[Chapter 200]
[A Matter of Moments(9)]
I'm going to die here.
Jung Ha-yang had such a thought.
It was understandable, as no one could keep up with Maegu's speed.
It avoided all attacks.
And broke through all magic.
I don't want to die....
Death was very close.
It couldn't be avoided.
She had to face it directly.
Then, her life up until now quickly overlapped.
Happy things, sad things.
Joyful things, angering things.
All sorts of things came to mind.
But among them, the one that came to mind the most was only one person─.
─Eun-ha.
Noh Eun-ha.
Even if it's the last, please.
Before dying, I want to see that face even once.
Her wish was fulfilled in a way different from her thoughts.
─Phantasmal Beast Transformation
Liger Chain
Maegu, which was about to rush at her.
Was suddenly entwined by chains that appeared out of nowhere and had its movement sealed.
And Eun-ha abruptly revealed his back in front of her.
"Eun-ha...?"
It was undoubtedly Noh Eun-ha.
Jung Ha-yang muttered as if dazed.
Even though she knew the person in front of her was Eun-ha, he felt somehow unfamiliar.
She soon realized the reason.
He's surrounded by lightning, not flames.
...A new phantasmal beast?
The cloak of flames was nowhere to be seen.
Blue electric currents were constantly sparking around Eun-ha.
And chains were floating around his body.
Though she didn't know what had happened─.
"─Why did you come out too. It's dangerous."
"Ah.... I should come out and command."
"Leave it to someone else. Just stay there quietly."
"..."
"I'll somehow handle that thing."
"Okay."
A form she had never seen before.
Jung Ha-yang's gaze was completely captivated by Eun-ha.
She was already in love with him.
It seems she might fall in love once more.
Hearing Eun-ha's confident words.
She answered with a bright face.
☆
The egg obtained in Uijeongbu a few days ago.
That egg hatched.
Moreover, the egg responded to Eun-ha's call, displaying amazing speed as soon as it awoke and flew to Eun-ha.
It summoned itself using the pass connected to Eun-ha as coordinates.
But─.
─It's not a flying dragon.
How did this happen?
There was one thing wrong.
In the previous life, On Tae-yang's phantasmal beast wasn't the phantasmal beast Eun-ha had contracted now.
On Tae-yang's phantasmal beast was a dragon, but his current phantasmal beast was─.
─Grr
A liger.
And a snow-white liger at that.
Eun-ha grasped the phantasmal beast's existence through the sound echoing in his mind.
However, he couldn't grasp its identity.
He couldn't know what this phantasmal beast was based on.
The phantasmal beast also seemed not to know.
The phantasmal beast was just asking.
Now, can you fight that thing?
─Of course, thank you.
Eun-ha responded to the phantasmal beast.
Then the phantasmal beast conveyed an emotion that seemed joyful through the pass.
What a strange phantasmal beast.
Eun-ha drew an arc on his mouth, and now looked at Maegu.
You, what on earth did you do?
With a rattling sound.
Maegu tried to break free from the chains.
It, entwined by chains wrapped in lightning, couldn't move properly.
So much so that it sent a thought with a flustered face.
To this, Eun-ha answered─.
"─Do I need to explain that?"
No need for questions and answers.
It wasn't worth answering.
Eun-ha waved his hand.
The chains wrapped around his wrist were connected to the chains binding it.
As he pulled his hand back, the chains moved with a rattling sound.
It, bound by chains with electric currents flowing, was the same.
Platinum Cross
Unfortunately, mana was lacking.
Eun-ha struck down at it with a sword strike with all his might.
─Graaaah!!
The attack worked.
It was understandable since it took a direct hit in a situation where it couldn't even properly spread a barrier.
Moreover, it took a direct hit at close range.
A beam of light that shot up in a cross shape under the night sky pierced it.
This iiiis!!
But in exchange.
It was able to throw off the chains when Eun-ha's control weakened.
It, with blood on its leg from being pierced by the beam of light, moved quickly.
A snow-white trajectory cuts through the darkness and surrounds the players.
""""...."""
The players take steps back while forming a dense formation.
Someone will be sacrificed, but.
While one person is attacked, the rest try to attack Maegu.
But there was no need for that.
Rattle!
Eun-ha moved the chains.
When not borrowing the phantasmal beast's power, it was overwhelming just to follow Maegu with his eyes.
He could barely see the snow-white trajectory moving.
