LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 117 - "Soon they'll call me a national power-level threat."
Chapter 117 “Soon they’ll call me a national power-level threat.”
I couldn’t beat him as a swordsman.
It was starting to make sense what he meant by that.
“You’re fighting with just ‘one arm,’ aren’t you?”
“…What?”
“I mean it literally, brother. I can transform my entire body into a blade. In other words, coming at me with just one sword is like a boxer stepping into the ring with only one arm.”
The prince who inherited the Han family name.
With four of Han Shin-woo’s children showing up, it wasn’t the time to exhaust himself by transforming into his monster form just to take down one opponent. It was clear he needed to conserve his strength for now.
But this guy’s skills were honestly beyond those of Lee Hee-jeong, the first person he had defeated in the past 20 years ago.
“Sylas Knife!”
“Kuh?!”
If his mother, Lee Hee-jeong, was a ‘monster’ who relied on sheer strength, this guy was a ‘human’ who combined that strength with refined technique.
**Clang!**
*Crack, crack, crack…!*
“I’ve turned all my fingers into blades. Now I’m a ten-bladed swordsman!”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re so great…!”
Yujin caught the Holy Sword descending from above with both hands. His bladed fingers didn’t get cut; instead, his body, which could move far more freely than any sword, allowed him to…
**Clang!**
“…?!”
Easily deflect the Holy Sword. Yujin then turned his clenched fist into a spear and thrust it toward Han Jae-won’s side.
“Sylas…”
“Tch!”
“Strike!”
**Boom!**
It was more of a sharp slash than a human punch.
Jae-won, barely able to defend against it by reading its trajectory and using his sword’s flat, struggled to maintain his stance.
Meanwhile, Yujin, who could transform his entire body into a blade, taunted him.
“You think you can keep blocking with just one arm, brother?”
“…!!”
“You should transform into your monster form soon; otherwise, this won’t be any fun.”
He warned, pointing his bladed finger at his brother’s forehead.
“Sylas Butterfly.”
In an instant, a bead of sweat crystallized at the tip of Yujin’s finger, nearly piercing through Jae-won’s head.
Jae-won barely dodged by tilting his head, but in doing so, he lost his balance and left his side open, where the punch he had barely blocked earlier landed.
“Fly away.”
Yujin sent Jae-won, who had turned into a projectile, hurtling towards the Hunter Association building.
**Boom!**
“Jae-won!”
“…Grandma, I’m fine.”
Rolling, who couldn’t move because both fighters were Shin-woo’s family, looked helpless as Jae-won landed right next to her.
However, Jae-won simply spat out blood mixed with saliva.
“You want me to transform into a monster?”
“Yes.”
“Then you go first. Isn’t it polite for the one who suggests something to take the lead? Didn’t the Imperial Academy teach you that?”
“…! You’re right! I hadn’t thought of that! Brother, you’re quite clever for someone from outside!”
…Luckily, he’s an idiot.
Realizing this was a chance to see Yujin’s full power, Jae-won clenched his fist.
“Then I’ll show you.”
“……”
“My monster form!”
“…!”
To set an example as a brother, Yujin released the black lightning raging within him all at once.
**”Kraaaaaa—!!”**
He roared and successfully transformed into a monster.
**”Hahahahaha!”**
“So this is the monster form of a prince with the Han family name…”
“My God… What is that?”
“This is my full power! How about it, brother? Now do you feel like transforming too?”
A black horn had sprouted from his head. Black mana, the mark of his monster transformation, swirled around his body, which had turned white, and his chest was clad in armor that seemed to be made of monster skin.
‘His stats have obviously increased, and it looks like about half of his body is covered in monster skin.’
A monster transformation other than his own.
He had seen data on it at the Rebel base, but this was his first time seeing it in person.
It felt strange.
So this was the symbol of inheriting Han Shin-woo’s blood—monster transformation.
“For your information, my durability in this state is at least five times what it was before.”
“……”
“In other words, unless you transform into a monster too, you won’t stand a chance against me, brother!”
“Is that so?”
“…?”
Mother and Father must have really gotten along well.
His other siblings probably reached the peak of their monster transformations, but not him.
Maybe it was because he was the first child, or perhaps he had inherited the most power.
As Jae-won watched Yujin’s incomplete monster transformation, many thoughts crossed his mind.
And while he should’ve conserved his strength…
‘I’m… not alone now.’
Behind him stood the still-active Monster Group.
There was also Grandma, Teacher Jin-ah, and—though somewhat unreliable—his father was still around.
If everyone else was doing well, and he didn’t do his part for some reason, that could lead to their defeat.
He didn’t want that to happen again.
“You told me to transform into a monster.”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll show you my monster form.”
