Han Yujin took another step back. His back barely brushed the wall. Several strands of moonlight struck the wall, producing a clear, ringing sound.

After a brief silence, both men moved simultaneously.

Shja-jajajak—

An ice path spread over the sidewalk blocks as Han Yujin slid sideways along the wall. It was to escape from being trapped with no way forward or back. The moment Han Yujin lowered his body, golden chains tangled wildly with silver ones chasing him. Amidst the loud metallic clangs, Seong Hyunjae ran alongside the spreading ice path.

Screech! Han Yujin’s boots stopped with a loud friction sound where the ice ended. Passing the building right behind him, he reached an open intersection. Seong Hyunjae immediately reached out his hand to catch him—before Han Yujin could regain his balance.

Though he could have used teleportation, Han Yujin chose not to use a skill with delay. Instead, sliding on the ice, he extended the gun he had drawn. Just before Seong Hyunjae’s hand touched him, a magic bullet fired.

Tung!

The bullet hit Seong Hyunjae’s forearm and exploded. Because the charge time was short, it only lightly tapped him. Instead, Han Yujin’s body recoiled and stepped back sharply.

Using the created space and time, Han Yujin transformed the flame in his hand into a spear and threw it with full force. Seong Hyunjae narrowly avoided the fierce black spear by slightly twisting his shoulder, then pushed off his toes. The soles of his shoes cracked the asphalt colored in black and white as his body shot forward.

“There’s a weight difference, yet you keep forcing close combat! And using longer legs at that!”

Han Yujin grumbled, blocking the swinging kick with his scaly arms. Even with the same S-Rank stats, the reach was noticeably different. If they both threw punches simultaneously, one would get hit.

“You probably had the same issue with your younger brother.”

“Younger brothers always look small, no matter how grown they are. Yuhyun will always be younger than me anyway.”

Dodging the continuous punches, Han Yujin bent one leg and raised it high. As if perfectly synchronized, Seong Hyunjae’s knee strike came up exactly beneath Han Yujin’s foot. With a smack, Han Yujin stepped on Seong Hyunjae’s knee and vaulted upward.

Meanwhile, the retracted golden chains lunged after Han Yujin with a clattering sound but were blocked again by silver chains.

“Use your weapons, weapons! Your inventory must be full, right?”

Han Yujin said as he climbed atop a traffic light. Seeing his glance flick toward Noah, Seong Hyunjae smiled.

“The basic rule against teleporters is to keep them as close as possible. Maybe he’s purposely holding back to wait for a chance.”

“You know well—”

Krarung! Electricity struck the traffic light. Its light flickered briefly before bursting out, and the current surged fiercely to where Han Yujin stood. At the same time, Han Yujin threw a wire toward a streetlamp, gripping the coiled line tightly and escaping the spot.

Screeech—

The streetlamp bent under the strain. Han Yujin landed on the opposite sidewalk faster than his flying skill, and just as Seong Hyunjae caught up and closed in—

Bang!

A bomb exploded. Both Han Yujin and Seong Hyunjae were sent flying through the air. Han Yujin’s back slammed hard against a building wall; Seong Hyunjae’s shoe gouged a long scar on the asphalt. Neither escaped the powerful mana blast unscathed.

Seong Hyunjae’s arm, which blocked the explosion, had torn clothes and flesh. One ear beneath messy hair was split longwise, bleeding onto his neck. Noah, who had been healing Han Yuhyun, reflexively stood but was too far to use healing skills.

Without turning to get healed, Seong Hyunjae charged at Han Yujin again, without using defensive skills to fully trap his opponent. Han Yujin, interrupting his healing, suddenly dove to the side. Crack! Seong Hyunjae’s toes sliced a long cut where Han Yujin had been, and building materials fell and dust rose as if from an earthquake.

Han Yujin placed a hand on the ground and spun his body. Just as he tried to stand, Seong Hyunjae stepped on the cracked wall and jumped, stamping down with his heel high in midair. No time or power to dodge or block!

Under the wildly fluttering coat tails, Han Yujin finally used teleportation.

The moment Han Yujin disappeared, Han Yuhyun and Park Yerim sharpened their senses. Park Yerim moved first. Cold mist spread about ten meters from the three, and exactly within that area, Han Yujin reappeared.

