Chapter 17: The great battle of illusion(7)
As the Hwanryeong Grand Tournament neared its climax, public attention turned to the four awakeners who had reached the semifinals: Yoo Danha, Yoo Soha, Shin Sungmin, and Lee Jaeha.
Shin Sungmin, in particular, drew immense focus. He had effortlessly defeated numerous awakeners without once summoning Adein, proving his S-rank status was no fluke. Praise for his skill poured in.
However, he didn’t monopolize all the attention. Yoo Danha, the previous year’s champion, commanded significant interest as well. Her mastery of all firearms—from pistols to machine guns, sniper rifles, and shotguns—was unparalleled. Her mana trait, explosion, amplified her firepower to absurd levels. A single bullet laced with her mana could unleash a devastating blast, making her untouchable to lower-rank awakeners.
Unlike most firearm-specialized awakeners, who struggled in one-on-one situations without cover, Yoo Danha was unhindered, thanks to Hidelixus. His presence ensured her safety, setting her apart from others in her class. The synergy between her and Hidelixus, a perfect blend of offense and defense, left spectators in awe.
Some called her fighting style cowardly or repetitive, but those opinions were quickly dismissed. In a tournament where winning was everything, securing victory was paramount. And her tactical, bombardment-like approach was anything but boring—it was a spectacle that guaranteed entertainment, even if her opponents suffered.
Yoo Soha also drew significant attention. Her ascent through the ranks, defeating awakeners without a Guardian Star, exuded a noble aura. Some still mocked her as a “half-baked” awakener without a Guardian Star, but her overwhelming skill silenced even those critics, earning gasps of admiration. With public opinion shifting—acknowledging that her past unfair dismissal might have been justified from the company’s perspective—support for her was slowly growing.
Lastly, Lee Jaeha, despite being the skilled leader of Hwanryeong’s Team 3 and boasting a decent fanbase due to his good looks, was unfortunately overshadowed. His opponents were simply too formidable.
“Of all people, Shin Sungmin,” he sighed.
The lack of a Guardian Star? That penalty meant nothing to Shin Sungmin. He could toy with A-rank awakeners without one. Facing him was a cruel twist of fate. Reaching the semifinals was some consolation, but against Shin Sungmin, Lee Jaeha felt he had little chance. He might have stood a shot against Yoo Soha or Yoo Danha, as an A-rank himself, but the bracket was set, and all he could do was resolve to land at least one blow on Shin Sungmin.
Despite Lee Jaeha’s determination, he was defeated by Shin Sungmin without fully showcasing his abilities. The arena roared Shin Sungmin’s name, and Lee Jaeha left with a bitter expression.
Thus, the stage was set for the next match—the one everyone awaited. A rematch of last year’s Hwanryeong Grand Tournament final.
Some predicted the same outcome, while others believed this time would be different. However, most bet on Yoo Danha’s victory. She was practically flawless, a long-range specialist guarded by the impregnable Hidelixus. Even those cautiously hoping for Yoo Soha’s win half-expected Yoo Danha to triumph.
Yoo Soha was well aware of the public’s sentiment. Yet, seeing the crowd’s certainty in her defeat, she smiled. Brighter than ever, her steps toward the arena were light.
“Let’s go, Eclipse.”
[Understood.]
Yoo Danha, unusually excited, spoke to Hidelixus with a flushed face.
“Hidelixus.”
[Yes.]
“You remember what I said, right?”
[To go all out?]
“Yes.”
[I’m well aware.]
“Good. No need to focus on defense. We’re going full offense.”
[Understood.]
“No dragging this out. Let’s go, Hidelixus.”
[Yes.]
Yoo Soha stepped into the arena.
Waaaaah!
The mix of boos and cheers echoed through the massive stadium, her smile broadcast across the giant screen for all to see. She stood alone, walking nobly toward the center of the colosseum, her presence alone enough to inspire awe.
As she reached the center, Yoo Danha, the crowd’s darling, appeared. The cheers grew deafening, but Yoo Soha kept smiling. Shattering everyone’s expectations was always exhilarating.
When Yoo Danha reached the center, Yoo Soha smiled at her.
“Soha.”
“Unnie.”
“You’ve improved a lot.”
“So have you.”
“I got better because of you.”
“The Fragment of Knowledge?”
“Yes. It seems you’ve undergone some change too…”
“Fixing my flaws turned out to be more fun than I thought.”
Over the past month, Yoo Soha hadn’t focused on learning flashy, powerful swordsmanship. She honed the basics. That choice proved immensely successful, elevating her skills to an incomparable level. Thanks to it, she could finally showcase Eclipse on this long-awaited stage.
