A Player Who Eats Metal
Chapter 71: Seoul, Demon, Saint

Translator: FenrirTL

Editor: Saphartlantis

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< Chapter 71: Seoul, Demon, Saint – 5 >

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An unexpected attack is always effective.

The element of surprise, an enemy's ignorance of one's tactics, or the introduction of a new concept of weaponry,

When one unfolds an offensive through unfamiliar means, the enemy is bound to lose the ability to respond.

‘That is why PvP, that is, player versus player, is such a tricky field.'

Once a monster has been conquered, a ‘raid' strategy can be established making it easy to counter in the future, but players, with their creative skills/item combinations and their various tactics, are bound to cause unforeseen situations.

‘That's exactly why the Shadow Baron's extraordinary portal skill always works.'

In the same vein, when ‘aerial drop devices' sprouted from Lee Hyunwook's hands and lifted into the air, the dozens of miscreants rushing towards the Saint hesitated involuntarily. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ N0ᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

"What is that?"

For them, it was an item they were seeing for the first time.

And then from there …

Shhhh—shhhh—shhhh—shhhh—shhhh——!

No one expected that 110 steel marbles would burst out and fly towards them.

"—Huh?"

"Damn, take cover!"

It was a shocking scene as if a dozen shotguns had fired 12-gauge shells simultaneously.

"Argh!"

"Gak!"

About half of the miscreants were bloodied by the attack.

‘However, mere steel marbles aren't enough to k**l players of that level.'

It was too much to hope for destructive power equivalent to a bullet propelled by gunpowder explosion.

Of course, unlike conventional weapon ammunition, these magic metal marbles could certainly neutralize the ‘system barrier,' the most basic defense applied to monsters and players.

But that was about it, honestly, the ‘lethality' wasn't particularly high.

No one knew this better than Lee Hyunwook himself.

‘After all, the most important thing in the first attack is to shake their focus.'

As expected, many of them guarded against the steel marbles, ducking their heads and covering them.

But the real attack was yet to come.

Lee Hyunwook turned his left palm upward and tilted his right palm downward.

The steel marbles changed direction in mid-air, half moving down and half moving up.

In other words, he positioned them above their heads and below their feet, and then …

"Shatter!"

Boom—boom—boom—boom—boom—boom——!

The steel marbles, 4.5 cm in diameter, exploded simultaneously.

It was like dozens of mines exploding from the ground and dozens of grenades bursting in mid-air at the same time, leaving the miscreants no choice but to take an unexpected shower of shrapnels.

"Aaaaah- my, my eyes—!”

"Argh, my leg, my leg…"

Only Okita Kaito was able to sense the attack and leaped backward, swinging his sword.

Whoosh——!

The sword’s gust dispersed all the flying shrapnel heading towards him.

However, there was no other miscreant capable of such a sharp response.

While they were still disoriented, Failnaught fired from Lee Hyunwook’s waist.

Swoosh——!

The magic arrow flew through the confusion, piercing the necks of the miscreants in succession.

Thunk— Thunk— Thunk— Thunk—

Unlike the steel marbles, Failnaught was an item with assured lethality. Some miscreants had managed to block the shrapnels with magical protective barriers, but those were useless against Fainaught, which ignored ‘magical resistance.’

With just three linked attacks, half of them had already fallen.

"No, it’s just the beginning; what does it matter if I’ve already taken down half of them? They were the weakest in the bunch anyways.?"

Lee Hyunwook said this as he closed his eyes.

His targets were two aerial drop devices, each containing 30 weapons, for a total of 60.

[‘Synchronized with Aerial Drop Device (Prototype)—Miniature Subspace Creation Device.']

-The following operations are available:

1)Item Storage

2)Item Retrieval

Being ‘mana-connected,’ Lee Hyunwook could use ‘subspace’ even without direct contact.

—Small Subspace Device No. 1 (Items stored: 60)

-Mogley (Heroic)

-Spear of Achilles (Heroic)

-KG19 (Advanced)

[……and 57 other items]

—Small Subspace Device No. 2 (Items stored: 60)

-KK11 (Common)

-Plain Longsword (Common)

-Sturdy Spear (Common)

[……and 57 other items]

Without needing to check the details, he summoned all of them at once.

