Chapter 361
Chapter 361
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 95
>Chapter Title: Treasure Pearl (2)
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"Mortal? You don't mean again, do you?"
Cheongryeong, who had reached out demanding the cracked Precious Bead, clicked her tongue in disbelief.
The moment he touched the Precious Bead, his eyes glazed over.
He had clearly fallen into a trance.
She had no idea what mysterious power the Precious Bead held that it kept pulling even someone with strong mental fortitude into a trance state.
Under normal circumstances, she might not have minded, but right now, there was no time for this.
Cheongryeong was about to place her hand on him to wake Mok Kyung-un, having manifested herself...
'...This expression is a new one.'
It was a face she rarely saw on him.
Staring intently at Mok Kyung-un's vacant eyes, Cheongryeong soon shook her head side to side and hurriedly tried to rouse him.
But it was right then.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, flames flickered and burst from the hand of Mok Kyung-un, who gripped the Precious Bead.
Cheongryeong's eyes widened at the sight.
It was no ordinary flame.
The fire was so black it evoked the image of an abyss.
Seeing it, her face filled with shock.
'Black Flame? What... is this?'
Whoosh!
At that moment, the black flames that had ignited from the hand clutching the Precious Bead began spreading across his entire body.
But just as the black flames were about to spread, they suddenly subsided.
Then, as if it had never happened, they vanished completely.
The flames had only appeared for the briefest instant.
'What?'
What was that just now?
* * *
-I am a fragment of the Core. Nothing more than a piece of you.
'A fragment of the Core?'
What did that mean?
As he wondered, the flames climbed up the arms of the black flame-wreathed figure that resembled him, transferring directly onto his body.
At this bizarre phenomenon, Mok Kyung-un tried to move, but his body wouldn't budge.
Instead, the moment the black flames touched him, he was seized by a strange sensation.
It felt like an endless abyss of darkness, and though it was fire, it was chillingly cold rather than hot.
What was even stranger was that this sensation felt familiar, not new.
As the flames spread across his body, it brought a vague sense of familiarity.
Whoosh!
As the black flames enveloped his entire body, a surge of exhilaration rose from within, along with something else welling up.
It was at that moment, as he sought to fully savor the black flames.
Swish!
Someone placed a hand on his shoulder.
-I'll take this for now.
'!?'
Whoosh!
The black flames spreading across his body suddenly gathered toward his shoulder.
Then, they burned away completely, as if fully consumed.
Bewildered by what had just happened, the figure that looked just like him, who had placed its hand on Mok Kyung-un's, furrowed its brow and spoke.
-You? You existed?
-I did.
A familiar voice.
No, not just familiar—it was the exact same voice.
At the voice identical to his own from the figure that resembled him perfectly, Mok Kyung-un tried desperately to turn his head.
But his body remained locked in place, as if restrained.
Then,
-Sorry, but the time hasn't come yet.
'What?'
-No. Even without this, your potential surpasses mine.
'What are you talking about...'
-Everything depends on your mindset. It all comes down to your will to act.
'What exactly are you?'
-Well... You'll know everything soon enough.
Swish!
With those words, the presence removed its hand from Mok Kyung-un's shoulder.
Mok Kyung-un promptly lost consciousness.
Swish...
The form of the unconscious Mok Kyung-un scattered and vanished.
As Mok Kyung-un disappeared, the one beside him stepped forward—it was no different from Mok Kyung-un.
No, it was him exactly.
Gazing at it, the being that had called itself a fragment of the Core spoke.
-An incomprehensible choice. You even separated your personality?
-Something like that.
-Wasn't that an unnecessary choice?
-It was necessary.
-A choice made because you couldn't endure it?
-...
-I see. But why block it from absorbing the energy left in the fragment? Wasn't this a contingency for that very purpose?
In response to the being's question, the one who was Mok Kyung-un himself shook his head.
-The time isn't right yet. It's too soon for him to handle this.
-Too soon? He's grown remarkably strong despite being incomplete.
-He's still lacking. If he absorbs the fragment's energy unprepared and reveals it, even those beyond will notice.
-!!!!!
At those words, a glint appeared in the eyes of the one who called itself the Core fragment.
