Chapter 107
Chapter 107
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Death Squad (9)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The moment Bukgung Baek and Adept Inhyeon shot forward, the hundred-strong death squad—no, the less than ninety who remained—followed suit.
Light began to emanate from the weapons wielded by the death squad.
Fwoooosh.
Each unleashed their proudest, most powerful martial art, striking first.
And then.
A black flame dragon began to blaze from Bukgung Baek's hand.
Fwoooosh!
As he extended his hand, the jet-black flame dragon shot forward at a terrifying speed.
A heat intense enough to melt steel in an instant.
Had it hit, Hyeon San-wol would have surely vanished without a trace, not even leaving bone dust behind.
Fwhaaaaa!
A crimson energy, appearing from nowhere, blocked the black flame dragon's path.
KABOOOOM! Ruumble.
An explosion that seemed to rend heaven and earth erupted, and the two energies dissipated.
From within the smoke, an old man in a red robe appeared.
Bukgung Baek frowned and spoke.
“The Blood Demon?”
“Kekekeke, to think I’d see the Black Dragon Hand here! What a coincidence.”
“I heard you were over one hundred and twenty, yet you’re still so spry.”
“The Blood God bestows his power upon his high priest.”
Hearing their conversation, warning bells rang in my head.
My god, the leader of the Blood Sect.
One of the three great masters of the Ten Demon Alliance and one of the ten greatest masters under heaven—why would he appear here?
Unlike me, who was breaking out in a cold sweat, Bukgung Baek seemed calm.
In fact.
“This should be fun.”
He merely let out a mocking smile, radiating fighting spirit.
“You handle that one until I’m done with the Blood Sect Leader.”
He even gave me the absurd order to take on Hyeon San-wol.
“Wait…”
I tried to argue, but he was already gone in a flash.
In that case.
‘We’ll have to attack together.’
I thought, looking around…
“Will you not turn back?!”
“How dare you covet Mount Jeomchang! You’ve lost your minds!”
There was no one free. In fact, some were fighting two or three opponents at once.
Which means.
‘I’m screwed.’
It means I have to face the Killing Demon Mad Ghost, a man said to stand at the pinnacle of the Transcendent Realm, all by myself.
“Ahem, ahem.”
I cleared my throat and spoke confidently.
“Um… what I said earlier wasn’t personal…”
Shing. Clack.
Instead of answering, he drew his signature weapons: a sword in his left hand, a spear in his right.
As expected of someone from the Killing Sect, he silently prepared to fight, emanating a suffocating killing intent. A chill ran down my spine.
“I will not grant you a clean death.”
There’s no other way.
I have to fight.
The moment I resolved myself, the War King’s energy surged around me.
This wasn't an opponent I could afford to test the waters with.
I had to go all out from the start, so I immediately drew upon the War Dragon's energy.
Crackle.
“Come on, you bastard. I’m going to beat you to a pulp.”
* * *
“Cough.”
I got my ass kicked.
In less than ten minutes, I was completely spent, and it felt like I had a few broken ribs.
If it weren't for the Dragon Scale Armor, I would have been long dead.
Seriously, we’re both Transcendent masters, but isn’t the power gap a bit too much?
“To think you blocked that. You’re wearing some fine protective armor.”
“If I give it to you, will you let me live?”
“Why bother, when I can just kill you and take it?”
“Yeah, you’ve got a point.”
Thud, thud.
Thinking it was over, the bastard slowly walked toward me.
Of course, it wasn't unreasonable for him to think so.
I had already poured out every last bit of my War King's energy.
Thanks to that, only a handful of War King's energy remained in my body.
‘To think he pierced and detonated my full-powered Explosive Death Force with his spear…’
My attacks hadn't dealt any real damage to him.
My Ultimate Death Force was split apart by the swing of his saber.
My War King Thirteen Strikes, laden with force, were futilely blocked by his protective energy.
Every time I detonated my Explosive Death Force, it was snuffed out by his spear energy.
The only move I had left was the Chain Ring Force.
But I'd been swept into his pace and exhausted all the internal energy needed to even use the Chain Ring Force.
Still.
“Your immaturity will be your death.”
“Bullshit.”
There is hope.
“Let me ask one thing before I die.”
“If you’re trying to buy time, it won’t work.”
“Ever heard of a Super Saiyan?”
“What?”
I quickly reached inside my Dragon Scale Armor and pulled out two small jade vials.
“You’d better remember it. Because that’s the hell you’re about to experience.”
