Crunch—!! Crushing something’s head beneath his foot, Gu Yangcheon furrowed his brow.
He’d beaten it first and asked questions later, but something was off.
“What is this now?”
What the hell was it? A strange feeling. Was it nausea? It was bizarre beyond compare.
So he put more strength into it.
Craackle---!!!
The sound of bones shattering rang out.
[Krrrraaaaah--!!]
A scream lingered in his ears. Watching this, Gu Yangcheon tilted his head.
“Nice durability.”
He’d put enough force into it to blow the head apart, yet it endured. So he added more.
Kwoong-!! Air pressure exploded.
Demonic energy surged and coiled around his body. A force many times stronger than before pressed down on the bastard’s head.
[Krrrrrooooo--!!!]
The thing thrashed in agony. That too was surprising. He hadn’t expected it to last this long. But then.
Swish-!
An arm flew toward Gu Yangcheon. Seeing that, he dropped low.
As the distance opened, he narrowed his eyes.
‘It moved its arm at that angle?’
He’d dodged the attack, but the method was bizarre.
It had twisted its arm at an angle that should never be twisted.
The proof was right there.
[Krrr… you bastard….]
As the thing rose, its left arm was twisted into a grotesque shape.
[As I thought… was it you after all?]
“Hmm?”
At the monster’s reaction, Gu Yangcheon’s eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t realized it, but now that he saw its face, he thought he recognized it.
“Gye Cheon Gate Lord?”
The bastard’s identity was the Gye Cheon Gate Lord.
He could tell despite its hair having turned white and various parts of its body having transformed.
But.
“What the hell are you?”
That changed form was especially repulsive.
Whatever had happened, Gu Yangcheon’s instincts were speaking to him.
“You….”
The emotion he felt looking at the Gye Cheon Gate Lord now. Feeling that, Gu Yangcheon’s eyes narrowed to slits.
This was hostility. Slowly creeping through his body, clearer than anything else.
And. This kind of hostility meant only one thing.
‘A dragon.’
The Gye Cheon Gate Lord was a dragon now. It resembled the feeling he got when facing a hundred-grade demonic beast. This kind of hostility could only be felt from his own kind.
Which meant.
‘Does that make the Gye Cheon Gate Lord a dragon?’
Was that bastard originally a dragon like him? The thought crossed his mind, but Gu Yangcheon immediately denied it.
‘No, he wasn’t a dragon.’
If he had truly been a dragon, he would have noticed long ago.
But Gu Yangcheon had never felt that from the Gye Cheon Gate Lord before.
Which meant, did he possess some separate ability to hide this sensation? No. He didn’t think so either. It wasn’t that kind of feeling.
‘Besides. If I say he’s exactly like a dragon, that’s not quite right either.’
It was subtle. To give an example of the feeling, it was different from a pure hundred-grade demonic beast. If he had to compare it….
‘The Princess of the North Sea. If not her, then the Dark King.’
The Apostle of Death, whose name he couldn’t even recall anymore. The sensation he felt when he saw her, or when he saw the Dark King, was similar.
Which meant.
‘It means he’s a half-dragon.’
The bastard was insufficient to be called a complete dragon, yet too ambiguous to say he wasn’t, so it seemed right to call him a half-dragon, as the Dark King had once said.
[Hrrrrrr….]
The thing glared at Gu Yangcheon.
Scales protruding from the skin, vertically slit pupils inside somewhat murky golden eyes. And the unique aura felt from it.
That was unmistakably the form of a dragon.
And.
[You… why are you…]
The Gye Cheon Gate Lord too seemed to sense the difference between Gu Yangcheon and others.
From that reaction, Gu Yangcheon was certain.
‘He didn’t know until now.’
He hadn’t known until before, and had only realized it now.
Since he had only felt this after becoming a dragon, it meant he had been human until just now.
At this point, the question only deepened.
‘How?’
How on earth had he become a dragon? He couldn’t understand that part. So he looked at the Gye Cheon Gate Lord with strange eyes, but.
‘No, it doesn’t matter.’
Pointless. That wasn’t a question worth pondering over now.
Gu Yangcheon turned his head away from the Gye Cheon Gate Lord and looked to the side. There, Namgung Bia and Wi Seola were watching him.