But now it was different.
I can see the movements.
The new phantasmal beast gifted excellent dynamic vision.
Maegu's movements came into view.
So there was no way he couldn't catch an opponent clearly visible to his eyes.
...!!
And as his confidence was realized.
The chains that cut through the air at high speed caught the leg of it that had been pierced by magic just now.
Maegu's movement, which was trying to confuse the players, was abruptly cut off.
Eun-ha quickly pulled the chains, making it visible to other people's eyes.
─Divine Punishment
At that moment, lightning struck.
Blue lightning hit Maegu hard.
Graaaaaaah!!
Maegu's form shakes unevenly.
Blue lightning devours it.
It took a direct hit.
An opponent bound by Eun-ha's chains has lowered mana resistance.
And starting with
Sizzle
And after taking one round of bombardment.
Smoke rose from the body of it, which survived the lightning.
Its white fur was blackened.
These things....
It flashed its eyes.
It was enraged.
A heavy pressure gushes out.
It was an aura sufficient to intimidate people exhausted from long battles.
Right at that moment─.
─Turn Back the Clock
Then she activated magic across all of Uijeongbu.
Fortunately.
Mana is filling up.
Injuries are recovering in an instant.
No, they're returning.
Eun-ha, who returned to his state from a day ago, could feel his body becoming lighter.
Unfortunately,
─Gift
The gift was still activating.
Power overflowed.
What would happen if he consumed mana recovered to the maximum here.
I can do it.
I can face Maegu.
Eun-ha immediately moved the chains.
Then Maegu leapt from its place and ran through the air just like that.
It turned its back.
─You think only you can use magic?
It's not running away.
The players sensed it.
It was trying to create distance to prepare some magic.
They tried to stop it.
But it ran and ran at a speed people couldn't chase.
At this, Eun-ha took a stance.
─Lightning Step
Sparks arose from his feet.
At a speed like lightning.
Eun-ha skipped the travel distance and immediately appeared at the desired target point.
At the same time, blue electric currents suddenly raged in the skipped distance.
It was the same where Eun-ha appeared.
──!!
Lightning was wrapped around his legs.
Eun-ha, who landed on one leg, immediately delivered a roundhouse kick to it.
It was flustered by the sudden attack and took the hit just like that.
With just that, Maegu, electrocuted by the current, was pushed to the side.
Not stopping there─.
─Thunderous Rotating Kick
The opposite leg.
Strong electric currents still remained in the leg that landed on the ground.
Eun-ha delivered another roundhouse kick, releasing the electric currents gathered in his leg.
──!!
A heavy blow.
This time too, he hit it properly.
Maegu rolled on the ground.
It, which stood up covered in dust, growled.
You really want to die!
Maegu bared its fangs.
Nine tails move.
The extended tails aim at Eun-ha.
Eun-ha blocked the incoming tails with his sword without giving time to escape.
──!!
Magic activated.
The tails flashed brightly.
Eun-ha, who was passing between the nine tails, opened his eyes wide.
Dazzling light engulfed him.
Winter Crawling on Snow
Since the Conversion Necklace was already used.
Eun-ha used Lee Yu-jung's handkerchief to spread protection magic.
Furthermore, he tried to absorb magic that couldn't be blocked with Winter Crawling on Snow.
Kuooo....
The sword makes a sorrowful sound.
The sound had no strength.
The blade dyed pitch black vibrates.
Yes, I understand.
The sword is announcing its end.
Winter Crawling on Snow, pushed to its limit, seemed to say this is as far as it goes.
Eun-ha, thanking his sword, launched a sword strike that would surely be Winter Crawling on Snow's last.
Kuoooooo!!
Winter Crawling on Snow shattered.
Unable to withstand the overload, it turns to ash and disappears.
Meanwhile, the black dragon released from the sword blade flew to burn its last.
The dragon opened its maw and swallowed Maegu with all its might.
Graaaah!!
It, swallowed by the black dragon, let out a fierce scream.
It must have been hard to defend against an attack that absorbed its magic.
Kyaaaah!!
But it was 2nd rank.
It, which was screaming in pain at first, finally tore apart the black dragon.
It, which tore apart the dragon's heroic end, rushed at Eun-ha.
Rattle!
The chains move.
It avoids with quick movements.
Nine tails fly in.
Eun-ha blocked the attack by defending with Winter Blooming Coldly.
