Chapter 628: Nine.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 628: Nine.
Whoosh—!
A fist whistled past my face.
I shifted my gaze, carefully observing her body. A flicker of exhaustion showed on her face, but her movements remained unimpeded.
Which meant...
‘Mental fatigue aside, her physical recovery is remarkably swift.’
Intrigued, I savored and examined every detail of the scene. Even so, the attacks continued.
A knee aimed for my abdomen. As I twisted to dodge, a shower of ice awls rained down exactly where I would have been. Seeing this, I immediately conjured flames.
‘Blazing Wheel Transformation.’
Fwoosh—!
Flames erupted from my body, breaking into fragments that shot toward the ice.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—!!
Sshhhhh—!!!
As fire and ice collided and exploded, steam billowed out. The thick mist momentarily obscured our vision, but since we were both martial artists of the Fusion Realm, a little steam wasn't an issue.
Sshhh—!
A sharp assault pierced through the white haze. I tilted my head to avoid the attack and glanced over.
‘Oh.’
I looked at the arm that had just aimed for my head. I had clearly just ripped it off, yet I could see that her—Yuseon's—arm had already regenerated.
‘She can even regenerate a severed arm?’
Realizing this, I glanced behind me toward the spot where I had tossed the limb I'd torn away. To my surprise, Yuseon's original arm was still lying there.
Crackle-fizzle…!
I watched as it gradually burned away into nothingness.
‘So, when the body regenerates, the detached part vanishes.’
It was a strange phenomenon. From what I had seen so far, one thing was clear: this far surpassed the regenerative abilities one might possess simply for being a dragon.
‘This is definitely in the realm of a Power.’
It was on a level that made no sense unless you classified it as a Power. I turned my gaze back to Yuseon. She had put some distance between us and was staring at me with savage eyes. I could hear the grinding of her teeth from where I stood.
“What… are you doing?”
“Hm? What about?”
“Are you toying with me?” Yuseon’s voice was thick with rage. “Why aren't you fighting back?”
Right after I had torn off her arm, her assault had been relentless. As if refusing to accept defeat, Yuseon had charged at me with only one arm. I could have stopped her if I'd wanted to, but I didn't bother to block her resistance.
The reason was simple.
“I'm not going easy on you. I'm experimenting.”
“…What did you say?”
“I haven't seen everything yet.”
That’s right. I hadn’t seen it all yet.
‘What else you have.’
I still hadn’t seen the full extent of her capabilities. So...
“Show me more. I can take it.”
“…!”
Grind.
Yuseon clenched her teeth so hard they ground together harshly. And then...
Fwhooosh—!
“!”
Ice Qi rushed in from the massive hole torn in the palace walls. The cold air brushed past my back. Where was it headed? I didn't even need to wonder.
‘Looks like she’s about to do something.’
All of the Ice Qi was flowing toward Yuseon. The raw, frigid energy swirled around her, seeping into her body.
‘Hmm.’
It was a strange feeling. I wondered if that was a Power too, but I could tell right away that it wasn't.
C-c-crack—!
The Ice Qi gradually gathered, beginning to take shape over Yuseon’s body. Ice encased her, forming something like...
‘Armor?’
A means to protect the body. It resembled a full suit of plate. Was this also a part of her Ice Art? Its appearance was peculiar, but it wasn't unheard of.
‘I’m not much different, after all.’
I cover myself in the flames of the Gu Flame Wheel Art when I fight. Flame arts also use Qi in such a way, so it wasn't strange, but...
‘But it doesn't seem to be for that purpose.’
My technique is strictly for offense. But for hers to take that form… no matter how I looked at it…
Swish—!
“…!”
I hastily twisted my body at the presence I felt.
Flick—! A gust of wind sliced through the space where I had just been standing.
CRASH—!!
Hearing the sound from behind, I turned my head to see a pillar toppling over. It had been cleanly split in two.
“Oh.”
I looked at Yuseon in admiration. It wasn't just armor; a sword had appeared in her hand at some point. It wasn't an ordinary blade. It was a sword made entirely of ice. It felt completely different from a typical steel weapon.
Watching her, I spoke.
