Chapter 318: Sea-son-ing (3)
Chapter 318: Sea-son-ing (3)
‘Tch….’
Kwah-aaaaang!
Despite unleashing his Ultimate Secret Art at full power, Patrick couldn't quite seize a decisive victory.
As Patrick clicked his tongue at the situation, the Black Tortoise spoke.
“What are you yapping about? You backstabbing piece of shit.”
Kwah-aaaaang!
The dragon of light collided violently once more.
However, compared to the beginning, its power had clearly diminished.
“Whew….”
Patrick, who had never maintained an Ultimate Secret Art for this long, grew concerned as his strength drained faster than expected.
It wasn't that his attacks weren't landing, but he couldn't land a finishing blow.
The Black Tortoise's defensive power simply outweighed Patrick's offensive output.
‘If it keeps going like this, I’m going to lose.’
If the battle continued at this pace, the winner was obvious. Yet, Patrick remained calm.
This wasn't his first time in such a predicament.
Was he not the peerless strategist, the Radiant Dragon Hero, who had remained undefeated in a hundred battles in the Martial World?
Back then, most of the opponents Patrick challenged were individuals whose realms were technically higher than his own.
Even so, he had won.
Patrick was a man who knew better than anyone how to wrest victory from those stronger than himself.
‘Shall I give it a go after all this time?’
What he needed was cold reason and absolute resolve.
To defeat the strong, the weak have no choice but to take risks.
Patrick sent the dragon of light soaring high into the sky. Then, at the peak of its ascent, he deactivated Radiant Dragon’s Reign. Immediately…
“Urgh….”
The moment he left the protection of the light dragon, the thick aura of death and the biting, freezing cold assailed him. But Patrick didn't hesitate; he did what he had to do.
“Here I go!”
Patrick plummeted vertically from the air.
As he fell, gravity took hold, and he accelerated until he looked like a meteor crashing toward the earth.
The Black Tortoise sneered at the sight.
To the Black Tortoise, Patrick’s actions looked like nothing short of suicide.
It could have won just by maintaining its defense, but if the human wanted to die that badly…
The Black Tortoise opened its maw and condensed energy within.
The aura of death and the freezing cold gathered into a ball of ruinous power inside its mouth. And then…
Kwakwakwakwakwakwa!
A breath of terrifying destructive power erupted toward Patrick.
It was an attack that Patrick, falling toward the ground, should have been unable to dodge.
Under normal circumstances, that is.
Ta-ang!
Just before the attack hit.
Patrick kicked off the air and shifted sideways.
The Black Tortoise was stunned.
It wasn't magic.
There was no trace of mana moving.
Yet, Patrick had just used the empty air as a foothold to kick himself to the side. And that wasn't all.
Tat-tat-tat-tat-tak!
Patrick descended toward the ground, literally stepping on the air.
Moving in a complex trajectory, accelerating even faster—that movement was…
The pinnacle of Lightness Skills.
A divine technique spoken of in legends within the Martial World.
The Wudang Sect’s Cloud-Treading Steps were the closest thing to it, but some legends claimed this specific technique was impossible for a human to achieve.
And yet, Patrick was performing it now.
The Black Tortoise panicked.
It never expected such a movement to be possible. It tried to jerk its head to aim the attack at Patrick, but hitting him was difficult as he bounced through the air like a flickering flea.
‘A trump card should always be kept hidden.’
Dodging the Black Tortoise’s attack, Patrick arrived directly in front of its face. Then…
Radiant Dragon Twelve Sword Styles.
Ninth Form.
Light-Splitting Single Annihilation.
The White Sword in his left hand blinded the creature’s vision with a dazzling flash, and from within that light, two streaks of pitch-black Aura shot out, slamming into the Black Tortoise’s face.
The target: the two eyes, the vital point of every living creature in this world.
Thwack! Thwack!
The Black Tortoise shrieked in excruciating pain.
