Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
10 PM. I stood in front of the Witch's research lab. In the end, I took a taxi here. I sought out the Witch's research lab first, without even meeting my parents.
Thump. Thump.
My heart was beating more violently than necessary. My mind grew urgent without knowing why, and I even started sweating.
The research lab door was locked. When I tried to tear it open with force, the entire door was enveloped in blue light. The door didn't budge. The blue light appeared to be a protective barrier.
Kung!
I drew up my internal energy and pulled rapidly. Only then did the door completely tear off, revealing the interior. As I entered, I felt a heavy energy pressing down on my body. The source of the energy was the training room in the center of the research lab.
When I opened the training room door, I felt an explosive energy. With the blade-like energy, I protected my body with internal energy as I entered.
'What is this?'
The Witch wasn't there. Instead, a brilliant magic circle was drawn on the floor in the center of the training room, and above it, an oval-shaped wormhole was open. The energy pressing down on my body was flowing out from the wormhole.
'What on earth are you doing?'
Thump!
My heartbeat reached its maximum.
'I'm going in.'
I leaped into the wormhole. It was a completely black space. I was standing on the ground, but its form was invisible, and my appearance was clearly visible, but there was no light. Would a place like this be created if one removed a side of the world?
Upon arriving at this alien place, the urgency that had been tormenting me disappeared.
Kwang! Kwang!
I heard the sound first. Then the cause of the sound began to become visible.
'That's......'
A creature that matched my memories from my past life was standing there. It was a creature floating like a ghost with only its upper body and no legs. Except for its skull-shaped face, it covered its body with a torn hood, and the interior was filled with black energy. Though it was only the upper body, it was a giant over 3 meters tall and wielded a large scythe with a blade reaching 10 meters.
'Grim Reaper.'
That's what we called that creature. Countless Heavenly Demon Cult members died to that creature, and I dealt with it after a close battle. Now that creature had appeared before me again.
'Crazy......'
The problem was its opponent. Before the Grim Reaper was the battered Witch. The Witch, who had already exhausted her strength and collapsed, was barely holding on by creating a shield. Seeing that sight made my heart race again.
'Damn it!'
The Grim Reaper, unconcerned by my appearance, swung its giant scythe once more.
Kwang!
The Witch's shield shattered like glass. And the Grim Reaper raised its scythe again.
"Stop!"
I kicked off the ground and leaped. As I deployed Heavenly Sky Flight to the extreme, I headed for the Grim Reaper's head.
Kung!
I kicked its head precisely. In my past life, too, I gained the upper hand by knocking off its head like this.
-Keuheuk!
As expected, it was different from my past life. The creature's head remained firmly attached to its shoulders. Rather, green gas that burst from its mouth covered my body.
Pat!
I felt danger and retreated backward. While doing so, I grabbed the collapsed Witch's body and dragged her as far back as possible.
"I, I can do it."
The Witch spoke in a half-dead voice. Irritation surged up.
"Then don't end up in this state."
I pushed the Witch aside and leaped toward the Grim Reaper again.
'Can I win?'
Recalling memories from my past life, in my current state, it was an opponent I couldn't beat.
Seureung!
While I was momentarily distracted, dozens of scythes multiplied and covered my body. A prison of blades enclosed me. As the crisis struck, my true nature awakened.
'I'll kill it.'
Without retreating, I leaped toward the Grim Reaper.
Chaeng!
I kicked the handle of the nearest scythe to create space, escaped through it, and thrust my fist into the Grim Reaper's head.
Kung!
This time, perhaps the Grim Reaper was prepared, as I couldn't even reach its bones. A black membrane blocked my fist, and it extended like chains trying to grab my body. Simultaneously, a scythe flew toward my waist.
When the scythe approached right up close, I used all my strength to flip my body. I stepped on the scythe, narrowly passing under my belly, extended my crouched body, and leaped upward. I looked down at the Grim Reaper's crown. There was no choice.
