Min-Jae was taking down statues one by one as easy as it could get. On the other hand, both Cha Hae-In and Woo Jin-Chul were trying to combine their attacks to take down even a single statue, as their solo attacks weren't making much of an effect.
Min-Jae took down another three statues before jumping back down to the ground.
*Tsk.* 'Even after taking down so many, there are still plenty left.'
He looked back toward Sung Jin-Woo. 'What's going on with him? His presence is changing, but I don't understand the whole aura around him currently. Is he under some spell by that statue, or something else? Who is the king the statue keeps speaking about that is taking birth?'
'This is my chance. I have to get to Hunter Sung,' Cha Hae-In thought. She moved forward with her incredible speed, her sword held at her side, heading straight toward where Sung Jin-Woo stood motionless.
But the statue noticed. It was way ahead of everyone, including her.
As she closed in on Sung Jin-Woo, the statue reacted immediately. It raised one of its massive stone hands—which carried a sword—and swung it down toward Cha Hae-In.
Cha Hae-In looked up, her eyes widening in alarm, but she didn't slow down.
The hand came down—
And stopped.
"Go on," Min-Jae said.
He was standing between her and the statue's swing. The hand stopped just millimeters from his body, halted by Infinity.
"You are fun to play with. Very fun," the statue said, its creepy smile widening. It went for Cha Hae-In with its other hand while trying to push down on Min-Jae with the first one. But Infinity made it impossible to advance any further.
As Min-Jae noticed the other hand reaching for Cha Hae-In, he immediately extended his right hand toward the statue's arm.
"Reversal Red: Divergence," he muttered.
A red orb formed at his fingertip, slowly expanding into a vortex before he launched it forward. The moment it made contact with the statue's stone arm, the repulsive force detonated with devastating power.
The arm shattered from the point of impact, disintegrating halfway up the forearm. Stone fragments exploded outward, scattering across the floor. The rest of the arm hung limply, cracked and barely holding together.
The statue immediately pulled back what remained of its arm, staring at Min-Jae with an expression that could only be described as a mixture of amazement, curiosity, and surprise.
"You are... What kind of being are you? You are not a mere human."
"Sorry to disappoint, but I am a mere human indeed," Min-Jae replied flatly.
"Is that so?" The statue suddenly laughed—a loud, echoing sound that filled the entire chamber. Then it launched another attack. Six slashes this time—four aimed at Min-Jae, the other two targeted at Cha Hae-In.
The four slashes toward Min-Jae all stopped against Infinity, dissipating harmlessly. But it created a split-second distraction—
Cha Hae-In dodged the first slash aimed at her with a graceful sidestep. But the second one came too fast. She twisted her body to avoid it, but it grazed her left arm, slicing through her sleeve and cutting into her skin. Blood began dripping from the wound.
"Shit," Min-Jae muttered. He teleported immediately to Cha Hae-In's side.
---
The statue's voice echoed through the chamber again.
"You are trying to die for him? What is the meaning of this? What is the relationship between you and him?"
Cha Hae-In stood to her feet, holding her injured arm, her expression fierce despite the pain. "Friends. We are friends."
"Is that so?" The statue's smile widened further. "Then I will give you a chance. Today, one of the great Monarchs is going to descend upon this world. I will give you the chance to witness the glorious scene—"
Mid-sentence, Min-Jae's attention shifted sharply. He sensed it—the presence of Sung Jin-Woo was changing. The aura around him was intensifying, shifting into something darker, heavier, more overwhelming.
"But for everyone else, they will all die right here," the statue finished.
Then, a voice cut through the chamber.
"According to whom?"
Sung Jin-Woo moved.
In an instant, he closed the distance and landed a devastating punch directly into the statue's face. The force of the blow sent the massive stone figure smashing into the ground, cracks spreading across the floor from the impact.
Sung Jin-Woo stood over it, his eyes glowing faintly with an eerie light. His voice was cold, dangerous.
"You. What did you do to my body?"