Chapter 751: Because You Can't Kill Him Yet.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 751: Because You Can't Kill Him Yet.
Twitch, twitch.
Lee Jae-won, face-first in the dirt, began to squirm like a trodden insect. It seemed the aftershocks of the violent impact still coursed through his body.
The crowd watched the scene in utter horror. What they were witnessing was far too surreal to comprehend.
Who was Lee Jae-won?
Twenty years ago, was he not the very man who had reduced the Heavenly Demon—a being once called incomprehensible—to a mere handful of blood? Was he not a master of the Profound Realm, having reached the Half-Immortal stage, the final step before ascending to godhood?
How could such a magnificent martial artist be subjected to such one-sided violence?
The fight between Jang Sun-woo and Lee Jae-won had been utterly lopsided, like a man beating a child. Lee Jae-won had failed to land a single effective blow.
"Overwhelming" was the only word that could truly describe the sight.
Tap.
Sun-woo, who had been suspended in the air, landed lightly on the ground. Every eye in the vicinity fixed on him. They were desperate to see every move this god-like, transcendent martial artist would make.
Step, step, step.
Whether Sun-woo was aware of their gaze or not, he simply walked forward with a nonchalant expression. He headed straight for Lee Jae-won, who remained pinned to the earth.
Step, step, step.
Sun-woo stopped right in front of him and looked down. His gaze fell upon Lee Jae-won, still writhing like a crushed bug.
'Stubborn bastard.'
Sun-woo’s expression soured with distaste. Any ordinary martial artist would have had their body pulverized and crossed the Styx long ago from such an impact. Yet, the man before him had endured it. He couldn't help but call him tenacious.
Wriggle, wriggle.
Lee Jae-won’s body began to twitch even more violently. Slowly, he started to lift his face from the dirt, revealing a truly gruesome sight.
His nose was either broken or completely flattened, and his skin had been flayed, exposing raw, crimson flesh. A shard of stone seemed to be embedded in one eye, which was gushing blood. Even by the most generous standards, he looked horrific.
"Blegh!"
Lee Jae-won began to vomit blood. It seemed his internal organs had been shredded by the shockwaves.
"Gah... blegh!"
He spat out mouthfuls of blood several times, trying to steady his breathing. Sun-woo watched him with a stoic gaze, waiting patiently until he had somewhat composed himself.
After a long moment...
"Haah... haah... haah..."
Lee Jae-won, having finally settled his stomach, gasped for air.
"Does it hurt?" Sun-woo asked in a flat tone.
".........Spare... spare me..."
Instead of answering, Lee Jae-won begged for his life. His mind was filled with nothing but the desperate urge to survive.
"That's not the answer I'm looking for."
Sun-woo shook his head slowly. He lifted his foot and placed it lightly on Lee Jae-won’s spine.
Tap.
Then, he began to press down.
Creeeeeak.
He applied the Thousand-Catty Press.
"AAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!"
A hideous scream tore from Lee Jae-won’s throat. The agonizing pain of his vertebrae being ground under the crushing pressure was unbearable.
"SPARE ME!!!!!!! SPARE ME!! PLEAAAAASE!!!!!"
Lee Jae-won begged for forgiveness over and over. He pleaded for his life, desperate for even a shred of mercy.
"Still not the answer I want."
Ignoring the pleas, Sun-woo continued to exert pressure with his foot.
Snap!
The sound of something breaking echoed through the air.
"AAAAAAAGH!"
Lee Jae-won’s screams grew even louder. His spine had snapped clean through.
"Haaaaagh!"
He wept. He sobbed uncontrollably. The horrific pain surging through his entire body was too much to bear. Why did he have to suffer like this?
"Waaaaaaah!!!!!!!"
Lee Jae-won’s wailing began to sound like that of a small child.
"I'll ask again," Sun-woo said, his expression perfectly calm. "Does it hurt?"
"It hurts! It hurts so much! I feel like I'm dying! Please, spare me!"
Lee Jae-won begged and begged. His arms were mangled, his ribs broken, his ankles twisted, and his back snapped, yet he still wanted to live. He clung to the hope that if he could just survive, he might somehow recover.
"It hurt that much?"
"It hurts!!!! It hurts so much!!!!"
"The women you raped and murdered must have felt even more pain."
Sun-woo spoke coldly as he looked down at the pleading man. He slowly reached out both hands.
Grip.
He seized both of Lee Jae-won’s legs.
"I heard you liked to twist people's limbs into deformities?"
Crunch!
Snap!
He immediately twisted both legs into grotesque angles, completely dislocating the bones.
"AAAAAAAGH!!!!!"
"And I heard you mutilated their genitals in horrific ways?"
Sun-woo slowly raised his foot. Seeing this, Lee Jae-won began to shake his head frantically. He knew exactly what was coming.
Touch.
Sun-woo’s foot came to rest against Lee Jae-won’s phallus.
"No... no... please... not that... please..."
Lee Jae-won begged and pleaded. The thought of losing his phallus filled him with absolute terror.
"Should I let you off?"
Nod, nod, nod.
Lee Jae-won nodded his head violently, desperate for a reprieve.
"I don't want to."
Sun-woo flashed a refreshing smile.
Creeeeeak.
With his foot still in place, he activated the Thousand-Catty Press. An immense weight began to bear down through his foot.
Squash!
It burst. It was completely obliterated, beyond all recognition.
"AAAAAAAGH!"
A scream far more wretched than any before it echoed throughout the assembly grounds.
*
The crowd was paralyzed with shock. The sight of Lee Jae-won, transformed into such a horrific mess in an instant, created a massive sense of cognitive dissonance.
