Chapter 285: Yaksha (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 285: Yaksha (5)
Bang!
Clang, clang, clang!
Spears clashed in midair.
Alice, having activated 'Blood Lord', wielded her spear with absolute freedom.
To be precise, rather than swinging it with her hands, she was controlling it using her mana.
Thud.
Landing lightly, Alice spun her Blood Spear like a windmill.
"This is definitely more to my taste than a rapier."
Her long, tied-up silver hair fluttered in the air.
At the same time, the tip of her spear shot forward like a bullet toward Chae Hong-ah's heart.
It was a strike so fast that dodging it was practically unthinkable.
Boom!
"Ugh!"
Sparks flew as Chae Hong-ah was sent flying backward.
"Hehe."
Alice glanced over toward Jinhyuk.
With her ears practically perked up and her fists clenched tight, she looked exactly like a puppy begging for praise.
Of course, Jinhyuk's attention was entirely focused on the Yaksha.
Alice flared up.
"You're still not looking? Even after this? How about this?!"
Her spearplay grew even more ferocious.
Her thrusts, which left no afterimages, could only be described as masterclass.
However, the fish she wanted to catch didn't bite; instead, someone else reacted.
"Impressive. Even in the Murim, let alone among the knights of the Empire, those who can exchange more than ten clashes with my spear are few and far between."
Chae Hong-ah was a veteran who had seen it all when it came to spear technique.
To her eyes, it was crystal clear just how outstanding Alice's ability to control the distance was.
"You must have crossed countless lines between life and death and fought in even more battles. Perhaps you are even stronger than that man."
"I am... stronger? Than my contractor?"
"At least in terms of the seasoned skill born of experience. I didn't realize it when you were wearing a mask during the Heavenly Demon War, but to think you were so young. It is truly surprising."
"Tell me more. More!"
"Pardon?"
"Much more! Praise me way, way more!"
Alice's eyes sparkled.
As a bonus, her voice had suddenly dropped into a solemn, dignified tone.
"Quickly. Tell me everything, step by step. Tell me how great and magnificent this noble self is. I want to hear it all night long!"
Alice's nose practically pierced the heavens with pride.
Watching this, Jinhyuk clicked his tongue.
Well.
She must have had a lot of pent-up frustration.
Then again, she was the proud head of the Ataraxia family, yet she had suffered quite a bit of emotional distress from being constantly scolded and looked down upon every day.
She was a queen to her very bones, but in reality, she was treated like an untouchable, so she was bound to be starved for recognition.
*
While Alice and Chae Hong-ah's fight paused momentarily, Wolyeong faced Dokgoryong.
"Ugh. Wolyeong! A mere nobody like you dares point a blade at me? You couldn't even look me in the eye before, yet now you've grown quite the backbone!"
"That was true once. Back then, you, who ranked in the top ten, were in a position so high I couldn't even compare to you."
"Once? Does that mean it's different now?"
"As you can see."
Wolyeong extended his sword forward.
"Absurd. It's not like your skills could have leaped bounds in such a short time. What on earth gave you the courage to act so bold?"
A reason.
There wasn't much to it.
Simply...
"I've been serving someone far stronger than you."
He had fought alongside him. He had watched how he fought, and how one should fight.
His spine-chilling strength was a given.
But his ruthlessness—thoroughly crushing everyone regardless of whether they were friend or foe—was honestly terrifying, even to those on his side.
It was like stabbing someone, rubbing salt in the wound, and then dancing in front of them.
It made one think that a clean, quick death would be a mercy.
And after experiencing all of that...
"Someone of your level is nothing."
Dokgoryong, who once looked like a tiger, now looked like a mere kitten.
"Heh... Hahaha! It seems you've forgotten how terrifying I am as time passed. For you to challenge me alone, time truly must be the shortcut to oblivion."
Swoosh!
Dokgoryong's arm turned green.
Poison Lotus Hand.
It was a deadly poison that would rot flesh within moments of touching the skin.
However, just before the emitted mist could reach Wolyeong, Goguma, who was standing behind him, opened his mouth wide.
"Mogi! Mogi! Mooogi!"
[Goguma uses 'Acid Breath'!]
Rumble!
An even deeper green flash tore through the green cloud.
"A... a poison of a higher caliber than mine?!"
Dokgoryong's jaw dropped.
But he had no time to be shocked; he immediately had to block a surprise attack from Wolyeong, who had appeared behind his back using 'Shadow Extreme Kill'.
*
Jinhyuk assessed the overall battle.
The Thunder Spirit Unit is decent, but they're no match for the spirit beasts.
Thanks to the harsh training he had put them through, the five spirit beasts moved in perfect harmony, as if they shared a single body.
Goguma and Wolyeong were also successfully pushing back their opponents. Aside from Alice, who was busy playing queen all by herself, there didn't seem to be any major variables.
Now, the only one left was the ferocious beast baring its fangs.
Right then.
Step.
The Dark Emperor approached Jinhyuk's side.
His face was filled with complex emotions.
Jinhyuk already knew the reason.
"You're here."
"Judging by the traces left on the ground, it seems you used the First and Third Forms of the Black Heaven Demonic Emperor Art."
"...Yes."
"I have wondered from the very beginning. How is it that an outsider of the Tower can use my sect's secret martial art so naturally?"
The aura, which carried a sense of profound experience, was not a realm that could be achieved overnight.
It must have been backed by countless efforts and rigorous training.
"That is..."
Jinhyuk trailed off.
"It is fine. I did not ask to pry. If you cannot speak of it, that is enough."
The Dark Emperor waved his hand lightly.
"Even if you were to lie, it would not matter. You would have your reasons. I have already decided to accept you."
Right...
Master was always like this.
One of the few beings he could rely on in a world where all the players had left.
