#105 Brother
Kang-ho sensed the demonic energy pressing in on him from all sides. It was a completely new form of demonic energy, one he'd never encountered before—viscous and pure, yet savagely ferocious beyond measure.
Kikikikikiki!
Ghoulish laughter echoed from every direction. In Kang-ho's eyes, which could pierce to the essence of things, the world was engulfed in a realm of pitch-black ghosts.
"......"
Standing at the center of them was Baal, his face impassive, his eyes cold and sunken.
"[Intriguing.]"
"[For some reason, you don't feel like a stranger.]"
Baal didn't have many memories left in his mind. But among those scant remnants, this man lingered with unnatural persistence. He tried to recall the figure, but the faint fragments refused to coalesce.
Only one thing was clear.
Baal's eyes beheld the immense power radiating from the man.
Eternal Crystal! And not just any—the heart's possessor!
—The heart's master.
A colossal will whispered in his mind.
—Kill him.
[......]
This overwhelming will had been steering Baal's ego for some time now.
—For your goal, you need greater power.
When had it started? Baal had begun moving for one singular purpose: the extermination of all demons.
He knew all too well the eerie strength of those demons. To confront the ones from beyond this world, he needed overwhelming power.
Why?
Occasionally, that question arose. But he didn't know the reason.
He simply yielded to the immense energy that dominated his self.
But.
He looked at the man once more.
"[Oddly enough... you seem familiar.]"
—Kill him.
The colossal will whispered.
—To draw closer to your ideal, seize that power.
Yes. That was all.
Baal couldn't resist the will.
Kwaaaaa!
Vast demonic energy erupted from his entire body. At the same time, weapons whirled through the air like living serpents, baring their fangs with sinister menace.
The fragmented memories had long since vanished into the abyss.
Baal's will was now fully consumed by the Eternal Crystal.
"[Earth, is it? You've spared me some trouble.]"
His voice, when he spoke again, was utterly transformed—eerie, as if multiple voices overlapped.
Kang-ho watched him in silence.
Soon.
Kwaaaaa!
A colossal power surged from Kang-ho's body as well. The new energy rising across his form was the polar opposite of Baal's—pushing back the demonic haze that blanketed the world. It was as if the entire realm was splitting into blue and black halves.
"[So this is Earth's...]
"[Eternal Crystal... the heart's master...]
Papapapap!
Baal extended both hands to the sides, and one of the spinning weapons settled into his grasp. It was a massive nodachi.
The blade stretched over five meters, slender and ominous, glowing with an eerie red light.
'Lark Anciel.'
Artifact, Lark Anciel.
Kang-ho knew this weapon intimately. It had once belonged to a demon, claimed after its defeat. Countless demons and monsters had fallen to its edge—and Kang-ho had been there.
Chralak!
As Baal reached out, the Artifact Murcielago in Kang-ho's hand was sucked away like into a black hole, returning to its master.
Shaaaa!
Lark Anciel moved. Baal stood motionless, yet the long, sinister blade slashed in an instant toward Kang-ho's crown.
Kwang!
Kang-ho didn't dodge. Furball unleashed azure mana from his body to block it.
Krreung...
Furball growled low, his fur bristling across his massive frame. Seol-a had already climbed atop his head, reverting to her fox form.
Karrung!
Seol-a's eyes blazed fiercer than ever, her three tails rigid.
Guuuung!
One of her tails—the black one governing demonic energy—swelled massively for a moment.
At the same time, her special ability activated.
Second Tail (Acquired) – This beast has absorbed sufficient demonic energy to gain a second tail. Special ability activates when conditions are met.
This beast ignores the opponent's defense with a certain probability.
The ability transferred fully to Kang-ho. His senses sharpened to an unprecedented peak— even with eyes closed, he could feel the twitch of an ant's antennae nearby.
Shweeee!
The nodachi struck like lightning. Kang-ho moved to meet it.
Kwang!
The massive Oerblade cleaved through the ghost-filled world.
"[Amusing.]"
Baal kicked off the ground, charging at Kang-ho like teleportation. He tossed Lark Anciel into the air and gripped a new sword—a longsword.
'Peerless Sword Under Heaven.'
Its name: Peerless Sword Under Heaven.
Chakang!
The blade split into two. Baal lunged with the twin swords.
Kang-ho recognized them instantly.
—Kang-ho, watch closely.
Baal's body danced. Fluid as water, formless yet endlessly supple.
—This is the swordsmanship you'll master.
Kang-ho moved. He'd learned the same style—from this very man.
Ching—chachachachang!
Oerblade clashed ceaselessly with the twin Peerless Swords. Each impact sent azure Eternal Crystal energy splattering like paint. The dancing blades were too fast and precise for the eye to follow.
Shweeee!
Shuk! Shuk!
Baal's arsenal assaulted Kang-ho from all sides like possessed spirits.
Krreung!
Furball roared thunderously, blocking the onslaught.
Chralak!
