Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero (2)
Ha Seung-hun’s expression twisted at the sight of the familiar yokai looming right before his nose.
When Harley had visited Geumodo, this creature had picked a fight first, and now it was causing trouble so brazenly in the territory of the Maoshan Sect!
This was an act that absolutely could not be tolerated in a situation where harmony was being emphasized for the reconstruction of the world. ‘If I had my way, I’d call Harley over this instant and have him smash it to pieces, but….’ He wrapped Jegal Hyemi, who was in his arms, in inner energy and hurled her backward. At the same time, he clenched the hilt of his sword, and scorching fire surged from his grip.
Soon, that fire became a single fire dragon, coiling around the blade and swelling in size in an instant.
Fwoooosh—! Kwaaaang! A fiery astral force, filled with tremendous power through the strength of the “Void Spirit Body.”
It swallowed the great yokai charging in from the front. [You wretch! A lowly worm dares—!]
No matter how great the gap in rank between them was, an attack using the “Heavenly Dragon Divine Art” was not something that could be looked down on.
After all, this was a martial art he had comprehended through the blessing of the Dragon God—one that would not be an exaggeration to call among the very best in the entire Ganghwan Realm.
Hadn’t he even severed one arm of the Ghost Sword Demon Emperor, a master of the Hyeongyeong realm, even if he had done so by seizing an opening while the man fought the Sword Saint? [It seems being praised by those around you after a few paltry achievements has blinded you! With this level, you are nowhere near enough to face me!]
But put another way, that was all it amounted to.
With such an attack, he might be able to halt Taowu’s steps for a brief moment, but he could not deal fatal damage to a great yokai like him. [Graaaaaaah——!]
A roar like thunder rang out, and a fierce torrent of qi erupted. The fiery astral force burning away at his massive body was helplessly torn apart.
As he glanced at the sparks that soon scattered and vanished, the corners of Ha Seung-hun’s mouth twisted sideways. ‘An incredible resistance to astral force. On top of that, regeneration that restores damage in an instant… At this level, I could call him a downgraded Harley.’
Taowu was a combat-type great yokai who had been active even during the final war.
In the past, he had been utterly crushed without being able to do a thing against Harley, who surpassed him in every aspect, but his pure combat ability was that of a formidable foe that could never be taken lightly.
With his overwhelming toughness and weight class, he was in some ways even more troublesome than a human master of the Hyeongyeong realm. ‘He’s not an opponent I can handle when I’m still only at the Hwagyeong level. If I clash with him head-on, I won’t last long before collapsing. But….’
He gripped his sword tightly and glared straight ahead.
Hadn’t he realized it not long ago?
That wishing to become truly strong while only seeking comfort was a foolish thought. ‘Especially if I want to break through the wall with martial arts.’
This, too, was a challenge for him.
Not crossing the wall by avoiding side effects through the characteristics of “Avatar” as he had until now, but polishing himself through cultivation and truly reaching transcendence.
Considering that most of the mental power stat that had grown so tremendously was being consumed to maintain the ranks of his avatars, this could be called not a choice, but a necessity.
Saaaah—
—At that moment, as if cheering on his resolve.
An energy he had felt once before seeped into his body.
A power that only one person in this world could properly handle. ‘The Dragon God’s divine power?’
He glanced back and grinned.
In that desperate situation, his body grew hot with exhilaration.
In contrast, his reason sank coldly, and the surrounding situation entered his perception in minute detail.
His condition was at its peak.
The passages of the “Black Dragon Secret Manual,” which had lain dormant deep within him because he had not yet organized them, pierced into his mind and began to flaunt their presence.
“Whew, good. If it’s this much….”
There was no time to steady his breathing again.
A vicious hand tore through the air as it came crashing in.
Speed (快), Illusion (幻), Transformation (變).
His body rode up Taowu’s arm and soared like a flower petal fluttering in the wind.
