EP.211 Fly, Zhuque
First, to negotiate peacefully, I made Historia aware of each other's situations.
"I understand you'll drag me to the Public Security Bureau to interrogate me and reveal the truth. Mhm, certainly, to force something, one must secure a favorable position."
Just like me right now. Look. Since I have the upper hand, I'm even talking to you directly.
"But the situation has reversed, right? Honestly, it's not thanks to my strength, but because my comrades are so strong that this side has started to overwhelm you. I'm at an advantage now, aren't I?"
"...Get to the point."
"You're impatient too. This is what I want to say. Since the situation has reversed, how about changing your plan to capture me?"
'...What do you mean? Don't tell me.'
As expected, perhaps because we were once comrades, Historia quickly realized what I was saying.
Her reaction was delayed only because it was hard to accept.
"It looks like you've guessed it roughly. That's right. Is getting captured the only option for me? Perhaps that's your fixed idea? Since the situation has changed, shouldn't you act a bit more flexibly?"
There's no need for me to get caught just to reveal the truth.
Overturn your way of thinking! Reverse it!
Instead of me, you just need to get caught by me and become a prisoner!
'...Me, get caught? By you?'
"Yes! It won't be a bad deal for you. With a prisoner, we can feel at ease too. Junguk wouldn't want to suffer more losses, so they'll halt their meaningless pursuit. Also, having shaken off the pursuit, I'll feel much more relaxed and chatter about all sorts of things. Then you might just hear the story you want! How about it?"
A paradigm shift that shatters fixed ideas. If she just accepts this, our safety is secured, and at the same time, we can shake off Junguk's pursuit. Junguk would also appreciate not wasting their energy.
I'm almost proud of myself for coming up with this. Reverse thinking—it's easy to say. I'm admiring it because it's actually hard to pull off.
Even so, Historia showed chronic suspicion.
"...Even if I get captured as a prisoner, there's no guarantee you'll speak the truth."
"Ah, was that the problem?"
It's not even a big deal. I lightly laughed off Historia's suspicion.
"Hahaha. Ria. You're misunderstanding something huge. Do you think I'll speak the truth just because I go to the Public Security Bureau and receive something like torture?"
"...You."
"No. Even if I were to tell the truth amidst so many stakeholders. Could you believe it?"
'...Honestly, I can't. Because this guy can deceive people even with a gag in his mouth.'
I didn't know whether to be happy that things were going according to my plan when she promptly denied it, or to be sad that my credibility was rock bottom.
Is the most trustworthy thing about me the fact that I'm an untrustworthy person?
"Still, I promise you. My comrades will probably be quite curious about the incident that happened then anyway. If you get caught, you might be able to eavesdrop on what I tell my comrades. Do you think I'd lie to a new comrade who saved my life?"
'Yes.'
While asserting that in her heart, Historia didn't easily let those words out.
'But... I can't believe a single word. I can't hear the story of that day. In the end, I have to compromise to some extent...'
It seems she's made up her mind. Good, that worked out well. It's a relief that Historia is a rational person like Junguk.
Feeling Historia's momentum soften, I slowly approached.
"Alright. Now match the rhythm moderately. Remember what we practiced in the sparring? Let's go with move number 3."
Historia didn't answer. Instead, she just raised both arms.
The second reason for wearing armor. Because it makes you look strong. Even if my movements are heavy and slow, they won't notice well from far away.
Now, the start of the mock battle.
Jangseonggi. Three-Section Spear. A weapon made for Partaxion's ultimate technique, with spearheads attached to both ends of a three-section staff.
When qi was infused, the joints interlocked, so depending on how it was used, it possessed the unique property of becoming a long spear, a flail, or a three-section staff.
With the military armament equipped on top of that, Partaxion fully armed himself and faced the Progenitor Tirkanjaka.
"Hah!"
The bent spear shaft strongly struck the Progenitor's head. Smash. The Three-Section Spear in flail form pushed through Tir's defense and struck her temple. Tir's head snapped around.
It was a blow that would have been fatal even if the opponent was a bear. However, the Progenitor was an existence that could treat a bear as 'mere'.
Not a single drop of blood came out from the slightly torn temple.
"...Not bad. A knight of your size is hard to find even in history."
The hard-won wound healed, and the turned head returned to its original position. A situation not much different from before the attack. At the irrational exchange, Partaxion laughed hollowly.
"Ha, it's not my boast, but I'm also someone who made it into the history books... I'm quite famous, you know."
Mid-sentence, Partaxion leaped forward. Sliding on the ground with the momentum of the charge, he unleashed his ultimate technique. The firmly gripped spear shaft added countless curves into one, drawing a clean trajectory.
Ultimate Technique, Absolute Spear.
A single curve close to a straight line pierced through space.
The spear that pierced the kingdom, the ultimate technique that decorated an era, unfolded from Partaxion's fingertips.
That attack tore through Tir's blood, bones, muscles, and flesh, shattered her collarbone, and protruded out behind her back. It was definitely a devastating blow that would have been irreparable for a human.
