Chapter 529: Eye of the Storm (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 529: Eye of the Storm (5)
The Mage in White.
There was another phrase often used to describe him: A lunatic obsessed with learning.
Even while acting in the name of global justice, he would travel to the ends of the earth if there was something new to learn. That was why he hadn't been in South Korea when Roman Dmitry began his new life. A magic exchange program had been scheduled in the United States, and Park Min-woo, deeming it an unmissable opportunity, had postponed all his other plans to step onto the magic circle bound for America.
But why?
Why did he study to such a fanatical degree?
He already possessed vast magical knowledge from his past life as Alexander, so why was he so desperately obsessed with learning?
It was because of the knowledge of the Inheritor.
Inheritors acquired knowledge from countless dimensions. When Dmitry's knowledge was first revealed, a shiver had run down Park Min-woo's spine. In his past life, he had personally experienced Dmitry's overwhelming power. Roman Dmitry had laid down the foundations of magic, sparking a golden age of magical civilization marked by profound developments—like the opening of the upper Dantian.
The opening of the upper Dantian.
That was Park Min-woo's ultimate goal.
Park Min-woo never grew arrogant just because he possessed Alexander's knowledge. Instead, he refused to waste a single day in his quest to become an even stronger mage. He had already faced an insurmountable mountain once before. No matter how much the world praised him as an S-rank mage, he knew those accolades would mean absolutely nothing the moment an out-of-bounds monster like Roman Dmitry appeared.
For the past twenty years, he had continuously evolved.
People tried to evaluate Park Min-woo within the bounds of common sense, but the current Park Min-woo defied common sense entirely.
"How dare you block His Majesty the Emperor's path, you worthless insects."
Rumble!
Ruuuuuumble!
Mana surged.
His upper Dantian opened.
With a fierce gleam in his eyes, Park Min-woo unleashed his magic in an explosive burst.
"Wind Storm. Fire Storm."
Whoosh!
Roar!
Double casting!
He was manifesting two 7th-circle spells simultaneously.
A razor-sharp gale erupted, shredding everything in its path, while scorching flames surged wildly on the howling wind. It was an awe-inspiring sight. Double casting was an incredibly high-level technique on its own, yet Park Min-woo had effortlessly combined two 7th-circle spells.
Boom!
Ruuuuumble!
"Aaaargh!"
The magic detonated.
The human-form hosts shrieked as the countless monsters swarming toward them were swept away in an instant. Dozens? Hundreds? The destruction was on a scale far beyond that. Even after unleashing enough mana to obliterate thousands of monsters at once, Park Min-woo continued to pour out his power, as if this was only the beginning.
"Amplify."
Bang! Bang!
Crash! Crash!
He raised both arms.
Like a maestro conducting a symphony, death descended upon every area touched by Park Min-woo's gestures.
It was a one-sided slaughter.
While the LA Response Team had sacrificed countless lives just to clear a single kilometer, Park Min-woo had already wiped out every monster within his line of sight. Any ordinary mage would be suffering from severe mana depletion by now. But that did not apply to Park Min-woo. Thanks to Alexander's knowledge, he had accumulated a vast reservoir of mana. An exertion of this level barely made a dent in his ocean-like reserves.
Boom!
Crash! Crash!
He pushed forward.
Even the soldiers who had initially charged into battle with fiery passion stopped and turned their heads, utterly stunned by the overwhelming spectacle.
"...To think the Mage in White was this powerful."
General Benjamin was lost for words.
He had heard the rumors.
South Korea possessed the Mage in White, and though he was their sole S-rank hunter, his presence alone made the nation impossible to ignore. He was a man hailed as a pioneer in the academic world of magic. Even mages recognized by the great global powers took a step back when facing him.
They acknowledged his strength.
Yet, this went far beyond mere acknowledgment.
Aside from the sheer destructive power that overwhelmed the monsters, Park Min-woo's absolute control over his magic was downright terrifying.
Large-scale destruction magic is incredibly difficult to control, yet he is avoiding our allied forces and striking only the monsters with absolute precision. On top of that, his vast mana pool seems bottomless. If Roman Dmitry is a monster capable of facing the Vampire Lord alone, then the mere existence of those two—him and the Mage in White—will completely change South Korea's standing in the world.
Benjamin was astounded.
He even forgot to issue commands.
In truth, with Park Min-woo wiping out all the monsters the soldiers were supposed to fight, there was nothing left for him to do except order them to march forward.
It was then.
Screeech!
Roar!
Breaking through the magical bombardment, the hosts rushed forward like madmen.
One of them had a familiar face.
It was a person who had been an S-rank hunter in life, now spewing a crimson glow from his eyes as he closed the distance in an instant.
This was the classic weakness of a mage.
Knowing that mages were vulnerable in close-quarters combat, Benjamin hurriedly tried to order his men to protect Park Min-woo.
However...
"...W-what on earth?"
At the unfolding scene, Benjamin could only stare with wide, disbelieving eyes.
* * *
The S-rank host.
Park Min-woo noticed its presence.
