[SOULMATES AU!]
Sung Jin-Woo panicked.
They are surrounded.
All three of them, Sung Jin-Woo, Song Chi-Yul and Lee Joo-Hee.
The Knight Statues began approaching them slowly, each step signalling one second closer to death. They moves as Death Reapers.
All because other three did not want to cooperate and run off!
Sung Jin-Woo gritted his teeth in anger, almost threatening them to break due to bite force. His fists tightening so much that blood began dripping from them.
And Lee Joo-Hee was traumatized, she is incapable of running away on her own.
Jin-Woo glanced at Song Chi-Yul who immediately understood what Jin-Woo wants.
Just as Sung Jin-Woo was about to open his mouth and say probably his last words to Lee Joo-Hee and give her his essence stone, something stopped him.
~Thud!
~Thud!
Knight began moving closer.
What stopped Sung Jin-Woo from speaking was a strange screen flashing in his eyes.
[Do you want your life to end here? If you don't want, re-awaken the power sleeping inside you]
[Accept/Reject]
It took one single moment for Sung Jin-Woo to process what's happening.
Maybe, just maybe because he wants to see his sister for one last time was the reason he had gone insane and seeing weird blue-like transparent screens appearing in front of his face.
Who is he kidding, he was already insane. What Hunter would return to Dungeon after injuring themselves as much as Jin-Woo did?
Maybe, if this thing is real he could survive...
"Lee Joo-Hee, take this!" He said before forcefully taking one of her hands and putting his essence stone in it, causing her to blink owlishly at him, brought out from her traumatized world. "I promised to take you for a meal right?! Then forgive me but count this as my repayment for you! Now go!"
She still didn't come back to world, too shocked at impending death.
Sung Jin-Woo gritted his teeth before casting a pleading look as Son Chi-Yul who understood it.
Only two more can escape. Jin-Woo is disabled now due to his leg, only Lee Joo-Hee was worth saving.
So with his mind set in stone, Song Chi-Yul chopped the neck of B-Rank healer, causing her to go unconscious immediately.
"I apologize Jin-Woo..." Said Song Chi-Yul, his voice full of regret and misery at his failure as raid leader. But just as he was about to pick up Lee Joo-Hee, a sudden explosion of darkness interrupted him.
The explosion of darkness came from none other than Sung Jin-Woo.
Fortunately for them, Jin-Woo with little to no hope decided to accept offer from 'screen' and softly said "Accept"
[Congratulations! Followed Skills Added!]
[Passive Skill: Master's Swordsmanship LVL-MAX]
[Passive Skill: Hand to Hand LVL-MAX]
[Active Skill: Dominator's Touch]
[Active Skill: Spiritual Body Manifestation]
[Human body undergoing evolution!]
[Evolution Successful! [Player] Sung Jin-Woo now possess abilities of [Unknown]!]
After these notifications. Black-blue like aura surrounded Sung Jin-Woo in a second before exploding outwardly from him.
Revealing another figure where Sung Jin-Woo was supposed to be there is a Knight.
A Jet-black armored Knight covered in black armor from head to toe, radiating with blue-like glow from stomach and neck area, unconsciously released absurd amount of mana, putting pressure on Song Chi-Yul whose expression morphed in shock.
With tattered black came fluttering behind the armor, and single long red-like hair like ornament extending from his helmet, and the holes where eyes should be are emanating a malicious blue glow. Jin-Woo height increased slightly, just slightly.
"Second awakening? Little Sung Jin-Woo.." He muttered to himself, he was C-Rank Mage with exceptional aura sensory abilities, he could sense aura and magic radiating from people. And the amount radiating from Jet-Black armored Knight is absurdly terrifying, this amount is way, way bigger and more darker than Cha Hae-In's aura is, so much he gulped.
But the emergence of Second Awakening did not stop Stone Statues from approaching them, but now, predator became prey.
In one swift move, Sung Jin-Woo disappeared from his previous position, with his leg restored and his strength exceeded. He appeared behind a stone statue that was just about to swing it's sword at Song Chi-Yul and Lee Joo-Hee.
