Chapter 56: This is Bullshit (2)
Chapter 56: This is Bullshit (2)
“Damn it…”
Boom! Crash! Bang!
“Why do I have to do this unpaid overtime for no money?”
Patrick was fighting a monster summoned from the Demon World all by himself.
At first, he didn't think it was much.
Even though the creature was radiating a demonic energy far more intense than any dark mage…
‘First strike wins.’
No matter how strong the enemy, it’s over once you lop their head off.
Patrick’s sword extended like a beam of light, slicing through the enemy’s neck. The head tumbled to the floor with pathetic ease—or so he thought.
“Krr-grrr-rrr…”
“Huh?”
This isn't right.
The thought struck him the moment the severed head on the ground glared up at him.
The enemy reached down with its left hand, picked up its own head, and then gathered black demonic energy in its right hand to summon a pitch-black sword.
Wow, so there really are things in this world that keep fighting after getting their heads cut off. How fascinating. Wait… hold on. I think I recognize this.
An old story his mother had told him as a child flickered through Patrick’s mind.
A demon that mothers often used to scare their children, telling them it would take away kids who misbehaved.
A cursed being—a knight who had abandoned his honor, fallen into hell, and transformed into a demon.
The name of that demon, who fought with its head in one hand and a sword in the other, was definitely…
“A Dullahan.”
“Kuaaaaah!”
The Dullahan let out a blood-curdling shriek and lunged at Patrick.
Crash!
It was a terrifying blow.
As the black demonic energy exploded, a horrific destructive force erupted from the tip of the Dullahan’s sword. In terms of knight rankings, it was an attack with power that easily surpassed the 6-Star level.
Patrick dodged the strike fluidly and unleashed dozens of sword strikes onto the creature’s body.
His blade pierced the Dullahan’s form with razor-sharp precision, but…
“Well, then…”
That was all.
Black smoke billowed from the Dullahan’s severed parts, and the wounds sealed themselves shut instantly.
Faced with regeneration that would put a troll to shame, Patrick found himself under attack again.
Boom! Crash! Thump!
The attacks were simple but possessed terrifying destructive power.
Moreover, it wasn't just a monster swinging wildly; there was a certain discipline and rhythm to its movements.
‘A monster that knows swordsmanship. Now that’s something new.’
Patrick continued the engagement, parrying the Dullahan’s strikes.
The Dullahan’s attacks were powerful, but not enough to truly threaten him.
Though every exchange resulted in Patrick’s sword finding its mark, the Dullahan didn't falter in the slightest.
The death warrior, knowing no pain and possessing incredible regeneration, grew increasingly aggressive as it pressed its assault.
‘It’s pretty strong. Sanson wouldn't be able to beat it. As for April… hmm, she shouldn't be able to win. It’s only natural that she couldn't… but for some reason, I feel like she’d find a way.’
Regardless, he was glad he had come alone.
If he had brought the others, they would have been a significant hindrance.
He would have won eventually, but protecting those fledglings while fighting this thing would have been a real headache.
Suddenly, the Dullahan, mid-combat, pointed its severed head at Patrick. Then…
“Kuaaaaaah!”
An eerie blue flame erupted from its eyes and shot toward him.
“It uses magic too? A jack of all trades, I see.”
The blue flames flying in from all directions weren't so much powerful as they were dangerous.
Realizing that touching them would be a very bad idea, Patrick responded instantly.
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles.
Fifth Form.
Dragon Scale Whirlwind.
Patrick’s body spun, and following his movement, sword qi surged from the ground toward the sky, forming a rotating cyclone of blades.
The Dragon Scale Whirlwind was the only defensive technique within the Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles.
Though it was a defensive move, it was a technique that unified offense and defense.
Pop-pop-pop-pop-bang!
The blue flames spat out by the Dullahan couldn't pierce the wall of the cyclone and fell away.
And when the whirlwind of sword qi subsided…
“Krr-gh?”
The Dullahan hesitated.
The enemy that should have been right in front of it was gone.
The target was nowhere to be seen where the vortex of sword qi had just vanished.
In that moment, the Dullahan felt it.
A shadow was blocking the sun from above.
Reflexively, it looked up at the sky, and there…
“It’s over.”
Patrick, who had soared into the sky using the momentum of the whirlwind, was falling toward the ground, crossing his two swords behind his back.
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles.
Second Style.
Great Dragon Cross Sword.
It was the same attack he had used to take down the King Ogre in the past.
Back then, he had pushed himself to perform it, but the situation was different now.
He could unleash an attack far more powerful than before without worrying about internal injuries.
A vivid Aura gathered on Patrick’s twin blades.
It was what people on the Pangemonia Continent called an Aura Blade—a blade of light that could only be manifested by those who had reached the 7-Star realm, the so-called Supreme Realm.
“Haaah!”
One horizontal stroke.
One vertical stroke.
The power at the intersection of the resulting cross was more than ten times that of a normal sword strike.
And the Dullahan, standing exactly at that intersection, had to face judgment from the massive cross of light falling from the heavens.
“Kuaaaaaaaaaah!”
Crack! Crunch!
As long as demonic energy existed, a Dullahan was a monster that could regenerate infinitely.
It had no vital spots and no weaknesses.
However…
“All I have to do is leave not a single shred of flesh or a fragment of bone behind,” Patrick said heartlessly as he landed on the ground.
The Dullahan, having taken the full force of the Great Dragon Cross Sword he had unleashed with intent, vanished without a trace.
All that remained was the earth, carved with a massive cross-shaped scar that was clearly visible even from the sky.
Patrick sheathed his swords with a satisfied expression.
“That was a good workout for once.”
First the King Ogre, and now a Dullahan.