“As expected! That’s the maximum range of my skill!”

“Our Yerim really did well this time.”

Han Yujin immediately ignited flames to push back the mist but still left a slight opening. Seizing that gap, Han Yuhyun dashed out but stopped upon noticing Noah. Instead, he pulled a spear from his inventory and threw it at Han Yujin.

“Keep distance.”

“Got it!”

Park Yerim also formed ice spears to harass Han Yujin. Clang! The metal spear stuck into the ground before Han Yujin’s feet, followed by ice spears flying. Han Yujin deflected the ice spears with his black flame spears and reluctantly stepped back.

“They’re growing too fast.”

Using others’ skills briefly was difficult. Upgrading an already familiar skill was no easier. So aside from deceased skills like Han Yuhyun’s pre-regression death skills, Han Yujin’s borrowed ones inevitably weakened over time.

The double effect applied only to attack skills, not to support skills like resistance.

Meanwhile, Seong Hyunjae approached nearby. Even under the recovering Silekia coat, muscles on his arm treated with potions peeked. Han Yujin tilted his head slightly and looked back at him.

“I’m thinking of going to find Director Song right now. Can you give me a hint?”

“If it’s another question, I’ll answer anything.”

“Ah, geez.”

Han Yujin scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He was confident he could escape anytime. If no one here knew Song Taewon’s whereabouts, he would have no reason to be caught and would be searching all over Seoul.

But with Seong Hyunjae here, it was faster to find Song Taewon’s location through him, so he couldn’t leave. That was the plan all along.

“I didn’t want to say this.”

Han Yujin backed up slowly. Silver chains wrapped around him again. The tinkling sound accompanied as his silver eyes narrowed.

“Even if I say my incarnation body is safe, is self-harm truly impossible?”

Everyone’s expressions stiffened instantly.

“Let’s say they can’t touch the body. But what’s inside it is me, right? Right, Yuhyun?”

“…Hyung.”

“I can’t just stand by while my bratty younger brother harms his own lifespan. Even if influenced by the Crescent Moon, I’m still me.”

Han Yujin’s gaze toward Han Yuhyun shifted back to Seong Hyunjae. He tapped his temple with a fingertip.

“What about mentally? Well, maybe it doesn’t matter to you, Seong Hyunjae. As long as you follow orders, wouldn’t a shell that ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) can’t act on its own be easier to control?”

“If that’s what you wanted—”

Seong Hyunjae stepped carefully toward Han Yujin. Golden chains coiled around him like snakes ready to strike.

“It must have already been safely stored in my mansion.”

“Hey, you’ve never really refused it, have you? Should I grant the partner’s wish now?”

Like pulling something from his inventory, Han Yujin had something at his fingertips. Seong Hyunjae was pushed back. Even faster, golden chains wrapped around Han Yujin’s wrist. In the short moment Han Yujin’s movement was stopped, Seong Hyunjae grabbed his chained wrist.

Then, without hesitation, he put what was in Han Yujin’s hand into his mouth.

“Dried fruit.”

“What if it’s poison disguised as dried fruit?”

Han Yujin laughed, reaching out to smooth Seong Hyunjae’s coat collar.

“I think I just need to turn off poison resistance and swallow something strong. What will you do?”

“You should think of your brother.”

“Yuhyun would like any country, unlike you.”

“Hyung!”

Han Yujin’s words made Han Yuhyun shout.

“But I don’t want hyung to hurt himself!”

“If I stay quietly at home, Seong Hyunjae will lose interest in me.”

“That’s—”

“Han Yuhyun, are you crazy? Why hesitate? Sir! Don’t do anything reckless!”

“That’s right, Yujin!”

“They’re really good kids.”

Han Yujin withdrew his wrist and stepped back.

“Don’t follow me. You can’t stop me anyway. I’ll give you time to think. Let’s see, there’s still quite a bit—about three minutes?”

Seong Hyunjae stopped trying to follow Han Yujin. Han Yujin reached the opposite sidewalk and waved to Seong Hyunjae and the others.

“Guys, try to convince Seong Hyunjae~”

“Sir, seriously!”

