The Monsters Unleashed Before Regression
The four monsters unleashed upon the world by the foolish Celestials before regression.
One of the three underlings who had slain them while standing right beside the White Knight in his white armor.
An existence that carved a deadly balance with sword in hand, bisecting Upper-rank foes in half and even Mid-Upper in thirds.
That was the being standing right in front of me now.
One could not underestimate it as mere underlings.
As I had said earlier, it was a monster that had turned the likes of Upper-rankers into nothing.
It was the opponent I had to confront with everything I had.
At least, when facing Ryu Se-rin, I would have had a ten-in-nine chance of dying to its sword.
Moreover, I was not in my full condition right now, facing this monster.
"So what exactly is this guy? Do you know of any weaknesses?"
"None. Even if we did, it’s impossible for us right now."
This kind of creature had no weaknesses.
The armor’s durability was so high that not even a scratch could be left on it with mana-disliking swords, and only with aura could it be slightly marred—yet it regenerated instantly.
Its strength outstripped even Orcs and Ogres.
Even so, underlings were a full step below the White Knight in every aspect, and unlike the White Knight, they lacked regeneration ability, but that did not make them something to be ignored.
As for weaknesses, they were nothing more than overwhelming power to crush them.
But to do that, I needed to stand at a position equal to them at least.
Even if I roughly estimated it, the creature’s realm was solidly Highest-rank.
That was the realm I could barely reach by forcing my current mana to its limit.
"At least it’s alone... Do you see that lump over there behind it?"
I nodded.
At Cheon Seong’s question, Yoo Hwa-young nodded, and Cheon Seong pointed at the sword-purple mass behind the white underling, explaining what he had figured out right then.
"Probably that one behind it was the dungeon’s boss."
"What? Then I don’t have to fight it, right? The exit condition is dungeon clear."
"No, that’s not the case. Stop interrupting and listen to the end."
Though rare, there were cases where the dungeon failed to clear even after the boss was killed.
One reason.
"Probably that guy stole the role of dungeon boss."
It was precisely when an external existence killed the dungeon’s boss and claimed its position.
Even that was possible only when the external existence desired the position and the dungeon’s will permitted it, making it practically a miracle.
But that miracle had become a miracle of disaster.
"What? Then I just need to knock this guy out, right?"
Yoo Hwa-young’s voice imitating her bright, energetic tone.
Despite her voice trembling, fear was felt from her.
As previously stated, the underling was a Highest-rank monster.
Yoo Hwa-young was roughly Mid-Upper rank at best, and with all my power I could barely match the very edge of Highest.
If I didn’t hold back my body, my winning probability was at best three out of ten.
"This is going to make me get scolded by Yuna when I get back."
"What? Hey, you don’t mean you’re—!"
"Hwa-young."
At Cheon Seong’s words burdening everything on himself alone, Yoo Hwa-young started to argue, but Cheon Seong called her name for the first time in a gentle, affectionate voice.
He turned his head, looked at her, smiled softly, and said,
"Think about that confession. I’ll consider it after we survive here. So—"
Live. Absolutely live.
Quaaaaaaaah!
Without a chance to answer, Cheon Seong ended his words and erupted with pitch-black demonic energy.
The peerless martial art of the Heavenly Demon, once the number one in the past martial world, manifested in Cheon Seong’s hands.
A bright line of light illuminating the pitch-black dungeon.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art
Kuguguguguk!
The dungeon itself trembled as if terrified of the massive power.
Form 1.
White Night
The light of White Night shot toward the underling of the White Knight, and a roar announcing the start of a life-or-death battle echoed.
Kwa-gagagagag—!!!
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The blinding white light of White Night enveloped the dungeon, and a life-or-death battle between Cheon Seong and Yoo Hwa-young began.
Skang—!!!
Chuk, chugak, cheolgak
The light split in two, and between the split White Night emerged the white underling, walking leisurely while its white armor clanked with each step.
Even though White Night had matured further, it had been insufficient to dispose of the white underling in one strike.
Tensing as he watched the white underling approach, Cheon Seong prepared his next form.
Black food spread across the dungeon and poured toward the white underling.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art
Form 2.
Black Night
Chuk!
The black food spread in the air and covered the white underling, and Cheon Seong’s body vanished before reappearing behind it to slam a fist laden with demonic energy into the underling.
"Hup—!!"
Kwang!!!
The underling’s body slammed into the ground, and just as Cheon Seong raised his fist again—filled with golden magic—to strike the fallen underling’s head.
Swuaaah—!
"Uht—!"
Skang!
