Chapter 218
Chapter 218
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 218
Chapter Title: Monsters of the Demonic Realm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Uwaaaah—!”
I gritted my teeth as Daoist Hyunjin’s agonized scream echoed from all directions.
To say I hadn’t expected an outcome like this would be a lie.
From the stories I’d heard and the things I’d witnessed so far, it was obvious that Daoist Hyunjin’s senior brothers were in dire straits.
But reality was far more gruesome than I’d imagined.
He’d pushed himself this far, fixated solely on his senior brothers’ safety, only for the result to be this.
My hand trembled on the sword hilt amid the horrific scene, when an irritating sound pierced my ears.
-Kr, kruk, krruk.
The tiger bastard was laughing.
It bared its teeth gleefully while staring at Daoist Hyunjin screaming behind my back, as if it were the most amusing thing in the world.
On top of that, it shook the head of Daoist Hyunwoon impaled on its horn around like a trophy.
The blatant mockery ground my teeth together.
“…You think this is funny, you fucker?”
-Thud!
I muttered coldly and kicked off the ground, charging at it.
Let’s see if it could laugh with its head separated from its body.
Using Bowstring Flash Strike, I closed in on the tiger monster and swung my sword at its neck.
-Swoosh!
A short whoosh of air accompanied the slashing strike.
The tiger monster reacted faster than expected, twisting its head to block my sword with its whisker blades.
Of course, it was pointless.
They looked sharp and sturdy enough, but no match for a sword manifesting Sword Aura.
-Clang!
“What…?”
But my assumption shattered in an instant.
Shockingly, its whisker blade didn’t just block the Sword Aura—it did so effortlessly.
Did those dangling whiskers have the toughness of blood jade?
I couldn’t hide my fluster at the unexpected turn.
-Kraaang!
“Ja-seong!”
Seizing my opening, a massive forepaw swung down.
Hwaryeon’s sharp cry snapped me back; I sensed the claw ripping through the air and unleashed Heavenly Foresight.
-Slash.
The claw grazed past my vital point by a hair’s breadth.
The tiger monster growled in frustration.
“You okay?”
“…Yeah. I’m fine.”
Answering Hwaryeon’s check, I examined the beast closely.
Its whiskers had blocked a Sword Aura blade.
Its sharply honed claws were probably just as tough, if not tougher.
What about its hide?
The thought crossed my mind, but I shook my head.
If that were the case, it wouldn’t have bothered twisting to block with its whiskers.
In other words, to take down this annoying tiger fucker, I had to dodge its claws and whiskers and strike its body directly.
-Kraang—!
As I analyzed it, the tiger moved first this time.
It crouched low, then sprang at me like a coiled spring.
Its gaping maw revealed fangs gleaming as if ready to tear me apart.
In response, I targeted its flank with Sword Shadows Enveloping Heaven.
My thrust at its nape was followed by seven sword shadows aiming for its forelegs and shoulders.
-Krrung!?
The tiger monster’s red eyes widened in shock, and it hastily retreated.
-Puk! Pook!
Its agility belied its bulk; most shadows missed, slicing only air.
At best, I grazed its forepaw and snout, drawing a bit of blood.
-Kraaaang!
As if only angered, the tiger monster bellowed fiercely.
The shrill cry pierced my ears, leaving me conflicted inside.
Should I just go with Imperial Sword Form?
Now that I knew its hide wasn’t as tough as its whiskers or claws, that technique could shred it in one go.
The problem was the qi I’d burned chasing them and felling monsters along the way.
Using Imperial Sword Form here would empty my dantian completely.
Then I’d have to leave the rest—minus this leader—to Hwaryeon and the others.
Sure, the monsters might flee in fear after their boss died, but what if they didn’t?
“…Tch.”
No, couldn’t risk it.
I shelved Imperial Sword Form for now.
No need to force it when it wasn’t the only way to kill it—I didn’t want to endanger the group.
Decision made, I charged straight at the tiger monster.
-Kroooar!
It roared massively and charged back.
But unlike before, it kept its mouth shut, swinging its head to lash with whisker blades.
-Kagang!
