Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Manifest Sword
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"No! Mage!"
Ignoring their scream-like pleas, Do-yoon landed on the ground.
One imp was pinning down a soldier who hadn't died yet, tearing off bits of flesh one by one. The soldier convulsed in agony, but the imp just giggled at the sight.
Suddenly, it sensed a presence right in front of it.
"Krrk?"
The imp looked up at this sudden presence that carried no hostility or killing intent.
Kwachik-
"Kk, ek..."
A sword plunged into its throat, making a sound like chopping a log.
Do-yoon frowned. He'd meant to sever the neck completely, but it was far tougher than expected. The blade had only sunk in about halfway through the neck. His physical output wasn't what it used to be.
Even with half its neck sliced, the thing didn't die. Its neck muscles and eyes twitched as it let out a gurgling screech. Then it grabbed the sword hilt with trembling hands.
Do-yoon, of course, didn't just stand there watching. He pressed down on the hilt while the sword was still embedded.
Pruduk-!
Like popping a bottle cap, the imp's head tore off upward. No blood sprayed out.
Only then did the creature collapse to the ground.
"Kkrrk?"
"Kk?"
The eyes of two nearby imps turned to Do-yoon. They charged at him from both sides simultaneously. One leaped swiftly, extending its sharp fingers, while the other crouched low, aiming for his ankle.
A coordinated attack as fluid as water. Movements etched into a hunter's instincts—vastly different from mere monsters.
Do-yoon held his sword vertically and slashed upward between the incoming fingers.
"Kkieeeek!"
The imp screamed in pain.
Again, he'd aimed to cleave it from wrist to elbow lengthwise, but only managed up to the wrist. Even targeting the soft tissue between fingers.
The imp below swung its fingers at Do-yoon's Achilles tendon. But its attack merely sliced through empty air at his ankle's shape. His ankle was unscathed.
"Krrk?"
In that instant, a sword strike too fast to perceive slashed toward the ground and the imp's neck. The imp instinctively leaped backward, but soon a straight line appeared from its crown to its groin.
Only in the moment of its body being bisected did it realize what had happened to the ground where it had dodged. Besides the horizontal mark aimed at its neck, there was a vertical slash.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Războinic Style Swordsmanship – Character Slash A feint horizontal slash to evade perception, followed by an imperceptible vertical slice enhanced by Localized Acceleration Control.
"Kkirreeeek!!"
The one writhing from its hand being split lunged again with its other hand, furious. This time, aware of the previous attack, its fingers were pressed together. Its entire arm looked like a single sharp awl, charging headlong to pierce Do-yoon's skull.
Do-yoon gripped the sword hilt with his right hand and supported the end with his left, thrusting upward. The pinnacle of swordsmanship on display—terrifying precision. The sword tip met the imp's fingertip exactly.
A technique to counter an incoming sword or spear thrust by meeting tips, redirecting the force straight into the opponent's grip.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Buske Style Swordsmanship – Reposte Thrust Redirects incoming thrust force back into the enemy with perfect tip alignment.
Pruduk-
The imp's wrist crumpled, and its outstretched shoulder was shoved back. Its entire arm tore away backward, and carried by its momentum, it impaled its own neck on Do-yoon's sword.
Again, the tip only sank halfway into the neck. Do-yoon pressed down on the hilt once more, decapitating it.
And just like that, three out of eighteen were down in an instant.
Only then did the imps notice something was off and turn to Do-yoon. The knights, squires, and soldiers atop the walls gaped in astonishment.
'What... just happened?'
Those ferocious demons had three of their number slain in a blink. Movements as natural as flowing water, sometimes flashing like lightning. It was truly horrifying skill.
'W-Wasn't he a mage?'
It was hard to believe even seeing it with their own eyes.
Standing amid the stares of imps and soldiers alike, Do-yoon raised his sword to inspect the blade. It was already chipped badly and emitting black smoke as corrosion set in.
'Their durability and curses have gotten stronger.'
The curse had wrecked the sword terribly, but fortunately, it had no effect on Do-yoon's body. Probably the same principle as when it blocked the vice minister's curse.
Do-yoon formed a sword finger with his left index and middle fingers, channeling qi to the tip. He then swiftly ran it along the blade. Crimson sparks flew, honing the badly damaged edge somewhat.
The imps narrowed their eyes and crept toward Do-yoon warily. A far cry from their playful demeanor until now.
Suddenly, as the demons halted their assault, the infantry writhing in hellish pain lifted their heads in confusion.
What they saw: three imp corpses sprawled on the ground. Demons forming a tense circle. And in the center, the savior standing tall.
'Without sword aura, I can't handle numbers.'
Mana circulated through Do-yoon's body. His eyes gleamed golden.
