Chapter: 455
Tap… tap.
Blood trickles down one of the woman’s hands.
The sword strike that grazed her shoulder was rougher than expected, leaving a significant wound on her left arm.
Though the excruciating pain must have been rising to the back of her throat, the woman merely moved her injured arm a few times with indifference.
“…”
The pain was intense, but it was bearable.
That was the woman’s conclusion.
She grips her sword again.
Fortunately, it was only her left arm that was injured. Given that she was right-handed, it wasn’t a major issue.
Rumble…
A fierce roar escapes from the dark clouds gathered in the sky.
The clouds were saturated with a tingling energy that sent chills just by looking at them.
Just as the woman was preparing to swing her sword once more, a thunderous voice called out.
“…Are you planning to continue?”
Someone addressed the woman standing directly across from her.
The person who spoke was known as Sogeomseong, a descendent of the sword master, and a woman referred to as the hope of the righteous faction.
At her call, the owner of the power, the Demon Sword Master, examined Sogeomseong with a flat expression.
“I don’t quite understand.”
Rumble—!!
As if pushing back against the Demon Sword’s energy, the force emanating from the tips of Sogeomseong’s feet began to spread in all directions.
“Why did you suddenly make this choice?”
“…”
The Demon Sword Master did not respond to Sogeomseong’s words.
She simply tightened her grip on the sword she was holding and swung it calmly.
Swoosh!
Crash—!!
Lightning erupted from the tip of the sword the Demon Sword Master swung lightly. It appeared as if at least a thousand branches of lightning were aimed straight at Sogeomseong.
Though slender and subtle, each bolt contained overwhelming power.
“…Huh.”
At this, Sogeomseong frowned slightly, his eyes betraying fatigue as he tightened his grip on the sword with both hands.
Zing—!
As a faint vibration spread, golden energy coalesced behind Sogeomseong, transforming into numerous swords.
The swords that floated in the air readied their tips toward the approaching lightning.
Whoosh—!
They scattered their energy and shot toward the incoming power.
With thousands of lightning bolts and a few swords, the outcome of the clash seemed obvious upon a glance.
However, against the torrent of lightning, Sogeomseong’s sword emitted a faint glow amidst the countless electric currents.
Zing—!
It moved at an outrageous speed, beginning to erase the lightning bolt one by one.
So rapid was its pace that it was nearly impossible to see how the sword was moving.
And then—
Shwoosh—!
As the energies clashed in the air, Sogeomseong thrust his sword directly at the Demon Sword Master.
Having closed the distance, Sogeomseong unleashed his dual sword technique. In response, the Demon Sword Master swung her sword as well.
Clang—! Clang—!
Each dazzling movement was imbued with precision and skill.
With each clash of their swords, explosive sounds erupted around them, and the energy burst apart in shockwaves.
The scene resembled flower petals dancing in the wind.
But despite the graceful display, the energies contained within were ferocious.
Amidst the resurgence of power erupting endlessly…
Pinch—!
“…!”
Blood sprayed from the left shoulder of the Demon Sword Master.
At that moment, her brows furrowed.
It seemed her wound had opened.
Focusing her strength, she swung her sword wide.
Crash—!
The energy amassed on the blade grew massively, sweeping across the surroundings in an arc and incinerating everything.
While her movements slowed significantly, she managed to push Sogeomseong away temporarily.
Thud—!
Launching back from the attack of the Demon Sword Master, Sogeomseong reclaimed the sword floating in the air and maneuvered it around her.
“…”
Any energy dealing with the lightning meant nothing to her swordsmanship.
Because the energy had completely vanished just moments ago.
Taking advantage of a brief respite, Sogeomseong fixed her gaze straight ahead.
Hoo-hoo…
The Demon Sword Master was gasping for breath, blood dripping down her body.
She appeared visibly fatigued at first glance.
“…”
Witnessing this, Sogeomseong couldn’t help but bite her lip.
The Demon Sword Master was not someone who would tire from fighting at this level.
Though her gamble might not have reached the magnitude of ‘Maje’ or Cheonma, she was an individual renowned for her delicate and precise skill in combat.
For her to be so exhausted after just one skirmish was unbelievable.
