Chapter 158 – The Forgotten Dragon Knight’s Pride (6)
What is the biggest characteristic of the Assassin class?
If someone asked this, most would probably answer like this:
As the name suggests, ‘assassination’ is the characteristic.
The Assassin class is most effective when ambushing from unseen places.
Although there may be small differences between the finely divided abilities, the core is ultimately the ambush.
The foundation is the [Stealth] rune and the [Weakness Detection] rune.
Hiding traces or disappearing from sight with [Stealth], and lowering the opponent’s defense with [Weakness Detection].
This was the most basic ambush route for the Assassin class.
‘And Ji Yoon-jae failed twice in ambushing me.’
The first time was when he attacked me while I was fighting with Koo Myeong-hoon, hiding in the explosion.
The second time was just now, when he suddenly jumped in during the 3:1 battle against the <Villain> clan members.
The first time I was blocked by the fire shield, and just now I was blocked by my reaction speed.
An Assassin class that failed two ambush attempts.
A Holder who lost his specialty would inevitably be at a disadvantage in battle.
“Haap…!!”
“……?!”
At the sudden series of sword strikes pouring down on him, Ji Yoon-jae is flustered and counters with his short sword.
A total of five quick sword strikes.
Containing the faint power of ‘attributes’.
‘Change Strike.’
The new advanced rune [Elemental Master] I got by combining all four attribute runes into one.
The core effect of this rune is ‘Pure Element’, which allows partially ignoring the opponent’s ‘Resistance Stat (Attribute Resistance)’.
And ‘Change Strike’, which can increase the power up to 50% by alternating the power of attributes. These two.
Ji Yoon-jae, who seemed a bit inferior in a frontal confrontation.
I made full use of this to pressure him.
Fire, water, earth, wind, and fire again.
The five attributes faintly imbued in my sword, changing over and over.
If it was an ordinary sword, the magic resonance would have been weak and it would have broken instantly, but the [Sword of Penitent] was an epic item with considerably high resonance.
As expected, expensive weapons were worth their high price.
“What the hell is this…!!”
Ji Yoon-jae was flustered as he brushed off my sword strikes.
Although he spoke like that, I strangely felt like he blocked them quite easily.
‘He blocks well with that little short sword.’
This is why A-grade Holders are different from B-grade Holders.
Ordinary B-grade Holders would be flustered by this kind of attack, overwhelmed by the vastly superior strength and speed, and be pushed back as it is…
But A-grade Holders narrow that difference like this, utilizing their runes.
This ‘brushing away’ was probably a sword technique rune that utilized the short sword.
It seemed to be a skill specialized in evasion.
Since the Assassin class generally has difficulty tanking, they often set up strategies focused on evasion in confrontations…
Ji Yoon-jae’s current state was the textbook of that evasive form.
Although the title of ‘Assassin Riding a Dragon’ had crossed over, after all an A-grade is an A-grade.
The basic talent that Ji Yoon-jae possessed was not easily going anywhere.
But seeing that, I laughed bitterly inside.
‘I wasn’t even aiming for him from the beginning.’
My target wasn’t Ji Yoon-jae from the start.
In the first place, Ji Yoon-jae is of the Assassin class.
Although he is an A-grade Holder, his specialty is ultimately ambushes utilizing [Stealth] and defense penetration.
Naturally, his real power also comes from ambushes rather than frontal confrontations.
So if I defeat the remaining 3 <Villain> clan members who can buy time and drag out the frontal confrontation…
Wouldn’t the battle formation easily turn to my advantage?
From the moment I came in to fight these four, I had devised this strategy, and the first step, retiring one by cutting off his arm just now, was a great success.
‘The finish of Change Strike.’
The special effect of [Elemental Master] called ‘Change Strike’.
An attack with 50% increased power by changing attributes.
I instantly changed the direction of the finishing blow and landed a hit on a different clan member instead of Ji Yoon-jae.
The B-grade Holders who were already struggling to grasp the situation against my pumped up abilities.
There was no way they could block this finishing blow pushed to the extreme.
The result was a complete success.
Now there were three left, including Ji Yoon-jae.
I could see the despair flooding their complexions.
‘That’s your ability, Ji Yoon-jae.’
When it came to ambushing and assassinating me, Ji Yoon-jae made one huge mistake.
That was timing.
When I was the most dangerous, and when he could deal the most effective blow to me.
Ji Yoon-jae missed the chance when that timing came.
