Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: The Purple Flame
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I had no intention of provoking him.
To begin with, the being before me was a demon.
Just as spewing curses at a beast would be pointless since it wouldn’t understand… could I really get under this creature’s skin using human standards?
So the words I’d just uttered were a genuine confession of my feelings.
[I understand.]
Kazitta said.
His characteristically blazing voice, even as it fixed on me right up close, carried a strangely calm tone.
[That inner energy, as if it contains the sun’s heat itself—it even grants its wielder resistance to fire.]
“…….”
[I admit my misjudgment.]
Of course, even as he spoke those words, the flames of this fire demon raged ferociously.
As if dancing, almost.
Sssss—the air began to heat up gradually.
As I quietly raised my guard, Kazitta declared:
[You are worthy to face me.]
Kuuooooh—!
The moment he finished speaking, a blast of hot wind whipped up. A turbulent current incomparable to before, a vortex swirling around Kazitta.
Kikikikik……!
The iron bars rattled, producing a discordant screech. It was chilling, but there was no time to cover my ears.
Thud.
Kazitta’s palm pressed against my abdomen. It wasn’t an attack. It was as natural as if he’d simply placed his hand there.
But it was fast.
Even with my senses on high alert, I couldn’t react. All I managed was to wrap my abdomen in qi right before contact.
With the sound of compressed air exploding, the swirling heat abruptly stopped. For an instant.
Fwoosh!
Flames then erupted from his palm.
It was the essence of emitting force.
Kwaaaaang!
The qi around my abdomen shattered like glass. Pain crashed over me a beat later, like a wave.
A floating sensation gripped my body, followed by agony in my back.
‘Damn it…….’
In an instant, to the end of the prison. I realized I’d been hurled dozens of meters and slammed into the wall.
I saw the bent iron bars, warped like marshmallows. The high heat had softened them on impact.
“Cough…….”
I forced down the gush of blood rising in my throat.
That severe blow could easily have knocked me out.
‘…Maybe I should thank Kaljak.’
The belt at my waist, infused with the Sapphire Snake’s chill, had absorbed some of the flames.
I got lucky.
If it had hit my chest or head, what then?
Pushing aside useless thoughts, I stood.
My insides were churning, but my limbs moved without issue.
[You rise.]
Kazitta’s voice echoed.
“I’m pretty tough……” I started to say, then shut my mouth.
Gathering the leisure to quip meant first stabilizing my churning guts.
Kwang!
Of course, my opponent wasn’t an idiot.
That declaration of worthiness wasn’t empty talk—Kazitta kicked off the ground and charged me.
‘That stance switch is too fast.’
Just moments ago, he’d been ignoring me utterly, and now he faced me like a mortal enemy, without a single opening.
Kazitta, who’d been far away, closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
Scorching heat pressed in on me.
I drew up my qi. The moment cool flames swept through my meridians, I struck without delay.
Kwaaaaang!
Kazitta’s fist met my palm in midair.
[Ha!]
Was that a laugh?
With no facial expression to read, I wondered if I’d misheard.
Kakakakang!
No time for deep thought—I pressed the exchange rapidly from that close range.
Arms, legs, forehead, knees, elbows—every possible weapon unleashed in ultra-close combat.
‘White Sun Eclipse… tough to use.’
Even the basic first form, scorching blaze, required minimal preparatory motions and qi focus.
In close quarters with Kazitta, there was no room for that.
My first regression-extreme speed battle—drawing qi from my dantian and expending it simultaneously.
Fist and gauntlet.
Foot and boot clashing endlessly.
Naturally, the accumulating damage fell on me.
Pak—.
Cracks spread through the qi cloaking my body.
Since the training retreat, I’d never once felt my total inner energy lacking—but now was different.
In this speed and attrition war with Kazitta, I couldn’t keep up; my qi bottomed out rapidly.
—Inner energy is a warrior’s foundation and root. No matter how abundant, it’s never enough.
—So, Ruan. Never think, ‘This is sufficient,’ or ‘I won’t lack inner energy anymore.’ Such arrogance is forbidden.
