They moved.
Not together, these weren't coordinated professionals. But fast enough to be dangerous.
Choi Dae-jung came from the left, fist already cocked back. Park Hyun-woo circled right, hands moving in the familiar pattern of skill activation.
I activated [Isolation].
My right eye glowed faint blue beneath my glasses. The world sharpened, and suddenly I could see:
[TARGET: Choi Dae-jung - C Rank]
Active Skill Detected: [Iron Body - C Rank]
Effect: Body transmutation to iron-like hardness
Mana Cost: HIGH (Continuous drain)
Duration: ~3 minutes at full mana
Observation: 1/10
Dae-jung's skin rippled, turning dark gray with a metallic sheen. His entire body became iron.
He grinned, his teeth now metal. "Let's see you try to stab me now."
[TARGET: Park Hyun-woo - C Rank]
Skill Activation Detected: [Water Lance - C Rank]
Mana Flow Analysis: IN PROGRESS
Components Visible:
├─ Basic Water Manipulation (D Rank) - 40% contribution
└─ Mana Lance (C Rank) - 60% contribution
Note: This is a compound skill
Observation: 1/12
Water materialized in Hyun-woo's hands, coalescing into a spear-shaped projectile. Not real water—mana-formed water, denser and more dangerous.
"Iron Body and Water Lance," I muttered. "Two C-ranks with specialty skills."
And I had D-rank base stats with skills I'd barely practiced.
Great.
Dae-jung charged. His iron fist whistled through the air toward my face.
I dodged left—barely. The fist passed so close I felt the wind displacement.
His follow-up came immediately. A hook aimed at my ribs.
I twisted away. His iron knuckles grazed my uniform, tearing fabric.
"Stand still!" he snarled.
Behind him, Hyun-woo finished forming his water lance. "Dae-jung, move!"
Dae-jung ducked.
The water lance shot forward like a bullet.
I threw myself sideways. The lance missed by centimeters, hitting the building wall behind me with a wet THWACK. The concrete cracked.
That would've gone straight through me.
Are they actually trying to kill me! Suho you ass hole! What did you do to them.
I scrambled to my feet, backing up to create distance.
They pressed forward.
[ISOLATION - ANALYZING]
Water Lance observation: 2/12
Iron Body observation: 2/10
Continue observation for skill understanding. I needed to see more. Needed to understand how these skills worked.
But they weren't giving me time to analyze.
Dae-jung rushed again, iron body gleaming in the fading sunlight. Each footstep left small cracks in the pavement, he was heavy now, easily twice his normal weight.
I dodged a straight punch. Ducked under a haymaker. Slipped away from a grab.
My agility was higher than his. But one hit from that iron fist would break bones.
Hyun-woo fired another water lance.
I saw it coming this time—saw the mana coalescing, the water forming.
Dove behind a parked car. The lance punched through the car door like paper, embedding in the seat.
"You can't run forever!" Hyun-woo shouted.
He was right. I was just dodging. No offense, no counter-attack.
Think. You have three SSS-rank skills. Use them.
Dae-jung came around the car, and I finally went on the offensive.
Not with a punch—I'd break my hand on his iron body.
I activated [Fission].
My hand glowed blue. I slapped the car hood.
[FISSION ACTIVATED]
Target: Car Hood (Metal + Paint + Undercoating)
Complexity: MODERATE.
The hood split, metal sheet separating from the frame with a screech. It fell to the ground with a clang.
Dae-jung blinked. "What the—"
I grabbed the separated metal sheet and swung it at him like a shield, forcing him back.
It didn't hurt him, but it bought me space.
Hyun-woo fired another water lance.
This time I watched it carefully with Isolation active.
[WATER LANCE - DETAILED ANALYSIS]
Step 1: Water Manipulation - Mana converts to water element - Shapes into lance form - Density: 3x normal water
Step 2: Mana Lance - Pure mana forms inner core - Provides penetration force - Stabilizes water structure and gives it shape.
Fusion Result: Water Lance - Combines elemental form with force projection - More efficient than pure mana lance - Effective against physical and magical defenses Observation: 4/12
The lance came at me.
