Black stars rose against the brightening sky. Their numbers reached several dozen.
Each and every one was a compression of flame containing tremendous internal energy.
They could truly be called stars.
Watching the densely laid out comets, I raised the corners of my mouth.
“…That crazy bastard….”
Disgusting. To think he still looked fine after pouring out internal energy like that.
No. He only looked fine; he wouldn’t actually be fine.
“You must be struggling too at that level. Is there any need to act so proud?”
It was none other than myself. There was no way I couldn’t know.
“Don’t force yourself to pretend you’re fine. You’re only embarrassing yourself.”
I caught my breath. The damage I’d taken from the recoil still hurt.
Bastard. Fighting so dirty.
‘Clever.’
Anyway, he put that brain of his to good use. I just never thought I’d fall for it.
Crack.
I twisted my shoulder slightly to set the bone. I think a bone had popped out while I was dodging earlier.
‘My arm too, and I think my ribs are dislocated.’
There were quite a few cracked bones. Nothing fatal, but meaning it wasn’t exactly ideal for moving.
‘Tss.’
How much internal energy had he used?
Having unleashed that much, he must have worn down a bit….
‘Whatever the case, since my fire arts are blocked, I’m at a disadvantage.’
Leaving aside finishing quickly, it was doubtful I could even finish properly to begin with.
His realm was high, and that bastard hadn’t even entered the realm of the mental image.
That was only natural.
That vermin could never have awakened to the mental image. Because of that damned inferiority complex, he couldn’t have awakened to the Heart Fist either.
‘Then why do I keep getting pushed back in this situation?’
Is it reasonable to be pushed back this much just because I don’t have fire arts?
Moreover, I’m not even human anymore.
What was the reason for being pushed back?
—You’ve truly grown dull.
The words he’d said then came back to me. Dull…. Was that really the reason?
Thinking about it like that, a small laugh escaped.
‘Then what? Should I have kept living like that?’
If I have grown dull, is that supposed to be sharp? Then I couldn’t acknowledge it even more.
That isn’t sharpness.
‘He merely hid the fact that he was broken while pretending to be sharp.’
Like a sword, he had lived piling on more strength even while knowing his blade was breaking.
So.
“Do you want me to return to that kind of life?”
I asked with a grimace, and the bastard looked down at me and answered.
[Wrong.]
“Then?”
[The way you have grown complacent with reality and are running away. That appearance is so disgusting. To the point I want to burn it away right now.]
Fwoosh.
Power entered the stars. It was beginning.
“So. Since you don’t like it, you’re going to take it? Who do you think you are?”
What the hell are you to do this to me? I didn’t think of him as simply a memory of my past life.
He only looked the part. Calling him purely that felt off.
“What are you?”
No matter how many times I asked, his expression remained the same.
Just like at the beginning. Looking down at me, he moved his fingertips.
[That answer.]
His thumb pointed downward.
[Find it yourself.]
Dozens of stars crashed down upon me.
Kugugugung----!!!
The full bloom of meteors. Hundreds of Flame Prisons rushed at me in an instant. I put power into my toes and burst forward.
Kwagagagagaga----!!! Tremendous firepower was felt behind my back.
I didn’t look back.
It was hard enough just looking ahead.
Moreover, there were too many to avoid them all.
Kung-!
“Keuk-!”
One hit my shoulder. And then.
Kwaaaa---!! I was swept up in the explosion. I spun my body to keep from losing my posture and barely endured.
I couldn’t slow down. My feet kept moving while continuously striking the air.
Kung-! Kungkung-!!
Heart Fist burst forth, destroying several Flame Prisons. I only struck those nearby to make it easier to dodge.
If I struck them all, I’d collapse from drained energy before that.
‘The front is empty, left and above are dangerous.’
Then should I break through the front?
‘No.’
That was intentionally left empty. Then.
‘Going up.’
I crouched my body that had been running forward and leaped straight up.
There were still many Flame Prisons above. Yet there was a reason I chose this move.
