Chapter 52. Eight Guardians (2)
When Jegal Geum first attacked Kang Yujin, even I was shocked by how fast and precise his movement was.
If I had still been human, I probably wouldn't even have understood what happened.
But after reincarnating as a Constellation, my eyesight had improved enough that I could clearly follow the attack.
Spear Hand...
Spear Hand.
A striking method where the fingers are pressed together and used like a pointed weapon to stab an enemy.
Under normal circumstances, it didn't seem very practical.
The person using it looked more likely to injure their own fingers.
But among Contractors...
That logic didn't necessarily apply.
As expected, he's a skilled martial artist.
Even from my perspective, Jegal Geum was a true expert.
His very first attack had landed on Kang Yujin and made him bleed.
That alone put him around Sama Yun's level...
Or possibly above him.
After that, Jegal Geum continued overwhelming Kang Yujin.
Part of that came from his fighting style.
Spear Hand doesn't require large movements.
That works in his favor here.
The passage between train cars was extremely narrow.
For Kang Yujin, who normally took advantage of his physical abilities by moving wildly around the battlefield, it was a very restrictive environment.
Even if Lee Jukheon wanted to help, there wasn't enough space to freely swing his sword.
He couldn't display his full strength either.
Under those conditions...
Jegal Geum used his Spear Hand attacks to control the entire fight with veteran skill.
But...
Jegal Geum's Spear Hand was undeniably dangerous.
His fingertips pierced Kang Yujin like sharp blades.
Kang Yujin had already suffered at least ten wounds and was bleeding heavily.
But...
Kang Yujin was a man who had endured being stabbed by the legendary Azure Steel Sword.
Just as he had done when defeating Lee Jukheon in the past...
Kang Yujin waited until Jegal Geum's Spear Hand pierced deeply.
Then he counterattacked.
Taking all of the enemy's attacks and then launching a violent counterattack...
Should I call that Kang Yujin's fighting style?
There was no need for me to interfere with a Blessing.
Kang Yujin had reversed the fight using his own strength.
"Urgh!"
Kang Yujin looked down at Jegal Geum lying on the passage floor and sighed.
The opportunity had come when Jegal Geum's fingertips stabbed deeply into his abdomen.
Kang Yujin had managed to grab his wrist.
Then he twisted the arm.
That essentially sealed one of Jegal Geum's Spear Hands.
From there, Kang Yujin pressured him relentlessly.
Eventually...
He succeeded in slamming Jegal Geum into the floor.
"Let's stop here, old man."
Kang Yujin stared down at Jegal Geum.
"You probably broke bones all over your body."
"Even if you're a Contractor, I doubt an old man's bones become that tough."
He turned toward Lee Jukheon.
"Right?"
"I have no idea..."
"You insolent brats..."
Even while lying on the ground with his face twisted in pain...
Jegal Geum had not lost his fighting spirit.
"Hup!"
He inhaled sharply.
Then he stood in one movement.
"Impressive."
"Seriously..."
Jegal Geum glared furiously at Kang Yujin.
"Just what the hell are you?"
"You deliberately let my Spear Hand pierce your body so you could counterattack."
"Do you not value your life?"
"I'm still alive."
"If I'd gone even a little deeper, you'd already be dead!"
"Maybe."
Kang Yujin shrugged.
"I don't really know."
He lacked the experience to judge that precisely.
"So what are you going to do now?"
Kang Yujin stared calmly at him.
"You don't seem to have much chance of winning."
"Do you still want to continue?"
"Urgh...!"
Jegal Geum ground his teeth.
"Kukukuk."
Li Kui laughed behind Shi Jin.
"Guys who underestimate Kang Yujin always end up like that."
"..."
"If you'd actually watched him fight in the central-western region, you could've predicted this."
"Even watching Constellation Tube would've been enough."
Shi Jin bit his lip.
Li Kui's words were humiliating.
Still...
Shi Jin forced down his anger.
"I admit it, Li Kui."
"Hm?"
"Kang Yujin is more impressive than I expected."
"But I'm not talking about combat strength."
Shi Jin's expression hardened.
"I'm saying he's difficult to control."
"Ah."
Li Kui nodded.
"Now you're finally understanding."
"So..."
Shi Jin manipulated the observation device and opened a menu.
"What are you doing?"
"When I make a plan..."
Shi Jin spoke coldly.
"I always prepare a final option for unexpected situations."
"Final option?"
"Exactly."
Just as arranged beforehand...
Shi Jin sent a signal to Earth.
"If Kang Yujin is too difficult to control, then I don't need him."
"Wait."
Li Kui frowned.
"What are you planning?"
"Jegal Geum isn't the only Contractor on that train under my influence."
Shi Jin removed his hand from the observation device.
"This ends here."
"...!"
At that instant...
A massive explosion erupted inside the passage between the train cars.
"What the hell?!"
Seok Taejun was fighting the Wyverns from atop the Chimera when the train suddenly exploded.
"What happened?!"
"The attack didn't come from outside."
Joo Minha, who was riding behind him, spoke calmly.
"The explosion seems to have come from inside the train."
"Kang Yujin and Lee Jukheon still haven't come outside."
Seok Taejun shouted.
"I was already worried something happened, and now this...!"
He tried to make the Chimera descend.
But the Wyverns rushed in and blocked their approach.
"Damn it!"
Seok Taejun swung the spear Kang Yujin had given him and tried to break through.
But the Wyverns seemed to realize the situation had changed.
They became far more aggressive.
Kang Yujin! Lee Jukheon!
A terrible feeling filled Seok Taejun as he called his companions' names in his head.
The sudden explosion made the observation screen shake violently.
"What did you just do?!"
"The Mountain-Breaking Sword."
Shi Jin answered calmly.
The one-use sword that could supposedly destroy even mountains.
In reality...
Unlike Jegal Geum's explanation, this particular Mountain-Breaking Sword was not genuine.
It was a replica with much weaker power.
Even so...
It was more than enough to shake an entire train.
"Jegal Geum left the Mountain-Breaking Sword behind when he moved away."
Shi Jin shrugged.
"Someone must have accidentally touched it."
"Like hell!"
Li Kui shouted.
"You arranged it! You ordered another Contractor to activate it, didn't you?!"
"Do you have proof?"
"You bastard...!"
"Jegal Geum was caught in the explosion too."
Shi Jin smiled faintly.
"You could say I'm also a victim."
Jegal Geum was not the kind of man who would die from an explosion of this level.
He would be injured.
But he could definitely be treated.
"Hmm."
Shi Jin manipulated the observation device.
"We should change the viewpoint."
Until now, he had been watching the Apostle's internal broadcast.
Now he switched to the standard aerial observation view.
"The entire train wasn't destroyed."
Because the Mountain-Breaking Sword was only a replica...
It had not blown the whole train apart like the genuine artifact might have.
Still...
Part of the roof had been destroyed.
The inside of the passage was exposed.
That meant they could still see the situation from above.
"They're all stubbornly alive."
