Chapter 759: Appearance of a Hero (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 759: Appearance of a Hero (7)
[Aaaaaaaah—!!!]
A monstrous shriek tore through the air in every direction.
The sound was so powerful that the very earth seemed to tremble with each of the creature's roars.
“Ugh!”
“Kh…!!!”
“Gah…!!”
The Qi embedded in its voice was physically harming the martial artists.
They clamped their hands over their ears, flinching in pain. Some even began coughing up blood. Those of a lower realm couldn't withstand the backlash, their internal Qi thrown into violent disarray.
This is bad.
Seeing this, I immediately tensed my body.
Kwoooong—!!!
Heat surged within me as I unleashed my Qi to stifle the overwhelming vibrations. I flooded the area with my energy, declaring it my domain, and only then did the others finally regain their composure.
That was close.
If I’d left them alone, they would have suffered a Qi deviation.
Any martial artist below the First-Rate level would have truly suffered as their Qi ran rampant.
Which meant…
First-Rate martial artists can't even get close.
First-Rate. Although I could now kill one in a single blow, it was by no means a low level. It was a realm that many would praise as that of a master. Just by reaching the First-Rate level, one could join a transport convoy, the Alliance, or a noble clan and live the rest of their life without worrying about money.
And yet, people like that are dying like insects.
All from a single roar.
What a crazy bastard.
A dry laugh escaped me. No wonder it was called a calamity with this level of destructive power.
I shouted at those who were still gasping for breath.
“Those of you whose Qi just reversed, get out of here! Staying will only get you killed!”
This time, they must have properly understood that this wasn't a situation for bravado. The looks on the faces of those who had nearly suffered a Qi deviation were a sight to behold.
Dangerous. To nearly die from a shout, of all things—it would have been a truly senseless death.
“If you plan on dying uselessly here, you’d be better off going to the shelter and helping manage the people there. That would be a more meaningful way to contribute, wouldn't it?”
“Kugh…”
The ones I called out hesitated, but eventually, they began to move, their steps heavy with self-reproach. Good. If they hadn't moved this time, I would have kicked them out myself. This was for the best.
You have to pick the right place to lie down and die.
If they were going to throw their lives away, it was better to use them elsewhere. With the First-Rate and a few Peak-level martial artists leaving, the crowd thinned by nearly half.
It didn't matter. They were forces that would have died the moment the battle truly began anyway. Their presence or absence made no difference. This was fine.
The real fight starts now.
[Aaaaaah—!!!!]
The creature continued to let out monstrous shrieks. I narrowed my eyes, focusing on it.
The head of a goat. The body of a human. The hands and tail of a beast. And the wings of a butterfly. It was a form and size I had never seen before among all the demons I had encountered.
Excluding the wings, its body is about nine cheok tall.
Large for a human, but incredibly small for a high-ranking demon. Was this truly a White-Grade Demon? The question arose, but the answer was obvious.
If this isn't a White-Grade Demon, what is?
The tremors and the backlash were proof enough. If this wasn't a White-Grade Demon, then the situation was even more fucked than I thought.
[Aah… Aaaaaah….]
After roaring for a long while, the creature’s cries began to die down. As the sound faded, my tension spiked.
[Aah.]
Thud.
It stopped. And then, the creature's gaze locked directly onto me.
[Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!]
Kwoong-!!
“Shit!”
I cursed and jerked my head back.
Swiiish—!!!
A sharp claw grazed the tip of my nose. Its speed was incredible. If I had been even a fraction of a second slower, my head would have been sent flying.
Slice-!!
“…!”
The building beyond the point of impact split apart. It was as if five lines of sword aura had passed through it. I confirmed it then—this was something to be wary of.
I clenched my fist and immediately swung.
Kwoong-!
[Kiik-!!]
The monster, struck in the face, shrieked. But…
It was too shallow.
The impact felt weaker than the power I'd put into it. I knew the reason instantly.
A sound barrier.
Just as I thought. It was the same as last time. I had to mix my mind's essence into the attack to damage the barrier. Only after it was broken could a proper attack land. This creature was no different. Because I had hastily used the Heart Fist, its power was shallow, only enough to slightly crack the barrier. I couldn't deal any more damage than that.