Cheon Seong hurriedly leaned back, his spine tingling from the cold killing intent, and a portion of his front hair floated and fell from the air.
Tadak, tak, tadak!
Cheon Seong barely dodged the underling’s attack and immediately kicked off the ground to distance himself, but the underling, despite receiving Black Night, showed the durable frame of a monster.
"Tsk, as sturdy as always."
Thud, thud
The fist loaded with demonic energy had not only failed to damage the underling but made Cheon Seong’s hand swell red, black blood dripping from his fingertips.
Only two punches had shattered a few finger joints.
Still bearable for now, but if it continued, he would lose the use of one hand in battle.
'I had better avoid close-range attacks. If this goes on, my body won’t last much longer.'
He needed to attack while avoiding close-range contact with the underling as much as possible.
Chuk
Chuk
The white underling, having distanced itself from Cheon Seong, slowly walked forward and sheathed its sword back into the scabbard.
Sreuk
'What the hell is he trying to do all of a sudden—Damn it!!'
As the sword slid further into the scabbard, a chill crawled up Cheon Seong’s spine, and he realized the underling was preparing an attack.
He surged forward with full power just before the underling fully sheathed its sword.
A sign appeared that the next form of Black Night was manifesting in Cheon Seong’s hand, and just as he was about to plunge Black Night into the underling,
Lrururung, cheolgak!
The underling’s sword body enveloped its blade, and a sinister white light spread out, swallowing Cheon Seong’s Black Night in contrast.
Skwaaaaaaaaah—!!!
Puuk—!!!
Cheon Seong, who had taken a massive chest wound from the underling’s sword in one blow, flew through the air and crashed into the wall, spitting blood.
"Kuhek!!"
Chuaaak
Blood gushed from the wound like a fountain and did not stop.
Cheon Seong placed his hand on the wound, infused it with demonic energy, and pulled up mana while monitoring the front.
"Haah, haah—"
Chiiiiiik!
By the flame that rose from his hand, the skin of the wound melted and clung, stopping the bleeding.
The white underling approached Cheon Seong, raised its sword high, and prepared to strike.
Even in this situation where he had no choice but to take the risk of having his neck cut by the underling’s sword, Cheon Seong did not dodge, supported his wound, and grinned at the underling.
"Sorry, but… Your opponent isn’t just me."
"What?"
The underling turned its head at the unfamiliar words, and a pillar of crimson flame shot from behind it.
Whirrrrruk!!
Kwaaaaaah!
"Hey! Get out of the way!"
"No, there’s no need."
From afar, Yoo Hwa-young’s fire magic targeted only the underling with cunning precision, and Cheon Seong, who had already sealed all his wounds, wrapped magic energy around his legs toward the small gap it had created.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art
Form 1.
White Night · Leg
A powerful kick infused with magic energy from Cheon Seong struck the underling’s waist, sending it flying at high speed.
Huuung—Bang!!!
"Haah, haah—ugh!!"
"Hey! Are you okay?!"
The underling flew off, and Yoo Hwa-young, who had attacked it from far away, ran toward Cheon Seong.
"Look, there."
"Look at what? You crazy bastard! No matter how urgent it is, if you cauterize the wound like that—!"
Yoo Hwa-young was extremely surprised by Cheon Seong’s action of cauterizing his wound from the bone, hip, and diagonally, and scolded him.
Meanwhile, as tears welled up in her eyes, Cheon Seong smiled faintly and stood up, stroking her hair.
"There was no choice. And there’s no time for tears, so prepare yourself. It’s not over yet."
"Tch, I know that."
At Cheon Seong’s words, Yoo Hwa-young wiped her tears and prepared the next spell while staring at the spot where the underling had flown.
Cheon Seong also prepared his next form, and as if their actions were correct, the underling emerged from the thick dust cloud.
But the underling’s condition was not perfect.
Though very small, a crack had formed on the waist armor that Cheon Seong’s White Night had directly hit, and a trace of hope appeared in Cheon Seong and Yoo Hwa-young’s eyes.
At least it meant damage was accumulating on the underling from their attacks.
"Focus fire on that area. I don’t need to worry about it, so hit as hard as possible."
"No, I’ll handle it myself, so don’t get hurt. Every time you get hurt, my heart hurts more."
Even in this situation, Cheon Seong was preparing his next form when he saw Yoo Hwa-young’s way of showing her love.
Hung—!
Puuk!!
The underling’s body vanished, and Cheon Seong’s arm rose into the air, scattering blood.
***
At first, like always, it had merely been simple curiosity.
The dirty, untidy Cheon Seong, who always seemed to be hostile and on guard against me, drew more interest.