Then, speaking as if finally understanding, it said,
-...I see. That's why you blocked it.
-Yes.
-Now I get it.
-Get what?
-Why make such an unnecessary move? It wasn't just because you couldn't endure it.
-...
-It was all necessary.
No sooner had it finished speaking than the body of the Core fragment began to scatter and dissipate.
To it, the one who was Mok Kyung-un himself clasped his hands in a courteous fist salute.
-What is that?
-This is how respect is shown here.
-Respect... A fine word. With my task done, I feel unburdened, and now even pleased. Is this the meaning of existence?
With those words, a smile formed on the dissipating being's face.
And that smile faded into the dispersion.
* * *
Crack...
At that moment, the cracked Precious Bead shattered, crumbling like sand.
"Huh?"
Regaining his senses, Mok Kyung-un frowned at the sight.
He hadn't expected the Precious Bead to shatter completely.
Staring at it, Mok Kyung-un's mind grew complicated.
The events in the trance were even harder to define than what he'd seen before.
What was the Core fragment, and what was that suddenly appearing presence?
[What exactly are you?]
[Well... You'll know everything soon enough.]
That tone of voice.
Though it hadn't shown its face, he remembered.
It was undoubtedly the presence that had once taken over his body.
From the sensation back then to the exact tone, he remembered clearly enough to be certain.
What exactly is this presence inside me?
It clearly existed, yet after briefly encountering it in the trance, his mind grew even more tangled.
Then,
-Mortal, you... What was that just now?
Cheongryeong suddenly thrust her face close and asked.
Mok Kyung-un, puzzled, countered.
"What do you mean?"
-Black Flame.
"Black Flame?"
-Yes. That was definitely...
"Definitely?"
-That... Ugh! No. No, absolutely not. What are you, mortal?
"I wouldn't know how to answer if you ask me like that."
-Just now, your body was engulfed in black flames. Of course, they extinguished in an instant the moment they appeared.
"They extinguished in an instant?"
-Yes. What happened?
-"...If you're asking about the black flames, I have no idea. The things that happened in the trance are even harder to explain than before."
At Mok Kyung-un's words, Cheongryeong bit her lip hard.
Then, she let out a long sigh.
To her, Mok Kyung-un said with sharpened eyes.
"For now, we should talk about the black flames later."
At his words, Cheongryeong looked where Mok Kyung-un was gazing.
There, a swordsman covered head to toe in the green blood of the Earth Dragon beasts approached with terrifying momentum.
Mok Kyung-un handed her the powder of the shattered Precious Bead.
It had lost its form, but it seemed best to keep it for now.
-Can you handle him alone?
"I'll have to."
-Having absorbed two or more True Essences, that thing can hardly be called human anymore. Yes, it's close to true immortality.
"Who knows. Let's test it."
-Test?
"How to kill it."
Flash!
No sooner had he spoken than Mok Kyung-un shot toward the approaching swordsman.
The swordsman's morale and battle intent, having massacred the monstrous Earth Dragons, had reached its peak.
His momentum had surged tremendously.
Whoosh!
Flames rippled across his broadsword, as if ready to spew forth at any moment.
"Let's end this here, Heavenly Demon!"
Swish swish swish!
'Third Stance: Blade Extreme Net Purity!'
The swordsman's flame-shrouded broadsword traced an unnatural trajectory impossible for any ordinary blade stroke, charging toward Mok Kyung-un.
Mok Kyung-un calmly observed it.
Swish swish swish!
The blade strokes spread out, expanding into a massive net that densely filled every direction.
The range spanned eight paces, vast beyond measure.
It was a blazing Blade Web itself—there was no escape.
Shing!
Though the immense momentum of the blade strokes could overwhelm anyone, Mok Kyung-un drew his demon sword Akjeok without a flicker of change in his expression.
Having drawn his sword, Mok Kyung-un then traced the blade upward from the base with his left hand in sword mudra.
At that instant,
Swoosh!
The sword began emanating an extreme yin chill.
The flowing chill mingled with demonic energy, transforming into a black cold wave.
'He wields chill energy?'
The swordsman inwardly stuck out his tongue at the sight.
The fire energy gained from absorbing the Fire Kirin's True Essence possessed the greatest destructive power among spirit beasts, without exaggeration.
