A Storm of Wind and Thunder
Due to the poisonous aura, wind blows across the cloudless land of death, and lightning pours down.
Rimer stands quietly amid the storm where undead monsters crumble into dust and Manghongwi recoils in shock.
Raon swallows dryly. The Sword Realm has changed. Previously, the Sword Realm Rimer had used was named . It created a windless zone in a fixed space, weakening the opponent's power while strengthening his own.
But now Rimer's Sword Realm is entirely different. Its name is , and gales lash wildly around him while lightning strikes without pattern. Can the Sword Realm even change? No, it should.
Rimer once said that the most important element of any Sword Realm is the inner world each swordsman carries. Because that world shifts with personal growth and experience, a change in the Sword Realm is only natural.
- Indeed.
Wrath nods while staring at Rimer.
- As this King has always said, the crucial thing in all martial arts, magic, and arts is the image. That elf's image in his head has changed, so this Sword Realm has changed as well.
The creature lifts the corner of his mouth, calling Rimer's transformation rather entertaining.
Rimer gestures lightly as if to say "look carefully" and walks toward Hell Pilgrim.
Raon keeps his senses sharp, preventing Manghongwi from using any dirty tricks, and fixes his gaze on Rimer.
Kruuuu!
Hell Pilgrim lowers his stance, sensing danger, and lifts his death energy. A smooth black ganggi climbs his heavy sword like shadows. He wasn't serious when fighting me before. The momentum Hell Pilgrim now radiates is on a completely different level. It seems he has revealed every ounce of energy he held after sensing the crisis from Rimer's Sword Realm manifestation.
"Well thought."
Rimer nods while facing Hell Pilgrim. A relaxed smile appears on his face.
"If you don't do it properly, it'll end right away."
Kiaaaaa!
Hell Pilgrim, believing he has been insulted, swings his sword without the slightest hesitation.
Kugugugu!
Even though the blade is thin, a heavy and powerful qi that handles heavy swords falls, encircling the space. The moment it lands, Rimer's figure vanishes.
Pajijijik!
It slices through the empty space left only with Hell Pilgrim's green sparks, and Rimer has already moved to the right. Did he weave brain qi and wind into his footwork? Even seeing it, the speed is unbelievable. It looks more like a magic similar to Blink than any footwork.
Rimer steps forward with his left foot. The sword that flows out like silk is accompanied by wind and thunder.
Chejejeong!
Hell Pilgrim turns around immediately, as if opening his senses, and lifts his heavy sword. However, he cannot properly block the sword strike infused with wind and thunder and is pushed back five steps.
"You're still far."
Rimer draws a cold smile and charges forward. The blade with wind scrapes the space and aims at Hell Pilgrim's neck.
Krrurr...
Hell Pilgrim exhales roughly and extends his sword where black flames burn.
Chiaaang!
The sharp sword of Rimer like a spear and the heavy sword of Hell Pilgrim like a battle axe clash head-on.
Kwaaaang!
The sound of swords clashing makes the world collapse. After the sound, shockwaves explode, sweeping the space.
Jijijijik!
While Rimer and Hell Pilgrim push their swords toward each other's necks, lightning and wind pour down from the sky.
Kworurung!
The lightning and wind, as if controlled by someone, sway and pierce Hell Pilgrim's shoulder and waist.
Krruruk!
Hell Pilgrim lets out a groan of surprise, bites the sword he was pushing Rimer with, and steps back with footwork.
Pajijijik!
But lightning and wind follow Hell Pilgrim and do not stop the fierce offensive.
"You don't know what's what?"
Rimer smiles and rushes to the left side of Hell Pilgrim. The sword extending with true energy flashes like lightning.
Chejejeong!
Hell Pilgrim twists his sword strike to push Rimer away, but in that short moment, the fallen lightning pierces his thigh.
Krrurr!
Hell Pilgrim steps back and wraps his entire body in a massive amount of aura, as if wearing armor. He has realized that the wind and lightning in this space are not ordinary natural phenomena.
"Does the feeling come now?"
Rimer shakes his finger and clicks his tongue.
"These lightning and wind are no different from my sword."
He smiles and points his sword at Hell Pilgrim.
"Die dancing in the wind and lightning."
Rimer turns into a bolt of lightning and spins his right wrist.
The blade that bends like setting sun moonlight and falls targets Hell Pilgrim's right chest where his core is.
Krrurr!
Hell Pilgrim growls like a beast and pushes out a heavy sword with the weight of a mountain.
