Chapter 39 - Superior Assassin

"...Are you a user of the "GOETIA System", by chance?" He asked hesitantly, gulping down his anxiety as he stared at the cloaked man.

"...Ah…" The man breathed out, seeming to ignore his question, beginning to step towards him at an unnatural rhythm.

"Don't come any closer–!" He warned, holding his blades up.

Though, of course, his words held no bearing on the man's actions as he continued to drag his feet across the metallic, sooty ground, smiling and holding both his blade in his arm that hung limp at his side.

Once a certain threshold was crossed–there was no longer room for words as he was forced to combat the enigmatic, blade-wielding man, using a [Blink Step] to appear behind him. He planned to apprehend him by grabbing his arms–however, something else occurred.

From in front of him, the cloaked man disappeared from his sight.

What–? He thought.

–Behind him, he could feel that spine-chilling presence emerge, prompting him to use another [Blink Step] to create some distance. He looked back amidst breaking the distance, seeing the hooded, smiling man grinning wider than before.

"...Be not afraid…~"

Then, in the space between a second passing to another, the grinning, unknown man appeared directly in front of him, traversing the few meters between the two before he could blink.

It was unmistakable what was being used against him–it was something he was personally familiar with:

"[Blink Step]"

Faced with the skill he had been relying on all of this time, he felt his heart thump wildly in his chest–knowing his swiftness was something he didn't hold over his opponent now.

He's an assassin-class as well…? He thought.

He was forced to raise his guard to block against the jagged, saw-like shortsword wielded by the bandage-wrapped, cloaked man, feeling it slam harshly against his two daggers as sparks conjured from the clash of steel.

The thin man, slightly taller than himself with a longer reach, clearly possessed more raw strength, as well, feeling himself being thrown back by the impact of the guarded slash.

Being forced onto the defensive, he watched the man's blade as it was stabbed towards him, wildly slashed, and swung around without any rhyme or reason, simply seeking to rend his flesh as he narrowly evaded it each time.

"Cut it out–!" He tried to reason with the man once more.

Even using his daggers like shields, deflecting the man's singular, longer blade, he could feel the difference in speed, but it wasn't just that which caused him to be overwhelmed.

This tenacity–it's suffocating. He's like a wild animal, following the sole instinct to "kill"! He thought.

Cackling with muffled laughter between heavy breaths, the man moved erratically, staying low and aiming for his gut with his flurry of stabs and slashes, though he managed to avoid most of the attacks, at least the lethal ones.

Eventually, the frantic, unstoppable chain of attacks began to break through his guard as small slashes swept across his body, cutting through his uniform and lacerating his skin.

[Health Points: -50.]

[Health Points: -50.]

[Health Points: -50.]

[Health Points; -50.]

[Health Points: -50. Remaining Health Points: 2000/2250]

Though they didn't do much damage individually, the onslaught of attacks added up, taking away a chunk of his health before he repelled the man with a spinning kick to his chest.

It was only a temporary measure, as the erratic, mumbling man didn't seem to take any visible damage from the kick, only briefly stunned as he created room for himself.

…What's up with this guy? He's completely nuts–even more than Jun-seo…He thought.

Looking down as he caught his breath, he ran his fingertips across one of the lacerations on his abdomen, seeing the fresh paint of crimson on his pale skin.

Before he could properly regain himself, he looked up to find the man sprinting towards him, leaning forward as he let his arms hang limp in an unorthodox style before using a few successive [Blink Steps] to close the distance.

Being on the receiving end of the instantaneous-movement skill, he felt his anxiety spike as he used his own to evade the man, attempting to step past him, only to be intercepted by another use of the swift skill.

This time, met close with the man, he could see his face past his rugged, torn hood: it was layered in scars, but one prominent one stood out–in the center of his face, his flesh was missing in the shape of a cross, etched purposefully in an abhorrent manner.

His eyes were inhuman, holding the shape of a star that was eerily familiar, allowing his tongue to hang out as he seemed ecstatic to be face-to-face with the vermilion-haired young man.

He's just like Jun-Seo…! Those eyes–this must be something inherent to users of the "GOETIA System"--, he thought.

"Die! Die! Die!"

It was impossible to escape the tenacious man's wild attacks, unable to properly guard against the next combo as it was executed with surprisingly elegance, having his arms, legs, and sides slashed as his own blood dripped onto the ground.

"Ghh…!" He winced.

[Health Points: -500. Remaining Health Points: 1500/2250]

The fiery sensation of new, bubbling pain throbbed on various points of his body, feeling his blood drip onto the floor as the grin from the mysterious attacker only widened.

"Ripper–!"

The skill invocation slurred from the cross-scarred assailant's twisted, grinning lips, rearing his jagged blade overheard as he cornered Jeong-Hui in the back of the corridor, leaving him nowhere to run as his back was to the sable wall.

Ripper–?! He thought.

He knew well what kind of threat that skill was, but it never occurred to him how to counter such a move.

"Cast: Radiant Shield–!"

[Spirit: -150. Remaining Spirit: 2550/2700]

Out of sheer desperation and instinct to survive, he manifested the golden, glowing shield just as the brutal blade wielded by the bloodthirsty man rained down in search of his flesh.

As an assassin-class, defensive spells weren't his forte, but it was his only option in such circumstances, holding it with both of his hands while he felt the unnatural strength of the lanky, bandage-covered assailant repeatedly strike his seraphic, small barrier.

"Cut, cut, cut–! Do not deny my salvation!" The crazed man slurred out while wildly swinging his blade.

The strikes quickly began to crack the shield, causing golden particles to fill the shadow-damp corridor.

What can I do–?! In every way, he's better.. That wild tenacity of his makes him impossible to read, or to counter, and his strength and speed seem even better than mine…! So what can I do…!? He thought.