‘I should have killed him with Cha Soo-yeon.’
The time I was most defenseless was the moment I tried to kill Cha Soo-yeon using [Distortion’s Shadows].
At that time, I was pouring all my power into assassinating her, and was even preparing to utilize [Explosive Sword Aura] by investing magic power afterwards.
Naturally, I would inevitably be vulnerable to other attacks.
Ji Yoon-jae should have aimed for that moment.
Without considering Cha Soo-yeon’s life and death, he should have poured all his power on me at the optimal timing.
Having missed that golden time, this was how he struggled in an uncharacteristic manner.
“Damn it! Hide it and throw it!!”
Like this.
Unable to make proper situational judgments, forced to fight hectically being pushed around.
‘Moron.’
I laughed inside.
Finally it came out.
Ji Yoon-jae’s main rune, the pinnacle skill [Art of Hidden Throwing Knives].
The ultimate skill [Knife Rain].
A ranged skill that shoots 21 daggers at the target…
Rather than the daggers pouring down all at once, it was a timed attack pouring down at different timings.
Especially since the directions the daggers flew from were all unpredictable, combined with the defense penetration effect that partially ignored the target’s toughness stat, it was an extremely bothersome ultimate skill.
‘And they are all physical attacks.’
Most of the ultimate skills I possess, large or small, utilize magic power.
On the other hand, Ji Yoon-jae’s [Knife Rain] was a purely physical attack.
It was a pure physical ultimate skill without any magic power assistance, while receiving a lot of support from other aspects.
‘I would have cleanly nullified it with Declaration of Domination if this was a battle of magic.’
A skill that could nullify an ultimate skill with a single skill.
Unfortunately, however, I had already used [Declaration of Domination] earlier to protect Kang Juyeon, so the cooldown was still ticking.
Of course, even so, I had some leeway.
I had evasion and defense skills given to me besides [Declaration of Domination].
Because that wasn’t my only evasion and defense measure.
“Flow.”
I quietly chanted.
At some point, swords were gripped in both hands with the Art of Weapon Exchange.
I calmly took a stance and prepared to deflect the pouring daggers.
I did use [Sky-Shatttering Heavenly Sword] during the Flame Hydra raid, but fortunately I had saved [Water Sword Dance].
It was a skill focused on extreme evasion, so I wondered if there would even be a chance to use it, but this opportunity had found me once again.
Shh- Eee-!!
Clang- Clang-
Clash- Clash-!
Although it was said that all the directions of [Knife Rain] were random, in fact the directions the first 5 came flying from were fixed.
Lower left knee, upper right diagonal, right in front, right shoulder, behind the back.
I had the whole complex direction composition memorized.
Ji Yoon-jae was a fairly important villain in the original work.
Accordingly, I also knew in detail about the runes and skills he utilized.
‘Then rhythmically after.’
The first 5 daggers flew in syncopation.
After blocking those tricky 5 daggers, I just had to block in time with the timing.
21 daggers poured down in total.
My sword shifts as if to dance to match them.
Clang- Clang-
Following that were the bizarre clashing sounds of Ji Yoon-jae’s daggers bouncing off.
My swordplay clashing with the daggers pouring down like rain…
Reached its end in an instant.
And.
Clash-!!
Once again, Ji Yoon-jae’s weapon and my weapon clashed.
I completely lost count of how many times already.
“Fucker! How?! Why the hell do you know everything, why!!”
Ji Yoon-jae, filled with rage, fiercely swung his short sword pushing me back.
The attack routes of [Knife Rain], and even the directions of the first five daggers.
And as if that wasn’t enough, even this… Ji Yoon-jae charging in to take advantage of the opening.
It was all within my range of prediction, and he had foolishly taken the bait of this counterattack.
It was the end for one whose patterns had all been read in advance.
And….
“Ugh-?!
Ji Yoon-jae, who had charged at me like a bull with horns, suddenly moaned.
He had an uncomfortable and painful expression.
As if an unexpected blow had struck him somewhere.
At that, a sneer escapes me.
Of course, I knew the reason for it.
“How’s the poison taste?”
That instant, Ji Yoon-jae and I clashed weapons several times.
Scratching and scraping him all over as my sword grazed him in various spots.
From there, potent venom was flowing out.
The derived skill [Poison Attack] from the now level 8 [Venom] rune.
Like a damned rat hiding in the corner, my poison attack was parasitizing Ji Yoon-jae’s body.
