Chapter 30

The fight began as the shadow soldiers charged forward, screeching with their weapons, claws, and hands raised. Kade just smiled, his eyes gleaming with confidence. His guild members also charged ahead, confronting the shadow soldiers head-on.

Both Sung Jinwoo and Kade stood back, watching their minions collide. Kade noticed that when his guild members killed some of the shadow soldiers, they simply respawned as if nothing had happened.

'Fascinating,' Kade thought. 'It must have something to do with Jinwoo's mana, but unluckily for him, it's impossible to kill my minions as well and that's without relying on any mana whatsoever.' He observed some of his minions being chewed up by the ants, reminiscent of those from Jeju Island.

Jinwoo, on the other hand, was shocked to find that Kade's guild members all regenerated back to their full power every time they were hurt. 'This can't go on. I will run out of mana soon enough,' Jinwoo thought, beginning to devise a plan to end this.

As the battle raged on, Jinwoo's attention was drawn to a figure standing behind Kade. To his shock, it was Woo Jinchul, standing like a loyal butler. Jinwoo's heart sank. Jinchul had been a trusted ally, and seeing him now, seemingly under Kade's control, was a blow to his morale.

"Jinchul!" Jinwoo called out, hoping to reach his friend. But there was no response. Jinchul's eyes were devoid of emotion, his posture rigid and obedient.

Kade noticed Jinwoo's reaction and smirked. "Surprised? Jinchul is quite the asset. Efficient, strong, and now completely under my control"

Jinwoo gritted his teeth. "You'll pay for this, Kade."

Despite their initial resilience, Jinwoo's shadow soldiers began to falter. Kade's guild members, with their relentless regeneration, overpowered the shadows easily. Each clash saw more and more shadow soldiers cut down, only for them to respawn and be struck down again. The cycle was draining Jinwoo's mana rapidly.

Jinwoo's elite soldiers, including Igris and the Lich King, fought valiantly but were being pushed back. The Lich King managed to hold his own for a while, but even his immense magic power was no match for the sheer numbers, power and regeneration abilities of Kade's forces.

Kade's guild members fought with precision and brutality with their attacks coordinated and efficient. They moved as if they were a single entity, making them a terrifying force to fight.

Realizing that his soldiers were being overpowered, Jinwoo decided to take matters into his own hands. He needed to strike directly at Kade. With a burst of speed, Jinwoo disappeared from sight, reappearing behind Kade with his dagger aimed at Kade's back.

Kade, however, was not caught off guard. He had anticipated Jinwoo's move. With a swift motion, he spun around and kicked Jinwoo in the stomach, sending him flying backward. Jinwoo crashed into the ground, gasping for breath.

"You'll have to do better than that," Kade taunted, his smile never fading. "Did you really think a sneak attack would work on me?"

Jinwoo struggled to his feet, his eyes blazing with determination. He knew he was outmatched, but he couldn't give up. He had to find a way to defeat Kade and save everyone.

The battlefield was a chaotic scene of violence and destruction. Jinwoo's shadow soldiers continued to fight, but they were being systematically dismantled by Kade's guild members. The situation was dire, and Jinwoo's options were dwindling.

Jinwoo struggled to his feet, his eyes blazing with determination. Kade's amusement only grew as he watched Jinwoo's defiance.

"You know, Jinwoo, you're wasting your talents fighting against me," Kade said, his tone almost casual. "Join me. Be my second-in-command. Together, we could reshape this world. Think about it—no more limits, no more rules holding you back."

Jinwoo's eyes narrowed. "I'd rather die than join you."

Kade chuckled. "Such a waste. You could have had power beyond your wildest dreams."

"I don't need your power," Jinwoo spat back. "I have something you'll never understand, the will to protect those I care about."

Kade's expression darkened for a moment before he burst into laughter. "They're nothing but chains, Jinwoo. You cling to them like a drowning man to a rock."

Jinwoo knew he had to act quickly. Gathering the remaining mana he had, he prepared for one final assault. His eyes scanned the battlefield, searching for an opening.

With a burst of speed, Jinwoo launched himself at Kade, his dagger aimed for Kade's heart. But just as he was about to strike, Kade moved with lightning speed, dodging the attack and delivering a powerful kick to Jinwoo's chest.

The force of the kick sent Jinwoo flying back, crashing into the ground. He gasped for breath, the pain radiating through his whole body. He struggled to stand as his vision began blurring.

Kade walked towards him, his smile widening. "I'm so eager to find out how you become this strong so quickly, opening you up should do the trick"

Jinwoo realized that continuing the fight here would be futile. He needed to regroup and plan his next move. With a final glance at Kade, he activated his shadow exchange ability, switching places with a shadow he had left back at the Association's temporary base.

In an instant, Jinwoo found himself back at the base, surrounded by his allies. He collapsed to the ground, exhausted but alive. His presence was met with relief and concern.

Chairman Go rushed to his side. "Jinwoo, what happened?"

Jinwoo looked up, his expression grim. "I couldn't beat him…no I couldn't even touch him, all my plans were crushed by him"

All those surrounding Jinwoo was shocked, Jinwoo was acknowledged as the strongest after he spared with everyone, seeing him crushed this bad was a blow to their morale.

Jinha and her mother ran to see Jinwoo, they were crying hysterically as they rushed to Jinwoo and hugged him.

Meanwhile back to our lovely Kade, he was standing in the spot where Jinwoo vanished, his face blank with his mouth opened like the pikachu meme.

"Oh my, I should stop talking less and start consuming more, no matter, I'll go and find where they're hiding and attacked them myself"

(A.N: Give me power stones and review I'll give you an extra chapter)