Dool was being pushed back.
The Sword Saint, who wasn’t even properly participating in the battle, was leading the Hongseong disciples as Hongryeon was ensnaring Dool.
This gave people hope.
“Graaah!!”
Hongryeon’s sword strike severed Dool’s front paw. Black blood gushed out, staining the sky and creating a hole.
Dool, once again fuming, shouted fiercely.
“You arrogant fools!!”
A powerful energy exploded from his heavily injured paw.
However, Yu Wol had anticipated this and had already prepared for it.
Ryu Hyun and Hyunhwi stepped forward with other disciples in tow.
“Haaah!!”
“Uraah!!”
Ryu Hyun, who was unmatched in defensive techniques among the Hongseong, and Hyunhwi, who pressed forward boldly with sheer force of will, unleashed their moves. As their techniques split apart Dool’s power, the other disciples shot past through the gap. The connections flowed like water, seamlessly continuing.
They attacked Dool as if in a wheel formation, drawing attention and landing strikes.
In the meantime, Hongryeon was catching her breath and recovering her internal energy.
If this continued, she would only be at a disadvantage.
If this went on, they would inevitably lose to these lowly creatures.
Therefore, Dool grit his teeth.
“Bokgwangyeong!!”
The fruits of a malevolent tree that formed behind him flew toward Dool. As they floated in the air, he tried to snag and swallow them to recover, while the Sword Saint swung her sword.
Hongseong Divine Art: Rising Sky.
The dozens of crescent-shaped sword spirits she created obliterated the fruits headed for Dool. In the moment Dool couldn’t recover, Hongryeon, having already restored her energy, swung her great sword at him.
-Kwahjick!!
“Graaahhh!!”
Dool’s front paw shattered and fell away. The black blood that erupted simply evaporated into smoke, and the darkness that had obscured the sky faded, allowing light to pour down.
“You insolent fools!!”
Dool roared again. His fur bristled, and the ominous patterns in his coat fell off to the ground, birthing hundreds of Mabok.
“Capture them!!”
While the Mabok dealt with them, he needed to consume the malevolent fruit to recover.
How could he even consider evading such lowly beings?
Dool couldn’t suppress his rage, but at the moment, there was no other option.
“Help the Hongseong!!”
Would the warriors and martial artists of the Murim Alliance just stand by?
When Ilseong saw hundreds of Mabok trying to hold down the Hongseong disciples, he grasped his spear and shouted. Following his cry, the martial artists rushed in to stop the Mabok, prompting a grin from Hongryeon.
This was also what Yu Wol had forewarned.
Once Dool sustained a certain amount of damage, he would summon the Mabok.
Those would be dealt with by the Murim Alliance and martial artists, so all they needed to focus on was Dool.
Satisfied to see everything flow as he’d said, Hongryeon continued to strike at the retreating Dool with her sword.
She felt no fear.
In fact, she felt exhilaration.
Knowing what path she needed to take, despite the strength of her opponent, was everything.
Knowing what path I should take.
And it feels like everything is unfolding just as if someone is whispering the answers beside me.
I was erasing any hint of temptation in my heart that naturally arose as I grew.
“Dammit!!”
Dool was infuriated by the deadlock.
No, he was slowly realizing the feelings he had when he first saw Hongryeon.
It was fear.
This woman.
A person who advances unerringly without a moment’s wavering is no different from the natural enemy of the Sahyungs.
And Dool knew well that such individuals were called heroes.
“Do you think I’m going to lose!!”
With wild eyes, Dool charged at Hongryeon.
From the severed paw, blood flowed and hardened, transforming into a massive claw. He swung it violently, pressing down on Hongryeon.
There were no tricks.
Dool was set on crushing her with sheer force and kept attacking Hongryeon, who likewise didn’t hesitate to engage him.
-Bang! Bang! Bang!! Smash!!
After several exchanges, Dool’s claw struck Hongryeon. The blow was hard enough to make a thud; surely, she wouldn’t be able to rise again.
Dool wore a triumphant smile, but Hongryeon, lying on the ground, slowly stood up.
Spit mixed with blood splattered on the floor.
Even though it must be painful, even though it must be terrifying.
The woman before him did not lose hope.
And that was what made Dool tremble in fear.
Damn that woman!
Damn that hero woman!!
That woman whose eyes were filled with disgustingly radiant starlight!!!
“Don’t look at me with those eyes!!!”
Bellowing, Dool charged at Hongryeon.
Dool had taken a beating, but Hongryeon had also landed hits on him.
So he just had to keep going.
Keep it up, keep it up.
He just had to kill her before that hero was born.
With that thought in mind, Dool lunged forward, attacking Hongryeon rapidly.
The assault began anew.
Aside from Hongryeon, the disciples of the Hongseong clan were also interfering with Dool, but his eyes were solely fixed on Hongryeon.
Gradually, the attacks increased, and so did the hits.
Dool paid no heed to his own injuries. Only Hongryeon mattered.
As long as he could capture her, he shamelessly charged at her.
And Hongryeon was the same.
She knew.
He said Dool’s last desperate act would focus on just one target.
Then it was her responsibility to withstand it.
If she couldn’t bear even this much, how could she become the clan leader of Hongseong?
If she couldn’t even handle this, how could she face her rivals?
Thus, Hongryeon accepted the role without fear.
“Dieeeeee!!”
