World's Strongest Survivor-Chapter 55

Sam Squad: The Proper Way to Handle an Ambush

As Seowoon nervously opened the box, his eyes immediately landed on a few secret martial art manuals.

["Absorption Nourishment Technique." A martial art that teaches how to absorb male energy during intercourse with a man. When used, during intimacy with a male—...]

Thud!

Without listening any further, he slammed the manual onto the ground. Not satisfied with just that, he furiously scrubbed the hand that had touched it against his clothes.

Kichan tilted his head, puzzled by the unexpected reaction, and curiously picked up the manual—only to repeat Seowoon's exact same response.

"What is this?!"

"What else? It's that pervert's special technique. If we'd lost, you or I... it would've been a disaster."

Seowoon trailed off abruptly as his eyes caught Lyle's gaze.

Lyle watched them with curiosity, seemingly not understanding a thing, but Kichan just shook his head, shivering as if creeped out.

Unable to explain the full context to young Lyle, the two quietly turned back to inspecting the items.

["Gale Step." A movement technique created by the defeated monk-warrior of the Great Temple. It's now infamous due to its use by the demonic forces that destroyed the temple.] frёeωebɳovel.com

["Bloodbone Twist." A unique martial art from the perverse demon Yu Zuyian, known for its bizarre angles by training shoulder and elbow flexibility.]

"It's here!!"

The technique was the perfect match for someone who had learned Fist of Chaos—plus, it came from that terrifying enemy, which made it even more desirable. And with a new movement technique on top of that, it was a jackpot.

As Seowoon clenched his fist in excitement, Kichan's eyes lit up.

"You found what you wanted?"

Instead of answering, Seowoon handed him the Bloodbone Twist manual. Kichan, in turn, gave it to Lyle.

"Hold onto it for now and add it to the inventory."

Lyle tilted his head after reading the description.

"This kind of item... I'm not sure if it's for me..."

Seeing him hesitating, Kichan smiled.

"I mainly use magic too, but it's good to know some basic self-defense. You need to be able to survive even if you're left alone."

With that, Seowoon collected the now-inventoried manuals again.

As soon as he learned Bloodbone Twist and Gale Step, a notification sound rang out.

[You have learned Bloodbone Twist. If you also learn Bloodflame Yang Art, the effectiveness of Bloodbone Twist will increase by 20%.]

The Bloodflame Yang Art must've been that lunatic's inner power technique.

"Even if it appears, I'm not learning it. If it clashes with my Limitless Void Art, I'm finished."

"Huh?"

As Seowoon mentally reviewed the new forms from Bloodbone Twist, he caught Kichan's odd reaction.

"What is it?"

"This item is pretty unique."

Curious, Seowoon took the wooden box Kichan handed over.

["Elixir of Spirit Balance." A rare tonic that stabilizes inner energy. If you fall into Qi deviation, it calms your energy and restores mental balance to purge it.]

After reading the description, Seowoon finally understood why that lunatic had only gone berserk on Day 3.

"It's like handing a gas canister to a madman."

"Huh?"

Kichan looked confused, so Seowoon explained as they moved to a new location with the group.

After hearing about the perverted demon's martial art and history, Kichan immediately grasped how the tonic synergized with him.

"We were lucky to take him down now. If we face someone like that again..."

Seowoon nodded as Kichan shuddered.

If it were someone like the Southern Scoundrel or the boss from the first loop, they could fight with their lives on the line.

But he never wanted to risk his chastity again in a battle.

They camped and ambushed in the forest where the fierce fight had taken place for another ten days.

During that time, they ambushed and eliminated three more teams. The safe zone was now dangerously close.

Day 13 — Survivors: 130/400

"I think we can stop worrying about attacks from behind now."

"Yeah, but we might run into people lying in wait up ahead."

"The situation's flipped."

Lyle, who had been quietly listening, spoke up with a concerned face.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to have this?"

He was referring to the Gold Scroll: Area Teleportation—an item from a few days ago that forcibly moved anyone within 5 meters of the user to another location.

"You're the least mobile among us. If something happens, it's best for us to group around you and use it."

