Swish—!
Boom—!!
The sound of explosions bursting in succession.
The heat filling the surroundings was suffocating.
Fwoosh—!!
Azure flames surged as pillars of fire shot up.
Channeling my internal energy with all my might, I threw Holy Spears in rapid succession.
“Hup!”
One more.
Swish—!!
The Holy Spear flew and struck the target. I immediately released its core, detonating it.
Rumble—!!
A deafening roar accompanied by air pressure spreading in all directions.
“…Kuk…!”
“Urk!”
Those of lower realm couldn’t endure and were caught up and blown away.
Perhaps because it was power unleashed with full force, the ground that had originally been there was already in a state of miserable collapse.
But.
‘Do I need to use two more shots?’
My expression was still not good.
Already six shots.
Even having thrown enough to reach my limit, I had to fire several more times.
It was a moment when that thought came to me automatically.
Gulp.
Recalling that, I chewed and swallowed another Dokcheondan.
It pained me to use them like this when only a few remained, but it couldn’t be helped.
‘The Poison King will take care of it.’
He said he was almost successful in manufacturing Dokcheondan, so let’s consider this much an investment.
If not, I felt like I’d die of heartache first.
‘…Damn, how much would this fetch if sold?’
Wouldn’t it be a bit more expensive than ten-thousand-year cold iron?
It would be enough to buy a decent residence in the heart of Hanam.
‘Sh…it….’
Calculating made my stomach hurt even more.
I was already annoyed to death because I’d eaten one earlier. This was already the second one.
‘Huu….’
I narrowed my eyes, calming my burning stomach.
Even if it was a waste, I had to think rationally for now.
Right, what good is money if you die and can’t use it.
‘I have to survive first.’
Recalling my goal, I circulated my internal energy.
Due to the successive explosions, smoke was thick and I couldn’t see well ahead.
Even so, I could tell. That nothing ever went as wished.
Huuuk—!!
Raising air pressure, I swept away the smoke.
Then, in the brightened scenery, the target was clearly visible.
Tududuk.
The white lump I had seen for the first time.
Something snow-white that was still spewing out threads.
Perhaps due to the aftermath of the Holy Spears, I could see some cracks, but it wasn’t completely shattered.
‘…Tch.’
Clicking my tongue shortly at the sight.
I had slightly expected it, but as expected?
‘Even if it looks like that, it really is White-grade (白級), isn’t it?’
White-grade demon beast.
Commonly called a Dragon (龍).
A remnant of the past that was said to be sealed in Hanam. It seemed that was exactly it.
It definitely had to be.
‘So that’s why only attacks imbued with Mental Image are effective.’
I was convinced as I looked at the cracked parts.
It must have taken that much damage because I mixed in Mental Image.
The problem was.
‘Was that all?’
This, too, was that the damage was less than expected.
The cracks were clear, but that was exactly it.
It was ambiguous to see it as a definite impact.
‘I had poured in my full strength.’
Unlike during the spar, these were Holy Spears fired with all my might.
Moreover, during the Martial Arts Tournament, I had only used it twice moderately against the Divine Dragon, so this was a figure incomparable to then.
Behold.
“…Is this Soyeomra…?”
“He is truly excessive; this is even greater than the rumors….”
Martial artists who had appeared around me before I knew it were astonished at the power of the Holy Spear.
Judging by their clothes, they were martial artists from famous sects.
‘There’s the Huashan Sect. Are those Kunlun?’
I could see some from the Nine Sects and One Union, as well as people from Shaolin.
I could also glimpse some from the Great Families, but there were more sect members than them.
Their numbers were in the dozens.
Judging by the traces of battle on all of them, it seemed they had been fending off attacks until just now.
Did they come this way sensing the energy in the midst of all that?
‘They’ve got guts.’
Instead of fleeing, they ran right into the center.
I’ll give them that for perseverance.
I quickly memorized their faces.
My intention was to spare them if possible should killing become necessary.
Well, for now.
“Listen well.”
“What?”
“…Hak!”
When I spoke imbued with internal energy, the amplified voice rang in all directions.
I raised it as much as possible so everyone could hear.
“From now on, those who cannot wield Mental Image (心想), step back.”
A warning spat out briefly.
The reactions to those words were quite intense.
“Mental Image?”
“By Mental Image… do you not mean something like the Unity of Mind and Sword?”
In a sect, it was a level that only an Elder—perhaps even the Sect Leader—might barely reach.
To imbue one’s martial arts with one’s Mental Image.
It was something only possible when one’s lifetime of elevated enlightenment and supreme realm combined.
“To tell us to step back if we cannot wield it… that is to say.”
“You mean you can wield it…?”
Did that mean Soyeomra could wield it?
Reactions went back and forth as if surprised at that. Was that more important than why Mental Image was mentioned? Martial artists were truly beings one could know yet not understand.