There was no other reason for the current state of the Demon Sword Master.
“It was such a fierce battle that it led to this.”
It was a rather simple conclusion.
A gust of wind brushed past the tip of Sogeomseong’s nose.
The air was thick with the scent of blood—not just from the Demon Sword Master.
Behind the gasping Demon Sword Master, the lifeless bodies of her fallen warriors from the Meng lay scattered about, slain by her hand.
Realizing this, Sogeomseong frowned.
“…Did the Demon allow you to act like this?”
One of the Demon Sword Master’s eyebrows twitched at Sogeomseong’s inquiry.
“I thought the deal was already finalized. Do we presume this is the will of the Demon Lord… or perhaps the intention of the Demonic Cult?”
The Demon Sword Master had made a solo assault two hours prior.
Just when she was on the verge of returning to Hanam, chaos erupted.
“The Heavenly Lord had set up a barrier as a precaution.”
In an environment where the Heavenly Lord had cast a protective barrier, the Demon Sword Master nonchalantly sliced through it and attacked.
Fortuitously, at that moment, the Heavenly Lord was absent.
Sogeomseong herself had also been ‘asleep’.
However, even with their main force vacant, the Meng’s current strength was not to be underestimated.
Their ranks included those who were near the peak and even some new arrivals who had just attained their first major step in power, ensuring they weren’t weak.
“Those individuals…”
This suggested that not only had the Demon Sword Master withstood the onslaught for two hours, but she had also slain more than half of the attackers.
As Sogeomseong pondered the Demon Sword Master’s astonishing level that exceeded expectations, she finally broke her silence.
“…Where is he…?”
“What did you say…?”
“Where is that person…?”
While the subject was vague, Sogeomseong instinctively knew whom she was referencing.
Upon realizing this, Sogeomseong clenched her teeth.
“The Eight-Leaf… was it? Are you saying that you came here to find him?”
“…”
The world’s strongest swordswoman had come to seek out a lowly officer from the Black Flame Corps, and Sogeomseong spoke with an expression of exceeding weariness.
“… You, known as the world’s greatest villainess. I’m not sure when you began to hold your own allies in such high regard…”
“It’s different.”
Sogeomseong tried to protest, but the Demon Sword Master interrupted her.
“That’s not his name.”
“…!”
Sogeomseong’s eyes widened in response to the definitive remark. The shock didn’t end there.
“…You know that too…”
At the follow-up words of the Demon Sword Master, Sogeomseong’s eyes began to tremble.
“Why… are you pretending not to know?”
Conversely, the Demon Sword Master appeared unable to comprehend this reaction.
At that crucial moment, while Sogeomseong appeared shaky and uncertain, she quickly restored her expression and readied her sword.
“I don’t intend to continue this conversation. Whatever your reason, your choice right now is misguided.”
The enemy’s den.
Alone, the Demon Sword Master had infiltrated that place.
The Demon Sword Master was not a Cheonma.
No matter how strong she was, her limitations were evident.
Just moments ago, when exchanging swords with Sogeomseong, the Demon Sword Master had swung with considerable force to distance herself.
Sogeomseong had the opportunity to strike and end her.
There was a clear opening.
Yet, she did not take it.
“Why?”
The answer was still unclear to Sogeomseong. A hesitation came out of nowhere.
Thanks to this, the Demon Sword Master still stood, but such miracles would not repeat.
Swish…
Sogeomseong stirred the swords circling around him, gathering energy.
“… Are you not planning to use the Brain Sword?”
She inquired while observing the Demon Sword Master.
At present, she was using only a normal sword.
This weapon had likely been returned from earlier trades.
Yet the Demon Sword Master wielded the standard sword now.
In a life-or-death situation, was there truly a reason to abstain like this?
Though she vaguely understood how horrifying the Demon Sword Master with the Brain Sword could be, it was incomprehensible.
Despite the simple question, the Demon Sword Master remained silent, simply raising her sword.
“Why?”
That scenario only intensified her confusion.
It was a fight with no prospect of victory.
Wondering perhaps if there were reinforcements on the way, Sogeomseong felt it was unlikely.
If the Heavenly Lord were to return at this rate, there would be no hope left.
