#178. Black Flame Dragon Swallowing the Blood Sea (8)
“Fuck…… Is that really an Iron Corpse?”
Nam Hwaseong asked, his face blank with shock.
I replied in utter exasperation.
“Can’t you tell just by looking?”
Its joints moved awkwardly, and its skin was hard as stone. It was the lowest grade among the demonic path’s reinforced corpses that had thrown the world into chaos, but even this thing would haunt any martial artist’s nightmares if it appeared in the world. There was no way not to recognize it. After all, in my past life during the Great War of Orthodox and Demonic, these Iron Corpses had killed more martial artists than anything else.
Nam Hwaseong’s hands trembled as he shouted anyway.
“You’re the weird one for recognizing it right away! I-I’ve never seen one in my life!”
“Anyway, you did good.”
The guy deserved praise. He’d handled more than I’d asked of him. He must have really wanted those Demon-Exorcism Talismans.
“Well done. As promised, here are five talismans.”
“Damn it……! I don’t need ’em!”
What a stubbornly dishonest bastard. Hanging around with guys like Cheol Sunjik must’ve made him all shady like that.
I pulled the taut Flying Dragon Claw even tighter. The Iron Corpse struggled to escape, then charged at me like a mad beast the moment it spotted me. I leaped straight over it, wrapping the chain around it and yanking its body into the air.
Thud.
Bam!
The Iron Corpse slammed headfirst into the ground and thrashed wildly. Pssh, pssh. It easily tore through the surrounding dirt and gravel like mud, then came lunging at me with its ridiculously clumsy steps.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
In my past life, Iron Corpses had been nightmares for low-grade warriors, and to me, they were nightmares incarnate. Devoid of reason and incapable of feeling pain, they pressed on to kill enemies whether arrows pierced their eyes or sword auras split their skulls. And that relentless indifference turned into nightmares for those facing them.
“But that’s all just a story from my past life now!”
I shook off the thought and stepped forward with the Tae-eul Paeman Sinbo, charging at the Iron Corpse.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh.
The Iron Corpse flailed its sharp claws futilely at the afterimages I left in every direction. I grabbed it from behind and channeled my inner energy, kicking its nape with full force.
Crack!
Thud.
The sound of stone crashing against stone rang out as both its arms sank deep into the earth.
“Look at that idiot trying to beat an Iron Corpse.”
Nam Hwaseong, who’d spat up a mouthful of blood earlier, jeered like he was out for revenge, but I ignored him. A sparrow can’t comprehend the depths of a great peng’s intent, after all.
Wriggle, wriggle.
As the Iron Corpse tried to wrench its buried arms free and move, I stepped on its back, gripping my Black Dragon Sword like I was chopping wood.
Then came the voice of that loudmouth sparrow.
“You idiot! Everyone knows sword auras can’t cut an Iron Corpse’s skin!”
The guy who’d been trembling in fear moments ago sure could yell now. I glared at Nam Hwaseong and said,
“You seem fine now, huh? Come help.”
“……Cough, m-my internal injuries……”
Why did he suddenly have internal injuries when he hadn’t done shit? As Nam Hwaseong said, the Iron Corpse’s skin was tougher than average iron. To slice through it, you needed a weapon at least as hard as millennium cold iron.
“And luckily, my gifted Black Dragon Sword is forged from adamant unyielding steel.”
I wrapped my sword in sword energy. Nam Hwaseong, mid-cough, bulged his eyes wide.
“Y-You? Sword energy?”
Nam Hwaseong, you little shit, you’re definitely not hurting anymore, right? I refocused on the Iron Corpse and swung down with full power.
Doooong.
The impact pierced my hand like striking a massive bell. Even with my inner energy protecting it, the shock traveled through my bones. But it wasn’t in vain—the Iron Corpse, sensing death for the first time, began thrashing violently.
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
It wildly flailed its buried arms, exploding mounds of earth across a whole il square jang.
Boom!
