Chapter 65: Giant Strength Demon-3
Chapter 65: Giant Strength Demon-3
Even though he hadn't done his best, Bisa-yeong smiled inwardly at the sight of Georyeokma unable to catch up to him.
'At this level, controlling my speed so he doesn't give up is actually harder than just running away.'
It seemed he could buy even more time than he had initially planned.
He even wondered if he should just lead the bastard all the way to where the squad leader was.
But his smile didn't last long.
Georyeokma, who had been concentrating his internal energy, suddenly kicked off the ground and came charging like a cannonball with explosive acceleration.
Paang!
"Uwaak?!"
Bisa-yeong instantly cranked up his speed and veered aside.
The moment he changed direction, Georyeokma's hand narrowly grazed past behind him.
Goosebumps shot down his spine.
'As expected of a peak master with over ninety years of internal energy, he had a hidden trump card after all.'
It was fortunate that he had been watching the bastard without letting his guard down.
Bisa-yeong tried to ramp up his speed and open the distance again.
But Georyeokma kicked off the ground once more, changed direction, and shot forward like a cannonball.
Paang!
It was an astonishing speed, unbelievable for his massive frame.
In terms of sheer linear speed, it seemed comparable even to Bisa-yeong's top speed.
However, perhaps because he had literally become a cannonball shot forward, he didn't seem able to change direction smoothly.
Having quickly grasped that fact, Bisa-yeong nimbly kept changing direction, continuing to lure Georyeokma like a rabbit dodging a wild boar.
"You bastard..."
Though Georyeokma was a hot-tempered demon head, he was no fool.
By now, he could at least realize that Bisa-yeong was trying to lure him somewhere.
"You dare toy with me?!"
Georyeokma's heart blazed hot with fury.
Georyeokma had actually thought that if he used the Explosive Advance Step, a secret trump card he had kept hidden, he could easily catch a bastard like this who hadn't even reached the peak level.
But now he had to admit it.
At least when it came to movement techniques, he couldn't keep up with the bastard.
Hadn't his rage only flared up more each of the several times he had used the Explosive Advance Step, because the bastard kept changing direction and fleeing like a flying squirrel?
It seemed capturing the bastard alive was going to be difficult.
'Fine, I was trying to take him alive and dig into his identity. I won't be able to capture him alive. Alive, that is.'
But as long as he abandoned the idea of capturing him alive, there were other options.
No—once he had resolved to kill him, he didn't even necessarily need to catch him, did he?
Georyeokma's internal energy concentrated into his right hand this time.
Inside his clenched fist, a spherical mass of energetic force began to form, condensing into a small, compressed shape.
Peak masters above a certain level could condense their energetic force and project it outward.
That was called a Ganghwan—an energy ring. Using sword qi for it was called a Geomhwan, and using blade energy was called a Dohwan.
To freely wield a Ganghwan in actual combat, one had to reach the transcendent peak realm, possessing over a hundred years of internal energy.
That was because the consumption of internal energy was far too great, and its manipulation was no simple matter either.
However, even though Georyeokma had not yet reached the transcendent peak, that didn't mean he couldn't use it at all.
If he concentrated for a long time, he could fire it off in a single burst.
That Ganghwan was now revealing its vivid presence within Georyeokma's hand.
Georyeokma gazed at Bisa-yeong's back as he fled this way and that like a squirrel, and his lips curled into a nasty grin.
Then, in an instant, he swung his arm with all his might.
"Die!"
Shuhaaak!
A sinisterly glowing red Ganghwan shot toward Bisa-yeong at terrifying speed.
Even while fleeing after the earlier incident, Bisa-yeong had been watching the bastard without letting his guard down for a single moment.
But when the red Ganghwan reached right before his eyes the instant after the bastard swung his arm, there was nothing Bisa-yeong could do except recoil in horror.
"!"
It was far too fast.
With Bisa-yeong's level of skill, he couldn't dodge a Ganghwan of that speed.
No—even reacting to it was beyond him.
But though it was impossible for Bisa-yeong, the Cheonpung Divine Movement Art ingrained in his body made it possible.
The Cheonpung Divine Movement Art, whose ultimate principle was moving in harmony with the air without resisting the flow, made Bisa-yeong instinctively slip his body aside in that brief instant.
Shaaak!
