[Aaaahhhh---!!!]
The bizarre scream spreads in all directions.
The sound was so powerful that the ground seemed to shake every time the bastard howled.
"Ugh!"
"Keuk...!!!"
"Kek...!!"
The ki embedded in the voice was inflicting damage on the martial artists.
They plugged their ears and shrank back. Some were even coughing up blood.
Those of a low realm couldn't withstand the recoil, causing their ki to go haywire.
'Damn.'
Seeing that, I immediately tensed my body.
Kuuung--!!!
Heat burst from my body, scattering my ki.
It was to suppress the rampaging vibrations.
As if declaring a domain, I filled the surroundings with my ki, and the people barely managed to regain their stability.
It was dangerous.
'If left alone, they would have suffered qi deviation.'
If they were martial artists below first-rate, their ki would have truly run rampant, plunging them into qi deviation.
Which meant.
'First-rate experts shouldn't even be near this.'
First-rate.
Even though I could now kill them in a single strike, it was by no means a low realm.
A realm someone would call a master and revere.
Just reaching first-rate was a level where one could join an escort agency, an alliance, or a prominent family and live without worrying about money for the rest of their life.
'Yet such people are dying like insects.'
And from just a single howl from that thing, no less.
'Crazy bastard.'
A hollow laugh escaped me.
With this level of impact, no wonder it was called a disaster.
I looked at those coughing up blood and shouted.
"Those whose ki just backlashed, step back. Staying here is a pointless death."
They must have properly realized this time that it wasn't a situation to show off reckless bravery.
The expressions of those who nearly fell into qi deviation were quite a sight.
It was dangerous.
Almost dying to a shout of all things. It truly would have been a pointless death.
"If you plan to die uselessly here, go to the shelter and manage the people instead. Wouldn't that be far more meaningful?"
"Keuk..."
Though hesitant, those pointed out eventually moved their steps as if blaming themselves.
Right, if they hadn't tried to leave this time either, I would have kicked them out, so this was fine.
'You should at least choose the right place to lie down.'
If it's a life to be thrown away like that, it's right to use it somewhere else.
As the first-rate and some peak experts vacated their spots, nearly half the forces were gone.
It didn't matter.
They were going to die once the battle started anyway.
Those whose presence or absence made no difference had dropped out. That much was fine.
'The real deal starts now.'
[Aaaaaah----!!!!]
The bastard continued to erupt with bizarre screams.
I narrowed my eyes, focusing on the creature.
A goat's head. A human's body. A beast's hands and tail.
And butterfly wings.
It was an appearance and size I was seeing for the first time even among the demonic beasts I had seen so far.
'Excluding the wings, its body size is roughly nine chi.'
Large for a human, but infinitely small for a high-ranking demonic beast.
Was that really a Hundred-Rank demonic beast?
Such a question arose, but it was only natural.
'If that's not a Hundred-Rank, then what is?'
With this much trembling and recoil.
If that wasn't a Hundred-Rank, it would actually be bullshit.
[Aaah...Aaaaah....]
After howling for a long time like that, the bastard gradually killed the sound.
As the sound died down, my tension rose.
[Aah.]
Halt.
It stopped.
And.
Its gaze was aimed precisely at me.
[Kyaaaaah---!!!]
Kwoong-!!
"Fuck-!"
I spat out a curse and turned my head.
Swish--!!!
Sharp claws grazed the tip of my nose.
The approaching speed was fast.
If I had been a little later, my neck would have flown off.
Slash-!!
"…!"
The building beyond the slashed spot splits.
It was a phenomenon as if five lines of Sword Aura had passed through.
Confirmed. It was something to watch out for.
I clenched my fist and immediately swung it.
Kwoong-!
[Kiek-!!]
The demonic beast struck in the face let out a shriek. However.
'It was shallow.'
The impact was small compared to the power I put in.
I could immediately tell the reason.
'It's a ki barrier.'
As expected.
Same as last time.
I could only deal damage to the ki barrier by mixing in my intent, and only after it was broken could a proper attack sink in.
It was the same for this bastard.
Because I hastily used the Mind Fist, the power was shallow, only enough to slightly break the barrier. I couldn't deal any more damage than that.
At that moment.
[Kiii-!!]
'Damn.'
Because the recoil was small, the bastard moved immediately.
It attempted an attack at close range. Avoiding it was slightly tough.
