Chapter 330: Fifteen Minutes Have Passed
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 330: Fifteen Minutes Have Passed
Screeeeeech!
Hundreds of spears rained down toward Sun-woo.
Twist.
Once again, Sun-woo twisted the flow of the spears.
But this time, he redirected them in a different direction than before.
The spears pouring from above suddenly veered off course and began to collide with one another. They clashed with a deafening metallic roar, snapping and falling helplessly to the ground.
The sharp, clattering din of metal rang incessantly in Sun-woo’s ears.
After a few moments of chaos...
Thud.
A broken spearhead finally embedded itself in the dirt.
Thud, thud, thud.
Starting with that one, countless spears began to stake themselves into the earth.
"Phew."
Sun-woo looked at the fallen weapons and let out a silent sigh of relief. He could see that most of the spears were completely shattered.
Now, his opponent would no longer be able to use Spear Kinesis with hundreds of weapons at once.
Sun-woo slowly raised his gaze to look ahead. He was curious to see how the man would react.
"I am angry."
As if sensing Sun-woo’s gaze, Lee Yeon spoke, his face flushed with intense emotion.
"To think you would destroy the weapons that contain the spirits of my subordinates."
"So you were playing around with their mementos? You piece of trash."
Sun-woo provoked him with a mocking retort.
"It is not 'playing around.' I was merely allowing them to complete the mission they left unfinished," Lee Yeon replied, his eyes calm and steady. "Regrettably, it seems even that mission cannot be fulfilled because of you."
"Stop talking bullshit."
Sun-woo let out a cold smirk. How dare this man try to shift the blame onto him?
"You have a foul mouth."
"Ever consider that you're the one making it foul?"
"Never."
"Then you should take a good look back at your life. Sounds like you’ve lived it all wrong."
Sun-woo’s voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"No. I have not lived wrongly. I have lived righteously, and I intend to continue living this way."
Lee Yeon reached out his arm and spread his palm wide.
Vroooom!
A single spear, one of the few that remained intact, flew into his hand.
Snap.
Snatching the spear out of the air, Lee Yeon began to circulate his internal energy.
Hummmmmmm!
A greyish aura gathered at the tip of the spear, and before long, it began to dye the entire blade.
"Look even now. Am I not trying to soothe the spirits of my subordinates?" Lee Yeon said, raising the spear.
Shiver.
A chill ran down Sun-woo’s spine. A terrifying sensation, unlike anything he had felt before, washed over him.
To be honest, Sun-woo hadn't felt a true sense of crisis until now. He believed that no matter how powerful the energy in the man's spear was, it wouldn't be difficult to counter it. After all, he possessed the peerless divine art, the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth.
But this was different. It went beyond a mere chill; it was bone-chilling dread.
Sun-woo realized it then. That grey spear blade now contained the man's enlightenment—the realization of one who had reached the Profound Realm.
Gulp.
Sun-woo swallowed hard. Tension began to cloud his eyes.
"So, 'soothing their spirits' means dyeing a spear blade grey? Your subordinates in hell would probably wail if they saw this."
Sun-woo spat out harsh words on purpose, not wanting to show how nervous he was.
"No, it is not merely a change in color," Lee Yeon replied calmly. "This blade contains the very souls of my subordinates."
"You're insane. Is there something wrong with your head?"
"My mind is perfectly clear. In fact, I feel more lucid than ever."
Lee Yeon continued in a level tone.
"I was born on the battlefield, and for over fifty years, I have lived for nothing but war." He leveled the spear at Sun-woo. "War took everything from me. Friends, lovers, comrades... even my own life."
The grey light dwelling on the spear blade grew even more intense.
"Yet, I did not retreat from the battlefield. My mission to protect the nation—I ran and ran for that mission alone. For fifty long years."
Wuuuuuuuuuuu!
A Spear Cry began to resonate from Lee Yeon’s weapon.
"Then, it suddenly occurred to me how unfair it all was. While the survivors gained honor and high rank for completing their mission, those who died on the battlefield were forgotten—not just their honor, but their very existence."
Lee Yeon’s eyes sank into a deep, heavy gloom.
"It was unfair. That those who threw away everything for their country would be forgotten like that, denied even the honor of having fulfilled their mission. So I thought: is there a way for the dead to keep their honor?"
Lee Yeon looked at the spear blade with eyes full of yearning.
"And finally, I found it. A wonderful way for even the dead to preserve their honor."
His voice grew tinged with excitement.
