Chapter 434: The Start of the War (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 434: The Start of the War (5)
Time rewound to the moment Dermier swung his sword at Kang Hyun-woo.
The instant the storm of Aura Blades rushed toward him, Kang Hyun-woo forced his broken magic circuit to activate.
He had no time to worry about the excruciating pain that followed.
Just after a full-power Barrier and Protective Aura enveloped his body, a massive impact struck him.
Shatter—!
The Barrier didn't last a second before breaking apart.
The power of his opponent's strike had far surpassed his imagination.
Realizing he would die at this rate, Kang Hyun-woo immediately abandoned his defense and gripped the hilt of his sword.
The problem, however, was that his stance was unstable, as he had no ground beneath his feet.
Swinging his sword in this state, he knew it wouldn't have its usual power.
[Thought Transcendence]
In that instant, time began to slow.
His depleted mental power made his brain feel like it was tearing apart, but thanks to Extreme Blood, he could forget the pain for a moment.
Within the slowed time, Kang Hyun-woo closed his eyes and recalled the past.
He remembered how Vajra Divine Monk had casually used the empty air as a foothold, walking about and swinging his sword.
'I thought he was walking by using condensed qi as a foothold, but he said that wasn't it.'
In fact, nine out of ten masters who reached the realm of Sky-Treading Steps (虛空踏步) used their qi in that way, but Vajra Divine Monk had pointed out that it was the wrong method.
“A martial artist (武人) must never mistake what is visible to the naked eye for the entirety of the world. Does it look to you like I am walking on empty air right now?”
“...You're not?”
“Wrong.”
Vajra Divine Monk descended from the air and walked as he normally would.
“What about now?”
“Aren't you just walking?”
“Correct. But just a moment ago, you said I was walking on empty air.”
“...But you were actually floating.”
“Wrong.”
Vajra Divine Monk scowled in displeasure and flicked Kang Hyun-woo's forehead.
“Do not forget. To transcend your limits, you must learn how to see the world. If you will it to be the ground, it will become the ground. Even the cosmos beyond the sky is no different.”
Kang Hyun-woo recalled Vajra Divine Monk's advice, which had gone in one ear and out the other at the time.
In short, he meant not to focus on the act of walking on air.
What was important was how one perceived the world.
'Hoo...'
It was an enlightenment he would never have reached under normal circumstances.
After all, standing in mid-air was a simple matter with magic.
But ironically, now that he couldn't use magic due to his injured magic circuit, enlightenment came to him.
Step—
Though it still looked incredibly unstable, Kang Hyun-woo had succeeded in using the empty air as a foothold to correct his stance.
Kiiiiing!!!
A golden aura surged forth.
With a clarity of mind sharper than ever before, Kang Hyun-woo unleashed the Formless Sword Art.
Formless Sword Art (無相劍訣), Formless Moon (無月), Slash (斬).
Kagagagak!!!!
Countless slashes flew toward the massive storm.
Kang Hyun-woo swung his sword without rest, his own attacks meeting the storm until his Barrier could finally withstand the force. He had succeeded.
Thud—
After crashing to the ground, Kang Hyun-woo immediately used the Ghost Divine Art (幽靈神功) to hide himself within the thick cloud of dust.
To avoid being detected by Dermier, he forced his magic power and internal energy deep inside his body, even suppressing the divine power that was trying to heal his injuries on its own.
Then, he took a potion from his inventory and downed it. It wasn't enough to heal him completely, but being able to move without major issues was sufficient.
'All that training, day and night, paid off.'
Kang Hyun-woo smiled in satisfaction at Dermier's inability to find him.
Not long ago, his Ghost Divine Art had successfully reached 5-stars.
It was a result made possible by the impatience of not wanting to fall behind Tina's dazzling achievements.
And so, Kang Hyun-woo hid within the dust cloud, holding his breath and waiting quietly for an opportunity.
For the moment Dermier showed an opening.
And that patience soon returned a valuable reward.
The moment Dermier completely lowered his guard, Kang Hyun-woo swung his sword from a blind spot his senses couldn't reach.
Slice—
“Kuhk...?!”
A masterless arm flew through the night sky.