He examined the two closely with narrowed eyes.
‘They’re hurt.’
Namgung Bia’s condition looked far from good. She seemed to have bled quite a bit; her face was pale.
On the other hand, Wi Seola didn’t seem as injured, though she hadn’t escaped unscathed either.
Seeing that, Gu Yangcheon spoke.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“…!”
“…!”
At his frigid tone, the two flinched. They had never heard such a cold voice from him before.
“Why do you keep letting my words go in one ear and out the other? My words not sound like words to you?”
“…Th… that….”
“Shut up.”
When Gu Yangcheon scowled and spoke, Namgung Bia bit her lip and fell silent.
“...”
“Get in the corner.”
“B-but….”
“I said shut up and get in the corner. Go stop that bastard’s bleeding. I’ll deal with you two later.”
Whatever Wi Seola had been about to say sank with a single word.
Irritation was welling up. Gu Yangcheon deliberately suppressed it and took a step.
The background changed.
[Kuk…!]
Gu Yangcheon was already right in front of the Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s nose.
Crack-!
He struck the bastard’s knee with his foot. A loud sound rang out as one of the Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s legs collapsed.
[Kuheok!]
The Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s eyes widened in pain. He hadn’t even been able to react to that attack.
His body swayed. He tried somehow to maintain his stance, but.
“Your head is too high.”
Along with the words, an impact burst against his other leg. His knee slammed straight into the ground.
“A worthless bastard.”
Crack-! His jaw shook.
“Who do you dare touch.”
Crunch-! His head twisted. His facial bones seemed to shatter outright. And that wasn’t all.
Continuous impacts landed on already broken spots.
He was attacking the places he had struck, one after another.
The pain multiplied. It was clearly a deliberate act. He had chosen to do so to inflict even greater pain.
[K… kkeok.]
The Gye Cheon Gate Lord couldn’t come to his senses under the continuous impacts.
No matter how he tried to resist, he couldn’t move an inch.
Thus began one-sided violence.
Crack-! Something broke. Rip-! Something unknown tore.
His entire body was in such agony that he couldn’t tell what was happening where.
All he could do was endure the pain.
[Krrrrrooo!!]
After thrashing about for a while, the Gye Cheon Gate Lord.
[Rooooaaaah---!!!]
Unleashed a roar he had held back through the pain and released his energy.
Keeeng---!! Swords floated up and bored down toward Gu Yangcheon.
Namgung Bia, who had been catching her breath, widened her eyes in surprise.
It was a completely different speed from when he had fought her. Not to mention, the power imbued in the swords had more than doubled.
A speed nigh impossible to follow with the eye. Such swords bored down upon Gu Yangcheon.
Gu Yangcheon glanced at those swords, then twisted his upper body back and swung his fist using the power of his waist.
Whoooom--!!! Air ripped, and something invisible exploded.
It was the Heart Fist.
Kwaaaaaaaah---!!!
The swords were swept away by the shock and deviated from their paths. Ting-! Ting-! With clear sounds, the swords struck the wall and fell.
Seeing that, the Gye Cheon Gate Lord let out a groan. Then.
A single sword, swirling high near the ceiling, caught his eye. Perhaps due to the shock, it had risen high, but it hadn’t been swept away by the wind.
Had he not noticed? The moment he saw it, the Gye Cheon Gate Lord immediately poured power into the sword.
Swiiiiiiish---!!!
The sword bored down quickly. Even then, Gu Yangcheon was still looking elsewhere.
At this rate, it could pierce straight through the top of his skull.
The empowered sword soon approached Gu Yangcheon’s crown in an instant, but.
“I’ve been thinking this for a while.”
At that moment, Gu Yangcheon whispered.
“You guys are always so predictable.”
As he spat out the words, he moved. He reached his hand straight into the empty air.
Swish--!!
[…What!?]
The sword falling toward Gu Yangcheon shook for an instant—spin!—and turned its tip.
What was falling wasn’t the blade, but the hilt.
[That’s impossible--!!]
The Gye Cheon Gate Lord cried out as if in despair. It was a sword controlled by his unique martial art.
