Moon's Labyrinths

Of course, Sungyoon didn’t just wait as the sword fell toward him.

Hoo-oohng!

He stabbed above with his halberd.

Tuhng!

However, the spear blade couldn’t touch Hyunwoo. One of the shield fragments flew in from the sides to block the halberd and changed the trajectory of Sungyoon's attack. The spear blade missed as it flew past Hyunwoo’s side. Hyunwoo didn’t even glance at the weapon going past him as he leisurely brought down Flamberg.

Kwhahhhng!

“Koo-oohk!”

Sungyoon unsummoned his halberd and summoned his shield. He barely blocked Flamberg. Then, he kicked Hyunwoo’s stomach.

Puh-uhk!

It seemed he had gotten a decent blow in; he heard a large sound as Hyunwoo staggered backward. Sungyoon used this moment to get up and get away from Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo dusted off his stomach. It seemed he had received no damage.

“You still haven’t given up?”

Unlike before, Hyunwoo’s voice was cold and flat as if he had given up on all hope. It sounded like a lifeless mannequin were speaking. This change had probably come due to Hyunwoo's disappointment in Sungyoon. However, Sungyoon didn’t care about Hyunwoo’s cold voice and the disappointment in his eyes.

“I would've already given up if I didn’t have a responsibility on my shoulders. The responsibility I’m carrying right now is too important.”

“It must be heavy. It must be so heavy that your legs must be shaking.”

Sungyoon smirked.

“The responsibility I feel toward my daughter should feel very heavy. However, that isn’t the case. Isn’t it strange? It doesn't feel heavy at all. This is what it feels like to be a father. One can carry the heaviest responsibility, but that responsibility is a source of strength. The heavier it is, the more strength I feel surging within me.”

“However, your daughter isn’t the only responsibility you're shouldering, right?”

“My world exists within this world. My failure to protect Earth directly affects my daughter's safety. You said you wanted me to be a hero, but there's only one thing I can be.”

Sungyoon stood tall. He raised his chin, retracted his shoulders, and spoke as his eyes burned with determination.

“A good father. That's the only thing I can be.”

For a kid, their father was like a superhero. Whenever the kid needed a superhero, the father would act and try to fill that role. Even the most beaten-down people in the world looked like heroes in front of their children. Their back looked as broad as mountains to their children. Even if it was a hard and arduous role to fill, fathers did their best. It was a paradoxical relationship. Their expectations felt burdensome, but at the same time, they were the source of their strength. That was what it meant to be a father.

“You would rather be a good father than be the world’s hero.”

Hyunwoo looked at Sungyoon as if he couldn’t understand him.

“I don’t get it. I’ve never been in a good family before.”

Hyunwoo's childhood hadn't been good, and when he grew up, he couldn't get attached to anyone either.

“However, I won’t deny you feel that way just because I'm unable to understand it. Good. If that's your answer, let’s see how real it is. Come at me again. In the end, it isn’t the journey. It's the destination that counts. If you get to return to Seoul, you would've achieved your goal. It also means my goal would be achieved too.”

Hyunwoo once again assumed his fighting stance.

“But you shouldn't take this to heart! You won’t be able to be a ‘good father’ if you lose here!”

Hyunwoo rushed forward once again. He didn’t laugh at Sungyoon’s resolve as he tried to dismantle him. Each of his sword strikes was brutal.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

In a flash, the two of them exchanged dozens of blows. Sungyoon gritted his teeth as he sent more strength into his aching limbs.

Tuh-uhng!

Hyunwoo’s shield fragment grazed Sungyoon’s armor. The force ripped the helmet off Sungyoon’s head, but at the same time, Sungyoon’s hammer landed on Hyunwoo’s neck.

Kwahng!

Since Sungyoon had already landed several blows in the same region, Hyunwoo’s armor broke apart. However, it wasn't enough. Hyunwoo had absorbed his armor, so it had become akin to his skin. It had a massive regenerative ability, and it would regrow in no time.

Boom!

Sungyoon blocked Flamberg with his shield, then swung his ax toward the wounded region on Hyunwoo’s body.

Koo-oohng!

Hyunwoo’s shield fragment blocked the ax, and once again, Hyunwoo and Sungyoon locked weapons in a battle of strength. If Sungyoon let this continue, Hyunwoo’s wound would heal soon.

Hweek!

Sungyoon put his shield next to his body and stuck out his neck over it.

“Huh?”

This surprised Hyunwoo, who couldn’t react to it. Sungyoon bit Hyunwoo on the neck.

Kwah-doo-doohk!

“Koo-ooh-ooh-ook!”

Hyunwoo groaned. Humans could exert a lot of bite force, and on top of that, Sungyoon’s Gems had boosted his physical strength. He had deepened the wound his hammer had created.

Hyunwoo swung his fist toward Sungyoon’s head, but Sungyoon distanced himself from Hyunwoo before Hyunwoo could crack open his head.

