Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: One Against Thousands
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Sado-ryeon Overseer Song Nam-cheon laughed in disbelief.
But that laughter gradually faded.
Bluffing always shows. When you lie, your pupils dilate, your eyes tremble. Your hands and feet can't hide the truth and shake accordingly.
But not this time. Not with the man before him. Tension was visible, but it wasn't the shaking of fear. Everything was calm, like he was simply resolved to do what needed to be done.
...Calm? No. That's not it.
That's not calm.
...He's looking forward to it?
Song Nam-cheon doubted his own eyes. With all these enemies before him, what could he possibly be anticipating?
Had he truly lost his mind?
"......."
But that didn't change the outcome. The warrior before him was undoubtedly formidable.
The mere shockwave of his energy was shattering the terrain. Chunks of earth and stone were visibly lifting off the ground.
A Hwa Realm master.
He was probably around that level. At the very least, Transcendent realm.
But such masters were plentiful on their side too. They might not all be Hwa Realm, but they had them in droves at the Transcendent level.
This was an army for a reason. The numbers weren't for show.
"People are like this."
He opened his mouth and whispered to the ridiculous yet strangely captivating warrior.
"They die if struck by a sword, die if pierced by a spear."
"......."
"Willpower doesn't change everything. Even if your mind doesn't break, if your body does, it's over. Infinite inner energy? It won't block ten swords."
"......."
"And it gets worse the more opponents you face exponentially. Humans have only two hands; they can't block everything coming at them. Even if you seize the advantage with overwhelming presence and speed, you can't surpass the limits of life itself. Hwa Realm? Impressive, no doubt. A remarkable realm."
Song Nam-cheon knew it well himself.
Intent-Shaped Aura. How powerful it was. It could shatter the auras of Transcendent masters head-on, the epitome of might.
Yet even so, Transcendent masters could 'hold out' for a while. Holding out meant their focus was stolen...
And stolen focus narrowed one's field of vision.
A Hwa Realm master's protective aura wasn't invincible. Movement had limits. Inner energy wasn't infinite.
He wasn't a Hyun Realm master who had undergone Opening Heaven...
In the end, even one person's martial prowess had its limits.
"But a Hwa Realm master isn't a god."
"........"
"Think you can last even one exchange? The moment I twitch my hand, a barrage of techniques will turn your body into Swiss cheese. If you're lucky, you might take a few with you."
"........"
"Do you underestimate war? Do you mock the power of numbers? No matter how much you hone your martial arts, those who can't surpass that wall are still just 'human.' Your death will be a dog's death before these walls. The humans standing before you aren't third-rate or second-rate warriors. Each has forged their own realm of mastery. Every one is a true expert."
The man in the conical hat spoke.
As if it were nothing. Without a hint of agitation at the torrent of words, he replied.
"You've got a long tongue."
"...Kuk."
Right.
His tongue was too long.
But what could he do? His blood was boiling. How could it not, in a scene like this?
A single man's sword against thousands of troops. The warrior was doomed to die soon, but he wanted to exchange at least a few words.
As one warrior...
As one man.
He wanted to peer into the soul of the man standing there.
"...Any last words?"
"None."
"I see."
Song Nam-cheon raised his hand.
The dozens of suicide squad members who'd been tasked with breaching the gates.
A formidable force of Transcendent and Peak masters stepped forward.
"Then die."
Strong one. Resolute one.
But reckless one.
Your skills are a pity, but it can't be helped. War demands payment for hubris.
The suicide squad charged in an instant. Sword energies and sword auras of every variety shot out, slicing the ground into dozens of gashes.
Exploding air. The sound reverberated like thunder, making onlookers flinch and step back involuntarily.
All of it targeted just one thing. That one alone.
Song Nam-cheon watched as one warrior was engulfed by countless human shadows.
Even a protective aura, even superb movement...
Before overwhelming numbers, they were meaningless.
I'll hear your scream myself.
You reckless but impressive man.
. . .
A flood of presences.
A sensation like the world slowing down. In it, he recalled the words spat by the enemy's leader.
He was right. A Hwa Realm master wasn't invincible. To others, they were transcendent beings, but it was still within human limits.
Intent-Shaped Aura was fierce. Heavy and weighty, with diverse and superb destructive power.
The pinnacle of what humans could achieve-drawing something from nothing. Forcibly manifesting intent into reality. How could it not be powerful?
