Chapter 70: Yoo Hee-yeon facing each other

-Bang!-

Lee Hyun-seung’s bullet collided head-on with the concentrated orb of lightning.

Jung Sae-ron watched the scene unfold and felt certain of her victory.

There was no way she could lose. The Lightning Cannon spell she had cast was already formidable in its base form.

But now, she had taken her time to charge it to its maximum potential. This was her strongest attack, released with

her full power.

To think that a mere handgun could counter such an attack seemed laughable.

‘Once he gets hit by the spell and passes out, I’ll immediately take him out.’

She had already devised her plan for what to do once Lee Hyun-seung was struck. But her plan was rendered useless.

The reason?

-BOOM!-

Lee Hyun-seung’s bullet pierced straight through Jung Sae-ron’s Lightning Cannon and kept flying forward.

‘What… what is this insanity…?!’

In disbelief, Jung Sae-ron bit her lip.

A mere bullet had penetrated her strongest magic. It was something she couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

-Zing!-

And the bullet, which had pierced through the orb of lightning, didn’t stop. It continued its relentless trajectory, now

hurtling directly toward Jung Sae-ron.

Its speed didn’t waver. If anything, it seemed to move even faster.

Death.

For a brief moment, Jung Sae-ron forgot she was in a virtual stage. All she could think about was her imminent

death.

The approaching bullet seemed to move in slow motion, a phenomenon often described as the “life flashing before

your eyes” moment.

She made one last desperate attempt to survive, summoning every ounce of her remaining strength.

With that, she conjured a protective shield.

[Magic Shield]

The hastily formed shield wasn’t perfect, but it was strong enough to withstand most weapons or explosions.

Surely, it could stop a bullet that had already lost some of its momentum after penetrating her spell.

Or so she believed.

-Thud!-

“What…?”

The sound of something piercing through reached her ears.

Heat blossomed in her lower chest.

A metallic, blood-tinged scent filled her nostrils.

“No… this can’t be… it’s impossible…”

She couldn’t believe it.

That bullet had not only penetrated her fully charged Lightning Cannon, but had also pierced through her Magic

Shield.

As much as she wanted to deny it, the sensation of blood flowing freely from her abdomen forced her to confront

reality.

-Warmth.-

A searing pain began to consume her body.

“Ahhhhhh—!”

A shriek tore from her lips before she could even process her pain.

The agony in her pierced stomach felt like fire, as if the wound was burning from the inside out.

“Hnnngh… aghh!”

The pain that followed was even worse than the initial impact. It was as though the residual energy from the bullet

was tearing her apart.

Lee Hyun-seung watched Jung Sae-ron writhe in agony as a message popped up before him.

[Due to the effect of the Legendary Gunslinger class, additional damage has been inflicted.]

Recently, Lee Hyun-seung’s Gunslinger class had reached Level 2.

The increase in level, coupled with the buffs from the legendary-tier class, had significantly amplified his damage.

“This is insane.”

Looking at Jung Sae-ron, Lee Hyun-seung could clearly see the results of his power.

Even with a single bullet, which had already been weakened after penetrating her spell, she was reduced to tears and

writhing in unbearable pain.

They say that when you’re in too much pain, you can’t even speak properly, right? She was crying, her screams

coming out like a faint murmur, unable to form any proper words.

If someone had seen it, they would have thought she was caught in a massive bombing.

-Swift

Lee Hyun-seung casually looked at Kang Jun-hyung, who was beside him.

Flinch.

Kang Jun-hyung froze, unable to even think about charging forward.

When facing an opponent weaker than oneself, of equal strength, or slightly superior, a person doesn’t get tense.

But when they meet someone overwhelmingly stronger, their body becomes stiff, and they freeze.

Kang Jun-hyung was in such a state now.

-Tremble

‘Move… please… please move.’

He desperately shook his body, wanting to move, but it wouldn’t listen.

When the brain suffers excessive damage, it shuts off the mind to protect the body. This is called a “blackout” state.

This is linked to survival instincts. The brain sends a signal: If you continue to move, you’ll be in danger, so stop.

Like a “blackout” phenomenon, Kang Jun-hyeong’s brain was continuously sending that signal. Don’t oppose it. If

you move now…

‘You will die…’

-Crack

Lee Hyun-seung twisted his neck grotesquely and walked toward Jeong Sae-ron, who was collapsed.

“Ugh… h-huh… it hurts… it hurts…”

Jeong Sae-ron didn’t have the luxury to even look around.

“Hey.”

Even though Lee Hyun-seung called out right in front of her, she didn’t respond.

Swift.

Lee Hyun-seung raised his gun and shot Jeong Sae-ron.

-Thud!

In an instant, Jeong Sae-ron’s body flew into the air for a brief moment.

Looking at Jeong Sae-ron, trembling in fear, Lee Hyun-seung spoke coldly.

“Just because you have an Epic rank and the power of a wizard, you think you can look down on people and try to

melt them with spells like Lightning Cannon?

Now that you’re the one being hit, are you scared?”

Lee Hyun-seung leaned his face toward her and murmured.

“I get disgusted by people like you. Those who swing their luck-earned job and rank around, as if that is their real

power and authority.”

-Creak

Lee Hyun-seung thought of Yoo Hee-yeon. Jeong Sae-ron’s use of magic and her condescending gaze were very

similar to Yoo Hee-yeon.

