Chapter 78

Chapter 78. Collision (1)

Crackle!

Even as Lee Hyeonje moved with lightning around his fist...

There was no real killing intent coming from him.

From Lee Hyeonje's perspective...

This was not a fight to the death.

He still had a favorable opinion of Kang Yujin.

This clash was merely the result of a difference in judgment.

They had not truly become enemies.

He only needed to subdue Kang Yujin here...

Then talk things out later and reconcile.

The real objective...

Was securing Ha Mina.

Because of that...

Lee Hyeonje had no intention of using full power.

If he poured lightning down from long range...

He could probably win easily.

But that felt cowardly.

Even if he won that way...

There was no chance Kang Yujin would calmly talk things out afterward.

Lee Hyeonje expected great things from Kang Yujin.

He wanted him to grow even further.

That was why...

He chose close combat.

He believed Kang Yujin might even learn something from this fight.

Lee Hyeonje's plan was simple.

Defeat Kang Yujin in close combat...

Make him clearly understand the difference in strength...

Then Kang Yujin would accept the result and hand over Ha Mina.

That was why Lee Hyeonje intended...

To end everything in a single strike.

Kang Yujin had already understood Lee Hyeonje's thoughts.

He's trying to defeat me in close combat and make me understand the difference in strength.

Then I'll supposedly accept it and hand Ha Mina over.

That was probably exactly what Lee Hyeonje was thinking.

If Lee Hyeonje unleashed lightning from a distance...

Kang Yujin would have difficulty responding.

But Lee Hyeonje wouldn't go that far.

He was suspicious of Ha Mina...

But he wasn't hostile toward Kang Yujin.

Fortunately...

Lee Hyeonje wasn't a complete stranger.

They had built a relatively friendly relationship.

He's probably planning to end me in one hit.

Lee Hyeonje's attack was as fast as lightning.

It wasn't a probing strike.

He was clearly trying to settle the fight.

If it landed...

Kang Yujin would suffer not only the impact of the fist...

But also the lightning damage.

There was no killing intent...

But it was still a decisive blow.

Then...

Kang Yujin dodged the lightning-fast attack with his new movement technique.

A-rank Skill [Circular Step].

It was a Skill that moved in a circular pattern...

Allowing the user to avoid an attack while rotating toward the enemy's side or back.

It was one of Jegal Geum's best techniques...

And Kang Yujin had learned it specifically to counter Somun Gwang's [Instant Step].

I'll take Lee Hyeonje down in one strike too.

The Skill supported his movement...

Allowing Kang Yujin to reach a speed he had never experienced before.

In an instant...

He moved around Lee Hyeonje's side.

Before Lee Hyeonje could react...

Kang Yujin slammed one foot down.

[Instant Step] first.

Then [Fa Jin].

He drew power through Stomping Step.

The energy generated through the shift of his mass...

Was driven directly into Lee Hyeonje's side.

BOOM!

Lee Hyeonje's body lifted into the air.

But it wasn't enough.

Even while airborne...

Lee Hyeonje's eyes widened and locked onto Kang Yujin.

Lightning spread around his body.

One hit isn't enough?

Kang Yujin was disappointed.

He still lacked skill.

If Lee Hyeonje counterattacked now...

Kang Yujin would once again be forced onto the defensive.

If Lee Hyeonje pushed his speed to the limit...

Even [Circular Step] wouldn't be enough.

Lee Hyeonje was fast.

The lightning surrounding him...

Probably accelerated his movements somehow.

But Kang Yujin had learned something during the Han River battle.

Lee Hyeonje was extremely fast...

Only after wrapping his entire body in lightning.

That brief moment before the lightning fully surrounded him...

Could be exploited.

If one strike isn't enough...

Then two.

Kang Yujin rotated around the foot he had planted for the Stomping Step.

Lee Hyeonje was just about to surround himself with lightning and move.

That tiny instant.

Suspended in the air...

Lee Hyeonje could neither dodge nor defend.

Kang Yujin drove his upper body forward.

A shoulder strike.

Hwaseong Sect-Style Tieshankao.

It slammed directly into Lee Hyeonje.

Everyone fell silent.

Princess Longji standing behind me...

And Lee Gyu beyond the communication window...

Neither could say a word.

The exchange had lasted only an instant.

If they weren't Constellations...

They might not even have understood what happened.

But the result was unmistakable.

Kang Yujin...

Had knocked down Lee Hyeonje...

One of the two strongest members of the Eight Guardians.

"My goodness."

"No way."

Princess Longji and Lee Gyu finally reacted.