"They say the soul of the master dwells within the weapon they used in life. I have maximized the soul fragments within these weapons, allowing them to retain the power they held while they were alive."
He spoke with an air of madness. Sun-woo’s jaw dropped. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Even for someone who had reached the stage of a Half-Immortal, to manipulate souls? Wasn't the concept of a soul something abstract? How could he take such an abstract concept, solidify it, and sublimate it into a weapon?
It felt impossible. He couldn't wrap his head around it.
"...That’s insane."
Sun-woo managed to squeeze out the words.
"Why is it insane?"
"How can the living manipulate the souls of the dead? It doesn't make any sense!"
"How amusing. To think you would apply such petty standards to me, one who has reached the Great Realm." Lee Yeon looked at him with a sneer. "The Profound Realm is a state where one can defy nature itself. Why would common sense apply?"
"..."
"And surely you felt it? Those hundreds of spears, each containing a different internal energy."
"..."
Sun-woo fell silent. It was true. The power within the spears that had flown at him hadn't been uniform; they were all different. He had assumed it was just a lack of skill on Lee Yeon's part, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
"I call it Soul Link. It signifies the spirit that remains unbroken even in death."
"You crazy bastard."
Sun-woo frowned, his face contorting in disgust.
"If they're dead, you should let them rest. You're making them fight even after they've passed?"
"That is the honor of a soldier."
"No, that's just your own goddamn selfishness."
Sun-woo felt a surge of rage. He, too, had been a soldier in the past. Though he had been forced into it, he had served his two years of mandatory military service.
That was why he was so angry. Instead of giving the dead peace, this man was forcing 'honor' upon them, clutching onto every last shred of their souls to make them fight.
He felt pity for the subordinates—men who were suffering even in death for the sake of 'honor' that wouldn't even put food on the table.
"How could a wild dog like you understand the honor of a soldier? You, who are nothing but a subversive element swinging a sword and causing chaos."
Lee Yeon looked at Sun-woo with eyes full of contempt.
"Cut the crap. Don't think everyone is as twisted as you are, you lunatic."
"Words are wasted on you. Though I didn't expect you to understand anyway."
Lee Yeon shook his head slowly.
"The introduction has been long enough. Let us return to the matter at hand. This spear is called the Soul Link Spear. It is the essence of all my enlightenment."
He raised the grey spear.
"I wonder... can you handle this spear, which contains the souls of hundreds?"
With those words, Lee Yeon hurled the spear straight at Sun-woo.
Screeeeeech!
Wuuuu... wuuuu... wuuu...
Aaaaaah... aaaaaah... aaaah...
Haaaaa... aaaaa...
Ghostly wails erupted from the Soul Link Spear as it tore through the air toward Sun-woo.
Sun-woo’s face went pale. The shrieking wails, like something tearing at his eardrums, made his head spin.
Slap!
He struck his own cheek hard to snap himself out of it. This was an attack containing the essence of someone in the Profound Realm. He couldn't afford to be dazed.
Sun-woo channeled the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth. He intended to reflect the Soul Link Spear immediately.
'Damn it!'
But he was instantly struck by panic. He couldn't see any 'flow' within the Soul Link Spear. It was just like Neung So-hwa’s Black Flame.
Sun-woo hesitated for a split second before drawing the Dragon Tail Soft Sword from his waist. He began to operate the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art to its absolute limit.
Hummmmmmm!
The Yin-Yang Harmony Qi swirled violently before being absorbed into the Dragon Tail Soft Sword. As the energy permeated the blade, the flexible sword began to stiffen.
Sun-woo poured even more internal energy into the rigid sword. If the Great Shift wouldn't work, he had no choice but to meet it head-on. He wasn't confident, but he had to block it. If he dodged, Bukgung Yeon, who was behind him, would be the one to take the hit.
Wuuuuuuuuuuu!
A Sword Resonance rang out from the Dragon Tail Soft Sword, and a massive amount of Astral Qi began to flicker around it. Sun-woo wrapped the blade in layer after layer of the shimmering Qi.
Before long, the sword was completely enveloped in an enormous amount of Astral Qi, which Sun-woo then began to compress at the very tip of the blade.
Once... twice... three times...
Through countless compressions, he reduced the volume of the Qi further and further.
Crackle, spark!
Finally, a Sword Ring made of pure Astral Qi formed at the tip of his sword.
Sun-woo knew this was the best attack he could muster.
Screeeeeech!
Wuuuu... wuuuu... wuuu...
Aaaaaah... aaaaaah... aaaah...