I tries to block with my hands instinctively, forgetting it would rip my hands upon contact. As I felt the tip of the lace pierce my skin. At the last second, I activated [Fission] directly on it.
[FISSION ACTIVATED]
Target: Water Lance (Active Skill)
Success Rate: 65% (Active magic, moving target) ATTEMPTING...
My hand glowed.
The water lance split mid-flight.
The outer water shell separated from the inner mana core. Both projectiles lost cohesion and splashed harmlessly to either side of me.
Hyun-woo's eyes widened. "How did you—"
Dae-jung didn't give me time to celebrate.
His iron fist caught me in the ribs.
I'd been so focused on the lance that I hadn't seen him closing in.
The impact was catastrophic.
Pain exploded through my side. I felt ribs crack. My feet left the ground.
I flew backward and slammed into a parked car.
The car's frame crumpled. Windows shattered. The alarm started blaring.
I collapsed to the ground, gasping. Every breath sent agony through my chest.
[WARNING]
Health: 45% (Severe injury detected)
Stamina: 60%
Mana: 51/120 (Used: 15 for Fission attempts)
Status Effects: - Broken Ribs (x2) - Internal Bruising - Severe Pain
Combat effectiveness reduced by 40%
Blood filled my mouth. I spat it out, trying to stand.
"Told you," Dae-jung said, walking toward me. His iron body gleamed. "You're nothing without your daddy's protection."
Hyun-woo was forming another water lance. "Let's finish this."
I leaned against the destroyed car, breathing hard. Everything hurt.
But my mind was clear.
I saw how Water Lance works. The components. The structure.
I can copy that.
I activated [Isolation] again, this time focusing inward. On my own mana circulation.
[SKILL ACQUISITION ATTEMPT]
Target: Mana Lance (C Rank)
Observation: 5/10 (INSUFFICIENT)
However... Mana Lance is a BASE component skill. Simplified version can be attempted with partial understanding.
Acquire [Mana Lance - Incomplete] (E Rank)? Cost: 10 Mana to learn, 20 Mana per use Warning: Unstable, inefficient, weak [YES] / [NO]
I selected YES.
I raised my hand. Focused. Channeled mana into the palm.
A lance of pure energy formed. Smaller than Hyun-woo's water lance. Flickering. Unstable.
[SKILL ACQUIRED: Mana Lance (Incomplete) - E Rank]
Observation complete: 5/10 (Partial copy)
Mana: 51/120 → 41/120
Dae-jung saw it and laughed. "That's pathetic! Mine's way—"
I fired.
The incomplete mana lance shot forward, wobbly and weak compared to the real thing.
It hit Dae-jung square in the chest.
His iron body absorbed most of it. But he staggered back, and I saw surprise on his metallic face.
"That... actually hurt a little."
Not enough damage. My version was too weak. And it had cost me 20 mana—way more than it should have.
[Mana Lance (Incomplete)]
Your version uses 20 mana per shot Hyun-woo's complete version uses 12 mana Reason: Lack of mana proficiency and incomplete understanding
I only had 41 mana left. One more shot, maybe two if I pushed it.
Not enough to win.
Think. What else do I have?
I looked around desperately.
The destroyed car I'd been thrown into. Its frame was crushed, windows shattered, doors mangled.
And liquid was leaking from underneath.
Gasoline.
A pool of it, spreading across the pavement. The sharp smell filled the air.
An idea formed. Crazy. Dangerous.
But it might work.
I activated [Isolation] on the gasoline puddle.
[TARGET: Gasoline]
Substance: Petroleum-based fuel
Properties: Highly flammable, volatile
Mana Affinity: Fire (High), Combustion (Very High)
Note: mana can be given properties if applied properly.
Water Lance was Water Manipulation + Mana Lance.
I didn't have Water Manipulation.
But what if...
What if I used something else instead of water?
"Hyun-woo, hit him again!" Dae-jung ordered.
Another water lance formed in Hyun-woo's hands. Larger this time. He was pouring more mana into it.
I ignored him and focused on the gasoline.
Fire. I need fire.
I thought about the concept. Fire was just rapid oxidation. Combustion. Energy release.
And mana could be given different properties by understanding the substance.