Should I offer my upper body?
'That won't do.'
If I acted recklessly trusting in my regeneration, there was a risk of instant death.
Ending my brief hesitation, I raised my left arm.
I would rather sacrifice one arm. The moment I moved with that thought.
Crackle-!
Shreek- Kkaang-!
[Kiek?]
Surprisingly, the bastard failed its attack.
At the same time, blue-white hair fluttered in front as lightning qi poured down like rain.
It was Namgung Bia. She had leapt forward and was blocking the offensive.
That wasn't all.
Srung-!
A golden flash followed, digging in.
Another sword slash cut through the air.
A blade embracing light struck Namgung Bia's sword hard.
Kkaang-!
[Kiii-!!]
The impacted sword shot up fiercely.
The creature's hand bounced back violently.
Its upper body was exposed.
"Young Master-!"
A voice came from behind.
Hearing the voice, my body reacted first.
Mind Fist (Xinquan).
The fist that swallowed the shockwave crashed into the bastard's upper body.
Kwadeudeudeuk--!!
[Kiaaak-!]
The ki barrier shattered, and its upper body slightly caved in.
The strike had gone in.
Not bad. The moment I thought so.
Sseuuuk-!
The shattered ki barrier began to recover. And right before it fully recovered.
Shreek-!!
Something flew past my cheek and pierced into the ki barrier.
Stab-!
A dagger.
The dagger flew in and embedded itself in the creature's upper body.
Someone quickly approached from behind it.
Light green hair peeked through.
Dang So-yeol, who had appeared out of nowhere, twisted her waist toward the dagger embedded in its chest.
Her toes drew a circular arc, heading straight for the embedded dagger's handle.
Kuuk-!!
[Kiaaaaah!!!]
With the consecutive impacts, the creature shrieked and was sent flying into the ruins.
Kuuung--!!!
As it flew in, destroying a pillar, the building collapsed.
Kukukung-!!
A scene of it crumbling down while scattering debris and dust.
My gaze was stolen by that sight for a moment.
But I couldn't stare at it for long.
Fwoooosh---!!!
I gathered flames over my hand.
A Flame Jade (Yeonok) instantly completed.
I compressed it, and compressed it again.
I invested a considerable amount of ki to maximize its destructive power.
I had to strike harder before its ki barrier recovered.
That was what the Flame Jade was prepared for, but.
"Cult Leader! I'm using this!?"
"...What? Wait!"
A bright voice rang out, and then.
Swish-!!
Kkaang-!!
Bong-soon suddenly appeared, swinging her staff to strike the Flame Jade away.
"You crazy bitch--!!"
I was about to pour out curses at the absurd sight, but.
Kwaaaaah---!!!!
"..."
Seeing it explode, I had to shut my mouth for a moment.
The damage was much larger than expected.
The Flame Jade that had been compressed over and over.
With a strong external impact added to it, the explosive force seemed to have amplified.
"Huh? Why?"
At my curse, Bong-soon asked as if wondering what was wrong.
"...No, you did well."
I said with an awkward smile at that sight.
To think such a ridiculously crude method would work.
...I should probably apply this next time.
Anyway.
'Phew.'
I steadied my breath and looked around.
It was a sudden combo, but extremely clean.
'...When did they even practice?'
How was it this clean? I looked at the three in wonder.
I was genuinely surprised, but the three women's expressions showed no signs of caring at all.
Only beyond there.
The three were only looking at the spot where the demonic beast would have fallen.
Was I the only one losing focus?
Or...
'Was telling them to back off if they thought they'd be a hindrance the problem?'
Did that stimulate their pride?
The three had eyes much more filled with fighting spirit than usual.
It seemed I had made a slip of the tongue.
'Ugh.'
Swallowing the uncomfortable feeling, I shifted my gaze.
Right, now was the time for me to focus on the demonic beast too.
Crumble....
The ruins were entirely burning, scattering debris.
A space filled only with blue flames from the Flame Jade's explosion.
[...Kiii....]
There, the demonic beast was raising its body, looking exhausted.
But.
'Something's weird?'
I tilted my head looking at that figure.
The demonic beast barely raising its body.
It was because the creature's flesh was strange.
'...What is it?'
Its flesh was full of cracks.
It looked like it would shatter at any moment. Looking at that appearance, I couldn't hide my bewilderment.
