〈 Episode 638 〉 White Night (Baekya).
Kraaaah—!!!
I launched myself through the savage roar.
Despite a frame massive enough to block out the hills, its body was far faster.
Scriiitch!
The fingertips it slammed into the ground dug into the earth.
The ground was sliced away like tofu by its sharp claws.
I narrowly dodged and approached it.
My target was the wrist it had slammed down.
Since it was right before my eyes, I twisted my waist and threw a powerful punch.
Kwoong!
My fist struck the demon's wrist.
A harsh sound burst out as its hand was flung aside.
But.
Krrr—!
‘Damn.’
Judging by its reaction, it didn't seem very fazed.
The attack had definitely connected.
Yet it merely bounced off, failing to break anything or deal a proper blow.
Kyaaaah!!
Perhaps enraged by being hit, it charged straight at me.
Having such a massive thing rush at me was a bit frightening, but even so, I observed it.
‘The way it just charges blindly... Does it have no reason?’
No ego.
If that were truly Mang's physical body, I thought it would show some kind of reaction.
Looking at it now, it was really no different from a mere beast.
Fwoooosh!!
Watching it charge, I raised my energy.
I ramped up heat as if to burn everything and immediately spewed flames.
Fwhooosh!!
Kyaaah—!!
Not even minding the flames clinging to its body, it didn't stop and charged at me.
Snap!
The moment it tried to rush at me, gaping its massive maw wide open.
Whish! Kwang!
Krruaaaak—!!
Its head snapped to the side and its body staggered.
Paejon had blocked the attack by smashing its head.
“Heh, heh.”
Paejon laughed as he watched it stagger.
“A rather hard one, indeed.”
Paejon seemed to have felt it too.
“Its body is covered in something unfathomable.”
“It seems so.”
Just as the red demon had.
That one also seemed to be wrapped in something around its body.
That must be why attacks don't work properly.
The problem was.
‘I can't see it.’
The red demon had shown even the slightest weakness, but this one showed nothing of the sort.
‘What the hell is this thing made of.’
Kwadeudeuk!
Debris flew about as it rampaged.
I dodged without respite and observed it.
‘A way?’
What method could bring it down?
I had to keep struggling to find one.
If all attacks were blocked by the qi membrane, exerting more strength would only be a loss.
In the end, I'd tire out first and get eaten.
Kyaaaah—!!
I frowned at the prickling energy.
‘A White-grade demon.’
They said its very existence was a calamity, and its destructive power lived up to that and more.
‘If that is Mang's true body.’
Can something like that even simply be labeled a White-grade demon?
And in the first place.
“So its true body is like that.”
Did the true flesh of one called Mang originally take such a form?
But no matter how I looked at it, that thing was.
“A demonic beast….”
The Third Pure-Blood Dragon.
That was the title Mang had introduced himself with.
It had claimed to be a dragon like me.
‘That's not even a monster.’
Shwiiik!!
I twisted my body to avoid the flying claws.
Chwak!
I couldn't dodge them all; my upper body was slightly scratched.
My martial robe tore and pain followed.
‘Tch.’
Perhaps because it was already a wounded area, the pain was severe.
My body noticeably slowed.
Krrr!
As if unwilling to let this chance go, it quickly swung its hand again.
Just as its claws approached right before my nose.
Hwak!
Someone appeared and blocked its claws in my stead.
Screech!!
The sound of a blade being scratched rang out.
The one who intervened gently diverted the claws.
Paaang!
He unleashed Sword Qi and slightly pushed the claws aside.
Watching that, my eyes widened.
“I shall join you.”
A giant of a man with black hair and brown eyes.
An expert of the Hwagyeong realm who had been standing guard at the gate leading to the Gungju.
It was Heuksaja.
In the brief moment I was flustered by his appearance.
Another appeared, supporting my staggering body as we descended to the ground.
“Are you alright?”
“…You.”
This time, it was Seongyul.
"I am sorry for being late. I was helping with the evacuation."
I had been wondering where he went. It seemed he had evacuated the people first.
‘…Would you look at this guy?’
A man called the Murder Devil or Sword Demon in his previous life had evacuated people and come all the way back here.