Patrick’s attack, striking both eyes, was perfectly effective.
Enraged, the Black Tortoise unleashed its energy indiscriminately, attacking everything in its surroundings.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwa!
An extreme blizzard and the aura of death destroyed and froze everything.
A land of death that permitted no living thing to breathe covered the area.
And when the Black Tortoise opened its eyes again…
The Black Tortoise sneered, looking with satisfaction at the pure white world of ice where no other living creature existed. But then…
“Finally caught you.”
A chilling sensation washed over it.
The source of that feeling was directly beneath it.
A small voice coming from right under its belly, where its vision couldn't reach.
It frantically tried to move its legs to crush him, but Patrick was one step faster.
Radiant Dragon Twelve Sword Styles.
Tenth Form. Ultimate Secret Art.
Radiant Dragon’s Reign.
From directly beneath the Black Tortoise, a dragon of light ascended toward the heavens.
Caught in that terrifying destructive power, the Black Tortoise’s massive body was lifted high into the sky.
It was impossible to lower its center of gravity and hold its ground. Ultimately, the Black Tortoise was tossed high, and then…
Kooo-oong!
It slammed into the ground upside down.
Flipped over like a common turtle, the Black Tortoise was thrown into a state of utter panic.
It flailed its four legs and tail, but it couldn't regain its balance to stand back up.
Never in its life had the great divine beast looked so pathetic.
Patrick’s voice reached the Black Tortoise’s ears.
“As I thought, turtles are finished once you flip them over. Right?”
“Here comes the finisher.”
The dragon of light that had soared high into the sky now plummeted toward the earth.
The target was the Black Tortoise’s exposed belly.
Compared to its hard shell, its defense there was weak; cracks were already forming, and openings were visible. Patrick poured his entire strength into a single strike aimed at that spot.
Radiant Dragon’s Reign.
Star-Breaking Single Flash.
The dragon of light transformed into a single streak of radiance.
Though "Star-Breaking Single Flash" sounded like a new technique, it was actually a Flash Dragon Strike unleashed while in the Radiant Dragon’s Reign state.
Patrick had only tested its destructive power once before.
At the time, he only had 3-Star level internal energy, yet the resulting destruction was so terrifying that the people of the Schneider Duchy mistook it for an earthquake.
He couldn't even imagine what would happen if he unleashed it at full power.
Hence the name: Star-Breaking Single Flash.
A single flash of light capable of shattering stars slammed directly into the Black Tortoise’s weakness.
Kwah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ang!
* * *
“Unbelievable.”
Patrick let out a sigh.
Radiant Dragon’s Reign.
A new Ultimate Secret Art he had modified from the original to suit himself.
He didn't think its power was any less than the original; if anything, it was greater.
Furthermore, the full-power Flash Dragon Strike unleashed in that state possessed a level of power that even he found frightening to use.
And yet…
“Hey. You really are disgustingly sturdy.”
“How are you still alive after taking that?”
The Black Tortoise was alive.
To be more precise, it was barely alive.
Internal organs were spilling out from its mangled body, its legs were shattered and strewn about, and blood was gushing from its head, but it was still breathing.
In the first place, those who have built up Divinity and reached a Divine Rank do not die as long as their Divine Power exists, no matter how much their physical body is destroyed; they simply regenerate.
However, that was…
“Being too persistent is a turn-off. Just die already.”
…only true under the assumption that Patrick wouldn't attack any further.
Patrick’s attacks, having inherited the Blue Dragon’s Constellation and the seed of the World Tree, already contained sufficient Divine Power.
It was more than enough to snuff out the Black Tortoise’s life.
“Oh? Suddenly getting polite, are we?”
At the desperate plea that threw away all dignity, Patrick scratched his cheek and spoke.
“Man, that’s pathetic…. Hey. Aren't you embarrassed? There are people in the Central Plains who worship you as a god and hold rituals for you.”
