Chapter 303
Chapter 303
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 306
Chapter Title: Overlord's Fury Unleashed
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As Namgung Hyeok gathered his energy, pure qi spread through all the meridians of his body in accordance with the Heavenly Firmament Bright King Art.
Vitality surged through him, sharpening his senses to a razor's edge.
*That guy's the one.*
The owner of the aura that had shattered the Illusory Mist Formation.
Jang Taesan's presence stood out imposingly on the battlefield.
A presence rivaling Namgung Jangcheon or Paeng Cheonwi.
The overwhelming pressure from Jang Taesan made his skin prickle, his muscles tensing instinctively.
It had been a long time.
The tension of facing an enemy like this.
It was an emotion born of weakness, yet also proof that he could grow stronger.
Namgung Hyeok felt a profound thrill at the fact that, with his body barely in his twenties, he could face such an expert and feel this way.
Step by step!
Splash!
He crossed pools of blood like rivers, announcing his presence to Jang Taesan.
A ferocious killing intent poured forth.
Step by step!
The closer he got to Jang Taesan, the more intense the pressure emanating from him became.
Jang Taesan advanced silently, meeting his gaze.
"Impressive confidence."
"You'll see if it's just confidence or not."
"I admit it. For your age, that aura is something."
"You're just average."
Namgung Hyeok raised his demon sword high.
He aimed to end it in the opening clash.
Dragging it out would make victory uncertain.
He was fatigued, and his opponent's cultivation was no joke.
Namgung Hyeok squeezed every last drop of energy from his body.
The swirling qi in his dantian extended into his sword.
Jang Taesan watched with interest.
"Is that the sword art that killed Ma Young?"
"It's the sword art that will sever your neck!"
"I have many questions, but..."
"Don't ask! I won't tell you anyway!"
Step by step by step!
Flame-like energy condensed and flickered along the demon sword as Namgung Hyeok's steps quickened.
The distance to Jang Taesan closed rapidly.
He ignored the surrounding battlefield.
It felt as if only the two of them remained on this path.
Clear determination flashed in Namgung Hyeok's eyes, scattering blue lightning.
Crackle!
Bolts of thunder rained down, shooting in all directions.
A glint of surprise appeared in Jang Taesan's eyes.
And when the distance between them shrank to three paces.
Flash!
Namgung Hyeok exploded forward.
Swoosh!
He dropped into a low stance, skimming across the icy ground like a beam of light.
His fully bent knee straightened as he thrust the demon sword he had trailed low behind him.
Every muscle in his body stretched to its limit.
Boom!
From his feet upward through his waist, shoulder, and wrist, he twisted all his muscles with maximum force.
Red and blue lightning erupted from the demon sword, crashing down on Jang Taesan's crown like a thunderbolt.
Shiiing!
The most powerful technique he could unleash.
Overlord's Fury: First Strike.
The single blade that began as one split into dozens of paths before merging back into one.
A sword momentum that could cleave mountains struck like lightning.
Thunderbolts soared into the heavens, and thunder rumbled through the earth.
Namgung Hyeok's flashing eyes tracked Jang Taesan's movements to the end.
Jang Taesan's sword drew a beat later.
Clang!
Gray energy rippled from the sword that sliced through the beam of light.
Swoosh!
Dozens, hundreds of sword qi shot out like branches, entwining Namgung Hyeok's First Strike.
Crack crack crack!
The sword carrying Overlord's Fury First Strike cracked Jang Taesan's web-like sword qi.
Jang Taesan twisted his blade.
Shrring!
Sword qi unfurled like peacock feathers, blocking Namgung Hyeok's demon sword.
Boom!
The ground at the point of collision sank a foot deep, dust billowing up.
Crackle!
Thud!
A faint crack appeared on Jang Taesan's expression.
The sharply clashing sword qi melted away like snow, and the demon sword suddenly thrust toward his heart.
*This is...?*
Jang Taesan twisted his body and raised his sword.
Sizzle sizzle!
Sword qi clashed, sending disorienting sounds ringing in his ears.
Drip.
His expression hardened as blood trickled down his cheek.
Staring at the red and blue energy pouring from Namgung Hyeok's demon sword, Jang Taesan muttered.
*Let the sword slip through? No, was it aimed that way from the start?*
Was that even possible?
He poured strength into his arm.
The gray sword qi writhed like a living thing, beginning to devour the blue flashes emanating from Namgung Hyeok's demon sword.
Namgung Hyeok's eyebrows twitched.
Overlord's Fury First Strike, infused with his full power, was being pushed back by Jang Taesan's sword qi.
Skaka!
The qi of the Heavenly Firmament Bright King Art was being gradually eaten away by the opponent's energy.