Although he could have wiped the opponent out in a single blow, he deliberately allowed it an opening to attack him.
People make a mistake. They assume mages are weak in close combat.
It was common sense.
While he agreed that most mages were indeed weak in close-quarters combat, Park Min-woo did not fall under that umbrella of common sense.
In his past life, he had lived as Alexander.
He had desired to surpass Aura Knights with magic, and thus had researched countless ways to counter close-range combat. And then, he had met Roman Dmitry. That encounter drastically raised his standards for close combat, and those sky-high standards carried directly over into his current life. He constantly engaged in image training against Roman Dmitry. Rather than imagining opponents who would easily fall, he pitted himself against Dmitry, suffering defeat every single time.
Therefore, an S-rank hunter posed absolutely no threat to him.
As the monster lunged, Park Min-woo glanced over at Carter.
This bastard has been slowly pulling his troops back for a while now. Well, watch closely. A pathetic insect like you has absolutely no bearing on the grand scheme of things.
He was annoyed.
This battle was a stage for proof.
No one else besides himself and Roman Dmitry would be allowed to shine.
"Flame."
Whoosh!
Flames erupted.
Instead of blasting them at his opponent, the fire enveloped his own body, and in an instant, Park Min-woo vanished within the blaze. The monster did not stop its charge. Having been a martial artist in life, it bared its sharp claws and attempted to tear Park Min-woo's flesh apart along with the flames.
At that moment—
Whoosh!
Flash.
Park Min-woo emerged through the flames.
But as the monster tore through his body, the illusion shredded away, and lightning struck down from the heavens.
"Heavenly Thunder."
Flash!
CRA-CRASH!
Lightning detonated with furious intensity.
An 8th-circle spell.
The monster trembled violently under the powerful strike of Heavenly Thunder, a spell created by combining Alexander's knowledge with that of his current life. From the monster's perspective, the sequence of events was impossible to comprehend. Park Min-woo had not only visually concealed himself with Flame, but he had also made it impossible to track his mana as the magical energy surged wildly.
At the same time, he threw out an illusion as bait.
Appearing in the sky via teleportation magic, Park Min-woo had hidden the spatial shift with the residual embers of Flame, completing the casting of an 8th-circle spell in a mere fraction of a second.
He did not allow for even a moment of carelessness.
He had lured his opponent into a trap in an instant, yet the monster squeezed out the last of its strength from its tattered body.
Whoosh.
Boom!
It kicked off the ground, pursuing Park Min-woo.
Landing back on the earth, Park Min-woo faced the monster's attack head-on without using magic.
Swoosh.
He dodged.
He tilted his head, evading by a hair's breadth.
In a situation where a single mistake could cost his life, Park Min-woo locked his cold, calm gaze precisely onto the monster. It was truly laughable. This world categorized people's strength into ranks like S-rank, but to someone who had experienced Roman Dmitry, such classifications were utterly meaningless.
Grab.
He seized its face.
0.1 seconds.
Entangled in that split second, Park Min-woo detonated the magic he had prepared beforehand right from his palm.
"Hellfire."
Bang!
Roar!
The monster's body was engulfed in flames.
Its face blown away, it fell backward and collapsed onto the ground, never to move again.
It was a shocking sight.
An S-rank hunter.
Already powerful in life, upon becoming a host, it had gained a level of regenerative ability that ordinary humans could not even fathom. This was the reason the LA Response Team had been repeatedly pushed back. Because yesterday's ally had appeared today as their most formidable enemy, countless American soldiers had died at the hands of this martial artist-turned-hunter.
Yet, the battle was decided in an instant.
Even though he didn't seem to have unleashed his full power yet, Park Min-woo had brought down the S-rank host as if it was nothing.
And then—
"I will slaughter every single bastard who stands in His Majesty the Emperor's way."
With a fierce expression, he set off to find his next target.
* * *
The situation was resolved in an instant.
The LA Response Team?
The reinforcements?
The three S-rank hunters?
There was no need for any of them to step forward.
While they were exchanging casual blows, Park Min-woo's explosive magic completely wiped out the surrounding area.
Whoosh.
Roar.
Over the burning earth, Roman Dmitry walked alone.
It was a truly surreal sight.
Though countless people had died on this ruined land, neither Park Min-woo, who was relentlessly clearing the path, nor Roman Dmitry, who walked along it, showed even the slightest hint of concern. As if it were only natural, they pressed forward. In an instant, a path spanning dozens of kilometers was secured.
Step, step.
Roman Dmitry fell into deep thought.
In his current life, he had never had to use anything beyond the Second Form of the Mid-stage of the Heavenly Demon Sword Technique against any opponent. The Heavenly Demon Sword Technique was a style that grew stronger with each successive form. Using the Heavenly Demon's Sovereign Step would explosively increase his destructive power, but since every opponent had been effortlessly dealt with using only the Mid-stage First Form, he hadn't even had to consider using the Sovereign Step.
They were weak.
Both the S-rank hunters and the S-rank monsters.
None of them could arouse even a shred of wariness in him.
