TOP 45

Chapter 45

Mana Loan

“I can’t fight?”

Hearing my words, Im Gaho scoffed and continued.

“Just a 4-star, huh?”

He wasn’t entirely wrong.

He was a 5-star Hunter capable of using Aura Thread.

We, at most, were 4-star Hunters.

But…

“Not all 5-stars are the same, right?”

I’m not sure if he knew that I had already beaten a 5-star Hunter before.

Of course, back then I finished him off using the One Punch skill, but still, it was true that I had gained the upper hand with my ability alone.

I glanced at him.

“Dieeee!”

“How dare you attack our Guild Master!”

The New Cherry guild members and Paladin 88 were locked in battle.

No…

“Wait your turn, prospective disciples.”

“Ugh!”

“Arrgh!”

It was so one-sided that it could hardly be called a battle.

‘I have to save One Punch.’

So I couldn’t use One Punch on Im Gaho right now.

The only way to get past this situation by defeating Paladin 88 was to use One Punch.

“Well, distracted too? You really think I’m a pushover?”

Im Gaho, angered, charged with his weapon.

“You lowly lackeys! Die!!!”

The first to step up was Yoon Jiho.

“I-I can’t!”

He tried to block Im Gaho’s attack with his sword, but failed.

Clang.

Im Gaho’s Aura Thread sliced through the sword effortlessly.

‘It wasn’t a very good sword anyway.’

More importantly, it was the unbridgeable gap between a 5-star and a 4-star Hunter.

The rank difference was only one, but the level of techniques they could use was drastically different.

Swoosh—

Yoon Jiho’s forearm was also cut.

Luckily, it wasn’t severed completely.

“Ugh.”

“This all you got? Pathetic.”

Im Gaho smirked, clearly amused.

“Yoon Jiho, step back.”

“B-brother…”

“That’s not how you deal with him.”

But what if I didn’t face him head-on?

“Show-off. Die!”

I dodged Im Gaho’s Aura Thread by stepping back.

But he attacked again.

This time, I ducked and surged forward instead.

Then a gap appeared.

Swoosh—shatter!

My Frostbound Sword struck the side of his body, shrouded in Aura.

Even if it was just a grazing hit, it counted as a valid strike.

Crackle—

The Frozen status effect triggered, freezing his side.

“You little—”

Im Gaho was furious.

But he didn’t attack recklessly.

He must have learned that rushing in would expose him to gaps like just now.

“Brother, amazing!”

I heard Yoon Jiho’s admiration.

The difference between a 4-star Hunter and a 5-star Hunter, the difference between Aura and Aura Thread, was huge.

But other than that, the difference wasn’t that great.

Especially between me, standing in front of a 5-star Hunter, and him, who had only recently become a 5-star Hunter.

“As long as you don’t clash weapons directly, it’s doable.”

It was a difference that could be overcome.

“Damn, who said that’s allowed!”

Im Gaho hesitated briefly, then launched another attack.

Indeed, he was fast.

Faster than me.

But…

‘Predictable.’

If you can read the signs and anticipate the attack route,

even slightly slower movements are enough to dodge.

Swoosh—

As if in perfect sync, I avoided his attack.

“…!”

Im Gaho’s eyes widened.

This time, I struck his face with my fist.

Smack!!

“Ugh… this bastard.”

“Let’s end this quickly.”

I wanted to take my time getting used to fighting a stronger opponent, but there was no time to drag this out.

Even now, the screams and cries of the New Cherry guild members echoed around.

‘Frill!’

【Yes! Ice Spear!】

I brought Frill into the battle, now fully recovered.

Three ice spears appeared in midair.

“W-what!”

“Y-you, Eugene? You had this skill!?”

Until now, Frill had mostly remained hidden.

Partly because I thought it was better for her survival in this harsh world, but mostly because she hadn’t been of much use lately.

After contracting with me and losing most of her power, Frill could barely fight.

But now, having absorbed a full ice shard, she was different.

‘She’s useful now.’

Her overall combat level was 4, corresponding to a 4-star Hunter.

Snap—!

I charged at Im Gaho with the ice spears in the air.

“Die!”

He gritted his teeth and swung his weapon.

Shatter! Shatter!

The ice spears broke against his Aura Thread.

But…

【Ice Spear!】

The ice spears reformed, and I kept aiming for his openings.

Swoosh—

“Die!”

Boom! Bang!

I avoided his Aura Thread as much as possible while pressing the attack.

Im Gaho barely avoided fatal hits but couldn’t avoid sustaining injuries.

“Ugh, by lowly lackeys…”

Then…

Ssshh—

I suddenly felt a sensation.

‘Aura…’

The Aura lingering around the Frostbound Sword began to converge along a central line.

It felt like an invertebrate forming a backbone.

The concentrated Aura became harder, sharper.

‘…Aura Thread!’

The blade had finally reached the level of a 5-star Hunter.

“Haaaa!”