I reached down toward the gasoline puddle with my hand glowing faint blue.
Pushed mana into it. Willed it to burn.
[NEW SKILL DISCOVER]
Attempting: Basic Fire Manipulation Through observation and mana application... Through understanding of combustion...
[SKILL ACQUIRED: Basic Fire Manipulation - E Rank]
Cost: 8 Mana to activate, 3 Mana per second sustained
Mana: 31/120 → 23/120. The gasoline ignited.
Flames spread across the puddle, small at first but growing. I shaped them with my will, pulling the fire toward my hand.
"Is he crazy?!" Hyun-woo shouted.
I had fire control. I had Mana Lance (incomplete).
Now for Fusion.
I activated [Fusion].
[FUSION ACTIVATED]
Target A: Basic Fire Manipulation (E Rank)
Target B: Mana Lance (Incomplete) (E Rank)
Compatibility: 97% (Both offensive, both energy-based)
Requirements Check:
├─ Understanding of both skills: SUFFICIENT
├─ Mana control: MINIMAL (barely adequate)
├─ Combat application knowledge: PRESENT [FUSION POSSIBLE]
New Skill: Fire Lance (D Rank)
Cost: 15 Mana per use
Effect: Flaming penetrating projectile
Proceed? [YES] / [NO]
YES.
The fire in my hand condensed. Combined with the transparent mana structure I'd learned. Formed into a lance shape.
A spear of flame, solid and deadly.
[SKILL CREATED: Fire Lance - D Rank]
Mana: 23/120 → 8/120
Hyun-woo released his water lance.
I released my fire lance at the same time.
The projectiles met mid-air.
The fire lance punched through the water lance, steam exploded in all directions, and continued forward.
It hit Dae-jung center mass.
His iron body didn't matter.
Fire didn't care about hardness. It cared about heat.
The lance burned into his chest. The iron conducted the heat inward, cooking him from the outside.
Dae-jung screamed.
He fell to his knees, iron body deactivating as his concentration broke. His chest was scorched, uniform burned away, skin blistered and red.
Not dead. But definitely out of the fight.
Hyun-woo stared in horror. "Dae-jung!"
He looked at me. Fear replaced his earlier confidence.
I tried to form another fire lance.
[INSUFFICIENT MANA]
Required: 15 Mana
Available: 8 Mana Cannot activate Fire Lance
Shit.
But Hyun-woo didn't know that.
I raised my hand anyway, letting it glow with the last dregs of mana. Bluffing.
"Your move," I said through gritted teeth.
Hyun-woo looked at Dae-jung, writhing on the ground. Looked at me. Looked at his own trembling hands.
[TARGET: Park Hyun-woo]
[Mana: 8/100 [DEPLETED]
Status: Exhausted, Terrified.
He was out of mana too, as a mage that is a death sentence.
"Fuck this," Hyun-woo said. He turned and ran.
Just left Dae-jung and sprinted away.
I watched him go, then turned to Dae-jung.
He was still conscious, clutching his burned chest. "You... you're a monster..."
"No," I said quietly. "I'm just someone who's done being a victim."
I wanted to say more. Wanted to explain. But my vision was blurring.
[CRITICAL WARNING]
Health: 28% [CRITICAL]
Mana: 8/120 [DEPLETED]
Stamina: 15% [CRITICAL]
Multiple injuries: - Broken ribs (x2) - Internal bleeding (moderate) - Severe bruising - Mana exhaustion - Physical exhaustion Consciousness: FAILING Immediate medical attention required.
The adrenaline was wearing off. Pain flooded back in—overwhelming, unbearable pain.
My legs gave out. I collapsed beside the destroyed car.
The last thing I saw before darkness took me was the evening sky, turning from orange to purple.
And the system notification floating in my fading vision:
[COMBAT COMPLETE]
New Skills Acquired:
- Mana Lance (Incomplete) - E Rank
- Basic Fire Manipulation - E Rank
- Fire Lance - D rank.
D Rank Skill Observations Updated: - Iron Body: 3/10 - Water Lance: 5/12 Experience Gained: SIGNIFICANT
Note: First real combat survived
Note: Skill fusion performed under pressure [Fusion exp gained]
Then nothing.