"If you were going to help them evacuate, you should have gone with them. Why did you come here?"
I asked him if he came to run away while he had the chance, or what he planned to do by coming here.
Seongyul spoke with his characteristically expressionless face.
“Because the young lord is here.”
"This crazy bastard."
I answered without hesitation upon hearing that.
Since when were you loyal to me?
It hadn't been long since we met. It was a rather absurd statement.
“Did you not say you would give me a reason to live? You cannot die before then.”
"When did I ever say that?"
I never said such a thing.
I merely said that if he was going to throw his life away anyway, he should die being useful to me.
‘This crazy guy interpreted it however he wanted.’
A sigh nearly escaped, but I barely held it in and stood up.
“And who is that old man?”
"Well. I do not know."
Seongyul shook his head, perhaps because it wasn't something they had discussed.
‘The man who was supposed to protect the Gungju is saying he'll join in beating that thing?’
Could it be he hasn't yet heard the circumstances Paejon spoke of?
It seemed unlikely that the one who had been closest to the Gungju wouldn't know.
Then, was Paejon lying?
Given that old man's temperament, it seemed possible.
‘But looking at his expression, that doesn't seem to be the case.’
Looking at Heuksaja's expression, his grip tight on his blade.
He didn't seem to be fighting unaware.
He was somber, deeply grieved.
Yet he still held his sword.
I didn't know what had happened, but.
It seemed Paejon's words were roughly correct.
‘Mang's physical body has devoured the Gungju.’
It might not be, but this wasn't the time to think deeply about it.
Krrraaaah!!
It turned its head again and began looking this way.
Kyaaaah!!
It charges.
I was thinking of parrying first and forming a plan.
—Relax your legs. Gang Qi on your back.
I instinctively raised my energy at the transmitted voice.
Gang Qi formed on my back.
At that moment.
Paaang!
"Kkuk!?"
My body was pushed by the strongly felt impact and flung forward.
Though the situation was sudden, I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist.
I approached the demonic beast at tremendous speed.
Before it could open its mouth, I struck it with a fist imbued with fighting spirit.
Bbaaak!
Krruk!!
At the point when the struck creature staggered and its movements stopped.
"Well done."
The one who had kicked my back.
Paejon stepped on my shoulder, floating in midair, and soared up.
He headed straight for the top of its head, spreading all his fingers as if taking aim.
And then.
Using his fingers as a path, he quickly curled them into a fist and drove it down.
Kwaaang!
Kyaaaaah!!!
Perhaps because the destructive power was extraordinary for such a simple, short motion, it staggered more than it had from any attack until now.
Then I could see it.
Jjeojeok!
Its qi membrane slightly crumbled, creating an opening.
A gap.
A barely formed gap.
I thought I couldn't miss it, but it was already too late to twist my body.
I was worrying over what to do.
Shwiiiiik—!!
Something flew toward me.
"I apologize."
It was Seongyul.
What was he sorry for? The moment I briefly wondered.
Kkuuk—!
"You bas—."
He stepped on my body as nonchalantly as Paejon had and rose even higher.
Spinning his body rapidly to build speed, he brought his sword straight down into the gap.
Kwak—!
Kyaaaaah—!!
Cut by the sword infused with Gang Qi, the creature thrashed in agony.
Paejon and Seongyul were floating in midair, putting them in the perfect position to be hit by its attacks.
Seeing that, I unleashed energy from my hands, wrapped it around the two, and pulled them out.
Hwak—!
The two escaped, and its tail swept through the spot.
It was a close call.
I fell to the ground unable to even break my fall, then immediately stood to assess the situation.
Krrrrr…!
As the demonic beast growled, blue blood flowed from between its brows.
It meant the attack had succeeded.
However.
‘Not deep.’
The damage was not great for a successful attack.
Suuu.
Even the qi membrane I had barely pierced regenerated in an instant.
‘I'm going crazy.’
Watching this, cold sweat trickled down.
It was fast and quite powerful, but not to the extent that it couldn't be dodged.
Meaning fighting it wasn't difficult, but.
‘In the end, I can't finish it.’
Meaning unless I did something about that qi membrane, I couldn't kill it.
‘Are all White-grades like that?’