Then...

The observation device exploded with countless Constellation messages.

The response was overwhelming.

"N-Nameless Constellation..."

"Did Kang Yujin really defeat Lee Hyeonje instantly?"

"Hahaha!"

"This is insane!"

"How did that even happen?"

"Honestly, I thought Kang Yujin was about to get destroyed!"

"Hahaha!"

Listening to Princess Longji and Lee Gyu shout...

I let out a relieved breath.

Kang Yujin did well.

He must have realized Lee Hyeonje was holding back slightly.

That was why...

He attacked with everything from the beginning.

He tried to settle the fight before Lee Hyeonje could display his real strength.

He handled it well using Jegal Geum's techniques.

He avoided the attack with [Circular Step]...

Moved around Lee Hyeonje's side...

Used a Stomping Step strike to launch him into the air...

Then finished with Tieshankao.

He even used a combo.

He's grown a lot.

I smiled to myself.

"Now then..."

I glanced at the endless Constellation messages...

Then manipulated the observation device again.

I fixed the screen on Ha Mina...

Who was curled up with both hands covering her face.

Through the gaps between her fingers...

Her eyes were clearly smiling.

"Haa..."

Kang Yujin let out a long breath.

A faint ache ran through his entire body.

He had probably pushed his muscles to their limit.

"K-Kang Yujin..."

Ha Mina's voice reached him.

"To defeat Lee Hyeonje so quickly..."

"You really are incredible!"

"Lee Hyeonje was holding back."

"I just exploited that."

If Lee Hyeonje had genuinely tried to kill him...

Kang Yujin wouldn't have been able to win.

"So..."

"What now?"

"What?"

"Should I finish him off?"

"He shouldn't have taken a fatal injury."

"If we leave him like this..."

"He'll wake up soon and chase us again."

"We should eliminate the problem completely."

"F-Finish him?"

"Wouldn't that be better?"

"Y-Yes..."

"If that's what you think..."

"It can't be helped."

Ha Mina nodded with a sorrowful expression.

"..."

But Kang Yujin stayed where he was.

He didn't approach Lee Hyeonje.

He only stared at Ha Mina.

"Kang Yujin?"

"What's wrong?"

"I remembered something."

Ha Mina looked confused.

Kang Yujin slowly spoke.

"I remembered reading Investiture of the Gods when I was a kid."

"What?"

"The Daji in the story..."

"Wasn't actually Daji."

He searched his memory.

"There was originally a woman named Daji."

"Then a nine-tailed fox killed her..."

"And took her identity."

"..."

Ha Mina said nothing.

Looking directly at her...

Kang Yujin continued.

"Ha Mina."

"..."

"I think the real Ha Mina..."

"Was probably genuinely a good person."

Just like Lee Hyeonje had wanted to believe.

Perhaps she really had been a benevolent Church leader.

"What you said..."

"That the Church imprisoned and exploited you..."

"That might also have been true."

"..."

"The real villains were probably Archbishop Moon Gihwan and the other executives."

Kang Yujin didn't reach this conclusion because of the woman in front of him.

He had thought about it after hearing Lee Hyeonje's words...

And seeing the peaceful Hanam region.

"But Lee Hyeonje's suspicion also made sense."

"This escape incident too..."

"From Lee Hyeonje's perspective, there was no way you wouldn't look suspicious."

"..."

"So I thought about it."

Kang Yujin stared at the silent black-haired woman.

"Ha Mina was originally a good person."

"The Church imprisoned and exploited her."

"But after Daji was released from her seal..."

"Daji stole her place and began pretending to be Ha Mina while carrying out a new scheme."

In the dark forest...

Kang Yujin glared at the villain before him.

"I don't know your real objective."

"But at the very least..."

"You definitely tried to make me and Lee Hyeonje fight."

"..."

"A moment ago..."

"When I said I'd kill Lee Hyeonje..."

"You pretended to hesitate."

"But you agreed."

"You didn't want to lose the chance to finish him off."

If she had truly been the benevolent Ha Mina...

She would have stopped him.

She would have said it was wrong.

But because she didn't want to lose the chance to kill Lee Hyeonje...

She revealed what was really inside.

"Didn't you plan all of this..."

"From the moment you asked Lee Hyeonje to bring me here?"

"You already knew Ha Mina was fake?!"

"Is that true?"

"Yes."

Princess Longji sounded stunned.

Lee Gyu immediately raised his voice through the communication window.

"Boss!"

"Does that make any sense?"

"You're not lying, are you?!"

"I'm not."

