Chapter 432: The Start of the War (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 432: The Start of the War (3)
Kang Hyun-woo stared at the man before him, not letting his guard down for a second.
A high-ranking Aura Master.
Based on his knowledge, he had expected the man to be at the early stages of the Flower Realm at best, but theory and reality were always two different things.
‘…Is he at the peak of the Flower Realm?’
He felt as if he could be cut by the man’s sharply honed presence alone.
What’s more, the Blessing of the Demon Hunter wasn’t reacting, which meant he hadn’t even revealed his demonic power yet.
Kang Hyun-woo realized his opponent was a greater challenge than Old Monster Mangong, whom he had faced in the past.
Furthermore, unlike Lavinia, who fought based on her powerful authority, Dermier was a knight who had reached his realm through relentless, rigorous training.
This situation wouldn't unfold as favorably as his fight against Lavinia.
“Impressive. To think that a mage who can single-handedly cast tactical-level magic is also an outstanding knight. I’d like to hear your name before I take your head.”
On the surface, it sounded like a question born of goodwill, but Kang Hyun-woo didn’t answer.
He could feel more clearly than anyone that the man’s gaze was filled with endless killing intent and fighting spirit.
“So you choose silence.”
The two men glared at each other, hands gripping the hilts of their swords.
A heavy silence descended as they engaged in a battle of nerves where neither would yield an inch.
Though they hadn’t moved a single step, they were already locked in a fierce exchange, their energies spreading out in all directions.
And on the seventy-third exchange, a single bead of cold sweat trickled down Kang Hyun-woo’s forehead.
His opponent’s skill was far greater than he had anticipated.
‘As a knight, is he even better than Lancelot…?’
Lancelot would be furious enough to bleed from every orifice if he heard that from hell, but what could he do? It was the truth.
If you don’t like it, get stronger.
In any case, unlike Dermier, who was in perfect condition, Kang Hyun-woo had sustained injuries to his magic circuits from casting tactical-level magic and couldn’t use magic for the time being.
Fortunately, it didn’t significantly hinder his ability to circulate his internal energy. The problem was that his opponent was far too strong to handle with an injured body.
At that moment, the divine power of the World Tree, which he had briefly withdrawn for a stealthy retreat, began to envelop his entire body.
In addition, the ring the saintess had given him drastically increased his natural healing ability.
Watching this, Dermier’s eyes narrowed.
“That divine power… Don’t tell me you’re a remnant of the Goddess’s cult.”
Kang Hyun-woo didn’t reply.
He felt there was no need.
“If you won’t answer, then die a martyr.”
“?!”
Clang!
In that instant, sparks flew between the two.
Kang Hyun-woo calmly blocked the strike from Dermier, who had closed the distance in a flash, and immediately widened the gap between them.
Close-quarters combat was dangerous against a greatsword user.
‘—Or so you’d think.’
The moment Kang Hyun-woo landed, he tensed the muscles in his lower body to their absolute limit.
Then, he charged back toward the approaching Dermier.
Dermier smiled with interest at Kang Hyun-woo’s bold charge and swung his greatsword.
“Are you trying to have a contest of strength?”
Back in the Empire, this was a man who used to beat high-level magical beasts living on snowy mountains to death with his bare hands.
It was only natural for him to scoff at the sight of Kang Hyun-woo, who was smaller than him, charging head-on.
But that smile didn’t last long.
Crack—!!
[Extreme Blood (極血)]
The blood flow in Kang Hyun-woo’s body accelerated explosively, and the muscles all over his body swelled in an instant.
Noticing that his opponent’s aura was anything but ordinary, Dermier increased his speed, but he still couldn’t be faster than Kang Hyun-woo, who wielded a straight sword.
CRRRRAAAAASSH!!!
A deafening roar that was hard to believe came from the clash of two swords shook the heavens and the earth.
The two figures that shot out from the thick cloud of dust were both pushed back, but it was clear to anyone that Dermier had been sent flying farther.
At that, Kang Hyun-woo smiled, and Dermier’s expression hardened.
“…Playtime is over.”
Vwooom—
At that moment, a blood-red Aura Blade bloomed over Dermier’s greatsword.
Kang Hyun-woo also gripped his Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword and emitted a golden Aura. The intensified demon-breaking energy made Dermier frown.
There was an old saying: All streams flow to the same sea.
Although internal energy cultivation and mana training were fundamentally different disciplines, the two men, who now faced each other on the path to their final destination, had ironically reached the same realm, just by different names.