'Falling Dragon Fist.'
Heavenly Demon Divine Art First Form, Falling Dragon Fist.
Kwakwang!
Falling Dragon Fist struck the Grim Reaper's crown precisely. The Grim Reaper's head shook greatly as its entire body crashed to the ground. As the energy wave of Falling Dragon Fist that touched the ground spread out in the form of a dragon, the Grim Reaper's body completely disintegrated.
"Huuu."
I landed on the ground and caught my breath. The aftereffects from Falling Dragon Fist were still severe. All the muscles in my body trembled, and I felt a stinging pain. I moved my trembling body and returned to the Witch. But when about three steps remained, the Witch shouted.
"Behind!"
At the chilling feeling, I turned around. I felt sharp energy waves and instinctively ducked. Hair was narrowly cut and flew up.
'Damn it.'
The Grim Reaper's disintegrated body had clumped together again. And it resumed its attack.
Kwang! Kwang!
Each time the Grim Reaper's scythe struck the black ground, smoke instead of fragments flew up. The roar echoed like reverberations, and the scythe left bloody afterimages, dizzying the eyes.
'That creature is also shocked.'
The Grim Reaper's movements after separating and reassembling were definitely slower. However, I too wasn't normal due to the aftereffects of Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
'Still, I'm at a disadvantage.'
Fundamentally, the difference in power was stark. To be precise, I was too weak compared to my past life.
"Keuk!"
Once again, I avoided the scythe and retreated backward. As it continued to swing at nothing with its scythe, the Grim Reaper changed its attack pattern. It retreated slightly backward, then black mist spewed from its body. The mist soon transformed into dozens of spears and covered my body.
'Opportunity.'
The moment the spears were fired at me, I leaped forward. To move faster than the spears, I deployed Heavenly Sky Flight, and a heavy shock came to my muscles. I endured this tightly and succeeded in approaching the Grim Reaper. The spears that had been aimed at me lost direction and fell to the ground.
'Rotating Dragon Kick.'
Heavenly Demon Divine Art Second Form, Rotating Dragon Kick.
With extreme rotation, I operated my internal energy according to the kick technique. Wind formed like a whirlwind around me, then tore into dozens of blade energy waves and covered the front.
Chwarat!
The Grim Reaper's body was torn to shreds as smoke scattered in all directions.
"Keuk!"
My knee also twisted, and my leg muscles felt like they would tear.
'Damn.'
I wasn't in a state to leap forward. Still, I gritted my teeth and tried to leap up, but the Grim Reaper's counterattack was fast.
'Oh no!'
The Grim Reaper's scythe had already approached right before my eyes.
'Was I baited?'
The Grim Reaper seemed to have prepared as well.
'I should have finished it.'
I should have seized the opportunity and finished it. In the end, my body couldn't hold out, and the Grim Reaper's scythe dug in, aiming for my neck. It was too late to dodge.
I raised my arm and squeezed out the remaining internal energy to deploy strong energy. I couldn't be certain if my arm would hold. Still, it was a better judgment than losing my life.
'I'll definitely catch it.'
Even if I gave up my arm, I was prepared to leap out again. Even if my muscles burst, I intended to see the end. Already, my dantian and Baihui acupoints felt hollow as if holes had been drilled. My internal energy was depleted. Still, it was an unavoidable fight.
Chaeng!
I heard an unexpected sound. An ice pillar rose up and blocked the scythe.
'The Witch?'
Without examining this and that, I kicked off the ground and leaped. The Grim Reaper, whose attack was blocked, was glaring at the Witch. In that gap, I leaped above the Grim Reaper's head.
'Definitely!'
I prepared Falling Dragon Fist. But suddenly the Grim Reaper looked up at me. The creature was smiling.
'A trap?'
Red mist spewed from the Grim Reaper's body. The mist that transformed like saw teeth covered my body as if it had been waiting. Then, once again, I heard an unexpected sound.