In that instant he appeared behind it, he already decimated it.
Next second numerous pieces of stone fell, separating the stone statue into simple pieces of bricks and stones. The Golem has been neutralized.
This all happened so fast that Sung Chi-Yul couldn't process it properly, by the time he turned around he only noticed a pile of rocks and armored Knight behind it. Armored Knight disappeared from his point of vision once more.
'I couldn't follow Sung Jin-Woo's movements.' He realized.
Sung Jin-Woo after realizing his strength for a moment, realized he had undergone second awakening. Awakening he thinks is comparable to S-Ranks at very least.
[Author Note: Sung Jin-Woo is as strong as power restored Igris later in Manhwa now. Above National Level but slightly below Monarch Level. He still didn't meet any S-Ranks so he couldn't really judge his strength correctly.]
His hands clutched his sword he gained after 'transforming'. As his hands moved on their own, effortlessly cleaving Golems right and left effortlessly.
He moved so fast that nothing of them could register him, it surprised even Jin-Woo at which easy he defeated every single one of them.
He supposes that his new 'mastery' over sword was from 'skill' he gained. He never was good enough to even wield his dagger, and this swordsmanship he displays now is something he would never have been able to display in his life!
He effortlessly has cut every single Golem Knight in matter of seconds.
Either splitting them in half or into numerous pieces.
"Now, there is only one more." Spoke Sung Jin-Woo, slightly wincing at unfamiliar deep voice leaving through his mask. He glanced at un-moving 'Statue of God' sitting on throne, gazing at Sung Jin-Woo from it's position with that look of superiority, as if gazing at slightly stronger ant. " Prepare Yourself! " Sung Jin-Woo exclaimed, before running at non traceable speed at Chief Statue.
But this Statue was obviously way different if compared to others. It stood up from it's sitting position before punching at ground at Sung Jin-Woo who was there in an instant. But sadly for the statue, even if it can 'see' Sung Jin-Woo, it's not fast enough.
Sung Jin-Woo with new impressive agility easily sidestepped from the attack before jumping at the the outstretched hand and running at the direction of it's head, with clear intent radiating from his eyes.
Intent to obliterate this bastard, once and for all.
The Moment Sung Jin-Woo was in front of the statues face, it's eyes started glowing orange, knowing what is about to happen, Sung Jin-Woo's instincts kicked in. His first reaction was to punch bastards chin enough to diverts it's head.
And it did, Sung Jin-Woo's punch was hard enough to knock it's head upwards, causing lasers it was about to fire to hit ceiling. And that wasn't the only thing, punch was strong enough to shatter the stone on it's face, cracking it.
And next attack was followed by two handed swing of Sung Jin-Woo's black sword. With one clean cut, head of the enormous statue fell down before it's body shut down before slowly falling on the throne it stood up from with resounding thud.
~Thud!
Sung Jin-Woo released a sigh of relief as he jumped away from falling statue.
To think he would gain this power.
This huge power to defeat these statues and live...
He couldn't believe it.
With time to final process what happened, he glanced at himself.
Only now he could properly check himself.
He is wearing some type of jet-black armor with blue mana-like energy emerging from his chestplate and neck area. And since he just noticed red-mane like hair emerging from his helmet and black tattered cape behind him, he concluded that he is wearing some type of Knight armor.
Then he glanced at the sword he just used to cut down so many statues. It's a wide yet Great-Sword with great amount of mana indeed.
But under his vision he still noticed that 'screen' flashing by.
Instead it now just shows something 'stats'.
With just his name and list of 'skills'.
With simple order he closed, he got enough time to try it out later. Now...
Cave started crumbling. They don't have time, Dungeon is closing.
He shifted his attention of tensed up Song Chi-Yul with unconscious Lee Joo-Hee on his back, it must be a strain for old man like him to hold her. Especially with one arm, and even with Mage class too.
