Chapter 56: Lightning Breaks, Blue Bones Endure

Hunter Oh Dongrok.

He came from a dirt-poor background.

A background so poor it was tearing at the seams.

Perhaps that’s why.

Oh Dongrok utterly despised those born with silver spoons.

It went beyond mere dislike or hatred—he truly loathed them.

Those spoiled brats with no real talent, snatching up all the best positions just because they had the luck to be born to the right parents.

Oh Dongrok scorned such brats.

What infuriated him even more was that the hunter world had its share of these silver-spoon brats too.

Brats with no skills, relying solely on money or connections to cut in line.

Such brats existed in the hunter world as well.

Seo Juwon was a prime example.

He’d drawn massive attention with that Red Gate incident or whatever and joined the Myth Guild.

Somehow, he’d gotten promoted to the silver attack squad and even participated in the “Night of Transcendents” event, hailed as the hunter world’s greatest festival.

A mere silver attack squad member attending an event where even diamond attack squad members couldn’t just tag along willy-nilly.

Seeing that filled Oh Dongrok with hatred.

Then, during the Myth Festival, upon confirming that his first-round opponent was Seo Juwon, Oh Dongrok made up his mind.

He, who had climbed this far on pure skill alone, would bring that arrogant silver-spoon brat to ruin.

Rattle! Rattle!

The moment the spar began, Seo Juwon summoned his skeletons.

Five skeletons tinged with blue.

It was a bit surprising they were already blue bones, but only five of them was just laughable.

I’ll end this in one go.

Determined to show overwhelming power, Oh Dongrok cast his spell while eyeing the approaching blue bones.

Crackle!

A flash sparked from Oh Dongrok’s hand, stretching out into a streak of lightning.

It was Chain Lightning, one of the higher-tier electric skills.

Crackle crackle crackle!

The Chain Lightning shot like a bullet, engulfing the blue bones.

Good.

Oh Dongrok grinned.

Crack! Crackle crackle! Crack!

An immensely powerful current whipped between the five blue bones.

Electricity, the strongest among the four elemental magics.

It chained between the blue bones, dishing out damage.

Soon they’d fall…

Huh?

Oh Dongrok’s face twisted in confusion.

The Chain Lightning wasn’t working at all—it just kept circling around.

What? Why isn’t it affecting them?

Chain Lightning was strong.

Strong enough to char most monsters with decent defense to black in no time.

But these blue bones were different.

Even after the blinding Chain Lightning whipped through dozens of times, the blue bones were completely unscathed.

“Wow! Awesome! The skeletons aren’t going down!”

“Crazy! Withstanding Chain Lightning? And dozens of times at that?”

“Go, Seo Juwon! Crush him like that!”

“Puhahaha! Skeletons enduring Chain Lightning! First time seeing that!”

“That mage looks totally freaked out! He’s gone pale!”

Voices from Myth Guild members echoed from all sides.

Everyone praised Seo Juwon, and some mocked Oh Dongrok.

Meanwhile, the blue bones charged forward, glowing brightly as if a flash had been turned on.

Lightning Wall!

As the blue bones closed in, Oh Dongrok quickly cast the spell.

Lightning Wall, an electric defensive magic.

With this powerful barrier, he could buy some time…

Crash!

Oh Dongrok’s eyes widened.

The Lightning Wall, which he thought would hold for a few hits, shattered into pieces from a single sword strike.

Whoosh!

But the blue bones didn’t give him time to be shocked, swinging their swords.

Oh Dongrok hastily rolled away, dodging the bone blades.

Oh Dongrok tumbled and rolled.

It was utterly humiliating as a mage and as a senior, but he had no choice if he wanted to survive.

Rattle! Rattle!

Even as he did, the blue bones swiftly pursued Oh Dongrok.

Oh Dongrok dashed across the training ground, his face pale with fear.

The blue bones chased him down rapidly.

W-what do I do?

Oh Dongrok’s face was drenched in cold sweat.

He was shocked once by how strong Seo Juwon’s skeletons were, and again by being chased by those monsters.

Rattle! Rattle!

Regardless, the five blue bones pursued Oh Dongrok swiftly.

They didn’t chase in a dumb single file but intelligently encircled him.

Thud crash!

Perhaps due to panic.

Oh Dongrok tripped over his own feet and fell.

The blue bones closed in fast.

Glaring at them, Oh Dongrok gritted his teeth.

Then, gathering all his mana, he cast his ultimate skill.

Call Lightning!

A skill so powerful it drained all his mana.

The moment he cast it.

Rumble!

A bolt of lightning struck down from the training ground’s ceiling.

Boom, the training ground filled with explosion and smoke.

…

There, Oh Dongrok steadied his breath while still on the ground.

He’d wiped out the blue bones at least.

He had no mana left, but since the opponent was a necromancer, he could win somehow in hand-to-hand…

Huh?

Oh Dongrok’s eyes, nose, and mouth gaped wide.

The reason for his shock was simple.

Rattle! Rattle!

After the black smoke cleared, the blue bones were approaching, completely unharmed.

This can’t be.

This isn’t possible.

It’s Call Lightning.

A skill I poured all my mana into.

A skill that calls down lightning.

They survived that powerful skill?

Those flimsy skeletons like brittle reeds?

Oh Dongrok couldn’t believe the reality before him.

Shing! Shing! Shing!

At that moment, the five blue bones right in front of him simultaneously drew their bone blades.

Incredibly sharp blue blades.

The blue bones holding them plunged the bone blades straight down.