The ashen sword qi veiled his vision like mist, sending chills up his spine.
Though it was just one exchange, it felt like dozens—his stamina drained rapidly.
Dozens of countermeasures flashed through his mind in an instant, then vanished.
Namgung Hyeok's gaze deepened.
It rippled like endless darkness.
*My life...*
Sizzle sizzle!
The qi of the Heavenly Firmament Bright King Art transformed.
*...is at stake.*
The moment he was pushed back, he would die.
That was Namgung Hyeok's conviction.
The instant he showed any gap, his head would roll.
Shiiiing!
Rumble!
Time, which had flowed slowly like a tortoise, now narrowed rapidly like an arrow loosed from a drawn bowstring.
Dozens of strands of sword qi grazed his body.
Viscous killing intent bore down like a blade.
It was an attack that made his flesh tremble involuntarily.
A chilling demonic qi flowed, numbing his reason and sending shivers down his spine.
The qi of the Heavenly Firmament Bright King Art raged in response to the thick demonic qi.
Namgung Hyeok's demon sword moved as if splitting apart, soon filling the air with sword shadows.
Overlord's Fury: Thousand Hands.
A hundred and eight sword shadows bloomed like flower buds, clashing with the pouring gray sword qi.
Clang! Crack crack!
Jang Taesan's sword qi shredded the whirling petals.
Each time he struck down a flying petal, question marks kept popping up in Jang Taesan's mind.
What?
How?
*...Is this even possible?*
The sense of incongruity he felt every time their swords clashed.
That unbelievable incongruity kept nagging at him.
It felt as if Namgung Hyeok was reading his moves.
An illusion that he was anticipating one step ahead and moving first.
Skang!
The sword qi that slipped past his blade and pierced in flowed too naturally.
If his stance had tilted forward even slightly, it would have taken his head—a sharp, murderous strike.
Jang Taesan circulated his inner energy and thrust his sword.
Sword qi spiked like an awl, boring into Namgung Hyeok like the wind.
Shiiing!
*...Dodging?*
It pulled back sharply, as if it had already known about the surprise stab.
A movement impossible without reading his intent.
Just as he thought it was widening the distance again, it exploded forward, unleashing a barrage of attacks.
The seasoned precision and near-perfect control of tempo left Jang Taesan stunned.
"Just what the hell are you?"
"What are you?"
"I asked first!"
"I'll tell you after I cut your head off, you bastard!"
Boom! Rumble rumble boom!
Even as Namgung Hyeok's Thousand Hands sword shadows shattered one by one, scattering like kites with cut strings and wreaking havoc everywhere, he didn't flinch.
He watched the sword, read the opponent's breathing, and struck at openings.
The killing intent heightened further.
The condensed killing intent on the demon sword burst forth in an instant.
Overlord's Fury: Thousand Kills!
Jang Taesan widened his eyes.
*Killing intent!*
Killing intent as sharp as sword qi pierced toward his vital points like beams of light.
And as if anticipating the dodge, a destructive blade art capable of splitting mountains crashed down from above.
Cold sweat beaded at the fluid linkage and seasoned skill.
Crimson lightning like flames flowed along the demon sword.
Crunch crunch!
Strain built up in Namgung Hyeok's honed body.
It didn't matter.
Kill.
He would kill.
He would crush him.
"Haaaaap!"
All of Namgung Hyeok's madness and killing intent erupted as one resolve.
Jang Taesan twisted his body.
Shkiiiing!
Sparks flew as the demon sword ground past his raised blade.
Swoooosh!
At that moment, a vortex erupted from his blind spot, sucking in energy.
Boom!
Jang Taesan urgently jerked his head back.
The air beside his ear exploded, blasting fist energy behind him.
It was Shattering Soul Fist.
"...How can you make such a judgment?!"
Bloodshot veins burst in Jang Taesan's eyes.
He swung his sword wildly.
Skang!
Slash!
Jang Taesan's eyes wavered.
Resolve, tenacity, madness...
Ignoring gashes deep enough to split flesh, he charged.
Charging with suicidal frenzy yet attacking nimbly and cunningly.
He was more battle-hardened than anyone, addicted to combat.
His sword mastery and comprehension surpassed Jang Taesan's by several levels.
It felt like the lord of the world was dancing in the palm of this child's hand.
From the moment their swords first met, he'd been dragged along helplessly.
Jang Taesan furrowed his brow.
*I need to end him now.*
He understood why they had sent him from the headquarters to kill some Namgung family brat.
*If that kid's body and inner energy had ripened just a bit more, even I would have died.*
Chills ran down his spine.
To feel a crisis from this child that rivaled a lifelong nemesis!
In ten years—no, five—he might become a supreme expert who could dominate the world.
