Translator: Seven
Editor: Ana_Banana
Protection of the Sun .
The effect of this skill, which can only be used once a day by the owner of Gawain’s Necklace, was a 20% increase in all abilities .
This included stats, defense, resistances, even attack power and skill effects were buffed .
Everything was increased by 20% .
It was a crazy effect, but there were restrictions .
For one, the duration was 10 minutes, which couldn’t be said to be too long or two short . Two, after using Protection of the Sun, Gawain’s Necklace would become disabled for one day afterward . Meaning that all other effects that it had would also be unusable .
‘There’s a penalty like that, so I don’t need to stick around . ’
From Kim Woo-jin’s perspective, he had no reason to fight Yang Ji-hoo while he was using Protection of the Sun .
“Retreat . ”
At Kim Woo-jin’s call, the Skeleton Soldiers simultaneously turned and ran away . It only took a few seconds for them to scatter completely .
“Huh?”
“Retreat?”
It was a scene which caused the few who were fighting to stand still, unsure of what to do . This was especially true for Yang Ji-hoo who had just been locked in fierce combat with Kim Woo-jin .
“Fuck!”
Yang Ji-hoo was the first to come to his senses .
“After them!”
With a loud shout, he started to chase after Kim Woo-jin .
In his head, there was only one thought .
‘The effect ends in 10 minutes . ’
Protection of the Sun only lasted 10 minutes and after it ended, the situation would probably go back to the way it was before, or maybe even worse . Yang Ji-hoo knew he had to defeat Kim Woo-jin before then
Of course, Kim Woo-jin wasn’t very surprised
‘He’s following me . ’
He had expected that Yang Ji-hoo would not let him get away that easily .
And so, he’d prepared just for that .
“Corpse Explosion . ”
Clap!
As he activated the skill, Kim Woo-jin clapped his hands together .
Kwang!
Then the bodies that were under Yang Ji-hoo’s feet, exploded with a loud bang .
The explosion caused by a pile of three bodies was quite powerful .
“Keuk!”
Yang Ji-hoo, who’d been caught in the explosion, was thrown to the floor by the powerful explosion .
However, he immediately sprung to his feet and continued chasing Kim Woo-jin .
Compared to the explosive power, the damage he sustained from it did not seem to be much .
This was the power of the Protection of the Sun buff .
If it wasn’t for that buff, he wouldn’t have been able to take it without a scratch . But after the buff ended, he’d be much more vulnerable than before .
‘I’ll definitely catch you . ’
From Yang Ji-hoo’s perspective, there was another reason why he was chasing so fiercely .
‘If I don’t, I’ll die . ’
Yang Ji-hoo, who felt he was in a life and death crisis, followed Kim Woo-jin with all his power .
And Kim Woo-jin kept leading him away .
He kept going to where he buried bodies, and using his skill .
“Corpse Explosion . ”
Kim Woo-jin’s accuracy was amazing . Even in the high speed chase, he was able to hit Yang Ji-hoo perfectly every time .
It was like hitting a moving stone in the air with a pebble .
From a certain standpoint, if one had been constantly tossed around by explosions, they would eventually stop pursuing, even if the damage was little . However Yang Ji-hoo didn’t stop, rather, even with Kim Woo-jin’s amazing ability to always hit him, he kept closing the distance between them .
The distance between them, which was rather long before, had been shortened to 20 meters . At the speed that they were going, 20 meters could be covered in an instant .
“Rapid Speed . ”
Then, Yang Ji-hoo made a winning move . He casted the Rapid Speed skill which increased his movement speed by 20% for 30 seconds .
‘Rapid Speed . ’
His actions didn’t escape Kim Woo-jin’s notice .
Kim Woo-jin suddenly stopped running and turned, swinging his scimitar toward Yang Ji-hoo, who’s speed rapidly increased .
‘I knew you’d do this . ’
Yang Ji-hoo closed the distance between them and swung his longsword toward Kim Woo-jin .
Clang!
The two blades clashed with a loud sound .
At the same time, Kim Woo-jin was sent flying at an extreme speed . The difference in power was evident .
“This bastard . ”
Only then did Yang Ji-hoo realise his intentions .
“You’re really such a cheap person . ”
Yang Ji-hoo swore at Kim Woo-jin but received no response .
“You don’t dare to attack me again huh? You’re just a bastard . Do you not dare to face the anger of a strong guy?”
He didn’t attack again, he just had a smug look on his face .
“Then let’s continue . ”
Along with that, Yang Ji-hoo launched a fierce attack .