‘Stupid bastard.’
I cursed myself inwardly.
Why do these warnings only surface after the fact?
“Haaa—…….”
I exhaled hot breath.
Growing physical fatigue and damage, dwindling qi, now even breathing labored.
Fatigue? Something felt off.
‘Ah… the hellfire.’
A belated grasp of the obvious. Was my head going too?
Hellfire seeped through the cracks in my qi. Dizzying heat throbbed across my skin.
I endured.
A laugh slipped out simultaneously.
Not bravado, nor madness.
For some reason.
The instant hellfire touched my skin directly, inspiration flashed in my mind. Still vague, though.
Teasingly close, yet elusive.
The fragment of inspiration flickered like formless flame.
In a half-trance, I attacked. Blocked. Dodged. Blocked. Clashed. Attacked again. Blocked. Failed to dodge this time.
Ppak!
A fist buried into my thigh. My leg buckled; I barely held with a creaking knee.
Fists clashed again.
Crack.
My right wrist twisted impossibly.
‘Ah…….’
Regret surged beyond the pain.
More.
I thought I could fight longer.
‘Damn this body.’
Weak, immature, still developing—it grated. Too young. Far too young.
Not even five years.
Even three, no, one more year, and I could’ve put up a much better fight.
Seized that inspiration fragment firmly.
Only then did I understand Kazitta’s sigh.
This warrior truly pitied me.
Knowing the bout’s end wouldn’t hinge on martial arts, inner energy, skill, or judgment……
But on the body’s disparity.
Pukpukpuk!
Forehead, chest, abdomen struck simultaneously. Dull pain flung my body.
Guh—I spat air and collapsed there.
[…Splendid.]
The torrent of attacks ceased, like rain stopping.
The all-encompassing flames vanished too.
Kneeling, I gazed at my charred skin. Grotesque.
[I’ll remember your name. Ruan Bednicker.]
“…….”
A dying ember of a voice.
Kazitta declared the battle’s end in a cooling, fading tone.
Even hearing it, regret weighed heavy.
‘Is this it?’
The last resort I’d considered since the academy crisis, deliberately ignored.
Spirit Mountain’s Blessing.
Here, now.
Was I regressing?
‘…No.’
I thought.
“No.”
I voiced it deliberately.
[……!]
Not wanting that, I rose.
Qi was spent, but the body still moved.
Victory odds weren’t zero then.
Ignoring the body’s screams, I straightened.
Spine and legs trembled violently. Left thigh numb from the hit, I limped like an arrow-struck man.
[Still rising.]
“Yeah.”
[Why.]
“Still got some fight left.”
[…I see.]
Kazitta’s blue flames flickered anew.
[I’ll honor that.]
Fwoosh—heat engulfed all again. I couldn’t help a wry smile.
Never let his guard down, even to the end.
Proof he acknowledged me as a warrior—grateful, yet irritating.
Thud.
Kazitta’s advancing step slowed in my sight.
Time stretched in that instant.
With my overheated mind, I sought a path to victory.
Fortunately, time for White Sun Eclipse now, but internal qi remained scant.
One more at best.
‘But.’
I knew.
Even with remaining qi, White Sun Eclipse meant defeat.
Needed another way.
What?
Zing—.
Burns across my body throbbed.
Disrupting focus.
I had decent pain tolerance, but this heat was annoying. Like flames clinging everywhere.
‘…Flames clinging everywhere?’
The sudden sensation linked to that lingering inspiration.
I focused on the skin’s heat again.
From when Flame Arts of the Greatest ceased, Kazitta’s hellfire kissed my skin fully.
I felt it thickly.
Hellfire’s heat, that is.
‘Not lukewarm at all.’
Recalling my bluffed words, I shook my head.
Flame Arts of the Greatest.
This technique absorbs all flames under heaven.
So, failing to fully absorb Kazitta’s flames—was hell excluded from my heaven?
Solution?
‘Simple.’
Expand the domain of thought.
Extend my heaven.
Kwagagagak—!
Impossible otherwise. Now I knew why warriors stake life on sudden inspirations.