“That is not what is important now. If you cannot use it, having you here won’t be of much help, so if you cannot, step back.”
To me, the situation at hand was more important than such reactions.
This was a trait I had discovered.
White-grade demon beasts cannot be damaged without the power of Mental Image.
What a fucked-up and absurd characteristic.
‘Elders of Great Families and renowned sects. To think that one had to be at least at that level to meet the condition.’
It was too much no matter how I looked at it.
No matter how I looked at it, it was a shitty condition, but.
‘What can I do.’
If I have to deplete them, I have to deplete them.
No matter what I call the situation, nothing changes.
‘Hoo.’
I simply sighed and loosened my body.
At the same time, I looked to the side and spoke.
“You go too.”
“...”
“You never listen to a damn thing I say. What do you think this place is to come here?”
Namgung Bia flinched slightly when I spoke with a frown.
Why is she wearing my clothes, anyway?
“I definitely told you in the morning. To just stay put quietly. Why aren’t you listening?”
“...”
No answer.
She merely stared at me quietly with her characteristic expressionless face.
The emotions in her eyes were worry and slight anger.
They were emotions I wouldn’t have recognized a few years ago, but now I could see them to some extent.
“Did you come here knowing what that is?”
“…What is it…?”
“…Hmm?”
“…I don’t know what it is….”
Namgung Bia’s eyes moved slightly.
At a glance, it felt as if she had furrowed her brows.
“But… why do you alone know…?”
“...”
At those words, my mouth was instantly sealed.
My eyes trembled. Did she see? She probably noticed.
“That is….”
“...”
Just as I hesitated, unable to think of what to say.
“…You don’t have to tell me…. Instead….”
Sreung.
Namgung Bia had already drawn her sword.
“…Don’t say anything… about this either….”
“...”
I won’t ask, so you don’t nag either.
It was a perfect tactic.
‘Damn it.’
Since when was she so smart?
I wondered if she had always been this articulate.
As I stood there speechless.
“The niece is right. Yep. It’s all correct.”
A middle-aged man appeared from somewhere, leaking a laugh.
A handsome figure with blue-white hair.
“…Eccentric Immortal.”
The Wudang Eccentric Immortal, Namgung Hyeong.
He was Uhyeok’s master.
When I looked at him, Namgung Hyeong quickly waved his hand and spoke.
“Let me say in advance, I followed to stop her. But our niece is quite stubborn. Hehehe.”
As if.
It was a lame excuse.
‘He couldn’t stop her.’
I hadn’t expected him to come in the first place.
‘Uhyeok was easy to stop.’
That guy Uhyeok was currently cooped up in his residence.
Since he was firmly my subordinate, I could block him with an order.
More precisely, rather than issuing an order, I had maximized his conviction that he simply had to remain holed up in his residence to protect the young lady.
Like that, one by one.
I had tried to stop those around me from coming here.
That should have definitely been the case, but.
“That doesn’t mean you can stop us.”
There were more presences felt behind Namgung Bia.
“Do you know how wicked you are, Young Master?”
Dang Soyeol, who looked absolutely livid. And.
“You know this is happening, yet you tell us to stay still. That’s not something we can listen to.”
Even Wi Seora, who had bandages wrapped around her chest.
I had to think many things, especially seeing Wi Seora.
“I don’t know about others, but you’re the one who shouldn’t be here.”
It was Wi Seora, who had been lying in sickbed after sparring with the Divine Dragon.
I had said she had to repeatedly rest due to serious external and internal injuries.
I spoke as if angry, but.
“…How could I just lie down?”
Wi Seora looked at me and smiled.
“I can’t do that.”
‘I’m going crazy.’
I wanted to tell them all to get lost right away. To get lost and not interfere.
I wanted to tell them to leave even if I had to get angry and curse.
Oooooong.
“…Fuck.”
I didn’t have the luxury to even attempt such persuasion.
I immediately turned my head and put strength into my body.
Suuuuuu.
“What is that, what is that?”
“…Threads…!?”
Everyone around opened their eyes wide.
The white lump.
Because the threads coming from something roughly estimated to be an egg had finally taken form.
Layering here and there, connecting lines.
And the form being completed was just like….
‘Butterfly wings (蝶翼)…?’
A butterfly’s wings.
It was an appearance that could be seen as such.
The size wasn’t that big. However, proportionally to the egg’s size, it was at a level that could be seen as rather large.
Confirming that, I turned my head.
‘Is catching it from the start a failure?’
Seeing that it had already progressed that far, it seemed so.
But I wasn’t disappointed.
‘I had a feeling that would be the case.’
Because I didn’t believe things would resolve so easily.
Clack.
Whiiir—!!