Yujin smiled, clearly pleased, as he watched the black lightning begin to surge around Jae-won’s body.
But…
*Crackle… crackle!*
“What?”
He should’ve felt a sense of kinship.
But what was this?
An overwhelming amount of energy was pouring out of Jae-won’s body continuously.
It was already more than what he had seen from any of his royal family members back at the palace, including himself.
“Grrr…”
“…Father?”
In that moment, a memory of his father’s monster transformation flashed through his mind.
**”Kraaaaaa—!!”**
With a powerful roar, black lightning surged from Jae-won’s body, and he was soon completely clad in black armor.
His face, legs, torso, and even his fingertips were all covered.
When Yujin saw this perfect monster transformation, he could no longer laugh.
“What is this…!”
Backing away in shock, Jae-won raised his blade and said,
“You think I’m fighting with just one arm?”
“…!”
“Then let’s see if you can win against me with just one arm.”
“This is… problematic!”
***
**Boom!**
“Kuhk?!”
“Blocking is useless!”
Shin-ah’s punches in her monster form were no longer something Yoo Che-ran could handle.
Even though she raised her arms to block, the force behind her blows shattered the defense, sending her flying through the house’s outer wall and back outside.
“Kuhuhu. I remember now. You were just a C-rank Hunter 20 years ago, weren’t you? Do you really think you can defeat a national disaster-level monster like me with that level of skill?”
“Huff… huff… You’re definitely strong.”
“Yeah! And right now, you’re pitifully weak.”
Yoo Che-ran lay on the ground, unable to move, the impact having taken its toll on her.
Shin-ah jumped toward her, ready to deliver the next blow…
“Stop it!”
“G-Grandfather?!”
“Please, stop this. I beg you.”
But thanks to her grandfather’s intervention, Shin-ah had to slam her raised fists into the ground instead of Yoo Che-ran.
“Whatever’s going on with Shin-woo’s kids! I still don’t quite understand why the two of you are fighting! But please, stop now. My child.”
“Grandfather…”
“If you have a problem that needs solving, I’ll help you with it. So please, stop the violence.”
Had anyone ever worried about her like this before?
Of course not.
Shin-ah knew this better than anyone, which is why being cared for by her family like this was both heartwarming and sad.
Because it wouldn’t change anything.
“No, Grandfather. I’ve been given orders by His Majesty.”
“His Majesty…?”
“Yes, if I succeed in this mission, maybe even a late-born child like me could be loved. By none other than my dad!”
“!!”
“…She’s right, Seok-gyu.”
“Even Che-ran…”
“I don’t know why she hates me so much, but since I’ve been targeted, this is something we both have to resolve. So please, trust me and step aside.”
Both sides seemed intent on continuing the fight.
Seok-gyu knew he should’ve tried to stop them, but…
“…Alright.”
Letting his emotions guide him, Seok-gyu reluctantly stepped back from between the two.
“Hah! You think you have something to resolve with me?”
“Yes,
that’s right.”
What could a woman who was nearly killed by a single punch possibly resolve?
“You’re going to die, Auntie.”
“A-Auntie…!”
“Hmph, you should’ve accepted my dad’s feelings before you ended up like this! Why did you have to act all high and mighty and end up in this mess!”
*Bam, bam, bam, bam!*
Yoo Che-ran was helpless as Shin-ah, in her monster form, rained down a relentless barrage of punches.
“Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!”
A C-rank Hunter at best.
Once considered a promising talent in South Korea, she was about to meet her end, ignorant of her place…
“Aah~!!”
“…?!”
…Or so it seemed.
“I didn’t want to use this here!”
“…What?”
“But since you’re His Majesty’s daughter, I’ll make an exception and give you a lesson in manners!”
Despite her boastful words, her body was already a wreck.
Blood was pooling beneath her, and there wasn’t a single part of her that seemed intact.
But despite all that…
A chill ran down Shin-ah’s spine.
“W-What’s this?”
Feeling an instinctive fear, Shin-ah began to sweat as she retreated, but…
“Watch closely!”
“Why are you suddenly like this?!”
“And don’t tell anyone; it’s still unfinished!!”
A small staff appeared in Yoo Che-ran’s hand.
It quickly began to emit a brilliant white light as it unleashed a powerful storm of energy.
“Divine artifact…”
“What?!”
“Spinnnnnning—!!”
As if a dragon were enveloping her, Yoo Che-ran activated her divine artifact.
The only weapon available to Fighter Hunters, which wasn’t of this world but a creation of the gods, was now in her hands.
An artifact on par with the Holy Sword Arondight…
“Rong Sanmu-hyom!”
With the decorated staff bearing a dragon emblem slung over her shoulder, Yoo Che-ran revealed her full strength to the bewildered Shin-ah.