Lyle nodded with a tense face, as if accepting a major responsibility.

"Alright, let's move."

The safe zone was shrinking in a circular pattern from a designated center.

It shrank every night at midnight, and the next center would be shown on the map before that happened.

So depending on the next center, the travel distance could change significantly.

This time, the next safe zone was far.

Contrary to Seowoon and Kichan's predictions, which assumed the safe zone would center on boss or buff monsters, it had shifted far from any major object.

Though a few important objects still barely made it in, the squad had to begin their night march under the starlit sky.

They moved quickly through the darkness and crossed an open plain with little cover.

In survival games, moving through open plains was dangerous, but they had no choice.

Riding his air board with ease, Lyle glided over the terrain, a smile forming on his face.

"I really should master this."

The entry-level skill from the Skyfall Pavilion that Seowoon had handed him had dramatically improved his body control.

Especially his balance—he could now maintain max speed on the air board without feeling unstable.

"Good thing he's keeping up."

"Looks like all that physical training paid off."

As they exchanged brief team chat, Seowoon suddenly came to a halt.

Not only did he stop—he rolled flat to the ground in a dive.

Shoom!

In the dark, a black shadow barely missed him and shot past.

"Enemy!"

He shouted loud enough for Lyle to hear, and immediately felt a mana surge.

"Iron Barrier!"

From atop the air board, Lyle cast his spell. A semi-transparent dome shield materialized in front of Seowoon just as he finished rolling.

Crack! Smash!

A few dark projectiles slammed into the barrier, causing visible fractures.

Lyle, now stopped in front of the barrier, looked to Kichan.

"I can't see them! But I think they're lying in wait nearby...!"

Just as Lyle voiced his worry, Seowoon stood up and stepped through the barrier.

"Fifteen meters ahead. Four enemies." <

As Hamit issued his warning, Seowoon simultaneously warned the team via voice chat.

"They're right in front of us. Looks like the Assassin team—stay alert."

A spinning wheel appeared in front of Seowoon, who had taken the lead.

"It's time! Spin it, you damn master!"

Rrrrrr... Ding! "Flame Counter! Oho! That's a killer skill! Kekeke, make good use of it."

Flame Counter — if you successfully dodge and counter an enemy's attack, blazing flames deal extra damage to them.

The skill's information instantly sank into Seowoon's mind.

Clang!

Even at that moment, a dark dagger came flying, but Seowoon had no intention of just standing still and taking it. He lightly swatted it aside with his fist.

"Come out. All four of you."

As he aimed precisely toward where the enemies were hiding, three figures stood up like shadows rising.

The enemies immediately spread out in a line and charged toward the group.

Since there was a considerable distance between them, Seowoon—who was facing them—shouted a warning to the back.

"Be careful!"

Unlike typical battles where mages stay in the back casting spells while the frontliners clash, these enemies charged head-on for one-on-one combat.

Unable to divert all three enemies' attention to himself, Seowoon rushed forward to take them out quickly.

Clang!

His fist clashed cleanly with a gently curved single-edged blade.

In that moment, Seowoon's figure split, and the enemy's eyes wavered, surprised to see multiple illusions form.

Normally, Seowoon wouldn't reveal the peak of his martial footwork unless it was a critical moment.

But after just one clash, he realized the opponent was no pushover.

After killing the crazed indigo demon and raising his inner power above 500, Seowoon couldn't afford to waste time probing this enemy who already made his fist throb from one hit.

'He said there were four, right?'

Yeah.

That was reason enough to finish this quickly.

It was already unsettling that close-range enemies had targeted his magic-focused allies. And one enemy still hadn't shown themselves.

"There are four enemies! Don't let your guard down!"

At Seowoon's shout, the eyes of the masked enemy—his mouth and nose hidden behind a black scarf—flickered with emotion.

"Detection magic, huh?"

The enemy's voice grated in Seowoon's ears like scraping metal.

Instead of replying, Seowoon and his illusion charged at the enemy. The enemy retreated and threw daggers.

Clang!

He blocked two daggers, but three of his illusions vanished. The enemy, recognizing the real body, closed in again with his single-edged sword.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The enemy's footwork was swift. And then...

