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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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A few minutes before the General’s Shout reached them.
The situation was deteriorating rapidly.
‘Is he… distorting space?’
While there seemed to be some limitations, the demon before them was deflecting every attack.
Woo Do-hyun’s swordsmanship, Bellos’s magic, Mijuran’s strikes—all were useless against Chaitus.
Woong woong woong.
Every time that peculiar sound resonated around him, space distorted, and they suffered the consequences.
If it were simple reflection, they would have been able to avoid the attacks entirely. But it wasn’t—the same attacks were emerging from the distorted space, catching them off guard.
‘Those black mana spheres seem to be the problem.’
Five spheres floated around Chaitus.
This meant, theoretically, he could defend against five simultaneous attacks.
‘The hallway’s too narrow to launch five attacks at once.’
Despite Woo Do-hyun and Mijuran’s combined firepower and repeated attempts to break through, Chaitus wasn’t a fool.
He deflected their attacks with the spheres, skillfully dodging and counterattacking, leaving them with no openings.
“We need a new strategy. Woo Do-hyun, did the commoner tell you anything else?”
“No, even Seok-hyun couldn’t have predicted this.”
“…That’s true.”
With each step they took, the pressure mounted. It wasn’t Chaitus who was growing anxious, but Ki Ju-seon.
Bellos, even as he spoke, realized he was unconsciously relying on Lee Seok-hyun.
But he wasn’t the only one.
Many students were depending on Lee Seok-hyun’s commands, his leadership having made a significant impact in their short time together.
It was the ripple effect of his influence, an impact Lee Seok-hyun himself hadn’t fully anticipated.
‘I have to do something.’
Ki Ju-seon wanted to be their pillar of support, but that was beyond his capabilities.
He was a researcher, accustomed to the confines of his laboratory, not the chaos of battle. This situation was unfamiliar, his position uncomfortable.
Circumstances had forced him onto the front lines.
If the battle had progressed as expected, Ki Ju-seon would have remained in his laboratory, developing weapons.
And unfortunately, while he was lost in thought, time continued to slip away.
Bang!
“Kyaak!”
Yu So-hyun’s water magic barrier reached its limit, and Meiri’s mystical arts could no longer slow Chaitus’s advance.
Bellos was dry heaving from mana exhaustion, and Mijuran had long since collapsed, her body battered and bruised.
Even Woo Do-hyun, trying to use his sword as a cane to stand, couldn’t muster the strength. His body, filled with despair, refused to obey.
‘…This is bad.’
Ki Ju-seon glanced down at the Manaplate Armor in his arms.
He needed to get this to Lee Seok-hyun, this fruit of their labor, this winter bloom.
He had to deliver it, no matter what.
Thump, thump.
The situation was dire.
Chaitus approached slowly.
He was the embodiment of death.
‘Is this how I die?’
Without even realizing my dream.
To fade away so meaninglessly.
As they each swallowed their aspirations, despair threatening to consume them…
Is this all Class S is capable of?! Eliminate the enemy before you and regroup at the training grounds! That is all!
A familiar voice echoed through the narrow hallway.
The confident command, ordering them to defeat a high-rank demon and return, was so absurd it was almost laughable.
The annoying voice that always pointed out their flaws during sparring, the one who somehow managed to find their weaknesses with pinpoint accuracy.
“He talks big for someone who’s never learned anything.”
Bellos chuckled dryly, pushing himself up.
“That’s what happens when you only think from your own perspective.”
Mijuran, glancing at Bellos, used the wall to support herself as she stood.
“I hate Seok-hyun.”
“He could be a bit more considerate.”
Meiri and Yu So-hyun also chided their distant class president as they gathered their strength.
“Seok-hyun’s really casual with his speech.”
Woo Do-hyun smiled faintly, raising his sword.
Lee Seok-hyun didn’t speak empty words.
His seemingly nonsensical feedback during sparring had always led to significant improvements if they followed his instructions.
They believed this time would be no different.
– Sometimes, simplifying things is the answer. Become the sword. Just become the sword.
Become the sword.