Kang Hyun-woo, who had intended to follow up immediately, clicked his tongue as he watched Dermier quickly create distance.
But he wasn't too disappointed.
“First, the left arm.”
Kang Hyun-woo stomped on the severed left arm, as if mocking the now one-armed man.
At the sight, Dermier's face twisted savagely. At the same time, however, his eyes trembled faintly.
“How in the world did you survive?!”
“Lavinia gave me a blowjob in the underworld.”
“You son of a bitch...!!”
Grind—
Was it because of the rage from losing an arm in a surprise attack?
Or was it for some other reason?
Fwoosh!!
In that instant, a tremendous amount of blood poured from the stump of his severed arm.
A mass of blood, easily dozens of liters, writhed bizarrely before it began to take shape.
It was an arm.
Kang Hyun-woo narrowed his eyes at the sight of Dermier instantly restoring his left arm.
Fwaaah—!!!
Immediately after, a wave of demonic energy erupted from Dermier, sweeping through the surrounding area.
It was an absurd energy that forced every sense in one's body to stand on end.
But Kang Hyun-woo's expression wasn't particularly grave.
It was simply frozen solid.
Dermier wasn't the only one who was enraged.
—If it weren't for the order to prioritize quantity over quality, I wouldn't have cared how many died. This has become a nuisance. Still, the Grand Duke and the young lady should make for decent sacrifices.
Behind his calmer-than-ever eyes, an unconcealable fighting spirit flickered.
He couldn't care less about his father-in-law, but after hearing that Amelia would be used as a sacrifice, he could no longer suppress his emotions as before.
—!!!!
In that moment, Kang Hyun-woo's explosively increased energy spread out in all directions, beginning to crush Dermier's.
Dermier couldn't help but be flustered by his opponent's momentum, which not only overwhelmed the demonic energy dominating the area but also sought to invade his own domain.
Amidst the clash of golden aura and demonic energy, it was Kang Hyun-woo who moved first.
Charging at Dermier, Kang Hyun-woo swung the Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword, now wreathed in a golden Aura Blade.
Noticing that his opponent's presence was distinctly different from before, Dermier consumed his blood to strengthen his Aura Blade.
Kwaaaaang!!!
A fierce gale raged from the collision of the two men.
But before long, bewilderment filled Dermier's eyes. They had exchanged only a few blows, yet Kang Hyun-woo was already starting to push Dermier back.
It was a completely different dynamic than before.
[Extreme Blood (極血)]
'...I'll end this in five minutes.'
Along with the overall increase in his physical abilities, his stamina began to drain rapidly.
Not to be outdone, Dermier also consumed a large amount of blood to enhance his own physical abilities.
The words 'decisive battle' came to mind, and the two swung their swords even faster.
Clang, claaang, klang!!!
Sparks flew in all directions as they fought for their lives.
But Dermier was feeling extreme rage at the current situation.
'Kuhk...! To think I'm struggling against a mere human...!! Dammit!!'
He could tell because their swords were crossed.
Though they were both accumulating wounds, Kang Hyun-woo's attacks were growing fiercer with each passing moment.
So much so that it was becoming difficult to handle.
It was as if he were continuing to grow, even in this very instant.
Dermier found that fact utterly impossible to accept.
Shwwiik!!
“Kuk?!”
In that moment, Kang Hyun-woo's sword slashed across Dermier's waist.
Judging by the amount of blood, it wasn't a wound he could simply ignore.
Left with no choice, Dermier consumed his blood to rapidly heal the wound. At the same time, he drew upon his demonic energy to break Kang Hyun-woo's stance.
—!!!!
The crimson-black demonic energy exploded, creating a tremendous repulsive force.
It was the same technique that had sent Kang Hyun-woo flying back hundreds of meters just moments ago.
However, Kang Hyun-woo, who had anticipated this, decided to entrust his body to the explosion.
Having experienced the technique once before, he knew that the damage from the blast could be sufficiently offset by his Protective Aura.
Therefore, instead of being thrown backward, he chose to fly up into the sky.
Watching Kang Hyun-woo shoot dozens of meters into the air in an instant, Dermier gave a bloodthirsty smile.
'Foolish bastard. Does he think he can escape by relying on his paltry magic? His judgment is as immature as his age.'