'No, even with it, it's iffy.'
With low mana, sustaining sword aura would be tough.
But there were many foes. Already, instead of charging, they spread out to encircle him. If they hunted patiently like seasoned predators, his mana would run dry first.
'...Should I use that?'
Best to pour all his mana into one decisive strike.
It devoured mana, but the divine beast's pure mana was inherently efficient—he could manage once.
And if his guess was right, the trait [First Războinic] would assist.
Fifteen imps surrounded Do-yoon at even intervals, completing the encirclement. Five stepped forward first for a joint attack.
Fingers, claws, teeth, tails—countless strikes crisscrossed in. Do-yoon dodged and parried them all. His seventh sense already dominated the battlefield, detecting even blind-spot attacks from behind.
As the imps pressed their frenzied assault, suddenly golden light flashed, and imp heads flew one by one. Two down already.
With allies dying to invisible attacks, the imps startled and retreated swiftly.
Realizing it wouldn't work, all ten remaining joined in.
Group assaults were trickier than they looked, but the imps synchronized thirteen attackers flawlessly through battle instinct.
Now Do-yoon hit his limit. His senses detected all attacks and plotted optimal dodges, but his body couldn't keep up. Wounds accumulated one by one.
Do-yoon grabbed a sharp tail aimed at his eyes with his hand. But when the imp yanked, his feet left the ground.
'Ngh...'
The imp whipped its tail, flinging Do-yoon high into the air.
'Their strength's increased too.'
His Strength stat was 5—high even among apostles. Yet he'd been overpowered in that contest of strength.
Seizing the moment, the imps leaped en masse. Airborne, Do-yoon couldn't maneuver. Knowing this, they grinned and extended claws, teeth, and tails.
'As expected, need to end it in one go.'
First, feet on the ground.
Do-yoon eyed the ground, drawing his sword back behind his waist like preparing an iaido strike. Pure divine beast mana concentrated in his hands and arms, overflowing into the hilt.
A technique expelling qi explosively from the blade for propulsive thrust, enabling instantaneous quick-draw—like a shark rocketing forth.
But now, that propulsion would drive Do-yoon's body along with the sword.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Buske Style Swordsmanship – Barracuda Explosive blade propulsion for blinding speed rush.
Golden sword aura burst behind him, hurtling body and blade forward at tremendous speed.
Seogeuk-
"Keruk?"
A golden trajectory arced through the air, severing three imps' heads from bodies in a flash. The imps blinked at the vanished target and slain comrades.
As they still hung mid-leap, Do-yoon's feet hit the ground.
Do-yoon looked to the sky.
His seventh sense precisely analyzed the imps' ascending paths. A straight sword path emerged, slicing through all ten.
Do-yoon gripped the hilt firmly, preparing his final strike.
The finale of the 17th round: the great battle with the Demon King.
Enoch had cornered her and withstood her ultimate technique.
That was when Enoch truly felt what the divine realm meant.
In the last moment, she stepped into the Demigod Realm. All surrounding demonic energy responded to her will, manifesting as 'death' itself.
A realm creating phenomena from nothing through will alone—the pinnacle approaching godhood she displayed.
Enoch, receiving that attack bodily, transcended it into enlightenment at death's door.
'What is sword aura?'
When a swordsman who achieved unity of man and sword amassed sufficient mana, it flowed along the blade. That was the common notion of sword aura.
But Do-yoon approached differently. He recalled how the Demon King wielded demonic energy by will.
'Sword aura is the extension of the 'slash' phenomenon.'
Using mana in one's body as medium to extend the 'slash' phenomenon. Imposing one's will on the world through the sword. Thereby exponentially boosting range and cutting power. That was true sword aura.
This realization transformed Enoch of the 17th round—who rivaled the Sword Emperor and Fist Emperor—into a transcendent being.
An enlightenment diverging from prior swordsmanship, returning all myriad styles to their origin.
'Ultimate Essence of Războinic Style Swordsmanship'
The Sword Emperor dubbed it, upon witnessing: 'The sword's intent reaches the world.'
'Manifest Sword'
Knights, squires, soldiers on the walls, and sprawled infantry alike.
All were blinded by the brilliant golden radiance piercing the darkness.
'Enemy Demon Instant Kill'
⚔ ULTIMATE ESSENCE ⚔ Manifest Sword Extending the 'slash' phenomenon through will and mana—slaying demons instantly.
As the sword swung, a crescent blade-light surged forth with ferocious momentum.
His unwavering will to annihilate demons extended the 'slash' via mana as medium.
'Ahh...'
The knight's jaw dropped at the mysterious, breathtaking sword path and the golden sword aura shooting straight ahead.
His blade extended merely a meter.
Yet his will cleaved the demons airborne.