Level Up Machine

Chapter 70 The Siege of Talion Fortress (5)

“Humans are coming this way.”

In front of Lekras, who had crimson scales that looked like they were about to burst into flames, a Dragonian knelt on one knee and spoke in a stiff voice.

The Dragonians gathered in the plaza of the fortress city Talion had dirt and dust on their bodies.

“How many are there?”

“About 20. Though their numbers aren’t significant, they all appeared to be summoners with considerable magic power.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Lekras nodded and looked around. As expected, it was a small force.

Behind him lay five Dragonians, gasping for breath, collapsed on the ground. These were the Dragonians who had used their breath attacks to break down Talion’s walls.

“This strategy, which was used despite its humiliation, must show its effectiveness.”

Lekras brushed the dirt off his shoulder as he spoke.

The method the Dragonians used to infiltrate Talion this time was very simple. Utilizing their powerful bodies, which inherited the power of dragons, they had dug long tunnels and clumsily entered Talion. Though the method was crude, it allowed them to enter Talion without being detected by the summoners.

If they had used magic or come through visible areas, they would have been detected by the summoners, who were prepared for a surprise attack.

However, it was extremely humiliating for the thirty Dragonians to each dig their way through the ground to infiltrate from kilometers away.

The Dragonians were a powerful and proud race that inherited the blood of dragons.

It was natural for them to feel such emotions when they had to dig through the ground and prepare for a surprise attack, despite being a race that usually crushed all enemies before them with sheer power.

“Prepare for battle, everyone. The enemies are not many.”

At Lekras’ words, the twenty Dragonians bowed deeply. Lekras licked his lips with a long tongue, waiting for the summoners to appear.

Before long, the assassination squad appeared before Lekras. Kang Ha-rin, at the forefront, drew a long sword that seemed too big for a human to handle and glared sharply.

“So, you’re the lizard leading this attack.”

“…An arrogant human woman, I see.”

Lekras squinted his eyes as he looked at Kang Ha-rin, who dared to compare him to a “lizard.” Flames began to flicker around his body.

Kang Ha-rin’s expression hardened as she saw the flames flickering around Lekras. She gripped her long sword with a white blade and spoke in a low voice.

“Sang-jun oppa. You take the other summoners and handle the Dragonians.”

At her words, Park Sang-jun, a bizarre figure wrapped in bandages, silently nodded. Black magic began to gather in his bandaged arms.

“Tae-hwang, you and I will deal with that lizard.”

“Yes.”

In front of Lekras, whose mere presence made their whole bodies tingle, Cheon Tae-hwang nodded without hesitation. There was no fear of Lekras in his eyes. Rather, there was only joy at facing an opponent he couldn’t ordinarily match.

“Yigio Sword.”

Cheon Tae-hwang murmured the skill name softly. Four of the five swords tied to his waist rose into the air.

The unique skill of the Hidden Class, ‘Sword Lord,’ had been activated.

The ‘Yigio Sword’ skill was not a technique that enveloped the world in a powerful energy, cutting everything at the speed of light, as often depicted in martial arts novels. Instead, it was merely a skill that allowed him to freely control swords suspended in mid-air.

In fact, from the perspective of an ordinary warrior, the Yigio Sword skill was more of a detriment.

Handling even one sword required a lifetime of dedication, and it was practically impossible to wield several swords simultaneously.

However, Cheon Tae-hwang was an extraordinary genius who could not be placed in the category of ‘ordinary warrior.’ He wielded five swords as if they were extensions of his own body.

It wasn’t just about wielding five swords simultaneously. He utilized the greatest advantage of the Yigio Sword skill, unleashing impossible angles and timings upon his enemies.

The biggest advantage of the Yigio Sword skill was that it allowed the swords to ‘fly through the air.’

Attacks from bizarre angles that were impossible if a person directly wielded the sword could be achieved using the Yigio Sword skill.

“Interesting toys.”

Lekras twisted his lips as he looked at the four swords floating in the air.

Cheon Tae-hwang’s expression slightly twisted upon hearing his words. Lekras was the first enemy to call the Yigio Sword a ‘toy.’

“Indeed, it is an intriguing skill, but…”

The flames on Lekras’ body flared even more intensely. The overwhelming heat emanated from his entire body.

“How laughable.”

Cheon Tae-hwang involuntarily took a step back from the intense flames emanating from Lekras’ body. His expression hardened.

The overwhelming power made it seem as if the four swords he wielded were mere toys, as Lekras had said.

“Why don’t you try saying that after facing me directly!”

Kang Ha-rin gripped her long sword and launched herself forward, becoming a streak of light. Her sword, with its white blade, aimed for Lekras’ neck.

“Good!”

Lekras exclaimed in admiration at the slash that came at him in an instant. The enemy before him, who wielded five swords simultaneously, was far more thrilling than the human male.

Whoosh!

Lekras raised his right arm to block Kang Ha-rin’s sword. The flames concentrated on his right arm flared up fiercely, as if to engulf her sword.

Kang Ha-rin’s expression twisted.

“Hyaah!”

Kang Ha-rin quickly retrieved her sword aimed at Lekras’ neck and stepped back. Her eyes shone sharply.

“One Flash (-W)”

The white light enveloped her sword blade, which had been blocked by Lekras’ right arm. Her sword, nearly two meters long, swung at a speed that was hard to believe.