Of course, Kang Hyun-woo’s realm was somewhat unstable, but his presence didn’t lose out in the slightest to Dermier, a high-ranking Aura Master, as he stared him down.
Immediately after, the two figures vanished.
BOOM!!!
A fierce gale erupted where they collided, strong enough to uproot deeply rooted trees and plants.
A single moment’s mistake could cost one their life.
Kang Hyun-woo focused more intensely than ever before as he unleashed his sword.
Vweeeeeee!!!
The golden Aura emitted a brilliant light, making the very air tremble.
Formless Sword Art (無相劍訣), Broad Moon (廣月).
—!!!
A slash that seemed to split the sky surged toward Dermier.
Its power was extraordinary, but he didn’t even blink.
With an agility that belied his large frame, he dodged the slash while simultaneously correcting his posture, wielding the greatsword that must have weighed dozens of kilos as if it were an extension of his own body.
—Dragonia Swordsmanship, Fourth Form.
Rumble—
His seething aura rose like red steam.
Seeing this, Kang Hyun-woo abandoned the option of dodging. He tightened his grip on his sword’s hilt and drew upon his internal energy.
Dragon Hunt.
Formless Sword Art (無相劍訣), Formless Moon (無月).
KAGAGAGAGAK!!!!
Their sword strikes collided, creating countless slashes.
The earth bore the scars of their battle, and in an instant, a radius of several dozen meters was utterly devastated.
Yet they did not stop.
On the contrary, as if their warm-up was over, they moved even faster, swinging their swords to take each other’s lives, to seize victory.
Vweeeeeee!!!!
Dragonia Swordsmanship, Fifth Form.
Formless Sword Art (無相劍訣).
“Dragon Slash.”
“Six Voids (六虛).”
—!!!!!
*
The rebel army’s camp was thrown into utter chaos by the surprise night attack.
The survivors were tallying the number of dead and injured, but even after the count surpassed six thousand, there was no end in sight.
“Fuck!”
Crash—
Marquis Kailix, the leader and commander of the rebel army, couldn’t contain his temper at the current situation and cursed loudly.
The table overturned, spilling precious black tea onto the floor, but no one blamed him.
They all felt like doing the same.
The Duchy’s army was clearly outnumbered by the rebel forces.
When they had abandoned the siege and established a defensive line on the eastern plains, it was somewhat predictable that they would attempt a surprise attack.
But tactical-level magic?
It was a terrifying display of power that might have wiped out their main camp in one blow if they hadn’t erected a barrier in preparation for a magical bombardment.
Of course, despite their efforts, an entire legion had effectively been rendered combat-ineffective.
There were even several knights among the dead and seriously wounded.
The rebel nobles, who had intended to crush the Duchy’s army with their overwhelming numbers, were about to lose their minds.
‘…Tsk.’
Watching them, Birelsion clicked his tongue inwardly.
His complexion was pale enough to be noticed at a glance; he had suffered internal injuries from forcefully drawing out his mana to protect the main camp.
But to him, that was of little importance right now.
The fact that the enemy mage’s surprise attack had succeeded despite his presence wounded his pride.
If he could, he would have followed Dermier to deal with the attackers himself, but his inability to do so was a source of deep regret.
Though that frustration remained in a corner of his heart, he wasn’t worried.
‘He’s a ridiculously stubborn superior, but he’s also ridiculously strong.’
Since one of the top five monsters in the Eustaff Empire had personally stepped forward, Birelsion had no doubt that none of the enemy would survive.
Therefore, he stopped paying attention to the meeting and returned directly to his barracks.
Treating his internal injuries in preparation for the all-out battle tomorrow was his top priority.
*
Clang—!!
With a soft yet sharp metallic sound, Kang Hyun-woo and Dermier once again created distance between them.
They had already exchanged hundreds of life-threatening blows.
Small scratches remained all over both of their bodies.
Dermier looked at a particularly deep gash on his forearm and narrowed his eyes.
Crrrack…!!!
In that instant, he performed the incredible feat of stopping the bleeding by contracting his muscles.
It was a rather brutish method, but in a real battle, nothing was more important than efficiency.
Seeing this, Kang Hyun-woo couldn’t help but click his tongue.
In contrast, fresh blood was still flowing from Kang Hyun-woo’s wounds. Even with the saintess’s ring and divine power healing him, the cuts from an Aura Blade were not so easily restored.
