Ranker Who Lives Twice

Team: HH, thursdays, Yahiko (11/12)

The sudden arrival of the White Dragon’s leader made everyone freeze.

She was so high in the air that it was hard to see her face clearly, but the presence she gave off was so great that everyone felt like she was right in front of them. In fact, she felt as big as the long-extinct Giant species.

Duke Ardbad gripped his giant bastard sword. His head was jumbled.

From what he knew, the Spring Queen shouldn’t have been here.

The White Dragon was in the middle of a war with the Elohim, who were trying to take over the 76th floor. The Blood Land and the Sea of Time were getting rid of the forces and bases of the White Dragon on the floors below.

The White Dragon had their hands full because of attacks on all fronts. The contribution of the Spring Queen on the battlefields was outstanding.

Thanks to her, the battles on the 76th floor had become quiet but not enough for her to have her eyes somewhere else.

Seeing the atmosphere hazing around Waltz, Duke Ardbad narrowed his eyes.

“It’s not.”

Waltz was separated from space like a being that shouldn’t be here.

“A shadow…..is it a Primeval Body?!”

Duke Ardbad’s eyes widened when he realized Waltz’s identity.

A Primeval Body.

When the energy inside a person was purified, their body would return to its primeval state. As the body got stronger, only the purest form of what you were born with would remain.

It was the peak of internal cultivation of those who could create shadows.

Actually, this concept originated from the One-horned tribe, so there weren’t many who knew about it. This was only knowledge that Duke Ardbad had found out coincidentally because of his deep interest in martial arts.

However, there was one thing he was sure of.

If she was someone who had a Primeval Body, it meant that she had exceeded the level of arhat, and the fact that she was here meant…..

‘She’s definitely planning to get rid of us!’

Duke Ardbad lifted his sword in front of him. Waltz’s Primeval Body dashed through the air and reached his position in an instant.

Kwaaang!

The collision of the two caused shock waves to spread out around them. Waves tossed violently.

Duke Ardbad pushed Waltz away, even while feeling the pain of his entire body being destroyed.

He signified a dauntless strength. Just considering brute strength, he was confident he could win against the real Waltz.

His trait <Opposite Ends Power> was powerful enough to drag mountains out of the ground.

This was what made him a natural warrior from his younger days.

Being defeated by a mere shadow was humiliation that he couldn’t handle.

Also, it was obvious what Waltz was after. Yeon-woo. She wanted the Hoarder, who ended the Summer Queen’s life.

However, he couldn’t let the precious friend of his king be given over to those ruffians.

Pupupupung—

While Duke Ardbad was clashing with Waltz’s Primeval Body—

『Everyone…… retreat!』

Jinrang threw Open Speaking out to his subordinates.

Benteke would be furious once he woke up, but it was a relief that it ended here.

He couldn’t imagine the damage they would receive if they went against Duke Ardbad.

‘Even if it’s only a shadow, since the Spring Queen is here, it won’t be easy for their side either. It would be nice if both of them were destroyed here.’

Jinrang looked at Duke Ardbad and Waltz’s battle until he got onto the captain’s ship and quickly left the sea area.

His crew followed the captain’s ship and retreated too.

30% of the original ships were sunk, and the ships that were leftover all had signs of intense battle.

* * *

Kwaang—

“Keuk!”

Duke Ardbad grit his teeth at the shock that was delivered through his sword. It was unbelievable that a mere shadow had this much strength.

However, what annoyed him was the Experience that came down his blade.

It was the skill that toppled groups who dared to attack the One-horned tribe.

Waltz used Experience easily. Every attack and move she made had Experience embedded within it.

Because of this, even though Duke Ardbad blocked Waltz’s attacks, he was receiving internal injuries by the second.

He might have looked fine on the outside, but his insides were a mess.

Also, he was trying to fight while protecting Yeon-woo, so it was even harder.

‘Was I…..Was this all I amounted to?!’

Duke Ardbad ground his teeth. Recently, his confidence when fighting had gone down.

His arm was cut off by Tom, the leader of the Black Dragon, who was an 81 Eye at the time, and now, he was being defeated by Waltz.

Though Waltz was powerful enough to fight against three Senators of the Elohim at the same time, her shadow couldn’t match her actual power.

The Duke, who had believed that he was the most powerful player in the Tower other than the Nine Kings, was jealous.

However, he held on. His eyes were bloodshot, but he controlled his complex thoughts.

Right now, he had to focus on how he was going to save Yeon-woo.

As a servant of the Emperor, it was his duty to carry out his orders: To bring his emperor’s friend with care.

He had to find a way somehow.

“It doesn’t seem like it’ll end anytime soon.”

Waltz just clenched her fists again, not giving him a way to escape.

“Then there’s nothing I can do except kill you. I didn’t think about deepening our conflict with the Blood Land, but it’ll be nice to get rid of a duke here while we’re at it.”

She spoke in a composed manner, like she was talking about the weather.

That was how much her Primeval Body dominated over Duke Ardbad.

Duke Ardbad caught his breath and tightened his hold on the sword. If there wasn’t a path, he had to make one. Just when he was about to release his secret weapon…..