Seol-a spotted a flying spear and leaped—hop!—biting its tip with an ang!
Kwaduk!
Clamped tight, Seol-a swung wildly with the spear. Her tails stiffened in fierce alert.
Below, she saw Dad.
"!"
Was this how the world's genesis looked? Kugung—kung! The sky darkened further, the realm plunging into abyss—save for Dad, Furball, and herself, wreathed in light and flashing.
Papapapapapap!
Whiii!
Baal's sword swept down; Kang-ho countered with an upward Oerblade slash, perfectly synced.
Kwang!
The world flashed as azure mana exploded outward. Where it spread, black wraiths—grrooo—howled, turning blue before shrieking and plummeting. They expelled their foul demonic energy, reverting to translucent human forms, drained and collapsing.
'Brother.'
Kang-ho gazed at Baal with stoic eyes.
In this transcendent realm, the world moved in torturous slow motion. Furball batting weapons, blinking, fur fluttering—every frame dragged. Seol-a soaring across: each scene in ultra-slow playback.
Thus.
'Brother—'
Only two moved at normal speed here: the brother before him, and himself.
Kwang!
A strike flew.
'I...'
Kwagwagwang!
They exchanged blows. Kang-ho's body shuddered with long-forgotten agony—flesh screaming, tearing apart.
Uluk!
Blood trickled from Kang-ho's mouth.
Yet.
His movements remained unflinching.
'I must cut you down once more—......'
Kwaaaaaang!
Each clash shook heaven and earth. Kang-ho parried incoming blades, then thrust his right leg forward. Twisting his waist, accelerating through every joint—a devastating roundhouse kick.
Baal's mirrored it perfectly.
Paaaak!
Kang-ho's right foot slammed Baal's solar plexus; Baal's struck Kang-ho's. The sky tore open.
Clouds split and scattered. Through the rift gleamed the Demon Realm's massive full moon, radiant.
"[Kukukuku. Not bad.]"
* * *
"[M-my god. What the hell is this?!]"
Theo gasped at the absurd natural disaster as he followed Kang-ho.
Kugugugu!
The ground quaked everywhere. Beasts fled in panic; fissures spiderwebbed the earth.
Kugung!
The sky? Dry thunderclouds swelled black and ominous.
Shwaaaaa!
Rain in the Demon Realm! Theo swore he'd never seen it.
Ahead, at the horizon, two colossal forces clashed.
"[Hiiik...!]
Bassago, tucked under his father's arm, shrieked in terror.
"[My god...!]
Theo halted, swallowing hard.
Amid the downpour, vibrant flowers bloomed everywhere. The barren land burst into color as the thick demonic energy purified.
"[Impossible!]
Bassago screamed hysterically.
As Theo and his father entered Kang-ho and Baal's battlefield, the world was engulfed in a fight unlike any before.
Kwang!
They seemed stationary, but Theo saw it.
'Insane...'
Monstrous exchanges too furious to follow.
Papapapak!
In a blink, hundreds of clashes—each leaving scars of colliding energies.
Goooooo!
The forces collided, birthing bizarre phenomena.
'Kang-ho's mana is...'
Purifying the demonic energy everywhere—like flowers blooming on despair's plain.
'This is the power of the Eternal Crystal...'
Theo recoiled instinctively.
'A battle between its bearers...!'
Suddenly.
Challcang!
Baal's twin Peerless Swords merged, demonic energy coiling sinisterly.
Ziiiiiing!
Kang-ho's Oerblade fused into a pillar of light.
Kwajijik!
The weapons met—silence blanketed the world.
Ziiiiiiing!
Like a deadly tug-of-war, the blades locked at center.
But.
"Kuh!"
Kang-ho yielded first. Pushed back, scattering azure energy. An earthquake erupted in his wake.
Kang-ho coughed blood.
Kwagwagwagwang!
The aftermath raged—a cataclysmic storm.
Theo urgently infused mana into his father.
"[Father!]
Kugung!
Theo’s father blocked the storm head-on. Furball snatched Seol-a in his jaws and raced to Kang-ho.
Krreung!
Furball hardened, embracing Kang-ho and Seol-a protectively.
Kwaaaaa!
The explosion faded. There knelt Kang-ho, vomiting blood; Furball battered and broken.
"[N-no!]
Theo dashed forward.
But.
"[Kruuuuuugh!]
A scream came from Baal too.
"[B-Baal-nim!]
Bassago cried out.
Kang-ho's mana lingered on Baal, infiltrating his surging demonic energy—devouring him from within.
"[Kraaaaaah!]
Baal thrashed, retreating desperately.
Kang-ho's body trembled in agony. Mana brimmed, yet it wasn't enough. Blood poured endlessly; his head spun.
He saw Furball panting on the ground. Seol-a whined in his embrace, licking his brow.
But.
Kreung!
Furball grinned weakly, tail wagging. Kang-ho smiled bitterly, closing his eyes.
Over there.
He had to go cut down his brother.