I didn't know if it was just that one, or if other White-grades were like that too.
‘If I had known this would happen, I should have asked Noya.’
Since Divine Noya had a record of handling a White-grade demon alone.
He might have been able to help with this.
But this was just a complaint.
Who would have known a White-grade demon would appear?
“Huuh….”
As I let out a deep sigh at the unfavorable situation.
“Hmm.”
Paejon beside me wore an expression lost in thought for a moment.
After pondering like that for a few seconds.
“Disciple.”
"Yes."
“Can you use Simsang now?”
"Yes?"
I questioned Paejon's words.
If he meant Simsang….
"You mean Simgwon?"
“…?”
Paejon's brows slightly furrowed upon hearing that.
“Surely, you didn't name it that?”
"Well. I have Simgeom too, so why not Simgwon?"
"Hmm. Well, that doesn't matter. Can you use it?"
Use Simgwon on that thing. At Paejon's question, I nodded.
"I can use it about two times."
"Try it."
The moment the order fell, I put power into my soul without hesitation.
Simsang coiled around my hand.
I unleashed it directly at the demonic beast.
The energy erupting from the tip of my fist headed straight for the demonic beast.
Huuuuk—! Kwaaaang—!!
Krruaaaah—!!!
The creature struck by the energy shook violently.
My eyes widened at that.
“What?”
The demon's reaction to Simgwon was strange.
When I struck wrapped in fighting spirit, it seemed fine.
Yet it reacted so greatly to Simgwon, which I had used relatively lightly?
Moreover.
‘The barrier broke too.’
It was a much larger hole than when Paejon had struck it.
“Hmm…. As expected.”
Paejon nodded as if he had expected this.
“This seems to work.”
I immediately looked at him upon his words.
Surely not.
“Are you saying we have to hit it with Simsang to break that?”
"When I mixed it in slightly earlier, the feeling was different. So I tested it. It seems that is likely the case."
Heh, heh.
I let out a hollow laugh upon hearing that.
To break the barrier, we have to reach the realm of Simsang?
‘This is fucking insane.’
It was an utterly absurd level of difficulty.
But at least we had found a method.
"Then, we can use that to break it. Let's go."
"Where?"
"What do you mean, where? We have to catch that thing."
"That is what I mean. How should I put this."
"Yes?"
I couldn't quite follow the conversation.
If we had just found the method, shouldn't we just use it?
As I was thinking that.
"Disciple, who else here do you think can do it other than you?"
"...!"
Paejon's words made me realize the problem.
I looked around.
Seongyul, who was on guard, was at the peak of complete mastery, and Heuksaja was also a warrior of the Hwagyeong realm, but neither seemed to have touched Simsang.
"Then, what about you, elder…."
"That was my limit earlier. My vessel has not yet been established."
Damn.
In other words.
I was the only one here who could use Simgwon to break the barrier.
‘...He means it's the limit.’
I wasn't in very good condition either.
Having fought Mang already, my energy was nearly bottomed out. And Simgwon wasn't a power that could be used much in the first place.
Though I had found the method through the current situation, I could only use Simgwon one more time going forward.
"We're fucked."
The situation was gradually worsening.
Amidst the situation where I had to contemplate again how to overcome this.
"Five minutes at most."
Paejon stepped forward and spoke.
"I think I can hold out that long."
"Elder?"
"Get the children sorted and open a passage."
"What nonsense are you talking about right now?"
What was he saying now?
I had spat out rough words without realizing, but Paejon's expression was calm.
"Unfortunately. It's because you cannot die here."
"You said you don't teach the art of running away, so what are you doing right now?"
"Can't we call it a tactical retreat?"
"Really, stop talking crazy."
"Kuk, kuk."
Paejon laughed.
"After all, I am of the Righteous Path, for what it's worth."
I had never seen him act that way.
Paejon did belong to the Righteous Path.
"It greatly displeases me to see young juniors die here."
"So what? Are you going to die in our place? We won't die."
"Hmm. A bit teacherly, is it not?"
"Why are you suddenly pretending to be good? It gives me chills."
I growled, but Paejon's reaction didn't change.
Did he mean it sincerely?
‘He said he had to see the end of martial arts. What is he doing now.’