The ground flipped, sending buried dirt flying everywhere. I dodged the blast and landed beside Nam Hwaseong, who asked with a worried face,
“That thing…… isn’t pissed off now, is it?”
“Wouldn’t you be if your head was half severed?”
“H-Half severed……?”
Ignoring Nam Hwaseong’s words, I stepped with Heavenly Lone Walker God Step, evading the Iron Corpse’s claws as I passed it and rebound its neck with the Flying Dragon Claw. I channeled inner energy into the taut Thousand Silkworm Thread, and it began contracting rapidly.
Soon, the Iron Corpse—struggling to protect its severed nape—shot forward faster than me, slamming into the cliff wall.
Thud.
I immediately infused qi into the Black Dragon Sword, firing sword beams wildly. This was why I’d crammed all those elixirs down my throat.
Boom! Boom-boom-boom.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM.
A deafening explosion beyond words erupted, hurling rocks and dirt everywhere. Seeing the thing that had tormented me so much in my past life reduced to a moving target felt so damn satisfying, even as my dantian drained.
Crunch.
The Iron Corpse rose jerkily from the rubble like a broken doll. Its wound had widened; its head dangled another inch looser.
Then.
“O-Over there……”
Nam Hwaseong pointed in horror. I shook my head and smirked at him.
“Still don’t get it? Iron Corpses……”
“No! Those bastards are charging over here, you idiot!”
“……”
Whether worried the Iron Corpse might break or not, Blood Cult warriors were sprinting toward us like mad.
“Tch. ……I knew that.”
“Don’t bullshit me! You weren’t even paying attention!”
Sparrows sure had sharp eyes. Ignoring Nam Hwaseong’s glare, I turned back.
“Ilgak, academy student.”
Ilgak snapped out of his daze staring our way. I looked deep into his eyes.
“Can you handle them?”
Ilgak glanced where I pointed and nodded.
“……Leave it to me, benefactor.”
“I’m not your benefactor.”
Was he rebelling because I called him an academy student instead of monk? Whatever my complaints, Ilgak swiftly rose and began smashing the Blood Cult warriors.
Even with his Golden Bell Iron Cloth depleted, Shaolin was Shaolin. He’d buy me enough time to deal with the Iron Corpse.
Then my opponent is……
Grrrrr.
Gone was its former indifference; the Iron Corpse growled like a wounded beast. Yeah, after all this, you must be dying to kill me too, huh?
Ditching its clumsy waddle, it shot forward like an arrow, closing the gap instantly.
Bam!
I deflected its path with the Lotus Step. It barreled past me into solid rock.
BOOM.
Crushing the boulder like tofu, it burst through the debris and crouched again. It seemed driven by one clear purpose now: kill me.
“Yeah, I vividly remember how your tenacity led so many to their deaths.”
Memories flooded back of Small Justice Squad members dying because of it, forcing us to sacrifice comrades. No matter how much we beat it or swung our swords, it wouldn’t die. We cursed it endlessly. We casually chose who to sacrifice before it. We ran from it as a matter of course. It was the Demonic Cult’s most vicious symbol.
“Your indifference only fuels my rage more.”
A demonic beast made from humans to kill humans. That ruthless purpose left no room for pity.
“Come on!”
Bam!
The Iron Corpse shot off the ground like an arrow. I launched myself at it simultaneously.
KYAAAH!
I thrust the Black Dragon Sword at its bared fangs dripping black blood.
Clang!
The sword clashed with its fangs in a metallic screech. The monster held my thrust with sheer jaw strength alone. Even then, it swiped at me with black claws.
Slash! Slash!
My black uniform tore as the claws dug in, but I didn’t dodge. The Wang family’s secret Thousand Silkworm Cloak inside would protect me from its talons.
“If you had any wits, you’d be trying to pry this sword out first.”
Inner energy gathered at the sword tip, forming sword energy. The golden energy didn’t stop—it began forming sword aura.
Grgrgrrr.
Sensing something wrong, the Iron Corpse’s head trembled.
“Too late.”
I poured in more energy, expanding the sword aura.
