The Heavenly Demon's Awkward Dance
**BOOM! CRACK!**
[This isn't the same clumsy fellow from moments ago. These are clearly masters who have stepped firmly into the Harmony Realm.]
Lee Myeong-won and the two hunters collided in mid-air.
Bloody spider webs stretched across the vast expanse of the altar like they would swallow the entire space.
And beneath them, azure lightning and profound energy tore them apart.
A battle unfolded between the entity wearing Lee Myeong-won's form and the S-class hunters Kim Do-yoon and Kim Jin-seong.
**BOOM! BANG!**
Two blue figures and one red one moved so fast they blurred. After the fierce clashes, they separated once more. The force of their movement caused the bloody webs to tear one by one.
Despite the webs that had bound everyone and drained their power now disappearing, none of the other hunters felt the urge to join the fray.
Kim Na-yeon held her shield high, desperately shielding the hunters behind her from the terrifying aftermath of the battle.
"This... This is impossible."
She couldn't intervene.
**THUD! KWA-KOONG!**
Even blocking shockwaves alone, mana drained at an alarming rate.
This was the full-power battle of S-class hunters.
The space required to jump in was far beyond what an A-class hunter like Kim Na-yeon possessed.
And it was the same for a dozen or more other A-class hunters.
**CRASH! SWING!**
Azure lightning pierced through Lee Myeong-won's blood energy. With a sharp **CRACK!** Lee Myeong-won was sent flying back. Kim Do-yoon's newly summoned azure webs and the blood webs that burst forth clashed and canceled each other out.
A temporary gap formed between them, along with a momentary lull in their assault.
A perfect opening to strike Lee Myeong-won, who was bending to regroup.
**Whoosh.**
Kim Jin-seong slipped behind Kim Do-yoon and began frantically gathering every ounce of mana within his body.
**"Hah!"**
Kim Jin-seong reached out with his hand.
**Taeguk Geomseon** **Style Two: Second Form** **Mukjeok Jinmyeol**
**CRASH!**
A clear blue blade shot forth.
**SHING!**
It pierced through space, ignoring the laws of physics, as if the very concept of the blood web didn't exist. It homed in precisely on the body of Lee Myeong-won, wrapped in blood.
Suddenly, Lee Myeong-won stopped moving and thrust his hand forward.
A knowing smile appeared on Kim Jin-seong's face.
The technique he had refined—condensing his mana to the extreme and launching it through his blade.
There was nothing in this world that this power could not pierce.
If he blocked it head-on, he had a chance of victory.
A blood hemisphere formed from Lee Myeong-won's outstretched hand and collided violently with Kim Jin-seong's blade, infused with azure light.
**KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA!**
The force and the violent impact from the clash swept across the altar.
**"Waaah!"**
**"Everyone, gather around the tank!"**
In this earth-shaking battle, the A-class hunters couldn't even serve as support. They were all too busy holding themselves steady to avoid being swept away by the storm.
Fortunately, the tankers had each created their own protective barriers, so no one was swept away and killed by the aftershock.
The storm of mana that seemed never-ending slowly began to fade, and a howling sound emerged from within.
[Is this the Sword of Illumination?! I remember the evil monk of the Ten Thousand Demons Temple who once stood in the way of completing the Blood Heavenly Demon Scripture. With this single move, I shall know your constellation. It is none other than Zhang Sanfeng of the Ten Thousand Demons Temple!]
Lee Myeong-won stood in the center of the terrifying storm, seemingly untouched by even a single blow.
**"What nonsense are you spouting...!"**
Kim Jin-seong forced the words out, wiping the ringing from his ears.
His Sword of Illumination had been blocked.
A technique that should have dealt massive damage to even an ancient species if it had struck true had been utterly extinguished by nothing more than a human hand.
No, perhaps the human hand hadn't even touched him.
The opponent wore Lee Myeong-won's body, but was not Lee Myeong-won.
A being who stood in a realm beyond what a human body could ever reach.
An ancient species, once thought to be an animal raised by a malevolent god, was nothing more than a puppy before this existence.
**"Who are you...?! Why are you wearing Lee Myeong-won's form?"**
[Call me Blood Demon.]
Blood Demon.
**Uwooong.**
Around the body that levitated, bloody orbs began to appear one after another.
Each one condensed with immense mana and carried power comparable to Kim Jin-seong's Sword of Illumination.
[Watch carefully.]
In the vision of the hunters whose eyes had turned bloodshot.
**KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA!**
[This is the power of those constellations that transcend humanity—the force of the **Profound Realm**.]
The inevitable death became reality as the bloody beams struck.
In the space where the altar had once stood, only the Blood Demon remained, standing alone.