“Ptui.”
Despite this, the light in Kang Hyun-woo’s eyes had not died.
If anything, it burned even more fiercely as he radiated fighting spirit.
At this sight, Dermier was inwardly amazed.
‘…He’s in his early twenties at most. And yet he has this level of skill.’
Even if he was an enemy, his talent was incredibly covetable.
What if that talent could be used for the Empire, and by extension, for Malefis?
Though he didn’t show it, Dermier began to feel a rare sense of excitement.
“I have a proposal.”
“Fuck off.”
A sharp response came back instantly.
But Dermier didn’t comment on it. It was a universal truth that the more talented someone was, the more rebellious they tended to be.
“Take my hand. If you do, I will make you the strongest. You have what it takes to transcend the limits of the human body and reach the realm of a Transcendent.”
Transcendence.
The supreme realm that every knight and mage dreamed of.
8th Circle Archmages and Grand Aura Masters belonged to this category.
However, there were currently no Transcendent beings on the continent. Officially, that is.
Kang Hyun-woo felt like giving him the finger, but if his opponent was offering him a chance to catch his breath, there was no reason to refuse.
“Is that proposal to join the Empire? Or is it Malefis?”
“…There seem to be many surprises today.”
Dermier’s eyes widened.
Showing a rare display of emotion, he smiled with interest.
“I’d like to ask the source of your information… but that can wait.”
Thunk.
Dermier stabbed his greatsword into the ground and spoke as he lightly stretched.
“To answer your question, both are correct.”
“…What?”
“Pledge your loyalty to the Empire. And join Malefis and offer your body and soul for the sake of His resurrection.”
“…”
For a moment, Kang Hyun-woo couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
His words made it sound as if the Eustaff Empire and Malefis were one and the same.
‘…No way.’
As the worst-case hypothesis he had formed based on the information gleaned from Lavinia’s memories became a reality, Kang Hyun-woo found it difficult to remain calm.
But he soon collected himself.
Even if it were true, nothing would change.
“…Am I allowed to join Malefis?”
“Hm? Ah, of course. He is generous. Even if you are a remnant of the Goddess’s cult, you need only receive His great grace and become an apostate.”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
Kang Hyun-woo trailed off, a meaningful smile on his face.
He then took a small cloth bundle from his inventory and tossed it toward Dermier.
The bundle flew in a gentle arc and landed at Dermier’s feet.
After confirming it held no particular magic, he nudged it with the tip of his boot.
The knot came undone, and the contents rolled out like a ball.
“?!!!”
In that instant, Dermier was horrified.
What had rolled out of the bundle was none other than Lavinia’s severed head.
“You’d still let me join, even after I killed one of your executives?”
Kang Hyun-woo grinned, deliberately provoking his anger.
Having learned from Lavinia’s memories that another Malefis executive was involved with the rebel army, Kang Hyun-woo had intentionally kept her head to use as a taunt.
And his intention was a resounding success.
BOOOOM—!!!!
An immense amount of killing intent and demonic energy exploded from Dermier, spreading in all directions.
The condensed red demonic energy took form, instantly dyeing the surrounding space crimson.
His appearance, having revealed his demonic power, could no longer be called human.
“…I rescind my previous offer.”
His skin turned blood-red, goat horns grew from his head, and his eyes were consumed by blackness.
He was truly a demon descended upon the mortal world.
The surrounding flora and fauna trembled as if in fear.
“Instead, from this moment on, I will kill you with all my might—”
CRACK!!!
Before Dermier could even finish his sentence, a golden slash flew toward him.
It wasn’t a simple slash. It was a condensation of explosive energy that defied description.
Dermier immediately raised his sword to block it.
But even though he had read the attack and defended in advance, he couldn’t withstand the massive impact and was pushed back.
‘…Impossible.’
To think that he, having unleashed the power of a great demon, was pushed back—he couldn’t help but be shocked by this fact.
Dermier slowly raised his head and looked at Kang Hyun-woo.
He was now emitting a much stronger aura than before.
It was as if he had become a different person.
“You cowardly bastard. How can a man go back on his word?”
Ting—
[The Devil Slayer has detected demonic energy.]
[The Blessing of the Demon Hunter has been bestowed.]
The light in Kang Hyun-woo’s eyes, fixed on Dermier, had turned pure white.
The holy divinity revealed its power, seeking to push back the might of the demon.
“You and your damn cult.”