“You were a swordsman?”
We had only been trading fists, and her movements had been so clean and proficient that I'd naturally assumed she was a close-combat fighter.
‘But that sword wind just now…’
It was astonishingly sharp and precise—to the point that it would be impossible to execute without having trained extensively with a blade.
“...”
Chk.
Yuseon pointed the tip of her sword at me.
“…Do you think I'll lose to you just because I can't use my Power? Don't be ridiculous. The outcome won't change.”
“Really? That's quite surpri—”
I couldn't finish my sentence. Yuseon had already charged.
‘Such an impatient personality.’
The problem was...
Sshhh—!
‘…Oho?’
Her movements felt completely different from before. Much faster. Much stronger.
Swish—! Slice—!
Every time she swung her sword lightly, a part of the palace was sliced away. And where it was cut, I could see ice flowers blooming.
‘So it cuts and then freezes.’
A surefire countermeasure. Not bad, I thought.
‘Her speed seems to have roughly doubled. And her attack power…’
K-k-k-kreee—!
I nodded as another pillar was sliced apart.
‘That's doubled too.’
I continued to observe Yuseon while dodging her attacks. It was fun—finding out, one by one, what she could do. How far she could go.
‘So her speed and attack power have both doubled.’
A curious martial art. I had thought Yuseon’s previous attacks were at her full strength. Was she acting? No, that didn't seem likely. There was something strange about it, making it hard to believe it was simply a hidden power.
Slice—!
As I moved around dodging, a lock of my hair was cut off. Seeing that, I was certain.
‘This bitch can't use a sword.’
Yuseon was indeed a close-combat fighter. Her swordsmanship was hopelessly clumsy. And yet...
Saaaaak—!
‘Her Sword Qi is so precise?’
The momentum emanating from the tip of her sword was exceptionally intense. This meant...
‘She doesn't know how to use a sword well, but her attacks are powerful.’
Conversely, since she was a close-combat fighter, she would be better off fighting without the sword. The fact that she was deliberately using a blade like that...
‘Means there's a reason she has to use it.’
There was another reason she couldn't fight without the sword. The more I watched, the more disappointed I became. It wasn't for any other reason than...
‘That's not a Power.’
I felt a pang of disappointment, purely because I couldn't devour it.
“Stop dodging like a rat…!!”
When her attacks kept failing to connect, Yuseon’s face contorted.
Kyaaaaaaa—!
She suddenly let out a piercing scream.
‘What the hell is this now?’ I watched her with a bewildered expression. I flinched.
“Huh?”
Her scream momentarily froze my body. How strange. Was something like this also possible? In that brief moment of hesitation, Yuseon's sword was already at my throat. If this continued, I'd be skewered.
The solution was simple. I looked at the approaching Yuseon and said:
[Stop.]
“…!!”
Just as my opponent had done to me, all I had to do was stop her in return.
Halt—!
Yuseon's body froze at the Dragon’s Word. It lasted a second at most. The duration was short, but...
Woooong—!
It was more than enough for me. Unlike when I used the Heart Fist, this time I made a large motion.
Thump—! As I roused my Qi, my heart pounded violently.
Gr-r-rind—! A sensation like my internal organs were being ground to pulp washed over me. It was the effect of casting Heaven Destruction Art.
I twisted my waist sharply.
Stomp—!
I slammed my front foot down, bracing against the recoil. Then...
Whir—!
I manipulated the Solar Light, wrapping it several times around my left fist to thicken it, forming the shape of a gauntlet. It would never tear or break. The properties of Solar Light would shine in moments like this.
‘Heaven Destruction Art.’
First Form.
One Fist.
With a perfect motion, I plunged my Qi-wreathed fist into Yuseon's torso.
THUD—!
My fist shattered her ice armor and dug deep into her solar plexus.
CRUNCH—!!
“Keoheok...!”
It was a clean hit. My senses told me so.
Kwoaaaa—!
A gale erupted as Yuseon's body shot into the air, her Qi exploding outwards.
CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—!
She flew, smashing through the few remaining pillars one after another. Watching her, I dusted off my hands. Then I clenched and unclenched my fist a few times, thinking.