Yet—
“Why?”
Even so, why was this woman so unyielding?
She couldn’t understand.
Sogeomseong truly grasped nothing at that moment.
“…calm down.”
She took a moment to clear her complicated thoughts and center her energy.
The energy pulsated through her veins as if steadying her emotions.
Yet remarkably, her heart remained troubled.
“It’s going well.”
She attempted to convince herself of this.
Eliminating the Demon Sword Master here would aid her future endeavors.
However, despite thinking this, the thought of someone who might falter if the Demon Sword Master fell crossed Sogeomseong’s mind.
That brief notion caused her to pause.
Sogeomseong soon reversed her grip on the sword and stepped forward.
Crackle—!
As a result, another surge of energy coursed through the Demon Sword Master’s body.
However, this time it seemed infinitely weaker compared to the fury unleashed just moments ago.
In contrast, Sogeomseong’s ten swords contained a vibrant power identical to the first.
If these two energies collided, the outcome was evident.
A golden flash shot forth with a fierce intent, with several swords charting diagonal lines in the air towards the Demon Sword Master.
The enormous energy was so intimidating that simply gazing at it became overwhelming. It promised not to let anyone escape.
Yet, even in the face of such force, the Demon Sword Master merely prepared to unfurl her sword.
“I might die here.”
That thought flickered through her mind, but she couldn’t back down.
Had he witnessed such recklessness, he would have been furious and questioned her sanity.
Nevertheless, the Demon Sword Master found herself powerless to do otherwise.
Reason, emotion, even her life weighed on a scale.
Still, the being she sought was of utmost importance to the Demon Sword Master.
It didn’t matter where he was or from where he came.
The energy concentrated into a singular point.
The sword wielded by Sogeomseong appeared to grow closer.
Watching the size and density of that energy, the current circumstances would leave her unable to hold her ground.
“….”
If she invoked the Brain Sword, it might differ.
Yet, she refrained from doing so.
There was a singular reason.
She hadn’t received authorization for its use.
[…!…!]
Even as the furious voice of the old man echoed incessantly in her ears, the Demon Sword Master paid little mind.
Crackle—!
Sogeomseong’s energy surged aggressively.
In response, the Demon Sword Master began to channel the energy into her blade as well.
As the energies of both sides closed in—
Suddenly, the Demon Sword Master’s thoughts raced.
If she were to face death at the hands of that woman here—
What expression would he wear?
Would he scorn her failure, declaring she died uselessly?
Or would he maintain the usual indifferent expression, brushing it off casually?
In this chaos, she hoped for just a sliver of indulgence.
“I wish he would feel at least a little sorrow.”
The Demon Sword Master whispered her plea into the depths of her heart.
Crash—!!
At last, the energy of the Demon Sword Master collided with Sogeomseong’s force, igniting a massive reverberation.
“…!”
At the instant their energies clashed, the Demon Sword Master realized.
Her fatigued body could not withstand this force.
She wouldn’t last long before collapsing.
In the midst of it all, her gaze remained fixed on the woman beyond the energy.
In Sogeomseong’s expression, pulling out her energy, the Demon Sword Master caught a glimmer of hesitation.
Had that hesitation not existed, this confrontation would never have occurred.
“…”
As she gazed at Sogeomseong, the Demon Sword Master’s eyes dimmed.
Was her emotion toward her now resentment or pity?
The Demon Sword Master couldn’t firmly grasp either feeling.
Crunch—!
Her toes were pushed back by the energy.
Crack-crack!
A visible breaking and scattering of blades.
The wound steadily widened.
The Demon Sword Master felt the end drawing near.
At that moment—
-Immediately.
A sudden, urgent voice pierced the air around her.
It was the voice of a young boy who had yet to reach maturity.
Though it wasn’t a voice she was particularly familiar with, it somehow drew her in.
-Pull out your sword!
Compelled by that voice, she had no choice but to heed it as though entranced.
Just before her energy faded, swept away by Sogeomseong’s power, the Demon Sword Master reached into her product and pulled out something.
Narration: Crash! Boom—!
Simultaneously, a colossal bolt of lightning erupted into the sky, sweeping everything in its path away.
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