Filled with madness, she was drenched in blood from the attacks of the Hongseong disciples.
In order to catch only Hongryeon, Dool, who had been spewing fire with its front paws and tail,
– Swish!!
In a moment, Dool’s eyes widened at Hongryeon’s sword strike.
It had definitely blocked it.
With a powerful shield created using its energy and blood, it was managing to fend off Hongryeon’s attacks.
But why?
There was no time to ponder. Caught off guard by yet another incoming strike, Dool quickly formed a shield, and this time, Hongryeon’s attack was sent flying back.
Yeah. It must have just been luck.
Letting out a sigh of relief just as he prepared to attack again,
Hongryeon tilted her head and slowly locked her gaze on Dool, aiming her great sword.
The moment Dool saw that, he froze.
The starlight contained in Hongryeon’s eyes was
moving into her sword.
Sword Energy Convergence.
An absolute realm of power that only superhumans could access.
A force so strong it could destroy whatever stood in its way, albeit awkwardly, was now embedded in Hongryeon’s sword.
No way.
“…I, Dool…”
She swung her sword again.
The shield was sliced away.
She swung again.
The shield was erased.
This time it failed.
But next time it succeeded.
As Hongryeon’s strikes continued, the starlight in her eyes grew stronger,
and the power emanating from her great sword became gradually more potent and precise.
Heroes are born in trials.
Faced with the red-haired hero pressing down on him, Dool couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“…Me? Dool?”
Right before Dool’s eyes, Hongryen had drawn near and was swinging her great sword.
That sword contained an unmistakably powerful force.
“Was it merely a stepping stone for the birth of a hero?”
– Crackle!!
The last shield vanished as if severed like spider silk.
The force contained in Hongryeon’s great sword dismantled the shield and inflicted deep wounds on Dool’s body.
“…Huh?”
Hongryeon, looking down at Dool, tilted her head.
“…Whaaa?!”
She couldn’t help but be surprised at what she had done.
She had only focused on swinging her sword and moving forward.
In a state half-transcended into a trance, she had been fighting.
Yet, somehow, she had caught Dool.
As she calmly recalled what she had done, Hongryeon flinched.
What she had done was
to cross the wall.
“Congratulations.”
The Sword Saint, approaching the flustered Hongryeon, smiled gently.
In the martial world, there were countless warriors like grains of sand, but those who have ever unleashed their sword energy are not so many.
And whether or not they can release that power determines if they can cross the wall.
Hongryeon had proven just that.
In this battle, facing the gigantic foe Dool, Hongryeon had finally taken a step into the realm of superhumans.
“Uhh…”
“But there’s still a long way to go.”
“But it’s still a long way to go.”
“Yeah. Whether I can make that last step is uncertain. The Sword Saint, who didn’t want to collapse with arrogance right there, turned her gaze to do her job.”
The ominous presence of the Evil Monster.
Despite the severe injury, the dark and foreboding power of the Cheolhyeolmokje must be erased.
As the Sword Saint slowly drew her sword…
“Ugh, ughhh…”
The Evil Monster groaned, slowly blending into the darkness.
And when the Evil Monster completely disappeared…
The ominous wooden sword transformed into a sinister crimson light with the power of the Evil Monster.
Raising it was a man with black tattoos.
“Are you the Cheolhyeolmokje?”
“Indeed. I am Mok Gwan-yeong of Cheolhyeolmokje.”
He smirked at Hongryeon.
“Let’s say thank you for now. Thanks to you, I could absorb the Evil Monster.”
His aura grew stronger.
As Hongryeon was about to step forward to face him, the Sword Saint raised a hand.
“I must deal with that.”
Right.
What was the reason for letting Hongryeon and her disciples face the Evil Monster and reserve their strength?
It was precisely for this guy.
To catch the Cheolhyeolmokje.
“Heh. Hehehe…”
Chuckling softly, Mok Gwan-yeong raised his wooden sword, and the Sword Saint also aimed her great sword.
There was no need for a lengthy draw-out.
In any case, the result would hinge on this one move.
Having absorbed the corrupted spirits from many territories in the north and gathering more energies as he descended here…
And even having absorbed part of the Evil Monster.
With this much, facing a superhuman shouldn’t be too difficult.
With a chilling smile, Mok Gwan-yeong pointed his wooden sword.
The battle of masters is decided in just one move.
But even so, it wouldn’t be easy.
In the blink of an eye,
Every tiny movement was to read every possible strategy.
Thus, the Sword Saint and Mok Gwan-yeong kept their eyes fixed on each other.
Even in this brief moment, they were expending tremendous focus, channeling their internal energies and engaged in a battle of wills.
And then…
“…Damn… was it only a paper’s thickness?”
In an instant.
In just a moment, their positions had swapped.
And the victor of that battle was the Sword Saint.
Mok Gwan-yeong fell to the ground, spitting blood, while the Sword Saint muttered with evident fatigue.
“That paper is a bit thick.”
Of course, Mok Gwan-yeong wasn’t entirely wrong.
If she made just one mistake, it could have been her lying there instead.
But what does that matter now? It was already over.
With a sense of lightness, the Sword Saint turned her body. The darkness in the sky was dissipating. Bright rays of daylight were shining down, heralding the arrival of a new hero.
And then…
Hongryeon couldn’t hide her excited heart.
Not just because she approached the realm of the superhuman, but because now she could stand proudly before him.
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