First Encounter
The corners of her mouth were smiling, but Yu-ran’s eyes were dead.
Demons. The Sima Outer Path that encompassed the entire underworld.
Yu-ran loathed them with every fiber of her being.
No—she didn’t even want to exchange words with them.
“You brazen bitch. You dare draw your sword in front of me?”
Dogon thrust his blade at her without hesitation.
Yu-ran didn’t dodge.
Instead, she met the strike head-on with even greater force, momentarily overwhelming Dogon.
“So I’m just supposed to roll over and die? You fucking idiot?”
She refused to yield even a single word.
The instant their swords clashed, her body was violently thrown back, long gashes carved into both forearms.
“……”
An overwhelming gap.
Not only in sword comprehension—Dogon had read her breathing in a single exchange.
The moment he forced her to retreat, the flow of battle belonged entirely to him.
Boom!Crash!
Boulders shattered. Ancient trees turned to powder and scattered like shrapnel.
Under Dogon’s relentless assault, Yu-ran was helplessly driven backward.
Her wrists throbbed. Her legs had gone numb.
The destructive power of his demonic energy had already crushed her own inner force.
…He’s too strong.
She had never imagined he would be this powerful.
Yet even so, Yu-ran raised her sword until the very end, blocking Dogon’s strikes.
I won’t back down.
She would not avoid him.
She would not run.
It was a vow she had repeated to herself countless times ever since losing her parents at the age of five.
“…You vermin… I really, truly… despise all of you.”
BOOM!
A vast surge of pure yang energy erupted from her entire body like a raging sea.
Dragon Heaven Flame Qi Scripture.
One of the Ju Family’s advanced cultivation methods. An internal energy art specialized in transforming inner force into colossal yang energy to overwhelm enemies.
Dogon took a single cautious step back from the ferocious wave.
“Oh?”
As expected of the Ju Family.
For a mere squad leader to possess such monstrous power.
It was a ferocity and martial prowess that didn’t lose out even when compared to demonic energy.
“Heh heh heh. Fine. I’ve changed my mind. I’ll just kill you cleanly.”
At the same time, an enormous demonic aura exploded outward.
The fact that it had taken on a clearly visible form meant he had far surpassed the Transcendent Peak realm.
BOOM!
“Ugh!”
Yu-ran’s Dragon Heaven Flame Qi was extinguished.
The energy that had burned like an inextinguishable flame was completely devoured by Dogon’s demonic power.
Mahwang Jincheonse.
Dogon’s signature technique and one of the upper-tier cultivation methods even within the Demonic Cult.
I had seen it all with my own eyes. I had understood it completely.
Yu-ran.
I don’t want to let her die.
“It can’t be helped.”
“……”
Muyoung flinched at my words.
Clank.
I set my bundle down.
Then I opened the cover and took out everything inside.
“Swords…?”
Muyoung asked in surprise.
What I had carried in the bundle were the swords I had prepared.
Fifteen of them in total.
“Muyoung.”
“Y-yes, Young Master.”
Muyoung was visibly flustered.
He couldn’t fathom what I intended to do with fifteen swords.
“From now on, whatever you see me do—never speak of it to anyone.”
“……”
“Can you promise me that?”
Muyoung’s brow furrowed deeply.
What scheme is he plotting this time?
The question was written all over his face.
“I asked if you can promise.”
“Yes… I understand.”
Muyoung quickly composed himself and nodded.
“I’m going to get severely exhausted. I might even collapse from depletion. That’s when I’ll need you. So stay back and just watch.”
Clang!
With those words, I began driving the swords into the ground one by one.
I had already accounted for every variable.
What if I encountered Dogon before obtaining the fortuitous encounter?
I had considered tens of thousands of ways to defeat him. The result was always crushing defeat.
But there was one single method.
One possibility that might allow me to get ahead of him, even if only for a moment.
Yu-ran.
While she draws his attention right now.
I will never lose you again.
Everything was flowing exactly as I had planned.
