Even If I Die Here, I Won’t Back Down! (2)
The Bishop unleashed a flood of black demonic energy toward Chung Myung as he charged in from the front.
But the one to block it was not Chung Myung.
From among the Mount Hua disciples who had followed close behind him, a roar like that of a beast rang out.
“Oooooooh!”
Then came the burst of golden Buddhist light.
Hye Yeon instinctively released his power to block the demonic energy flying toward Chung Myung, and Chung Myung, as though he had expected no less, did not slow down in the slightest as he kept charging.
KWAAAAAAANG!
With an explosion that seemed to shake the world, Hye Yeon’s body was sent flying backward helplessly.
But no one turned to look. They only grit their teeth and drove themselves forward.
“YAAAAAAAAAAAT!”
Chung Myung leapt like a hawk and swung his sword toward the Bishop’s head. The Bishop’s outstretched hand and Chung Myung’s sword collided in midair.
KAAAAAAANG!
The roar was like two giant slabs of metal smashing together. Then a storm of qi raged between them.
“Junior Sister!”
“Yes!”
Yu I-seol and Baek Cheon slipped in on either side of the Bishop’s waist. At the same time, they slashed like vipers striking at his flanks. No—they tried to.
At that instant—
“Mere trash!”
KWAAAAAAANG!
The black energy swirling around the Bishop’s body like a phantom suddenly came alive and surged at Yu I-seol and Baek Cheon.
“Tch!”
The two of them swung their swords toward the incoming demonic energy.
KWA-DRRRT!
But even those razor-sharp steel blades could not cut through the black aura. The demonic energy rebounded their swords and slammed into both their bodies in an instant.
KWAAAAAAANG!
Baek Cheon and Yu I-seol were blasted backward, spewing blood.
“You bastard!”
Chung Myung, pressing down harder on the Bishop’s hand with his sword, used the recoil to fling his body backward. Like a falcon diving on prey, he crashed to the ground, kicked off it, and shot straight toward the Bishop.
At the same time, Yoon Jong and Jo Gul leapt up just as Chung Myung had done a moment earlier.
“TAAAAT!”
“Die!”
Yoon Jong and Jo Gul struck down with their swords at the same time, while Chung Myung shot forward like lightning toward the Bishop’s front.
FWAH-FAH-FAH!
At the same time, three flying knives shot in a straight line toward the Bishop’s face. The amount of inner power packed into them was so great that sword qi had grown more than half a span beyond the tips of the blades.
It was a clean, perfectly synchronized assault, as though they had rehearsed it beforehand.
“Pathetic!”
The Bishop spread both hands, wrapped in jet-black demonic energy, and swept them violently.
KAAANG! KAAAAANG!
Yoon Jong’s and Jo Gul’s swords rebounded as if they were small animals struck by a wagon. Unconcealed shock flared in both their eyes.
They had poured everything into those slashes, and yet they had been rendered meaningless by a casual flick of the wrist? Just how vast had the difference to be for that to happen?
Like a giant brush roughly dragging across a sheet of white paper, the demonic energy scraped through the air.
KAGANG!
The attacks charging at the Bishop were cut off and snuffed out by that wall of demonic energy.
The Bishop, blood-red light streaming from both eyes, brought one hand down toward Chung Myung’s head and thrust palm force with the other toward Jo Gul and Yoon Jong.
The demonic energy that had clung only to his fingertips suddenly gaped open like a monster’s jaws, covering Jo Gul and Yoon Jong whole.
Their eyes widened to the limit.
We can’t dodge—
At that very moment—
FWAH-FAH-FAH!
Chung Myung let the incoming palm force slide off his shoulder and, with blinding speed, thrust his sword toward the Bishop’s chin.
“Hup!”
Even the Bishop of all people seemed momentarily flustered this time. He hurriedly withdrew his outstretched hand and leaned his upper body back.
Faat!
The tip of his chin split slightly and blood sprayed out.
“YOU LITTLE BASTARD!”
KWAAAAAAANG!
The Bishop’s kicking foot slammed into Chung Myung’s side, unleashing a thunderous blast. Chung Myung’s body was flung away at terrifying speed like a cannonball.
“How dare you!”
Frenzied killing intent poured out. The Bishop, howling like a man possessed, was about to unleash a barrage of attacks at Jo Gul and Yoon Jong.
But then—
Frrrrrttt!
Behind Jo Gul and Yoon Jong, scarlet plum blossoms burst open in streams.