It was as if I was watching one month with him, the one I had met at the underground auction house and Seoraksan.
At first I had even suspected Cheon Seong was one month, but since he was strong, but not enough to be called one month, I had simply thought he was similar.
But after we took the academy entrance exam together and lived together at the academy, I learned that Cheon Seong was one month.
But now I was interested in this man named Cheon Seong more than the existence called one month.
Even though he left a clear trace of hating me, he knew me very well, so when we talked, I often ended up eating a big meal.
From then on, it was not curiosity but pleasure that made me follow Cheon Seong around.
His appearance as Cheon Seong treating me as just Yoo Hwa-young, a person, and caring for me in small ways with every action, made me feel like I had made a true friend.
Since childhood, I had always been alone.
Outstanding talent isolated people and pushed them away.
Though there were those who claimed they wanted to be my friend on the surface, they all only approached me because of my position as the daughter of the only Transcendent in Korea and my appearance.
Of course, not everyone had been like that until now.
Gentle Yuna and cute Hwa-ran, who was shy but expressed her opinions well.
Those two only looked at me as one person, but they did not treat me entirely comfortably either.
Transcendent realm holders were people whose power rivaled nuclear weapons with just one person.
Even though Hwa-ran and Yuna treated me comfortably, on one side of their hearts they were always cautious toward me because of my father’s position.
But Cheon Seong did not.
I was happy about that, and at the same time curious why Cheon Seong treated me comfortably sometimes and strictly other times.
At some point, Cheon Seong began to change a little.
Cheon Seong, who had still been leaving a trace of hating me even when treating me comfortably, now started to see me as just a fun friend.
He softened.
p>His actions and words were cold, but within them I felt concern and care for me.
Perhaps from then on, I had slowly, very slowly, fallen for Cheon Seong.
Cheon Seong, who did not care about my background and treated me as just one person named Yoo Hwa-young, and acted with small care for me in every action, was a man named Cheon Seong who I liked as a woman.
But unfortunately, it was too late for me to realize that heart.
Only when threatened by dungeon erosion did I realize my heart, and only after barely surviving when Cheon Seong was in danger did I confess my feelings to him.
The returned answer was, as expected, rejection.
But I had no intention of giving up on Cheon Seong.
Because I believed there was only one man in the world who would look at me as I was, treat me without hesitation, know me well, and make me happy, and that man was Cheon Seong.
So, in my usual state, I pouted like a spoiled child and tried to seduce him, but Cheon Seong’s wall was far too solid.
Each time I thought maybe I was unattractive as a woman, Cheon Seong silently stroked my hair.
Normally, when one confesses and the other rejects, the relationship becomes awkward and distance grows, but Cheon Seong did not distance himself after rejecting my confession.
He reassured me, saying he would protect me if I was scared, and even in fights he acted as if he cared about me more than himself.
Despite the confessions continuing to be rejected, my feelings for Cheon Seong grew deeper.
Eventually we reached the door in front of the dungeon boss, the only way to escape the dungeon erosion.
When the door opened and the terrifying aura of the boss was felt, my body trembled for the first time in my life, and I saw Cheon Seong in a panicked state—something I had never seen before.
The usual pride was gone, his face blue.
I did not want to see that look.
I did not want to see the man I loved like that.
But on one side of my heart, I felt relieved, thinking that Cheon Seong was also just an ordinary person like me.
My trembling body calmed, my head cooled, and I kissed the man I loved again to bring Cheon Seong out of his panic.
Fortunately, with that, he came out of panic and regained the pride he usually showed.
He stood in front of me, glanced back at me once, and made the reason I had to survive.
He said he would think about the confession.
Though not accepting it properly, just saying he would think about it, still I hardened my resolve to live.
While my beloved fought the dungeon boss, getting his chest slashed diagonally, I held back tears threatening to spill and prepared strong magic to save him.
My beloved was in a state where he had cauterized the massive chest wound with a black-red burn to stop bleeding, and no longer able to hold back the tears, I finally cried.
The man I loved, as always with Cheon Seong, stroked my hair and reassured me, saying it was not over yet and preparing the next attack.
And when we saw the dungeon boss emerging from the dust cloud, though we did not cheer, we held hope that we could survive.
'Yeah, we can do it. We can live together with Cheon Seong!'
Under the cliff of death, the hope rope descended, and we held it tight, climbing toward the light of life.
But—!
The hope rope snapped, and my beloved’s left arm flew up into the sky, scattering blood.
"No!!!!"
The despair felt after experiencing despair with hope was far too huge and dark.