Chapter 65
Translator: Seven
Editor: Ana_Banana
Protection of the Sun.
The effect of this skill, which can only be used once a day by the owner of Gawain’s Necklace, was a 20% increase in all abilities.
This included stats, defense, resistances, even attack power and skill effects were buffed.
Everything was increased by 20%.
It was a crazy effect, but there were restrictions.
For one, the duration was 10 minutes, which couldn’t be said to be too long or two short. Two, after using Protection of the Sun, Gawain’s Necklace would become disabled for one day afterward. Meaning that all other effects that it had would also be unusable.
‘There’s a penalty like that, so I don’t need to stick around.’
From Kim Woo-jin’s perspective, he had no reason to fight Yang Ji-hoo while he was using Protection of the Sun.
“Retreat.”
At Kim Woo-jin’s call, the Skeleton Soldiers simultaneously turned and ran away. It only took a few seconds for them to scatter completely.
“Huh?”
“Retreat?”
It was a scene which caused the few who were fighting to stand still, unsure of what to do. This was especially true for Yang Ji-hoo who had just been locked in fierce combat with Kim Woo-jin.
“Fuck!”
Yang Ji-hoo was the first to come to his senses.
“After them!”
With a loud shout, he started to chase after Kim Woo-jin.
In his head, there was only one thought.
‘The effect ends in 10 minutes.’
Protection of the Sun only lasted 10 minutes and after it ended, the situation would probably go back to the way it was before, or maybe even worse. Yang Ji-hoo knew he had to defeat Kim Woo-jin before then
Of course, Kim Woo-jin wasn’t very surprised
‘He’s following me.’
He had expected that Yang Ji-hoo would not let him get away that easily.
And so, he’d prepared just for that.
“Corpse Explosion.”
Clap!
As he activated the skill, Kim Woo-jin clapped his hands together.
Kwang!
Then the bodies that were under Yang Ji-hoo’s feet, exploded with a loud bang.
The explosion caused by a pile of three bodies was quite powerful.
“Keuk!”
Yang Ji-hoo, who’d been caught in the explosion, was thrown to the floor by the powerful explosion.
However, he immediately sprung to his feet and continued chasing Kim Woo-jin.
Compared to the explosive power, the damage he sustained from it did not seem to be much.
This was the power of the Protection of the Sun buff.
If it wasn’t for that buff, he wouldn’t have been able to take it without a scratch. But after the buff ended, he’d be much more vulnerable than before.
‘I’ll definitely catch you.’
From Yang Ji-hoo’s perspective, there was another reason why he was chasing so fiercely.
‘If I don’t, I’ll die.’
Yang Ji-hoo, who felt he was in a life and death crisis, followed Kim Woo-jin with all his power.
And Kim Woo-jin kept leading him away.
He kept going to where he buried bodies, and using his skill.
“Corpse Explosion.”
Kim Woo-jin’s accuracy was amazing. Even in the high speed chase, he was able to hit Yang Ji-hoo perfectly every time.
It was like hitting a moving stone in the air with a pebble.
From a certain standpoint, if one had been constantly tossed around by explosions, they would eventually stop pursuing, even if the damage was little. However Yang Ji-hoo didn’t stop, rather, even with Kim Woo-jin’s amazing ability to always hit him, he kept closing the distance between them.
The distance between them, which was rather long before, had been shortened to 20 meters. At the speed that they were going, 20 meters could be covered in an instant.
“Rapid Speed.”
Then, Yang Ji-hoo made a winning move. He casted the Rapid Speed skill which increased his movement speed by 20% for 30 seconds.
‘Rapid Speed.’
His actions didn’t escape Kim Woo-jin’s notice.
Kim Woo-jin suddenly stopped running and turned, swinging his scimitar toward Yang Ji-hoo, who’s speed rapidly increased.
‘I knew you’d do this.’
Yang Ji-hoo closed the distance between them and swung his longsword toward Kim Woo-jin.
Clang!
The two blades clashed with a loud sound.
At the same time, Kim Woo-jin was sent flying at an extreme speed. The difference in power was evident.
“This bastard.”
Only then did Yang Ji-hoo realise his intentions.
“You’re really such a cheap person.”
Yang Ji-hoo swore at Kim Woo-jin but received no response.
“You don’t dare to attack me again huh? You’re just a bastard. Do you not dare to face the anger of a strong guy?”
He didn’t attack again, he just had a smug look on his face.
“Then let’s continue.”
Along with that, Yang Ji-hoo launched a fierce attack.