He had planned to seize victory in one fell swoop by infusing his blade with this fire energy, yet he hadn't expected this foe—who hadn't absorbed any True Essence—to wield the polar opposite chill energy.
'But that energy isn't from a True Essence, so it must be merely temporary power.'
Whoosh!
In the end, he held the advantage if they clashed.
Thus, the flaming blade strokes met the chill-infused sword strokes.
Clang clang clang clang clang clang clang!
The sword strokes Mok Kyung-un unleashed were the First Stance of the Demonic Sword Art.
There was no need to block the entire wide area.
Since the net formed by the blade wasn't entirely attacking him, protecting himself was sufficient.
Clang clang clang clang clang!
The fiercely clashing fire and chill energies, true to their polar opposition, produced thick steam.
As the steam rose, the surroundings were soon shrouded in white mist.
The swordsman's expression, locked in stance exchange, turned peculiar.
'What?'
He had unleashed an overwhelming assault drawing fully on the True Essence's power, yet he wasn't being pushed back at all.
If anything, the energy felt stronger than before.
What was this?
'Had his internal energy increased?'
No, that couldn't be.
How could his internal energy increase this much in such a short time?
This was impossible.
Clang clang clang!
The swordsman's eyes narrowed as their blades clashed.
Had the steam made him see things wrong? Something like steam was rising from Mok Kyung-un's entire body too.
Even his face was flushed red.
Hiss!
Could this be why his stance had gained even more momentum?
He didn't know what technique it was, but temporarily boosting energy like this would only disadvantage him as time passed.
And then,
Clang clang clang! Clang!
The swordsman, executing blade strokes, suddenly shifted into a variation, twisting his waist and spinning his blade.
In that moment, a vortex of flames erupted around him.
'Sixth Stance: Coiling Dragon Ascends to Heaven!'
An absolute technique that created a vortex with blade momentum to constrict and pressure the opponent.
But in that instant,
Thud!
Mok Kyung-un's form split into two.
He had divided his form with the Wind God Step.
One of the split Mok Kyung-un forms,
Boom!
Stamped down forcefully and pulled back his sword toward the flame vortex the swordsman had created, then thrust it forward.
Immediately,
Swish swish swish swish swish swish!
From the sword tip, a vortex of black chill energy surged toward the swordsman's vortex.
This was none other than the Chasing Shadow Return Sword.
Clang clang clang clang clang!
The flame and pitch-black chill vortexes created by the two supreme masters clashed violently.
Their power was evenly matched.
Yet, amid the vortexes flew a single silhouette.
It was the afterimage of Mok Kyung-un, split via the Wind Shadow Second Class lightness skill of the Wind God Step.
Flinch!
The swordsman instinctively realized what Mok Kyung-un intended.
It was surely that.
The single sword strike gathering all power into one point.
His eyes sharpened.
'That must be your greatest single strike. But even that sword has no weaknesses.'
Concentrating all power into one point made it impossibly potent, unable to stop midway.
Anyone who had experienced or endured it even once would discover this sole flaw.
If it could change direction mid-execution, that weakness could be covered, but no matter how he looked, this was a strike transcending limits.
It couldn't be stopped.
In that case,
Grip!
Amid unleashing Coiling Dragon Ascends to Heaven, the swordsman gripped his broadsword tightly.
Slash!
In that instant, a black line appeared at the vortex's center.
It was precisely then.
With the target converged to one point thanks to the vortex, the swordsman was certain this strike of gathered power aimed solely there and shifted exactly half a step.
Thud!
And in that position shifted half a step sideways,
Slash!
He unleashed the Fifth Stance: Extreme Swift Killing Blade.
There was no escaping it.
You would have to receive his single blade fully, along with the might of your own gathered power...
Crack crack crack!
'!?'
The swordsman's pupils shook.
It was because...
'...It stopped?'
Mok Kyung-un had halted midway through his gathered-power single strike.
The ground cracked, fragments erupting upward as a result.
But it wasn't over.
Forcing a halt on this single thrust-only strike, whose power had grown too immense for anything but piercing...
Crack crack!
The repercussion had to be endured solely by his own body.
[End of Chapter 95: Treasure Pearl (2)]