Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guests (4)
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The golden sword aura erupting from Geum Geuk's blade tore through the enemies with a massive explosion.
I couldn't even begin to fathom how much internal energy he must have to spare to unleash such power.
That was it.
Geum Geuk was compensating for his lacking martial arts with overwhelming internal energy.
"Protect the Hall Master!"
Led by Geum Pil-dae, the warriors of the Gold Dragon Hall unleashed their sword energy and followed him.
Behind that wall of warriors, a golden sword aura raged, illuminating the surroundings.
Sensing something was amiss, the peak-level demonic masters of the Ten Demon Alliance began to retreat, leaving their warriors as cannon fodder.
It seemed they intended to wait for the mad dog to tire out rather than face him head-on.
It was an excellent strategy.
If I, a specialist in close-quarters combat and chaotic brawls, hadn't been there, that is.
*Thwoom. Paang!*
I soared through the air with the War King Step and landed behind them.
The Dragon-Slaying Thirteen Strikes, unleashed like a thunderbolt, blocked their retreat.
*Whoosh!*
As if on cue, the golden sword aura descended.
"Block it!"
The peak-level demonic masters tried to block it by conjuring sword and saber energy, but…
*KABOOOM!*
The energy condensed in that sword aura was not something that could be blocked so easily.
The sheer volume of internal energy was immense.
‘Just how many elixirs did he consume…?’
He could've shared if he had something good.
This was the first time I'd seen Geum Geuk's martial prowess.
If you asked whether he was stronger than the other Hall Masters, the answer was a definite no.
In terms of swordsmanship alone, he was inferior to Baek Jung-cheon, whom I had faced before.
But, regardless of his level of mastery, he was strong.
A brute-force offensive.
His overwhelming internal energy compensated for his lacking martial arts.
And his rampage continued.
*Crunch. Thwack!*
"Keuk!"
Whenever I cleared a path, the golden sword aura would descend without fail.
Trying to evade it instead of confronting it was impossible in the thick of a chaotic battle.
Knowing it was futile, they had no choice but to resist the golden aura and be obliterated.
However, the enemy commander didn't seem to be a birdbrain.
Seeing that the two of us showed no signs of stopping, he entered the battlefield himself.
*Fwoosh.*
I felt a tremendous wave of energy, and soon after, a massive saber aura descended from above.
The heat was like facing the sun up close.
It felt more appropriate to call it a flame aura rather than a saber aura.
Some of the demonic masters nearby were already engulfed in the saber aura's heat, burned to a crisp.
I hadn't expected him to attack without regard for his own allies.
There was no choice.
I had to block it.
Geum Geuk moved first. He once again conjured his golden aura and struck upwards.
I couldn't just stand by either.
*Kwoooosh.*
I immediately summoned the War Dragon Energy and charged forward.
*KABOOOOOM!*
The two auras collided and canceled each other out.
"Aaargh!"
"Gaaah!"
In the aftermath of the impact, the air ignited, and intense heat began to melt everything around us.
The demonic masters of the Ten Demon Alliance, and the warriors of Nine Dragons Fortress.
But the heat couldn't spread far.
*Kwoooosh!*
Because the black War Dragon Energy expanded and consumed it all.
A look of surprise flickered in the First Elder's eyes.
Of course, I wasn't the kind of fool to wait just because my opponent was surprised.
*Whoosh!*
I immediately shot a tempered steel nail, aiming for the space between his eyebrows.
"Hmph!"
*Clang.*
He simply waved his hand, and the nail fell away powerlessly.
But what I was aiming for from the start was a slight opening.
*Shlick! Stab, stab, stab. Thud!*
I had to buy time for the warriors of Nine Dragons Fortress following behind to kill the surrounding Ten Demon Alliance members.
In a martial arts novel, we might take a breather here and exchange names, but this was a real battle.
There was no need to give him such an opening.
*Whoosh!*
The golden aura rained down on the First Elder again.
*Thump.*
I also used the War King Step to move behind him.
"How absurd!"
But my opponent was the First Elder of a major sect called the Flame Sect; he was by no means an easy target.
His body spun around, emitting a scorching heat.
‘This matchup is really bad for me.’
He wasn't a good opponent for me, someone who specializes in close-quarters combat.
The power of his Scorching Yang Energy was so intense that nearby stones began to char black.
And upon that heat, the golden aura descended.
*KABOOOM!*
A tremendous explosion rang out, and the heat vanished.
"Hup!"
In that opening, I unleashed the Dragon-Slaying Thirteen Strikes, the fastest technique I could perform.
Unlike usual, it was an attack packed with all the War King Energy I could muster.
*Paang!*
Thirteen of the fiercest strikes a human body could deliver, imbued with force, hammered the First Elder's body.
*Crack.*
The sensation on my fist.
I realized in an instant.
He was wearing something on his body.
Like Dragon Scale Armor...
"Damn it!"
*Swoosh!*
I quickly ducked my head, dodging the incoming saber.
*Sizzle, sizzle.*
I heard the sound of some of my hair burning in the scorching heat.
