The Lion Awakens
Do Ye-cheon's face was filled with pure ecstasy.
How could he not be pleased?
The grand ambition he had harbored for his entire life was now right before his eyes.
The pinnacle of Sadocheon.
The glorious throne that everyone dreamed of and longed for.
That very throne was finally returning to its rightful owner.
But...
At the same time, Do Ye-cheon could not deny another emotion rising from deep within.
Hehe, right now, this brings me even greater joy.
Do Ye-cheon looked at the opponent standing directly in front of him.
"Leader of the White Night Unit, what is the meaning of this pathetic sight? Hmm?"
Do Ye-cheon smirked as he spoke.
It was blatant mockery, born of the absolute certainty of a victor who had already secured his triumph.
"Where has that bold confidence gone? That arrogance of yours, daring to bare your teeth at me?"
Jeok-un—no, Old Hwang, who was disguised as Jeok-un—silently spat out bloody saliva.
It was hard to tell if it was spit or pure blood. Perhaps it even contained fragments of his ruptured internal organs.
Old Hwang's martial robes were torn to shreds, useless even as rags, and stained crimson in countless places. Even his face was a battered mess, yet his eyes burned with the same fierce light as when the fight had first begun. He refused to yield.
"Tsk, tsk. Foolish boy."
Do Ye-cheon's face stretched into a broad, bright smile. Though he was the one who had orchestrated this scene, the more he looked at it, the more delightful it became.
For several hours—a time that could be considered either long or short—Do Ye-cheon had taken his time dealing with Jeok-un.
It wasn't because the boy was difficult to handle. Rather, it was because he was worried the boy would die too quickly.
I cannot let this insect die so easily.
Do Ye-cheon recalled all the outrages Jeok-un had committed. The way he had suddenly appeared out of nowhere to disrupt and ruin his grand plans, and how he had dared to grate on his nerves. How much loss had he suffered because of Jeok-un, and how many crises had he faced? Every single time, he had sworn to crush him like a bug. Now, the fruit of that vow was right before him.
Jeok-un was now like a fly with its wings torn off, a creature he could kill whenever he pleased.
You seem to have drawn upon the power of a sacred relic to reach the threshold of the Profound Realm, but did you truly believe such crude strength would work against me?
He was merely playing with him.
Struggle more. Squirm even harder...
Do Ye-cheon was filled with boundless joy and satisfaction, but he maintained his composure until the very end.
"Your foolishness has hastened your demise. What a tragedy that the rising star of the Unorthodox faction cannot live out his natural lifespan."
Shring!
No sooner had Do Ye-cheon finished speaking than the metallic ring of swords echoed as twin blades rose. Old Hwang, his arms trembling violently, took up his starting stance once more. His ragged breathing sounded as if he might collapse at any second, which only made Do Ye-cheon's delight grow.
"Yes, if you are so eager for death... I must respect your wishes."
Roar!
Do Ye-cheon lunged at Old Hwang, throwing his right fist. A colossal energy surged from his shoulder, wrapping around his upper arm. By the time it passed his elbow and reached his forearm, it had fully coalesced into a devastating form of astral qi.
"The Mad Soul Ten Slaughter Flow...!" someone among the spectators cried out.
The Mad Soul Ten Slaughter Flow was the signature martial art that had earned Do Ye-cheon the moniker of the Mad Soul Fist. It was named for the way its air-rending strikes struck the eardrums like the wailing of damned souls. Within the Unorthodox faction, it was a technique so brutal that some argued it should be classified as a demonic art. And now, this ultimate technique was flying straight toward Old Hwang.
...The right!
Through a vision blurred by blood and sweat, Old Hwang barely managed to track the trajectory of the fist.
Boom!
The moment the iron sword clashed with the bare fist, several onlookers groaned aloud.
"Cough!"
"Ugh...!"
This was no simple collision of flesh and steel. It was a clash of pure astral qi against astral qi. The shockwave of this monstrous collision swept outward, catching those with weaker internal energy in its wake.
Blood trickled down Old Hwang's chin.
My internal injuries... have worsened.
Standing on the front line against Do Ye-cheon, Old Hwang bore the brunt of the impact. Though he had managed to block it, the disparity in their strength remained absolute. Because he was constrained by the need to hide his true power, the damage continued to accumulate and compound. At this point, it was no longer a battle; it was a hunt. It was a beast cornering its prey, toying with it, and tearing it apart.
Watching this, the martial artists of the Lord's faction felt a mixture of rage and pity. They were furious at Do Ye-cheon's cruel attempts to shatter his opponent's pride, and heartbroken for Jeok-un, who stood resolutely against him.
"Ah..."
"Leader of the White Night Unit..."
"He has been holding out like that for hours..."
Since the battle began, the sun had already passed its zenith and begun to sink. Consequently, the fighters who had been guarding the other three gates had gathered at the North Gate one by one. They could not help but feel deep sorrow as they watched Jeok-un standing alone, defending the entrance to the Alliance Leader's Hall.
But there was one person whose feelings were different.
Mister...
Hae-yeon. She alone knew that the man standing there in Jeok-un's guise was actually Old Hwang. She was the only one here who was truly worrying for him. She wanted nothing more than to rush forward and help him. But she couldn't. With her current strength, she would only be a burden, dragging him down further.
Blood dripped from her clenched fists, her fingernails digging deep into her palms. Yet, this reaction was not confined to the Lord's faction.
