Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: The Demon's Unyielding Revival
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"This is the purest dark mana I've ever seen."
"It might be a weapon from an evolved demon race."
A weapon belonging to a Marquis-level demon, it had ignited the research team's unquenchable thirst for knowledge, making it their ultimate subject of study.
"If wielded properly, its output would rival that of an average Count-level demon."
"We can't treat it as just a simple weapon. It might actually be a Marquis-level demon itself."
The researchers were so obsessed they'd volunteered for overtime without hesitation.
Now, that very subject was regarded as America's second major catastrophe, identical to the Count-level demon that had ravaged California.
It might seem premature, but the scene unfolding before them validated the judgment.
The world's top S-rank, Fist King, and the third-ranked Sword Dragon.
The sheer leisure he displayed against them, coupled with the dark mana filling a 50-meter radius.
If the spectators inside the dome had witnessed this, the place would have devolved into an irreparable hellscape.
"Hold on."
The Fist King released his grip on Sword Dragon's collar.
Sword Dragon's halted feet carved two deep furrows into the ground as he was dragged toward Damon.
But it was only for a moment.
The released Fist King kicked off the earth and landed in front of Damon.
The best defense is a good offense, as they say.
Just like the punch that had shattered Damon's nose, Fist King ignited his fist with crimson mana once more.
And swung it toward Damon's face again.
Thung!
The same situation as before.
"...?!"
But a different outcome unfolded before Fist King's eyes.
He'd expected the face to crumple and send Damon flying.
Or at least force him back on the defensive.
But no.
"Pretty cool, right? It's a skill called Protective Aura."
Damon, struck by Fist King's punch, didn't budge an inch. He stood firm, flashing a smile.
A smile so genuine it left the punch-thrower flustered.
"And this..."
In the midst of the repeated scenario, a new development emerged.
The only unchanged sight was this one.
"One Kill."
Spurt.
Not from the bleeding fist.
Blood erupted from Fist King's chest, splattering onto Damon.
'I'm going insane. This feels too good. How? I'm so happy. I feel alive. Selfish hunters. Die, all of you!'
This Damon, who had bowed his head at mere eye contact, had just sliced open Fist King's chest.
Blood had drenched him from the moment he gripped the sword, but Fist King's blood felt uniquely warm, melting through his entire body.
Naturally, Damon's eyes drifted shut.
A torrent of unknown skills flooded his mind.
And at its center, the final image of Fist King's chest being cleaved made Damon's lips curl uncontrollably.
"Ah..."
Was he lost in the thrill of victory?
Amid the jumbled memories, thoughts of Fist King forced Damon's eyes open.
Thud! Thud! Thud-thud!
His chest deeply gashed, spraying blood.
Yet Fist King showed no fatigue or pain, wrapping both hands in crimson mana and swinging at Damon.
Ku-kung. Kung-kung!
The air trembled, shockwaves bursting forth.
"St-stop!"
He felt Fist King's mana pounding his body.
Fierce, like untrained wild wolf strikes—random and ferocious punches.
And their ends imprinted dizzying pain into Damon's skull, not mere shockwaves.
'Fist King... is number one for a reason. That monster is an undying immortal.'
Pafang!
Damon's prized Protective Aura shattered, and Fist King's fist slammed into his abdomen.
The mana-infused punch pierced through Damon's gut, erupting as a shockwave from his back.
Pak!
The impact tore open the back of his clothes.
"Puhuk!"
Damon finally curled like a shrimp, vomiting a mouthful of blood.
Before he could even cry out in pain, Fist King's massive hand clamped around his head in a single grip.
"Not bad for trash."
"Urk!"
Gripping Damon's face front-on, Fist King slammed him into the ground.
Kwaduk! Wooong.
The impact cracked the earth, vibrations rumbling through.
"That's Fist King?"
It wasn't just once.
Fist King yanked Damon from the crater and smashed him down again.
Thud-kung! Thud-kung! Thud-kung! Thud-kung!
Six times like that.
The thick blood pooling on the ground painted a hellish scene, screaming that Damon could hardly be alive.
"Hoo..."
From the deep crater, only Fist King's hand emerged.
Straightening his bent back, he exhaled deeply, radiating thick murderous intent as he gazed skyward.
Fist King.
The world's top S-rank, his title of strongest utterly deserved. Sword Dragon nodded unconsciously at the display of power.
'I absolutely don't want to fight him.'
With a regretful expression, he sheathed his drawn sword.
Satisfied just reaffirming Fist King's monstrous strength, he stared into the deep pit.
"It's over, right?"
"Has to be. No demon could rise with its head smashed like that."
Sword Dragon smirked and nodded at Fist King's words.
As experts who knew demons' weakness lay in their heads, they averted their eyes from the crater.
"Then let's head back."
"Yeah. Still got some good matches left."
"Heh, kuhuhu. I guarantee that Yong-un guy is stronger than this demon-ified Damon."
"Cut the nonsense and go get healed."
"Kuhahaha!"
Fist King burst into laughter, slapping Sword Dragon's shoulder.
They strode confidently toward the dome's entrance.
Whooo.
Relief and tension from the battle's end washed over them in a refreshing wave.
As it enveloped Sword Dragon and Fist King...
A faint breeze from somewhere halted their steps.
"...?!"
Whooo.
The wind that stopped them blew again.
Dark mana-laced wind that shouldn't exist anymore.
Sring! Tang!