The others lay scattered, twitching, barely alive.
It wasn't because their mana was insufficient.
[It's better to drain your life force while they are still alive.]
**PAAAT!**
No longer able to stop it, the bloody webs spread out in all directions. They wrapped around the bodies of the fallen hunters one by one.
**"...Cough, who are you? What happened to Lee Myeong-won?"**
Kim Jin-seong, his head covered in blood, asked. His eyes still held life.
[Think of it as the constellation once known as Blood Demon.]
"What is a constellation?"
[An existence born from the world's will to protect the world. A being that past heroes reached through worship and reverence.]
In the Blood Demon's bloodshot pupils, devoid of emotion, there was only the gaze of someone looking at worthless things.
[Don't worry. Since I have descended, this world will find a way to continue. You will simply be nourishment for my power.]
Kim Jin-seong sighed.
"Lee Myeong-won... was the ending you wanted nothing more than this?"
Kim Jin-seong's head bowed.
**Uwooong!**
The bloody webs began to suck in the power of the humans.
[Eh?]
The absorption of life force was not smooth.
In the Blood Demon's curious gaze as he scanned his surroundings, a golden light enveloped the hunters' bodies.
**"...Ugh."**
Even as he screamed, one person reached out while wrapped in the webs.
Kim Na-yeon, the blonde woman.
[Interesting ability.]
The Blood Demon's body began moving toward Kim Na-yeon.
At that moment.
**SHRRRAAAK!**
Space tore open.
An existence holding a sword blazing with fire appeared at the center of the altar.
"What? Why isn't the portal working?"
Kim Na-yeon barely lifted her head and confirmed the figure.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"...Da-yeon-ah, you're late."
***
**"...?"**
She looked around, confused.
All the hunters were floating, wrapped in bloody webs.
Fortunately, they were still breathing.
**Spot.**
She waved her hand.
**PAPAPAPAT!**
The qi that burst from her palm shredded the webs completely.
**Thud. Thud. Thud.**
**"Cough..."**
**"Uuuu..."**
They seemed unable to recover.
**Toodoo.**
I ran straight to Kim Na-yeon first.
Mana exhaustion.
As I poured qi into her, her eyes opened.
**"Unnie Na-yeon. What happened here?"**
**"...Cough, what is this outfit? Good thing no one saw it."**
"Ah."
Thinking back, during the Bone and Muscle Rebirth, my martial robe had burned away.
Now the only thing I had on was a single spare pair of panties from my bag.
Kim Na-yeon moved her trembling arm and peeled off her outer garment.
**Flash.**
Instinctively I raised my hands, and Na-yeon's outer garment descended.
The large top of Kim Na-yeon flowed down over my body like a one-piece dress, perfectly covering my thighs.
**"Hehe, cute."**
With those words, Kim Na-yeon collapsed onto my body.
**Whoosh.**
I caught her and laid her gently on the ground. She looked completely drained both mentally and physically.
"Good work, Seol-hap-beop. Rest well for now."
I brushed her sleeping hair back with one hand.
Then I turned my gaze toward the floating form.
"Did you do this?"
**"Hahaha! Lee Myeong-won left us quite the gift!"**
The being, in human form but wrapped in ominous blood mana, looked down at me.
[Though I don't know who you are, you must be a constellation from the Central Plains, right? Oh...! The potential that brought down an ancient species, and even at your young age, you have already reached the Harmony Realm. Indeed, when you mature, your power will be worthy of rivaling my own.]
He was beating his chest and drumming wildly.
**Flash.**
Blood light erupted from his eyes.
[Come here, child. I am your father.]
**"Brainwashing...! Wiji Yeon! No! Do not look into his eyes!"**
Kim Jin-seong suddenly raised his head and shouted at me.
**"Huh?"**
An unfamiliar aura emanated from my lower abdomen. I looked down and saw strange patterns glowing on my body.
**"Ebi."**
**Puck!**
I slapped my palm against my abdomen, channeling mana. The patterns vanished instantly.
[...!?]
The floating entity's face showed panic.
I walked forward with a smile.
"Who are you? You feel strangely familiar."
[Who the hell are you?! Which constellation are you from!]
**"I'm the Heavenly Demon?"**
[Heavenly Demon...? Don't make me laugh! A being who has already reached the realm of the gods, a being who transcends even constellations—how could he remain on the ground?!]
**Uwooong!**
Bloody beams rose around the figure.
**"What the? Even a Profound Realm entity?"**
**CRASH!**
A **Mind Sword** formed to match the number of bloody beams, and the two stared at each other from the air.
"And why are you my father?"
The **Mind Sword** pierced through the beam and instantly erupted into the blood figure.
**KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA!**