Chapter 20: The great battle of illusion (10)
The next day, Yoo Soha and Eclipse made their way to the hospital room where Yoo Danha was recovering.
Thanks to the medical team’s meticulous care, most of her injuries had healed, and she greeted her visitors with a calm smile.
“Welcome.”
“Hey, Unnie. How are you feeling?”
“All better. I’m itching to get out of here. Oh, and hello to your Guardian Star. I’m Yoo Danha, Soha’s older sister.”
“I already know,” Eclipse replied.
“You’re Eclipse, right?”
“Yes.”
“Take good care of Soha.”
“I will.”
“Quite the stoic type. Makes you trustworthy,” Yoo Danha said with a slight smile.
Eclipse nodded at her composed reaction.
“You don’t seem too surprised, Unnie,” Yoo Soha remarked.
“Oh, I’m just hiding it. I was shocked.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. But it’s a good thing. People won’t be talking you down as much anymore.”
“Guess so.”
“You’ve had a tough time, Soha. This is great.”
There was no trace of envy in Yoo Danha’s eyes as she smiled.
“…Yeah.”
“Good luck in the final. Shin Sungmin’s strong, but it doesn’t feel like you’re completely outmatched.”
“I know.”
In that moment, Yoo Danha saw the confidence in her sister’s eyes. For someone often called arrogant, such confidence meant certainty. The final was bound to bring some interesting results.
“It’s going to be a series of upsets.”
“Exactly. That’s my plan.”
“It won’t be boring. You should get going, Soha.”
“Okay. Take care, Unnie.”
“I’m fine, I told you. I’m just lingering in bed because I want to rest.”
“Alright. And…”
“Hm?”
“Thanks.”
Yoo Soha didn’t specify what she was thankful for, but Yoo Danha understood. It was gratitude for warmly accepting her despite her past jealousy and resentment. Realizing this, Yoo Danha smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
For the next three days, Yoo Soha poured herself into training.
Her training wasn’t just about improving her own skills. She believed she could aid Eclipse in battle. By sending him weapons formed from her mana during combat, she could help him leverage his strengths.
Eclipse agreed, thinking a weapon would be useful. He told her to create and toss him weapons during the final against Shin Sungmin, noting that her conjured weapons were better than any makeshift ones.
Yoo Soha readily agreed, and soon, the day of the final arrived.
The announcer’s shouts, the crowd’s cheers and anticipation, and the performances leading up to the final filled the air with noise that battered Yoo Soha’s ears.
When all the ceremonies concluded, Shin Sungmin stood before her.
“Hello, Soha-ssi.”
“Hi. It’s been a while, Sungmin-ssi.”
She responded coolly to his friendly greeting.
“Isn’t that a bit cold?”
“If you publicly dismiss someone like that, this kind of reaction is mild.”
“Dismiss? Me?”
“You compared me to Unnie and didn’t even mention me.”
“You’re holding a grudge over that?”
Shin Sungmin looked exasperated.
“It’s a big deal to me. Anyway, enough talk. Let’s get started.”
Yoo Soha glanced at the referee, who looked to Shin Sungmin for confirmation.
“Fine, let’s do it,” Shin Sungmin nodded.
The referee separated them and signaled the start of the match.
As soon as it began, both did the same thing: they summoned their Guardian Stars.
“Adein.”
“Eclipse.”
Beside Shin Sungmin, Adein appeared, floating in the air. Red hair matched her sturdy horns, and a fiery tail blazed behind her. The high fire spirit, Adein.
As she materialized, Eclipse appeared too, his worn armor and tattered cape starkly contrasting Adein’s vibrant presence. His broken greatsword looked shabby in comparison, but everyone in the arena knew how powerful this unassuming knight was.
Anticipation filled the crowd’s eyes.
Adein, with a bored expression, eyed the worn knight before her.
“What’s with this tin can?”
“Don’t underestimate him, Adein. He’s strong,” Shin Sungmin warned.
“Oh? Then I’ll go all out.”
Grinning excitedly, Adein sought Shin Sungmin’s approval. He nodded.
“Fine.”