Sung Jin-Woo started walking in their direction, his armor clanking. And his sword dropped on floor before he twirled it around and sheathed it on his back..
It just appeared as if it was muscle memory..
Like something he had tone thousands of times, and thankfully his armor appears to have something akin to sheath underneath tattered cape to hold his sword. Since he put on his back, he didn't feel even slightest weight of it on his back.
~Thud!
"We should hurry up, Dungeon is closing. And I'm not curious to know what would happen if we are stuck in it." Sung Jin-Woo spoke, his voice carrying certainty and strong tone which it did not carry before.
But before anything, Song Chi-Yul must be sure of something.
"Prove you are Sung Jin-Woo and not a monster who took his body." His eyes flashed with undisturbed hostility, Song Chi-Yul may be weak in grand scheme of things, but he is not stupid.
Sung Jin-Woo stayed silent for moments before bringing out one thing only he and old man Song Chi-Yul know about.
"The first raid I joined with you, you made a necklace for me from Werewolf's body teeth I still hold in my apartment."
Song Chi-Yul released a sigh of relief at that, that's only two of them knew about. Let's say, a safe keep secret if something were to happen to one of them
Sung Jin-Woo walked up till he was in front of Old Mage.
"Let me, I will carry her, you must be tired and your arm.." Other was left unsaid..
Song Chi-Yul turned around, allowing Sung Jin-Woo take Lee Joo-Hee from old mage's shoulders and carry her in princess carry.
"A Knight with princess.." Song Chi-Yul couldn't help pointing it out, pun intended. And attempt to coll of tense atmosphere as they walk out from the double dungeon and continued walking through first dungeon.
Sung Jin-Woo snorted.
"Might as well be, it seems that I have re-awakened in just crucial moment. But what If I did earlier.."
Song Chi-Yul stopped Sung Jin-Woo from speaking further by placing his hand on armored shoulder, causing Black Knight to look at him.
"It's not your fault, it can't be changed. If God willed it so, it will be so. It's no use for you to blame yourself for something you couldn't have controlled." Song Chi-Yul chastised him while shaking his head gently, he will take responsibility and he won't let young man in front of him to be consumed by guilt for something he didn't do.
Further walk from Double Dungeon has been accompanied with complete silence.
A small but yet important sign of respect for dead.
But once they were about to exit from the dungeon, another group of Hunters entered it.
From their looks and equipment they must be high ranked Hunters, and are from White Tiger Guild if the man leading them is anything to go by.
One of the nine S-Ranks of South Korea and Guild Master of White Tiger Guild, Baek Yonhoo himself, and currently equipping brown armor, covering his entire body with exception of his head, followed by five more hunters.
Maybe B-Rank and A-Rank Hunters probably.
All of them equipped with high quality weapons and armors. One healer woman at the back, one mage if his outfit and staff are anything.
And three tanks all clad in complete heavy armor in front of mage and healer. And in front of the group is Baek Yonhoo.
Immediately after they were alerted about Double Dungeon and what monsters are in it from other survivors who luckily run into Baek Yonhoo, and Baek Yonhoo is not a man who will leave defenseless low ranked Hunters to deal with such big problem so with some luck he managed to form a team with nearby Adventurers to come to rescue.
But what they didn't expect upon entering the dungeon was to see one armed middle aged man followed by Jet-Black Knight carrying a young woman in princess carry behind him.
But.
Baek Yonhoo falls into small number of Hunters who can sense the strength of other Hunters precisely, all due to his 'Beast Instincts' skill
The moment he stepped into the portal, a chill passed through his back, and the moment he noticed black knight he used that same power measure skill.
Results terrified him.
In that peculiar moment, he felt it.
He knew it.
The moment he tried anything aggressive at Black Knight, any show of hostility, he would be struck down effortlessly without any effort.
He is without a doubt, much weaker than Black Knight, their strength is like the heaven and earth.
Author Note: For story reason, Jin-Woo's Human form will be way weaker compared to his Igris form. His Human form will be comparable to Goto Ryuji.
Chapter Word Count: 2252