It was an uneven fight.
Clang!
Every time there was a sound as their blades collided, Kim Woo-jin’s body shook greatly.
Despite the light attacks from Yang Ji-hoo, Kim Woo-jin had to defend with all his might. If a passerby was to see this fight, they’d be able to clearly see that Kim Woo-jin was at a disadvantage.
In fact, they were no longer on the same level.
“Oh, you’re still alive huh? I have to try harder.”
Yang Ji-hoo stopped and stared at Kim Woo-jin, inspecting him. It wasn’t that he expected a trick of some sort, but rather he was just being vigilant.
[Protection of the Sun ends in 100 seconds.]
‘100 seconds.’
He was clearly measuring the time he had left.
Moreover, it wasn’t just for fun that he was attacking Kim Woo-jin so fiercely.
‘There is nothing here.’
It was to make him pull out all of his hidden trump cards one by one.
‘Does he really not have any more hidden cards?’
He confirmed that there seemed to be no more traps.
‘Then I should finish this now.’
He did not intend to give Kim Woo-jin time to prepare anything else.
‘It ends here.’
Yang Ji-hoo prepared to make a move.
Chik!
Suddenly an arrow flew toward Yang Ji-hoo.
Tink!
However it just bounced off his armor without piercing through.
He received no damage, however Yang Ji-hoo’s expression stiffened.
‘What is this…’
As he looked on, black skeletons emerged one by one.
“You should have about 95 seconds left.”
Kim Woo-jin’s voice drifted into his ear.
“Already?”
Only then did Yang Ji-hoo realize.
“Stalling for time?”
From the start, Kim Woo-jin had been tying him down, keeping from helping the others and now it could be seen that his so-called ‘retreat’ was only an extension of that.
“I’ll tell you one thing. I don’t have to give verbal commands to my skeletons.”
From the beginning when Kim Woo-jin shouted his order to retreat, it was like a professionally directed movie.
The Skeleton Soldiers did not need Kim Woo-jin to tell them commands. Nevertheless, at that time, he had cried out.
“I don’t have to say retreat, but I shouted it anyway. Why?”
“Then…”
“Because I knew that you would start to chase me.”
By shouting, Yang Ji-hoo and his companions would have the illusion that they really intended to retreat and follow them.
“And as I expected, you followed me.”
And in fact Yang Ji-hoo had indeed chased after Kim Woo-jin.
“As if I was crazy…”
When Yang Ji-hoo had chased after Kim Woo-jin he hadn’t cared whether his companions were following and just kept running.
While he had been chasing Kim Woo-jin, the skeletons had returned to attack his subordinates and Kim Je-hoon. The fact that they had returned now, proved that the battle was already over.
“You also didn’t notice that we’ve been moving in a circle.”
Moreover, Kim Woo-jin didn’t just run in a straight line without aim. Instead, he led Yang Ji-hoo in a circle. That way the skeletons were able to catch up faster.
In other words, everything was in accordance with Kim Woo-jin’s plan from the start.
“So, do you understand now?”
After saying this much, a mocking smile spread across Kim Woo-jin’s face. Yang Ji-hoo’s eyes were clouded with confusion as he looked at that smile.
“You guys! Who are you exactly?”
Yang Ji-hoo couldn’t help but shout out.
In response, Kim Woo-jin said.
“You really don’t know my identity after I explained so much? Fine, I’ll tell you.”
As he heard this, Yang Ji-hoo gulped subconsciously.
“My identity is…”
Tension began to build in the clearing.
But Kim Woo-jin suddenly said something else.
“Oh, it’s almost time.”
“What?”
It was then…
[Protection of the Sun ends in 30 seconds.]
A notification sounded again in Yang Ji-hoo’s ears to inform him of the imminent end of the skill.
This was the reason why Kim Woo-jin had been having a conversation with Yang Ji-hoo. To waste even more time.
In other words, he no longer needed to talk.
“You cowardly bastard!”
As soon as Yang Ji-hoo shouted, the smile on Kim Woo-jin’s face disappeared, his face returning to the usual neutral expression.
Kim Woo-jin and his skeletons retreated again, not intending to face Yang Ji-hoo within those remaining seconds at all.
‘Ah…”
Yang Ji-hoo could only make a stormy expression as he saw this.
Not long after, another notification sounded in his ear.
[Protection of the Sun Buff has ended.]
[Gawain’s Necklace is now disabled.]
In addition, Kim Woo-jin and his skeletons had disappeared.