Tearing the Gate Apart - Chapter 90

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 90.
Ha Gyeong’s eyes widened as he collided with Barkalon.
‘Insane. What kind of power is this…….’
His entire body felt as though it might tear apart from the pain.
After retrieving the Crimson Edge, he quickly inspected the blade.
Fortunately, it had lost no teeth and bore no cracks.
However, despite the force of the collision, there was no follow-up attack.
Ha Gyeong stared at Barkalon, shrouded in fog.
‘It seems he’s not in perfect condition either.’
When two objects exert force upon each other, the force is always equal and opposite.
The other side must have suffered the exact same impact as Ha Gyeong.
Thanks to this, he gained a brief moment to regroup.
‘It’s not like I can’t endure this. There’s a fight to be had.’
Certainly, this was a Core Guardian—far different from the last time they met.
Barkalon felt considerably stronger than Silent Ruin.
Yet Ha Gyeong had also grown considerably in the meantime.
He adjusted his grip on the Crimson Edge.
[The Gate Break’s Compression ability increases the density of Abyss Energy]
Thunk—!
Unlike before, the blade appeared to have no effect at all.
But that was only on the surface.
In reality, ultra-compressed Abyss Resonance lay dormant within it.
Barkalon charged in again, oblivious.
Apparently, he judged Ha Gyeong’s momentum to be insignificant.
Slash—!
The air tore open with a brutal sound.
Barkalon’s frame began to expand before Ha Gyeong’s eyes.
Its actual size hadn’t grown at all.
The sheer velocity simply created that illusion.
Ha Gyeong swept his blade cleanly.
Crash—!
With a thunderous boom, Barkalon was hurled backward.
This time was nothing like the initial collision.
Barkalon scraped across the ground before barely managing to stop.
Crunch-crunch-crunch!
―Kuh? What… what was that?
Meanwhile, Ha Gyeong remained in his original stance.
His posture was dignified, yet his thoughts were somewhat different.
‘Damn it. My insides feel twisted. Did I make a mistake blocking that?’
The reason Ha Gyeong hadn’t been pushed back was because of Barkalon’s activity.
The Gate Break phenomenon had intensified the Abyss Energy.
He naturally positioned the condensed force behind him.
Using it as a cushion.
As a result, a fan-shaped pattern was impressed into the ground behind Ha Gyeong.
This happened as the impact was diffused.
Ha Gyeong stepped forward and flicked his blade.
“So you’re stronger than Silent Ruin? You’re not much at all.”
―You dare compare me to that failure? You must be a lower-tier Intelligent Being—your intelligence is pathetically deficient.
“Talkative for something so weak.”
―How dare you…….
Barkalon’s expression showed genuine offense.
Though he spoke of intelligence, he didn’t seem particularly bright.
The way he reacted to being called weak suggested as much.
Gradually, both of Barkalon’s arms began to glow an incandescent red.
―Let me show you what true strength really means.
It was the kind of clichéd declaration typical of a second-rate villain, yet Ha Gyeong couldn’t laugh.
An overwhelming aura was crushing down upon him.
Barkalon hadn’t even moved yet.
But a tangible killing intent pierced his entire body like needles.
Ha Gyeong immediately understood his opponent’s intention.
‘This type just charges forward straightforwardly. No tricks at all.’
Normally, combat was a matter of outwitting each other.
But such sophisticated tactics only occurred between evenly matched opponents.
Against overwhelming force, any tricks were mere clownery.
That was exactly Barkalon’s approach.
Ha Gyeong gripped the handle of the Crimson Edge tightly.
‘No, it’s not that tricks aren’t needed. Something big is coming.’
If that were the case, he had to prepare.
[Kin Predation skill target set]
[Target: Barkalon]
Screech—!
Along with an acute ringing, an enormous quantity of Abyss Energy flowed into him.
But it wasn’t merely abundant.
He sensed a purity unlike anything he’d ever felt before.
Ha Gyeong was startled.
‘This is……. Abyss Energy?’
Abyss Energy was inherently savage.
It sprawled outward indiscriminately, destroying all it touched.
It was something that even contact with was difficult unless one was a monster.
Yet what he’d drawn from Barkalon’s body was far purer than mana.
Refined to the absolute limit.
Because of that.
A collision occurred within Ha Gyeong’s own body.
“Damn it.”