He merely disciplined himself to prepare for unexpected variables, but practically speaking, there was nothing to worry about.
I have become stronger than the moment I defeated the Demon King. Though it won't be easy for the people of this era to withstand my sword, I hope, as always, to meet a strong opponent who can force me to unleash my full power.
It was the paradox of the Heavenly Demon.
Desiring to be the absolute strongest, yet simultaneously yearning for a worthy rival.
Thus, there was anticipation.
The Vampire Lord.
The entity that had reportedly blown off the heads of two S-rank hunters.
He prayed that it would be strong.
The reason he had told the LA Response Team that he would face the Vampire Lord alone wasn't just because they would get in the way of the battle, but because he genuinely wished to fight it by himself. He wanted to see if it was an entity worthy of making him use the latter half forms. He wanted to confirm for himself whether a worthy opponent existed in this world.
He walked.
He kept walking.
Thanks to the intense mana unleashed by Park Min-woo, by the time Roman Dmitry reached the path that had once been completely blocked, nothing remained to stand in his way.
And finally...
Flutter.
[You are no ordinary humans.]
High in the sky, flapping its massive, membranous wings, the Vampire Lord appeared.
* * *
These two humans.
They were different from the ones it had faced so far.
Especially the moment it laid eyes on Roman Dmitry, the Vampire Lord instinctively sensed danger.
[To think such a strong human could exist. I acknowledge your existence. Therefore...]
Rumble.
Its red eyes flashed.
Raising a pale, almost translucent white finger, the Vampire Lord pointed directly at Roman Dmitry.
[I, the King of the Abyss, shall grant you my full power.]
Flash!
CRA-CRASH!
Mana gathered at the tip of its finger.
Dark red mana erupted explosively, completely engulfing Roman Dmitry. It was an attack so terrifying that merely watching it would send shivers down one's spine. Whatever touched that dark red mana was instantly obliterated, and the Vampire Lord did not doubt for a second that Roman Dmitry would perish in a single blow.
Boom!
Crash! Crash!
A massive explosion erupted.
But against the sword swung by Roman Dmitry, the dark red mana detonated prematurely, unable to advance any further.
The Vampire Lord's brow twitched.
To think this human had dared to block its attack.
From that moment on, it began to unleash a frantic barrage.
[Foolish race. Accept your limits.]
Rumble.
CRA-CRASH!
The sky turned pitch black.
Reacting to the Vampire Lord's mana, dark red flames rained down like a torrential shower, while dense spheres of magical energy continuously bombarded Roman Dmitry. The explosions were relentless. Dozens, hundreds of attacks detonated without giving him a single moment to breathe, obliterating everything around Roman Dmitry and kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
The S-rank hunters had been unable to withstand this.
Caught in such powerful attacks, they had met their end with their heads severed by the Vampire Lord's sharp claws.
This time, too, the result would be no different.
Unleashing its mana explosively, the Vampire Lord waited for Roman Dmitry to collapse.
However...
Swoosh.
Rumble.
[...A mere human withstood my full power?]
Emerging through the dust cloud, Roman Dmitry revealed himself.
Although the Vampire Lord had undoubtedly given its all, Roman Dmitry did not look damaged in the slightest. Every single one of the Vampire Lord's attacks had been blocked. Roman Dmitry had deliberately played defensively to receive his opponent's attacks, and after blocking them all, he reached a single conclusion.
"Now I understand."
His current self.
He had been certain that he was stronger than in his past life.
Entering an unknown realm that even the Heavenly Demon had never experienced, he simply thought he was continuing to move forward.
Endless progression.
But now, he finally understood.
It was not mere progression.
Roman Dmitry had crossed the Boundary of Dimensions.
Having achieved growth even after defeating the Demon King, his body had undergone a total reconstruction as he crossed the Boundary of Dimensions to withstand the dimensional pressure. By furiously absorbing the pure mana existing within the Boundary of Dimensions, Roman Dmitry had advanced into an unknown realm that even the Heavenly Demon had never reached.
It was a new stage.
A completely new stage that could not even be confined to the title of the Realm of Heaven.
The reason the beings of this era could not withstand the Heavenly Demon Sword Technique wasn't simply because they were weak, but because Roman Dmitry had become unimaginably stronger. If so, the new form of his Heavenly Demon Divine Art had to be called something else.
I shall name this the Divine Realm.
He was certain.
The Vampire Lord was no match for him.
Roman Dmitry had hoped his opponent would be strong, but this time too, there was no need to increase the intensity of his attacks.
The reason was simple.
Step.
He took a step forward.
Drawing up his mana, he swung his sword toward the Vampire Lord.
Heavenly Demon Sword Technique, Mid-stage First Form.
The attack that had severed the Green Dragon's head in a single blow.
That alone was more than enough.
Although the Vampire Lord was spoken of as an SS-rank entity, strength was always a relative assessment.
Right before the eyes of the late arrivals, it happened just like that.
[This makes no sense... Aaaargh!]
Boom!
Crash! Crash!
The Vampire Lord's body was torn to shreds.