This was Lee Jae-won—the man who had been majestic, fair, and possessed the dignity of an absolute ruler. Now, he had been reduced to a sight so gruesome one could hardly look at him.
His thick hair had been torn away along with his scalp. His dignified face had been ground against the earth into a hideous mask. His legs were twisted into unnatural shapes. His back was broken and limp, and blood gushed from between his thighs where his phallus had been crushed. He was the very definition of a nightmare.
How could they not feel a sense of unreality?
"Heugh... uh... uuuuh... uh..."
Lee Jae-won began to let out incoherent groans. It seemed he had lost his mind from the sheer agony. He prayed for the final peace of death. Even breathing was a moment of torture. He no longer wanted to live; he only wanted to die.
'Is that enough?'
Sun-woo looked down at Lee Jae-won’s wretched state with a dry, hollow gaze. It was a terrible sight, but he felt not a shred of sympathy. If anything, he felt this was still insufficient to pay for his crimes. There were thirty-five official victims, and if one counted the unofficial ones, the number could easily reach triple digits. Ending such a demonic bastard here could almost be considered an act of mercy.
After staring at him for a moment...
'Let's end this.'
Sun-woo raised his sword toward the sky. He intended to put an end to that stubborn life. Joo So-yang had asked him to wait so he could be tried officially, but he didn't want to delay any longer. How could he hold back when the enemy he wanted to tear apart bone by bone lay defenseless before him?
Furthermore, he had to kill him while he had the chance. If Lee Jae-won truly possessed the World's Blessing as the Yin-Yang Demon suggested, things could get complicated if he were left alive.
'Let's end it now. All this ill-fated karma!'
Sun-woo swung his sword down, aiming for the neck.
Clang!
Suddenly, something unexpected happened. A sword flew in out of nowhere and deflected Sun-woo’s blade.
Slide.
Not only that, but Sun-woo was pushed back by the sheer counterforce of the deflection.
'What!?'
Sun-woo was stunned. The very fact that he had been forced to take a step back was incomprehensible. Who was he? He was a Transcendent who had reached the Profound Realm, an absolute being whose power even Lee Jae-won—the former World's Greatest Martial Artist—could not match.
Who could possibly push him back?
Sun-woo quickly looked forward to identify the intruder. His expression shifted to one of pure shock. A very familiar face entered his vision.
It was a man. A middle-aged man with a bold, gallant appearance. Sun-woo knew exactly who he was. How could he not? This was the senior who had guided him toward enlightenment.
"Sw... Senior Sword Man?"
Sun-woo spoke with a dazed expression.
"It’s been a while."
The middle-aged man, Sword Man, replied with a hearty smile. His face was full of warmth and welcome. Seeing this, Sun-woo’s confusion only deepened.
What on earth was happening?
*
Facing the boisterously laughing Sword Man, Sun-woo’s expression became complicated. He had so many questions.
Why had he disappeared with Lee Yeon? Why had he appeared here now? Why had he blocked his sword? Everything was a mystery. His mind was a whirlwind, and he didn't even know where to start.
After a moment of gathering his thoughts...
".......Why did you block my sword?"
Sun-woo asked the most pressing question.
"Because you shouldn't have done that," Sword Man replied calmly.
"Shouldn't have... what does that mean?"
Sun-woo’s voice turned cold. He was demanding an explanation.
"Because you can't kill him yet."
"Why not?"
"This man tortured and raped thirty-five women to death. Is it right to let him off so easily with a quick death?" Sword Man said with a gentle smile.
".....What do you plan to do with him?"
"I'm going to feed him to a monster."
"A monster!?"
Sun-woo asked back, unable to understand. He was bewildered by Sword Man’s words, unsure if he was joking or serious.
"Indeed. A very terrifying monster. Being eaten by that creature will provide him with more than enough agony."
Sword Man spoke cheerfully, looking as if he were genuinely enjoying himself.
"........I cannot allow that."
Sun-woo’s expression turned firm.
"Handing him over as food for some unknown monster? That is out of the question."
Sun-woo intended to finish Lee Jae-won once and for all. He was certain that if he didn't kill him properly, the man would return as a future calamity. He couldn't hand him over to Sword Man. Even though he deeply respected and admired the man as a senior, this was one thing he could not concede.
"I refuse. I must feed this man to the monster."
Sword Man declined with a playful expression.
"........The right to decide Lee Jae-won’s life or death belongs to me, as the one who defeated him, Senior."
Sun-woo stared at Sword Man with a fierce gaze.
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
Sword Man burst into a boisterous laugh, as if he found the situation incredibly amusing.
"Your teeth have grown quite sharp, haven't they?"
He looked at Sun-woo with an entertained glint in his eyes.
"Standing still isn't really my style," Sun-woo replied coldly.
"Good, very good."
Sword Man continued to chuckle, seemingly delighted. He slowly began to raise his sword.
"Then shall we see just how sharp those teeth are?"
He leveled his blade at Sun-woo.
"Must you...... truly do this?" Sun-woo asked, his expression grim.
"I want Lee Jae-won. And you want Lee Jae-won," Sword Man replied simply. "Two swordsmen have a conflict of will. How should we resolve it?"
Sword Man threw the question back at Sun-woo.
"............With the sword, I suppose."
"Correct."
Sword Man broke into a wide grin, clearly pleased with the answer.
"Shouldn't a swordsman carry out his will through his blade?"
Sword Man looked at Sun-woo with eyes full of competitive spirit.
"So come at me. It’s a waste of time to hesitate!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Sword Man’s figure shot forward. He moved with the blinding speed of a flash of light.