If only she were human.
Partaxion muttered.
"Damn it. I shouldn't have used it."
Tir deflected the Three-Section Spear piercing her body with the palms of both hands.
Originally, a spear stuck in the body shouldn't be broken like that. The spear shaft would stir the inside of the body, and it was an act that belittled the feat of the spear that pierced a person's flesh.
But what's the use. The opponent was the Progenitor of Vampires.
No matter how sturdy it was, the joints were inevitably a structure where force concentrated. The joints broke, and the last section of the Three-Section Spear fell off.
Now gripping the shaft that had become a Two-Section Spear, Partaxion cursed the absent person.
"That bastard Gwabyeong... I told him. The best thing for a weapon is just being sturdy."
"He must feel unjust. It's not the weapon's fault that it broke."
Tir pulled out the single spear shaft stuck in her body. Even though she had just pulled it out, not a single drop of blood was on the shaft.
Instead, Tir cut her arm with the tip of the spearhead, and swung it widely with a drop of blood hanging from it.
Her blood didn't try to leave her body, but it could be controlled for a brief moment before it seeped back into her body when wounded.
She shook the spear to shoot out the blood smeared on it. The red slash ran amok and spread out radially.
Sensing the threat intuitively, Partaxion gripped the spear shaft tightly and caught the exploding blood in his eyes.
'Powerful. I have to dodge or block!'
The judgment was instantaneous.
Stepping back quickly, shaking it off with Bantan Qigong, swinging the long spear to kill the momentum, and relying on the armor to block. Even after receiving the pouring blood qi, the Absolute Spear was safe.
'The movement is big, and the momentum is fierce! It's easy to read! However...!'
But, can it be said to be safe with just this? Having retreated outside the range while consuming quite a bit of qi?
Feeling the stinging pain in his chest, Partaxion let out a hollow laugh.
"Haha. It's irrational. Geez, really. It feels like fighting a whole country."
"You speak as if you've experienced it."
"That's... Ugh, tsk. What's the point of bragging in front of you. Showing off before a master."
Partaxion glanced backward.
Partaxion and the commanders were like migratory birds cutting through the wind. The plan was that while Partaxion faced the Progenitor and pushed the front line, the commanders would follow behind and break through the sea of darkness.
However, with this single blow, not only Partaxion but even the commanders were pushed back. Making their previous advance meaningless.
"...Phew. I feel the difference in experience here. She doesn't die when pierced, doesn't budge when hit. Isn't that cheating?"
"I have lived for over a thousand years. If one piercing from you kills me, what could be more futile than that?"
"Kuhahahaha!"
Partaxion, who laughed heartily, grabbed his stomach and bent his waist. The laughter echoing from inside the armor gradually stopped.
Was the intermittent trembling laughter, or fear?
"Keuk. That's true too. It's fun, it's very fun... It feels like my blood is boiling."
But Partaxion burned his fighting spirit even more. Qi power surged from his body again.
He, who had once dueled a kingdom, did not back down even against the Progenitor, who was a country herself. Instead, he scraped the spearhead of the Two-Section Spear against a nearby container.
Screech. Sparks flew from the spearhead. The qi imbued in it used the sparks as a flint and blazed fiercely.
Partaxion, who set his qi power on fire, swung the spear roughly. The spearhead containing flames drew letters in the air.
"A hundred times? A thousand times? You just have to dodge them all, and I just have to hit them all. A country by herself? Ha, I've already done it once. A duel with a country."
The Absolute Spear took a deep breath and thrust the spearhead toward Tir.
"This is a duel. Progenitor Tirkanjaka. I challenge you. I don't even need the rule that only the victor is just. Fight me, let's compete for supremacy!"
"Your spirit alone would cover the ground. However, the expression is excessive."
In response, Tir also clenched her fists tightly. The nails digging into her palms were dyed bright red with the flowing blood.
"Human, your blood does not boil. Blood boiling is only possible when I, the master of blood, permit it."
After retrieving her heart, she had agonized over the blood qi that kept trying to hide inside her body. However, Tir was a 1200-year veteran unmatched by anyone when it came to blood. She regained her knack through repeated battles.
Outside the body, but close to it, inside the nails—only that area could hold enough blood qi.
Realizing this, Tir fed her nails a lot of blood and extended them. The glowing red blood qi looked just like flames.
It was then, just as the Absolute Spear and Tir were about to resume the battle once more.
"Hahaha! Is this all you've got!"
Wearing armor, I dazzlingly drove Historia back, and subdued her by tying her arms with chains. Placing my foot on the back of the fallen Historia, I took out a card from inside my mask.
Clover 4, Wave and Oscillation, Frequency Wave.
Clover 5, A Lot of Air, Hecto Pascal.
I only partially open both. What it creates is sound. Creating a wind that amplifies my voice.
With the two cards rolled up into a circle and placed against my mouth, I shouted as if the Meta Conveyor Belt was leaving.
"I've captured the daughter of Junguk! Hey, Junguk! Give me your daughter!"