‘The recoil has lessened.’
Specifically, the recoil from using Heaven Destruction Art had clearly diminished. Before, the pain would multiply after a few uses, making it impossible to use it consecutively. But based on that last strike, it seemed I could now use it repeatedly without issue.
‘Still, using it continuously would be too much.’
The recoil was reduced, not gone. This insane martial art was still painful. Looking at it this way, it was a martial art fit only for someone as unhinged as the Dishonored Venerable. However, it meant I could now mix Heaven Destruction Art into my combat. At the very least, I was past the stage of hesitating because of the recoil.
“Hey, you okay?” I said as I walked forward.
I could see Yuseon buried in the rubble.
“Cough….”
She looked to be in worse shape than before. A direct hit from my fist would do that. I knelt to meet the eyes of the slumped, bleeding Yuseon.
“Hmm.”
I raised a hand and lifted her chin. “How does it feel?”
“…Keok… heok….”
As I spoke, my gaze shifted to her chest. Her solar plexus, to be exact.
“Your insides are shot. Looks like they ruptured.”
With my other hand, I pressed down firmly on her ribs.
“Gaaahhh…!!” Yuseon let out a scream of agony.
“Bones are broken too. Badly.”
As if to prove that my attack had broken through her armor and Combat Qi and landed cleanly, Yuseon's body was a wreck. If left like this, even as a master of the Fusion Realm, she would die in ten seconds at most.
Thinking that, I smiled.
“How does it feel? Can you regenerate from this too?”
“…!”
“I hope you can. That way…” I looked into Yuseon’s eyes. “Just as you said, it'll be 'fun,' won't it?”
“…Cough….”
An emotion appeared in the eyes of the blood-spewing Yuseon. Fear? Or disgust? Something like that. It didn't matter either way. Whatever she was thinking had nothing to do with me.
“Is that a secret art of the Ice Palace? Curious. It doesn't seem to be just a layer of ice. Does it do something to you physically?”
“...”
“It wasn't bad in terms of speed or power.”
Her movements had seemed clumsy, but that just looked like she couldn't control her newly enhanced body.
“What's the principle behind it? Is it related to your regeneration?”
As I continued to ask with genuine curiosity, Yuseon, who had been glaring at me while bleeding, spat out, “…You… monstrous human.”
Hearing that, I let out a short laugh.
“Wrong.”
Grip.
“Keuk!”
I grabbed her by the throat. “We're not human.”
“…Gaaah….”
It was a problem for her to call me human now. To abandon that, I had gone so far as to—. My thoughts trailed off, and I tilted my head.
‘What did I do?’
I couldn't remember that part. Come to think of it, I don't think I did much of anything.
‘If anything, I did everything I could not to abandon it.’
But now, that wasn't a very important point either.
“Anything else? Anything more to show me?”
“Haa… keuk….”
Go on. I'll watch whatever you do. Try whatever you can. That way...
‘It'll be much tastier when I devour you.’
With that thought in mind, I kept smiling at her.
“I've learned a few things from you.”
I meant it. This fight was a good example. I knew she could use a Power, but seeing it in action was incredibly helpful. And also...
“I also realized I shouldn't fight like a martial artist.”
I could feel that this side had its own way of fighting.
“Huu… huu….”
“Anyway. Anything else?”
As I spoke, my gaze focused on Yuseon’s abdomen.
Sssss….
I could see it. Yuseon's body was regenerating in real time.
‘So she can even regenerate her internal organs.’
Her arm regenerates when torn off. Her organs regenerate when ruptured. I wondered, what were the limits of that regeneration? It seemed slower than when her arm regenerated, so it probably depended on the severity of the injury. But even so, what an ability.
‘It means she can afford to lose an arm without any problem.’
I coveted it. It was different from the Dishonored Venerable’s teachings, but I still believed it was the best fit for my fighting style. Yuseon had unleashed some unknown domain, but it wasn't that; I coveted her regenerative power so, so much.
“I guess you have nothing left to show me?”
“Haaa….”
Yuseon answered with a pained groan. The regeneration process didn't seem to be a very peaceful one. Watching this, my smile faded, replaced by a sense of disappointment.
