Chapter 353
Chapter 353
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 353
Chapter Title: Joint Training (2)
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Joint Sparring Grounds.
Fortunately, there was plenty of space.
The cave was far larger than expected.
After about ten minutes of travel, a clearing suitable for combat appeared.
This place would allow them to fight without touching Baek Mu-hyeon's main body.
Crunch!
Hasera took a calm deep breath and assumed her stance.
The teams had been decided on the way over.
Joo Dong-hoon, Hasera, and Dana in one team.
Taeyangchang, Eldrin, Kaden, and Mugak in the other.
It was 3 against 4.
One might ask if Hasera's team, with a Constellation and a healer, wasn't at an advantage.
"Lord Heavenly Demon."
Joo Dong-hoon grinned.
"Feel free to attack without mercy. They're dragon bones, so tough that reverse-summoning them is a hassle anyway."
At the same time.
Thud!
He slammed his staff down once.
Crack, crackle!
Bones scattered across the floor, transforming and rising again as the Emperor's subordinates.
"Even if you do reverse-summon them, I can just summon them back easily."
"......"
Gulp!
Hasera swallowed hard.
Joo Dong-hoon.
The more she learned of his abilities, the more absurd they seemed.
So that was it.
Even if they killed them with effort, one swing like that and they came back to life?
'Cheating.'
No.
It was beyond cheating.
His ability was so ridiculous that even envy faded away.
"You guys too."
Joo Dong-hoon looked at his subordinates.
"No need to hold back. Dana will heal any normal wounds anyway."
"Yes, leave the healing to me, Master."
Dana, positioned near the cave wall, knelt down.
She clasped her hands and slowly began her prayer.
Now preparations were complete.
- Ready to start?
When Hasera asked.
"Yes."
Joo Dong-hoon nodded and gripped his spear with a whoosh of flames!
In any case.
Having opponents she could unleash 100% power on without mercy was a good thing for Hasera too.
Until now.
She hadn't had a proper opponent either.
Taat!
Hasera was the first to step forward.
Footsteps filled with full sincerity!
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Heavenly Demon Step Method.
Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon Step.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Kwarrrng!
A roar like an avalanche shook the space.
In response.
"We'll give it our all, my lord!"
Taeyangchang unleashed Solar Chain Strike, infused with the 'Solar Heat' weapon effect.
Whoosh, whoosh whoosh whoosh!
From Eldrin's hands.
'Destruction Dragon Arrows' (SS-grade), each rivaling a small nuclear bomb, shot forth like a storm.
Kaden thrust his shield in front of Hasera as she executed her footwork.
"Krahaha! This'll be fun!"
Pum pum pum!
From mid-range, Mugak's punches and kicks rained down indiscriminately.
'What the...'
Hasera's eyes widened in shock.
They clearly weren't Constellation-grade, yet how could they display such systematic and powerful strength?
Even as she circulated energy through her body's meridians with her divine art, Mugak's immense force disrupted her path.
Boom! Kwang! Boom! Boom!
The impacts grew exponentially with each hit.
Especially.
Thud! Thuuud!
Eldrin's nuclear bomb attacks, ignoring targets and striking the surroundings, shook her to her core.
'This is cheating too...!'
To advance, she had to break through Kaden's shield.
She could dodge and close in.
But with the three ranged dealers pouring attacks relentlessly, there was no way through.
'Damn.'
As Hasera frowned in surprise.
"Hah!"
Whoosh!
Joo Dong-hoon stepped forward with a glance, raising his transformed shield.
"I'll block them, so attack!"
Kwarararang!
All those fierce attacks were absorbed by his shield.
At the same time.
Whooo!
A warm energy flowed into her body.
Dana's healing.
'Ah.'
In that moment, Hasera realized her grave mistake.
'Joo Dong-hoon's subordinate Arin took down the Magic Tower Lord in one hit.'
In other words.
She couldn't underestimate them.
No matter that she was Constellation-grade.
Each was an absolute being in their own world.
Who knew what potential they held.
'And besides.'
Those weapons.
Hasera had seen the process of their creation firsthand.
SSS-grade.
Constellation-grade weapons, weren't they?
'No complacency.'
She halted her breath.
Calming her mind.
Thud!
Hasera stepped on Joo Dong-hoon's blocking shoulder, spinning into the air.
At the same time.
Fwoooosh!
She swung her sword vigorously.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Heaven-Shattering Asura Sword.
Asura Blood Dragon.
Kugagagaga!
A roaring blood-red dragon struck down from sky to ground.
The Heavenly Demon's divine art, in the realm of demonic possession, unfolded masterfully from her hand.
Swordplay so beautiful and precise that even those ignorant of swords would gasp in admiration!
"Hup!"
"Urgh."
Kaden looked at Hasera with newfound respect.
It had seemed a bit clumsy at first.
As expected of Constellation-grade technique!
Even though he'd put in real effort, he'd already been pushed back six steps.
He'd thought he was protecting his team, but the attack's momentum was broken.
Damage dealers had struck from behind too.
Crunch!
Kaden ground his teeth.
'I have to block it! I must block it!'
He had reached 'Constellation', the pinnacle, only in blocking techniques.
This wasn't greed.
It was purely to protect his master.
Kaden gripped his shield tightly.
"Try breaking through! O Constellation!"
That Constellation.
And if he could perfectly block the master's attacks.
