Heir: Jongchil 18

He checked his remaining strength. His mana and internal energy were down to about thirty percent.

In contrast, Hyeolgungmyeong's movements didn't seem much different from the start. It was probably because he'd absorbed Maro's blood to recover his stamina and internal energy. The martial art he'd cultivated appeared to be a superior version of the Blood Absorption Great Law.

'If I get the chance, I'd love to torture the bastard and pry that martial art out of him, but he's no pushover.'

This wasn't the time for idle thoughts. A moment's carelessness could cost him his life.

He stepped into Hyeolgungmyeong's attack range. The thick demonic energy under Hyeolgungmyeong's will pressed down on his body.

It felt like rubber bands with insane elasticity were wrapped tightly around his entire body. He had to channel his energy just to lift each foot. It was disgusting, like trudging through thick mud.

"You were slow to begin with, but now you're even slower! A turtle would laugh at you!"

The gale whipped up by Hyeolgungmyeong slammed into him head-on. He was already struggling to stay balanced under the pressure of the demonic energy, and Hyeolgungmyeong's attack threw his center of gravity way off.

This wasn't a matter of balance sense. It was physical interference. No matter how sturdy he was, if someone pressed down on him with their hands, he couldn't stand up.

'Darkness Control!'

He wrapped his body in the power of darkness. Light Control had the advantage of elemental superiority.

However, the basic gap in their power dulled the edge of Light Control's strengths. He needed another path.

Darkness Control was a power similar to Hyeolgungmyeong's demonic energy. Similar properties meant he could channel their forces in the same direction through certain applications.

Hunters with fire-based abilities could interfere with a monster's fire attacks using their own will. The same went for water-based abilities—they could control attacks from similar-attribute monsters. He applied that principle here.

The darkness energy draped over him like a cloak reacted upon contact with Hyeolgungmyeong's demonic energy. The light power from Light Control repelled it instantly, like opposite poles of a magnet, generating powerful repulsion.

The power of darkness did the opposite. It pulled in the demonic energy crushing him with vicious pressure and attempted to harmonize with it.

Though their properties were only roughly similar—with detailed differences preventing perfect fusion—the imperfect blend canceled each other out, alleviating the steel-like heavy pressure.

His range of movement widened dramatically. Not bad for a spur-of-the-moment improvisation without full confidence.

Four sword energies flew at him from the front. Up, down, left, right—all directions were covered by sword qi.

He couldn't block just one with his sword; that would leave him open to the other three. Dodging was too late.

'Darkness Armor!'

Wooong!

Trusting the skill's power, he deployed his defense.

Luckily, the surrounding darkness clung thickly to the area. For Darkness Armor—which summoned armor via darkness as a medium—this was the perfect environment to unleash 100% of its power.

The darkness draped around him like a cloak kneaded together like dough, manifesting as thick armor. It evoked the image of a Death Knight riding a spectral horse. The faint purple glow seeping out was pure style.

Kuung!

His body was pushed back. Hyeolgungmyeong's sword qi had shattered the armor in one blow. His arm not being severed was sheer luck. The armor had blocked just one attack, but that was success enough.

'Distance to Hyeolgungmyeong: now five jang!'

Attacks via projected sword qi couldn't pierce his skin. He and Maro had already proven that.

To land a hit on him—no, even just to draw his attention—he had to close into sword's-reach range.

And that was tantamount to walking bare-handed into a tiger's den. If his sword reached Hyeolgungmyeong, the bastard's sword would surely reach him too.

"After confirming this skill gap, you still come closer? There are easier ways to die, but what a stupid choice."

"Ever heard of the mantis trying to stop a cart?"

"Calling me the mantis before a charging carriage? You misjudged. You're the mantis! A punk like you is just a bug before me!"

He'd been closely observing Hyeolgungmyeong's attacks. They had patterns—ones the human Hyeolgungmyeong never showed.

'He's using the Embryo Stance, gained physical power, but his combat intelligence has dropped. Side effect of the Embryo Stance.'

It was the common drawback of berserker-type skills. And that was the only key to exploiting his openings.

'Here—he makes two sword qis with his twin blades!'

Like white steam bursting from a steam locomotive's whistle, turbid demonic energy exploded from his body.

The impure, murky demonic energy made breathing difficult. It was the prelude to the next attack.

"Die!"

The predicted attack followed. Knowing it was coming let him trace its trajectory in his mind, and knowing the trajectory let him slip into the gap.

The distance between him and Hyeolgungmyeong shrank to one meter. The demonic energy from Hyeolgungmyeong's failed strike had already flown far behind.

"What a fucking ugly mug—no mercy at all. The only contribution you'll make to humanity is dying!"

The Light Saber radiating brilliant light targeted Hyeolgungmyeong's neck.

Close range where the sword could touch instantly, the sharpness of a counterattack from a failed strike's recoil, and the penetrating power of the Light Saber.

Combining those three could deal a fatal wound even to Hyeolgungmyeong, awakened as a mantis monster. That's how he'd calculated it.

The light sword touched Hyeolgungmyeong's shoulder. He'd aimed for the neck, but Hyeolgungmyeong wasn't just watching.

He rotated his body with eerie calm—no sense he'd ever been hit by a counter. Knowing he couldn't fully dodge, compromising with just his shoulder was enemy-worthy admiration.

Puk!

The sword pierced Hyeolgungmyeong's reddish, sticky skin. A thrilling handfeel. The Light Saber's vibrations rang exaggeratedly.

'It's stuck!'

He'd tried to sever the shoulder completely but failed. The light blade wasn't sharp enough to cut through all the muscles.

Instead, like an axe poorly embedded in high-elasticity wood, the sword wouldn't come free.

He urgently dispelled the Light Saber. Being a sword shaped from light power, he could erase and reform it easily.

