Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 228

The deep night’s darkness enveloped the mansion. Low clouds obscured the full moon, deepening the gloom, and the air hung heavy with moisture, promising rain.

Soon, fat raindrops began to drum against the earth, escalating into a downpour that seemed to empty the heavens.

Thud, thud, thud.

On the mansion’s periphery, dozens of figures moved swiftly in formation. Though lights shone all around, they remained concealed by the walls. Prisika, leading the way, gestured and guided the LHN [Liberation and Harmony Network] fighters toward the backyard.

“Everyone, move quickly to the north. There’s a potential infiltration route there.”

Tiela, following close behind, took a deep breath, her nervousness palpable.

“Hoo… Prisika, are you sure there’s really an infiltration route?”

“I don’t really know either. But judging by Aula-sama’s confidence, I’m just assuming there is.”

“What if there isn’t?”

“If there isn’t, we retreat immediately and look for another opportunity.”

That was somewhat reassuring. Currently, the mansion’s defenses were concentrated on the fourth floor, giving them an advantage. No matter how skilled they were individually, a reckless, numerically inferior assault would be suicidal. Retreating and regrouping was the right call if things went south. However, the problem was that today was the fifth day. If this operation failed, they’d be forced into a desperate attempt to seize the mansion within the remaining two days.

“Please, let Aula-sama’s information be accurate.”

“It has to be.”

Prisika, having reached the north wall, frowned at the intense light. Infiltration was impossible under such illumination.

Tiela hurried to her side, a worried expression on her face.

“Prisika, what should we do?”

Prisika checked her watch, leaned against the wall, and sat down.

“Let’s just wait. Aula-sama told us to look for an opportunity until 11 PM.”

“Ah? Really? Yes, I understand.”

The time was 10:53 PM. Seven minutes remained. Tiela crouched down and moved among her comrades, quietly reminding them to maintain silence. As the clock ticked closer to 11 PM, the lights illuminating the north side abruptly went out. Taking this as the opportunity Aula had foreseen, Prisika cautiously peeked out and counted the windows from the left.

‘One, two, three… six, seven. There!’

Having confirmed the infiltration point, Prisika gestured to the others and said:

“Everyone, follow me!”

Prisika scaled the wall, followed by the LHN fighters, including Tiela. Reaching the building’s outer wall along the darkened passage, they saw thick ropes hanging from the roof, their faces lighting up with relief. The infiltration route existed, just as Aula had promised. Soon, with Prisika in the lead, the elves grabbed the ropes and began their ascent to the roof.

Meanwhile, in a small training hall on the second floor, Emma, Rafine, Cassie, and Sheila were engrossed in training, sweating despite the late hour. Sheila was determined to learn every possible countermeasure against Amelie from Beomseok during their limited time together.

Emma, noticing Beomseok entering the training hall, adjusted her sword stance and turned to him.

“Beomseok-nim, where have you been?”

Beomseok picked up a sword lying nearby and replied casually:

“Oh, the bathroom.”

“Really? You were gone a long time.”

“I had a big one. And I was a bit constipated.”

Sheila burst out laughing, patting Emma’s shoulder, who was clearly embarrassed by the unexpected answer.

“Our Emma seems very interested in Beomseok. She’s asking about everything, even his bathroom habits.”

“Oh, unnie [older sister/female friend]. That’s not it. I was just…”

Beomseok, his katana slung over his shoulder, chuckled and approached them. Thanks to the past ten days, Emma’s affection for him had grown considerably. She could now discuss quite personal matters.

“Alright, alright. Sheila, stop teasing and let’s continue training.”

“Hehehe. Okay. This time, I won’t be easily defeated like before. I’ve figured out how to send you flying in one shot.”

“Really? Please do it this time. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard that.”

Sheila puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him fiercely.

“This time it’s for real. I’ve been watching, and you have a weakness.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s just say I do and start quickly.”

Feeling ignored, she pointed the tip of her greatsword at Beomseok, her expression angry. But just as she leaned back, ready to swing, she stopped.

Faint metallic sounds reached her from the hallway. Judging by the shouts, something significant was happening.

“Kyaaaa! It’s the enemy!”

The screams, accompanied by the sound of someone falling down the stairs, widened Sheila’s eyes in shock.

“W-wait a minute. Something seems to be happening upstairs?”

Beomseok scratched his head, glancing out the door.

“Hmm. Could it be the LHN attacking?”

“T-that might be it! Then what are we doing! We have to go quickly!”

He grabbed Sheila’s shoulder as she rushed toward the door.

“Are you going in that outfit?”

“What’s wrong with it now?”

“We’re wearing training suits. Fighting in those will get us disqualified.”

Her face fell. The training suits lacked the physical reaction devices necessary for combat. Fighting the enemy in them would guarantee disqualification. They needed to change into their physical reaction suits. Sheila grabbed her blue suit from the corner of the training hall.

Beomseok, moving at a brisk pace, picked up his combat suit and opened the door to the nearby changing room.

“Hey! Where are you going! You have to change quickly!”

Beomseok calmly replied to Sheila’s urgent voice.

“Ah. There are two women here. I can’t shamelessly expose myself. I’ll change quickly and come out, so wait.”

The door closed firmly behind him. Sheila was flustered, but there was no time to waste. She quickly changed into her combat suit and waited anxiously in front of the door Beomseok had entered.