Gulp.
I uncapped both vials and downed their contents in one go.
It was the Snow Yin Essence, made by Cheong So-so during her secluded cultivation.
I’d brought it along to use when my life was on the line, but I never dreamed I’d have to drink two bottles at once.
It was an elixir worth a fortune, but what could I do?
Wealth, glory, three wives and four concubines—you have to be alive to enjoy them.
As the supreme yin energy from the essence entered my body, my War King's energy began to run wild.
Crackle.
It was so fierce that bursts of force erupted from my body.
There was no need to circulate my cultivation art to absorb the energy.
The more you move, the stronger you become; the more you fight, the stronger you become.
It was a problem that would solve itself as I fought.
“You bastard!”
Noticing something was wrong, Hyeon San-wol swung his saber.
Fwoooosh.
A strike brimming with energy.
A blow powerful enough to send me to the next world if it landed.
Kwooooa.
My War Dragon's energy burst out on its own, blocking the saber's energy.
And then.
Rumble. Boom.
The force of the Chain Ring Force, exploding from deep within my body, granted me immense strength.
“Hm?”
Seeing his attack easily blocked, Hyeon San-wol looked at me with slightly surprised eyes.
“Round two, you son of a bitch.”
Thoom.
I combined the War King Step and the Flying Heavenly Wind.
Fshhh!
In an instant, the scenery blurred, and I was behind Hyeon San-wol.
A single step of Phantom Form Movement, a technique only permitted to those who have mastered a peerless movement art.
“...!”
It was only natural for Hyeon San-wol to be surprised.
Before he could turn, I aimed for his spine and slammed an Explosive Death Force into it.
KABOOM!
A storm of force exploded against his back.
Of course.
“Not yet!”
From my recent experience, I knew an attack of this level wouldn't even scratch him.
Therefore, I had to land as many hits as possible.
I quickly moved into close range with Hyeon San-wol.
Extreme close-quarters combat.
Hyeon San-wol roared and swung his saber, but…
…at this range, he couldn't keep up with the speed of the War King Arts.
Sssshk.
Before the strands of hair grazed by the saber's edge could even hit the ground.
BAM!
My kick slammed into his knee.
My right fist, filled with force, struck his jaw.
With my left fist, I delivered a mighty blow to his solar plexus.
“Guh.”
It seemed to have an effect, as a groan escaped his lips for the first time.
“Die, you motherfucker!”
Riding the momentum, I unleashed the War King Thirteen Strikes.
Thirteen techniques, one yet not one, slammed into his entire body.
Under the full-force assault, his balance finally broke.
‘Maybe I’m actually strong?’
Just as I was about to unleash the Ultimate Death Force, high on the sudden rush of martial power…
Shudder!
My sixth sense screamed a warning.
That I could die.
And sure enough.
Swish!
A streak of light flew in.
Shhhhk!
A chilling saber strike aimed for my neck.
“...!”
It was too late to dodge.
There was only one way.
The War Dragon's energy.
Kwoooa!
A black magnetic field began to resist the spear and saber strikes.
KABOOOM!
The War Dragon's energy pushed and pulled, but at some point, it was clearly being pushed back.
‘Dammit.’
Considering the attacks that would follow, it was a choice I shouldn't make, but to survive the moment, I had no other option.
I poured in all my remaining War King's energy.
Then.
Fwoooosh!
The magnetic field-shaped War Dragon's energy transformed into an elongated shape.
It looked similar to Bukgung Baek's black flame dragon.
“What is this?”
It was a phenomenon I'd never seen before, but I had no time to ponder it.
“Hup!”
Blocking the enemy's attack was the priority.
Hyeon San-wol thrust his spear.
In terms of power, it was a strike two or three times stronger than the saber energy from before.
Even in this life-threatening crisis, a smile kept forming on my lips.
Smirk.
For some reason, I felt confident I could block it.
At my reaction, Hyeon San-wol looked at me with puzzled eyes.
A look that said, *What's with this bastard?*
“You’ve lost your mind!”
“Lost my mind? Don't be ridiculous!”
The thick, elongated War Dragon's energy shot forward.
It then completely devoured the saber energy Hyeon San-wol had unleashed.
Graaaaaa.
Letting out a monstrous roar, it grew even larger and collided with the spear energy.
“What the—!”
Like a dragon protecting its territory.
It didn't take long for the War Dragon's energy to devour the spear energy as well.
“Die, you motherfucker!”
