Chapter: 628
Phew-!
A fist grazes the side of my face.
I shifted my gaze and examined my opponent’s body closely.
Although I caught a glimpse of a tired expression, it didn’t seem to hinder her movements.
That means…
‘Aside from mental fatigue, her recovery from physical exhaustion is quite rapid.’
I scrutinized the unfolding scene with keen interest.
In the meantime, the attacks continued.
A knee lunged toward my abdomen. As I twisted my body to dodge, a spike-shaped ice crashed down in advance.
Seeing this, I immediately ignited a flame.
“Nine Flame Wheel Technique.”
Hwaruk-!
Flames erupted from my body, shattering into fragments as they burst toward the ice.
Papapapang–!!
Shhhh…!!!
When fire and ice collided, they exploded, releasing a plume of steam.
The thick mist briefly obscured my vision.
Since we were both martial artists, this wasn’t an issue.
Shhhh-!
A sharp assault continued to slice through the mist.
I tilted my head to evade the attacks and rolled my eyes.
“Oh.”
I glanced at the arm that had just aimed at my head.
Though I had just torn it off, I confirmed that Yuseon’s arm was regenerating.
“Can a severed arm regenerate too?”
I pondered this while subtly glancing behind me.
That was the direction where I had discarded the arm after tearing it off.
To my astonishment, Yuseon’s arm lay there intact,
Ta-dak-tak…!
I could see it gradually disappearing as it burned away.
“When the body regenerates, does the detached part vanish too?”
This was a curious phenomenon.
From what I had observed, it was evident that her regenerative ability far surpassed that of a typical dragon.
“That’s definitely the realm of some power.”
It was on a level that couldn’t be explained without attributing it to authority.
I turned my attention back to Yuseon.
She was briefly keeping her distance and glaring at me with wild eyes.
The sound of her teeth grinding reached my ears.
“What are you doing right now?”
“Hmm? What?”
“Are you playing with me?”
Yuseon’s voice brimmed with anger.
“Why aren’t you fighting back?”
Just after she had grabbed my arm, a significant offense had ensued.
Yuseon charged at me on one arm, determined not to lose.
I could have blocked her if I wanted, but I chose not to interfere with her rebellion.
The reason was simple.
“I’m not letting you off easy. I’m conducting an experiment.”
“…What?”
“I haven’t seen everything yet.”
Yeah, I still had more to witness.
“What else do you have?”
I hadn’t seen it all.
So…
“Keep going. I’m fine with it.”
“…!”
Eek.
The teeth Yuseon was grinding were worn down.
And then,
Phew-!
“!”
A cold draught surged in through a massive hole in the dome.
A chill swept across my back.
‘Where is this heading?’ There was no need to ponder.
“Looks like you’re plotting something.”
The cold air was directed entirely at Yuseon.
A rough and frigid energy circled her, embedding itself in her being.
“Hmm.”
It felt peculiar.
I wondered if it was also power, yet I could tell it wasn’t.
Zhe-!
The cold gradually coalesced and began to take shape around Yuseon’s body.
Ice enveloped her like armor.
It was akin to…
“Armor?”
A means of shielding the body. It bore resemblance to armor.
Was this also a manifestation of the Ice Palace?
It looked unusual, but that didn’t mean it was bizarre.
“This side isn’t too different.”
Entering battle draped in the flames of the Nine Flame Wheel Technique was not surprising, as flame arts could have similar applications.
“But that doesn’t seem to be the purpose.”
This was evidently for offensive capabilities.
No matter how I viewed it, behaving like that…
Wham-!
“…!”
I rapidly turned at the sound.
Pick-! The wind rushed as I narrowly missed where my body had once been.
Thud-!!
When I turned to the noise from behind me, I saw the pillar had collapsed cleanly behind me, split in half.
“Oh.”
Admiringly, I looked at Yuseon.
Not only was she encased in armor, but she was also wielding a sword.