"You have all sorts of fun tricks, like some spell-casting geezer. Normally I'd break your fingers one by one and extract your secrets, but alas."

Hyeolgungmyeong remained nonchalant despite the blade in his neck. Or pretending to. His pupils trembled strongly for the first time. A solid hit, without doubt.

"Annoying fly. Now die."

He and Hyeolgungmyeong were close enough to touch with outstretched hands. Failing to finish him at this range meant paying the price himself.

Hyeolgungmyeong's bladed left hand pierced his heart. No dodging or anything—a perfect thrust. Even now, he couldn't see and evade it. He could barely predict and avoid.

The moment the blade pierced his heart, demonic energy crushed it. As Hyeolgungmyeong said, he had zero intention of letting him live. His vision flickered.

That was why he'd aggressively traded blows, staking his life. The all-in strike created a perfect opening against the giant Hyeolgungmyeong. Now it was Maro's turn.

"This is the next cult leader's command. Die, Hyeolgungmyeong."

With Maro's cold voice, something stabbed Hyeolgungmyeong. What Maro held was Bucephalus.

While Jongchil risked his life to create an opening, Maro recovered the Bucephalus Jongchil had thrown. It was an incredibly beautiful spear.

Its shimmering silver exterior exuded elegance without ostentation. Though a long spear slightly shorter than his height, it felt as light as a spoon in his hand. Even a woman who'd only eaten her whole life could wield it.

But what moved Maro wasn't its beauty or surprising lightness. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠It was the weapon itself.

The moment he gripped the spear, Maro knew it was no ordinary item. As a disciple of the cult leader, he'd seen plenty of rare treasures. He'd beheld multiple treasured swords worth an entire sect.

This was on another level entirely. The dignity, value, caliber—it was all different. A weapon for a heavenly sovereign. Truly befitting the term divine artifact.

Woooong!

The spear began to resonate. From Bucephalus's perspective, Maro was a far superior owner compared to his previous one.

Just as Maro grasped Bucephalus's value, the spear assessed Maro's. His unprecedented talent rivaled—no, perhaps surpassed—its former owner, Achilles.

'Amazing. It's like this spear is responding to my will. They ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠say divine artifacts have wills of their own—turns out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it wasn't nonsense from idle gossips.'

Maro gripped Bucephalus firmly. With this, he feared no frontal clash even with the Three Elders. This weapon would elevate his martial arts to greater heights. Not a guess—a certainty.

He felt no awkwardness handling the spear. He'd mastered not just the Ten Blood Asura Sword. He'd learned countless demonic arts, and he used swords simply because they were the most common weapon.

The cultists called him the Lord of Ten Thousand Weapons. Give him a sword, he'd wield it; a halberd, he'd master it. Spears were very familiar.

Woooong!

"You must be thrilled too. Your first blooding will be against the Shadow Corps leader, Hyeolgungmyeong. A giant worthy of a divine artifact like you."

A miraculous event occurred. Warm radiance from the spear enveloped his body, and his wounds vanished as if washed away. The spear's power had healed them.

"As expected, no ordinary spear."

His confidence doubled.

The Twin Black Lust Demon had fulfilled his role perfectly. While Maro retrieved the spear, he'd reliably stalled Hyeolgungmyeong—and even landed a meaningful blow.

Though he'd died pierced through the heart, it was a useful sacrifice. Maro's abacus spat out the receipt without delay.

'Perfect. The divine artifact's owner died too, and this is enough to handle the Blood Demon Army. Elixir and divine ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠artifact in one go. Ah, the heavens and earth have arranged the cult leader's seat for me.'

It felt like the whole world was on his side. Maro drew the spear and charged forward. Hyeolgungmyeong glared at him, eyes bulging.

"Young master! You've got a loyal comrade! Though your comrade's gone to hell for picking such a foolhardy friend."

"Don't worry. You'll follow soon enough. Deliver my regards there."

He swung the spear. His demonic energy pierced through it, drawing out spiderweb-thin qi threads. The invisible-fine qi strands spread explosively, enveloping Hyeolgungmyeong like a dense net.

Hyeolgungmyeong crossed his swords and swung to resist.

"It's pitiful seeing you, young master! Such shallow tricks won't work on m—Grk!"

The qi density was different. Wounds instantly appeared on skin that should have been smooth as steel.

Maro's body pursued Hyeolgungmyeong. He stepped straight forward, appearing right before his nose. Hyeolgungmyeong raised his sinister smile and bladed left hand.

"Didn't learn from your friend's obituary!?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

Hyeolgungmyeong's blade cleaved Maro's form. But instead of blood spraying and body splitting, it faded like hazy mist.

Illusory Form Substitution—or equivalent. A momentary miracle from Bucephalus. But fully comprehending and instantly applying that power was purely Maro's talent.

"Damn it! Both this punk and that one use annoying illusion tricks! Did some weird trend spread in the martial world while I wasn't looking!?"

Hyeolgungmyeong vented frustration. But that was carelessness, indulgence. Maro had appeared right behind him, spear aimed.

Spiraling demonic energy coiled at Bucephalus's tip. The faint resonance humming from the demonic energy heralded destruction.

Even the tattered surroundings seemed to fear this power; the air grew heavy for an instant. Maro's eerily glowing pupils fixed on Hyeolgungmyeong's chest—where his heart lay.

Both Maro and Hyeolgungmyeong sensed it. Even Embryo Stance-reinforced skin couldn't take this head-on.

Maro's spear shot straight like an arrow loosed from a bow. Not Jongchil's throw—a powerful thrust.

"Ghost-Slaying Spear. Blood Soul Despair Throw."

An unavoidable, deadly strike—even grazing it was dangerous. A masterpiece blow.