The wooden man tilted its head and nodded slightly, as if amused.
"As for your first question. no, I'm not the one who did it. But I do know who it is. As for the second good point, I suppose. But I'm not allowed to interfere in major events. My Lord would be displeased.. Using a lower gate boss doesn't break any rules, so it's harmless fun."
His voice was as calm as ever but every word seemed to weigh heavily on the air.
Jinhwan's expression shifted. His guard dropped slightly, his grip loosening on the sword. His voice turned desperate.
"You know who's behind all this?" he asked. "Then tell me who it is? How do I reach him?"
The wooden man smirk returned, wider than before. "Why should I tell you that, mortal?"
"What do you want then?" Jinhwan asked, his voice firm. "Money? Technology? Weapons? Gadgets? A country? Just name it.."
The wooden man paused, seemingly surprised.
"Hah.... Looks like you're more than just a reckless kid."
He slowly raised a hand, his wooden fingers curling into a fist as he continued.
"How about this fight me. Not the brainless beast this body used to be. Me. I'll use only the strength this vessel provides. If you can defeat me here and now, then the next time we meet, I'll tell you who's behind all of this. And even how to find them."
The instant those words left his mouth, Jinhwan moved. With a flash of speed, he appeared right in front of the puppet, his glowing blue eyes burning with resolve. His sword came down in a blur aimed straight for the glowing core embedded in the puppet's chest.
But the wooden man reacted, just in time. Its wooden arm shot up and blocked the blade with a loud clang. Then, without hesitation, it drove its fist into Jinhwan's right side with brutal force.
CRACK.
The impact echoed through the chamber as Jinhwan's body was launched across the room like a ragdoll. He slammed into the stone wall with a bone-jarring thud, then crumpled to the ground, bouncing once before coming to a rough stop.
He coughed, blood spraying from his mouth, staining the grass below.
The wooden man tilted its head, grinning. "What a surprise. You didn't waste a single second. You're interesting. Mortal."
Blood spilled from Jinhwan's mouth as he growled in pain, his body trembling. The right side of his ribs felt numb, a dull throb spreading with every breath.
His legs shook beneath him, barely holding him up, but still he stood. Gritting his teeth, he gripped his sword tighter, knuckles white.
"Fuck he's strong," he muttered under his breath, eyes fixed on the wooden man standing silently ahead.
Should I run?
If I win, I'll finally know who's behind all this.
But… will I even survive?
His heart pounded. Doubt clawed at the back of his mind.
But if I just run like a coward.... then what's the point of having this power at all?
He closed his eyes and drew in a slow, shaky breath. The fear didn't vanish but it sharpened into something else. Determination. He dropped his stance slightly, steadying himself.
Then his eyes snapped open glowing blue, fierce and alive once more. With everything he had left, Jinhwan pushed forward, his feet pounding against the ground as he charged toward the wooden man.
The wooden man moved. Without a word, it thrust both hands into the ground. The ground trembled beneath Jinhwan's feet then cracked open. A forest of roots burst from the soil, thick and wild, whipping toward him like snakes with fangs drawn, aiming to strike him down before he could get any closer.
Jinhwan kept running forward, ignoring the pain in his body. His grip slipped, but he quickly spun the sword in his hand, cutting through the roots that shot at him. He pushed forward like a drill, forcing his way through.
As he got close, he grabbed the sword with both hands and ducked low. The crimson handle started glowing brighter, brighter than before. Then Jinhwan swung his sword upward with everything he had.
In that moment, a glowing slash shot out from the blade.
The wooden man crossed his arms in an X-shape to block it, protecting his core.
As the slash hit, a sudden explosion went off. The blast sent the wooden man flying, and cracks spread through his body. His arms and chest split from the force.
What the hell she said it sends a slash, so why did it explode?
Whatever.
At least it did some damage.
The wooden man got back up, like it was nothing. His broken arms healed in seconds.
"What was that trick, mortal?" he said, voice cold and calm.
"That attack shouldn't be possible for someone like you."
"It's a sword that boosts mana a little and sends out a mana slash," Jinhwan replied, getting back into his stance, sword ready again. "But now I see it boosts more than just a little."
The wooden man smiled.
"Now it's getting interesting."
His hands shifted and stretched, turning into long, sharp blades ready to strike.
Jinhwan and the Woodman stepped forward at the same time, their eyes locked in silent challenge. In a blink, Jinhwan slashed his sword straight toward the Woodman's core but before the blade could land, the Woodman raised his left-hand sword, deflecting the strike with a swift clang of metal.
Without hesitation, the Woodman countered. His wooden blade sliced through the air, striking Jinhwan's left side. Jinhwan barely had time to react the sword bit into his side, cutting through flesh and drawing a spray of blood.
Gritting his teeth against the sudden pain, Jinhwan forced his body to move. Before the Woodman could press the advantage, Jinhwan roared and brought his sword down hard, shattering the Woodman's weapon in half. Splinters flew.
Then.
BAM!
he delivered a solid kick to the Woodman's chest. It didn't do much damage, but it gave him what he needed, distance.
Staggering back, Jinhwan clutched his bleeding side. Blood poured freely, warm and wet against his fingers, but thankfully, it wasn't too deep. He reacted just in time to avoid a fatal blow.
Ahh.. if this keeps up, I'll die before I land a hit..
He looked up and there the Woodman stood, still and calm, a smirk carved across his wooden face like a taunt.
[Episode 8 End]