Just then.
[Kiiiiii-!!]
Damn it.
Because the recoil was minimal, the creature moved immediately. It launched an attack at close range. Dodging would be difficult. Should I offer my torso?
No, I can't do that.
If I acted recklessly, trusting in my regeneration, I risked instant death. After a brief moment of deliberation, I raised my left arm. I would sacrifice one arm. Just as I moved with that thought…
Crackle-!
Shriik—Klang-!
[Kiik?]
To my surprise, the creature's attack failed. At the same time, a flash of blue and white hair appeared before me, and a storm of Lightning Qi rained down. It was Namgung Bi-ah. She had leaped forward to block the assault.
And that wasn't all.
Shing-!
A golden flash of light followed, digging in. Another sword strike cut through the air. The light-infused blade struck Namgung Bi-ah's sword hard.
Klang-!
[Kiii-!!]
The impacted sword shot up violently, and the creature's hand was thrown back. Its torso was exposed.
“Young Master!”
A voice called out from behind me. Hearing it, my body reacted first.
Heart Fist.
A fist that had swallowed a shockwave slammed into the creature's torso.
Kwa-dududuk—!!
[Kiaaaak-!]
The sound barrier shattered, and its torso caved in slightly. The blow had landed. Not bad. The moment I thought so…
Swoosh-!
The shattered sound barrier began to recover. Just before it was fully restored…
Shriik-!!
Something flew past my cheek and pierced through the barrier.
Thud-!
A dagger. A dagger flew in and embedded itself in the creature's torso. Behind it, someone quickly approached. I caught a glimpse of light green hair.
Tang Soyeol, who had appeared out of nowhere, twisted her body towards the dagger in its chest. Her foot spun, heading straight for the dagger's hilt.
Kuuuk-!!
[Kiaaaaaah!!!]
From the successive impacts, the creature shrieked and was sent flying into the ruins.
Kwoooong—!!!
It crashed through a pillar, and the building collapsed.
Kukukung-!!
The sight of it crumbling amidst a cloud of debris and dust momentarily captured my attention. But I couldn't stare for long.
Fwoosh—!!
I gathered flames in my hand. A Flaming Sphere materialized in an instant. I compressed it, and compressed it again. To maximize its destructive power, I invested a significant amount of Qi. I had to hit it harder before its sound barrier could recover. That was what the Flaming Sphere was for, but…
“Cult Leader! I'm using this!”
“…What? Wai—!”
A cheerful voice rang out.
Swiiish-!!
Kaaang-!!
Bongsun suddenly appeared, swung her staff, and batted the Flaming Sphere away like a ball.
“You crazy bitch—!!”
I was about to curse at the absurd sight, but…
Kwoooaaaaah—!!!!
“...”
Seeing the explosion, I had to shut my mouth for a moment. The damage was far greater than I had anticipated. It was a Flaming Sphere that I had compressed over and over. It seemed the strong external impact had amplified its explosive power.
“Huh? What's wrong?”
At my curse, Bongsun asked as if she didn't know what the problem was.
“…No, I mean, good job,” I said with an awkward smile.
I couldn't believe such a ridiculously stupid method had worked. I should probably try to apply this next time.
Anyway.
Hoo.
I steadied my breath and looked around. It was a sudden combination, but it was incredibly clean.
…Did they practice this or something?
Why was it so clean? I looked at the three of them with wonder. I was genuinely surprised, but the expressions on the three women's faces showed they weren't paying it any mind. Their focus was solely on what lay ahead.
The three of them were staring intently at where the monster had fallen. Was I the only one not focused? Or…
Was it because I told them to back off if they weren't going to be helpful?
Did that wound their pride? The three of them had eyes that burned with a fire far more intense than usual. It seemed I had misspoken.
Tsk.
Swallowing my unease, I shifted my gaze. Right, now was the time for me to focus on the monster too.
Fssshhh….
The ruins were completely incinerated, embers scattering in the wind. The space was filled with nothing but blue flames from the Flaming Sphere's explosion.
[…Kiii….]
From within, the monster was getting back up, looking exhausted. However…
Something's strange.
I tilted my head as I watched it. The monster was barely pulling itself to its feet. Its body was strange.