Whirrrrr——

A subspace portal opened on the bottom surface of the aerial drop devices, and a barrage of various weapons began to fall.

Whoosh— Whoosh— Whoosh— Whoosh—

Just before hitting the ground, the weapons aligned in mid-air,

Quivering intensely as if on the starting line of a race, ready to spring forward any moment.

Lee Hyunwook picked out just one, the Spear of Achilles, and stored it in his left hand with an ‘Engraving.’

Then, as he extended both hands forward, signaling the start,

Swoosh—Swoosh—Swoosh—Swoosh—Swoosh——!

A total of 59 weapons were shot out horizontally.

At their center was the greatsword ‘Mogley.’

Burr—Burr—Burr—Burr—Burr——!

The massive iron mass, with just one linear movement, cleaved six men in half.

The remaining 58 weapons each found their target and charged with their pointed heads.

Thunk—Thunk—Thunk—Thunk—Thunk—Thunk——!

Like infantry under machine-gun fire, dozens fell in heaps.

Watching this, Peter Clarke and the other Holy Knights could not hide their amazement.

"This… this can’t be…"

"How can he control so many weapons so freely…"

Even though he was standing alone, guarding the ‘gap,' his firepower seemed as if it were combined with dozens of others.

And yet, he did not move even a single step while laying waste to dozens of the enemy.

‘Really, can he hold them off all by himself…?'

Peter felt his palms sweat as he looked at Lee Hyunwook's back.

‘Yes, please… prove that I underestimated you… Save the Saint…'

While he was thinking this, Lee Hyunwook's furious assault came to an end.

Nothing alive moved within his field of fire, and a sea of blood had formed around him.

Now, only Lee Hyunwook, Okita Kaito, and the Shadow Baron were left, staring each other down.

‘…The real battle begins now.'

That's what Peter thought.

It didn't matter that Lee Hyunwook had swept away dozens in an instant; if he couldn't stop Okita Kaito, it was all for naught.

After all, the others were just bait to buy time for the fiend to get close to the saint.

Clang——!

At that moment, a single clash rang out; Lee Hyunwook had taken the offensive.

He moved Failnaught to aim at Okita Kaito's back, but the man easily deflected it.

‘As expected, he's not someone to fall for such shallow tricks…'

Lee Hyunwook did not bother to move his ruler slab Mogley.

A fighter of Okita Kaito's caliber would not be hit by such a blunt and slow attack. Therefore, Lee Hyunwook had no intention of showing his specialty of controlling multiple metals to launch at his opponent.

‘If I focus on that… I could lose my head in an instant.'

When facing a supreme swordsman like that, having his focus split would be poison.

Rather than focusing on attacking, he had to be absorbed in defense, move by move, to protect his neck since it was Okita's favorite spot.

That's why Lee Hyunwook concentrated the enhanced sensation from ‘Huginn' solely on Okita Kaito.

"Hey! We don't have the luxury of time, did you not hear me say we only had 5 minutes left?"

Shadow Baron shouted from behind.

It seemed to be getting gradually more difficult for him to hold back the government forces on his own.

And next to him, the expression of the traitor, Carlos Belfort, had also hardened.

But Okita Kaito still had a look of utter composure.

"Don't worry, the analysis of that guy is over; it will end with just one swing."

He was openly saying he would k**l with a single blow.

‘That means he trusts his Subspace Iai Technique that much.'

It was a deceptive ‘art of trickery' that had cut down the necks of many strong opponents, including the former Sword Saint Kukyo Seong.

A mechanism that one could never respond to if they didn't understand how it worked…

‘But I know its principles well. The moment it fails, he will be the one to panic.'

Lee Hyunwook already held the Cloud-hunting Dark Sword in his right hand and drew another sword.

At that moment, Okita Kaito frowned as he observed him.