“Watch closely, Muyoung.”
I smiled faintly and detonated every last bit of internal energy in my body.
BOOM!
A heavy aura swept across the entire area.
Demonic energy.
And not just any—it was the purest primordial force, overwhelming everyone present.
In the sudden silence, the demons surrounding us sensed something and simultaneously took several steps back.
Even Dogon, who had been crossing swords with Yu-ran, did the same.
“What the hell is…?”
Dogon’s gaze turned toward me.
Yu-ran’s did as well.
Then the dark sky split open.
From within, a massive dragon soared upward as if ascending to heaven, wrapping around my entire body and surging outward.
Dragon Heaven True Qi.
There was no time to hesitate.
“Yu-ran.”
I signaled her with my eyes. She immediately charged at Dogon.
I didn’t need to coordinate with her. The situation itself moved her.
“I’ve lost interest in you.”
Dogon caught the rushing Yu-ran with one hand and hurled her aside.
The tremendous force neutralized her in an instant. Without pause, he swung his sword at me.
“Who the hell are you? And this demonic energy… Huh? Wait a minute.”
Dogon stared intently at my aura.
Only then did realization dawn on him. A ferocious killing intent flared in his eyes.
“It was you.”
“……”
The death of the Blood Hand Poison Emperor.
He had finally realized it couldn’t have been Yu-ran’s doing.
With her level of skill, the Blood Hand Poison Emperor should have been able to handle her.
Yet he had died in such a ridiculous manner.
He had been killed before he could even escape Okhwa Mountain.
“It was you! Kha ha ha! How interesting. What a coincidence.”
“You mean the poison bug? That’s right. I killed him.”
I nodded as if it were nothing important.
“You dare…”
“Why? Are you anxious now that you can’t get the medicine to suppress your demonic nature anymore?”
“…!”
Dogon’s mouth snapped shut.
His pupils trembled violently.
The look of someone struck where it hurt most.
“How do you know about that…?”
“If you can’t suppress your demonic nature, you’re nothing more than a madman. And now that you won’t be receiving the medicine to control it… I suppose it’s time for you to step down from the Twelve Demon Emperors?”
“…You crazy bastard.”
A jet-black sword energy formed along Dogon’s blade.
The color of demonic energy.
Heavier, more destructive, and more alien than any other force.
“It doesn’t matter who you are anymore. You will definitely die here.”
Dogon did not underestimate me in the slightest.
Just from his stance, I could tell.
Pacheon Muhwang Sword Art.
An extremely dangerous sword technique.
One of the Demonic Cult’s highest offensive sword arts, focused entirely on attack.
I can do this.
I steadied my trembling heart and hurled myself toward Dogon.
Lightly.
The first move was a simple exchange.
I flowed in using thejade flow divine steps, then unleashed the first technique of the Black King Advance Strike Body straight at his jaw.
If I can grab him, I can seize the flow, but…
I wasn’t expecting it to work.
Dogon’s realm was far beyond Transcendent Peak.
But his reaction was completely different from what I had predicted.
Grab.
Dogon was caught by my hand far too easily.
“What is this? You brat.”
His meaningful smile sent a chill down my spine.
A trap?
I quickly drew a zigzag pattern and retreated.
Clang!
One of the swords I had driven deep into the ground.
I kicked it up and used the principle of elastic force to shoot it at him.
Clang!
With a tremendous burst of light, the sword shattered into pieces.
As expected.
I unfolded the jade flow divine steps once more, moving to where I had planted the swords.
I drew them, threw them, drew them again.
Dogon advanced step by step, shattering every sword I threw.
“I have no idea what you’re trying to accomplish.”
With an annoyed expression, Dogon raised his sword.
At that moment, the recovered Yu-ran attacked him from behind.
But Dogon casually stabbed his blade into her abdomen.
Stab!
“Kuh!”
Yu-ran’s waist twisted violently.
Blood sprayed. Her eyes widened in shock.
I couldn’t even see how he moved…
“Yu-ran!”