Drrrrr—!!!
In that instant, immense demonic energy and aura began to swirl around Dermier's greatsword. At the same time, he consumed all of his remaining blood to amplify that energy even further.
A force surpassing even the blow that had threatened Kang Hyun-woo's life moments ago shook the entire Eastern Plains.
Watching the scene from high in the sky, Kang Hyun-woo slowly closed his eyes.
Not creating a foothold in the air by condensing qi, but breaking free from fixed notions, making no distinction between Heaven and Earth (天地), and perceiving the world solely as he wished.
Even without using Thought Transcendence, everything except Kang Hyun-woo's thoughts began to slow down.
Dermier didn't notice, but Kang Hyun-woo's falling speed was also gradually decreasing.
And before long, he was standing in mid-air.
Upside down, at that.
But his hair did not fall.
It was as if the laws of gravity were working in reverse.
Kiiiiing!!!
A golden and an inky-black aura rose in harmony above the Heaven-Shattering Demonic Sword.
In this very moment, the Formless Vajra Art (無相金剛訣) surpassed 6-stars and reached the realm of 7-stars.
Formless Aura (無相罡氣).
An energy that can only be wielded by one who has reached the Gate of Emptiness Liberation (空解脫門), one of the Three Gates of Liberation (三解脫門).
Kang Hyun-woo's pupils were half-lidded, radiating a pure white divinity in all directions.
Having entered the State of Selflessness (沒我), he observed his own inner world.
Meanwhile, Dermier looked up at Kang Hyun-woo, the sole shining figure under a night sky where the moon was hidden by thick, dark clouds.
What lay behind Dermier's eyes as he watched him was clear enmity.
“...You are not a hero, but a monster.”
Kugugugugu—
An Aura Blade, condensed with all his demonic energy and aura, rose from Dermier's greatsword.
Before that immense energy, even space itself lost its form and distorted.
“Die here.”
Dragonia Swordsmanship, 7th Form.
Dragon Slayer.
Dermier swung his sword toward the sky.
A colossal slash, powerful enough to tear the night sky asunder, flew toward Kang Hyun-woo. If it hit directly, it was obvious he would be turned into a handful of dust.
But Kang Hyun-woo neither blocked nor dodged.
He simply watched the approaching slash with an indifferent expression, gripping the hilt of his sword.
It was a technique he had used before.
But this time, something was different.
Vajra (金剛), Asura (修羅), Rolling Thunder (翻雷).
In a sense of unity, as if all the energies in his dantian were merging into one, an aura clearer than ever before rose up, truly looking as if it would split the sky in half.
The moment Kang Hyun-woo swung his sword—
Formless Sword Art (無相劍訣), Genesis (開闢).
The night sky split apart.
“Uweck...!”
Dermier vomited a mouthful of crimson blood.
As the price for unleashing a blow that surpassed his limits, his internal organs had ruptured, and his Aura Heart was on the verge of bursting.
His brain throbbed as if it would tear apart from overusing his Authority, and he had exhausted all the blood he had stored.
He was practically a living corpse.
But he didn't care.
“Khuhuhuhu...”
Dermier was certain.
He had eliminated the strongest and worst enemy who would one day stand in Malefis's way.
If it meant he could achieve the noble ideal of resurrecting the true master of this world, an injury like this was a small price to pay.
“...Killing Lavinia, who inherited Lady Lulucia's Authority, was certainly a painful loss, but even considering that—”
BOOM!!
Just as Dermier's smile continued, something fell through the dark clouds.
From within the thick, spreading dust, none other than Kang Hyun-woo emerged.
Staring at Kang Hyun-woo standing before him, Dermier's eyes trembled more violently than ever.
He didn't even have the strength to lift a finger.
“Don't you demon worshippers have any ability to learn?”
“...Dammit.”
Toward him, Kang Hyun-woo unleashed a palm strike (一掌) condensed with immense energy.
Vajra Tathagata Demon-Subduing Divine Palm (金剛如來降魔神掌).
—!!!!!!!!
In that moment, the sound of a Buddhist Dharma bell, meant to guide the wicked, echoed throughout the Eastern Plains.