The Ganghwan that should have pierced through Bisa-yeong's heart instead grazed past his chest as he smoothly turned his body.
It had happened in a situation that even he himself hadn't consciously recognized.
But that wasn't the end of it.
Realizing the Ganghwan hadn't hit Bisa-yeong squarely, Georyeokma clenched his fist tight and detonated the Ganghwan in midair.
"Hap!"
Kwaaaaaang!
As the Ganghwan that had passed Bisa-yeong erupted in a massive explosion in midair, Bisa-yeong, caught in the blast, was swept away like a leaf without even managing to scream.
Then, after flying about five jang, he was hurled to the ground like a doll.
Kudangtangtang!
The explosion was so tremendous that even the surrounding trees, which were farther away than Bisa-yeong, were all blasted apart.
So there was no way Bisa-yeong, who had been right next to it, could have survived.
But Georyeokma, who had landed beside Bisa-yeong with a nasty grin, soon muttered with a surprised look in his eyes.
"Still alive?"
There was no way Georyeokma could have known that even in that explosion, it was thanks to the Cheonpung Divine Movement Art, which had never resisted the flow.
But he didn't even need to know the reason.
He grinned nastily once more and muttered.
"Keuheuheu, this worked out well. I'll be able to dig into his identity."
Georyeokma picked up Bisa-yeong's limp, unconscious body and began flying back toward the estate.
***
"Sa-yeong..."
As I murmured with a devastated face, Sak hyeongnim hurriedly hoisted the Ami Sect woman onto his back and shouted.
"Let's get out of here! Quickly!"
It seemed Sak hyeongnim had judged that nothing more could be done now that Bisa-yeong had been captured and Georyeokma had returned.
And his judgment was clearly correct.
Though we had luckily taken down a master one level above us earlier, we couldn't expect that kind of luck against Georyeokma, who was gazing toward the transcendent peak.
But...
"Hah! You think I'll let you escape?!"
Georyeokma dumped Bisa-yeong's body onto the ground and launched himself toward us.
The sight of Bisa-yeong tumbling across the ground like a lifeless doll filled my eyes completely.
'Sa-yeong...'
I didn't know why I had been able to return to the past.
I suspected there might have been something in the Red Lotus Sword, the heirloom of the Seonwoo clan, but there was also a chance that wasn't the case.
If everyone whose heart was pierced by the Red Lotus Sword came back to the past, wouldn't that be the truly strange thing?
So I couldn't know the exact cause, nor what meaning it held.
But at least this one thing, I had resolved with absolute firmness.
'I will never repeat the regrets of my past life again.'
My previous life had been filled entirely with nothing but regret.
Neglecting myself because I didn't want to fight with my brothers.
Not having learned my family's martial arts, and thus having to steal and learn other people's martial arts.
And being unable to properly respond to the Blood Cult's forces, ultimately losing the Seonwoo clan to them.
But among all of them, what I regretted most was that, having failed to equip myself with any ability, I could do nothing but watch as my friends died for me.
'My friends, who showed me kindness and affection that I had never even received from my own family, were dying for me—and I had nothing I could do for them.'
There was nothing as horrifying, as painful, and as regretful as that.
Even now, though I was moving with the goal of attacking the Blood Cult and bringing them down, that too was merely a means to save the people precious to me.
Because without them, I had no reason to fight the Blood Cult in the first place.
Of course, that didn't mean I intended to protect them like escort subjects, ensuring they would never die.
We were martial artists who lived on the edge of a blade, after all.
If my friends, as martial artists, were to die as martial artists, that much I would have to respect.
But at the very least, that time was not now.
Because if I abandoned Sa-yeong and ran when there was still a chance to save him, that would go against the very purpose of my return that I had sworn to uphold.
"Sak hyeongnim! Go on ahead!"
As Sak Mu-heun launched his body backward, I instead shot forward toward Georyeokma, unfurling my sword dance.
Seonwoo Thirteen Swords, Thirteenth Form.
Illusion Sword Mirror.
Puhwaaaat!
My sword split into dozens, hundreds of illusory afterimages, surrounding Georyeokma.
At that, even Georyeokma couldn't help but be momentarily flustered by the sword phantoms encircling him on all sides.
"Hm?"
Of course, the fluster was only for a moment.
Because the bastard immediately swung his hand, and with a single sweep, scattered all the surrounding illusion swords.
"Petty tricks!"