'This attack pattern...'

It was familiar. Very similar to an Assassin he had fought during his first run.

Every attack packed full power and the resolve to land a killing blow.

Such powerful strikes were bound to leave openings, but Seowoon couldn't carelessly exploit them. If the enemy endured the counter, it could be Seowoon's neck that would fly.

He felt caught in a duel of certain-death exchanges.

Once again, the enemy's blade came down from above.

Seowoon grimaced and stepped forward, thrusting his fist.

The enemy's blade held steady, unshaken.

But then Seowoon's fist shot upward—an exaggerated uppercut, more like something out of a martial arts movie than a real fight. It met the falling blade head-on.

KAAANG!

The thick single-edged sword groaned and was pushed back slightly.

Even seasoned fighters would lose control of their weapon from a counter like that, but this guy's blade only moved about 5 centimeters before dropping.

'Kair Barrier.'

Barely twisting his body in time, the enemy's blade grazed Seowoon's arm, tearing his sleeve.

If not for the Kair Barrier, it could've taken skin with it.

Seowoon took another step forward and opened his tightly clenched fist.

Then suddenly curled his fingers—like a raptor's talons—and launched his hand toward the enemy at a strange angle.

'He's definitely trained in martial arts.'

Unlike his evasive movements earlier, the way he avoided Seowoon's attack now gave off a clear martial artist's aura.

Clang, Clang!

The enemy tried to retreat, but couldn't escape Seowoon's grasp, now using the Blood Bone Claw technique.

Even though the enemy blocked with his sword and reinforced it with bandages, Seowoon's attacks came from increasingly unpredictable angles, forcing the enemy back.

Shhhk!

If not for a sudden stab from the side, Seowoon's third strike would've torn the enemy's throat.

A new enemy emerged, thrusting a metal spike—but Seowoon smoothly evaded and crossed his arms into a strange stance, locking eyes with the newcomer.

"Cloak of Invisibility, huh."

He had suspected it from the moment he couldn't sense any presence. Luckily, the enemy had targeted him, not his teammates.

The cloaked enemy, likely frustrated that their sneak attack failed, tried to melt back into the shadows—but Seowoon moved first.

Clang! Shrrrk!

Clashing with both the sword and the metal spike, Seowoon managed to rip the enemy's cloak, then quickly backed off to regroup.

The enemy glared with fiery eyes.

'I get it... I really do.'

But to use an item effectively, you had to understand it. Using a fragile cloak in close combat without care? That was the enemy's mistake.

Now both enemies charged toward Seowoon, overlapping their movements.

Clang!

He blocked the sword and reached for the enemy's neck with Blood Bone Claw—all while remaining wary of another sneak attack.

"Tch!"

Just barely grazing the enemy's neck, Seowoon forced him to stagger back, clutching his throat.

The Flame Counter skill activated, igniting the scarf covering the enemy's face. The enemy quickly tore it off and glared.

But Seowoon had no time to celebrate. He scanned for the missing fourth enemy.

"Ugh!"

A heavy grunt turned his head—only to see a figure identical to him stabbing Kichan in the back with a metal spike.

Startled, Seowoon rushed to Kichan.

Thankfully, Kichan had twisted his body to avoid a fatal hit. He unleashed a burst of lightning magic, forcing the two enemies attacking him to retreat.

Seowoon reached him, but Kichan backed away warily.

It's me!

Finally recognizing him, Kichan dropped his guard, covering his bleeding side.

Seowoon handed him their only mid-tier healing scroll, then turned his attention back to the two enemies.

Now, even the injured one had rejoined the fight. It was three against two.

Meanwhile, Lyle and another enemy were battling fiercely some distance away.

"What just happened? That was definitely your appearance and voice, Seowoon!"

Caught up in a battle in the dark, Kichan had failed to broaden his vision and was ambushed by an enemy who had transformed into his likeness.

"It's probably some kind of transformation technique. Thinking too deeply won't help."

As he finished speaking, Seowoon pulled a plasma orb from his subspace and hurled it toward the sky.

The orb, thrown upward with a flick of his wrist, rose high and turned into a glowing sphere that illuminated the surroundings.

