Revenge (5)
In his previous life, Jin Sowoon's mental image of Jegumhak had been that of a classic scheming villain from the shadows. A figure with half his face shrouded in darkness, the other half concealed behind a fan, smirking mysteriously as he hatched all manner of wicked plots.
But now, in this life, facing Jegumhak head-on with his flashy, picture-perfect beauty of a face, an unbearable fury had surged within him.
He was the man who had succeeded in killing Jegal Somyeong, the Murim Alliance's chief strategist, thereby hastening the Alliance's collapse even further. There was every reason to burn with rage.
And that signature slippery, utterly relaxed demeanor only stoked the flames higher.
The effortless leisure of a guy born with everything on a silver platter was more than enough to grate on someone who'd come into the world with just a pair of balls, wasn't it?
At least, that's how it had felt.
"Jin- Sowoon-"
But seeing him now, those grotesque eyes barely mashed together like mismatched pairs, rolling wildly as he glared...
"Hm......"
The rage didn't boil over quite like it had the first time.
'Probably because I'm far stronger now than back then.'
Of course.
His hideous mug still turned his stomach just looking at it, but somehow, it was far more bearable than that pristine impression from before.
Likely because it finally matched his filthy schemes.
The awkwardly twitching left arm and that one eye jerking independently of his will might've been downright terrifying to anyone else.
But Sowoon's emotions no longer churned at the sight.
If anything, it felt... good.
"Ahem...!"
He'd known they'd cross paths again someday when they parted ways.
But he'd never imagined it'd be like this, in such a wretched state.
Sowoon regarded him with warm eyes and asked, "Did you get the gift I gave you back then?"
Jegumhak's mismatched eyes trembled violently, as if they'd roll right out of his skull.
"Y- Yeah, I did- You'll be s- shocked when you see what I did- f- for you."
His hand swung toward the Sahwal-dan members.
Ha, does this fucker think I'm a scarecrow?
A flash of sword energy flickered from the tip of the Cheokgwanggeom, piercing straight for Jegumhak's throat.
The bastard was so off-guard he couldn't even turn his head in time.
The instant Sowoon unleashed his full power to sever his neck before any tricks could fly—
As ever, the guy dropped his guard too easily.
And Sowoon's internal energy now dwarfed what it had been during the Four Black Lotuses clash.
He shattered the ice in one thrust, his blade poised to claim the head—
Kwak-.
The Cheokgwanggeom, boring through the barrier, halted an inch from Jegumhak's neck.
"What the...?"
"Stupid- bastard-!"
Jegumhak twisted into a grin and flicked a finger.
That instant—
"Dodge!!!"
Kwa-kwa-kwang!
A massive explosion rocked the Sahwal-dan from within, a pillar of fire erupting skyward.
"Kwaaaak!"
"Kuhk!"
"Urk!"
Miserable screams rose from the already injured members, their movements hampered.
Two-dook- He tried yanking his sword free, but it was lodged like in solid rock, unyielding.
"You think- I'll fall- like before-?!"
His iron-scraping voice boomed, blood trickling from glaring eyes.
Sowoon poured inner energy into the Cheokgwanggeom. A brief gap formed between the frozen blade and ice.
The moment it loosened, he wrenched it free with full force, twisting for rotational power.
Swaeak- He spun for a full revolution to decapitate—
Kwak.
Yet again, the [Ice Barrier] surged up, blocking the strike.
Jjeojeok.
Not just blocking— it expanded with frigid energy, seeking to engulf the blade.
'The chill's stronger now?'
Back during the Four Black Lotuses, the [Ice Barrier] had been mere defense, a disposable tool.
Now it brimmed with intense cold, freezing everything in reach.
Chaeng! Chaeng! Chae-chae-chaeng!
And its durability had skyrocketed. Not quite sword-aura-proof, but layered ice rivaled tempered steel.
Its spawn-and-vanish speed was so blistering that no matter how he smashed it, the blade never touched flesh.
"What the hell—."
The [Ice Barrier] had evolved beyond mere shielding into a counterattack tool.
What the fuck had happened to this bastard in the meantime?
Meanwhile, Jegumhak flicked fingers at the academy students. Five tiny fireballs shot from his hand, plummeting amid the Sahwal-dan and igniting the air.
Peo-peo-peo-peong!