The attack it just took was by no means weak, but....
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't understand.
How was the one I met in the North Sea last time?
Three Realm of Flower martial artists, including Paejon and myself, barely managed to tear off its barrier.
Even then, we only barely managed to inflict a scratch.
'It ended up like that just from this?'
It was an absurd notion.
Could its durability differ this much?
[Kieeh....]
It looked like it would die if just nudged a little.
'Its strength and speed are definitely that of a Hundred-Rank demonic beast, but....'
Is only its durability weak?
Or was that one back then unusually strong?
Well, I'd have to meet a lot of Hundred-Rank demonic beasts to know.
The moment I was blankly staring at this unexpected event.
'...No, or perhaps.'
A thought suddenly crossed my mind.
'Is it thanks to the Holy Spear I fired at first?'
Before the creature transformed.
When it was a white mass, I had fired continuous bombardment, and I saw it take damage from it.
However, since it seemed to recover quickly, I thought it was a meaningless effort.
'...That time might have actually been helpful.'
If that was the reason a problem occurred with the creature's durability, it was a considerable advantage.
'This.'
An indescribable feeling wells up inside.
'Should I change the plan?'
Originally, I planned to only hold out and leave the finishing blow to someone else.
If the bastard was in that state, it was a different story.
'...I can just catch it myself, right?'
It was a method I was going to use because I thought I couldn't catch it.
If I could catch it, it was different.
'If it's at that level with the combined attack just now....'
Wouldn't it be somewhat catchable?
Moreover, it wasn't just us; there were others who hadn't joined the battle yet.
At this rate, we could succeed in hunting it.
Alright.
'Let's do it.'
Thinking so, I was about to shout to the personnel.
"From now on-!"
No, I was about to shout, but.
[Kiiiiaaaaah---!!]
The bastard let out a bizarre scream first.
At that moment.
Vroom.
"Hmm?"
A familiar vibration was heard.
Gugugugung-!!
Consecutive vibrations.
It looked similar to before, but something was different.
Thump-! Thump-!
It was none other than my demonic ki resonating. This feeling, surely....
"Uh...!"
"Th-This is...!"
Also, reactions burst out from all directions.
Everyone started taking something out from their bosoms to check.
Martial artists. To be precise, an item that anyone belonging to the Geomdae living in the current Central Plains must carry.
'...Demon-Announcing Talisman.'
It was a talisman developed by Wudang that foretold the appearance of Demonic Realm Gates, which tore through dimensions to appear.
The people around had all pulled those out.
Then, this meant the cause of this vibration that my demonic ki was resonating with right now was.
'Don't tell me.'
The moment I realized the situation and looked at the creature.
[Kiaaaaah---!!]
Bzzzt-!!
As if my nauseating premonition hit the mark.
Demonic Realm Gates began to open behind the creature.
Moreover, not just one.
The number easily exceeded several tens.
Bzzzt-! Bzzzzzt---!!!
Countless Demonic Realm Gates filling the sky to a chilling degree.
"Ha."
I let out a hollow laugh looking at that.
The color of the dozens of Demonic Realm Gates filled like that was.
"This is fucking bullshit."
All of them were crimson.
******************
A location somewhat far from Henan.
It was on the exact opposite line from the shelter where people had flocked, and slightly closer to the battlefield where the incident was occurring.
On top of a building that had become empty after all the people disappeared, a young man was sitting down, tilting a wine cup.
Some bamboo leaf green liquor and a few dried snacks roughly taken from an empty inn.
The young man was continually eating the snacks and drinking the wine as if that alone was enough.
Actually, he didn't even need snacks.
Just seeing what was in front of him was enough to make the alcohol go down well.
"Hmm."
Gulp.
After taking a sip of the bamboo leaf green, he looked far into the distance.
The numerous Demonic Realm Gates filling the sky.
At the sight of the reddish glow, the young man burst into a snort of laughter.
"It's fucked. Completely fucked."
It was a terrible sight.
What kind of thing was happening to create that kind of mess?
"Whenever he does something, he never does it in moderation. Tsk tsk, what a guy."
Should I praise him for doing things on such a grand scale?
Or should I scold him for causing accidents so massively? It was hard to tell.
"No matter how I look at it, he's definitely cursed in his old age."
Otherwise, the disciple he had barely taken in wouldn't be such a bastard.