"Then how did you know?"

"Through the observation device."

I pointed toward it.

"I tried to send Ha Mina a sponsorship."

"A sponsorship?"

"But I got an error."

"I couldn't send it."

"Ah...!"

Princess Longji immediately understood.

"Of course!"

"Daji isn't a Contractor, so she can't receive sponsorships!"

"B-Boss!"

"Ha Mina didn't even do anything impressive!"

"You tried to sponsor her just to check whether she was really Ha Mina?"

"Exactly."

I nodded.

"Normally..."

"Ha Mina stayed inside the Church headquarters."

"Constellations couldn't observe her there."

"That's why no one discovered it before."

"I understand...!"

"Right!"

And the Constellation contracted with Ha Mina...

Was one of the world's greatest Constellations...

The S-rank "Prophetic Magician."

There was no reason a Constellation of that level...

Would constantly monitor the life and death of some cult leader hidden in a corner of Asia.

In the end...

Daji pretending to be Ha Mina...

Had remained completely concealed.

"Then from Daji's perspective..."

"The Church headquarters, where observation was impossible..."

"Was the perfect hiding place!"

"Correct."

"Especially because the executives themselves wanted to keep Ha Mina hidden."

Thinking about it...

Even the executives allowing Lee Hyeonje to enter was suspicious.

Daji claimed they allowed it because they knew she distrusted Lee Hyeonje.

But the truth was probably...

That she used some kind of spell to manipulate the executives...

And draw Lee Hyeonje in.

"Then why did she leave the Church headquarters?"

"She couldn't hide forever."

"Daji has her own plan."

She had probably already planned what would happen after forcing Kang Yujin and Lee Hyeonje to clash.

"I don't know the exact details..."

"But she was probably trying to completely overturn the Capital Region."

The Church wouldn't stay quiet after losing its leader.

They would mobilize their forces...

Which could cause a clash with the Hwaseong Sect...

The organization currently sheltering Kang Yujin.

"From Daji's perspective..."

"She must be furious."

"Her identity was exposed at such an early stage."

I manipulated the observation device...

And zoomed in on her face.

"Then..."

"Let's move to the next stage."

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

"..."

"Me?"

"Daji?"

"That's ridiculous."

"How could that possibly be true?"

Her voice trembled.

Slowly...

She raised her arm.

"If you suspect me..."

"Tie me up."

"Don't let me move."

"Then call other people."

"I won't resist."

"..."

"I'm innocent, Kang Yujin..."

Tears rolled from her eyes.

She looked pitiful...

Almost impossible not to sympathize with.

"Hearing you talk..."

"Makes me want to believe you."

Kang Yujin wasn't being sarcastic.

Her voice and expression...

Really were persuasive.

"So I'm going to verify it."

"Verify...?"

At that moment...

Her outline suddenly distorted.

"Ugh...?!"

"If Daji used transformation magic or something similar to become Ha Mina..."

Kang Yujin turned his head.

A woman stepped out from the forest.

Joo Minha.

"Then her disruption ability should be able to cancel it."

Awakening Skill [Disruption Barrier].

This Skill disrupted specific "signals" according to Joo Minha's will.

It could even interfere with magic...

And nullify it.

If Daji had transformed herself into Ha Mina...

Then this Skill could break it.

"If you had plastic surgery..."

"Or were wearing Ha Mina's skin..."

"Then it wouldn't help."

"U-Ugh...!"

"But that doesn't seem to be the case."

As Kang Yujin spoke...

More people appeared around them.

Not only Joo Minha...

But Seok Taejun and Lee Jukheon as well.

"Good thing we arrived at exactly the right time."

"Tch."

"You're lucky as always."

There was a reason the three of them appeared here.

Kang Yujin had asked them to do so from the beginning.

When Lee Hyeonje first visited the Hwaseong Sect...

He had said Kang Yujin needed to come alone.

But going alone into the heart of the Church...

Was far too dangerous.

So Kang Yujin secretly asked his companions to follow.

They had also made plans in advance...

For different possible situations.

This location...

Was the predetermined rendezvous point...

In case they became separated due to an unexpected emergency.

"And it looks like that Eight Guardian over there is awake too."

"I was conscious the entire time."

"I was only lying still to watch what happened."

Lee Hyeonje...

Who had already gotten back up...

Joined the encirclement.

Now...

There was nowhere left to run.

"Then Daji..."

Kang Yujin looked at her.

"Why don't you show us your true face?"

"GRRRRRGH!"

With a frustrated groan...

Ha Mina's appearance began collapsing.