At the same time, the Gold Dragon Hall members charged in.
Knowing they would only be throwing their lives away, I shouted with my internal energy.
"Fall back!"
But my shout came too late.
"You brats have no fear!"
*Fwoooosh.*
A crimson flame aura incinerated their bodies.
Five men died in that single move.
"Kugh!"
It was only natural for the Gold Dragon Hall Master to be enraged.
On the other hand, my head grew as cold as if doused with icy water.
It was thanks to the shock of my allies' deaths.
"This son of a bitch!"
Taking advantage of the opening as the First Elder retrieved his saber, I used the War King Step to move into point-blank range.
"Hah!"
An ultra-close-quarters battle, trading blows nose-to-nose.
The range where I was most confident, and where the War King Arts displayed their greatest power.
"Tch!"
As if guessing this, the First Elder extended his hand toward me.
An attack with powerful aura condensed in every strike, befitting a master of Scorching Yang Arts.
*Thump.*
I took one more step forward.
Phantom Step.
Faced with the ultimate move of body-protection arts, the First Elder was startled and tried to turn.
*PWANG!*
Before a kick imbued with the force of Explosive Death Force could strike the back of his head.
*Whirr.*
The First Elder's body spun like a top.
Proof that it hadn't dealt the expected damage.
‘Too shallow!’
If it had landed properly, his head would have been torn off.
To think he dodged that.
Even the formidable Hyeon San-wol could only endure it with his body.
I immediately moved away. No, I tried to move away.
*Shunk! Shunk.*
But two blades, a saber and a sword, grazed my body, pinning me down.
"Keuk!"
A groan escaped my lips from the searing pain.
But I didn't stop, immediately rolling to evade the follow-up attacks.
"He's fast."
"First the Gold Dragon Hall Master, and now we've caught the Fighting Dragon. What a windfall, eh?"
Six peak-level demonic masters stood behind the First Elder.
Even at a glance, they were formidable opponents.
‘Where did they come from?’
*Drip.*
A cold sweat ran down my back, and my heart sank.
Because I had an inkling of their identity.
The Dark Sect.
According to Jeok Sa-jung, they were known as the second-best group of assassins in the world, right after the Red Dragon Hall.
The crisis didn't end there.
The dozens of demonic masters who had been holding back began to swarm in.
"Shit."
It was a scene that made me curse involuntarily.
"We'll hold them off."
Geum Geuk and his warriors charged toward them all.
"No."
Then who's going to handle the First Elder?
In the middle of the raging battlefield.
The First Elder walked toward me and spoke.
"Quite impressive."
"I hear that a lot."
"In ten years, you will become a master who can contend for the world."
"I'm sick of hearing that."
"That is, if you don't die today."
*Pfft.*
He said with a sneer.
"Let me ask you one thing."
"..."
"Does your child know you're running around like this at your age?"
"If you're thinking of shaking me with words, give up."
"Because when the Ten Demon Alliance falls, I'll find and kill them myself. I'll tell them then. That they're dying because of their father's evil deeds."
"You bastard!"
Unable to endure the taunt, the First Elder shot forward like a bullet and swung his saber.
*Fwoooosh!*
I twisted my body to dodge, but a searing pain shot through the arm grazed by the Scorching Yang Energy.
"Kugh."
*Paang!*
Enduring the pain, I slammed the Dragon-Slaying Thirteen Strikes into his entire body, but…
*Baaang!*
…he allowed the hit and drove a palm strike into my chest.
*Drip.*
I somehow endured it thanks to the Dragon Scale Armor, but I couldn't avoid internal injuries.
"Kuwek."
Seeing me cough up a clot of blood, the First Elder sneered.
"So you're wearing protective armor."
"Why? You'll back off if I give it to you?"
"I can just kill you and take it."
"The Hyeon San-wol who said the same thing is buried in the ground."
"Hmph!"
The First Elder's figure vanished in an instant.
‘Behind me!’
I immediately turned and threw a punch, but I was too late.
*Fwoosh.*
A saber, heavily imbued with saber energy, flew toward my neck.
It was too late to dodge.
And I couldn't use the War Dragon Energy either.
*Grit.*
I drew up my protective energy and curled my body.
*Sizzle.*
The sound of my hair burning was accompanied by intense heat striking my back.
The First Elder had changed the saber's trajectory.
"Gaaah!"
A scream escaped my lips involuntarily.
The pain of my true energy being severed strand by strand washed over me.
But I couldn't die here.
I barely gathered my senses and used the War King Step, enhanced with Flying Heavenly Wind, to create some distance.
The First Elder's figure rushed toward me again.
‘I have to create an opening.’
The state of my battered body wasn't that important.
With just a slight opening, I could turn the tables.
And such an opening was created unintentionally.
While the descending flame aura was devastating the surroundings.
*Whoosh.*
Two golden sword energies flew from somewhere and struck him.
They were sword energies, but as large as sword auras.
It must have been a move from Geum Pil-dae and Geum Jong-dae, who were watching the situation.
And.
I decided to use that opening.