Instantly, flames engulfed Adein’s body, transforming her into a massive fireball hovering in the air. Shin Sungmin reached out, and the fireball was drawn to him, merging into his body.
A transformation began. Red armor encased him, with flames roaring from the wing-like protrusions on his back. In his hand, a blazing sword appeared.
Yoo Soha swallowed hard, tense. Spirit Fusion—Shin Sungmin’s unique ability, the one that made him one of Korea’s top ten S-rank hunters.
Fully prepared, Shin Sungmin glared at Eclipse and launched himself forward, flames erupting like a storm in his wake.
Eclipse, watching him charge, turned to Yoo Soha.
“Soha.”
“…Yes?”
“I’ll need a weapon.”
“Got it.”
No need to ask what kind. She formed a greatsword and handed it to him.
“It probably won’t last long. My mana has an iron attribute, so it’s weak against Sungmin-ssi’s fire mana. The sword might melt or shatter under heavy impact. But I’ll keep sending you weapons.”
She calmly acknowledged her limitations.
“Understood.”
Gripping the greatsword in one hand, Eclipse faced the charging Shin Sungmin and rushed forward.
BOOM!
The ground exploded as Eclipse appeared before Shin Sungmin in an instant. Shin Sungmin, expecting this, swung his flame-wreathed sword, while Eclipse countered with Yoo Soha’s golden greatsword.
BOOM!
A deafening roar, far louder than the ground’s explosion, echoed as a shockwave swept the arena.
“…!”
At the moment of impact, Shin Sungmin’s eyes widened. Eclipse’s strength was absurdly overwhelming. Even with Adein’s support, a moment’s lapse could cost him his grip on the sword.
“What…!”
[Argh! What is this!?]
A groan escaped Shin Sungmin, and Adein’s scream rang in his mind.
‘What is this power?’
No high-level beast he’d faced had ever pressured him like Eclipse. Just how strong was this unassuming knight?
He couldn’t even risk drawing his sword fully, lest Eclipse’s greatsword crush him. Caught in a stalemate, confusion flickered in Shin Sungmin’s eyes.
But then, his gaze shifted to Eclipse’s greatsword, which, despite its immense pressure, was glowing red and cracking. As Yoo Soha had predicted, her sword was melting under his fire mana and taking damage from Eclipse’s physical force.
Shin Sungmin’s eyes gleamed as he withstood the pressure. Eclipse, aware of the sword’s condition, realized continuing the struggle would break it. He slightly lifted his greatsword, easing the force.
Shin Sungmin didn’t miss the brief gap. Freeing his sword, he reignited the flames and charged at Eclipse again.
Eclipse swiftly responded, raising the cracked golden greatsword to block. Despite the speed, Shin Sungmin remained calm, striking to break the sword. If it shattered, Eclipse would be momentarily defenseless.
Another clash erupted, flames engulfing Eclipse’s front, distorting the air with heat. As Shin Sungmin expected, the greatsword couldn’t withstand the impact.
Crack!
The half-melted, red-hot golden greatsword shattered with a sharp sound.
Shin Sungmin seized the moment, his flaming sword aiming for Eclipse’s right collarbone.
But at that instant, a thin golden shield formed over Eclipse’s shoulder, blocking the strike.
“Damn…!”
Shin Sungmin realized his rookie mistake. Overwhelmed by Eclipse’s power, he’d forgotten Yoo Soha. Her shield could only hold his attack briefly, already melting, but that moment was enough.
With his greatsword broken, Eclipse’s freed fist slammed into Shin Sungmin’s armor.
BOOM!
A massive force swept through Shin Sungmin’s body.
“Guh!”
[Ack!]
Screams burst from Shin Sungmin and Adein, unified in the armor. As they were flung back, Eclipse kicked the ground, aiming to strike again. Adein conjured a blazing wall of fire to deter him, but Eclipse charged through it unscathed and delivered another punch.
BOOM!
A louder explosion rang out as their bodies were thrown back, crashing into the barrier’s edge.
The crowd was stunned.
Thinking it was over, Eclipse turned to Yoo Soha.
“Soha. It’s…”
He stopped mid-sentence, sensing an overwhelming heat behind him—far fiercer than the fire wall he’d just broken through.