Kwaaang!
Rimer is pushed by the overwhelmingly heavy sword strike, but the blade of wind and thunder he wields does not stop falling.
Kworuruk!
Hell Pilgrim's aura armor withstands the wind and thunder, but his body sways, as if the shock is not zero.
Pajijijik!
As Rimer gestures to retreat, lightning and wind begin to press harder on Hell Pilgrim. His aura protecting his body starts to shake as if it will disappear.
Kreeeeer!
Hell Pilgrim cannot endure and charges with a roar. Not only weight is in his sword. The power to break everything is hidden in it.
"Pretty good?"
Rimer does not think to block it lightly like before, but steps with wind-embedded footwork. His body flutters like paper on the wind, flowing away from Hell Pilgrim's sword strike.
"Now it's my turn?"
He does not stop from evasion and stabs his sword with thunder energy toward Hell Pilgrim's right arm.
Kyaaan!
Hell Pilgrim quickly retrieves his sword to block, but the lightning falling from above stops his movement for a moment.
Rimer does not miss the gap and pierces through the aura armor to slash Hell Pilgrim's arm.
Chiieek!
From Hell Pilgrim's severed arm, the death energy that makes up his body starts to flow out.
Kruuuu!
A groan with pain comes from Hell Pilgrim's mouth.
"Stop the small lightning and first break that barrier!"
Manghongwi cannot hold back and moves his bead. Countless spheres of condensed aura rise. Where! Raon turns his body and swings the Requiem Sword backwards. Red blades gush from below, blooming yellow flower buds.
Hwaaa!
Fragments of heat born from resentment scatter and spread, colliding with the aura Manghongwi raised.
Kwaaaang!
Qi-filled flames and death energy intertwine, causing countless explosions.
"Raon!"
Rimer blinks one eye as if he did well. Sweat? Sweat streams down from his forehead and the back of his hands. He looks relaxed, but it seems he does not have much time to maintain the Sword Realm.
"Interfere until the end!"
Manghongwi grinds his teeth as if angry while looking this way.
But whether his instruction is properly followed, Hell Pilgrim does not take unnecessary movements, stands in place, and raises his energy.
Kuooooo!
A massive energy appears on the heavy sword raised above his head. The aura burns endlessly as if to split the Sword Realm in an instant.
"...A one-on-one match..."
Rimer nods while looking at the enormously enlarged aura.
"Accept it."
He smiles and extends his sword sideways. The lightning and wind that made up the Sword Realm gather into his blade.
Raon narrows his eyes. Same as before. The sword where lightning and wind condense is the same as Rimer's previous . He gathers the attributes of the surrounding environment into the sword to fight.
Kwaaaaa!
Not only the death energy he has, but also the aura of this land wraps around his sword.
Hwaaa!
The black flames burning from his sword soar high enough to reach the dark sky.
Pajijijik!
Rimer's energy in the sword is strong, but it seems it cannot withstand the magnificent black flames Hell Pilgrim pulled out.
"Danju..."
"Are you okay? Watch."
Raon tries to help, but Rimer shakes his head with his usual smile.
"End it!"
With Manghongwi's shout, power enters both of Hell Pilgrim's hands.
A sword strike with the mystery of heavy sword and breaking power pours down, crushing the space as if it will burst.
Kugugugugu!
When the Sword Realm itself is about to collapse, Rimer takes one step forward.
"Wind, lightning, all are my swords."
It is not a simple word. The voice with intent resonates with elegant rhythm, shaking the world.
"Nothing cannot be cut."
The space made of Sword Realm sways, and a light beam of different intensity from before gushes up over Rimer's sword.
Kiaaaaa!
Feeling the death crisis, Hell Pilgrim burns his aura sword more when Rimer's hand comes out like a storm.
Chejejeok!
Dark green lightning and wind cut through the pitch-black blade and cut through Hell Pilgrim's body.
Kru...
With his sword halved, Hell Pilgrim kneels, and his armor, stained with blood, starts to turn to dust and disappear.
Chiieek.
With the light flickering from Rimer's sword, the Sword Realm fades.
Raon clutches his left chest that's pounding. That's why it was . Why did it have a song? The power that amplified the final sword strike was the song containing Rimer's intent.
It was a special Sword Realm that used the elf's characteristic of knowing the power of musical notes.
Now I kind of get it. Seeing Rimer's new Sword Realm, I feel how to use attributes and sword techniques.
It feels like a faint flame and one sword sprouting more in the mental world full of many swords.
"Master."