I urgently grabbed her hand and shoved her away.
Muyoung, who had been waiting behind us, quickly caught her and increased the distance.
Whoosh!
A sharp pain suddenly stabbed the back of my head.
Dogon had exploited the opening and struck.
Clink!
The shattered fragments of swords crunched under my feet.
Not yet.
I quickly gauged the distance and retreated.
Then I poured every ounce of internal energy in my body into my legs.
Swoosh!
Carving long scars into the ground, I rapidly distanced myself from Dogon.
But only for a moment. With a single step, he closed the gap again.
And this time, he was even closer than before.
BOOM!
The corners of my mouth curled up on their own.
He was letting his guard down.
He had no choice but to.
Whether by sight or by sense, I was clearly beneath him.
Even Yu-ran, the strongest among us here, had been neutralized.
To him, he was the predator, and we were nothing more than prey.
That complacency.
But this fight was one I had deliberately led him into.
Clank.
I gripped the hilt of a sword in one hand.
I yanked upward the blade I had buried deep in the earth, sending dirt flying in every direction.
“If these pathetic tricks are all you have, I’m disappointed.”
Dogon had seen through every single one of my moves instantly.
Complacent. Still complacent.
He strode toward me without hesitation.
That confidence that he could devour me at any time would eventually become the noose around his own neck.
Just like right now.
Now.
Whoosh!
A fierce gale swirled violently.
Thejade flow divine steps naturally shifted into the violent gust of the Strong Wind Shattering Moon.
The shattered sword fragments rose naturally into the air following my steps. I plunged straight into Dogon’s opening.
It doesn’t matter if I get hurt.
Originally, the Black King Advance Strike Body—martial arts of the Fighting King—never hesitated to take wounds.
His philosophy was that perfect defense simply didn’t exist.
And I trusted those words more than anyone.
If I can’t defend perfectly, then even if I get hurt, I’ll rip out the opponent’s throat.
That was my way of fighting.
Just like how I had torn out the Heavenly Demon’s heart while prepared to die.
I raised my internal energy to its peak and threw punch after punch with all my strength.
Slash!
The scattered sword fragments rained down on Dogon.
Each piece that followed my movement and trajectory was as lethal as a hidden weapon.
On top of that, the tremendous power of the Dragon Heaven True Qi infused with demonic energy easily created fist winds.
Slaaaaaash!
Countless blades embedded themselves all over Dogon’s body.
“Kuuugh!”
His body staggered.
Just like before… and now…
Confirming his state, I let out a cold smirk.
His weakness was his lower body.
He hadn’t been able to track every tiny fragment of the shattered blades. His complacency had allowed him to take numerous wounds.
“You… you son of a bitch…!”
Red light flared in the wounded Dogon’s eyes.
It’s not a fatal wound, but…
It was still a valid hit.
He wouldn’t let his guard down anymore.
But it was far too late.
“It’s over.”
Sring!
A jet-black aura bloomed from the tip of my fingers.
The last remaining sword out of the fifteen.
“Did you know?”
I took a single quiet step forward as I spoke.
Crunch!
A single small leaf was pulverized and scattered.
The eyes of both Muyoung and Yu-ran widened in shock at my sword momentum.
They had no choice.
After all, they would have recognized this sword art immediately.
I looked at Dogon and spoke softly.
“I know you very well. That’s why I can’t possibly lose this fight.”
“What the hell are you babbling about…!”
“Your habit of looking down on your opponent and letting your guard down. It’s exactly the same as before. That’s what I’m saying.”
BOOM!
A storm of demonic energy raged.
At the same time, the sword could no longer withstand the immense power and began to crack apart.
Is this the limit?
Veins bulged across my face from the strain.
Even so, I poured even more power into the sword I held.
Still, this much should be enough.
“This is the sword art of the Ju Family that you all looked down on.”
Flash!
The Ju Family’s highest sword technique.
Light Flame Chaos Heaven Sword Art.
A colossal inferno swallowed the turbid world whole.