…What is it?
Its body was covered in cracks. It looked like it would shatter at any moment. I couldn't hide my bewilderment at the sight. The attack it just took was by no means weak, but…
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't understand. What about the one I met in the North Sea? It took the Dishonored Venerable, myself, and another Fusion Realm master just to tear open its barrier. And all we managed to do was barely scratch it.
And this thing is in that state from just this?
It was unbelievable. Could there be such a huge difference in durability?
[Kieee….]
It looked like it would die from a single tap.
Its strength and speed are definitely that of a White-Grade Demon….
Is it just its durability that's weak? Or was that one from before just exceptionally strong? Damn it all, it's not like I've met many White-Grade Demons to know.
As I stared blankly at the unexpected situation…
…Or maybe.
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
Was it because of the Holy Spear I fired at the beginning?
Before it transformed. When it was still a white mass, I had fired a continuous barrage at it, and I had seen it take damage. However, it seemed to recover quickly, so I had thought it was meaningless, but…
…That might have actually helped.
If that was the reason for the problem with its durability, it was a significant advantage.
This…
A feeling I couldn't quite place stirred within me.
Maybe I can change the plan.
Originally, my plan was to just hold out and leave the finishing blow to someone else. But if the creature was in this state, that changed things.
…I can kill it myself, can't I?
I was going to use that method because I didn't think I could kill it. But if I could, that was a different story.
If that was the result of our combination just now…
Wouldn't it be manageable? Besides, it wasn't just us; there were still others who hadn't joined the fight. With this, we could succeed in the hunt.
Alright.
Let's do this.
With that thought, I shouted to the others.
“From now on—!”
No, I was about to shout, but…
[Kiiiiii-yaaaaaaaah—!!]
The creature let out a shriek first. And at that moment.
Woong.
“Huh?”
A familiar vibration reached my ears.
Gugugugung-!!
A continuous vibration. It seemed the same as before, but something was different.
Thump-! Thump-!
My Demonic Qi, of all things, was resonating with it. This feeling was definitely…
“Oh…!”
“Th-this is…!”
Reactions erupted from all around. Everyone started pulling something out from their clothes to check. It was an item that any martial artist, specifically anyone belonging to a swordsmen army living in the current Central Plains, was required to carry.
…A demonic charm.
It was a charm developed by the Wudang Sect that foretold the appearance of a Gate of Demons, which tore through dimensions to appear. Everyone around me had pulled one out. If so, that meant the source of this vibration that my Demonic Qi was resonating with was…
No way.
Realizing the situation, I looked at the creature.
[Kyaaaaaah—!!]
Zzzzzzt-!!
As if my disgusting premonition was correct, Gates of Demons began to open behind the creature. And it wasn't just one. There were easily dozens of them.
Zzzzt-! Zzzzzzzzzzt—!!!
A grotesque number of Gates of Demons filled the air.
“Ha.”
I let out a hollow laugh at the sight. The color of the dozens of Gates of Demons that filled the sky was…
“You've got to be fucking kidding me.”
They were all red.
* * *
A location some distance from Henan.
On the opposite side of the crowded shelter, and a little closer to the unfolding battlefield. Atop a building emptied of people, a young man sat, tipping a cup of liquor.
Some Zhuyeqing and a few dried snacks he had taken from a vacant inn. As if that was enough, the young man continuously ate the snacks and drank the liquor. In truth, he didn't even need the snacks. The sight before him was enough to make the alcohol go down smoothly.
“Hmm.”
Gulp.
After taking a sip of Zhuyeqing, he gazed into the distance. The countless Gates of Demons that filled the sky. The young man let out a smirk at the red-tinged scene.
“What a mess. A total mess.”
It was a complete disaster. What in the world was happening to cause such a scene?
“Whatever he does, he never does it in moderation. Tsk tsk, what a guy.”
Should he praise him for doing things on such a grand scale? Or should he scold him for causing trouble of this magnitude? He couldn't tell.
“No matter how I look at it, I must be cursed in my old age.”
If not, there was no way the disciple he had finally taken in would be a guy like that. It was a blessing in a way, but to the young man—the Dishonored Venerable—it didn't feel like a blessing at all.