Hwaaaak!
The Illusion Sword Mirror, the secret technique of the Seonwoo Thirteen Swords, was neutralized far too effortlessly.
It was too short a moment even to attempt a surprise attack from behind like that bastard earlier.
But I had no such intention from the start.
Though it was an extremely short moment, it was enough to throw myself toward the fallen Sa-yeong while the bastard's eyes were confused.
Pabak!
Sak hyeongnim also seemed to have already left the premises with the woman during that time.
A laugh leaked out of me.
The Illusion Sword Technique that I had thought completely useless had such practical utility—indeed, weren't the wisdom of our ancestors astonishing?
But it was just as I approached to snatch up Bi Sa-yeong, who lay collapsed on the floor.
I suddenly turned around at an inexplicable ominous feeling.
And then I could see it.
The ominous red energetic force coalescing in Georyeokma's hand, his arm pulled back as if to throw something.
No way....
"Ganghwan?!"
I, who had been trying to grab Bi Sa-yeong, was horrified at the sight and hurriedly changed direction, throwing myself sideways.
Pabak!
Then the bastard, who had been about to throw the ganghwan, hesitated and then laughed as if acknowledging my skill.
"Hoo! You've got quite good instincts, brat."
I couldn't believe it.
A ganghwan.
Wasn't that something only transcendent peak masters could do?
Could it be that Georyeokma was at the transcendent peak level?
I bit my lip.
I felt I could understand why Bi Sa-yeong had been captured.
Georyeokma, still not having thrown the ganghwan, spoke to me with a grinning smile.
"Want to rescue your comrade? Risking your life to save a comrade—that one must have been quite valuable to you."
Then he immediately threw himself forward and blocked Bi Sa-yeong's front again.
Tadak!
"Keuheuheuheu! What will you do now?"
My expression distorted.
I felt helpless.
My intention to save Bi Sa-yeong had been discovered, and yet I couldn't flee now either.
Because I had no confidence that I could dodge that ganghwan if I turned my back and ran.
I had never seen a ganghwan used before, but if Bi Sa-yeong, whose movement technique was superior to mine, couldn't dodge it, then the probability that I couldn't dodge it either was likely high, wasn't it?
'Damn it, what do I do.'
After a very brief deliberation, I ultimately raised my sword again and pointed it at him.
Then I spat out the words.
"Let's fight properly, just once, Georyeokma."
From Mukrang, gripped in my hand, a pale violet sword qi as fierce as my gaze erupted like flames.
Hwaaak!
Georyeokma, seeing it, laughed scornfully and said.
"Hoo? You're going to try and fight me?"
As expected.
The ganghwan was disappearing from the bastard's hand as he beckoned with his fingers, as if telling me to come at him.
It seemed he wouldn't bother using it if I didn't run.
Fine, if I couldn't run anyway, I had no choice but to clash with everything I had.
Having steeled my resolve, I launched myself at him in a surprise attack.
Paang!
"Haap!"
The Four-Sun Sword Technique, Seventh Form.
Black Heavenly Sword Rain.
As a hazy, mist-like sword qi rose thickly and obscured his vision, I poured down sword shadows like a shower.
Shushushushuk!
It was the ultimate technique of the Four-Sun Sword Technique that Ju Tae-gyeong had once used against me.
"Four-Sun Sword? Are you a remnant of Jeomchang?"
The bastard, seeing my sword, slightly furrowed his brow and swung his hand as if annoyed.
But from his casually swung hand, a storm-like massive surge of internal force erupted and came crashing toward me.
Huoaaaaang!
Kwakwakwakwakwang!
"Keuk!"
The quick sword strikes I had poured out like a shower were lightly deflected by a single gesture, like raindrops hitting a rock, and my body was also helplessly flung backward.
Then the bastard, seizing the opening, threw himself forward and reached out his hand toward me.
"Caught you!"
But at that moment, my eyes flashed.
Because the reason I had used this technique knowing full well it wouldn't work was precisely to naturally step back and draw the bastard in.
The Heavenly Wind Movement Technique's Secret Art.
Heavenly Wind Scattered Flowers.
In an instant, my accelerated body split into multiple afterimages, like flower petals scattering.
Then Georyeokma momentarily lost track of my form.
The slightly flustered bastard looked around.
It worked!
It's working!
I immediately deployed the next technique.