The curse escaped his lips.
It felt like pouring a bucket of water into boiling oil.
If that actually happened, everything would splatter in all directions.
Ha Gyeong’s insides were exactly like that.
Inevitably, his response was delayed.
Boom—!
Barkalon’s frame, already massive, expanded in an instant.
He charged forward at a speed far exceeding the sound barrier.
A fist swollen with that brilliant crimson energy followed in its wake.
Ha Gyeong could only move once the punch was nearly at his face.
Crash—!
‘I blocked… it?’
Somehow, he’d managed to position the Crimson Edge in the way.
But his stance was necessarily unstable.
He was standing hunched over, still digesting the force of Kin Predation.
Ha Gyeong’s body bounced back like a baseball.
And Barkalon’s assault wasn’t finished.
Dash! Boom—!
The creature caught up with him in flight and leaped.
He raised his arm.
It seemed he intended to finish Ha Gyeong by driving his fist down like a hammer.
But contrary to Barkalon’s plan.
Ha Gyeong was in relatively sound condition.
‘Is this Bradley?’
A soft green aura enveloped his entire body.
It was mitigating the impact.
And it swiftly restored his ruptured muscles to their original state.
Ha Gyeong immediately tried to thrust at Barkalon’s armpit.
Whoosh—! Boom—!
“Not so fast!”
Barkalon dropped his arm immediately.
To deflect the attack.
From that collision.
Ha Gyeong was thrown further back.
But this gave him a moment of reprieve.
He quickly glanced around.
Two humanoid figures glowing a soft pink.
The Soul Stigma was revealing the positions of his allies.
Bradley was continuously unleashing support skills.
Meanwhile, Jon was waving his hand cheerfully.
At that sight, Ha Gyeong let out a bitter laugh.
“Wait, you can actually see me?”
Of course, he hadn’t meant for them to hear that.
The Abyss Fog should have severely limited visibility.
Yet they were pinpointing his location with precision.
And Jon didn’t even have an Insight Ability like Bradley.
In any case, thanks to his allies’ support, Ha Gyeong managed to catch his breath.
He tumbled through the air and skidded to a halt, gouging the ground.
‘His attacks are simplistic, so I can predict them all. But he’s just too damn strong.’
It was like knowing the punch was coming and having to take it anyway.
Because of that.
No strategy came to mind.
The only monsters he’d encountered that were like this were from the time he’d just Awakened.
Back then, he could just dodge and win.
But that wasn’t an option in this situation, was it?
And he couldn’t just throw skills around carelessly either.
Ha Gyeong’s mind was in turmoil.
‘I’ve already used Kin Predation. Let me try this.’
He immediately poured Abyss Energy into the Crimson Edge.
The air around the transparent blade began to churn.
Screech-screech-screech!
Immediately, the pale grayish aura transformed into a disk fifteen meters across.
Due to 5th Stage Resonance, the Transformed Soul Weapon also changed form.
Appearing slightly translucent as it did.
Ha Gyeong swung the Crimson Edge without hesitation.
‘Let’s see if he refuses to dodge this too.’
[Projectile Enhancement effect applied to Soul Weapon]
Slash—!
The Transformed Soul Weapon, now expanded to thirty meters, tore through space.
The Abyss Fog was driven back, and visibility suddenly opened up.
As expected.
Barkalon charged head-on.
―Hahahah! You think I’d fear this kind of toy blade?
Crash—!
Remarkably, he split the Transformed Soul Weapon in half.
With a single punch.
A Soul Weapon tempered to its absolute limit through Kin Predation and Compression.
It was essentially Ha Gyeong’s finishing move.
‘He blocked that?’
It felt like his faith had been shattered.
Never before had he faced an opponent who blocked the Transformed Soul Weapon and remained so unharmed.
Immediately, Barkalon’s assault resumed.
Boom—!
With a dull roar, his form shot toward Ha Gyeong like a projectile.
It was a mad-level charge with no time to react.
Yet Ha Gyeong was smiling.
He’d even prepared for the possibility of the Transformed Soul Weapon failing.
[Core Guardian’s will manifests an Extreme Annihilation Zone]
Pulse—!
The Crimson Edge pierced empty air with ease.
A range of about two meters from the blade’s tip.
All matter within that zone would be completely annihilated.
Ha Gyeong was certain of victory.
‘With that much speed, he can’t control it. He has to be hit.’