The wind dragon coiling at his feet concentrated at the tip of his sword.
Slash—
—But the sharp sword strike that followed only left a long scratch on the great yokai’s neck.
Even that completely regenerated in a matter of moments.
Only the slight trickle of blood that had seeped out when the thick hide was cut proved there had been an attack at all. [You insect!]
Yet that alone was enough to enrage Taowu.
A trifling human he had looked down on and paid no mind to had dared to wound his body!
How could he possibly let this pass? [I will kill you without fail!]
Now that his pride had been wounded, the child of the dragon was not even in his mind.
He even completely forgot his original plan of accomplishing his objective as quickly as possible and escaping this place, and let his rage erupt.
All for the sake of tearing that insignificant human apart.
Kwaaaang—!
“Keugh!”
Ha Seung-hun’s body, grazed by Taowu’s fingers moving like lightning, was driven into the ground and created a deep crater.
Had he not wrapped himself in an earth dragon at the last moment to disperse the shock, it would not have ended at that.
But there was no time to catch his breath.
Ruuumble—
—Taowu’s stomp followed, crushing the spot he had hurriedly avoided.
The ground cracked and collapsed, and the massive landslide that resulted swept through the surroundings.
***
Even amid the roar of the collapsing mountain, savage explosions rang out one after another.
“Young Master Ha…!”
As the aftermath from the collision of immense qi surged in without pause, Jegal Hyemi, who had avoided harm using spell arts, bit her lip and looked toward its source. ‘Should I have just stayed still? Because I asked for help for no reason, Young Master Ha….’
The reason Ha Seung-hun had been able to chase after her in time and save her was entirely thanks to the dragon’s Taoist art she had used.
Drawing on her experience of having been kidnapped and imprisoned by the Demon Cult in the past, she had calmly completed a telepathic spell art, communicated with him, and even relayed her location in real time. ‘If only I had a little more ability. Then I could have escaped on my own without needing to ask for help!’
But no matter how much Taowu was a combat-type, he was still an existence known as a great yokai.
Secretly maintaining communication was one thing, but there was no way a high-level spell art like spatial movement would work so easily, was there?
Even earlier, if the timely surprise attack had not scattered that thing’s attention, she would never have been able to escape from its grasp.
Ruuumble—!
A fierce shockwave once again surged from the source of the landslide.
At its center, dragons of various colors soared splendidly and embroidered the surroundings.
Each and every one was the essence of destruction, capable of blowing away an ordinary mountain peak whole. Unfortunately, however, those astral forces only repeated the cycle of being shattered and scattered as soon as they appeared. ‘What I can do right now is….’
Jegal Hyemi clasped her hands together and squeezed her eyes shut.
Since she had no particular talent other than spell arts, joining that fight would only hinder him.
The best thing she could do now was lend him strength through her blessing so he could endure as long as possible, and pray. ‘A yokai is rampaging this noisily, so Geumodo won’t just stay still either. If he can just hold out until the dragons I saw back then move!’
At that moment, through her connection with Ha Seung-hun, she felt a chunk of power being shaved away, and her eyes flew open.
Just then, his body, having taken an attack, was embedded in a cliff, and fragments large and small poured down. ‘No!’
Because the blessing had absorbed a considerable amount of the impact, it had not yet reached a level where combat was impossible.
She knew that fact as well, but as she watched that sight, she could not help her heart weakening.
“Rather… if I simply follow that yokai….”
As he was now, he could never defeat that great yokai.
At this rate, he would not be able to hold out for very long.
So instead of continuing to resist needlessly and losing his life, perhaps it would be better for her to go with that yokai and then wait for Geumodo to rescue her….
“Heh, I’d advise against that.”
At that moment, as if cutting off her thoughts, the voice of a stranger flowed into her ear.
“Rather than risk having his sacrifice stolen from him again, that bastard will choose to simply devour you on the spot.”
“Ah?!”