Im Gaho’s Aura Thread surged to strike my neck.

An attack I would normally dodge.

But…

‘I can block it.’

I raised the Frostbound Sword and blocked his attack.

Zzzeeaaang───!

“What the—!”

Im Gaho’s eyes widened; he must have expected the sword to be broken or heavily damaged.

“Thanks.”

I broke through his guard.

Then…

Thud! Crack!

“Argh!”

Frill’s ice spear struck his back.

Im Gaho coughed up blood and died.

‘Good, no need for the Mithril Golem.’

I had been ready to summon it, but thankfully, it wasn’t necessary.

I turned toward the battlefield where Paladin 88 and the New Cherry guild were fighting.

“Hmm. Still weak? Judgment.”

Paladin 88 unleashed the Judgment skill on Team Leader Shin Chaeri.

“Ahhhhhh───!!”

She screamed in horror.

“Stop!”

“How dare you do this in the name of the Gaia Order!”

The guild Hunters tried to stop her.

But it was useless.

5-star Hunters couldn’t scratch a 7-star Paladin who could use Holy Magic.

All they could do was…

“Changed my mind.”

Annoy Paladin 88 a little.

“I’ll cut off some limbs first.”

Swoosh—

One Hunter’s arm was severed along with their weapon.

“Don’t worry, the Goddess will heal everything later.”

Paladin 88’s sword glowed with Aura Blade.

Higher than Aura Thread, a 6-star Hunter’s signature.

‘…No, she’s 7-star.’

The way she could control its length confirmed she was at least a 7-star Hunter.

Of course, 5-star Hunters had no chance against her.

“B-brother… what do we do?”

Yoon Jiho asked in a small voice.

“Run?”

“What!? How could—”

“Just kidding.”

We had dealt with the immediate threat, Im Gaho.

So running was ideal if we could.

Honestly, how could we deal with a 7-star Paladin at this point?

But…

‘Damn. Is that even possible?’

Could we realistically escape here?

‘No.’

This was an open area.

There was no place to hide.

And even if she didn’t seem to care now, what if we tried to run?

Paladin 88 would immediately react.

A 7-star Paladin’s senses would not be lax.

‘So, if there’s any chance at all, the best way is to fight and win…’

The problem was her chances.

Even with me being a 5-star Hunter, Frill regaining some strength, and a Mithril Golem…

It was useless.

None of that was enough to defeat the Paladin.

One Punch…

The only realistic hope was the One Punch skill.

The transcendent power that had allowed me to defeat higher-level Hunters multiple times.

‘But it’s not enough.’

The problem wasn’t One Punch.

It was my mana.

Mana: 4,121 (No limit)

It hadn’t been long since I last used One Punch.

So my current mana was only around 4,000.

One Punch consumes all mana and deals damage proportional to the amount consumed.

‘I can’t break a Paladin’s defense with this.’

I could tell without even trying.

A 7-star Hunter, a Paladin known for outstanding defense.

Even if I landed a perfect One Punch, I couldn’t kill her in one hit.

‘Then the only way…’

I looked toward the Yeti boss corpse.

Specifically, the item it dropped.

The skill core for Mana Loan.

‘That’s it.’

A skill that instantly restores a month’s worth of mana.

With that added, One Punch could have enough destructive power to kill the Paladin.

A month without mana recovery as a side effect?

Who cares.

First, we survive.

‘Frill.’

【Yes!】

‘Go grab that.’

【Stealing is bad!】

‘We need to survive first.’

【Hmmm…】

‘…How many ice creams?’

【Ten!】

Using Frill, invisible to others, I retrieved the skill core.

Meanwhile, the New Cherry guild members were losing limbs.

“Ah! My leg!”

“Why!”

“C-can’t win…”

“Damn, I’ll kill you!!!”

Team Leader Shin Chaeri endured the Judgment skill and joined the fight.

“It’s fine. Everyone will see the Goddess’s grace eventually.”

“Shut up!”

“First, I’ll show the power of the Goddess. Saint Hammer.”

Paladin 88 summoned a light hammer in her left hand.

Its power was immense.

Bam! Bang! Bam!

“Ugh!”

Hunters who tried to attack despite losing limbs fell one by one.

Then…

【Got it!】

Frill delivered the skill core with her mouth.

Ding!

[Skill Core (Mana Loan) absorbed.]

《Mana Loan – Skill, Normal》

• Instantly recovers one month’s worth of mana.

• Cannot exceed maximum mana limit.

• Mana does not recover for one month afterward.

[New skill acquired.]

[This skill synergizes with the user’s unique traits.]

[Conditions met!]

[A hidden Easter egg activates.]

[Mana Loan skill evolves to ‘Rare’ grade!]

[Skill effect increased by 200%.]

《Mana Loan – Skill, Rare》

• Instantly recovers three months’ worth of mana.

• Cannot exceed maximum mana limit.

• Mana does not recover for one month afterward.

[Mana Loan is engraved into the user’s soul.]