Each was a monster capable of causing a national emergency, yet Patrick had already disposed of two such creatures.
The world did not yet know that such monsters existed here in the East.
Not yet.
A short while later.
Only the brutally mangled corpse of the dark mage remained in that spot.
* * *
“I feel the demonic energy coming from here…”
Patrick spread his energy sense across the entirety of Mount Pils to track the demonic energy.
The dark mage wasn't a Demon Warrior, but his actions were similar.
When Demon Warriors kill people and commit atrocities, it’s usually for one of two reasons.
Either the demonic energy has seeped into their very marrow, driving them insane, or they are trying to increase their own power.
The life force of commoners, the primordial energy of young boys and girls, the yin energy of virgins, or the yang energy of chaste men.
Their tastes varied, but ultimately, they harmed people to extract power from them.
In the past, a Demon Warrior from the Blood Demon Cult had once wiped out five villages of commoners just to absorb their life energy and refine medicinal pills.
The dark mage’s actions likely served a similar purpose.
“He didn't seem insane, so he must have had a goal. I think it’s here, but…”
Patrick sighed as he looked at the sight before him.
There was nothing but a cliff in front of him.
He could feel a faint trace of demonic energy coming from inside the cliff, but there was no sign of an entrance.
“A formation… no, is it magic?”
It seemed some measure had been taken to conceal it. Usually, when something like this was discovered…
[Hahaha. It’s my turn. Step aside, you ignorant swordsmen.]
[Whatever. You’re ugly.]
[Seriously, how can someone look like that?]
[Your face is a crime.]
Zhuge Hyeon would step forward excitedly, and Patrick and his friends would grumble but step back for him.
In truth, there was no formation in the Martial World that the Dragon-Chasing Scholar couldn't unravel.
But that ugly, brilliant friend wasn't here right now.
So, what should he do?
“Well, what choice do I have?”
Patrick raised the swords in both hands and gave a thin smile.
“I’ll just have to break it with force.”
It was the moment his belief—that most problems in the world could be solved by beating them up—shone once again.
K-boom!
With a terrifying roar, a massive sword scar appeared on the cliff. As the dust cleared, it revealed…
“Oh, so you were hiding it after all.”
It was a cave large enough for a heavy freight cart to pass through.
The dark mage had used some means to hide the cave’s existence, but as expected, it could be solved by smashing it.
“I should check what’s inside and take care of it.”
Now that the barrier or formation was gone, he could feel the demonic energy flowing from inside the cave more clearly.
Leaving something like this alone would inevitably cause trouble.
A Jiangshi left behind by a crazed Demon Warrior long ago might suddenly open its eyes and start a massacre. To prevent such a thing, hadn't he personally put in the legwork to come here?
“Phew… I think I’m too kind for my own good.”
What is this crazy guy talking about?
Regardless, Patrick entered the cave.
It was quite dark inside, but looking at the walls, there were lamps and several other daily necessities.
“So he was living here.”
The source of the demonic energy was further inside.
Wary of potential traps, Patrick moved deeper into the cave, and what he saw was…
“A tree?”
It was a peculiar tree sitting inside the cave.
The very existence of a tree inside a cave was strange, but this tree looked bizarre at first glance.
An ominous aura radiated from it, and its leaves and branches were a deep crimson.
This tree was the source of the demonic energy Patrick had been sensing.
“I’ve never seen this before. What is it?”
Since being reborn in this world, he had learned general common sense. But he had never heard of a blood-red tree like this.
“Should I take it back and ask someone? No, but…”
If he brought back such a suspicious object…
[Seize that man! He’s a subordinate of the dark mage!]
He couldn't guarantee that something like that wouldn't happen.
“Can’t be helped. Let’s just clean this up properly.”
Patrick drew his swords.
As mentioned before, most troublesome problems…
“Can be solved by smashing them.”
Patrick’s twin blades flashed with sharp light.
Horizontal, vertical, diagonal—dozens of sword lights crossed the red tree before him. And then…
—Kieeeeeeeeeeeek!—
“Whoa? What is this?”
Simultaneously with a roar that sounded like a ghostly wail, blood gushed from the tree’s severed surfaces.
“What a disgusting tree. What’s wrong with it?”
A tree that bleeds?
He had truly never heard of or seen such a thing. As the tree collapsed, the demonic energy slowly drained away.
Patrick waited to confirm the tree was completely dead before turning to leave. But then…
[Thank you.]
[We are grateful.]
[We are finally free because of you.]
“This is…?”
Faint voices reached Patrick’s ears.
They were words of gratitude from the souls that had been trapped within the tree, now being liberated.
Patrick might not have known, but this tree was a demonic beast that grew by taking root and absorbing the blood and souls of people dying within a certain area.
The dark mage’s goal had been to grow it until it bloomed and then harvest its fruit, but Patrick had arrived and cut it down before that could happen.
As a result, the vengeful spirits bound to the tree were released, and their souls were set free.
Small clusters of light rose one by one from the fallen tree—each one the spirit of someone who had died a wrongful death.
They vanished, offering endless thanks to Patrick.
Patrick watched them go with a calm gaze, comforting the spirits of those who had died so unfairly.
“Go to a better place. Suffer no more.”
Patrick wasn't like his Master, who would break out in hives if he didn't do something righteous, nor was he like his father, who felt compelled to help any pitiful person he saw. However…
“This is how I was taught, so…”
That was all.
He didn't know the value of good deeds or grand causes.
He had simply been taught this way.
The person to whom he owed a debt of gratitude he could never repay in a lifetime had told him to act this way.
The parents who had given birth to this body and raised him had told him to act this way.
So, he simply did as he was told.