Fresh pillars of flame erupted.
Fuck, that bastard...!
As if on purpose, he ignored Sowoon, relentlessly targeting the students.
A few students charged to attack, but fireballs from his other hand proved too threatening for close approach.
Sowoon summoned Taeyanghu's energy at once. Fiery qi poured into the Cheokgwanggeom, gradually heating the blade.
Red glow spread from the center, soon scorching the entire edge cherry-red, like fresh from a forge.
Surrounded air vaporized rapidly from the cold, spewing steam.
The white-trailing thrust clashed with the [Ice Barrier].
Jjeojeok— Cracks spiderwebbed the thick ice, shattering it.
'I can break it...!'
Another strike—
Peong! Kwa-rung.
"How dare- you-!"
[Ice Barrier] shards scattered across the floor.
Jegumhak scowled, black leather-like stitches crumpling, blood oozing through.
"You learned- dual- qi arts-?!"
"Yeah, looked like you only half-'learned' it last time. Figured I'd 'cook' it properly if we met again."
"I'll- kill- you!!!"
Enraged, Jegumhak unleashed both hands: ice spears from one, fireballs from the other.
Sowoon withdrew Taeyang qi, deploying Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion to fire sword energy.
Three clashing energies birthed a qi storm. Amid it, he flashed Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps behind the foe.
"Truth is, it worked so well last time."
Grabbing the nape to activate Azure Dragon Ring—
'Huh?'
The figure vanished.
That instant—
"Jin- Sowoon-"
The voice came from three zhang to the right.
"Did you think- I learned- nothing from- our last fight-?"
A massive fireball formed overhead, hurling straight at him.
Sowoon reflexively dodged— then remembered the students behind.
'Damn it.'
U-rung. He countered with Radiant Heaven Divine Palm—
"Senior Brother!!!"
Geum Pyo's voice boomed.
"Leave the rear to us!"
Geum Pyo charged with Geumgwangpae, teammates in tow.
When did they grow this much? This time, I can trust my back to them.
Sowoon deployed Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps to Jegumhak's left.
As the fireball launched, he unleashed Radiant Heaven Divine Palm.
Peo-peo-peo-peo-peong! Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
Explosions battered from both sides, staggering footing.
He glanced at Geum Pyo— the fireball seemed neutralized, thankfully.
Sowoon moved fast. No time to wait for dust to settle against this opponent.
Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth sensed the presence; he drove Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion in.
Peo-peo-peo-peo-peong!
Sensation confirmed in his grip.
Kwang! Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
Then, thunderous blasts from the ice-fire witch's side. Cheol Sunjik's group faced endless explosions like thunderbolts, fallen bodies mounting.
Jje-eong! Jje-eong! Jje-eong!
Not just there— Ilgak and Nam Hwaseong's beast fight saw mounting casualties too.
His body twitched, but he couldn't move yet. Hostile killing intent poured thick from the dust cloud.
Swaeak- A puppet burst through, one hand blazing red, the other icy blue, charging.
Jjeong! Peong!
Even blocking with Cheokgwanggeom, blast aftershock shoved him back.
The blue hand grazed him— numb as frostbite.
Worst was the raw power.
What the hell's this strength...!
Somehow, punches and kicks hit like boulders. Each impact jolted through.
Kwang! Kwang!
This desk-jockey who once toyed with yin-yang qi to torment foes had transformed into a brute-force monster.
Fuck, don't tell me...
"Hey, been doing push-ups or what?"
"You don't- know! What I sacrificed-."
Sowoon switched all defense to his right forearm.
Peok! Peok! Peok!
After blocking three, Jegumhak sensed something, furrowing his brow.
"You- you...?"
"Ah! Figured it out?"
Sowoon rolled up his sleeve with a smirk.
"Custom gear. Nothing beats it for defense."
The Po-sik armor he'd claimed from their last clash.
"Thanks to you, I'm using it well. Appreciate it."
"...!"
Jegumhak's mismatched eyes bulged.
"I'll rip- you- apart- even then- it won't be- enough!"
Space warped with massive vibrations around him.
Sowoon sheathed faster than ever.
"I'll kill- you-!!! Kill- you-!"
Ice chunks and fireballs swirled around him, brimming with power, poised to erupt.
But Sowoon sensed something odd amid the display.
'Weak.'
He'd undeniably gained immense power since last time.
Yet he'd abandoned his true strengths— formations and inescapable traps— for this, diluting his edge.
The old style, crafting surefire wins, had been twice as tough.
Some lesson from defeat? Fitting for a mad cult's elite, turning to brute revenge.
Extreme Swiftness
He knew Sowoon had this move, yet gave time anyway.
Raw power might've grown, but—
"Retard."
He was blatantly dumber than before.
Kwae-aeak- The blade whipped, trailing sonic booms.
Seu-geol-geok.
A final slicing sound— a red line bloomed across Jegumhak's chest.
Peo-keok, peo-geol-keok.
Uncontrolled [Ice Barriers] and fireballs plummeted, detonating.
"Kuhk- kuhuhk- B- because- of you-."
What was so unjust? Blood streamed from his eyes, yet he never looked away.
"The Divine- Cult's great- cause- right there-."
Desperation twisted his face; he clenched teeth, resolved.
"Heavenly Demon Invincible - Myriad Demons' Vengeful Return."
A crunch echoed from his mouth.
A qi storm exploded outward.
Kwajik.
Ice and fire morphed into red-blue winds encircling him.
Red smoke billowed from his seven orifices; eyes blackened, reason gone.
Soon—
"Krrrng."
Like a beast, he growled, extending a hand. Winds blasted straight at Sowoon.
By a hair, he dodged— ice froze his spot solid. Jjeong-
Peong! Red wind hit floor, exploding.
"Young Master Jin!"
Namgung Seonhwa and crew surged forward; Sowoon waved them back.
"Stay back!"
Endless energy poured from the bastard. Not mere release— like a dam burst, overflowing.
And the intent clarified: forsaking life for mutual destruction.
Alarms blared in his mind.
I'd never imagined wind had color. No scripture or tale ever mentioned it.
The first glimpse of those crimson and azure winds was breathtakingly beautiful.
Free, light, swift as wind should be, with an otherworldly allure.
Yet.
Where they touched was anything but beautiful.
Peo-peong! Massive blasts birthed roaring flames.
Jjeojeok. Temperatures plummeted, spawning unyielding ice.
'Dangerous...'
Namgung Seonhwa, never taught or dreamed of such absurdities, felt chills at this unknown beauty's terror.
Woo-woong. She fired her storm-like spear art to strike the wind.
Peong.
The free wind slipped past the spear force effortlessly, surging on.
The red wind rode softly over, crashing central Sahwal-dan— exploding anew.
Peo-peo-peong!
Unable to stand it, Seonhwa summoned Imperial King Divine Art, smashing a blue wind.
Ku-gu-gung.
Not her grandfather's caliber, but thunderous might pulverized it.
Beon-jjeok.
It tried flowing like water— shattered instead.
Jje-eong— But it didn't end.
Cold crept up her spear arm, stiffening her body.
Not just rigidity— invading chill clogged her flowing qi like ice in veins.
"Kuhk......"
Motion froze; reverse-flow agony wracked her.
Then red wind bore down. Eyes squeezed shut instinctively—
Peo-peong! An explosion; Geum Pyo's back appeared.
"You okay?!"
His ever-present shield— his other self— absorbed the blast; he merely staggered, unscathed.
"Y- yeah. Fine."
"Man... that's insane power, unhinged."
Seonhwa nodded at Geum Pyo's words.
One man wielding two distinct auras so vividly was unbelievable— let alone their monstrous strength.
And the assault's motion embodied martial profundity.
How many defenders could matter against this?
Then—
Peo-peo-peo-peo-peo-peong!
Staccato blasts stunned.
Turning— one man pierced the winds toward the freak.
"...!"
Seonhwa cried out in alarm.
"Young Master Jin...!!!"
"Pull everyone back!"
He's diving in there?!
Red-blue storm raged around the freak. If it spread, unimaginable casualties.
Yet no counter came to mind.
Unprecedented art. Unprecedented fusion.
Throwing oneself in? Unknown fate.
"J- Jin young..."
But Sowoon didn't slow. Faster than ever, he charged.
Golden whip from his left hand battered incoming winds, clearing path.
And Sowoon—
Swae-aeak- Became a arrow, thunderbolt-piercing the storm unhindered.
"...!"
Seonhwa paled at the heart-stopping sight.