As I leaped, I released the energy in my body. It was the Azure Heaven of Tuapacheonmu.
My body activated and my Mind’s Eye opened simultaneously.
I confirmed the path through.
‘That was close.’
But that much was fine. Just had to take a few hits.
Kugugung---!! The Flame Prisons exploded in the air. My body shook from the explosions but I didn’t change course.
I confirmed my intended destination with energy sense as well.
As expected, by the time I reached it, dozens of Flame Prisons had dropped in front.
A relief.
‘It seems he still can’t change the paths of the Flame Prisons.’
He could predict and launch them beforehand, but couldn’t change their direction mid-flight apparently.
‘That’s all because you can’t use compression and rotation. You idiot.’
If I could use them now, I could definitely show you. It’s a real shame.
To think I can’t beat that moron just because I can’t use one fire art.
I glanced around. The number of Flame Prisons nearby had noticeably decreased.
This was bombardment for mass slaughter to begin with, not power to catch a single opponent.
‘Where is he?’
I searched for the bastard who had hidden his body. My energy sense was vast, so finding him wasn’t difficult.
He hadn’t hidden in the first place.
Kurururururu---!!!
How could he hide something that big?
“Huu.”
I had been floating in the air to avoid the Flame Prisons, and he was standing on the ground this time.
And.
Kurururururu---!!!
He was surrounded by intense black flames.
The form seemed to be shaped like a wolf.
An aura growing larger and larger. I already knew what it meant.
I clenched my fist.
‘The air is a bit dangerous.’
Hard to brace myself. But I had to try.
He moved his shoulders as if wielding the black flames.
It wasn’t an outstanding martial art. It was a simple Guyeom Tae Arang.
He hadn’t even transformed it. A strike bearing the meaning exactly as intended, but.
The amount of internal energy contained transcended imagination, so its power was tremendous.
Kuaaaaa---!!!
The wolf made of flames rushed at me with its mouth wide open.
In the air, it seemed difficult to dodge freely. But fighting back was also too much.
Then.
‘Break through.’
If I couldn’t block or dodge, I had to break through.
I filled my clenched fist with Tuapacheonmu.
And I compressed it.
‘With the thought of punching a thin hole rather than wiping it all out.’
I focused and focused again. Just as the wolf approached right before my nose.
“Hup!”
I threw my fist with all my might.
Paaaaa---!!! I pierced the wolf and crushed the flames. The problem was.
Before those flames even died down, he flew at me.
I saw a fist. The moment I saw it, I swung my fist again.
Kwaaaa---!!!
The surfaces of our fists collided, erupting with tremendous pressure. I blocked it well. I’d compressed my protective qi, so there wasn’t much damage, but.
“Damn it!”
Because I was in the air, it was disadvantageous for me.
With no foothold, my center was weak. I was the only one pushed back by the shock.
My body fell rapidly toward the ground.
Kwaang-! I rolled hard against the ground. I couldn’t endure the pain. I immediately got up.
I needed to ready my stance again.
Kwak-!
“Keuk!”
Before I could properly get up, my neck was grabbed.
I was lifted up just like that.
“Kuu….”
The sensation against my neck was quite hot. I endured the pain and lowered my gaze.
It was the same as before. The same sight as when my heart was pierced.
He grabbed my neck and lifted me. In that state, I looked down at him.
It was a method I often used to mess with opponents; I felt the need to restrain myself from using it so much.
Having it done to me, it was a shitty feeling.
“…You… bastard….”
I laughed as I looked at him. I’d been feeling something strange. Having come this far, I couldn’t not know.
“Hey… be honest. Your energy hasn’t dropped at all, has it?”
By this point, even if his energy hadn’t bottomed out, he should have been tired. But this bastard wasn’t even breaking a cold sweat.
I was certain.
“…As I thought. You’re not my past life.”
What I’d suspected became certainty. This bastard was no mere Black Flame Bastard.
No matter how overflowing with energy I had been back then.
Even if my current body was an inefficient vessel, this made no sense.