"Where do you think you're running!"
*Thump.*
I retreated with all my might.
*KABOOOM!*
While dodging his flame aura.
*Halt.*
"Uwaaah!"
It was to gain momentum to charge forward.
Chain Ring Force.
*Crackle. Crackle.*
The force welling up from deep within my body granted me immense power.
"Hup!"
The First Elder's eyes widened as he unleashed his Scorching Yang Energy.
*Fwoooosh!*
The flame aura pouring from his saber melted everything as it swept before me.
I had anticipated this much, so I took a step forward with all my strength.
*Flicker.*
The world seemed to stop.
And within it, only I moved.
It was the Phantom Step.
"It won't work a second time!"
The First Elder's saber slashed horizontally, catching up to me.
But.
*Whoosh!*
Thanks to the force from the Chain Ring Force, my speed was much faster than before.
*Fwoosh.*
I succeeded in evading his flame aura.
"Hup!"
I used the Phantom Step again.
He must not have expected this, as surprise filled the First Elder's eyes.
"What!"
*Thwack, thwack, thwack! Bam!*
I hammered all sorts of attacks into his sides, avoiding his torso.
*Kwarreung! Kwang!*
Imbued with force, the impact must have been considerable.
I had to seize this chance.
*Kwoooosh!*
The War Dragon Energy began to devour the First Elder's protective aura.
*Kwarreureung. KABOOOM!*
The full-powered Explosive Death Force detonated, destroying everything around.
"Yiiik!"
The First Elder tried to escape, but the gravitational pull from the Explosive Death Force held his feet fast.
"Die, you bastard!"
I unleashed the Dragon-Slaying Thirteen Strikes again.
*Crack.*
This time, I felt the sensation in my fist.
The War Dragon Energy had stripped away his protective aura.
And with that full-powered barrage.
*Crack.*
"Keuk!"
The First Elder's knee broke.
Of course, the enemy was a master of a higher level than me. He wouldn't fall from such an injury.
I immediately grabbed the back of his neck and pulled.
It was to drag him into a dogfight.
*BAM! Fwoosh.*
To stop me, his left hand jabbed at my abdomen.
"Cough!"
Spitting out the blood rising in my throat, I kneed him in the face.
I'd taken the hit with my body, trusting in the Dragon Scale Armor and the War Dragon Energy.
*CRACK! Crunch.*
I felt his nose break against my knee.
*Snap.*
I brought my elbow down, and heard the sound of his shoulder dislocating.
*CRUNCH.*
The fist I slammed into the crown of his head produced a dull, crushing sound.
Out of breath, my grip loosened, and I let go of the First Elder.
*Stagger.*
He must have taken a huge shock, as he staggered, unable to keep his balance.
Of course.
I knew a master of his level wouldn't die so easily, so I didn't let my guard down.
Just as I expected.
The area around him began to melt as a flame aura started to rage.
A desperate struggle for survival, it was the most powerful aura I had seen from him yet.
The fortunate thing was, I had anticipated this.
*Fwoosh. KABOOM!*
I quickly threw myself aside, dodging the flame aura that was devastating the surroundings.
*Tssssss.*
Even though the intense heat had cooked my back.
But it's okay.
"Hall Master!"
Because at this very moment, I could receive help from my most reliable ally, Geum Geuk.
*Shwack!*
He decapitated an enemy and soared into the sky.
*Whoosh!*
A golden aura immediately unfurled.
As Geum Geuk slammed his sword down.
*KABOOOM!*
The red and gold colors mingled, creating a massive explosion.
This is enough.
To send one dying old man to the next world.
*Thwoom.*
I used the Phantom Step again.
My target was the completely exhausted First Elder.
"You bastard!"
He roared and tried to counterattack, but…
*BOOM!*
…the detonation of the Explosive Death Force was a step faster.
"Kuwek!"
Overwhelmed by a force his broken body couldn't handle, he vomited blood.
*Fwoosh.*
He shot a flame aura toward my head. He probably wanted to knock me away.
But who am I?
Am I not a specialist in ultra-close-quarters combat?
Like a donkey rolling in a mud pit, I rolled on the ground to evade his attack.
At the same time, I kicked his heel with a low kick imbued with force.
The First Elder, momentarily losing his balance, fell to the ground.
If his body had been in better shape, he would have immediately pushed himself up with his hands, but he couldn't because I had shattered his shoulder earlier.
*Thud.*
"You!"
His flustered shout.
He thrust his hand out once more, but…
*Shunk!*
…a tempered steel nail, heavily imbued with energy, pierced the First Elder's heart first.
"Keoheok..."
No matter what protective armor you wear, it can't block tempered steel.
"You, you bastard..."
*Thud.*
It was a gruesome death.
"Haa! Haa!"
Of course, the battle wasn't over.
I couldn't show weakness to the remaining enemies, so I placed a hand on my trembling knees and forced myself to stand straight.
"If you want to live, drop your weapons!"
Feeling the enemies' gazes focus on me, I shouted again.
"Not that I'll spare a single one of you anyway."