"Ha, dual-wielding… Are you joking? Do you even know what that means?"

He seemed to take offense to Lee Hyunwook drawing two swords to face him.

"Having many swords doesn’t make you better—!"

With that, he stomped on the ground.

Thump—

In an instant, the distance between them narrowed by several meters.

Lee Hyunwook raised both swords in his hands and stepped back with one foot.

Right at that moment— Okita Kaito's blade flew towards Lee Hyunwook's right neck,

And Lee Hyunwook lifted the Cloud-hunting Dark Sword in his right hand to block.

But there was no collision of weapons.

Hum—

Okita Kaito's sword momentarily disappeared into subspace and then reappeared, passing through Cloud-hunting Dark Sword.

Just as Okita Kaito's blade was about to touch Lee Hyunwook's neck—

Chang——!

An unexpected clash of metal rang out.

"—What?"

The blade that had passed through Cloud-hunting Dark Sword, Okita Kaito's dagger, was blocked by Lee Hyunwook's second sword, the KG19.

"How did you… What…"

"Why? Never seen dual-wielding before?"

Normally, when one swings a weapon against another, they think it has been blocked and prepare for the next move.

That's common sense.

That's why every swordsman was defenseless against Okita Kaito's strike that ‘passes through' swords. But Lee Hyunwook, as if he knew, moved both swords simultaneously to defend the same spot. So, one passed through, but the other was caught.

‘In that brief moment, it is impossible to use subspace twice in a row.'

Okita Kaito stepped back and readjusted his stance.

"You… what are you?"

He maintained as calm an expression as possible, but couldn't prevent his facial muscles from twitching.

That meant he was angered or in other words… he was flustered.

Lee Hyunwook smirked confidently.

"Well, well, so the rumored Sword Saint Assassin is nothing but a swindler?"

At his mocking words, Okita Kaito's eyebrows twitched.

"What did you say just now? Swindler…"

"Peddling such crude deception, and calling yourself a Sword Saint… Do you have no shame?"

"…I'll tear you apart right here and now!"

His eyes blazing, Okita Kaito charged in, swinging his sword at Lee Hyunwook's head.

Clang——!

This time, the two blades clashed honestly.

‘He meant for them to clash.'

Lee Hyunwook sensed it.

‘Yes, the next strike will come from the opposite hand.'

But he did not look in that direction.

‘If he realizes I've caught on, he'll switch tactics—'

In fact, thanks to the sensory expansion from ‘Huginn,' he could feel it even without looking.

Okita Kaito's right hand grasped at the air, drawing a katana from subspace, and it was descending like lightning towards Lee Hyunwook's left neck—all of it felt in detail.

But Lee Hyunwook had no intention of dodging the attack.

A sword-to-sword battle would not work in Lee Hyunwook's favor.

In short, he had to gamble.

‘Take it, then strike.'

He let go of the KG19 he was holding in his left hand, then concentrated all the hardening in his left arm, and grabbed the back of his head with his palm. It was a blocking stance from martial arts, wrapping one's head with an arm.

It would be madness to assume such a posture when blocking a weapon rather than a punch…

‘Unless one's body is harder than steel!'

Kra—ang——!

Okita Kaito's blade struck Lee Hyunwook's forearm, making the sound of metal tearing.

"Kuh—"

The damage was stronger than expected; the hardening shattered, and the blade tore through Lee Hyunwook's muscles.

Fortunately, that was only the extent of it.

Thanks to the considerable thickness of the hardening, a tragedy like his arm being completely severed was avoided.

‘Now it's my turn!'

Immediately after, the KG19, which had been in free fall toward the ground, shot towards the enemy's lower body.

This was Lee Hyunwook's deceptive skill, ‘Hidden Sword'.

However, the enemy dodged it with an incredibly fast reflex, retreating his foot just in time.

‘No, there's one more step left!'

Ssshhh——

The Spear of Achilles, which had been inscribed on the right wrist just moments before,

sprung out, aiming for the enemy's abdomen.

The enemy managed to catch this strike too, hastily twisting his body.