They were the blossoms created by Baek Cheon and Yu I-seol, who had already rushed back in. The red petals whirled through the air like flowers caught in a storm, quickly spreading until they covered the Bishop’s entire body.
The first time anyone sees the Plum Blossom Sword Art with their own eyes, they are bound to falter.
But the Bishop only curled his lips in a mocking smile.
“Foolish.”
KWAAAAAA!
Black demonic energy erupted from the Bishop’s whole body like flame and swallowed the onrushing plum blossom sword qi. The plum blossom sword qi, touched by the black aura, melted away without a trace, like snow falling into a lake.
“Aaaaargh!”
Jo Gul twisted his face and swung his sword with all his might toward the demonic energy.
KWAAAAAAANG!
But the moment the blade touched that surging black power, another massive explosion thundered out. Jo Gul was sent flying backward, spewing blood.
“Jol—!”
Before Yoon Jong could even finish crying out, golden light erupted behind him.
BOOM! KWAANG! KWAAAANG! KWAANG!
Hundred-Step Divine Fist!
Palm strikes worthy of the name Divine Fist came one after another, targeting the Bishop’s body. But the Bishop simply batted them away with one hand and twisted his lips.
“Filthy unbelievers!”
Then his foot stamped down in a forceful step.
KWAAAAAAANG!
A massive storm of qi raged outward. The Mount Hua disciples attacking the Bishop were blown away like fallen leaves caught in a typhoon.
Thud!
Thud!
The Mount Hua disciples crashed to the ground, eyes wide in shock.
“Cough!”
Fresh blood gushed from their mouths. It was enough bleeding to turn their collars red in an instant.
But greater than the wounds on their bodies was the despair that crashed over them.
So this is...
Baek Cheon’s fingertips trembled.
None of their attacks were working.
It was like standing before a wall of steel and swinging a sword at it. It did not feel as though anything they did would ever land. The difference they were experiencing firsthand was absurdly huge.
Despair.
Yes, this was utter, boundless despair.
“What did you think would change by all charging at me together?”
The Bishop clicked his tongue lightly and walked toward them.
“Filthy unbelievers. The reason you still live is not because you are strong. It is because what we have lost is far greater than you can imagine.”
A blood-red, chilling aura suddenly burst from the Bishop’s eyes.
“The Demon’s heavens shall open! The world shall be filled with demonic power. You should consider yourselves fortunate to die without seeing His descent. He is not merciful like me, nor weak like me.”
“Cough!”
Baek Cheon coughed blood again and forced his fingers tighter around his sword hilt.
There was no strength left in his hand.
When he instinctively looked around, he saw that not only he but every Mount Hua disciple had been stunned senseless. Even Yu I-seol was biting her lip with a face gone pale.
“Do you understand now?”
The Bishop’s grotesque laughter rang out through the despair-filled space.
“You worthless things can never stop the ritual. Die carrying your despair with you.”
“You—”
Then a familiar voice reached Baek Cheon’s ears.
“Ptooey!”
Chung Myung, who had been blasted back, walked toward them after spitting out a mouthful of blood.
“You talk way too much.”
Grrrk. Grrrk.
The sound of his sword dragging across the ground was loud enough for everyone to hear.
The Bishop’s gaze fixed squarely on Chung Myung.
“You are quite the stubborn one. But you must know it is meaningless.”
“Meaningless? What, because you’re stronger?”
“......”
“Looks like you’ve been hiding in a cave and only polishing your inner power, so you don’t really know what fighting is.”
Chung Myung wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and sneered.
“Being stronger doesn’t automatically mean you win.”
Step. Step.
Chung Myung walked through the Mount Hua disciples and advanced toward the Bishop. He did not spare them so much as a glance.
At that sight, the Mount Hua disciples clenched their teeth and forced themselves back to their feet.
“Listen carefully, you Heavenly Demon’s dog.”
A crooked smile tugged at Chung Myung’s mouth.
“If strength alone decided everything, then the Heavenly Demon wouldn’t have had his head cut off and dropped dead, would he?”
“You—!”
Those words struck the Bishop’s reverse scale. The Bishop’s face, which had been overflowing with composure, twisted hideously in an instant.
“I’ll rip you apart and kill you— no, tearing you apart won’t be enough—!”
Like a burst dam, ferocious demonic energy flooded out and began to rage, wrapping the Bishop’s whole body in a storm.