Her sword, now a flash of white light, slashed at Lekras’ side.

—

### Episode 70

### The Siege of Talion Fortress (5)

*Chwak!*

“Ugh!”

A groan escaped from Lekras’ mouth. The Dragonian’s scales were hard enough to withstand ordinary sword attacks, but before Kang Ha-rin’s sword, they were nothing but paper.

“Strong, woman!”

– *Thud!*

Lekras stomped the ground roughly, his eyes sparkling as if he was enjoying this battle immensely. The ground around him collapsed, and terrifying flames erupted from the floor.

“Ugh!”

Kang Ha-rin, who was about to continue her attack, urgently jumped back to escape the range of the flames. However, the massive flames spread as if they were about to engulf her.

“Frozen Strike!”

One of Cheon Tae-hwang’s four swords, the one with a blue gleam, intercepted the flames aiming for Kang Ha-rin. White frost formed on the blade, splitting Lekras’ flames.

“Thanks, Tae-hwang!”

In the brief moment the flames split, Kang Ha-rin fully withdrew. Cheon Tae-hwang’s sword, which had temporarily blocked Lekras’ flames, was engulfed by the flames.

“Ho.”

Lekras’ eyes sparkled with interest as he observed Cheon Tae-hwang, who had managed to block his attack, even if only for a moment. Though the strength emanating from him was incomparable to the woman called Kang Ha-rin, his skill in utilizing his power to disrupt Lekras’ attack was admirable.

“Haap!”

Having lost one sword, Cheon Tae-hwang charged towards Lekras. He swung the sword in his hand towards Lekras’ lower body.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Lekras lifted his knee to counter Cheon Tae-hwang’s attack. At that moment, one of the three swords floating in the air aimed for the back of his head.

Lekras tilted his head to the left without stopping his attack.

“Hmm?!”

As if anticipating Lekras’ head movement, one of the remaining two swords aimed for his forehead.

Lekras halted his attack and bent his waist. Cheon Tae-hwang’s last sword, which was flying low to the ground, then shot up to target Lekras’ neck.

“Dare you!”

Lekras extended his left arm toward the sword aiming for his neck. A massive wall of flames formed in front of him.

“Strike of the Storm.”

As if expecting Lekras to act this way, Cheon Tae-hwang slipped behind him. His sword slashed across Lekras’ back.

*Kaang!*

“Ugh.”

Unlike Kang Ha-rin’s attack, Cheon Tae-hwang’s sword strike couldn’t fully cut through Lekras’ tough scales and was deflected. Cheon Tae-hwang swallowed a short grunt and stepped back.

“…You are no novice.”

Lekras’ expression hardened as he looked at Cheon Tae-hwang, who had successfully attacked him with meticulous coordination, as if mocking him.

—

“If that human had strength as powerful as that woman’s…”

Lekras frowned as he looked at Cheon Tae-hwang. If he did, Lekras would have suffered a significant injury from the attack just now.

“I’ll have to kill you somehow.”

Lekras growled in a low voice, recognizing the frightening combat sense Cheon Tae-hwang possessed.

“Humph, our Tae-hwang isn’t someone who would be beaten by a mere lizard!”

Kang Ha-rin spoke with exaggerated praise and swung her sword at Lekras. He dodged her attack and stepped back.

“Heh, I was a bit nervous about facing an S-grade boss monster, but you’re nothing special.”

Kang Ha-rin smirked as she looked at Lekras, who had retreated. While his fire-based attacks were powerful, they weren’t impossible to handle.

“Looks like I might finish this before Si-a even gets here.”

With a confident voice, Kang Ha-rin grinned. In that moment, she let her guard down, underestimating Lekras.

Lekras looked at her in silence. He extended his hand and scratched his chest with sharp claws. Dark red blood flowed from the scratch marks.

“Servant of Kargas, Lekras, calls upon the power of the great being.”

With his eyes closed, he spoke in a reverent voice.

“Manifestation of Fire.”

The dark red blood flowing down his body transformed into flames imbued with terrifying magic, enveloping Lekras. The flames spread out like a curtain, sweeping the area.

“Hurry, get back, Tae-hwang!”

“Ha-rin!”

Seeing the flames, Kang Ha-rin urgently grabbed Cheon Tae-hwang by the nape and threw him backward.

As he flew back, Cheon Tae-hwang called out her name in desperation. The flame barrier, filled with overwhelming magical power, was about to engulf Kang Ha-rin.

“Ugh… Damn it!”

Having thrown Cheon Tae-hwang, Kang Ha-rin couldn’t escape the range of the flame barrier in time. Her face turned pale.

The massive wave of flames swallowed her body.

“Ha-rin!”

Cheon Tae-hwang’s urgent shout echoed in her ears. Kang Ha-rin thrust her long sword forward and crouched desperately.

It was then.

*Kwaaaaaang!*

Two beams of light descended from the sky, splitting the flame barrier. One was a dazzling white light, and the other was a darkness as deep as an abyss.

“What… what is this…?”

Kang Ha-rin looked at the two beings who had torn through the flame barrier with a bewildered expression.

One was a beautiful woman with brown hair, and the other…

“A suit?”

She looked at the mechanical suit that seemed like something out of a famous superhero movie from the past, her face showing utter disbelief.