"Foolish! Are you trying to draw attention?!"

"Even if it draws attention, I can't afford to be at a disadvantage in battle."

These enemies were used to hiding in the dark, clad in pitch-black clothing.

Fighting them in the shadows was out of the question.

"Lyle! Watch out for ambushes! They can transform into our likenesses!"

Lyle seemed to understand and nodded as he skillfully maneuvered his airboard.

While he fled, firing magic, a fierce chase unfolded as the enemies tried to kill him in one strike.

"We need to wipe them out all at once. I'll signal you."

At those words, Kichan's eyes gleamed.

In a flash, Seowoon dashed forward and split into several clones, aligning themselves in a straight line.

"Ignore the clones. Just focus on the real one!"

As the enemies shouted and rushed forward, a bolt of lightning shot from Kichan's hand and struck Seowoon's back—the one furthest behind.

– Crackle!

The chain lightning spread, jumping like a tail between clones.

As the clones vanished, the lightning extended to the enemies within range as well.

This was one of the joint techniques they had developed during their training in the mountains—unleashed now to great effect. The enemies were stunned and paralyzed in confusion.

In that moment, Seowoon surged into their midst and let out a mighty roar.

"Raaaaaaaah!"

At that roar, a system alert echoed in the enemies' minds.

– Ding! Your physical defense has dropped by 10% due to the soundwave-induced intimidation.

Kichan advanced, hurling spells with lightning crackling from both hands, while Seowoon extended his body with the roar, attacking in a flurry.

The enemies couldn't even properly counterattack before they were wiped out.

– Thud!

The head of what appeared to be the last surviving leader shattered, and Seowoon and Kichan quickly ran to catch up with Lyle.

The remaining enemy, realizing his comrades had fallen, fled desperately for his life.

Seowoon pushed his Windstep to the limit, rapidly closing the distance, overtaking both Kichan and Lyle.

– Crunch!

As the enemy turned to flee, Seowoon's blood-imbued strike grazed his waist, severing his spine. The enemy collapsed violently.

"Kuh!"

As the enemy tried to raise his blood-spitting head, Seowoon stomped it down, finishing him off without pain.

He turned back.

"Everyone okay?"

Though Lyle was bleeding from shallow cuts, he nodded bravely.

Kichan, arriving a bit later and catching his breath, replied:

"Whew. If it hadn't been for Kaier Earth, I'd have been in real danger. I really almost died when 'you' attacked me out of nowhere."

"Even I didn't expect a transformation technique to pop up."

The group opened a discovered chest and quickly gathered a few items before returning to the area with three more chests.

"Huh?"

Just as they were about to open a chest, Lyle staggered and collapsed.

"What the...?"

Seeing Lyle's body stiffen, Kichan couldn't finish his sentence.

Yet Seowoon kept rummaging through the chest.

"Hyung?"

"Wait."

Seowoon continued tearing through the three chests, then tossed a vial to Kichan.

[Assassin Corps' Paralysis Antidote. An antidote for the paralysis poison made by the Assassin Corps.]

"There was something called paralysis poison in the earlier chest, so I figured... and yep, he got hit."

Kichan fed the antidote to Lyle, who instantly sprang back up as if nothing had happened.

"Gah!"

"You okay?"

"Yes! How did you...?"

Kichan handed him the antidote bottle, and Lyle immediately understood.

"It's all part of the experience. Be careful next time."

Lyle nodded firmly.

The three of them quickly looted the rest of the dropped items.

[Mimicry Skillbook. A secret technique of the Assassin Corps. Allows the user to temporarily transform into someone they've observed and studied. Usable for 5 minutes.]

In the end, the only useful items were the paralysis poison and the mimicry skill.

"This could be amazing if used right."

"Yeah. It could be crucial at the right moment."

"You should be the one to learn it, hyung."

As Kichan tossed him the skillbook, Seowoon's eyes sparkled.

"Trying to send me into the lion's den?"

"Honestly, you'd be the most efficient one to use it."

Seowoon couldn't argue with that and erased his mischievous expression as he learned the skill.

[T/L: Read extra Chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]