“As expected of my sister. Let’s have a good match today.”
“This time, I won’t cry pathetically like last time.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Their conversation ended, and the referee stood at the center of the colosseum.
The match began.
Yoo Soha moved first, charging swiftly toward Yoo Danha.
“Hidelixus!”
Yoo Danha, closely observing her sister’s movements, retreated the moment Soha stepped forward, summoning Hidelixus. A giant appeared in the colosseum—ten meters tall, with bronze skin peeking through the gaps in his armor, looking like a fortress in itself. He held a massive shield.
Yoo Soha narrowed her eyes at the shield, then glanced upward. Pursuit was already impossible. Yoo Danha had climbed onto Hidelixus’s right shoulder, already in position to snipe.
A loud gunshot rang out. Yoo Soha deflected the incoming bullet, which exploded at the point of impact. No matter how many times she faced it, it never got easier. Her vast mana reserves allowed her to parry Yoo Danha’s shots, but her sister’s gunfire was not to be underestimated.
Deciding that prolonging the fight was dangerous, Yoo Soha charged at Hidelixus’s shield without hesitation. She had to break through it to reach Yoo Danha.
Clang!
Her fierce strike clashed against the massive shield. But that wasn’t all. She materialized her golden mana, summoning countless steel weapons into the air—swords, spears, axes, even shields.
Yoo Danha didn’t sit idle, relentlessly firing from Hidelixus’s shoulder. But her bullets were blocked by Yoo Soha’s golden weapons. A shield blocked a bullet and vanished; Yoo Soha summoned another with her mana.
Under her relentless assault, Hidelixus’s shield began to be pushed back. Yoo Soha thought she might not need to summon Eclipse, but that hope soon shattered.
Thud!
“What!?”
Hidelixus suddenly threw his shield aside.
Why would he abandon it? Everyone in the arena was puzzled, but the answer came quickly. A fierce gust of mana swirled around Hidelixus’s hands, forming wicked steel gauntlets. Confirming the gauntlets, he swung his fist.
Only then did Yoo Soha realize their origin.
“The Fragment of Knowledge…?”
[Exactly.]
“Ha, unbelievable… That’s the one I got for you, right?”
“Yes,” Yoo Danha’s mana-charged voice reached her.
“Thanks to you, Soha, Hidelixus became even stronger. He’s no longer just a shield-bearing defender. With his powerful body, he’s a warrior who crushes enemies.”
The ground shook with Hidelixus’s every move. Spectators chuckled in disbelief at his refined punches.
“I brewed the rice and fed it to the dog…!”
Hidelixus’s fist smashed Yoo Soha’s golden shield. Yoo Danha followed with a sniper shot at her exposed body. Barely blocking the shot with a hastily summoned shield, Yoo Soha was thrown back by the explosion that followed.
Blood trickled from her mouth as she rolled across the ground. Unwilling to accept defeat, she gathered her mana and launched golden spears at the opening created by Hidelixus discarding his shield. But her attempt was futilely thwarted by his gesture.
“Will you keep going?” Yoo Danha and Hidelixus stood imposingly before her.
Despairing at her blocked attempt, Yoo Soha dispelled all her golden weapons.
“Are you giving up?” Yoo Danha asked, looking at her trembling back with pity.
Though she felt sorry, she had no intention of stopping.
“Then I’ll take today’s victory too.”
Click.
Yoo Danha loaded a mana bullet. But then, an unexpected sound rang out.
“Heh, hehehe… Hahaha!”
“…?”
Yoo Danha, startled by the sudden laughter, looked at Yoo Soha.
It was a mistake.
The trembling back she thought was wracked with despair and sorrow was actually suppressing laughter.
Was she insane?
Whispers spread through the crowd. Laughing in a situation where defeat was certain?
Yoo Danha thought the same.
As everyone labeled her crazy, Yoo Soha realized the moment she’d been waiting for had arrived.
“Yes, Unnie. Without a Guardian Star, I can’t beat you.”
Her laughter-laced words reached Yoo Danha.
“Are you surrendering?”
Yoo Danha spoke with a complicated expression.
Yoo Soha shook her head and continued.
“But… with a Guardian Star, I’m different.”
“…What?”
“With a Guardian Star… I can beat you.”
Unable to comprehend her sister’s cryptic words, Yoo Danha asked, “What do you mean?”
“This.”
With a confident grin, Yoo Soha locked eyes with Yoo Danha and called out, “Eclipse!”
A figure landed in front of her, tattered cape fluttering. A knight in worn armor, a broken greatsword on his back, looking like a defeated soldier.
Yoo Soha gazed at him, her smile deepening.
The curtain had finally risen.