“Seriously…. You’ve got nothing. Nothing at all.”
It had acted so high and mighty about its Divinity and whatnot, but in the face of death, it was no different from a common human—cringing and cowardly.
Patrick pointed his sword at the Black Tortoise and said,
“Forget it. What could you possibly do for me now? Didn't you say a Constellation can only be given once?”
“There’s nothing you can give me, right?”
“Let’s just die.”
It was an opponent too unpleasant to leave alive. Patrick prepared to end the Black Tortoise’s life without hesitation.
Even if this meant the Constellations within the Black Tortoise would vanish and his chances against the Heavenly Demon would decrease, it was better than leaving this thing alive.
Just as Patrick was about to thrust his sword…
“Hm?!”
Patrick quickly dodged. In the spot where he had just been standing…
Kwah-aaaaang!
A terrifying explosion of flame erupted.
Patrick looked toward the source of the attack and saw a group of figures clad in black robes pointing staves at him.
‘Dark Mages?’
The very Dark Mages he couldn't find no matter how hard he looked in the Holy Kingdom were right here. Furthermore…
‘They’re clearly not small fry.’
The Demonic Energy radiating from them was substantial.
Some were no less powerful than the woman named Rust he had captured in the Schneider Duchy, and above all, the one-eyed old man with a thick beard standing at the front was on an entirely different level.
“Hmm…. Is the old man the leader of the Dark Mages?”
The one-eyed old man slowly descended to the ground and spoke.
“I am.”
“Ho, is that so? What should I call you? Cult Leader? Guardian?”
“If you are asking for a title, I would prefer you call me Jonsa.”
“Jonsa?”
“That is what I am called.”
“Sea-son-ing?”
“…….”
“Not gonna call you thaaaaat.”
“…….”
Then why did you even ask for a title?
This was the first meeting between Jonsa, the pinnacle of the Dark Mages, and Double Dragon Patrick Schneider.
And Jonsa thought to himself:
‘What kind of freak is this?’
He was a monster. In more ways than one.
* * *
Jonsa and his followers landed on the ground.
They stood between Patrick and the Black Tortoise, deploying defensive magic and maintaining a wary stance.
Seeing the Dark Mages…
The Black Tortoise was overjoyed.
It felt as though the inescapable shadow of death had finally retreated.
Was this not the literal definition of a narrow escape?
The Black Tortoise commanded the Dark Mages as if it were only natural.
To the Black Tortoise, who had participated in the war as a close aide to the Outer God, Dark Mages were like servants from the very bottom of the barrel.
So, giving them orders felt perfectly normal.
In the old days, at least.
“Living Calamity, you have worked hard.”
Jonsa approached the uneasy Black Tortoise and reached out, placing his hand on its forehead. Then…
“The final piece is needed for His resurrection, so I shall take it.”
The Black Tortoise realized the situation and screamed in terror, but it was already too late.
Jonsa began to absorb the seven Constellations within the Black Tortoise.
The three seals required to resurrect the Outer God:
The core of the World Tree.
The heart of the Dragon Lord.
And the Constellations of the Four Calamities.
Only when these three things were removed could the Outer God be resurrected.
Jonsa hadn't brought his full force here to save the Black Tortoise.
He was here to destroy the Constellations themselves.
“You’ve made things easy for us. I shall remember your contribution.”
The Black Tortoise screamed in agony, feeling the sheer terror of its Divinity being stripped away entirely. And then…
Kwah-ah-ah-ah-ang!
“Urgh….”
“Agh!”
A bursting flash of light slammed into the Dark Mages’ defensive magic, blowing them away.
From among the scattered Dark Mages, Patrick walked forward, his twin swords resting on his shoulders.
“That’s enough.”
Patrick spoke coldly to Jonsa.
“Who do you think you are, trying to snatch what’s mine? Someone snatching my prey halfway through is the eleventh thing I hate most.”