Turning-Chapter 844
Attacks of transparent ice formed through the blade—that was the Awakener ability that earned the Frost Knight his moniker.
‘What an annoying power it was.’
The defining trait of a Swordmaster was their ability to unleash aura—sword energy—freely through their weapon. But when that was ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ combined with ice?
If you dodged a sword strike from the right, razor-sharp shards of ice would come rushing in from the left. If you clashed blades instead, the ice would spread through the point of contact, sending a shockwave into your weapon.
The impact was so immense that most ordinary weapons couldn’t withstand a fight with the Frost Knight. In his previous life, Yuder lost one sword, several daggers, and quite a few other weapons during their battle. Frozen, shattered weapons couldn’t be repaired, no matter what he tried afterward.
But that was then. The weapon Yuder held now was made of materials far sturdier and more precious than anything he’d used back then.
Without worrying about his blade breaking, Yuder blocked every strike he pleased. The shards of ice bouncing off the blade were deflected by the wind as he countered aggressively, forcing the illusion to falter.
If this weren’t an illusion but a real person, one might say they looked genuinely flustered. Yuder gave a cold smile.
‘Back then, I believed it was more efficient to just grab whatever weapon was around or steal from enemies, rather than rely on a single good one...’
That approach wasn’t bad. It worked when facing many opponents. But against someone like this, it just became extra baggage. Free from such burdens now, the battle felt so comfortable it was almost liberating.
—Bang, kakang, kang! Bang!
In the early exchanges, some of the Knight’s attack patterns nearly caught Yuder off guard—his memory wasn’t perfect. But as the fight went on, he began to overwhelm the Frost Knight.
Even if he was slightly outmatched in raw strength, it didn’t matter. With his accumulated experience and familiarity from having fought this man before, he could make up the difference. And finally, when Yuder imbued his sword with flames to block both the aura and the icy storm at once, breaking through the gap—
—Huff...!
A misty illusion obscured his vision, and the Frost Knight vanished.
‘What the—?’
Yuder reflexively raised his arms and summoned wind to shield himself. As he lifted his gaze, frowning, another figure emerged where the Frost Knight had stood.
—So you’re the Emperor’s dog... The Pearl Tower may have fallen, but the power of my magic remains. Do you think I’ll let some emperor bar my path? The one who will see their last sunrise today is not me—but you!
‘...Another one I remember from my past life.’
A magician who stood out in an age when mages had become nearly extinct due to the depletion of magical energy. He became infamous for wielding dangerous, destructive spells with uncanny freedom.
Before the Pearl Tower’s collapse, he spent most of his time buried in that tower, perfecting offensive spells. After its fall, he awakened and became several times more powerful, spreading his name across the continent.
Not many knew he was both a mage and an Awakener. His ability was mental-type, enhancing the effects of his spells—but usable only on himself, which made it easy to hide.
People called him the “Crimson Path Magician.” A name that meant he could walk a road paved in blood, if he so wished.
After the Pearl Tower collapsed, the Emperor of Kachian wanted him to serve as the Empire’s royal mage. The magician refused, citing many reasons—among them, that he simply couldn’t follow someone like the Kachian Emperor.
But when word spread that he had accepted an invitation from the King of Ezein, the emperor ordered Yuder to assassinate the magician before he left the Empire.
Now, that very same man—clad in a blood-red and black robe—stood before Yuder again, casting spells. Every inch of his body that could hold an accessory gleamed with magical items, all shining at once.
Dozens of magic stones flared simultaneously as he cast. His specialty was rapid, pinpoint attack spells that surrounded and overwhelmed his target in the blink of an eye.
But...
‘You weren’t the only one who could wield multiple attributes at once.’
Yuder opened his eyes wide and swung his arm at the spells flying toward him.
Power surged from his fingertips, precisely layered to collide with the enemy’s spells. Each one exploded on impact. The illusion, shockingly real, produced a storm of magical backlash that shredded the hem of his robes. His skin stung with shallow cuts, but he ignored the pain entirely.
Using wind to dash at an unpredictable angle, Yuder pulled a dagger from his coat and hurled it at the Crimson Path Magician. It was one of the ones Suns and Emon had gifted him upon their promotion—a weapon that had already proven its worth.
—...!!
In a flash, the illusionary mage screamed as the dagger severed one limb after another.
—You poor beast on a leash... I can see the mountain of blood on your shoulders. You are cursed... The Empire, the Emperor—no matter what they do, they will never achieve their desires...!
The hatred in those eyes was identical to what Yudrain Aile had seen when he’d taken that man’s life in the previous world.
“...”
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Another gust of mist swept through. Another new enemy took form.
They were all familiar faces from Yuder’s past life. Expressionless, Yuder neutralized them one by one using the best methods he knew. His hands moved almost automatically.
After cutting down about ten of them—none of whom existed in this life—he felt relatively unbothered. But the eleventh one changed that.
—Uuugh... Aaahhh...
A massive man stumbled forward, wearing a bloodstained Cavalry uniform, twisted wings broken, antlers cracked and splintered.
It was none other than Elpokens, from Yuder’s previous life.
Tears streaked his distorted face, an involuntary response from a body on the verge of collapse. Many rampaging Awakeners shed tears like that—silent, pained, and devoid of reason as their minds broke.
—Commander... Commander... Kill... Kill...!
—Help... Help me...!
—I’ll kill them all... All of them...!
This time, even Yuder had to hesitate.
Because the rampaging Elpokens overlapped with the Elpokens of this current life.
“...”
And that moment of hesitation cost him.
Yuder failed to completely dodge the next strike. Even though it only grazed him, the rampaging Awakener’s overwhelming strength sent him flying like a stone.
‘Shit.’
Cursing his moment of weakness, Yuder instinctively summoned energy to shield himself. But when he slammed into the ground, it absorbed and bounced him rather than crushing him. The impact wasn’t nearly as bad as it should’ve been.
His shoulder was torn from the glancing blow, yes—but beyond that, there was no serious damage.
‘Wait... Did Gakein just help me?’
He remembered Gakein’s words: that he’d try to assist using the shadow barrier.
Yuder had assumed he wouldn’t be able to sense anything in his exhausted state. But apparently, Gakein had managed to do something to the barrier after all.
It was almost ridiculous. But thanks to it, Yuder’s mind cleared.
Even with Kishiar’s protection, the prolonged illusion battles had begun to dull his judgment.
“...Thanks, Gakein.”
Yuder murmured a quiet thank-you to the friend who might be listening from somewhere, then tightened his grip on his sword.
And as the illusion of Elpokens came screaming, eyes bloody, Yuder raised his blade and pointed it forward.
“I told you not to use such dangerous means to grow stronger back then. And you didn’t listen.”
But this time would be different. Everything had already changed.
Just as Gakein, who should have died, had lived and helped him... just as the dagger, once meant to kill Suns and Emon, now sat in Yuder’s hand... Elpokens too would follow that path.
Yuder stabbed his blade directly into the exposed heart of the charging illusion—without hesitation.