Jjeojeoк!
Thin frost spread over the Grim Reaper's body. The approaching bloody mist also slowed rapidly.
'The Witch!'
The Witch, who had barely raised her upper body, was gritting her teeth and casting magic.
'I have to end it here.'
I seized the opportunity with the Witch's magic. I squeezed out all my strength and fell toward the Grim Reaper's head while deploying Falling Dragon Fist.
Jjeoeok!
Falling Dragon Fist struck the Grim Reaper's head. I felt my fist penetrate through something. Simultaneously, the last strength remaining in my body drained out, and my consciousness became hazy.
Kung!
Like that, I felt the impact of falling and lost consciousness.
***
A strong, cold energy was enveloping my entire body. I regained consciousness but couldn't open my eyes. It was cold energy to the degree that my skin would freeze, but there was no pain. Rather, the cold energy seemed to protect me.
Normally, I should have died. Even if I were lucky enough to survive, my muscles and bones, energy channels, and blood vessels should have been twisted. Since it felt like even my primordial energy had drained out, the internal injuries must be great.
'Am I dead?'
There was no pain whatsoever. If I were alive, this would be impossible. Then, cold energy squirmed in my dantian. It was internal energy containing cold energy. I flowed the faint internal energy toward the energy channels.
The cold internal energy traveled through the energy channels and circulated once around my body.
The energy became cold, and it absorbed the cold energy, protecting my body, becoming even more vivid. I repeated the same process again. After repeating it five times, it became internal energy sufficient for one complete circulation.
'Why?'
Cold energy was becoming internal energy. The internal energy was absorbing the cold energy, protecting my body.
'I can live.'
Doubt changed to hope. To not miss this, I repeatedly performed energy circulation.
'Can I endure?'
A small pain was occurring. This was because the internal energy absorbed the cold energy that had been suppressing sensation. Then, even stronger cold energy enveloped my body.
-Live.
It was as if saying such words. Without refusing, I continued energy circulation. I began to spread cold energy simultaneously from outside and inside.
Internal energy gradually increased, and energy circulation occurred in a comfortable state. When internal cold energy strengthened, the external cold energy inevitably strengthened as well, and I repeated until balance was achieved again.
Like that, losing track of time while performing energy circulation, I naturally fell into a state of no-self. How much time had passed? My dantian and Baihui acupoints became heavy.
Then all internal energy drained out into the third channel. For a moment, I felt emptiness, and my dantian and Baihui acupoints became heavy again.
I opened my eyes. What I saw first was brilliant light. The magic circles on the Witch's training room ceiling were scattering light. Around my body was damp. There were traces of melted ice.
'It's cold.'
There was a change internally as well. Cold energy was residing in my dantian and Baihui acupoint. When I circulated internal energy once more, refreshing energy spread throughout my body.
"Stop exaggerating and get up."
"How long was I lying down?"
"Two weeks. I didn't tell our parents."
When I turned my head, the Witch was looking down at me with an exhausted expression. Following her gesture, the magic circles on the ceiling gathered back their light.
'That light saved me.'
A body state where dying wouldn't be strange was maintained to the degree that treatment through energy circulation was possible. It was a result created by the Witch's ice.
"Why on earth did you summon that creature?"
Remembering the Grim Reaper made me tremble with rage.
"To protect my family."
"Why did you need that creature?"
"There was an intruder."
The Witch explained the reason she needed a summoning contract with the Grim Reaper.
"Your elementary school homeroom teacher, that woman named Kim Yang-soon, was a spy for the Hunters."
"What?"
The word Hunters also came from the Witch's mouth.
"Even after you entered high school, Kim Yang-soon kept coming to the house. That was suspicious, so I looked into it, and she was making reports somewhere."
"And then?"
"I brought that woman here and extracted information. As expected, she was a Hunter spy, and I used mind control and sent her out, but she was immediately discovered and died."
The Witch continued the story matter-of-factly.