Haaaaa... aaaaa...
The Soul Link Spear thrown by Lee Yeon arrived, and Sun-woo thrust his Sword Ring forward to meet it.
BOOM!
The Soul Link Spear and the Sword Ring collided, unleashing a titanic explosion that shook heaven and earth.
Crackle, sizzle!
The two forces, shrieking with power, locked into a stalemate, neither willing to give an inch. Both contained such immense energy that the struggle wouldn't be decided easily.
Grit.
'Urgh!'
Sun-woo ground his teeth as he held the line against the spear. He felt a monstrous strength that even his Sword Ring struggled to overcome. But he didn't back down; he pushed back with everything he had. He knew that if he faltered here, it was the end.
"AAAAAAAGH!"
A moment later, Sun-woo let out a scream. A sudden, agonizing pain, as if his entire body was being torn to shreds, washed over him.
'What is this! What's happening!'
Startled by the sudden agony, Sun-woo looked down at his body in a panic. But there wasn't a single scratch on him.
"ARGH!"
The excruciating pain flared up again, enveloping his entire being. Sun-woo screamed in agony.
Slide.
Perhaps because his concentration wavered, the energy surrounding the Sword Ring began to weaken, and Sun-woo’s body was pushed back inch by inch.
'No!'
Sun-woo forced himself to focus and poured more Yin-Yang Harmony Qi into the attack. The fading Sword Ring regained its vigor and resumed its clash with the Soul Link Spear.
Grit.
'Ugh...'
At the same time, the intense pain assaulted his body once more. Sun-woo clenched his teeth, enduring the agony as best he could. He had barely managed to hold onto his consciousness, but if his focus slipped again, he would be overwhelmed instantly.
He had to endure. He had to hold on and win, no matter what.
Grind.
The sound of his molars grinding echoed from his mouth. His eyes were bloodshot, and his entire body trembled violently. But the agonizing pain kept coming in waves, and Sun-woo began to shed tears of blood from the sheer suffering.
KABOOM!
After what felt like an eternity, Sun-woo finally managed to deflect the Soul Link Spear completely.
Thump.
But at the same moment, his strength failed him, and he collapsed to his knees.
"Haah... haah... haah... haah..."
Sun-woo panted heavily, trying to catch his breath. It seemed he hadn't even been able to breathe properly while enduring the pain of the Soul Link Spear.
"How was it?"
Lee Yeon, watching him, spoke with a smirk.
"The spear containing the souls of hundreds."
"Just... how... what happened..."
Sun-woo barely managed to squeeze the words out, trying to steady his trembling body.
"What do you mean?"
"I felt pain. Like my entire body was being hacked to pieces..."
Sun-woo continued, his expression one of pure horror.
"That was your soul being wounded," Lee Yeon replied matter-of-factly.
"My soul?"
"The Soul Link Spear is a mystical weapon that can wound not just the physical body, but the soul itself. Your soul was damaged by the spear."
"That's... impossible!"
"You experienced it yourself, did you not?"
"..."
Sun-woo fell silent.
"I wonder where that bravado from earlier went," Lee Yeon sneered. He reached out his hand again, calling back the deflected spear. "Looking at the state of you, it seems you won't even be able to respond to this next attack."
He stepped forward with his left foot and slowly drew back his arm, preparing for another throw.
"Die. Along with Bukgung Yeon."
Screeeeeech!
Wuuuu... wuuuu... wuuu...
Aaaaaah... aaaaaah... aaaah...
Haaaaa... aaaaa...
Finishing his sentence, Lee Yeon threw the grey-dyed spear once more. It streaked toward Sun-woo.
"Damn it!"
Seeing this, Sun-woo scrambled to his feet. His body was still shaking uncontrollably, but he forced himself up. He knew that if he stayed down, he would be impaled.
Sun-woo hurriedly raised the Dragon Tail Soft Sword. He intended to form another Sword Ring to counter the attack.
Touch.
Suddenly, he felt a cold sensation on his left shoulder.
Startled, Sun-woo quickly turned his head.
There, he saw a woman of peerless beauty, her skin as white as fresh snow.
It was Bukgung Yeon.
"Fifteen minutes have passed."
Bukgung Yeon gave a small smile to the bewildered Sun-woo.
"You did well."
With those words, Bukgung Yeon reached out her hand.
Fwooooooooosh!
A massive ice storm erupted from her palm.
The Soul Link Spear and the ice storm collided, sending a violent shockwave rippling in every direction.