Back then, he had thought of his master as just a soulless resident of the Tower.
That was why he hadn't wanted to grow attached.
After all, giving his heart to an NPC, who was nothing more than a part of a program, would only end in hurt.
But the higher he climbed the Tower, the closer he got to the summit, the more he bitterly regretted keeping his distance.
...One regret is enough.
"I shall formally ask your name."
"Kang Jinhyuk."
At the Dark Emperor's question, Jinhyuk slowly opened his mouth.
"My name... is Kang Jinhyuk."
"Since the situation is what it is, we shall substitute the formal discipleship rites with an exchange of fists."
In the Murim, betraying and deceiving others was a daily occurrence. It was a world of the survival of the fittest, where people would claim to stand by you only to stab you in the back.
However.
A master would never betray their disciple under any circumstance.
Just as a parent cannot abandon their child, and a child cannot abandon their parent.
A master and disciple do not turn their backs on each other.
"Jinhyuk. You shall be the first disciple I accept, and at the same time, you shall be my last."
Therefore.
Anyone who dared harm his disciple could not be forgiven.
"Watch and learn. For someone like you, merely observing this will teach you much."
The Dark Emperor stepped in front of the Yaksha.
"Grrr..."
The Yaksha, its eyes rolled back to show only the whites, let out a low growl.
Though its reason was gone, it instinctively sensed that the opponent before it was highly dangerous.
"The turbid energy in your body is not native to you. Is it because those fools injected Dokkaebi fire into you...? Hoho. And they injected something that someone had tampered with, at that. Your insides are an absolute mess."
The Dark Emperor looked at the Yaksha with a complicated gaze.
Just as he said, the Yaksha's condition was visibly deteriorating.
The overloaded power had gone past its peak and was now running wild, rapidly collapsing its body.
Like putting the wrong fuel into an engine, the Yaksha was burning itself up, self-destructing.
"Graaaah!"
"I had looked forward to the day we would fight again, but I did not wish to see you like this. I shall release you from your pain now."
Rumble!
A dark energy surged around the Dark Emperor's body.
Black Heaven Demonic Emperor Art.
Twelfth Form.
Union of the Single Extremity.
The Twelfth Form of the Black Heaven Demonic Emperor Art, and the strongest technique in the Dark Emperor's arsenal.
Jinhyuk knew it.
That movement. That posture.
Every single detail...
Normally, it was a realm that would require at least a year of dedicated training to reach.
Even if one knew it theoretically, without the backing of internal energy and physical training, a martial form was nothing more than a dance.
But why?
Somehow... I feel like I can do it.
Jinhyuk's body twitched reflexively.
Right at that moment, the Yaksha and the Dark Emperor collided head-on.
Boom!
A colossal amount of internal energy clashed.
It was a battle of pure, unadulterated force, devoid of any trickery.
With no thought of retreat, every single strike was a lethal blow meant to take the opponent's life.
The Yaksha, its entire body enveloped in Monstrous Strength and Chaotic Spirits, swung its fists like a madman.
In response, the Dark Emperor unleashed the Twelfth Form of the Black Heaven Demonic Emperor Art.
Jinhyuk could see him drawing all the energy flowing from his dantian up into his upper body.
The next step would undoubtedly be...
Ryeowon (Splitting the Circle).
A black circle formed between the Dark Emperor and the Yaksha.
That was the beginning of reaching the extremity.
And without even realizing it...
Jinhyuk copied the movement.
Haewon (Boundary Circle).
A new white circle manifested behind the Yaksha's back.
*
The Dark Emperor's pupils shook violently.
"How... can this be?"
This was the Twelfth Form, unleashed to put an end to the Yaksha who was suffering from contamination.
It was the Twelfth Form, meant to show his disciple the path of the Black Heaven Demonic Emperor Art that lay ahead.
Yet, he had copied it after seeing it just once?
This was beyond the realm of talent or effort.
It belonged to the realm of the impossible.
...The real monster was right here.
The Dark Emperor stared at the circle Jinhyuk had drawn with a look of utter disbelief.
And so, the climax of the Twelfth Form, which should have manifested as a single extremity,
[The 12th Transcendental Form, 'Union of the Dual Extremities', is activated!]
Connected as a line linking the two poles.
White and black.
Light and darkness pierced through the Yaksha's heart.
Thud!
In its final moment, the Yaksha did not block the attack.
Nor did it attempt to regenerate.
When its hazy eyes finally regained focus, it was clearly wearing a faint smile.
"..."
As if thanking them for freeing it from this wretched nightmare.
Thump!
The Yaksha's body collapsed to the left.
At that exact moment, countless status windows popped up before Jinhyuk's eyes.
Ding! Ding!...
[Your contribution of 70% has been recognized.]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have...]
[...leveled up!]
[The conditions for copying have been met due to the Yaksha's death.]
[You have successfully copied the unique ability 'Monstrous Strength and Chaotic Spirits'!]
[Monstrous Strength and Chaotic Spirits]
Acquisition Difficulty: Unmeasurable
Description: A melee-type unique ability that can manifest in various forms depending on the caster. Grants immunity to fear against opponents, and increases physical and magic defense by 30% each.
[You have obtained 'Yaksha's Wristguards'.]
[You have obtained the special item 'Taesan Sword'.]
[You have obtained 'Yaksha's Elixir'.]
[You have obtained 'Yaksha's Secret Manual'.]
A whopping eight levels.
On top of that, he had acquired a new ability and items that seemed far from ordinary.
Yet, despite the messages announcing his victory...
Not a single trace of joy could be found on Jinhyuk's face.
What 'Gluttony's Eye' had seen was not just the status windows regarding items and rewards.
The sense of incongruity he had felt ever since the Yaksha was consumed by the Dokkaebi fire.
He finally understood what lay behind it.