Lee Hyun-seung spoke coldly.

“Charging Lightning Cannon to its maximum and shooting it at a person means you were just trying to kill them,

right? Can I take it that way?”

Jeong Sae-ron looked at Lee Hyun-seung and apologized.

“I… I’m sorry… It… It was just a game… I… I just wanted to win…”

She stuttered as she grabbed his ankle, almost like begging.

Lee Hyun-seung smiled wickedly.

“You said it well. Yeah, it’s a game. It’s not like you’re really going to die. So I don’t need to apologize, right?”

Swift.

Lee Hyun-seung aimed his gun at Jeong Sae-ron’s forehead.

“Wait… what I mean is…”

-Creak

-Bang!

When Lee Hyun-seung pulled the trigger, Jeong Sae-ron immediately collapsed onto the ground.

-Tremble

-Thud

She trembled briefly, then completely stopped moving.

[An A-class participant has been eliminated.]

The broadcast sound echoed.

‘Now Yoo Hee-yeon will start moving faster.’

He had already eliminated two participants, Nam In-woo and Jeong Sae-ron. The announcements about F-class

eliminations had been heard much more often, but even so, the announcement of an A-class elimination would make

Yoo Hee-yeon impatient.

Soon, she would use a detection spell and reach the second controlled zone. It didn’t matter. There was still a little

time before she arrived. He couldn’t keep running forever.

’25 minutes.’

The time remaining until the artifact that would help control Han Seong-gil’s [Gladiator Trait] was completed.

• [The Artifact Left by the First Knight] will be completed in 25 minutes.
  ‘I can endure.’
  He could handle this much. Once it was done, he would be able to carry out his second plan.

With that thought in mind, Lee Hyun-seung approached Kang Jun-hyung.

“Why, you seemed desperate earlier, but now you’re frozen, just standing there?”

Lee Hyun-seung spoke to Kang Jun-hyung, who responded.

“I… I have to win this match… My… My father…”

• Swoosh
• Bang!

Lee Hyun-seung fired without saying another word.

“Cough-!”

Kang Jun-hyung grabbed his chest where the bullet had pierced and shed tears.

“I… I have to win… I must win… To… To…”

• Whoosh

Kang Jun-hyung’s body was judged to have sustained excessive damage and was being forcibly moved off-stage.

Lee Hyun-seung looked down at the collapsed Kang Jun-hyung with a blank expression.

“Who doesn’t have a story? I have a reason I must win, too.”

He trembled and glared at Lee Hyun-seung. His emotions surged due to the cold and cynical words.

However, upon meeting Lee Hyun-seung’s gaze, he slowly closed his eyes.

• Rumble

Lee Hyun-seung clenched his fist, his arm trembling. His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging, making his gaze eerily

intense.

Kang Jun-hyung recognized that gaze. It was the same expression he wore when he heard that his father had been

swindled.

He understood that emotion well.

[Resentment]

It was an eye filled with deep resentment.

‘What… what happened to make him like this…?’

Rather than feeling angry or despairing over his inability to win, Kang Jun-hyung was curious. What could have

driven this person to the edge? Was it related to the stalking incident? Was it because of Yoo Hee-yeon? It was all

just speculation. Kang Jun-hyung quietly closed his eyes, and his body soon vanished completely.

Jeong Eun-seo quietly observed Lee Hyun-seung and asked.

“Are… Are you okay?”

Lee Hyun-seung, still looking at the spot where Kang Jun-hyung and Jeong Sae-ron had been, spoke.

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

Thud.

• Thud.

Then, he approached Jeong Eun-seo.

“It’s going to hurt. Just bear with it for a moment.”

Lee Hyun-seung pulled the knife from her arm.

Swoosh!

“Ugh…!”

Jeong Eun-seo let out a short groan. Lee Hyun-seung immediately swapped out the magazine and fired at her.

Messages began to appear before Jeong Eun-seo.

• You’ve been hit by a bullet from the healing magazine. External wounds are healing, and your fatigue is rapidly recovering.

Jeong Eun-seo felt the wounds healing at an astonishing rate and the fatigue in her body melting away, leaving her in

awe.

“Normal healing bullets shouldn’t heal this fast…”

Lee Hyun-seung smiled and answered.

“If a regular gunslinger used it, that would be true.”

Jeong Eun-seo then realized once again that Lee Hyun-seung was not a regular person, stood up, and brushed off the

dust. She felt as if she had just woken up, completely refreshed and in peak condition.

“Well then…”

Just as Jeong Eun-seo was about to say something, Lee Hyun-seung interrupted.

“Jeong Eun-seo, I’m sorry, but please prepare for battle.”

“Eh…?”

Jeong Eun-seo looked in the direction Lee Hyun-seung was staring. There, she saw…

“W-Why are you here…? You should have been disqualified…?”

Yoo Hee-yeon was staring at Lee Hyun-seung in shock.

Lee Hyun-seung looked back at Yoo Hee-yeon and replied.

“I died trying to kill you and was reincarnated. Does that answer your question?”

• Creak

“You… You’re really insane.”

“No, you’re the insane one. In my eyes, you’re the real psychopath.”

In that moment, Yoo Hee-yeon’s expression twisted grotesquely.