Noah tapped Park Yerim’s shoulder as she shouted angrily. Then he whispered something quietly to Park Yerim and Han Yuhyun. Park Yerim frowned and gestured toward Seong Hyunjae.

“Seong sir, come here for a moment. I think he’s really about to cause trouble.”

Seong Hyunjae approached the three and low voices exchanged. Han Yujin tilted his head and watched them.

“It’s nice to see four getting along well. But Seong Hyunjae isn’t exactly one of your gang, right?”

“Sorry for leaving you lonely. By age, it should’ve been Han Yujin’s turn.”

“My body is twenty-five, though. Well, thirty is more accurate. With good care, a body can be in its twenties even at forty. Now this guy.”

Han Yujin pretended to check his empty wristwatch. Seong Hyunjae stayed where he was while Han Yuhyun, Park Yerim, and Noah stepped forward. Han Yujin’s eyes went wide.

“Huh? What is it? Protecting Seong Hyunjae and having you step up? Worried he won’t do anything reckless around the kids?”

“Even if Director dies, he’ll be seriously hurt.”

“Maybe not. Yerim, don’t talk so much. My tongue’s got a malfunctioning brake right now.”

“I’ve gotten used to hearing that painfully often.”

“Should we just kill uncle? And scars don’t get shallower or heal faster just because you endure them.”

Saying so, Han Yujin rolled his eyes. Han Yuhyun stepped forward, followed by Noah and Park Yerim. Noah spread his wings wide and flew beside Park Yerim.

“Wow, you really have changed. Cool.”

“Thanks.”

“But it feels like you’re just openly inviting them to attack.”

Was this a plan to bait with Noah to hold onto Han Yujin firmly? It was sloppy. Han Yujin kept tilting his head as he watched Seong Hyunjae, who had turned his back.

“Seong Hyunjae! Did you even block your hearing? To protect the director that much is harsh. I’m supposed to be your only partner.”

Han Yuhyun charged at Han Yujin. Silver chains shot toward him and black blades curved, cutting the air. Clang, kang, kagang! The skillful sword dance deflected all the chains. The chains retreated like living creatures and attacked again, but Park Yerim protected Han Yuhyun with ice spears.

“Was this what you two agreed on?”

Unlike before, they clearly separated offense and defense. Park Yerim’s skill was more hindrance than help in close combat, but she perfectly blocked ranged attacks.

Tzzzeojajeok, ice climbed the silver chains, slowing movements. She didn’t overreach and stopped after blocking just the chains.

Meanwhile, Han Yuhyun closed in on Han Yujin. Clang! Weapon clashed with weapon and Han Yujin took a half-step back.

“The trap’s obvious, but too tempting to ignore.”

As long as Noah held his ground, it was hard to deal with Han Yuhyun and Park Yerim adequately. They needed to inflict serious injury that Noah’s healing skill couldn’t fix.

So Noah had to be taken out first.

Han Yujin clicked his tongue and twisted the black flame sword. The Sovereign’s sword slid in without hesitation, carving into Han Yujin’s arm. Blood splattered high, quickly turning into black flames that momentarily blinded Han Yuhyun.

Immediately after, Han Yujin threw a smoke grenade. Red mist spread instantly, and Han Yujin vanished from the spot. Then, into Noah’s wings—

Crack!

A sword pierced them.

“…!”

“Sorry, Noah!”

Cutting through golden feathered wings, Han Yujin spoke. To prevent silent screams, he deliberately attacked the wings and planned to paralyze Noah by injecting poison strengthened by his double buff. As he almost cut half of Noah’s wings and pulled out a wire—

“Ah!”

Han Yujin screamed loudly. His body dropped to the ground, gasping harshly. Violent pain pounded all over him. Struggling to stay conscious, he shakily used a spare teleport item.

Kwah kwah kwah!

The teleport escaped flames swung wildly, tearing up the ground where he had stood.

“Hah… uh, Noah, skill…”

He had definitely attacked the wings, but the pain radiated from inside his chest. It felt like a heart attack.

“Yes, uh, it’s changed.”

Noah, now grounded, healed his wings and said. Han Yujin, gasping and standing, opened his eyes wide.

“Seong Hyunjae…!”

By then, Seong Hyunjae’s figure had already disappeared.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep