Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Going All Out
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Il-hyeol intended to attack immediately, but the aura I emanated was formidable, making him hesitate.
Holding his sword in his left hand, he slowly circled me, searching for an opening.
I shifted my stance bit by bit, facing him squarely.
*Sshhhhiiiik.*
With an eerie hiss like a slithering snake, the tip of Il-hyeol’s sword traced a bizarre path as it flew toward my neck.
When I parried it with the Ghost Soul Sword, his blade twisted strangely and swept toward my side.
I immediately brought my sword down to block it.
*Clang, clang.*
As his sequence of swift, decisive strikes was thwarted, Il-hyeol’s expression hardened.
The attack had been instantaneous.
Il-hyeol had fought countless warriors and knew his own strengths well.
Even if his opponents managed to block his sword, they were always flustered by its unfamiliar trajectory. Yet, this man’s expression remained placid.
For that reason, while fury surged within Il-hyeol, a sliver of fear also began to rise.
I focused on defense.
Not only was I short on internal energy, but Il-hyeol’s sword path was so peculiar that I felt a counterattack could leave me vulnerable to a devastating blow.
He was by no means my inferior.
*Sshhhhiiiik.*
This time, Il-hyeol’s sword swept toward my legs.
As I lowered the Ghost Soul Sword to block it, his blade twisted unnaturally, aiming for my right wrist.
It was a truly unpredictable sword path.
But having experienced numerous duels and battles, I quickly took a step back to neutralize his attack and immediately unleashed a Thunderclap Finger.
*Thwump.*
To my surprise, however, he dodged the Thunderclap Finger, even though it was fired at close range.
“Could that be the Thunderclap Finger?”
Il-hyeol’s eyes widened.
“Is it?”
“Think what you will.”
“That can’t be. Hwa Un-ryong never took any disciples. There’s no way that damn Heavenly Will Sword Art could still exist in this world.”
Watching his rage, I realized just how extensively they had prepared.
And I bitterly regretted not having raised a disciple.
They feared the Heavenly Will Sword Art, yet I had been so full of myself that I never passed it on.
‘Back then, I really thought I’d live for a thousand years. Like a fool.’
“Come at me.”
“Fine. It all ends once I kill you anyway. No, I’ll capture you and pry the secrets from you.”
Suddenly, the energy flowing from his body doubled.
He had been concealing his ultimate technique until now.
-Pure.
-Yes.
-While I hold this man off, take Cheol Mu-ui and escape. This man is stronger than me.
-B-But…
-You’ll only be in the way. If things go south, I’ll escape immediately, so take Cheol Mu-ui and go first. The one the Martial Arts Alliance needs right now is Cheol Mu-ui. With the information he’s obtained, the Alliance can attack and destroy the Dark Blood Heaven Cult. Hurry!
-Understood.
Il-hyeol’s body was engulfed in a stormy vortex of black aura, and a ghastly blue light flickered in his eyes.
Seeing that, one particular martial art came to mind.
“The Dark Heavenly Demon Arts.”
It was the signature technique of the Dark Heavenly Demon, Cheok Mu-hyeok—a martial art of absolute domination, wielded with overwhelming internal energy.
I recalled my fight against Cheok Mu-hyeok, the leader of the Dark Heavenly Cult.
Back then, I possessed three hundred years of internal energy, so I was not pushed back by his power in the slightest.
But now, I had a mere ninety years.
Of course, Il-hyeol was not as strong as Cheok Mu-hyeok, but I was far weaker than the Hwa Un-ryong of that time.
I realized I could easily be defeated.
“I’ll kill you. Kuhuhuhu.”
“Flash of Lightning!”
*Swhoooosh.*
A technique of absolute speed unfolded from the Ghost Soul Sword.
For an instant, it felt as if my sword had multiplied into three, and three streaks of sword light slashed at Il-hyeol’s body simultaneously.
*Kakakang.*
Il-hyeol staggered back a few steps as if shocked, but he was still unharmed.
It was proof that the Flash of Lightning, unleashed with ninety years of internal energy, had little effect on him.
‘Damn it. If only I had a full two cycles of internal energy.’
Swallowing my regret, I unleashed the Swift Explosive Assault with all my might, but Il-hyeol was only pushed back significantly; he didn’t seem to have taken much damage.
Il-hyeol looked at me and sneered.
“The Heavenly Will Sword Art is nothing special, I see.”
“Don’t be so confident. The Dark Heavenly Demon Arts aren't invincible.”
“Hoh, you know of the Dark Heavenly Demon Arts? Today, I will make sure to capture you.”
The ghostly light in Il-hyeol’s eyes grew even deeper.
I had about eighty years of internal energy left.
Rather than waste it by trading petty blows with him, I decided to pour every last bit of my energy into a single strike to overwhelm him.
“Since you know of the Heavenly Will Sword Art, I wonder if you know this one as well.”
I raised the Ghost Soul Sword, bringing the tip to my brow as I drew upon my internal energy.
“N-No way. Th-That’s impossible.”
Seeing my opening stance, Il-hyeol’s face went pale with shock.
“Stormslash Wheel!”
With a clear shout, two wheels of aura formed on either side of the Ghost Soul Sword.
The one on the right was large, the one on the left smaller—a result of my insufficient internal energy.
If I’d had a full two cycles, the two wheels would have been perfectly formed.
In the past, when I unleashed it with six cycles of energy, six perfect wheels of aura had formed, and in that state, I was invincible.
Even the master of the Blood Palace had fallen to the Stormslash Wheel, his body torn to shreds in a gruesome death.
*Fwoooosh.*
With a terrifying sound, the two wheels of aura flew toward Il-hyeol.
Utterly horrified, Il-hyeol pushed his internal energy to its limit, forming a protective aura.
*Kang. Kakakakaka.*
With a sound like grinding metal, the two wheels of aura bored into Il-hyeol.
“Guaaaaaah!”
Il-hyeol screamed in agony.
‘Damn it.’
It was time for him to fall, yet Il-hyeol was still standing.
My lack of internal energy prevented the Stormslash Wheel from reaching its true power.
It was infuriating.
Still holding the opening stance, I drew upon the last vestiges of my internal energy to control the wheels of aura.
“Keeeeoook.”
Finally, Il-hyeol collapsed to the ground.
*Thud.*
At the same time, my internal energy completely depleted, I slumped to the ground as well.
*Twitch, twitch.*
But shockingly, Il-hyeol was not dead.
Though gravely wounded, he was struggling, trying to get up somehow.
Seeing that, I was deeply shocked.
‘It’s still not enough. I thought with two cycles of internal energy, I could handle most opponents. I never imagined they would be this fiercely prepared. I have to completely change my way of thinking. If I proceed with my old assumptions, I’ll be in grave danger.’
The problem was escaping.
Completely exhausted, I was no different from an ordinary person who had never learned martial arts.
If I tried to run in this state, and Il-hyeol managed to swing his sword with what little energy he had left, it would mean certain death.
Nor could I meditate to recover my energy with him right in front of me.
I was trapped.
‘I shouldn’t have spouted that nonsense about saving Cheol Mu-ui. If Pure had been here, she could have saved me. I was too arrogant. I’m not the strongest anymore, but I still delude myself into thinking I am. Still. I have a long way to go.’
It was then.
-Do you need help?
-What about Cheol Mu-ui?
-I moved him to a safe place. Do you need help?
I had never been so glad to hear Pure’s telepathic message.
I gave a slight nod, and she appeared.
She was as captivating as ever, but her face was filled with worry.
“Are you alright?”
“We have to leave this place. Help me up.”
“Should I kill him?”
“Don’t.”
I shook my head.
Though his body was a mangled, bloody mess, he had mastered the Dark Heavenly Demon Arts to a considerably high level.
If she were to strike him with a palm blast or stab him with a sword, her internal energy could be siphoned away instead.
The terrifying thing about the Dark Heavenly Demon Arts was that it was based on the Energy-Devouring Divine Art.
Normally, the energy-devouring aspect wasn't active, but it would manifest when the user was pushed into the direst of crises.
Therefore, unless one had a technique powerful enough to kill him in a single blow, attacking him was useless.
It would be like helping him.
That was why I had stopped Pure.
“Y-You bastard.”
Il-hyeol finally managed to sit up.
His body was a truly gruesome sight.
Flesh was torn and blood was flowing from all over, but his eyes still blazed with killing intent.
“Hurry.”
“Yes.”
She took me in her arms and kicked off the ground.
“You bastard! I will kill you! I swear it!”
Il-hyeol’s roar, like that of a great beast, echoed from Mount Hyeonong, making it tremble.
Leaving his roar behind us, held in Pure’s arms, I lost consciousness.
Having fought with all my strength and exhausted every last drop of my internal energy, my body could no longer hold on.
“Affectionate. Just hold on a little longer. I’ll make sure you live.”
Gokwon County.
After crossing Mount Hyeonong, Affectionate ran south for a full day before arriving here.
She didn't enter an inn, instead setting me down in a nearby abandoned house.
If they started a search, the first place they would look would be the inns, so avoiding them was the obvious choice.
“Please sit here for a moment. I’ll go get something to eat.”
“Thank you.”
“You know how to say things like that?”
During my time as the Alliance Leader, I had almost never used the words ‘thank you.’
It was a time when I was stronger than anyone, but also more arrogant than anyone.
“I’ll be back.”
She disappeared.
I sat down cross-legged on the spot and began to meditate.
There was no other choice.
If Il-hyeol tracked us this far, I, with no internal energy, would have no way to fight back.
Therefore, I calmed my mind as much as possible and began my meditation.
*Growl.*
Damn it.
There was a beast more fearsome than Il-hyeol inside my stomach.
I couldn't focus on my meditation at all.
A short while later.
Pure returned with water and dumplings.
They were so delicious I could have cried.
“You’re going to choke. Eat slowly.”
“Eat with me.”
“I ate on the way. Please, have as much as you want.”
“Thank you.”
After hastily stuffing the dumplings into my stomach and gulping down the cold water, I felt like I could live again.
“I need you to stand guard. I’ve completely exhausted my internal energy, so it will take until tomorrow morning of constant meditation to replenish it.”
“Understood.”
She quietly left the room.
Left alone, I sat cross-legged and entered a state of meditation.
Soon, I was completely lost in a state of profound concentration.
‘Who in the world is Affectionate?’
Having climbed a tall tree outside the house to survey the area, Pure glanced down at the abandoned building before looking up at the sky.
Gazing at the twinkling stars, she could momentarily forget their perilous situation.
‘What is his true identity? He took down over twenty warriors from a distance with just a finger flick. That alone was astounding, but he also subdued that fearsome Blood Demon, Seop Yu-heun, and another young warrior who seemed his equal. And most of all, he tore that middle-aged man, who seemed even stronger than Seop Yu-heun, to shreds.’
Recalling the Stormslash Wheel, Pure shivered as if goosebumps had broken out on her skin.
She had witnessed countless martial arts, but never had she felt such a chill.
The power of the Stormslash Wheel was so terrifying that it seemed a miracle the middle-aged man had survived at all.
‘I think he said something about the Heavenly Will Sword Art earlier. Could it be Alliance Leader Hwa’s signature sword art? No way. I’ve never heard of him taking a disciple. And if Affectionate were his disciple, he should be in a high-ranking position in the Martial Arts Alliance. Being an enforcer for the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion makes no sense.’
Pure tried to unravel the tangled mystery, but the more she thought, the more knotted it became.
In the end, she gave up trying to solve it and let out a short sigh.
“Beautiful.”
She murmured, gazing at the stars in the sky.