But his concentration and posture were already disrupted by the repeated ‘unexpected moves'—

Slash—!

The Spear of Achilles grazed and succeeded in slashing the enemy's side.

“Ugh!”

The enemy staggered, trying to step back again.

However, something fell behind him, blocking his retreat.

Thud——!

It was the aerial drop device.

"Damn!"

Another unexpected move, his eyes shook.

He stepped to the left, attempting to escape.

At that moment, the Cloud-hunting Dark Sword flew towards the enemy's head.

Clang——!

Naturally, the enemy easily deflected it but…

"Huh?"

It wasn't Lee Hyunwook who had swung it.

It was just a feint controlled by his metal manipulation.

‘I can't believe I fell for that—!'

Okita was flustered once again. It was something he would have usually noticed.

Lee Hyunwook, after giving a kind of ‘fake motion', closed the distance rapidly and slipped his arms under the enemy's armpits. Then he firmly wrapped around the enemy's upper body.

This was the so-called ‘underhook' position.

Now the enemy's arms were completely restrained. Especially since a sword's blade is only on one side, his ability to attack was even more limited.

"Damn, what kind of move is this!"

The enemy struggled futilely with his arms restrained.

All he could do was jab Lee Hyunwook's back with the pommel of his sword.

"…When did I ever say I’d fight you with swords?"

Lee Hyunwook lifted Okita's body and slammed it into the ground.

Boom—erk——!

With the tremendous impact, he lost grip of his sword.

From here on, the fight ceased to be a duel between swordsmen and entered the realm of martial arts.

Lee Hyunwook mounted the enemy, moving fluidly like water, and swiftly applied an armbar.

"Arghhh——!"

A technique to break the arm, Okita Kaito seemed to have no knowledge of how to defend against such martial arts moves.

Crack——!

Eventually, the enemy's arm was broken, and the bone protruded through the skin.

"Aaaaahh——!"

Lee Hyunwook once again mounted the enemy's upper body and began to deliver a pounding.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The enemy's body was enveloped in ‘Qi,' but it couldn't withstand the punches with hardening applied.

"Cough— Ark— Ack—"

With each hit, Lee Hyunwook's pounding landed on the enemy's face, and blood splattered.

"This can't be…"

Carlos, watching the scene, shook his head with his mouth agape.

"No, this can't be happening, I’ve waited four years for this moment…"

Instead of the Saint dying… the Sword Saint Assassin was being beaten to death.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

In that historic moment where the figure known as the Sword Saint Assassin could potentially d*e from being pummeled—

Swish— Slash— Slash— Slash——!

Suddenly, a shadow crept in and black spikes shot out, forcing Lee Hyunwook to retreat.

Surreptitiously, the glint of something slipping down into the struggling man's pocket from Lee Hyunwook's own was masked by the shadow covering him.

The next moment, that shadow completely enveloped Okita Kaito and whisked him back.

"Ha— Damn, Sword Saint… What the hell has this come to…"

It was the Shadow Baron who had rescued Okita Kaito.

"S**t— everything’s gone to hell in such a grand way, hasn’t it?"

"No, no… there's still a chance to break through…"

He shook his head in denial, his eyes swollen with rage as he glared at Lee Hyunwook.

Lee Hyunwook just flashed a wry smile at him.

"I may have just beaten you… but since it wasn’t with a sword, you can keep calling yourself the Sword Saint."

"However, from now on… consider me the ‘Sword Saint Beater.'"

Lee Hyunwook said this as he picked something up from the ground.

"And this, I’ll keep as a souvenir."

It was a tooth.

Okita Kaito, with a stunned expression, shakily raised his hand to his mouth, feeling for the missing teeth.

Several of them were gone.

“Urgh… I’ll… I’ll k**l you…"

But the fact that the Shadow Baron had rescued the Sword Saint meant he had stopped guarding the rear.

"Move it, hurry up!"

Soon, government agents started pouring into ‘Saint Park'.

"Damn, this mess is really tangled up…"

The Shadow Baron, supporting Okita Kaito, disappeared using some unidentifiable escape technique.