I immediately extended my hand and pointed at Hyeon San-wol, and the War Dragon's energy, now in the form of a black dragon, flew toward him.
KABOOOOOOOM!
With a sound like a mortar shell exploding, a large crater formed where he had been standing.
“Did I get him?”
The forbidden line slipped out unconsciously.
But this time, I was confident.
It was the greatest strike of my life, one I had poured everything into.
Just as I quickly spread my senses to check on Hyeon San-wol's condition.
Thwip.
I heard the sound of something tearing through the air.
Thunk!
A short spear, flying like a beam of light, pierced my thigh.
“Kuh!”
Thud, thud.
Hyeon San-wol, covered in dust, walked out of the crater.
“Impressive. To have achieved so much at your age.”
“Guhk!”
I couldn't keep my senses straight from the fiery pain shooting up my leg.
Thump.
I tried to put strength into my legs, but I couldn't with the spear embedded in my thigh.
Shing.
Hyeon San-wol drew the sword slung across his back.
“Wow…”
He survived that…
And so, a desperate crisis approached.
But I couldn't show myself trembling in fear before a fiend of the Ten Demon Alliance.
“How about we call it a draw?”
“Nonsense.”
Smirk.
As I gave a mocking smile, Hyeon San-wol spoke in disbelief.
“It seems you’ve lost your mind.”
“Nope, perfectly sane.”
“Or perhaps you’ve lost your fear.”
“Who knows?”
I gathered all the War King's energy I had left.
I had to fight with whatever I had left.
I poured in not only the force from the Chain Ring Force but also the undigested essence of the Snow Yin Fluid.
Booooom!
I imbued it into a blacksteel nail and shot it.
Fshhhh.
The blacksteel nail flew, freezing the ground and air around it.
“How predictable.”
Hyeon San-wol dodged it with incredible ease.
Well, that was expected.
It was an obvious attack to anyone.
But from the start, my target wasn't Hyeon San-wol.
KABOOOOM!
It was the Blood Sect Leader, who was fighting Bukgung Baek.
Why waste my energy on an attack he was sure to dodge?
It was a hundred times better to help Bukgung Baek win and turn the tide in our favor.
And my plan brought about a result no one could have anticipated.
“Kuh!”
Caught by the unexpected surprise attack, the Blood Sect Leader was hit.
It seemed he had focused all his attention on dealing with Bukgung Baek.
Thanks to that, the blacksteel nail embedded itself in his left hand, freezing it solid.
And Bukgung Baek was not the man to miss such an opportunity.
“Let me melt that for you!”
Fwoooosh!
A super-heated black flame dragon shot toward the Blood Demon's upper body.
“Hah!”
The Blood Sect Leader hurriedly raised his right hand and unleashed his energy, but…
KABOOOOM!
“Gyaaaak!”
…he was hopelessly overwhelmed, and his right hand vanished without a trace.
With the Ten Demon Alliance's top fighter neutralized, Hyeon San-wol was greatly flustered.
Enraged, he swung his sword at me.
“You bastard!”
Watching the sword fall, I thought.
‘This is it.’
No matter how I looked at it, there was no way to survive.
Just as I was about to recall everyone who helped Mujeon in his martial world reincarnation story…
Fwoosh!
I felt an incredible heat.
“Gah…”
Hyeon San-wol's upper body vanished without a trace.
That's right.
After defeating the Blood Sect Leader, Bukgung Baek had rushed over in an instant.
In that moment, my inner thoughts slipped out.
“Dad?”
“Want me to add you to the family register?”
Overcome with emotion at having my life saved, I almost nodded.
“The Blood Sect Leader…?”
Tsk.
At my question, Bukgung Baek turned his head.
I could see the retreating back of the Blood Sect Leader, quickly growing distant.
“Did you let him go to save me?”
“I simply judged that saving you was better than killing an old man who doesn't have much time left anyway.”
It was a shame, but in a way, it was the right decision.
If he had killed the Blood Sect Leader here, the remaining Blood Sect bastards would have attacked like madmen.
Because he let the Blood Sect Leader go, most of the Blood Sect members who came with him began to retreat.
Thanks to that, the masters of the death squad had some breathing room and could deal with their enemies more easily.
Before long, the Ten Demon Alliance expeditionary force, realizing the situation had turned against them, began to retreat.
And then.
“Cough!”
Pshhhh. Sssss.
As I coughed up the stagnant blood, I could see it freezing as it spread through the air.
‘Ah, right.’
This thing had side effects.