Wouldn't that be the path to Constellation?
Kaden bared his teeth and thrust his shield forward.
* * *
The fight continued unabated.
Without a word between them.
Not even matching breaths.
Each gave their all, attacking and defending.
Occasionally.
"Tsk tsk, you're doing well."
When resummoning the fully recovered Myriad Arts Elder.
"Tch, Taeyang. You need to feel the spear's weight more. Even a single thrust must be firm, rooted to the ground like a tree."
"Hm, Eldrin. Indiscriminate rapid fire is fine, but put your heart into each one. The forest symbolizes nature. Reflect on yourself. Are your arrows natural? Don't get lost in the weapon's power and forget your essence."
He'd toss a word or two at his subordinates.
About thirty minutes or so?
After advising each one, the elder vanished somewhere.
Probably heading to where Kang So-so was training.
The rest of the time was pure combat.
This was my method.
Each one.
Clashing endlessly until they felt it!
I too had striven endlessly to reach intermediate Myriad Arts.
Even with fewer techniques, I sought the subtleties of various arts.
A week passed, then two.
A month flowed by, then two months.
Occasionally, impatience crept in—shouldn't we hurry back to Earth?
But I forgot it.
Forced myself to forget.
My goal was to make my subordinates Constellations.
And to further master my Myriad Arts.
For now, that was all I thought of.
The elder.
Each appearance brought encouragement that bolstered us.
Words that strongly stirred motivation.
"Tsk tsk, good. Effort never betrays the body."
"What? Depressed because the junior is stronger? Oh dear, tsk tsk. Hey, you fool! Get your head straight. That's the whining of those without the talent to grow stronger."
"Acknowledge the difference. You're not moving for fun. Hold desperation. Bonesy is strong? Do you really think you've swung the sword as much as Bonesy? He knew nothing but the sword since childhood. He was just forged harder in a harsher world!"
Each time, he'd drop a line and vanish.
"Huaaaah!"
Each time, spurred on, Taeyang swung his spear with vigor.
* * *
Kwarararara!
Taeyangchang's spear knocked aside Hasera's sword strike and soared into the sky.
'Yeah, I know!'
The Sword God was strong.
The Sword God had tried harder.
Of course, innate talent differed, but the absolute gap in power clearly came from effort.
He too had once led the ancient desert empire as a warrior.
How much had he toiled to become that world's absolute without sight!
Even if it was to exterminate those wretched humans...
'I admit it.'
After his vision cleared.
Taeyangchang had seen the world.
He learned of countless beings in the vast universe.
And felt there were plenty with their own stories.
'I'm weak because.'
I'm simply weak.
"Huaaaah!"
Taeyangchang roared and charged.
Hasera, called the Heavenly Demon.
His head had already been severed by her sword twenty times.
But he challenged without giving up.
As the Myriad Arts Elder said.
No need to whine.
The reason becoming a Constellation was hard... wasn't it because that position held such value?
If it were easy, everyone would have it.
Kugagagaga!
Hasera.
Her power was truly astonishing.
Sharp and precise, as befitting a Constellation.
'But I'm hot too.'
Hotter than the sun on Earth.
Fwoooosh!
In Taeyangchang's chest, the ancient desert's solar flames began to blaze.
Not fast, but steadily.
And persistently.
Growing in size.
* * *
"Huu."
Eldrin exhaled.
The scent of the forest rose to her nose.
'Right.'
Piiing! Piiiing!
Strength left her hand pulling the bowstring.
Not shooting weakly.
Shooting naturally.
'I was the queen of the forest kin.'
Her essence wasn't as an archer.
As queen, protecting the forest was her purpose.
So why was she now madly pulling the string?
To get stronger?
To help her master?
'No, change perspective.'
If she wasn't to become Bow God, she had to rethink.
The Constellations she'd seen were those who reached the pinnacle in one thing.
Forest or bow.
If choosing one, what would she pick?
'Forest.'
Of course.
Without hesitation, she chose confidently.
She was a high elf.
She took up the bow to protect the forest, not entered the forest to shoot well.
Ah.
Eldrin suddenly realized.
That's why it hadn't worked.
No matter how many arrows she shot, she couldn't reach the pinnacle.
"......"
Eldrin closed her eyes.
And envisioned the forest.
Though this was a cave... she mustered all her imagination.
The world of her forest kin she once ruled.
She vividly pictured that lush, deep forest.
'Ah.'
In that instant.
The forest's breath touched her fingertips.
Towering ancient trees with deep roots.
Firm yet soft soil embracing all.
Falling water.
Plants blooming there.
Herbivores grazing them.
Sunlight filtering through green leaves breathed life into the forest.
Spring brought sprouts, summer lush trees and abundant fruits.
Autumn ripened them, winter blanketed in snow and frost for quiet serenity.
'Yes.'
That was Eldrin's essence.
Her task wasn't shooting arrows, but harmonizing with nature.
Achieving balance.
Kugagagaga!
Eyes closed, Eldrin lightly kicked off the ground, dodging Hasera's incoming sword strike.
Like a leaf drifting on the wind.
Like reeds swaying this way and that.
Naturally.
Then.
Piiing! Piiiing!
She softly drew and released the string.
Balance.
The all-embracing forest gave her stability.
Squeee! Shuuu whoosh whoosh!
Kwaaaang!
Arrows flew in a trance.
In Eldrin's chest too, verdant power began to grow.