“How dare you spout such nonsense with that filthy mouth! I’ll tear you apart and kill you! Not only your flesh, but even your soul will suffer for all eternity!”
“Heh.”
Chung Myung gave a low laugh, and then killing intent seeped from his eyes. A madness bordering on the dangerous glimmered there, skewed out of shape.
His blood boiled, and his senses sharpened.
Standing on the edge of the blade, standing on the threshold of death— it had always felt like this. That sensation had returned to Chung Myung after what felt like an age.
The heat in his eyes gradually turned cold.
“YOU LITTLE BASTARD!”
The Bishop’s face warped into that of a fiend as he charged at Chung Myung. A Bishop wrapped in a storm of black demonic energy, frothing with killing intent as he rushed forward— it was terror no one could possibly endure.
Even the boldest among them would have been shaken just by seeing it.
And yet Chung Myung lifted his sword high and charged straight toward him in return.
And in that instant—
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”
Baek Cheon, forcing his own body upright, let out a blood-hot, feral roar and ran to support Chung Myung from behind.
Were they afraid?
Yes.
Of course they were afraid.
His reason, his instincts—everything in him was screaming the same thing.
Run. Flee.
The Bishop’s power surpassed every notion of common sense he had ever possessed. Even if he fought beside that bastard Chung Myung, he could not find any confidence that they would win.
If he could, he wanted to run away this very instant.
But the moment Chung Myung charged forward, Baek Cheon’s body moved before his mind could catch up, following after him.
Even the murderous aura being hurled at him felt like it could tear his skin apart.
The darkness carried in that black demonic energy felt like it could freeze his soul solid.
But Baek Cheon just ran, looking at Chung Myung’s back.
Yu I-seol, who had already rushed over, filled the space at his side, while Jo Gul and Yoon Jong, who had thrown themselves after them in desperation, held the rear. Hye Yeon and Dang Soso were the same.
Yes.
I am afraid.
But...
Baek Cheon’s eyes burst with intense light.
What? You’re not afraid?
“......”
What nonsense are you spouting? A man who fights because he isn’t afraid is just a brawler. That isn’t courage. Courage is when you’re afraid, and you still take a step forward and swing your sword! That is courage!
Very well!
Now he thought he understood those words.
Even if I die here!
A thunderclap of a shout burst from Baek Cheon’s mouth.
“HRAAAAAAAAAAAAP!”
I won’t let anyone die before me!
He dragged his body, which felt ready to shatter, and swung his sword. The red sword qi bursting from the tip shot straight toward the Bishop.
“KRAAAAAAAH!”
The Bishop, looking half-mad after hearing the story of the Heavenly Demon, slapped the sword qi aside and crushed it.
Then, carrying thick, savage demonic energy in its entirety, he swept it toward Chung Myung’s head.
KWAAAAAAANG!
The demonic energy that grazed past Chung Myung’s twisted body blew the ground apart literally.
The earth caved in as though a meteor had crashed down, then split with spiderweb cracks in every direction, vomiting out shockwaves.
Grrrck.
He had clearly dodged it perfectly, and yet even the aftershock felt as though it had crushed his bones.
But—
“Idiot.”
Chung Myung did not waver. With a cool face, he drove his sword toward the Bishop’s chest.
FWAH!
The motion contained no unnecessary flourish. Because of that, the blade was all the swifter, becoming a shaft of light as it struck the Bishop’s chest.
But at that moment—
KAGAAANG!
Chung Myung’s eyes flew open at the unbelievable sight before him.
Even if a person were protected by an immense surge of power, flesh was still flesh and not steel. And yet Dark Fragrance Plum Blossom Sword, a blade that could truly be called a masterpiece, had been repelled instead of piercing the Bishop’s body.
What?
For an instant, Chung Myung caught a glimpse of something.
Blue ice.
Exposed through the Bishop’s torn front robes.
“Dieeeeeee!”
Seizing that opening, the Bishop’s hand moved again and shot toward Chung Myung with terrifying speed.
Chung Myung reflexively raised his sword to block the incoming hand. The instant blade and hand collided, an overwhelming force beyond anything human surged into Chung Myung’s body.
KWAAAAAAANG!
Huh?
In Chung Myung’s field of vision, a dazzling blue sky filled the world.
Why am I...
Someone’s desperate scream came to him from far away.
“Sahyuuuung!”
...Soso?
The sky instantly blurred.
Then his consciousness drifted into the distance.
No...
Chung Myung’s unconscious body fell like a kite with its string cut.