The Seonwoo Thirteen Swords, Thirteenth Form.
Illusion Sword Technique.
Paaaaaat!
Once again, dozens, hundreds of sword shadows filled the space around the bastard.
It was the very technique that had taken down the demon head whose martial prowess was a level higher than mine earlier—the most lethal attack method I could execute right now, in my assessment.
Now, if only I could drive in the One-Strike Single Sun through the gap when the bastard expended his energy to break the Illusion Sword Technique....
That was what I was thinking.
Georyeokma, with a smirk, crossed both arms in front of his chest and then spread them wide, roaring like a beast.
"Heuaaaaaaaap!"
In an instant, a storm-like aura erupted from the bastard's body in all directions.
Peoeoeoeong!
"Keueuk!"
It was a fierce gale strong enough to force back not only the sword shadows of the Illusion Sword Technique but also my form that had been aiming for his rear.
In the end, when I was forced to stumble backward without even attempting a surprise attack, the bastard, now meeting my eyes, grinned viciously and said.
"You're using mysterious techniques, I see. I'll have to capture you and thoroughly investigate your background!"
Paang!
Having finished speaking, the bastard came charging at me like a cannonball.
It was a rush of unimaginable, tremendous speed.
"Eueuk!"
The moment I recognized it, he had already charged right up to my eyes. But the bastard's hand, which had tried to grab my head, was barely deflected by my form that had moved instinctively.
It was thanks to the Heavenly Wind Movement Technique ingrained in my body.
Buaaaaang!
My hair fluttered in the wind pressure created by the bastard's fingertips.
"Hoo?"
The bastard looked at me with surprise in his eyes.
At that moment, I, who had been about to retreat backward, gritted my teeth and thrust out my sword again.
The situation where the bastard had missed his hand trying to grab me—if I missed this moment, it felt like no opportunity would come again.
The Seonwoo Thirteen Swords, Twelfth Form.
Twin Wing Chain Ring.
My sword shadow spread wings of light.
Moreover, they were two layers of wings surging forward in succession like waves.
"Hmph! Useless!"
Even without fully regaining his balance, with a single casual swing of Georyeokma's claw technique, both wings were torn apart.
Chwaaaak!
But my lips, despite the failed attack, curved into a faint smile.
By doing so, the bastard's arm, which hadn't fully regained balance, spread open, and the path to his chest was revealed.
Now!
At that moment, I drove in the greatest ultimate technique I could muster with all my strength.
The Four-Sun Sword Technique, First Form.
One-Strike Single Sun.
Pyushuk!
The One-Strike Single Sun—the beginning and end of Jeomchang Sect's sword art, the ultimate technique that could be called the very essence of the Four-Sun Sword Technique—became a ray of light and sought to pierce through the bastard's chest.
The bastard was trying to bring both hands together in front of his chest, but my sword reaching him would be faster.
I've won!
The moment my sword, brimming with elation, touched the tip of his chest.
Deolkeok!
My sword, just about to pierce through the bastard's chest, stopped as if caught in place.
"Wha, what?!"
No matter how much strength I applied in shock, it remained frozen in midair and wouldn't budge.
Trying to pull it back yielded the same result.
In utter dismay, I muttered.
"This can't... be happening."
What held my sword was Georyeokma's two hands.
Georyeokma's two hands, not even touching the sword, had reached across space and held my sword suspended in the void with sheer internal force, rendering it unable to move at all.
It was tremendous internal energy.
It was so tremendous that I felt my strength draining away.
How on earth was I supposed to fight such a monster?
Then Georyeokma, grinning viciously at me, said.
"That was close, brat. Not bad at all. It might be dangerous to keep you alive."
Then, with one hand wrapped in energetic force tightly gripping my sword, he swung his other hand and struck at my head.
Buaaaaang!
It was a ferocious blow that seemed like it would turn my skull to powder if it hit me head-on.
I had to dodge quickly, but my sword was caught and I couldn't move. If I let go of the sword I could dodge, but how was I supposed to fight such a tremendous opponent after abandoning even my sword?
My will to respond already broken, I could only stare blankly at the hand flying toward me, unable to dodge.
It was the end.
That was when.
Suddenly, someone's voice echoed in my head.
- Hmm, normally interfering now would go against the principles, but there's no telling when I'll find another candidate I like, so it can't be helped.