‘Is this it?’
She had put on such a grand display, but it felt like there was less to her than I thought.
“If not, then fine.”
As my interest instantly waned, a chill crept into my voice.
“Now just tell me where that bastard is.”
“…Do you… think… I'd… tell… you…?”
Heh heh.
This time, it was Yuseon who laughed. It wasn't a sneer; it was closer to a laugh of disbelief.
“Devouring… a Power…. Where in the world… does such an absurd thing exist…?”
I couldn't help but nod at Yuseon’s words. She was right. It was obvious that Powers were important, and mine was a force that nullified them. From her perspective, it must be utterly preposterous.
But...
“That's just how life is.”
Life is the epitome of absurdity.
“It's not like I wanted this either.”
Did she think I asked for this Power? This was just what I had when I opened my eyes.
‘A power for dragons.’
My Avarice was that kind of power. It was laughable. How many dragons could there possibly be? For my Power’s effect to be something like this... it was as if...
‘It was given to me to fight dragons.’
Your opponent is not human.
It felt like it was telling me that. And in reality, it wasn't far from the truth. As I inwardly clicked my tongue at this less-than-desirable situation...
“…In the end… will the light never come for me?” Yuseon muttered. “I’ve lived my life having so much taken from me.”
Her cracking voice sounded somewhat pathetic.
“The position I couldn't grasp because I was born a woman against my will. Even the affection I barely managed to obtain. I…!”
Yuseon cried out desperately. That was her life. Pushed down in the line of succession behind less talented kin, simply for being a woman. And, losing the one she desired so much—.
“Sorry.”
Squeeze.
I cut off her words and tightened my grip on her throat.
“Keok!”
“I'm not curious. I don't care why you ended up like this. Not one bit.”
I shut Yuseon up.
“Why are you trying to spout such useless words? We're not that close.”
Anyone would think we were friends. Why was she trying to tell me her family history? I considered listening for a moment, but it was a story that held no interest for me.
“So what? Am I supposed to say, 'Oh, is that so? What a pitiful life. No wonder you turned out this way'? Don't be fucking ridiculous.”
There's no need for a reason behind one's actions. What would change by knowing it?
“What you did is what you did. That's all there is to it, you stupid bitch.”
Trying to sneak in an excuse.
“Neither I nor the world cares about your reasons or your circumstances.”
There is no villain without a reason—a quote from some benevolent person somewhere. It was also the saying I hated most.
“Stop trying to claim some mental victory. Just get ready to answer my questions. And stop pissing me off.”
“Keuk… guk… heh heh….”
Yuseon laughed at my words. With every laugh, blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, staining my hand.
“Do you… think… I'd… talk…?”
I won't be played by your words. That's what Yuseon seemed to be saying, but...
“Ah, it's fine.” I replied nonchalantly. “I'll be asking, but you're not the one who'll be answering.”
“What…?”
Hearing my words, Yuseon let out a sound of confusion. “What does that…?”
KWAANG—!
“…Gurgle…!!”
I raised my fist and struck Yuseon's heart.
Thud-thud.
Yuseon coughed up black blood as the whites of her eyes showed. I didn't rupture it; I controlled my strength on purpose. Just enough so she could withstand one more hit.
I immediately looked at Yuseon and said, “I'm going to hit you one more time. I'll really make it burst, so think carefully.”
Yuseon had already lost consciousness from the previous blow. Nevertheless, I spoke to her. Or, to be more precise... it was for the thing ‘inside’ her.
“...”
Thump.
The unconscious Yuseon’s head dropped. It seemed to think it could just let this pass.
“Not answering?”
Then just die.
Woooong.
The moment I was about to strike her heart again.
[…My.]
I paused.
[How very crude.]
I stopped the fist I was swinging at the voice that came from Yuseon.
Ssk.
Yuseon, whose head had been hanging, lifted it and looked at me. Her eyes still showed only the whites, but I knew. She was definitely looking at me.
[Ninth Pureblood.]
The corners of my mouth lifted at its words. I was right. Just as I expected. The bastard. That is...
“How did you know?”
The will of the ‘Ice Crystal’ was greeting me.