『Can you hear me?』

A stream of wind blew over to him and a voice settled near his ear.

『If you can hear me, don’t answer and blink instead. 』

Fitting of a person who spent time on the battlefield like it was his home, he didn’t express anything.

『The Spring Queen might catch on, so I’ll be quick.』

It was Heidi, the Elf who moved with Yeon-woo from the 27th floor.

He didn’t know if he could trust her, but this wasn’t the time to be worried about that.

Furthermore, what she said was simple.

To stall for time.

He didn’t have the confidence to defeat the shadow in front of him, but he could do that much.

Just then, Waltz’s Primeval Body moved.

Kw, Kwang—

Waltz crashed through the ground. Her body spun like a top as she stretched her fist out.

Experience whirled around her fist and covered Duke Ardbad.

『Now!』

Duke Ardbad tossed Yeon-woo from his arms into the river water.

With a splash, he sunk down, and Waltz’s face had defeat on it.

She hadn’t imagined he would throw Yeon-woo away here.

“Spirit…..!”

Waltz belatedly realized Duke Ardbad’s trick and tried to rush over in that direction.

However, Duke Ardbad ran at her and brought his sword down. Waltz barely blocked the sword with her arms.

His blade was right at her neck.

Duke Ardbad smiled coldly for the first time since the fight.

“Where are you going? Shouldn’t you hang out with me?”

“You dare!”

Waltz twisted her body, her purple eyes flashing. Experience exploded around her.

If he was holding Yeon-woo, he couldn’t have avoided the attack, but since there was nothing to hind him now, he released the strength he was holding back with an explosive breath.

〈Mountain Moving Emission〉. His signature skill that stemmed from his trait pressed down the atmosphere around him. Waltz’s face hardened for the first time since the fight.

Kwakwakwang—

Waltz’s face became stiff as she blocked the attack with her arm. There were small cracks along her arm.

Her outer skin, which wasn’t affected by most attacks, was beginning to break. That was how powerful the duke’s attack was.

The duke swung his sword again, and Waltz had to reflect his attack using Baekbo Shingwon, a type of Mugong.

Puung!

When another column of water soared up from the shock wave, Yeon-woo was quickly moving towards the Ghost Ship, surrounded by an iridescent being.

Heidi was standing on the Ghost Ship, controlling the spirits. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

Heidi had already used most of her magic power protecting the Ghost Ship, and it wasn’t easy bringing Yeon-woo over from Waltz and Duke Ardbad’s battle.

“Heidi! It’s almost here! Hold on a little longer!”

There was nothing Dylan or Jun could do to help their comrade, so they just cheered her on.

When Heidi had first made the decision to save Yeon-woo, they were strongly against it.

They wanted to escape from the battlefield like Triton had when Waltz appeared.

There were the Cannibal Monster Humans on the ship who were bound to Yeon-woo, but there were only old and young beings left, so they could get rid of them easily.

However, Heidi shook her head firmly and shot their opinions down.

-And if we do? If we throw the Hoarder away, what makes us different from the people who went over to Triton?

Dylan, Jun, and the rest of the players on the Ghost Ship couldn’t say anything.

The person who had saved them from being used by the 92nd Squad and given them a spot of his ship was Yeon-woo.

There was a price for it, but actually, there was no need for Yeon-woo to go that far. It was all out of goodwill.

It was Heidi’s belief that if someone acted out of goodwill to her, she had to return the favor.

That was why Heidi tried to save Yeon-woo even while her body felt like it was being crushed under the pain.

‘I’m different from Father! I’m going to show that I’m different…..!’

Heidi’s eyes turned red. The arteries in her eyes popped, and the blue veins under her pale skin bloated like they were going to pop any moment.

Her hair turned silver as a result of the magic power use, but she continued to pull Yeon-woo toward her.

“Heidi, you…..!”

Jun’s eyes widened when he saw Heidi. It was a side of her that he had never seen before, but there were things about her appearance that he had heard about in passing.

Silver hair and blue eyes. An Elf like that…..they symbolized one of the most powerful families within the High Elves. But they were destroyed a long time ago.

However, Jun didn’t continue his thoughts for long. Yeon-woo, who was wrapped around a barrier, had popped out from under the water and was reaching the Ghost Ship.

The players looked relieved.

“It’s…..!”

“T, There!”

Suddenly, Dylan, who had been watching Duke Ardbad and Waltz’s fight, shouted.

Heidi stiffened when she turned to look.

A strange phenomenon she couldn’t believe was happening.

Checheche—

Something suddenly floated up behind Waltz and took on the form of a human.

〈Split Shadow〉. The Primeval Body was the purest form of energy concentration. If you could control it, you could also split it apart.

Only

The Duke tried to stop it, but it was too late.

“The sail! Open the sail!”

As soon as Yeon-woo got above deck, Heidi shouted urgently. The players moved frantically. The sail was spread open, and the wind spirits began to blow their winds on the sail.

The Ghost Ship moved rapidly down the river water.

However, Waltz’s shadow was faster.

Swek—