But this was no ordinary sword.
It was crafted entirely from ice.
It felt completely different from a standard iron sword.
Witnessing this, I asked Yuseon,
“You were a sword practitioner?”
We had merely exchanged punches. Given the smoothness of her movements, I had naturally assumed Yuseon belonged to the martial arts realm.
“That sword strike a moment ago…”
It had been startlingly sharp and precise.
To wield it with such skill required rigorous training in the sword.
“….”
Chik.
Yuseon directed the tip of the sword toward me and spoke.
“… Do you think I’m going to lose to you just because I can’t use my power? Not a chance. The results won’t change.”
“Really? That’s a bit intriguing…”
I couldn’t finish my thought as Yuseon lunged at me.
“You’re pretty impulsive.”
The problem was…
Shhhh-!
‘…Oh?’
It felt entirely different from her previous attack.
Far faster.
Much stronger.
Shhh! Crunch!
Every time she casually swung her sword, a chunk of my palace was sliced away.
Ice blossoms erupted from the severed spots.
“Cut and freeze it, huh?”
That’s truly a solid strategy.
I thought it wasn’t a bad tactic.
“The speed seems to have roughly doubled. And as for the attack…”
Ki-ki-ki-ki-ki!
I nodded while observing the other pillars disintegrating.
“That seems to be doubled too.”
I continued scrutinizing Yuseon while skillfully evading her incoming strikes.
It was fascinating.
What could this creature do?
How far could she push herself?
It was all about catching a glimpse of each aspect.
“Speed and attack power have doubled, you say?”
Such an incredible martial art.
I had initially deemed Yuseon’s previous attack to be her full power.
Could it have been a mere charade? No, I didn’t believe so.
There was something off about the notion of hidden strength.
Chop!
As I shifted and dodged, a few strands of hair were chopped away.
That’s when I became convinced.
“That girl can’t use a sword.”
Yuseon indeed belonged to the martial arts category.
Her technique with the sword was just woefully incompetent.
Yet…
“But still, the sword strikes are surprisingly precise?”
The force emanating from the sword’s tip was exceptionally intense.
What this implies is…
“She doesn’t know how to handle a sword well, yet her attacks are potent.”
Conversely, as a martial artist, she’d likely be better off fighting unarmed.
Why would she insist on using a sword like that?
“There must be a reasoning behind this.”
There’s a compelling cause preventing her from ditching the sword.
The more I watched, the more regretful I felt.
Not for any other reason, but…
“That’s not power.”
It was a pity I couldn’t absorb it.
“Just dodging around like a rat…!!”
As Yuseon’s continuous strikes failed to land, she scowled.
Kiaaaaah—!
Suddenly, she unleashed a screech directed at me.
What in the world was that? She glared at me with a somewhat bizarre expression.
Startled.
“Huh?”
At the sound from her shout, my body briefly froze.
Remarkable. Is this really possible?
In that fleeting moment of hesitation, Yuseon’s sword had already crept toward my neck.
If it continued like this, I’d get stabbed, right?
Then what should I do?
The solution was simple.
I looked at the looming Yuseon and proclaimed.
“Stop.”
“…!!”
Just as she had done to me, all I needed to do was halt my opponent.
Standing tall-!
At my command, Yuseon’s body stiffened.
It lasted only a second at most. The duration was short, but…
Boom-!
That was more than enough for me!
Unlike when I used the Heart Technique, this time I made large deliberate movements.
Thud-! Energy surged as my heart began to race.
Ki-ki-ki-ki-ki! A feeling akin to my insides tearing apart swept through me.
That was due to casting the Toua Pacheonwu.
I twisted my waist vigorously.
Crack—!
I forcefully stomped down with my front foot to absorb the recoil.
Then…
Whirlyrick-!
I manipulated my energy, wrapping it tightly around my left fist several times, making it thicker.
Just like the form of a protective gear.
