Chapter 25

Battle of the Avatars

 

It was an unforgettable scene etched deep into his memory.

The sight of the man who had utterly ignored the Dragon General’s attack, a being that had killed countless people, and then annihilated him with a single sword strike was still vividly clear in Yoo Han-seop’s mind.

‘The other Twelve Divine Generals were manageable, but the Dragon General was an exception.’

No one could even get close to it.

It was an impossible mission to clear.

Frozen in place, Yoo Han-seop, like everyone else, could do nothing but watch.

That was until this fully armored man suddenly charged at the Dragon General.

At first, he thought the man was throwing his life away.

It seemed reckless and stupid.

But then…

‘That sight… it was truly electrifying.’

The tens of thousands of people watching were all struck by it, a sight that would be forever imprinted in their minds.

The man who had made the impossible possible.

The man who killed the Dragon General and became a hero in an instant!

…Yoo Han-seop was conflicted.

So far, it seemed the man hadn’t noticed him.

From his hiding spot in the thick bushes, Yoo Han-seop watched as Lee Hyuk-soo drew closer.

‘So, he is an Avatar after all.’

The fact that Lee Hyuk-soo had come here was proof that he knew where the elixirs were hidden, just like an Avatar.

Then, it was only possible for him to kill the Dragon General because he was an Avatar.

Could an ordinary human really slay the Dragon General?

There was no doubt. Lee Hyuk-soo was an Avatar.

However… he wasn’t just any Avatar.

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Yoo Han-seop knew that Lee Hyuk-soo was stronger than him.

‘Perhaps the Creator he made a contract with told him the Dragon General’s weakness.’

Every Creator had different ways of nurturing their Avatars.

Maybe Lee Hyuk-soo’s Creator had given him a lot of help, revealing the General’s weakness, providing him with high-tier equipment, or even enhancing his abilities through blessings.

If that were the case…

‘A surprise attack should work.’

No matter how strong Lee Hyuk-soo was, he was still human.

And humans, no matter how powerful, could die from a blade they couldn’t predict.

Yoo Han-seop couldn’t accept that someone stronger than himself existed.

Lee Hyuk-soo’s strength was simply due to the grace of his Creator.

It was just luck.

No amount of talent or effort could surpass Yoo Han-seop.

It was the same when Lee Hyuk-soo killed the Dragon General.

All he did was charge blindly and swing his sword once, right?

Could anyone really call that skill?

Even if he gave him every possible benefit of the doubt, it was only because his Creator had intervened.

‘If I want to stand at the pinnacle of humanity, I must eliminate him here.’

Yoo Han-seop had plans to elevate the Dawn Fellowship into a full-fledged religious sect.

He intended to become a living god, not just in Korea but across the world.

For that to happen, this man had to be removed.

There could be no stronger being than himself if he was to truly become a god.

‘Three… two…’

Lee Hyuk-soo was right in front of him now.

Yoo Han-seop waited for the perfect moment and then sprang from the bushes.

He immediately thrust his sword at Lee Hyuk-soo.

It was a strike timed to perfection, one that Lee Hyuk-soo would never see coming.

Clang!

…But it was blocked.

That was the beginning.

Lee Hyuk-soo had instinctively raised his Death King’s Greatsword, deflecting the attack in a sweeping motion.

In an instant, the momentum shifted.

Sensing danger, Yoo Han-seop quickly bent backward, barely saving his life.

‘What the hell is this reaction speed…?!’

Lee Hyuk-soo hadn’t blocked the attack because he had seen it coming.

It was pure instinct.

The Avatars Yoo Han-seop had hunted until now either died or were mortally wounded from his first strike.

There was never a chance for them to counterattack.

They were always too shocked by the sudden assault.

But Lee Hyuk-soo?

He wasn’t shocked at all.

Instead, he smoothly switched from defense to offense, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Thud!

He planted his feet firmly on the ground, shifted his weight forward, and slashed diagonally with his greatsword again.

Caught off balance, Yoo Han-seop tried to extend his sword forward in response.

Clang!

‘How is he so strong…!’

His arm nearly dislocated from the sheer force.

Lee Hyuk-soo swung his massive sword as if it were a toy.

In the end, Yoo Han-seop was sent flying, rolling across the ground.

The ambush had completely failed.

Quickly shaking off the impact, Yoo Han-seop got back on his feet and steadied himself.

At that moment, his eyes met Lee Hyuk-soo’s.