It was absurd. I questioned why he was doing this.
Kkadeudeuk.
I gritted my teeth.
The fact that Paejon had made such a remark after only a few exchanges was unacceptable to me.
Paejon shouldn't bend his will and retreat here.
At least, Paejon shouldn't do that.
"...Don't make me laugh."
Paejon dying in a place like this?
To save me?
Bullshit.
Hwareureureuk—!!
I wrapped flames around my hand and constructed Yeomok.
I added rotation and compression to it.
"Oho."
Paejon's eyes lit up seeing the martial art.
An interested gaze for someone who had just offered to die in my place.
"Have you finally succeeded?"
"..."
I didn't answer.
After focusing everything on my hand, I regulated my breath and spoke to Paejon.
"Thirty seconds. Please hold out."
I thought I could cast it in that time.
Paejon let out a short laugh at my concise words.
"Anyway, that bastard's stubbornness never changes."
I changed the form of the rotating Yeomok.
Over the gradually elongating flames, I overlaid the vessel of Simsang.
They said Simsang's power worked?
Then this should work too.
I covered it with the vessel-cum-Simsang so the flames wouldn't scatter.
Though this was done for that purpose, it was ultimately still a martial art of Simsang.
Judging by its performance, it wouldn't be strange to say it was made to face a White-grade demon.
Break the qi membrane with Simsang and blow flames inside.
While I was safely solidifying this.
Kraaaah—!!
Paejon was already scuffling with the demon.
Seongyul moved beside him as if supporting, and Heuksaja handled things alone.
They appeared to be fighting without difficulty.
But it was visible that they were gradually being pushed back.
That qi membrane was the problem after all.
Giiiiing—!!
A reaction came to my fingertips.
The thirty seconds had already passed, and the Yeomok Spear was complete.
"Huuuuuh…."
I exhaled deeply.
It was the largest and densest spear I had ever created.
It couldn't be helped, since I had poured all my strength into it.
Looking at the completed spear, I thought.
This is enough. With this, I can kill it.
Kkuuuk.
I extended one leg.
The moment after taking the throwing stance.
"Here I go."
I spoke, putting strength into my shoulder.
It was whispered very quietly, but to martial artists of that level, it would have sounded loud.
As if proving this.
The three fighting the demon fell back from it.
At the same time, I threw the spear with all my might.
Kwaaaaaah—!!
The thrown spear flew spinning.
Krrr—...!
It struck the demon's qi membrane directly.
Kwadeudeuk—! As expected, the Simsang wrapped around the spear crushed its vessel.
As a hole formed in the barrier, the spear penetrated through and into its flesh.
Kyaaaaah—!!
Hwareureureuk—!! Kwaaaaah!!
The spear embedded in its body soon wrapped in flames and caused an explosion.
It worked.
I was filled with joy seeing the demon enveloped in flames.
But.
Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!
I soon had to frown.
The flames enveloping its body scattered as soon as it thrashed.
After brushing away the flames like that.
"...Fuck."
Its skin had burned in the flames, but it wasn't that great a wound.
It was true that its body had been pierced deeply, but I could see it gradually regenerating.
I had aimed for a vital point. And struck it directly there.
Yet it only panted slightly. Showing resilience.
"Fuck. Really."
Does that make sense? How the hell am I supposed to catch that thing?
Do we really have to run?
I gritted my teeth fiercely at this dogshit situation.
That's why I didn't know.
Sabak.
That someone was approaching from behind.
"Not bad."
"...!"
My body stiffened at the voice.
Heavy. A deep, profoundly heavy voice.
A voice that absolutely should not exist on this frigid plain.
My tired knees buckled as I turned my head.
Someone passed by my side.
In that moment.
Rustle, I felt a large hand brush through my hair and pass by.
I didn't question who it was.
If there was a question, it was only why that person was here so suddenly.
"Fath—?"
About to call out to him with a surprised voice.
Swish—.
A brief wind laced with heat blew.
Kuuuuung—!
A massive vibration spread.
When I looked again in the direction the vibration came from.
"...!"
Rumble…
The White-grade demon that wouldn't fall no matter how we fought.
Keok…!
was slowly collapsing with half its body blown away.