Chapter 44: Reality (13)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 44: Reality (13)
"Not even close, BOY! Twinkle Divine Crescent!"
I parried his fists with my sword every time they rained down. The underground mall vibrated with each collision between my internal energy-infused strikes and his steel fists.
This is getting dangerous…
My fingertips tingled each time I blocked. His attacks were growing stronger.
I swung my sword, now cloaked in sword aura, at his rapidly approaching fist.
-Screeeech!
The tip of my blade grazed his skin, producing a horrifying sound. The steel-like skin was scraped away by the sharpness of my sword aura.
I put more strength into my arms, drawing even more internal energy from my dantian.
The Japanese sword, wreathed in sword aura, cut through his skin again. This time, the wound was deeper. Blood began to stain the pink dress.
"Gaaah!"
He let out a pained scream, lifting his bleeding arm with a contorted face.
"I'm truly disappointed... BOY..."
His voice had changed. The disgusting tone from before was gone, replaced by a deep, masculine voice.
Just as he was about to charge again—
"Get out of the way!"
Im Hwa-yeon's voice rang out just in time. I immediately threw myself to the side.
"Infernal Requiem!"
Her shout echoed the moment I moved.
An incredible torrent of crimson flames erupted like an explosion. The blaze, as if surging from the depths of hell, filled the entire underground mall. An intense heat that threatened to incinerate everything swept through the area.
-BOOM!!!
"Kraaaaargh!"
A scream echoed from within the inferno. The crimson flames had completely swallowed him.
The pillars of the underground mall began to melt, and cracks spread across the ceiling. Im Hwa-yeon's flames threatened to bring the whole place down.
"Everyone, get outside!"
At Im Hwa-yeon's shout, everyone started to flee.
Through the roaring flames, the Gay Bastard's figure was revealed. His face and skin were half-melted from Im Hwa-yeon's crimson fire.
He fell to his knees, his body trembling as he touched his melted face.
"Hah, hah... My fresh face..."
He wept, fumbling at his ruined face.
"Uh oh, shit, we're fucked. The gay bastard is flipping out."
The Masked Man, who had appeared behind the gay man at some point, said in a panicked voice.
"Unforgivable... How dare you... How dare you scar my fresh face!"
His eyes filled with madness. The air around us instantly grew heavy.
An overwhelmingly powerful energy, incomparable to before, burst from his body. The floor began to vibrate, and a steely glint began to shine through his melted skin.
I had a foreboding feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Im Hwa-yeon's previously composed expression was now replaced with visible tension.
"Ah, this is annoying. This wasn't part of the plan. The Master is going to give me an earful. The gay bastard is going berserk. Withdraw immediately!"
The members of Twilight's Fang hastily retreated. The air grew even heavier as a menacing aura surged from the man's body.
"You... you did this to my beautiful face! Unforgivable!!!"
An explosive energy erupted with his scream. The walls of the underground mall vibrated and cracked.
"Kraaaaaaaaaah!"
A powerful, steely light began to shine through his melted skin. I could feel an energy on a completely different level than before.
I stared at the Gay Bastard shrieking before me. Something felt terribly wrong. Just like when I first met the Sword Empress, an overwhelming aura was pouring out of him.
The Transformation Realm...?
The same presence and pressure I had felt from the Sword Empress, I was now feeling from him.
No. If I focus, he's far below the Sword Empress.
The pressure and presence he exuded were less than the Sword Empress's, but he was dangerous nonetheless.
"Unforgivable...!"
As he muttered insanely, the surrounding air grew even heavier. At this rate, it felt like the entire underground mall would collapse.
"Do-eun, get out!"
I yelled to Jeon Do-eun, then grabbed Im Hwa-yeon and leaped up through the crumbling ceiling. Jeon Do-eun followed right behind me.
I could feel his energy growing stronger behind us. The aura bursting from the underground mall was becoming more and more ferocious.
-CRASH! CRUNCH!
The pillars of the mall began to collapse one by one. Chunks of concrete rained down from the ceiling.
"Kieeeeeek!"
His crazed voice echoed. The energy exploded from his steel-covered body.
-BOOM!!!
As we reached ground level, a massive explosion roared from below.
"Honey, look at this."
Jeon Do-eun approached, holding a criminal from Twilight's Fang she had caught at some point.
"Let's ask this guy why Gayman is acting like that."
Jeon Do-eun was smiling, but her eyes were cold. The criminal she held had a look of pure terror.
"We... we have to run! Now! If that bastard goes berserk, it's all over!" the criminal shouted, his face pale and covered in a cold sweat.