And besides, Barkalon’s height was roughly two meters anyway.
If he was lucky, he could delete him completely.
But Barkalon’s reaction transcended imagination.
―Hah—!
Boom—!
He kicked off the ground with tremendous force and launched himself upward.
A massive crater opened in the floor, and a shockwave erupted.
It happened right before Ha Gyeong’s eyes.
So the impact was unavoidable.
It felt like a tornado had struck.
Ha Gyeong drove the Crimson Edge into the ground.
He crouched down and braced himself.
Thanks to the Abyss Energy he released.
His body didn’t get blown away.
But Ha Gyeong’s brow furrowed.
‘My options are being eliminated one by one.’
Kin Predation and the Extreme Annihilation Zone.
Ha Gyeong’s most powerful weapons were being progressively neutralized.
With no significant results to show for it—only wasted cooldowns.
Now the only attack skill remaining was the Sky Collapse Fist.
If he squandered that, he’d have to rely on pure Abyss Resonance alone.
Ha Gyeong decided to move with maximum caution.
‘I’ll only use it when it matters. Until the opportunity comes, I’ll hold on with basic attacks.’
Soon after, Barkalon returned from flying past Ha Gyeong.
He glanced at Jon and Bradley.
Then he grinned smugly.
―You want to know why I’m ignoring those two?
“Wounded pride?”
―Correct. I’m not an Intelligent Being—I only fight one-on-one. Support or no support, it doesn’t matter to me.
“Isn’t that the more foolish choice?”
―This is an honorable duel. While we fight, my subordinates will be trampling them down.
At Barkalon’s gesture, Ha Gyeong let out a bitter smile.
‘Right. I have no time. If he drags this out, the odds of my loss skyrocket.’
Of course, there was a good chance Barkalon wouldn’t.
He’d been insisting on direct confrontation this whole time.
Even the Extreme Annihilation Zone he’d managed to dodge, though that was reasonable enough.
Had he rushed in, he’d definitely have died.
In any case, Ha Gyeong had to end the fight as quickly as possible.
“So that true strength you promised to show was just hot air?”
―Worry not, primitive Intelligent Being. Before you die, I’ll make sure you witness it clearly. The collapse of your world.
Barkalon kicked off the ground once more.
Somehow, despite his ridiculous physiology.
All he did was press down hard with his feet.
Yet his body shot forward like a cannonball.
Boom! Screech—!
The distance shrank in an instant.
Yet it felt slightly slower than before.
Probably because he’d recognized the power of the Extreme Annihilation Zone.
Thanks to this, Ha Gyeong could respond more comfortably.
‘Eventually, he’ll show a gap.’
Crash—!
Ha Gyeong’s blade danced madly under the onslaught of endless attacks.
Focusing purely on defense, it seemed manageable.
Though he couldn’t repel every single strike.
From time to time, heavy punches found their mark across his body.
Boom! Crunch—!
‘Damn it. Even grazing blows shatter my armor.’
The fist merely brushed past, yet this was the result.
It was impossible not to look disgusted.
After exchanging dozens of blows.
Ha Gyeong’s eyes suddenly gleamed.
At last, Barkalon had revealed an opening.
The punch scraped against the Reactive Magical Armor, and his balance wavered slightly.
In that instant, Ha Gyeong’s left hand moved like lightning.
“Hyah—!”
Boom—!
A pale grayish sphere was driven directly into Barkalon’s side and erupted.
But Ha Gyeong’s eyes were filled with regret.
‘Ah……. My stance was unstable.’
He’d rushed the technique, failing to put proper force behind it.
Only the explosive force of the Sky Collapse Fist affected his opponent.
Barkalon’s body was extraordinarily resilient.
It seemed he’d dealt no significant damage at all.
But right then.
―Ugh—?
With a strange groan, Barkalon’s body staggered.
Ha Gyeong’s expression was bewildered.
‘Even when he endured the Transformed Soul Weapon barehanded, why would……?’
It was only a moment, but his mind raced furiously.
The reason remained unclear, but one thing was absolutely certain.
Ha Gyeong immediately drew the Resonance Staff.
“He’s weak to blunt force, isn’t he?”
Gate Break
Author |
Moraetop
Publisher |
Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
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Editorial Department
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No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission from Samyang C&C Co., Ltd. – Dream Books.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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