But it didn't solve everything like a miracle. Strong, sharp, versatile, capable of much...
Yet it had limits.
The limits of being human.
"......."
The blood sword wailed. White Night and Black Lord warned me as well.
Onrushing blades of killing intent. Their weight was absurdly heavy, as if blotting out the sky.
It felt like surrendering to an insurmountable wave. Humans packed front, back, left, right, all wielding swords...
Various energies ignited, each exquisite technique aimed at my throat.
Every moment felt frozen in time. Was it because I stood at the precipice of life?
I've felt this a few times before.
Those extreme moments when I threw myself beyond my limits.
...So.
What I must do now is clear.
I gripped my sword tighter. The slowing world began accelerating.
It rang true now. The killing intent and shouts of men. The auras of dozens upon dozens.
And into that, I stepped forward.
Amid the surging emotions...
To surpass once more.
Ice-White Fire Wheel Sword
Yin-Yang Union
I traced sword aura martial arts with my fingertips. Moved toward the onslaught of countless swords.
The endlessly heavy slowed down. That was the subtlety of Dullness.
In contrast, the less weight shed, the faster it became. That was the subtlety of Swiftness.
Blending the two was absurd...
But the time on Mount Hua made it possible.
What I possessed but couldn't unleash. Drawing out the full power of my twin swords...
Greatly amplifying the true energies within me.
Fire and ice intertwined from the extended blade. Opposing attributes clashing created massive repulsion.
But I controlled it. My body boiled as if it would shatter, a side effect...
But I'm fine.
I have Heavenly Tribulation.
".......!"
Pain is familiar. A talentless one rising up naturally had to endure it.
Shouldn't I be grateful instead? Clear pain brings clear reward. I can even smile as I accept it.
Even if it's like ripping out every nail and rubbing salt in.
Even if it's twisting until I vomit out my guts, every organ fragment.
Even if my spine crushes and every bone pulverizes, white powder leaking from every pore.
Still, I advance.
As always...
Blood-Dyeing Emissary
To paint the world in my color.
---Kwaaaaaaang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everything in sight was swept into waves of explosion. Experts' faces drowned in flash, the sudden weight crushing all visible things.
But it didn't deflect everything. No matter how powerful the strike, it couldn't pulverize every incoming attack.
A few missed swords pierced me. Burrowing deep, they stirred viciously inside to snuff out my life.
I twisted my sword immediately, grinding the attached foes to dust, but the weapons embedded in my body didn't vanish.
One exchange in a single instant. In it, I sheathed my sword. The stunned foes trembled as they retreated.
"O-one exchange... fuck... how many did we lose?!"
"This mad...! You fucking monster...!"
"D-Do-san is dead! Do-san Sword died! Fuck! That Transcendent expert!"
"You crazy bastard...!"
"B-but he's done for! Done! It nailed him right in the heart!"
"Not a single spot left intact! That fucker's as good as dead!"
...Right.
That would be the case.
If I were an ordinary man.
---Crunch.
I placed my hand on the most irritating sword. The one buried deep in my heart.
Heavenly Tribulation howled. Somewhat wounded by sword energy and aura...
Was it the time together?
Or the training since?
It had grown even more tenacious. Like it was taking after me, learning to endure and resist.
And the result...
I no longer knew how I could die.
As long as a scrap of inner energy remained, I'd cling to life. Swinging my sword endlessly, facing those who sought my death.
That Reverse Heaven warrior from Shaolin, Akbi, had said.
You and I share the same Heavenly Tribulation.
But no. I shook my head. It's not the same.
The start might have been...
But now this Heavenly Tribulation was mine.
---Crunch.
Blood erupted from the pulled wound. But it soon healed, flickering like black flames.
Pulling it out hurt more than the stab. The healing process seared through my brain, tearing at my soul.
But it's fine.
I can endure.
I removed the weapons one by one. Each time one fell, the unorthodox experts shuddered and muttered.
"F-fuck... what the hell... am I seeing...?"
"W-we definitely... stabbed him..."
"W-what is that... immortal or some shit...?"
The enemy's leader furrowed his brow. Panting in disbelief, he hurriedly issued orders.
"Cut off his limbs! Subdue him so he can't move!"
Right. Now the real fight begins.
I shook the blood from my hand. Infused my blade with soul.
Win against thousands? Impossible.
Everyone would say so.
...But I.
"Come."
Won't believe it until my eyes see otherwise.