Startled, she turned and sent a wary gaze toward the speaker.
A middle-aged man stood a few steps away with his arms crossed, though she had no idea when he had approached.
Even as her gaze turned to him, he was leisurely watching the source of the battle. ‘I didn’t sense his presence. Who on earth is he?’
Though the situation was like this, she had not relaxed her guard over her surroundings.
If the opponent had been of an ordinary level… no, even if they had reached Hwagyeong, she should have been able to sense at least a trace of their presence.
“…Impressive. Was he called the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero? I heard he was still in his twenties, yet he is already facing the wall.”
He muttered softly.
His voice was calm, but Jegal Hyemi could tell.
Beneath it, jealousy was laid so thickly it was almost vivid.
The moment her wariness deepened even further—
“Keul keul keul— You brat, you still haven’t cast off your worldly anguish.”
“Urk!”
At the same time another voice rang out, the man who had appeared first clutched his head.
“You damned old man…!”
“Now, now. Seeing the way you speak to your master, it seems you still have a long way to go before you are corrected.”
“Grrr—!”
With bewildered eyes, Jegal Hyemi looked at the newly appeared figure.
An old man with the bearing of an immortal, wearing a worn Taoist robe and sporting a long beard.
He was merely wearing a benevolent smile and gently stroking his beard, yet the man was still writhing in pain and grinding his teeth.
“There is no need to worry so much, child. That young man will not fall so easily.”
Noticing her gaze had turned to him, the old man slowly nodded with a gentle smile.
“Still, how truly remarkable. How on earth is something like that possible? Is he not completely ignoring the principles of this world?”
Then he looked back toward the fierce battlefield and let out an exclamation of admiration.
Wonder and curiosity rippled thickly around his wrinkled eyes.
“Ugh, what do you mean? It’s certainly impressive that he’s reached that level at his age, but….”
“Hohoho, this foolish disciple of mine has eyes yet cannot see.”
The man, clutching his head and frowning, replied bluntly, but the old man still did not take his eyes off the fight and only continued to exclaim in admiration.
Because in his eyes, it was clearly visible.
Through the body of that young man called the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero, various martial principles that did not belong to this world were entangling and intertwining, becoming complete as a single system.
If not for that, he would never have been able to hold out so long against a great yokai in the first place.
The old man’s realm was undoubtedly far higher, and yet even as he watched plainly, he could not grasp the principles behind it.
Attacks that should originally have been impossible to block slid aside, and counterattacks that should not have worked had somehow pierced through the thick hide.
Movements clad in dragons went far beyond the common sense of the world, and the path of his sword, too, lay in a domain beyond his understanding. ‘On top of that, his growth is abnormally fast. It’s not something that can be brushed aside as mere genius. Is he using life-or-death combat as nourishment?’
He was only being pushed back because the absolute total amount of power was overwhelmingly inferior.
In truth, when considering the difference in ability between the two, the very fact that he was enduring was astonishing.
And the one who was feeling that most clearly was not the old man watching from the outside, but Taowu himself, who was directly facing him.
“That must be why he is so bloodthirstily targeting that young man.”
Clicking his tongue, the old man looked at Taowu’s savage expression.
At a glance, it seemed to contain only rage, but he could tell.
That a faint fear lingered around those eyes.
Something utterly incomprehensible, even after they had exchanged blows several times, and even as they continued to do so now.
Moreover, that something was growing more and more as time passed, so it was only natural that he would go mad trying to crush it before it could bloom.
If that unfathomable thing were to fully blossom, it was obvious what would become of him.
“For that young man’s sake, I would like to wait a little longer, but it seems he has reached his limit.”
The old man looked at Ha Seung-hun, whose state had become precarious.
No matter how he endured by some unknown method and tried to grow, even that had its limits.
Taowu was a great demon notorious even on Jinwu Island.
If any more time passed, as the beast intended, he would be broken before that talent could fully bloom.