“…What the hell are you?”
This bastard was something different. Just what was it, wearing that shitty shell and beating me to death?
I asked because I truly couldn’t understand.
[You already know, don’t you?]
He spoke to me with that characteristic damned gaze.
“…Bastard. I’m asking because I don’t know. Why would I ask if I knew?”
[That’s entirely possible. Because you’re that kind of bastard.]
“…What are you talking about.”
[You busy yourself escaping by pretending not to know answers you already possess. This time is no different. You must have known for a long time now what I am.]
Only pretending not to know.
He whispered those trailing words.
[For a very long time. From the moment you were born until now. I have watched over you. You may not know yourself, but you cannot deceive me.]
“What?”
My eyes widened at those words.
He’d watched over me since birth? My pupils shook with a feeling that I might know something.
Seeing my eyes, he continued.
[The time has finally come to face you, yet I never thought you would be this insignificant.]
His eyes were filled with contempt, just like when I first saw him.
[Listen well. Little goblin.]
The changed form of address made the corners of my eyes twitch.
[The current you. Does not have the qualifications to contain me.]
Only then did I seem to understand. This bastard’s true identity.
[This is the time to prove that.]
‘…Guyeom Hwaryun Gong?’
The fire arts that dwelled in my body and burned demonic energy.
It itself.
******************
Crack-! Squelch.
Sounds of something breaking and splitting rang out.
Kwa-jik-! Kwadeudeudeuk-!
Bones were torn away. Flesh swept the ground and blood filled the empty spaces.
[Kk…ah…. Ugh….]
Now, even the screams echoing through the space could no longer be heard.
Only fading breaths remained there.
The horrifying sounds that had continued for so long.
[Heo…uugh….]
Ended the moment strength left Gyeocheon Munju’s eyes.
The surroundings were already a complete mess. The Lord’s body had changed greatly from before.
A gruesome form, almost too frightening to describe.
What was even more terrifying was that despite such a body, he hadn’t lost his life. One could see him gradually regenerating.
A state of having lost consciousness but not life.
To think he hadn’t died despite being in such a state. That was even stranger.
“…Huu…huk.”
Wi Seol-a looked at the being that had reduced Gyeocheon Munju to that state with trembling eyes.
Having finished his purpose, he stood up and was looking at Gyeocheon Munju.
His hands were stained with blood. It was hard to see clearly what expression he wore.
Then.
“…!”
When his gaze turned this way, Wi Seol-a hastily raised her sword.
Sreung-! Sharply enveloping killing intent. An action taken as if to protect Namgung Bi-a.
Namgung Bi-a had already reached her limit from the backlash. She looked exhausted merely struggling to keep her consciousness.
Wi Seol-a bit her lip.
Why?
Why had she raised her sword?
She couldn’t understand. The opponent was none other than.
“Lord Gu….”
The most precious existence to her.
Wi Seol-a didn’t lower her sword even without understanding her current action.
It was instinct.
“…Lord Gu….”
She tried calling Guyang Cheon carefully once more, but stopped and narrowed her eyes.
“…Who are you?”
His pupils were purple as he quietly stared at Wi Seol-a.
Not a single word.
And not a single emotion could be felt.
They remained quietly locking eyes for a few seconds.
“You. Are necessary.”
Guyang Cheon spat out those abrupt words.
Hearing his words, Wi Seol-a felt doubt.
The moment she tried to ask what he meant.
“Yes, you should exist for this moment.”
His gaze turned behind Wi Seol-a. Toward Namgung Bi-a.
“You…. No matter how much I think,”
Wi Seol-a, having confirmed the meaning in that gaze and those eyes.
“You are a hindrance.”
She swung the sword she held.
Kkang-!
“Ugh!”
Wi Seol-a’s sword bounced off Guyang Cheon’s fist. Her hand trembled.
“…!”
Clutching her wrist, Wi Seol-a was certain from that strike.
That something wearing Guyang Cheon’s skin right now was truly trying to kill Namgung Bi-a.