Does the Vice Lord truly need to go this far...?
Even if he crossed the Vice Lord, the Black Heaven Mad Dragon is still a hero who achieved great things for Sadocheon...
This is practically torture.
It was only right to subdue him since he had been deceived by Hu Seong into acting as a pawn. However, they did not wish to see a hero of Sadocheon tormented like a butterfly having its wings torn off. Until recently, Jeok-un was a hero who had achieved great feats against both the Murim Alliance and Black Hegemony Castle. Everyone had sung his praises and admired him. Now, even the martial artists of the Vice Lord's faction were beginning to frown at the gruesome spectacle.
Thud!
Just then, Old Hwang collapsed. He hadn't completely fallen, but he was down on one knee, panting heavily.
"Haa... haa..."
His vision spun as if the world were turning upside down. His entire body felt as though it were about to shatter. Was this what it felt like to have all one's meridians torn apart? The internal pain was so excruciating that he could no longer feel the cuts on his skin. As the blood loss worsened, auditory hallucinations whispered in his ears, telling him to just fall and embrace a peaceful rest.
But...
"Ugh!"
Using his sword as a cane, Old Hwang forced himself up once more. His arms and legs trembled like a newborn lamb's, but he stubbornly stood tall, relying on his blade for support.
"Ho, impressive. I suppose you built your reputation on such outstanding resilience."
Do Ye-cheon's mocking sneer echoed. Through the hazy sound of that laughter, Old Hwang raised his blood-stained arms. Though they shook violently and were covered in gore, he pointed his twin swords directly at Do Ye-cheon.
I must hold out. I must endure.
For his benefactor. The one who had given him a purpose to live when he was in despair, and who had shown him a new path. He had to repay that grace.
"...Come," Old Hwang muttered.
At his words, gasps of admiration erupted from all sides, regardless of whether they belonged to the Lord's or the Vice Lord's faction.
Was this what Zhang Fei of Yan looked like in the ancient days? In their eyes, the image of Jeok-un standing alone before the Alliance Leader's Hall, refusing to retreat even in the face of death, overlapped with the legend of Zhang Yide roaring against Cao Cao's army at Changban Slope a thousand years ago. None could hide their stirred emotions.
"Hmph..."
Noticing the shift in the atmosphere, Do Ye-cheon scowled. He did not like the way things were turning out.
"Let us settle this now."
Deciding to finally end this farce, Do Ye-cheon clenched his fists tightly. A tempestuous energy surged from his entire body.
Do Ye-cheon sent a voice transmission to Old Hwang.
It was a message meant to tell him that his loyalty was entirely in vain, urging him to despair to his heart's content. The moment the curse poison, the Seonghyungjisal, reached its peak was now right at hand.
"This is the end, Jegal the Defeated Dragon!"
Calling him the Defeated Dragon instead of the Mad Dragon to mock him to the very end, Do Ye-cheon lunged forward like a bolt of lightning.
I leave the rest to you, Unit Leader...!
Seeing this, Old Hwang made his final resolve. His body felt as dry as the sands of the Great Desert; his internal energy was completely depleted. There was only one way left to face Do Ye-cheon: to ignite his innate primordial qi, the very source of his life force. Sacrificing his life was not a mere figure of speech. It was Old Hwang's absolute, unshakeable intent.
Just as his innate primordial qi was about to ignite in accordance with his will—
"...!!"
A voice brushed against Old Hwang's ear. It was a voice he welcomed and had been waiting for so desperately.
But in that split second, Do Ye-cheon had already closed the distance, standing a single step away from Old Hwang.
"Die!"
Do Ye-cheon's full-power fist shot forward like a cannonball.
Crack! Boom!
With a sound like a bursting drum, Old Hwang was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, crashing straight backward.
With a massive explosion, the heavy wooden gates of the Alliance Leader's Hall shattered. The path into the hall lay open, cleared by Old Hwang's crashing body.
At that moment, the eyes of everyone who had been watching the battle in bated breath changed instantly.
"Protect the Lord!"
"Protect the Leader of the White Night Unit! Hurry!"
"What are you all doing?!"
"Check on the Lord's safety!!"
The martial artists of both factions charged forward at once.
The air filled with the chaotic din of rushing footsteps and the battle cries of those trying to block and those trying to break through. Do Ye-cheon, who had longed for this exact moment, should have been the first to lead the charge. Yet, his expression was strange.
Even though he had finally crushed the pest he wanted to stomp to death, the emotion on his face was not joy, but confusion.
...He smiled?
It was because of what he had witnessed just before his strike landed. Right before being blown away, Jeok-un had worn an inexplicable smile. A smirk, with one corner of his mouth curled up in blatant mockery.
No, everything is over now.
Do Ye-cheon shook off his doubts. There were no variables left. Everything was finished, and it was time to reap the rewards. But just as he took a step forward—
Thud!
A heavy footstep echoed. It was no ordinary step.
It carried a massive surge of internal energy, roaring out like a silent scream. No one in the crowd could utter a sound.
"!!"
"...!!"
Nor could anyone move to make a sound. It was only natural. They were completely overwhelmed by the aura radiating from the shadows of the Alliance Leader's Hall.
It felt as if time itself had ground to a halt. With everyone struggling even to breathe, how could it be otherwise?
"How noisy."
The master of Sadocheon, the Lion Sword Emperor, Dok-go Cheon, stepped out into the light, completely unharmed.