The loop of the Nine Flames Wheel Technique lodged in my heart spun quickly.
It raised the heat to the extreme and my body began to activate gradually.
‘I need more time to ascertain.’
What the hell is that thing?
I lacked the time to verify this. However.
‘That sort of thing, I figure out while fighting.’
Now was the time to charge.
Stomp—!
Hwareureureuk—!!
Just before leaping, wrapping my body in azure flames.
I looked at the women watching me.
What should I say?
Should I tell them it’s dangerous and to just watch? No.
They weren’t the type to listen if I did.
Should I tell them to be careful or not to die? They’d listen with one ear and let it out the other anyway.
Then should I tell them to run if it gets dangerous? No, they wouldn’t listen to that either.
If so.
“I won’t say it twice, so listen well.”
There was only one thing left.
“If you don’t think you’ll be of help to me, get out. Because that would actually be the most helpful thing.”
“…!”
“....”
“…Hn.”
The moment they heard those words, the expressions of the three women twisted simultaneously.
I knew well that it could be hurtful words.
But this was the most proper way.
Right after spitting out those words.
Boom—!!
I stomped as if to shatter the ground and increased my speed.
‘If it doesn’t work from long range, then from up close.’
The distance closed in an instant.
Hwareureuk—! Feeling the sense of speed, I created a Holy Spear in my hand.
It was a martial art made for throwing javelins (投槍), but in terms of destructive power, this would be better.
Afterward, I gripped the completed Holy Spear with both hands and thrust with all my might.
Just before the spear tip touched the lump.
Crack—!
“…Huh!?”
The lump moved and a hand shot out, grabbing the Holy Spear outright.
Yes, a hand.
Something closer to a beast’s paw than a human hand.
Such a hand had emerged and blocked the spear.
Seeing that, I released my strength.
My judgment was quick.
The moment I let go of the spear I was holding, I pulled my body back.
And detonated the Holy Spear as it was.
Kuuuuung—!!!
An explosion occurred and the impact burst forth, but.
‘What?’
I put distance between us and watched the scene, raising a question.
Tududuk.
The explosion seemed to have eaten away at the hand that had caught the Holy Spear, breaking apart and falling into pieces.
That was fine.
But.
‘What is that?’
Suuuu….
My eyes were not on the hand but on the lump.
Tuk.
Tuk, tuk.
Pulling its hand back.
The lump itself was changing.
Starting with the arm that first stretched out, both arms formed.
Passing the upper body, two legs and a tail.
And finally, a head.
Something that had taken form stood up on two legs as if staggering.
What should I call that thing?
Since it walked on two legs, one might think it human, but looking at the shape of its limbs and its tail, it was not.
Moreover, with butterfly wings on its back, its face was…
‘…The face of a goat.’
A goat or mountain goat.
It had the head of a beast of that kind.
Its size was, as I said before, a frame that looked to be a little over nine cheok.
It was quite large for a human, but far too small to be seen as a demon beast called a Dragon.
‘It’s different from the Dragon I saw.’
The one I saw was so huge one would think a hill was moving.
What the hell is that thing?
I didn’t know.
However.
Jureureuk.
Wiping away cold sweat, I recalled.
Looking at the sensation that naturally rose in my body, one thing was certain.
‘…It’s dangerous.’
That thing was a considerably dangerous being.
I surveyed it while heavily on guard.
[...]
The creature that had just risen moved its head and looked around here and there.
It looked at its own arm and then began examining the people around it one by one.
The bastard looking around like that soon made eye contact with me before long.
“...”
[...]
It was a brief eye contact.
By time, it was no more than one second.
That was enough.
“Everyone.”
The time to grasp what that bastard would do from now on—that alone was enough.
“…Prepare for battle.”
The moment I spat out the words imbued with internal energy.
[Ah.]
The creature let out a short sound and then.
[Aaaaaah---!!!!]
It let out a roar.
A roar filled with killing intent.
“Uwaaaack….”
“M-my ears…!”
In the sudden situation, everyone covered their ears with their hands.
Just hearing the sound made the internal energy inside their bodies shake.
With this, those around would know too.
That it was absolutely not a friendly lifeform.
That that bastard was the one we had to fight.
‘…This is insane.’
The corners of my mouth rose. I could tell just by feeling the killing intent.
I couldn’t see a clear chance of winning.
It was just like the time I faced a White-grade demon beast devoid of reason in the past.
At a level where one might say hunting it would be impossible for now.
While raising my tension, I recalled my goal.
‘It’s okay.’
It would be okay.
It would be dangerous if I tried to hunt it.
Because what I had to do to that bastard now wasn’t that.
‘I just have to hold out.’
If I couldn’t catch it from the start, it was the second plan.
I would endure against it.
Enduring until the very end somehow—that was my second plan.
And I was not the one who would hunt it.