Ecstasy raced up my spine, eclipsing pain.
I fully absorbed the hellfire lingering on my skin into my body.
For a moment, two flames swirled inside me.
Hellfire and cool flames.
Crimson and azure.
‘What to do?’
Best to merge, but beyond me now.
Surprisingly, this hellfire resisted blending with my qi despite being flame.
‘Deploy separately then.’
Less power, but highest odds.
That’s when the absurd happened.
Kwaaaaaang!
The ceiling collapsed—a single sword wreathed in light and darkness plunged between me and Kazitta.
[This is……!]
Kazitta’s shocked voice rang, but.
Somehow calm, I took in the sword.
A gracefully curved blade.
Distinct yin-yang pattern at the hilt’s end.
Eldest Martial Brother’s weapon: Yin-Yang Blade.
“…….”
No time for why here—I gripped the hilt.
Good my right wrist shattered.
Left hand more adept with swords anyway.
‘Yin-Yang Blade’s power.’
This mystical blade fully accepts opposing forces, merging them ideally.
Yin and yang.
Even heaven’s most contrary energies harmonized perfectly.
That was its true value.
Kwagagagak!
Merging different flames? Trivial for Yin-Yang Blade.
I poured all remaining qi without hesitation; it accepted both flames wholly.
Hwaaaaaak—!
Crimson and azure intertwined—unthinkable purple flames birthed.
[…Purple flames.]
Kazitta muttered blankly.
I felt surging power from the hilt.
Simultaneously, I erased all known swordsmanship from mind. No style would suit these flames.
‘Pure instinct.’
Body moving naturally, I assumed the most fluid stance.
Blade now aimed at Kazitta.
“…Round two, Kazitta.”
Absorbing it, I understood.
Hellfire’s traits, nature, heat.
Realization dawned.
“Let’s heat things up more.”
These purple flames could devour hellfire.
* * *
Leone approached the Alderson Dean stealthily, masking his presence.
He knew the underground prison’s layout well.
Even without paths, hiding from weakened Kazitta’s senses was trivial for Leone.
Thus steadily closing on the dean, Leone……
“…….”
Glanced back at the sudden scorching heat.
Ruan Bednicker battling the legion commander.
‘Frontal assault? How reckless.’
He seemed foolish.
Legion commander, weakened or not—beyond a mere hero’s league.
Best to stall maximally, flee the instant rescue succeeded.
Wasn’t that the plan?
Leone tsked inwardly, but soon reconsidered.
“…….”
Ruan didn’t retreat.
Eyes blistering, skin melting, wrist crushed—yet exchanging blows relentlessly.
Hellfire’s agony transcended imagination.
It scorched not just flesh, but soul-deep. Weak-willed would crumple from a graze.
Not Ruan.
Burned head to toe, he laughed instead.
Leone stared blankly a moment. That smile amid hardship shone brilliantly.
‘But…….’
Limits neared.
Mind can’t best body forever.
Slackened tendons can’t grip swords.
Shattered spine can’t stand.
Ruan’s body at brink—soon to ash.
A warrior that level surely sensed his end.
Yet Ruan’s smile endured.
‘…….’
Some humans can’t be broken by pain alone.
Leone liked such humans. Hoped they lived long.
Sudden urge swelled into impulse.
Here, unplanned recklessness.
‘Impulse is human privilege too.’
Kuhkukuk…… Laughing, Leone dropped to one knee.
Dark, sweltering underground, beneath pitch ceiling.
Right hand over heart, he prayed.
“…O Six Holy Judges. Most just god. Deceiver without malice, transcendent one. Trial befalls your agent. Grant us sight through lies and deceptions, strength to punish foes. Prove thereby our pact worthy.”
Wung—.
Crimson-black aura rose from Leone like scarlet flames.
“O Achromatic Judge, behold your apostle in unavoidable strife. If this ordeal needed, grant mighty power; if not, a word of counsel; if even that denied, a handful of blessing.”
Whirling flames vortexed the dim prison.
Brighter, redder than those, Leone’s eyes blazed.
“…This Dark Hierophant dares beseech you.”