“Hoooom.”
Chew.
He chewed on another piece of squid and rested his chin on his hand. What should he do? He was conflicted.
Should I help?
He didn't particularly want to get involved. This wretched body of his healed so slowly once it was injured. Even the touch of the Immortal Healer was of no use.
The aftereffects of using Destruction of the Heavens are too great.
He had rashly used a power he shouldn't have, just to show off to his disciple. Because of that, the Dishonored Venerable's body was now at its limit. It was a body that probably needed half a year of rest. Because the Dishonored Venerable's physical senses were extremely heightened, he could walk and run, but it would be impossible for anyone else.
He had thought it best to be as careful as possible, but…
That rotten kid.
Of all people, his one and only disciple just wouldn't let him. From the looks of it, he had caused another huge incident.
He's a kid who's incapable of living quietly.
He should just be focusing on his martial arts training. He didn't know why the boy kept jumping into the eye of the storm. Ah, or maybe not.
Is he the storm?
At this point, it was more accurate to see it that way.
“Phew.”
There was truly never a dull moment. What was he doing, all because he took in one wrong disciple? But he couldn't just leave him be. In the end, the Dishonored Venerable put down his drink and stood up.
“I'll have to scold him a bit this time.”
Was it because he hadn't established discipline? If the boy survived this, he would definitely have to give him a piece of his mind. Just as the Dishonored Venerable was about to leap…
“Stay seated.”
“…!”
The Dishonored Venerable, who was about to move, froze.
“You seemed to be enjoying your rest. You should relax. It would be a shame to break the flow, wouldn't it?”
“…Haha.”
Even with his internal injuries, the Dishonored Venerable hadn't sensed his approach. That fact surprised him. He relaxed his stiff body and turned his head.
“…It seems you've finished your little late-life rebellion.”
He already knew who it was. The Dishonored Venerable rarely used honorifics. In the current Central Plains, the number of people he spoke to with such respect could be counted on two hands. And the one who had spoken to him was one of those ten.
“Senior.”
At the Dishonored Venerable's call, the old man smiled. He was an old man with healthy white hair and an impressively straight posture. He wondered where the blue uniform he usually wore was, and why he was suddenly wearing a red one, but…
It didn't matter. Beyond the uniform, the aura emanating from him revealed who he was.
“The man who said he was going to rest for a while… what brings you here?”
When the Dishonored Venerable asked with a hint of bitterness, the old man replied.
“I intended to do just that… but unfortunately, our Young Master has summoned this old man.”
“...”
The Young Master the old man mentioned. The Dishonored Venerable's face soured at the thought.
“That bastard called you here?”
“Haha, don't be so angry. He has graciously provided me with food and a place to sleep. Shouldn't I do at least this much work?”
“If your grandson and the old folks at your house heard that, they'd cough up blood.”
“Please keep that a secret.”
“...”
The Dishonored Venerable's expression changed drastically at the slightly playful tone.
“You've changed a lot.”
Was that a compliment? The old man felt like it was, for some reason. So he smiled.
“I would hope so.”
As he spoke, the old man began to walk. Was it his imagination?
K-rururung-! K-rung-!
Every time the old man took a step, it sounded as if thunder was rolling from somewhere.
“Anyway… this is a job for this old man. You should rest here a little longer.”
“...”
“And now that you're young again, you should cut back on the drinking.”
The Dishonored Venerable didn't argue. It might be different for others, but this old man could do it.
Shall I watch and see?
It had been a long time since he had crossed hands with this old man. So he wanted to see. The blade he thought had been dulled and rotted by the passage of time—looking at it now, it felt very different from before.
Plop.
He sat back down without a word. By then, the old man was already gone. Watching him go, the Dishonored Venerable whispered quietly.
“…He may be my disciple, but he's a truly crazy bastard.”
The old man his disciple had summoned.
The being known as the Thunder of Anhui, who had reigned over the heavens for more than half a century.
The man called the very core and heart of the Namgung Clan, the Lightning Wall who pursued the clan's endless glory.
The elderly swordsman who was now serving as a gatekeeper for the Gu Clan of Shanxi.
He had arrived in Henan at the call of the scoundrel of the Gu Clan.