Squelch!
The aura pierced its palate and out its nape, glowing brilliantly.
“GRAAAAAH!”
Like it had done to me in my past life, I shoved it back relentlessly, refusing to yield an inch until it hit a rock.
Grgrrr.
Its eyes seemed to shake violently.
“Do you feel the fear of death too?”
KYAAAH!
It growled like a beast again.
“Good. That’s perfect!”
I unleashed the full Tae-eul True Scripture, cleaving it in half.
Craaaack……
A black line ran from its head to groin. It still tried swinging its claws.
Kao……
Then black blood cascaded like a waterfall, splitting it into two pieces.
Thud.
It collapsed limply. The bisected Iron Corpse moved no more.
Staring at the gruesome corpse, thoughts of the Small Justice Squad crept in unbidden.
“……Heh. Seeing this horrific demonic beast must’ve reminded me of you horrific bastards.”
A pointless nostalgia welled up.
#
Moyong Jaehwa, helping Ilgak fend off the approaching Light Blood Humans, whipped his head toward Jin Sowoon’s shout.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
Jin Sowoon, locked in fierce combat with the Iron Corpse, ignored its claws entirely, focusing solely on finishing it.
If he gets poisoned by the corpse toxin like that……
He wanted to rush in and help, but right now, he’d just be baggage to Jin Sowoon. Even now. He was mimicking Thunderbolt Arrow with the arrows Jin Sowoon had sent, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. If he’d mastered the real Thunderbolt Arrow, maybe these Light Blood Humans wouldn’t dare approach again.
Moyong Jaehwa shook off the dizzying thoughts and drew his bowstring again.
Twang.
Scree—boom.
The arrow exploded, inflicting massive damage on the Light Blood Humans. Ilgak followed up, sweeping them back.
But the thoughts wouldn’t leave easily.
If only I’d completed Thunderbolt Arrow…… If I’d tried harder……
His brother wouldn’t have to fight so desperately. He wouldn’t have rushed into this hellhole to save him.
Thinking that made his chest heavier.
What the hell am I doing……?
The Light Blood Humans stopped approaching. They hesitated, retreating, no longer advancing on Ilgak.
Why?
Following their gazes, Moyong Jaehwa turned. There stood Jin Sowoon, sword aura gleaming gold. Looking down along his gaze, he saw the Iron Corpse—bisected and still.
My god……
His brother had slain even the Iron Corpse alone.
“Young Master Jaehwa! They’re retreating!”
Despite Eunseollan’s joyful voice, Moyong Jaehwa couldn’t rejoice. He felt guilty toward Jin Sowoon, for failing to meet his expectations.
“Brother Jin!”
As the Light Blood Humans fully retreated, Eunseollan emerged from hiding and hugged Jin Sowoon. After a brief reunion, Jin Sowoon chatted with Ilgak and Nam Hwaseong.
“……”
Moyong Jaehwa took a step, then stopped. He couldn’t approach.
Then.
“Moyong Jaehwa!”
Jin Sowoon called him.
“B-Brother……!”
“Are you insane?!”
Jin Sowoon strode over angrily. Moyong Jaehwa stepped back but couldn’t dodge the hand reaching for his.
“Did you keep shooting that bow with your torn-up fingers frozen like this? Good lord!”
Jin Sowoon’s eyes fixed on Moyong Jaehwa’s right fingers. Inspecting the wounds, he clicked his tongue.
“Tch, well, it’s your first time firing the Iron Bow, so it’ll take time to adjust.”
He tore a strip from his uniform, applied golden sore medicine, and bandaged it.
“Still, you held out well with the arrows I sent.”
“……Huh?”
“You have no idea how many lives you saved……”
Praising him even for his shaky archery. Moyong Jaehwa couldn’t lift his head.
Jin Sowoon gently stroked his hair.
“Really, good work.”
“……”
His hands ached, his body felt broken, but somehow, strength filled him.
“Let’s head back.”
Those simple words made everything okay for Moyong Jaehwa.