What are you going to do with just one sword now?
It sneered.
It was mocking that Eun-ha's defense on the left had become lax after losing Winter Crawling on Snow.
And as if saying it wouldn't go easy, it ran around once and dug into his left side.
Eun-ha couldn't have not expected it.
He called to the phantasmal beast's pass.
Phantasmal Beast Transformation
Liger Blaster
The chains disappear.
A blaster wrapping Eun-ha's left arm is created.
A silver gun wrapped in blue electric currents aimed at the rushing Maegu.
Bewilderment settled on Maegu's face.
─Boom!!
Condensing lightning to the fullest.
Eun-ha fired lightning at it, which had leapt up very close.
A thick beam of light flew at it and swallowed it whole.
Ugh....
Damn it....
As the blue beam of light gradually weakened.
Maegu, swallowed by the powerful lightning, finally landed on the ground.
It staggered.
It didn't seem to have been penetrated.
But it was clear that it had taken significant damage.
And around that time─.
─Imperial Sword 8th Form
Sword Dragon Ascension
The 3rd Attack Platoon players who were separate from the special detachment.
Somewhere in the urban area.
He activated wide-area magic.
A giant sword appeared behind Ji Yong-hyeon's back.
─Rumble
It wasn't just one sword.
Large and small swords were appearing as if to pierce the sky, centered around the giant sword.
And as he waved the sword in his hand, the swords floating in the air all transformed into dragons at once.
─────!!
The dragons ascended.
As the giant dragon bit the manta ray, other dragons joined in biting.
Those dragons tear the body of the manta ray whose defense had sharply fallen.
Bubbbbbbb....
Finally unable to withstand the attack.
The Demon Face Manta Ray vanishes.
☆
The Demon Face Manta Ray vanished.
People confirmed the disappearance of it that had covered the sky over Uijeongbu.
Just then, day was breaking.
Above all─.
─Ah, damn it....
Due to the Demon Face Manta Ray's disappearance.
The red dungeon was disappearing.
The ground was returning to normal, and the surroundings were regaining their original colors.
Maegu frowned.
─Whoosh!
While people were cheering at this.
It immediately leapt from the ground.
And it─.
""""─...!!""""
Caught the falling skill stone in its mouth.
It immediately crushed the skill stone that entered its mouth.
It absorbs the providence contained inside.
Shock settled on the faces of the people who couldn't stop it.
On the other hand, it, which landed on the ground with a hop, grinned.
And looked at Eun-ha.
What's your name?
Maegu asked.
Fortunately, it didn't seem to have fully obtained the Demon Face Manta Ray's power.
As time passed and the red dungeon disappeared.
Only the ground it stepped on was bright red.
It seemed that was the limit of its ability to expand the dungeon.
Eun-ha was somewhat relieved at that.
What's your name?
Meanwhile, Maegu seemed annoyed.
It asked in an irritated tone.
"─Noh Eun-ha."
""""...."""
Eun-ha replied proudly.
At this, people were agitated.
It asking for his name meant nothing different from marking him as prey.
Yet he told it his name, making sure it remembered him clearly.
It was a crazy act.
But Eun-ha didn't care.
He would fight that thing again someday anyway.
No, it would surely be so.
Noh Eun-ha, Noh Eun-ha....
Alright, I've remembered your name.
Maegu repeated his name.
It split its long mouth.
As if saying it had found a worthy opponent after a long time.
You, you're interesting.
Come to where I live next time.
Let's have fun then.
Whether people were dumbfounded or not.
Maegu personally invited him to the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Office.
Soon it disappeared without a trace.
""""...."""
When Maegu disappeared.
People were wary at first.
But as time passed and there was no sign of it appearing.
Only then did they feel relieved.
Then exhaustion came.
They sat down on the ground one by one and sighed.
Eun-ha was the same.
"Phew...."
Actually, I really thought I was going to die.
It was too hard enduring the pressure of a 2nd rank.
Eun-ha, who sat down on the ground, decided to return the phantasmal beast to its original form.
Now I should see the phantasmal beast's face.
Just then, Buldak flew in too.
Eventually the phantasmal beast revealed its form and─.
"─Kuku kaka! Kang!"
"...Huh?"
"Pipi pipi papa papa pupu pupu!"
About the size of his forearm.
A snow-white liger cried happily.
It clung to Eun-ha's lap as he sat cross-legged.
It kept asking to be hugged.