“Disciple, go and lend him a hand. That young man is working so hard—surely, as his senior, you can’t simply stand by and watch? A life-and-death battle against a great demon is not an opportunity that comes often.”
“...Have you gone mad, old man? I haven’t even crossed the wall yet, and you want me to charge at Taowu? So you’ve finally decided to kill me off, have you?”
“Now, now! This brat, again!”
“Grrk! Fine! I get it! I said I get it! Damn it! I must be insane, going to that old man of my own two feet!”
In the end, the middle-aged man had no choice but to head toward the battlefield.
Zhuge Huimei, who had been quietly assessing the situation, watched him go and let her eyes gleam.
From the look of it, it was clear that they, too, stood opposed to that great demon.
Which meant... ‘The Maoshan Sect... no, people from even higher up than them.’ After lightly steadying her breath, she looked at the old man still beside her and carefully opened her mouth.
“Greetings, elder. I am Zhuge Huimei of the Hubei Zhuge Clan. Might you, by any chance, be someone from Jinwu Island?”
“Oh?”
The Maoshan Sect was practically the front gate of Jinwu Island.
Since that creature had openly caused trouble in their domain and fled, it was not strange that pursuers had arrived so quickly.
“Heh heh, you’re a sharp-eyed child indeed. It is true that I came from Jinwu Island. Though, as it happens, I only came nearby because of my disciple and happened to grasp the situation by chance.”
But now that he had encountered the problem, he had no intention of sitting idle. His eyes gleaming, he slowly stroked his beard.
As Zhuge Huimei swallowed under the subtle pressure emanating from his body, he continued speaking.
“It has been a long time since I cast aside my name, so I have no particular name to give you. Well, if I were to introduce myself by the title they use for me on Jinwu Island...”
Zhuge Huimei blinked repeatedly, her eyes wide.
As a daughter of the Zhuge Clan, which knew more about demons than anyone save the Maoshan Sect, she understood very well what sort of being the title that had just come from his mouth referred to.
The Rakshasa King (羅刹王).
One of the seats of Jinwu Island’s leadership, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Five Dragons and the others, looked at the dragon’s child and smiled gently.
***
“Damn it! What the hell is this all of a sudden!”
Seeing the man who had suddenly joined the fight, Ha Seunghun’s eyes flashed with a strange light.
He had been just about to call in reinforcements and leave it at this, as he was slowly reaching his limit, when the man entered the battle. ‘Mok Ingwang?’ It was a welcome face he had forgotten after Harley left the Ganghwan Realm.
Of course, the situation did not change dramatically just because he had joined in.
Even Mok Ingwang, who had come to be called the Ninefold Mad Demon, was still only a martial artist standing at the end of the Transformation Realm, having yet to cross the wall into the Profound Realm.
But it was true that his addition gave him at least a little breathing room.
Enough that it gave him a bit more of a chance to collect himself.
“Gyaaah! You damned old man! Your disciple is going to die! I’m seriously going to die!”
And judging by what he was saying, his master also seemed to be somewhere nearby. ‘The demon who taught him the Madness-Controlling Heart Formula.’ The demon who had taught Mok Ingwang—an orphan who even suffered from uncontrollable madness—a heart cultivation method to control that insanity.
It seemed that after the war, as exchanges with Jinwu Island increased, he had finally managed to find him and form a master-disciple bond. ‘I’d forgotten about him all this time, but it looks like he’s been living well enough in his own way.’ He had been so busy that he had not been able to pay him any special attention, but seeing someone he had once used as a subordinate doing perfectly fine could not help but feel pleasing.
“Damn it! Shit! That old man—I’ll kill him someday!”
Though it seemed the madness that had subsided after the effects of Harley’s special physical therapy ended had flared up again.
At the same time, in the Illusory Realm (幻界).
The Yellow Dragon, who had been moving busily and had finished preparing to cross space at any moment,
—Horus, curled up again.