As if executing a death sentence.

As the five bone blades neared Oh Dongrok’s face.

“I-I surrender! I surrender!”

With Oh Dongrok’s words, the bone blades halted all at once.

It was truly a hair’s breadth.

As the terrified Oh Dongrok trembled.

Hunter Oh Dongrok has declared surrender, so the spar is over! The winner of the first round, match 7, is Hunter Seo Juwon. Congratulations!

The announcement blared from the speakers, followed immediately by cheers from the Myth Guild members.

The Myth Guild members sent deafening cheers.

All their cheers were directed at Seo Juwon.

Poof!

The blue bones collapsed into piles of bones like a building crumbling.

With those grim reaper-like things gone, Oh Dongrok could see.

Seo Juwon walking toward him with steady steps.

“U-ugh…!”

Still sprawled on the training ground floor, Oh Dongrok subtly backed away.

He felt terror just from Seo Juwon’s mere approach.

But he couldn’t evade the approaching Seo Juwon, who soon reached him.

“Has it been proven now?”

Seo Juwon asked expressionlessly.

The frightened Oh Dongrok forgot about fleeing and barely managed to speak.

“W-what?”

“You said it yourself, senior—that once the spar ends, everyone would know the truth. So, has the truth been proven?”

“…”

“Why? Are these cheers I’m hearing now fake? This fair and square spar in front of everyone, and the cheers from it—are they fake to you too, senior?”

At Seo Juwon’s words, Oh Dongrok trembled.

The cheers from Myth Guild members echoing from all sides.

They weren’t fake.

This ear-piercing roar was all real.

“Urk…”

Oh Dongrok bowed his head, tears flowing.

At the same time, he realized.

Seo Juwon.

His skills that allowed him to attend even the Night of Transcendents event were real.

“Seo Juwon! Amazing!”

“Keep going all the way to the championship!”

“Myth Guild’s greatest necromancer, Seo Juwon, fighting!”

“Puhahaha! That was awesome! I’ll cheer for you in the second round too!”

“Juwon oppa! You were so cool! Fighting from now on!”

I defeated Oh Dongrok, and tremendous cheers poured down on me for it.

Exclamations of admiration for the victory.

Puzzlement as if I’d caused an upset.

And even words of anticipation for the future.

Hearing all those reactions, I left the training ground and headed to the passageway.

I needed to return to the waiting room to prepare for the second round.

The start is good.

I smiled belatedly.

Because the start of the Myth Festival was really good.

I overwhelmed a pretty strong opponent.

My opponent, Oh Dongrok, was strong.

I didn’t know him well before, but casting Chain Lightning clearly meant he was a skilled mage.

Yet the blue bones took no damage whatsoever.

They even withstood Call Lightning, which summons a bolt.

Let’s keep it up.

I felt joy thinking of the blue bones, far stronger than I expected.

If they could do this with just a fraction of their power, what would happen when they went all out?

They’re already strong with just skeleton soldiers and mages, but what if I use Bone Explosion too?

And if I use the new skill I got this time…

Stop.

At that moment, my steps halted as I walked the passageway.

The reason my thoughtful steps stopped was simple.

I encountered a famous person from the opposite side of the passageway.

“Ah, team leader. Hello.”

I greeted the woman approaching from the other side.

Long black straight hair and skin pale to the point of being white.

The woman with a somewhat cold impression was named Moon Sua.

She was the team leader of the Mercury Team.

She was also considered a strong favorite to win this Myth Festival.

“Ah, Hunter Seo Juwon? Nice to meet you.”

Moon Sua approached and extended her hand to me.

Even her hand was pale white.

“Nice to meet you, team leader. This is the first time greeting you separately like this.”

“Yeah. I wanted to greet you before, but we only meet now.”

“I’ve wanted to meet you, team leader. It’s an honor to meet the silver attack squad’s top expert.”

“I’m hardly the top expert. Don’t flatter me too much.”

Moon Sua smiled and continued.

“I’ve heard a lot about you too, Hunter Seo Juwon. Rumors about you have reached our Mercury Team as well.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You’re making incredible contributions, right? Even handling things that Nova Team members couldn’t easily do.”

“Haha, no. The seniors take good care of me.”

I scratched the back of my head with an awkward expression.

Moon Sua gave a faint smile and said.

“Anyway, you won the first round, right?”

“Yes. I got lucky and won.”

“Lucky? There’s no luck in the Myth Festival. Who was your opponent, by the way?”

“It was senior Oh Dongrok.”

“I see. Then it definitely wasn’t luck. Hunter Oh Dongrok is a skilled mage.”

I nodded.

Indeed, Oh Dongrok, who freely wielded electric magic, was strong.

“Defeating Hunter Oh Dongrok. You really are strong, Hunter Seo Juwon. Can I look forward to the remaining matches?”

“I’ll do my best, at least.”

“Good. Then let’s both do our best and meet in the finals. I’ll head out now. My spar is coming up soon.”

“Understood, team leader. It was a pleasure talking. I wish you success in this Myth Festival too.”

“Yes, thank you. Hunter Seo Juwon.”

Moon Sua gave a faint smile, then walked toward the training ground, her jet-black hair fluttering.

Moon Sua, exuding an inexplicably mysterious aura.

Just watching her back, I could tell.

She would definitely advance to the finals of the Myth Festival.

I can’t lose either!

Staring at Moon Sua’s receding figure, I clenched my fist tightly.

And I resolved.

I too would advance to the finals and compete against Moon Sua.