Its whiskers clashed with my blade, ringing sharply.
Thus began our test of strength.
Perfectly matched, neither yielding an inch—then Hwaryeon and Master approached from behind to join.
-Krrrng—!
The tiger monster let out a low growl.
At the sound, two sizable beasts from the watching pack lunged at the pair.
“Ugh…!”
“You damned monster!”
With Hwaryeon and Master tied up, the tiger’s eyes curved smugly.
Beyond the irritating arrogance, I was inwardly surprised.
I’d noticed it mocking Daoist Hyunjin, but this intelligence was uncanny for a beast.
Did mutating into a monster boost its smarts?
By the looks, you’d think it’d drop.
A pointless stray thought.
I shoved it aside.
Who cared if it got smarter or dumber.
“You’re dying by my hand anyway, right?”
I smirked, locking eyes with its curved gaze, lifting one corner of my mouth.
It flinched at my expression, and I surged qi to flick its whiskers away.
“Hah!”
-Kaang!
A sharp ring, and the whiskers flew back.
The tiger’s head snapped rearward.
Undeterred, it charged again, swinging its whisker blades.
The blades rushed to cleave my upper body.
I shattered their sharp momentum with overwhelming weight.
-Kwaang!
-Krehng!?
Unable to withstand Heavenly Might Crushing Pressure, the whisker blades slammed into the ground.
As the tiger showed clear panic, a scream-mingled shout rang out.
“Uwaaaah—!”
Daoist Hyunjin was the source.
Eyes bloodshot with lost reason, he charged at the head still impaled on the tiger’s horn.
A reckless charge that would’ve been a hindrance normally.
But timed perfectly, his madness created the perfect opening for me right then.
-Krrung?
Just a moment.
A split second when its eyes flicked to Daoist Hyunjin.
I didn’t miss it.
Twisting the sword pinning its whisker blades, I swung wide at its striped face.
-Splaaash!
-Kraaaang—!
Blood sprayed amid its agonized cry.
My sword diagonally gashed deep into its right eye.
-Kraaang!
The tiger monster thrashed, spraying blood from its ruined socket everywhere.
Daoist Hyunjin, eyes rolled back, ignored it and charged on.
“Die—!”
“Stop.”
I grabbed his collar, forcing him to halt.
“Let me go! That thing killed Senior Brother Hyunwoon…!”
“Thanks for the assist just now, but get a grip. Charging in your state? The outcome’s obvious.”
“Kuuk…!”
Daoist Hyunjin’s grief-twisted face crumpled.
His struggling body gradually lost strength in my grip.
As he calmed, the tiger—raging with roars for ages—finally regained its senses.
-Krrrarar…!
Its remaining eye glared murderously.
I pointed my sword tip at it, wagging it tauntingly.
“Come on, I’ll carve out the other one too.”
As expected of a clever beast, it recognized the provocation, face twisting viciously.
Yet unlike before, it didn’t rush in recklessly.
What, afraid now that it won’t go down easy?
-Kyaaek—!
-Kyaak!
Meanwhile, death cries came from the monsters holding Hwaryeon and Master.
The two dispatched them unscathed and rejoined me.
Now one against four.
The tiger realized the odds worsened and hesitated.
Seeing their leader falter, the pack eyed each other and began slinking back.
Looked like they’d bolt the moment it died.
No more holding back, then.
-Thud!
I stomped hard.
-Krooar!?
Qi ripples from the stomp constricted it, panicking the tiger.
As it flailed to move, I raised my sword.
-Kwagaga—!
A storm of Sword Qi swirled around the blade, shooting skyward.
Its eye bulged in terror, struggling fiercer.
Too late.
With a triumphant smile, I brought the sword down on it.
Just as the storm would engulf the massive tiger, something absurd happened.
-Kroooar—!
“!?”
With an unprecedented roar, it broke free of the qi bindings.
Then it swiftly escaped Imperial Sword Form’s range.
-Kwagagang—!
The aimless storm swept up some fleeing monsters that hadn’t escaped in time.
“…Damn it.”
When the tempest fully subsided, only a few monster corpses remained—the tiger and the rest had all vanished.