“Ptooey!”

Sungyoon's mouth was covered with blood and flesh, and he spat out a chunk of black-red flesh.

“Are you trying to become a beast?”

Sungyoon’s attack left Hyunwoo baffled. He had never expected Sungyoon to bite him.

“You bit me once. Let’s say we’re even now.”

“Koo-hoo! You do have a point.”

When Sungyoon put on his helmet again, Hyunwoo rushed him. They fought a fierce battle up close. Sungyoon unsummoned his shield and punched Hyunwoo in the face.

Kwah-jeek!

Hyunwoo bit Sungyoon’s arm with his enormous mouth. Was it revenge for what had happened before? A grin made its way to his lips.

However, Sungyoon remained calm. He twitched his hand, which was inside Hyunwoo’s mouth.

‘What the…!’

Hyunwoo knew something was wrong. He quickly spat out Sungyoon’s arm and retreated.

Suh-kuhk!

Sungyoon had summoned his weapon through his ruined hand. If Hyunwoo had been a bit late, the weapon would've spawned inside his mouth.

‘Thankfully, it isn’t a big injury!’

Suddenly, the region inside and around Hyunwoo's mouth started bubbling; pain took over him.

‘Poison!’

Hyunwoo quickly tried to use his detox magic, but Sungyoon had already healed his arm by then. He rushed toward Hyunwoo. Sungyoon had created this opportunity with much difficulty, so he desperately pushed his attack toward Hyunwoo, while ignoring his defenses. He even blocked Flamberg with his body. It truly seemed he was giving up his flesh to cut to the bone.

Sungyoon attacked without any hesitation even though it would leave both of them injured. It was a brutal fight where blood and flesh splattered everywhere. It was a battle of attrition.

In the end, even a brutal fight had to come to an end.

Puh-uhk!

Sungyoon roughly pushed back Hyunwoo with his shield.

“This is a complete dog fight! Those who look up to you as the Knight will be shocked if they could see this!”

Hyunwoo was beyond shocked at this point. He almost felt dismayed by what Sungyoon was willing to do. Hyunwoo clutched his body, which was full of wounds, as he sank to the ground. He looked up at Sungyoon.

Sungyoon was also covered with wounds all over. However, he was the last one standing this time around.

“That was just a made-up image I kept up at the request of the Mayor. I don’t care what others think about me.”

“Ke ke ke! You only care what your daughter thinks about you. Is that it?”

Hyunwoo swayed on his feet as he got up.

“My body is a mess. I’m guessing you won’t give me time to recover?”

Sungyoon raised his sword instead of answering.

“Alright. It seems this might be the end for me. When I die, my Gems will appear from my body. One of them is a storage Gem, and it has what you want.”

Hyunwoo aimed his Flamberg toward Sungyoon.

“Of course, it doesn’t matter if I kill you!”

It didn’t matter who died. This would be their final exchange.

Kwahng!

An explosive sound rang out as the swords clashed against each other. The two men stared at each other. For one of them, it would be the last face he would see before death. Both of them were about to put strength into their hands and clash when—

“I got you!”

Poo-oohk!

A spear blade pierced through Hyunwoo’s chest from behind. It was like a slow-motion picture as Sungyoon watched blood spurt from the wound.

Poo-oohk!

The spear blade didn’t stop. It continued until it pierced Sungyoon’s chest.

“Kuh-huhk!”

“Cough!”

Sungyoon and Hyunwoo coughed up blood at the same time. Sungyoon quickly retreated, and he heard a sickening sound as the spear blade exited his wound. Unlike Sungyoon, Hyunwoo couldn't extract the spear since it had gone through him.

He turned his head to look behind him.

“You!”

Hyunwoo spoke with a furious voice as he continued to cough up blood.

Puh-uhk!

A dull sound rang out when the spear was pulled out of Hyunwoo’s body. Hyunwoo fell over as if he were a marionette whose string had been cut.

The bloody end of the spear shaft pressed down on him.

“Ha-ah! I finally got him!”

The voice contained a twisted joy. Sungyoon was familiar with this voice.

“Kim Jinsoo.”

He was an ex-Fabion Connector and Hyunwoo’s junior. Jinsoo had disappeared alongside Hyunwoo.

“It has been a while, Mr. Knight.”

Even though Jinsoo called Sungyoon by his title, there wasn’t an ounce of respect behind his words. It was the opposite. His voice was filled with sarcasm and contempt.

“How did you get in here?”

Hyunwoo asked. Unexpectedly, his voice was now calm as if he had expected this to happen.

“Huh? How did I come in here? What? Are you trying to say I’m a piece of trash unworthy of entering this place?”

It seemed Jinsoo's victim complex was on a different level.

Jinsoo remained pretty calm as he kept his anger in check. He stepped on Hyunwoo, but Hyunoo’s calm eyes didn’t shake even one bit.

