Min-jun was all smiles, his deranged visage tangible, even behind the mask. Cypher tilted his head, his pale hair dropping slightly over his right eye. With a look of disgust, he took out his cigar, dropping it on the ground as he channeled his power.
"Let's make this quick, shall we...", he muttered.
Walking forward to where Min-jun stood, his frame was about comparable to Min-jun, but with slight contrast.
"You're a true player... there's no denying that... you hide your appearance, and despite your rank, you challenge an already conquered floor... we aren't asking for much, just information. We happen to be looking for The Brimstone Sword, seen it?"
At the mention of the weapon, Min-jun involuntarily shook. His reaction was all Cypher needed to see. Stepping back, he gathered his men, giving on simple order...
"Capture him...".
The gang of notorious men took out weapons of every kind, surrounding Min-jun while Cypher watched from behind. All that was currently going on, elicited a bright smile from behind Min-jun's mask.
Stretching out one hand, he seemed ready to fight.
"I hear he's a close-ranged combat specialist, best keep our distance and ware him out..."
The idea seemed sound, but to the shock of the men, Min-jun broke into an amused laughter, loud and unending, made sinister by the voice altering feature in his mask.
"You think ou can "ware me out"??!!"
[Hahahahaha!!!!!]
"How amusing... I'll make your deaths quick..."
Magic sparked at the tips of his finger, water globules condensing behind him as he revealed his skill.
[Sea King's Will]!!
The globules hardened into shards of crystal ice, shooting at insane speeds towards the men. Ina fraction of a second, five of ten men were dead, pierced mercilessly by ice shards.
The remaining five felt fear, but in spite of their fear, they charged in, weapons ready. Min-jun took out the Darkened Phantom Edge, taking a swordstance to welcome the incoming barrage.
Pang-pang-pang!!!
Slash!!
Countering flour strikes, the fifth assailant was not so lucky, having his head cleanly cut off.
The men shuttered, including Cypher, who stood aloof at the back.
Min-jun, spinning the blood off his blade, beckoned the others to attempt the same act. Now truly frightened, the men seemed hesitant. However, to deal with Min-jun, seemed far better than to deal with Cypher.
Gathering scraps of courage, they all charged. Releasing their power with each stride.
Min-jun cleared his thoughts, focusing his energy as he awaited their approach. The warm caverns suddenly felt a cold chilling breeze, the source, non other than the masked Min-jun who charged a magic attack.
"Frozen scapes, the last breath, Absolute Zero..."
As the footsteps of the assailants came into alignment, he dealt the final blow.
"Dark Ice- Phantom Slash!!!"
Shing!!!
The sudden gory thud of flesh was audible, making Cypher tense in an instant. He turned to Min-jun a broken grin on his face as he charge up his magic. Taking out a single card from his card deck, he summoned a sleak long sword.
"My men may have been weak, but not me...", he said, spinning the long sword and pointing it at Min-jun's throat.
Min-jun couldn't care less, taking out his trusty daggers as he sized up Cypher one more time.
"You think you can defeat me?! Don't make me laugh..."
Releasing the full extent of their auras, they stood face-to-face, ready to face off.
With a sudden blurr, Cypher vanished, reappearing before Min-jun as he struck downward with his long sword.
Pang!!!
Min-jun intercepted.
"Not good enough"
Shing!
With a narrow swing, Min-jun nearly sliced off his head, only managing a cut to his cheek.
"Nice aim you've got there...", Cypher mocked. Taking up his arms once more, he charged at Min-jun again and again, each strike quicker than the last. Min-jun blocked without much effort, making Cypher aware of the skill gap between them. Bringing down his dagger, Min-jun pushed Cypher's frame into solid earth, as Cypher attempted to Parry with his long sword.
His attempts were futile though, as he met the end of Min-jun's shoes, taking a heavy kick to his chest.
Gaah!!
Cypher coughed up a blood, tumbling meters away from Min-jun. As Min-jun approached him, Cypher's hand drifted for his long sword. Min-jun, bored of the fight, unleashed his killing intent, the mask's domination feature adding an evil twist to his aura. Before Cypher, was the epitome of darkness, a man clad in darkness itself. He quivered, crawling frantically backwards to the wall of the caverns.
"Please!! S-spare me!!! I bet you!!!!!"
Min-jun, having scared Cypher straight, knelt closer to him, and with a simple menacing warning, made his heart drop.
"I'll spare you today, knowing just how pathetic you are... however, if I see you here, in this tower again..."
Cypher agreed without a second's thought, bolting out of the tower with fearful speeds.
Having dealt with the unexpected obstacles, Min-jun returned to his main reason from visiting Brimstone Peak. As he approached the statue in front of the boss chamber,
It's palms were held out, a symbol of how she had been expecting the flower.
Gently placing the Lily of Amber in her hand, Min-jun stepped back. Her palms closed up and a bright light flashed.
The light was gentle, highlighting the amber glow of the statue. Soon after the lights died out, a portal was revealed.
Notice: The Quest of The Unparalleled has been triggered... "Once beyond the rift, untold treasure await. But for the price of riches, you shall not step beyond the gates".
The message seemed cryptic, the warning vague. Min-jun, ignoring all obvious danger, simply took out a vial of recovery potion, scarfed it down and stepped into the open rift.