbled and managed to catch your weaknesses well, Ha-rin.”

“That's right.”

“Could you explain the process in more detail?”

“Yes.”

Min Ha-rin began to recount what had happened in Elysion's Castle without adding or subtracting anything.

From being instantly subdued in the first duel, to Seo Ji-han's coaching sessions, and even the time he acted as a virtual Doppelgänger.

But the more she talked about Seo Ji-han, the more she found herself praising him without even realizing it.

The reason she suddenly stopped talking was that Han Byeong-cheol's expression, who was listening, had become serious.

“So that kind of thing happened with that fellow.”

“That's right.”

“Then, Ha-rin, what help did you give to that fellow?”

Min Ha-rin couldn't help but hesitate once again.

She had done nothing for Seo Ji-han.

In fact, she couldn't.

Because she felt an unbelievably vast difference in class between them.

This was actually an absurd thing, but it was true that she had experienced such an emotion.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“That person said he didn't need any help from me.”

At that moment, Han Byeong-cheol decided to stop listening to any more stories.

What he was curious about now was the end of this expedition. Whether Min Ha-rin had brought back any results.

“So, Ha-rin, what is your record?”

“I broke through five stages.”

At this answer, Han Byeong-cheol's lips twitched slightly.

Because he knew well how amazing and great this record was.

It was a triumphant achievement that he wanted to send out a press release for immediately.

“As expected! You didn't betray my expectations! You did well!”

But even as he praised Min Ha-rin's record, he felt something uneasy.

Han Byeong-cheol thus asked immediately.

“Then what about that child, Seo Ji-han?”

But Min Ha-rin couldn't answer right away.

Because she knew the expectations Han Byeong-cheol had for her.

“That person's record is…”

“Yes, go on and answer.”

After Min Ha-rin's answer, only a long silence lingered between the two for a while.