If it were a blessing, it was a blessing, but the young man, Paejon, felt that this didn't seem like a blessing no matter how he looked at it.
"Hmm."
Chew.
Chewing on another piece of dried squid, he rested his chin on his hand.
What should I do?
He pondered.
'Should I help?'
He didn't particularly want to intervene.
This wretched body healed terribly slowly once it sustained internal injuries.
No matter how much the divine physician's touch reached it, there was no answer.
'The aftermath of using Pacheon was too great.'
Trying to show off to his disciple, he had recklessly used a power he shouldn't have used yet.
Because of that, Paejon's current flesh had reached its limit.
A body that probably needed at least half a year of rest.
Since Paejon had extremely high physical senses, he could walk and run around, but if it were anyone else, it would be an impossible level.
Seeing this, he thought he should preserve his body as much as possible, but.
'That rotten bastard.'
Of all things, his only disciple wasn't helping with that.
Looking at what he was doing, it seemed he had caused another massive explosion.
'He's a guy who can't live quietly.'
He should just moderately do some martial arts training.
I don't know why he keeps jumping into the typhoon.
Ah, or is it.
'Is he the typhoon?'
At this point, it was right to see it that way.
"Phew."
Truly, there is no calm day.
What kind of mess is this just from taking in the wrong disciple.
Even so, he couldn't just leave him be. In the end, Paejon left the wine and stood up.
"I need to discipline him properly this time."
Was it because he hadn't kept discipline?
If he survives this time, I must definitely get angry.
Paejon, thinking so, was about to leap, when.
"Stay seated."
"…!"
Paejon, who was about to move, froze right where he was.
"It seems you were resting comfortably. Please take your rest in peace. It would be a shame to break the flow, wouldn't it?"
"...Haha."
No matter how much internal injury he had sustained, Paejon hadn't noticed the approach.
That fact surprised him.
Relaxing his stiffened body, he turned his head.
"...It seems you've finally finished your late departure."
The opponent already knew.
Paejon rarely spoke respectfully.
In the current Central Plains, the number of people he spoke respectfully to didn't exceed ten.
The one who spoke to him was one of those ten.
"Senior."
At Paejon's address, the old man smiled.
It was an old man with a striking, upright posture and full white hair.
He wondered where the blue martial uniform the old man should have been wearing went, and why he was abruptly wearing a red one, but.
It didn't matter. Leaving aside the uniform, the aura emanating from him told him who he was.
"A man who said he would rest for a while.... What brings you here?"
When Paejon asked hesitantly, the old man answered.
"I also intended to do so... but unfortunately, our young master called this old man."
"..."
The young master the old man mentioned.
Recalling that, Paejon scowled.
"Did you come because that bastard called you?"
"Haha, don't be too angry. Thankfully, he is providing food and a place to sleep. Shouldn't I at least do this much?"
"If your grandson and the old folks of that house heard that, they'd cough up blood."
"Please keep that a secret, by all means."
"..."
At the somewhat sly tone, Paejon's expression changed drastically.
"You've changed a lot."
Was it a compliment? The old man felt that remark somehow sounded like a compliment. So he smiled.
"I wish that were true."
Spitting those words, the old man walked forward.
Was it an illusion?
Rumble-! Rumble-!
Every time the old man took a step, it sounded like lightning was striking from somewhere.
"Anyway... this is something this old man must do. You rest a bit more here."
"..."
"Since you've become younger, you should quit drinking too."
Paejon, hearing the words, didn't argue back.
Anyone else, maybe not. But if it was that old man, he could do that.
'Should I watch and see?'
It had been a long time since he had joined hands with that old man.
So he wanted to see. The blade he thought had dulled and rotted with the passage of time. Looking at it now, it felt much different from back then.
Slump.
He sat down in his seat without a word.
By then, the old man was already gone.
Looking at that, Paejon quietly whispered.
"...He's my disciple, but he's a truly crazy bastard."
The old man his disciple called.
A being who was called the Thunder of Anhui and stayed above the heavens for over half a century.
Noebyeok, who was called the main body and heart of the Namgung Clan, and pursued the endless brilliance of the Namgung family.
An elderly sword master who was currently working as a gatekeeper at the Shanxi Gu Clan.
He had arrived in Henan after receiving the call of the Shanxi Gu Clan's scoundrel.