…A shiver ran down his spine.

Lee Hyuk-soo’s eyes were unwavering, devoid of any hesitation.

Without realizing it, Yoo Han-seop spoke.

“I mistook you for someone else…”

Just as Yoo Han-seop was about to apologize for the misunderstanding—

Whoosh!

Lee Hyuk-soo surged forward.

There was no other way to describe it—it was a full-on onslaught. He charged like an enraged bull, aiming straight for Yoo Han-seop’s throat.

‘How… how is he this strong?’

His expectations were completely shattered.

Lee Hyuk-soo’s strength far surpassed anything Yoo Han-seop could have anticipated.

There was an overwhelming difference in level.

It wasn’t just raw power—his senses were transcendent as well.

The way Lee Hyuk-soo blocked and parried just before Yoo Han-seop’s sword strike was impressive enough to earn admiration. It was like watching a beast, no, more like the king of beasts in action.

Each time his sword clashed with Lee Hyuk-soo’s greatsword, Yoo Han-seop’s body trembled. Bones fractured, muscles tore. He couldn’t surpass him in strength, agility, or swordsmanship.

‘He’s a monster!’

Lee Hyuk-soo was a beast. It wasn’t because of the Creator’s aid that he had killed the Dragon General. Lee Hyuk-soo had the sheer ability to do it himself.

A wall.

For the first time, Yoo Han-seop was faced with a wall he couldn’t overcome.

 

 

That wasn’t all.

Yoo Han-seop’s best weapon, his highest-grade sword, screamed in agony each time it clashed with Lee Hyuk-soo’s greatsword.

He could even see the blade’s edge wearing down with each hit.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyuk-soo’s greatsword remained pristine.

 

 

Yoo Han-seop couldn’t make sense of it.

‘Is this guy’s greatsword a higher grade than my Silver Knight’s Sword?’

As far as he knew, nothing beyond the Epic grade had been discovered yet.

And yet, all of Lee Hyuk-soo’s equipment seemed to match the design and color of his greatsword perfectly, as if they were part of a unified set.

Clang!

 

 

His mind went blank.

The shattered remains of the Silver Knight’s Sword scattered to the wind, reduced to mere dust.

A swordsman without a sword had only one fate.

And now, Lee Hyuk-soo’s greatsword was poised right next to Yoo Han-seop’s neck.

“T-…who are you? How can you be this strong?”

His voice trembled.

Even with a Creator’s help, one’s inherent nature didn’t change. Your personality, your emotions, and your attitude toward the sword—these were all part of your essence.

From Yoo Han-seop’s perspective, Lee Hyuk-soo was a natural-born swordsman.

It was as if he had been born for the sole purpose of wielding a blade.

On top of that, he was decked out in treasures.

Every piece of gear Lee Hyuk-soo wore was far superior to anything Yoo Han-seop had.

What kind of contract with a Creator would grant someone such treasures right from the start?

“Anyway, I’m sorry for attacking you. I must’ve mistaken you for someone else. After all, we’re both Avatars, right? Avatars should be helping each other. How about we form an alliance? Together, we’d be invincible—”

“…Avatar?”

Lee Hyuk-soo’s eyebrow twitched.

Yoo Han-seop was certain that Lee Hyuk-soo was an Avatar.

“Yes, Avatar! Think about it. We’re the leaders who will guide humanity. We’re meant to stand above them! Fighting amongst ourselves won’t do us any good.”

“So that’s why you threw those people to the monsters, huh?”

Lee Hyuk-soo’s voice was cold, his eyes as icy and bottomless as an abyss.

Gulp.

At that moment, Yoo Han-seop felt his entire body tremble like a leaf in the wind.

“W-We’re chosen beings! We can save humanity. It’s a necessary sacrifice for the greater good. That’s why an alliance would— agh!”

A sudden sharp pain made Yoo Han-seop scream.

His right arm felt as if it had been seared by fire, and he clutched it in agony.

Thud!

His arm fell to the ground, severed cleanly from his body.

Yoo Han-seop stared at it, horrified.

“M-My arm! My arm!!”

Writhing in pain, he thrashed on the ground.

Lee Hyuk-soo watched him with cold indifference, and then finally spoke.

“I don’t associate with Avatars.”

Though he felt the urge to sever Yoo Han-seop’s head, Lee Hyuk-soo couldn’t bring himself to kill. There was still resistance within him against taking another human being’s life.

However, now that he had discovered Yoo Han-seop was an Avatar, he couldn’t just leave him be.