In that instant, wide-eyed Sword Dragon swiftly drew and swung his sword backward.
His crimson sword aura shattered, black mana fragments scattering into the air.
"That was close. Nearly died."
Then, in Fist King and Sword Dragon's view, an impossible figure rose from the deep crater.
"I-I told you. I have a skill called Pr-Protective Aura."
Damon, who should have been dead, pointed at his own head's rear, grinning cheekily.
A black membrane crumbling with cracks.
Confirming its presence, Fist King and Sword Dragon scowled, surging their mana once more.
Blood everywhere.
If that black membrane—Protective Aura—had blocked every attack, how to explain the blood splattered all around?
The answer came through Damon's gaze.
"Damn."
Blood flowing from Fist King's chest and dripping from his left fist caught their eyes.
"Shall we start round two?"
Damon, always on the receiving end, moved first this time.
Kicking off the ground, he closed the distance at blinding speed and swung at Sword Dragon.
Thud-kwang!
Damon's black sword aura clashed mid-air with Sword Dragon's crimson one.
The collision sprayed sword aura fragments amid shockwaves.
But the swordmasters' battle was just beginning.
Dozens of exchanges blurred chaotically, scattering more fragments.
Occasionally, not just fragments—blood sprayed in razor-thin margins.
Ku-gung!
Amid the indecipherable back-and-forth...
A stronger clash than before erupted.
Tadak. Tak.
Blown back by the shockwave, Sword Dragon and Damon widened the gap, glaring at each other.
"More cuts on you by the second? Keeek."
Tiny sword wounds etched across both bodies.
But closer inspection showed more on Sword Dragon.
"Sword Dragon losing in swordplay?"
"Afraid so. Never seen swordsmanship like it."
Sword Dragon's eyes chilled colder than usual.
Not frustration at losing.
As a swordsman, he yearned to understand the opponent's technique—and that desire drowned in killing intent, sharpening his focus.
"Looks like demon swordsmanship."
Clumsy at first, but it grew sharper and more bizarre as Damon assimilated the demon weapon.
"Judge coldly. Can your swordsmanship win?"
The situation tense, Fist King's voice sharpened.
Sword Dragon bit his lip and shook his head.
"No. Hate to admit it, but it's superior to mine. Tempted to learn it."
"Good. Let's end it now."
Sword Dragon hated interference in sword duels, but he'd admitted defeat—asked for help.
Fist King immediately surged crimson mana and charged Damon.
"No choice."
Catching his breath briefly, Sword Dragon followed, surging toward Damon.
Damon's form had completely changed.
The Damon utterly overwhelmed by Fist King was gone.
In his place stood a Count-level demon parrying both Fist King and Sword Dragon's joint assault—while counterattacking.
"Smells good."
No more stuttering or mad cackles.
Just cold eyes steadily accumulating damage on them.
"Assimilated with the sword?"
"Movements look natural now."
Like slipping into his own clothes.
"Tricky. What kind of swordsmanship is that?"
Fist King grimaced.
He'd faced countless hunters, monsters, and demons.
Yet Damon's swordplay baffled even his vast experience—utterly alien.
Unpredictable, bizarre swordsmanship. That summed it up.
"That's why I said it. I want to learn it."
Swords exist to take lives.
Swordsmanship, to take them more effectively.
Calling it bizarre was high praise for the art.
"No openings at all. Feels like fighting a wall."
"Damn it. Just blow up the dome or whatever?"
Fist King clenched his fists, mana surging through his body.
Sword Dragon placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hold back. The rest of the rankings will arrive soon. Just stall."
But Fist King smirked, pointing at Damon.
"He's getting stronger. What if we die stalling?"
The black smoke around Damon sharpened visibly. Sword Dragon sighed.
But what could they do?
Only the two of them now.
"Is that so?"
Damon, catching his breath, had overheard.
"No other monsters around, and he hears us?"
Damon smirked, lowering his sword low and long.
"If stalling's the goal... I'll shatter it."
The sword in Damon's hand began absorbing all nearby black smoke.
Like pulling the drain in a full pool.
Thick dark mana seeped into the blade, a vivid black glow taking hold.
"This is bad."
Fist King paled at the palpable, immense power.
Shrugging helplessly, he clenched both fists tight.
"No helping it. My death would be a global loss. I'll apologize to GHO in advance."
Crimson mana erupted from Fist King's toes to scalp like flames.
Faint cracks spiderwebbed the ground as his mana skyrocketed exponentially.
Crimson mana versus dark mana.
Their clash would be cataclysmic—no need to see it.
This area would be scorched beyond recovery for ages.
Sword Dragon, resigned, channeled crimson mana into his sword.
To survive.
'The mana storm these monsters unleash.'
As even Sword Dragon joined the mana surge, Damon moved first.
Fist King planted both feet deep into the earth at the sight of Damon charging with colossal power.
"Come on!"
"Die!"
He thrust both fists toward the crescent-sweeping, jet-black blade.
"Urraaaah!"
"Kuh aaaah!"
Colossal mana versus colossal mana.
A massive explosion shattered everything near the dome's entrance.
Kwaaaaaang!!!!
"Huh!?"
Dazzling light burst forth, blinding.
A gigantic mana explosion pulverizing and atomizing everything in its pull.
Watching, Sword Dragon suddenly spotted something, reaching out in shock.
But the burgeoning blast swallowed even his voice instantly.
'There was definitely... a human shadow inside.'
Engulfing a silhouette that looked human mid-blast.