"Hey— wait a minute—!"

Carlos was the one calling out.

However, in the next moment, his head exploded.

It was the villains' side eliminating someone they no longer needed.

* * *

[A Holy Field is deployed in the area. (100%)]

With that system message, a white light covered the entirety of Seoul.

And then, in the northern sky near Dobongsan, the red clouds that had bloomed disappeared as if melting away.

As anticipated, the deployment of the Holy Field had stopped the summoning of demons.

"Cough! Cough! Uh…"

Emilia Müller seemed to have expended all her energy, collapsing to the ground.

Peter ran to her aid, supporting her.

"Pe, Peter… qui, quickly, some alcohol…"

Upon regaining her senses and immediately seeking alcohol, Peter sighed.

"Emilia, come to your senses. We were in real danger just now.”

"…What?"

"If it weren't for Lee Hyunwook, we would have been finished."

At Peter's words, Emilia raised her head and looked around.

"Ah…."

A horrific scene unfolded before her eyes.

Everywhere… lay a sea of blood.

Only then did the stench of it all assail her nostrils, making her feel dizzy.

"It, it really…"

As she turned her gaze, she locked eyes with Lee Hyunwook.

"Ah…"

She knew.

Lee Hyunwook had fulfilled her request perfectly…

"…Oh, are you hurt?"

Blood was flowing from Lee Hyunwook's left hand.

Not just a trickle, but pouring out.

She hurried over to grasp Lee Hyunwook's left arm.

"Ah, I'm fine…"

"No. I know better. That wound is not fine."

Hum——

Heal was applied, and it was a heal from a Saint, no less. The wound began to close rapidly.

"You mustn't, Emilia! Using more holy power in your condition is dangerous!"

He tried to stop her, but she shook her head.

"Peter, I'm fine. You said it yourself, if it hadn't been for this person, we all would have been dead."

"…"

Peter stepped back at the sight of Emilia's rare serious demeanor.

"You're right. Essentially, this person has once again saved Seoul… and us as well."

Peter looked at Lee Hyunwook.

"Thank you, truly. Honestly… I'm ashamed to admit that I doubted you."

As he spoke, he looked around with a bitter expression.

"Damn… all of this happened because of my oversight. Now everyone is…"

"Peter, I still don't understand everything that’s happened, but move the fallen members to the Saint Dome first."

"Oh, could it be…?"

"With the power of the World Tree… we might be able to save a few of them."

The usually unruly Emilia Müller was saying this with completely clear eyes.

"Is that… possible?"

"It will be difficult, but it should be possible."

If it was the combination of a saint and the World Tree, resurrection was possible unless the bodies were too severely damaged.

However, it would be feasible not for the reckless Emilia Müller, but only by a Saint in her right mind…

Peter's eyes met hers.

Her pupils were very lucid now, so much so that it felt strangely alien.

"…Yes, understood."

Peter nodded and then looked at Lee Hyunwook before stepping back.

Left alone together, Emilia looked up at Lee Hyunwook.

"…My gamble paid off, just like you said."

"Yes, we were quite fortunate in many ways."

"I had my suspicions, but to actually see it unfold like this…"

A flicker of fear passed through her eyes. It was indeed a relief that the assassination attempt was thwarted, but she could not be at ease knowing that such a disaster had occurred while she was out of her senses.

"Thank you… to be honest, I had almost given up."

Lee Hyunwook nodded and spoke.

"Emilia, frankly, you owe me a great debt."

"Oh, indeed… a very large debt. One that's immeasurable."

"So, I have a few favors to ask of you from now on. Naturally, you’ll oblige, won’t you?"

She nodded repeatedly.

"Of course. Just tell me what you need."

Lee Hyunwook looked around once and then spoke in a low voice.

"Let’s start… a secret organization."

"A secret organization? What do you mean by that…"

Emilia couldn't help but wear a look of bewilderment.

Lee Hyunwook whispered very softly into her ear.

"Don't we need a team to eliminate the root cause so that something like this never happens again?"

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