This was due to the warning the “Prophet” had given him during the First Night’s Abyss:

 

―Kill every Avatar you come across. That’s the way to help humanity and yourself.
―If you can’t kill them, at least cut off their arms or legs. Once they’re useless, their Creator will handle the rest.

 

Now, he understood why the Prophet had insisted on killing Avatars on sight.

Yoo Han-seop had abandoned all the members of the Dawn Fellowship who trusted him. He had thrown them to the monsters as bait for his own gain.

After killing monsters and saving people, Lee Hyuk-soo realized one thing:

“Avatars are truly unnecessary.”

Talking with Yoo Han-seop had been unbearable.

It was laughable how Yoo Han-seop, after ambushing him, now wanted to discuss forming an alliance.

Just as the Prophet had said, Avatars were useless for the survival of humanity.

Most importantly, the Prophet was Lee Hyuk-soo’s god. How could he disobey divine commands? Lee Hyuk-soo intended to follow the god’s words as much as possible.

“Aahh, it hurts! It hurts so much!”

Leaving the agonized, bleeding Yoo Han-seop behind, Lee Hyuk-soo turned his back. There wasn’t a shred of sympathy in him.

“The Prophet told me to become a savior.”

Of course, Lee Hyuk-soo had no intention of becoming a savior. However, he had the courage to face the most difficult trials.

If he could clear the Water God Abyss and earn the 1,000 points reward, South Korea—and more importantly, his bedridden mother—would be safe.

With that thought in mind, he quickened his pace.

 

* * *

 

Moments later, a man appeared before the dying Yoo Han-seop.

“P-Please save me…”

Yoo Han-seop’s face had turned pale from severe blood loss. He looked as if he might die any second.

The man looked down at Yoo Han-seop and said,

“…What an amusing fellow to have appeared.”

“Please, save me…”

Crunch!

The man stomped on Yoo Han-seop’s throat. There was a sickening snap as his bones broke, and Yoo Han-seop died instantly.

As soon as he perished, his body disintegrated into dust and vanished.

The man then turned his gaze in the direction where Lee Hyuk-soo had disappeared.

“I thought he was an Avatar for sure.”

But he wasn’t.

If Lee Hyuk-soo had been an Avatar, he would have killed Yoo Han-seop without hesitation.

Currently, all the Avatars in the Water God Abyss were at odds with each other. A war had already broken out between them.

“He’s not an Avatar, yet he has that level of power and equipment…”

The man stroked his chin and smiled.

He felt the joy of discovering a kindred spirit. A true talent—one who had gained power purely through his own abilities.

A wave of emotion hit him, something he had never felt before in his life.

…To think there was another person with such strength, someone who had honed their skills to such an extent.

And what remarkable talent they had—talent that shone brilliantly. If properly nurtured, this individual could surely ascend to the ranks of the strongest.

Even the equipment he wore was extraordinary.

‘That’s undoubtedly the Death King’s set.’

These were items that should not and could not exist at this time. Yet somehow, Lee Hyuk-soo had gathered the complete set.

And he wasn’t even an Avatar.

Fascinating.

“Well then…”

The man pondered for a moment.

If he left Lee Hyuk-soo alone, it was possible that he would attempt to challenge the Water God.

The other Avatars couldn’t stop him.

No one could—except himself.

Of course, the Water God was a monster far beyond what Lee Hyuk-soo could handle alone. The Water God was on a completely different level compared to something like the Dragon General.

If left unchecked, Lee Hyuk-soo might die.

He had finally found someone like himself.

If he wanted to realize his grand ambitions for the future…

“…Maybe we should become friends?”

After all, there was plenty of time.

Unlike the other Avatars, his goal was located in the ‘Poison Mist Swamp’, which was safe for now. Without poison resistance, no one could even approach the area, and the guardian protecting the treasure there wasn’t something that could be easily taken by surprise.

‘The Necromancer—the one who commands death.’

No one could steal from him.

The Necromancer would relentlessly attack through the poison mist. And aside from the Necromancer, the swamp itself was a labyrinth. The path constantly shifted, making it impossible to map.

Even if someone managed to reach the Necromancer and defeat him, they wouldn’t be able to open the ‘treasure chest’. The method of opening it was known only to him.

It was thoroughly secured, layer upon layer.

There was no way anyone could steal from him.

Laughing heartily, the man began walking in the direction Lee Hyuk-soo had gone.