It was different from simply moving a sword through telekinesis, yet Gu Yangcheon had effortlessly wrested away the Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s sword control.
Meaning he had taken complete control.
Tok.
The Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s sword fell into Gu Yangcheon’s grasp, and.
Swhaack---!!!
Gu Yangcheon grabbed it and slashed the Gye Cheon Gate Lord with it.
[Kkeok….]
A deep sword wound opened as the Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s body was pushed back.
He looked like he was about to collapse. He would have collapsed even if left alone, but Gu Yangcheon extended his foot toward the Gye Cheon Gate Lord.
Bam-!! From a powerful kick, the Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s body was pushed back, struck the wall, and crumpled down.
[Ku… eok….]
He propped himself against the floor and coughed up a mouthful of blood.
His eyes were filled not only with pain but also doubt.
[How… in the world.]
His expression remained one of incomprehension. How on earth had the sword been stolen?
He was more curious about that than his own pain.
“Hmm?”
Perhaps because of that question. Gu Yangcheon spoke with half-lidded eyes to the Gye Cheon Gate Lord.
“You just do it. Why are you looking at me like that?”
[J-just… do it?]
As if struck by shock, the Gye Cheon Gate Lord trembled.
His disbelieving expression remained unchanged.
And as if he had no interest in such eyes, Gu Yangcheon simply examined the Gye Cheon Gate Lord.
“Your regeneration seems fast.”
The body that had been half-demolished was gradually recovering.
Judging by speed alone, its regenerative power seemed faster than his own flesh, but it fell far short compared to Mang.
“Was your strength always at this level? Hmm, I’ve never fought you before, so I don’t know. What do you think?”
[…What are you talking about right now?]
“You don’t know? That’s fine then.”
Because he would find out for himself.
With those words, Gu Yangcheon moved once more.
***
Gu Yangcheon approached, heat in his eyes.
Seeing that, the Gye Cheon Gate Lord hurriedly raised his body.
He stretched his hand and pulled a sword toward him. It flew quickly and was caught in his hand.
His body moved like a whirlwind.
The increased strength could imbue the sword with power unlike before.
[Kuk!]
The Gyejin Spirit-Soaring Sword. The exclusive sword art of the Gye Cheon Gate created a sword trajectory.
It was definitely far stronger than when he was bare-handed.
Claang-! The sword scraped the ground, scattering sparks. The ground didn’t even get scratched by the Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s sword.
Gu Yangcheon stepped on the ground to charge. Kwoong---!!! At that impact, the ground cracked.
Seeing that, the Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s expression contorted.
That too was incomprehensible.
That bastard was casually breaking a space that should never break.
And then.
Clang-!
The Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s sword bounced off Gu Yangcheon’s fist.
It had struck the flat of the blade precisely.
The resulting recoil was stronger than imagined.
[How can this brat…]
Barely an age past his coming of age. He knew the bastard was strong from their few encounters, but facing him in reality surpassed all expectations.
[I accepted the will of the Honored Child, yet am I being pushed back…?]
He had received that one’s will and embodied it. By all rights, he should have already transcended mere humans.
[Rooooaaaaah…!!]
Yet here he was, being pushed back by this brat.
It was unbelievable.
No.
The moment despair crossed his mind, the Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s thoughts changed in an instant.
[That bastard too…]
It wasn’t just him. That bastard was the same. This transformed body had taught him many things, and he could tell that bastard was similar to himself.
He was no ordinary human. It meant he was a supreme, lofty, magnificent existence.
But.
[Why…]
Even if they were similar, they were not the same. The Gye Cheon Gate Lord’s instinct was telling him one more thing.
Bow your head.
That was not a being he could dare to look upon.
Such incomprehensible fear and awe dwelled within him.
The wench beside him, a descendant of the Sword Sovereign. He had vaguely harbored such thoughts even upon seeing her, but upon seeing Gu Yangcheon, it was incomparable to that time.
[…What are—!]
Smaack-! A knee buried itself in his face. His head snapped back as blood sprayed into the air.
The words he had heard countless times were now too bothersome to answer.
As if utterly sick and tired of it, Gu Yangcheon spoke.
“What would you even do with knowing?”
For a bastard who was about to die anyway.