"I don't have time for this. Cut the crap and tell me why he's like this," I said in a cold voice, pressing my Japanese sword against his neck. The criminal began to tremble violently as the cold steel touched his skin.
"I'll... I'll talk! He's our experim—"
-SPLAT!
He couldn't finish his sentence. An attack from somewhere blew his head apart. The body slumped lifelessly to the ground.
"Now, now. You can't just go spilling the organization's secrets like that."
I looked up to where the voice came from and saw the Masked Man.
"You!"
Im Hwa-yeon launched a fireball at him. A blue flame cut through the air.
"Whoa. Scary."
The man twisted his body lightly to dodge the attack, then turned his back.
"Hehe, have fun with the gay bastard!"
With those parting words, he vanished into the darkness. And at that moment—
-RUUUUMBLE!
A much larger explosion erupted from below, and the ground shook violently. The windows of the surrounding buildings shattered like rain, sending sharp fragments flying in all directions.
A colossal figure rose from beneath the shattered concrete floor. His body was completely different from before. His skin, now a steely color, looked as hard as armor, and his muscles had swelled even further.
He glared at us with eyes filled only with madness.
"Kikikikik, BOY...!"
A chilling voice dripped from his lips.
"You're going to die... All of you are going to die!"
One man screamed in terror and ran without looking back.
The creature's gaze shifted to the fleeing man. A grotesque smile spread across its lips. It slowly raised a hand as it watched him run.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
The creature appeared behind the man and swung its massive arm. His head exploded like a watermelon, splattering red blood into the air.
The headless corpse fell limply to the ground. Then, the creature's gaze turned toward us.
-BOOM!!!
Its fist slammed into the spot where we had just been standing, gouging a deep crater in the asphalt.
His movements had also changed, becoming wild and bestial.
His twisted muscles and steel-coated skin were grotesquely deformed.
"Kikikiki."
Instead of words, a chilling laugh echoed. The presence emanating from his body pressed down on the air around us.
This is driving me crazy. I should've reached the Transformation Realm sooner. There are bastards like this everywhere I go.
-WHOOSH!
The moment our eyes met, he vanished. He reappeared in front of me in an instant, throwing a steel-like punch.
I barely saw the attack in time to react. I blocked it with my sword, cloaked in sword aura, but the immense impact made my arm go numb. I heard the sound of the blade cracking.
"Hwa-yeon, get back!"
Im Hwa-yeon retreated the moment I shouted. A barrage of his attacks followed.
-POW! CRUNCH! BAM!
Fists flew like a hailstorm. I was barely managing to block them with my Japanese sword, but each block sent a shockwave through my entire body.
I can't hold out like this...
The cracks in my sword were spreading faster. His attacks grew fiercer, his speed increasing.
-KRAAAAAARGH!
With a beastly roar, his fist flew toward my face. This attack felt different.
My instincts screamed not to block it. I quickly twisted my body to dodge. The pink energy erupting from the fist that grazed past me melted a nearby building.
This is really dangerous...
I glanced down at my cracked Japanese sword. It looked like it could only withstand one or two more impacts.
-RUUUUMBLE!
With another bestial roar, he charged again. This time, he attacked by swinging both arms wide, trying to grind everything to dust as he scattered pink energy like a millstone.
I barely managed to duck and avoid it. The energy erupting from his arms as they passed over my head melted the surroundings.
-BAM!
And in an instant, his foot came flying at me.
Shit...
"Flame Surge!"
"Thunder!"
Im Hwa-yeon's blue flames and Jeon Do-eun's lightning shot out simultaneously. The two abilities intersected, creating a green explosion.
-BOOOOM!
The massive explosion engulfed the creature. The combined attack of fire and lightning burned and seared its steel-like skin.
"Grrrk!"
He staggered for a moment. His steely skin glowed red-hot, but only for an instant.
-KRAAAAAARGH!
With a beastly roar, his killing intent intensified. The ground vibrated as an immense pressure crushed the area.
"Everyone, scatter!"
At my shout, we all split up in different directions. For a moment, he seemed to hesitate, deciding who to chase.
-WHOOSH!
But he soon charged straight for me. In the blink of an eye, his fist was upon me.
-BOOM!
I barely dodged, but the mere shockwave from it was immense. The air where his fist had passed tore apart, and the wall of a building caved in.
"Inferno Burst!"
"Lightning Strike!"
Im Hwa-yeon's and Jeon Do-eun's attacks flew in from both sides. Blue flames and lightning crossed paths, striking the creature.
-BOOOOM!
But he broke right through the attack. His steely skin glowed red, but he seemed to have taken no significant damage.