But that was only if he lived.
*Fortune for me, misfortune for him!*
He hadn't come here as a mere warrior.
Jang Taesan subtly signaled with his hand while concentrating the qi of the Heavenly Exemplar Demonic Art at his sword tip.
The sword qi compressed and compressed again, gathering at the point.
Crunch crunch!
A low sound like wringing wet laundry echoed from the tip.
Namgung Hyeok dodged black-clad assailants that burst out from both sides.
"You bastard, ganging up because you're scared!"
Sword light flashed, and sword wind caged him.
"Damn it!"
Their auras were greater than average masters.
In an instant, they surrounded him on all sides, cutting off retreat with a joint formation.
Namgung Hyeok had focused all his attention on Jang Taesan, carelessly yielding the gap.
Skak!
Thud!
Namgung Hyeok split a black-clad man's heart with Piercing Chaos Twelve Stance.
He sacrificed his shoulder to behead the one attacking him.
Right then.
Jang Taesan thrust his sword after a single breath's pause.
The qi of the Heavenly Exemplar Demonic Art gathered at the tip surged to pierce Namgung Hyeok's throat straight through.
Namgung Hyeok gritted his teeth and drew on his innate true qi to resist.
At that moment.
Flash!
Intense blue lightning blazed as Namgung Ryong burst from behind him, unleashing Imperial Sword Form at Jang Taesan.
The momentum of the Imperial Sword Form, overwhelming like a tidal wave, was extraordinary.
Jang Taesan grimaced and twisted his sword path.
Kwaaaang!
A shockwave erupted, sending Namgung Ryong flying back.
Namgung Hyeok parried the weakened sword force from Jang Taesan.
Rumble!
Lightning flashed as Namgung Hyeok caught the retreating Namgung Ryong and leaped back.
Clutching his torn palm, Namgung Ryong ground his teeth.
Namgung Hyeok swallowed blood and shouted.
"Why'd you butt in!"
Namgung Ryong lifted his pale face and glared at Jang Taesan.
"They're ganging up."
What?
"We've always been on the receiving end!"
Namgung Ryong put force into his eyes and said.
"I'm your brother. I'm not behind you."
Namgung Hyeok's pupils shook.
In contrast, Namgung Ryong's gaze settled calmly.
"...I'll walk with you. At the forefront of the main family."
He didn't want to be a burden.
He wanted to walk proudly together.
No matter what, he wanted to share Namgung Hyeok's path.
Namgung Ryong gripped his trembling sword tightly.
His resolve was unshakable.
Namgung Hyeok steadied his churning blood and qi as he looked at Namgung Ryong.
*...Walk together?*
With me?
Who walks with him?
Who.
Even the Sword King couldn't achieve it, yet the far inferior Namgung Ryong stood before him attempting it.
Unimaginable in the past.
But now was not the past.
They lived in the present.
He would change.
He had to live differently from the past where he minded no one's gaze.
The notion that only he could lead, and others could run only with his permission, shifted slightly.
He changed, Namgung Ryong changed, the Namgung family changed...
"..."
Footprints invisible in the past now appeared one by one.
Namgung Hyeok raised his demon sword.
"Ha, fuck. I'm not into group fights."
"...I won't interfere."
"If you're bringing backup, bring more. Even the numbers."
No sooner had Namgung Hyeok spoken than Paeng Jung-hyuk and So Hye-yeon appeared.
They too were covered in wounds and dirt from their own battles.
"What a sight. You okay?"
Paeng Jung-hyuk regulated his breathing.
"...I can block two—no, one."
"Not against it?"
"I'm being objective."
"Good. Then..."
Namgung Hyeok adjusted his breathing and looked ahead.
Jang Taesan came into view, his brow furrowed.
"Can't properly help with that bastard in the way, so handle yourselves."
"...I won't interfere."
"That punk's mine."
Namgung Hyeok's cold voice reached Jang Taesan.
Jang Taesan tightened his lips.
"All talk."
"If it weren't for the gang-up, you'd be dead already, you fuck."
"You look like you can barely hold your sword."
"Keep talking. Back in the day, I..."
Namgung Hyeok naturally bent his knees, then exploded upward with force.
"...fought for a hundred days and nights straight, you bastard!"
At the same time, Namgung Ryong, Paeng Jung-hyuk, and So Hye-yeon charged in perfect unison from left and right.
Namgung Hyeok's demon sword, turned to lightning, clashed with Jang Taesan's.
Kwaaaang!
A massive roar echoed as shockwaves blasted outward.
In that instant, Namgung Ryong, Paeng Jung-hyuk, and So Hye-yeon collided with the encircling black-clad warriors.
Rumble!
Boom boom!
The two groups entangled, igniting a fierce melee.