As he approaches Rimer, his body sways. Probably he poured all the power from the Sword Realm into it.
"Damn it!"
Manghongwi did not expect Hell Pilgrim to be taken so easily, his blue face waves like hitting a wave.
"I'll kill you myself!"
But he also realizes Rimer's power is gone, so he uses the black bead to create a massive aura storm. Danju cannot move now! Raon steps with Taehwa Footwork and stands in front of Rimer.
"Disappear!"
"You came to kill me. You can't afford to look away."
He activates Flame Sea Flawless with the Requiem Sword. The tidal wave of flames rising from the ground collides with the aura storm pouring down.
Kwaaaaaang!
When flames and aura wipe out everything existing, Raon cuts through the fierce storm and charges at Manghongwi.
"This guy..."
Manghongwi, not knowing he would break through the storm, retreats in panic.
But Taehwa Footwork that steps on the ground crushes it faster than Manghongwi's perception, giving him a chance to approach.
Chiriring!
Silver cold energy is in Raon's hand. Frost wrapped in the drawn blade advances towards Manghongwi's heart.
"Kueuk!"
Manghongwi, like a magician, in that short moment, instead of his body, creates a dark barrier using aura.
Kyaaaaang!
Both the first and second blades of Ice Fragrance Soul Deprivation bounce off without breaking Manghongwi's barrier.
Raon falls to the ground without stabilizing his body in the air.
"You've weakened."
Mockery flows from Manghongwi's voice.
"I'll kill you too, that elf, and all the bugs you've brought."
He extends the black bead forward. A sphere filled with condensed aura rises on the bead, causing intense sparks.
Kugugugu!
Even though it is not complete, an enormous energy gathers, making the heart drop.
But Raon's gaze does not waver. His eyes staring at Manghongwi while spinning his body have red lightning flashing. It worked properly. He deliberately did not break Manghongwi's barrier last time. It was a strategy to show that his power is weak one more time to induce his complacency.
Raon puts his hand in his pocket and grabs the Heavenly Killing Dagger. Now. He puts the Glacia's cold energy and the divinity born from darkness into the Heavenly Killing Dagger.
Flawless Dagger.
Ice Fragrance Soul Deprivation.
The Heavenly Killing Dagger wrapped in extreme intent becomes a silver flash and charges at Manghongwi.
"Pointless!"
Manghongwi, having blocked two sword strikes, ignores Raon and maintains the barrier while accelerating the condensation of the black bead.
But.
Pajijijik!
The Heavenly Killing Dagger with the Ice Fragrance Soul Deprivation that pierces the heart and the divinity together pierces the barrier in an instant, piercing both the black bead and Manghongwi's heart.
Kyaaaaang!
When Raon falls to the ground with his back, the black bead is shattered, and the sight of Manghongwi falling while vomiting blood comes into view.
"Kueuaaaaaak!"
Manghongwi lets out a painful scream unlike when cut by Rimer's sword, clutching his pierced chest.
Red blood and black aura burst out through his hand.
Kugugugu!
But the death energy that bursts when the bead breaks gathers into the aura spheres Manghongwi was creating and starts to swell more.
"You, stupid guy..."
Manghongwi trembles his shoulders and raises his head. Looking at the growing black bead, he lets out a cruel laugh.
"Now, no one can control this. The aura collected for a thousand years will explode at once, so not only you, but all these humans will die too."
He points at the people looking this way from far away and sneers.
"The bead is a pity, but if I kill you all, it's not much of a loss. I was going to die anyway..."
"Shut up."
Raon throws the remaining Heavenly Killing Dagger and embeds it in Manghongwi's head.
"You damn guy..."
Manghongwi lets out a groan of satisfaction and falls back. He turns into dust and crumbles without leaving a corpse, like a real undead.
"Sigh."
Raon breathes and approaches the growing black bead.
"This..."
Rimer sighs while looking at the bead.
"It looks like it's gone wrong?"
He shrugs, saying he cannot stop it now.
Raon chews his lip. Thanks to resting a bit, he has the strength and mind to exert full power, but he does not know how to erase that huge aura bead. How to do it... While thinking, he looks around and sees the three pillars that existed since he first came here.
Unlike before, the swamp has disappeared, revealing the lower part of the hidden pillars.
"Hm?"
Raon licks his lips while looking at the lower part. This... The traces carved into the pillars seem familiar somewhere. Focusing on the scars, the Ring of Fire and Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation activate as if they were alive.
With golden flames rising in front, the world changes.