“Tsk! You're a mess, yet you continue to look at me as if you're better than me.”

Hoo-oohng!

Jinsoo flipped his spear and placed the spear blade right in front of Hyunwoo’s face. Blood dripped off the spear, but Hyunwoo still didn’t blink.

“Answer my question. How did you get in here?”

Hyunwoo's voice was forceful as if he were demanding an answer. Jinsoo’s shoulders flinched, but his eyes turned fierce once again.

Puhk! Puhk! Puhk!

“Fuck! You! You're almost dead! You should know your place before speaking to me like that!”

It seemed Jinsoo couldn’t stand that he had been afraid for a moment. He kicked Hyunwoo. Even then, Hyunwoo calmly stared at Jinsoo.

“Shit!”

When Hyunwoo didn’t stop looking at him, Jinsoo raised his spear. However, he couldn’t stab Hyunwoo. He had to keep his guard up against Sungyoon.

“Tsk!”

He lowered his spear. If he killed Hyunwoo, Sungyoon would kill him. He didn’t do anything rash and stared at Sungyoon as he spoke.

“I had made some preparations myself.”

Jinsoo showed the two a Gem. It was a translucent Gem that let out a brilliant light, and it even surprised Hyunwoo.

“Diamond Gem.”

Surprisingly, Jinsoo possessed a Diamond rank Gem.

“It gives me an absolute ability to hide. It's powerful enough to conceal me from you and Udocus. I hitched a ride when you guys teleported here. It seems you didn’t notice.”

“That's an amazing ability.”

“Of course, there are limitations. It doesn’t work once your opponent becomes aware of your presence. It might work against low rank Connectors again, but it would no longer work against high rank Connectors like you.”

“It still is an amazing ability. Normally, you wouldn't spew out such important information to anyone.”

“Ha ha ha! Why would I hide it? Why should I be afraid? You can't even heal yourself as it seems you used up all your healing spells in your dog fight with the Knight. Also, I stabbed your heart!”

Jinsoo tapped the region above his heart.

“Connectors can't use their power if their hearts are damaged. After all, the heart is what receives magical energy. Moreover, you did something special to your heart to gain this power. You have no way to resist now that I've damaged your heart. Do you realize I went through extraordinary steps to pierce your heart?”

“I see. It was really an amazing plan, and I'll congratulate you. So, why did you do this?”

Hyunwoo spoke as if he were talking to a child.

Jinsoo’s face crumpled once again, but it brightened soon after. Hyunwoo was the loser, and he was probably trying to save face for the last time. He, Kim Jinsoo, was the winner.

“Why do you think I’m doing this? I’m killing a traitor, and then, I’m going to kill Woo Sungyoon, who tried to interfere with me killing you.”

It was a reasonable answer. Since he was a monster now, Hyunwoo couldn’t say much when it came to betrayal.

“You gave a textbook answer. What's your real reason?”

Jinsoo grinned.

“It's my best chance to kill everyone I don’t like. The annoying Udocus is dead. You're more annoying than Udocus, and you're almost dead. Woo Sungyoon is the most annoying one, and I have the chance to kill him.”

“I see. I knew you always tried to find an opportunity to kill me.”

Jinsoo had snuck into this tower to see if he could capitalize on an opportunity to kill Hyunwoo.

“Yes! That moment is now!”

Jinso yelled in joy.

“Sung Hyunwoo suffered a critical wound from my hands, and soon, Woo Sungyoon will die! I’ll kill two people everyone considers to be special! It's a momentous feat! I’ll be the most special person in the world!”

“Why are you all like this? There’s the wannabe villain who wants to be killed by a hero, and then there is some attention whore trying to claim he's special.”

Sungyoon asked the question in a baffled voice. Hyunwoo scratched his cheek as he answered.

“Mmm! I’m sorry! This all happened because we weren’t loved in our childhood. This guy’s past is a mess too.”

“Shut up!”

Jinsoo struck Hyunwoo with the butt of his spear.

“Hmmph! It doesn’t matter what you say since I’m the victor. I just have to kill Woo Sungyoon, who is at death’s door.”

Jinsoo aimed his spear at Sungyoon.

“Die, Woo Sungyoooooooooooon!”

Jinsoo dashed toward Sungyoon like the winds. Even though his opponent was Woo Sungyoon, he was heavily injured. There was no way Sungyoon could contend with him. Jinsoo planned on breaking through Sungyoon’s damaged armor and pierce his heart.

Kahhhhhng!

“Uh?”

However, his spear was flung aside instead. Sungyoon had just flicked his halberd without much thought, yet Jinsoo lost his spear.

“Stupid bastard.”

Hyunwoo mocked Jinsoo in a low voice. Then...

Kwahhhng!

Sungyoon’s halberd struck Jinsoo.