It was an uneven fight .
Clang!
Every time there was a sound as their blades collided, Kim Woo-jin’s body shook greatly .
Despite the light attacks from Yang Ji-hoo, Kim Woo-jin had to defend with all his might . If a passerby was to see this fight, they’d be able to clearly see that Kim Woo-jin was at a disadvantage .
In fact, they were no longer on the same level .
“Oh, you’re still alive huh? I have to try harder . ”
Yang Ji-hoo stopped and stared at Kim Woo-jin, inspecting him . It wasn’t that he expected a trick of some sort, but rather he was just being vigilant .
[Protection of the Sun ends in 100 seconds . ]
‘100 seconds . ’
He was clearly measuring the time he had left .
Moreover, it wasn’t just for fun that he was attacking Kim Woo-jin so fiercely .
‘There is nothing here . ’
It was to make him pull out all of his hidden trump cards one by one .
‘Does he really not have any more hidden cards?’
He confirmed that there seemed to be no more traps .
‘Then I should finish this now . ’
He did not intend to give Kim Woo-jin time to prepare anything else .
‘It ends here . ’
Yang Ji-hoo prepared to make a move .
Chik!
Suddenly an arrow flew toward Yang Ji-hoo .
Tink!
However it just bounced off his armor without piercing through .
He received no damage, however Yang Ji-hoo’s expression stiffened .
‘What is this…’
As he looked on, black skeletons emerged one by one .
“You should have about 95 seconds left . ”
Kim Woo-jin’s voice drifted into his ear .
“Already?”
Only then did Yang Ji-hoo realize .
“Stalling for time?”
From the start, Kim Woo-jin had been tying him down, keeping from helping the others and now it could be seen that his so-called ‘retreat’ was only an extension of that .
“I’ll tell you one thing . I don’t have to give verbal commands to my skeletons . ”
From the beginning when Kim Woo-jin shouted his order to retreat, it was like a professionally directed movie .
The Skeleton Soldiers did not need Kim Woo-jin to tell them commands . Nevertheless, at that time, he had cried out .
“I don’t have to say retreat, but I shouted it anyway . Why?”
“Then…”
“Because I knew that you would start to chase me . ”
By shouting, Yang Ji-hoo and his companions would have the illusion that they really intended to retreat and follow them .
“And as I expected, you followed me . ”
And in fact Yang Ji-hoo had indeed chased after Kim Woo-jin .
“As if I was crazy…”
When Yang Ji-hoo had chased after Kim Woo-jin he hadn’t cared whether his companions were following and just kept running .
While he had been chasing Kim Woo-jin, the skeletons had returned to attack his subordinates and Kim Je-hoon . The fact that they had returned now, proved that the battle was already over .
“You also didn’t notice that we’ve been moving in a circle . ”
Moreover, Kim Woo-jin didn’t just run in a straight line without aim . Instead, he led Yang Ji-hoo in a circle . That way the skeletons were able to catch up faster .
In other words, everything was in accordance with Kim Woo-jin’s plan from the start .
“So, do you understand now?”
After saying this much, a mocking smile spread across Kim Woo-jin’s face . Yang Ji-hoo’s eyes were clouded with confusion as he looked at that smile .
“You guys! Who are you exactly?”
Yang Ji-hoo couldn’t help but shout out .
In response, Kim Woo-jin said .
“You really don’t know my identity after I explained so much? Fine, I’ll tell you . ”
As he heard this, Yang Ji-hoo gulped subconsciously .
“My identity is…”
Tension began to build in the clearing .
But Kim Woo-jin suddenly said something else .
“Oh, it’s almost time . ”
“What?”
It was then…
[Protection of the Sun ends in 30 seconds . ]
A notification sounded again in Yang Ji-hoo’s ears to inform him of the imminent end of the skill .
This was the reason why Kim Woo-jin had been having a conversation with Yang Ji-hoo . To waste even more time .
In other words, he no longer needed to talk .
“You cowardly bastard!”
As soon as Yang Ji-hoo shouted, the smile on Kim Woo-jin’s face disappeared, his face returning to the usual neutral expression .
Kim Woo-jin and his skeletons retreated again, not intending to face Yang Ji-hoo within those remaining seconds at all .
‘Ah…”
Yang Ji-hoo could only make a stormy expression as he saw this .
Not long after, another notification sounded in his ear .
[Protection of the Sun Buff has ended . ]
[Gawain’s Necklace is now disabled . ]
In addition, Kim Woo-jin and his skeletons had disappeared .