After a short while, he emerged fully prepared, caressing the handle of the katana at his waist, and walked toward the door.

“Okay. Let’s go now.”

Passing through the hallway, Beomseok and his group cautiously ascended the stairs, finding several incapacitated elves lying on the floor. They were the guards at the stairwell entrance, ambushed from behind and left in a miserable state.

Sheila looked up at the fourth-floor hallway.

“Everyone! Don’t fall back! You must stop them!”

The voice of an elf yelling at the top of his lungs cut through the sounds of battle. Judging by the urgency, they were being pushed back. Sheila gripped her longsword tightly and resumed climbing the stairs.

At that moment, several LHN fighters spotted Beomseok and his group and blocked the entrance.

“Enemies are coming up from below! Mark them!”

The LHN fighters braced themselves. Only one man among them was a true threat: Beomseok. They remembered the fear he had instilled in them in the past.

Two more fighters reinforced the entrance, solidifying the defense.

“I’ve been waiting for you. This Ramalla will definitely defeat you!”

Ramalla was a formidable martial artist and one of the LHN’s five most dangerous members. With her guarding the stairwell, entry would be even more difficult. However, Beomseok wore a relaxed expression, as if on a picnic, and looked at Rafi. With the strongest martial artist of the light and the strongest of the dark facing off, he anticipated an exciting battle.

“Rafine, do you want to fight her?”

Her eyes lit up, as if she had been waiting for this.

“Master, is it okay to go all out?”

Beomseok nodded without hesitation. Despite his concerns about the upcoming season games, he didn’t want his elf to fight at a disadvantage. Her rise to the top of the underground martial arts world was due to her unique trait, ‘Berserker of Fighting Spirit.’ Without it, she couldn’t hope to defeat Ramalla.

“Okay. Do as you please!”

“Yes, Master!”

Rafine, her eyes slowly turning bloodshot, used Cassie’s back for leverage and dashed to the fourth floor. She grabbed one of Ramalla’s arms, who was focused on Beomseok, and slammed her to the ground.

Ramalla, who rolled in the dust, sprang to her feet and glared at Rafine, bewildered. Even though she wasn’t paying attention, she hadn’t expected such a perfect takedown.

“Who are you!”

Rafine held her two-handed sword in one hand and advanced slowly. Like Ramalla, she possessed the qualities of a gladiator, and weapons were permitted in the underground martial arts world. There was no reason to fight on Ramalla’s terms.

“You don’t need to know. Just know that I’m your opponent.”

Ramalla glanced at the entrance. Beomseok and his group had successfully entered and were fighting the LHN fighters. If she didn’t quickly defeat this impudent elf, her golden opportunity would vanish.

She advanced toward Rafine, her voice menacing.

“You’re an arrogant brat. How dare you try to take on Ramalla alone? Do you think that’s even possible! You better step aside. Joint locks are allowed in this game.”

That meant she could get seriously injured. However, Rafine, who had endured countless hardships in the underground martial arts world, was not easily intimidated.

“Hehehe. It’s not too late to say that after you beat me. What a disgrace it would be if you acted like you knew it all and then got beaten. Hehehe.”

Ramalla trembled with fury. Her name was synonymous with fear in the martial arts world, and she had never been mocked like this.

Assuming a fighting stance, she stepped forward, pressuring Rafine.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Thud.

Fast fists flew toward Rafine’s face. However, she made no attempt to dodge, accepting the impacts. Wearing a suit and helmet, she couldn’t be knocked out by punches. Rafine needed to be wary of the subtle joint locks that would follow.

‘From the video footage, Ramalla’s joint locks are top-tier. If I’m careless, it’s over…’

Before she could finish her thought, Ramalla closed the distance and grabbed her forearm. Lifting her body, she executed a quick pendulum motion, hooking her right leg.

Ramalla Twist. Her ultimate move, twisting joints with the elasticity created by rotating the upper and lower body. Rafine, judging it too late to strike with her sword, grabbed Ramalla’s left shoulder and countered, sending her flying.

Thump, thump. Ramalla, colliding with the ground, quickly rose and glared at her opponent. Initially, she thought she had been careless, but now she realized the truth. No one had ever blocked her Ramalla Twist with an offensive technique. Most simply endured or evaded it.

‘That kid. She’s no joke. If she’s a normal gladiator… no, there’s no way she’s a gladiator. She must be one of the free-invited martial artists. But who is she? There’s no one like that among the martial artists I know.’

So far, she knew her opponent was a skilled martial artist with superior physical abilities. Otherwise, she couldn’t have blocked the joint lock so easily. However, despite her accumulated data, she couldn’t identify her. The combat pattern, voice, and the outline of her face visible between the face shields didn’t match any known martial artist.

“Ramalla. It wouldn’t be wise to keep your distance.”

Simultaneously, the tip of Rafine’s sword flew toward Ramalla’s face, creating a chilling sound. Barely dodging the sharp attack, she was horrified by the subsequent downward strike and threw herself backward. With a bang, fragments of granite burst out, and dust and smoke filled the air.

Ramalla, regaining her composure, stared at Rafine in disbelief. The swordsmanship was also exceptional. Only now did she vaguely recognize her opponent. The only individuals who mastered both martial arts and swordsmanship to such a high degree were martial artists from the underground martial arts world.