Lee Seok-hyun’s seemingly vague advice now resonated with him.
“Professor, leave this to us and go to Seok-hyun.”
You have something to deliver.
With those words, Woo Do-hyun confidently walked towards Chaitus.
The main character of Final Destiny, blessed with innate talent.
This was the moment of his true awakening.
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‘I’ve done everything I can.’
I’d used the General’s Shout to accelerate their awakening and create an opportunity for Ki Ju-seon to bring the Manaplate Armor.
Now, all I could do was endure.
But the situation had changed.
“You’re quite relaxed, considering I’m standing right here.”
Garan was no longer playing games.
He’d stopped his taunts and was now focusing on ending me, his lower body wreathed in dark mana.
Every attack was aimed at a vital point, each blow carrying enough force to tear my skin.
‘If I actually get cut, I’m dead.’
Dark mana poisoning was fatal, regardless of whether one could use mana.
Only demons could withstand it, which is why Garan was pressing his attack so aggressively.
He wanted to see me break, to witness my desperation, to watch me embrace the demonic path to survive.
Whirrrrrr.
Fortunately, I could still endure.
Infinite Track continuously healed my body, and Weaving allowed me to deflect his attacks, twisting his trajectory by a hair’s breadth.
‘I need to hold out for another minute or two.’
While I was managing for now, the increasing speed of his attacks meant I had to move more erratically, pushing my body harder.
A minute or two might sound short, but it was more than enough time to be torn to shreds.
I’d already removed the weights from my limbs, so hoping for a miracle was unrealistic.
‘Better to use it now before it’s too late.’
I decided to unleash my hidden trump card.
I hadn’t planned on using it until I acquired the Manaplate Armor, but the situation called for drastic measures.
Whirrrrrr.
Infinite Track synchronized with the user’s body.
Since I was still inexperienced, my Infinite Track could only circulate slowly, limiting the stat boost.
If Acasa had activated it, her Infinite Track would have spun furiously, granting immense power.
This was a skill that could only be improved through training, or so ‘they’ believed.
‘I’ll accelerate it manually.’
One of Infinite Track’s effects was expanding consciousness.
I used this to imprint an idealized image of myself onto my mind, overriding my physical limitations.
I imagined myself moving faster, stronger, more relentlessly.
Whirrrrrr.
When the mind believes it can do more than the body allows, Infinite Track bridges that gap by accelerating beyond its limits.
The crucial point was maintaining that idealized image once acceleration was activated.
Failing to control the surging power…
‘Could overload my body and kill me instantly.’
Bang!
The moment I felt that explosive surge within me, I slammed my foot into the ground and charged at Garan.
Even a cat would be startled if the mouse it was toying with suddenly attacked.
Garan, caught off guard, faltered, and I seized the opportunity, driving my elbow into his jaw.
Bam!
‘Now to press the attack.’
I’d spent the last few minutes dodging and buying time; now I had to overwhelm him before he recovered.
I couldn’t be certain how long my body could maintain this accelerated state, and time was running out.
If Garan decided to get serious and unleash his full power, I would be extinguished like a candle in the wind.
‘I need to keep him interested.’
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat.
I pressed forward relentlessly, giving him no chance to counterattack. I channeled Natural Mana to create a defensive barrier, mitigating his dark mana attacks.
“Interesting, interesting…”
“No time for monologues.”
No time for posturing.
Garan, sensing an opening in my attack, smirked and began to speak, but I immediately shoved my fist into his mouth, silencing him.
With one hand muffling his words, I used the other to deliver a devastating Flash of Insight to his jaw, shattering his jawbone.
“Student Lee Seok-hyun!”
And at that perfect moment, Ki Ju-seon arrived.
It was divine timing.
Or so I thought.
“Yes, now I understand why you never gave up hope.”
That’s it.
Garan, his jaw broken and his monologue interrupted, turned to look at Ki Ju-seon with an expression that screamed, ‘Playtime’s over.’
With a clear, deliberate gesture, he charged at Ki Ju-seon.
“Professor, dodge!”
My only hope was fading.
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