It wouldn’t tear or break.
The traits of my energy shined brilliantly in instances like these.
“Toua Pacheonwu.”
A spectacular display of combat.
Did I get it right?
I aimed my energetically wrapped fist toward Yuseon’s upper body with flawless execution.
Thud-!
My fist shattered Yuseon’s ice armor and penetrated into her solar plexus.
Wododuduk—!!
“Ugh…!”
It struck with accuracy.
My senses confirmed this.
Boom—!
As the wind howled, Yuseon was sent soaring, bursting with energy.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
She hurtled away, demolishing the remaining few pillars.
Observing this, I shook my hands off.
Afterward, I formed my fists a few times deep in thought.
“The recoil has lessened.”
The difference was that the backlash from using the Toua Pacheonwu was substantially diminished.
Originally, after using it a handful of times, the pain would double, making it impossible to continuously rely on it.
But from this application, I sensed I could probably continue using it without issue.
“Even so, it would be tough for an extended period.”
The recoil had lessened. It wasn’t nonexistent.
This fierce martial art still came with pain.
From this observation, it seemed to be a style suited only for a person completely out of their mind.
But at the very least, it signified that I could integrate the Toua Pacheonwu into battle.
It suggested that I had surpassed the point of pausing to consider the backlash.
“Hey, you alright?”
I stepped forward, glancing at Yuseon buried beneath the debris.
“Cough….”
She appeared worse off than before.
Probably due to the direct hit from my fist.
I crouched down, meeting her gaze as she knelt, bleeding.
“Hmm.”
I lifted my hand to grip Yuseon’s chin.
“How are you feeling?”
“…Cough…Huff….”
As she spoke, her eyes drifted down toward her chest.
To be precise, the area just where I’d struck.
“Your insides are a mess. It looks like they’ve burst.”
With my other hand, I pressed down on her rib area.
“Ahhhh…!!”
Yuseon emitted a scream filled with agony.
“And the bones too, huh? Pretty bad.”
With her armor and strong energy, proving my attacks had bypassed both.
Yuseon’s body was a complete wreck. If left like this, even a figure of Hwa-gyeong would succumb to death within ten seconds at most.
I chuckled at the thought.
“How are you feeling?”
“…Huff…Huff….”
“Can you regenerate this too?”
“…!”
“I really hope so. Otherwise…”
I stared directly into Yuseon’s eyes.
“Like you said, it’d be ‘fun.’”
“…Cough….”
I saw emotions flicker in Yuseon’s bloodied eyes.
Was it fear? Or perhaps discomfort? Something akin to that.
But it didn’t matter what.
What she contemplated had nothing to do with me.
“Is this the season of the Ice Palace? Fascinating. Seems like it’s not simply about encasing in ice. Is there something tangible happening?”
“….”
“In terms of speed and power, it wasn’t too shabby either.”
Despite the seemingly clumsy movements.
It simply seemed like she couldn’t control the heightened state of her body.
“What’s the principle behind it? Is it linked to your regenerative abilities?”
I continued to question her, my curiosity evident. Yuseon glared at me while blood leaked from her mouth.
“…You… monstrous human.”
Quickly, she spat out harsh words at me.
Upon hearing that, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You’re mistaken.”
Bam.
“Huh!”
I took a grip around her neck.
“We aren’t human.”
“…Urgh….”
It was now inappropriate to refer to her as human.
“How far did I go to part from that…?”
Suddenly, the thought flicked my mind.
“What was it I did?”
That part remained hazy.
Reflecting back, it felt like I hadn’t done much at all.
“In fact, I was doing everything I could to hold on, right?”
At this point, it no longer mattered.
“Is there nothing more? Something you can demonstrate.”
“Ugh…Ugh….”
“Show me more.”
I was willing to see anything. She could attempt what she could.
“That way—”
“It’ll definitely taste much better when I consume it.”
Holding that intention, I kept smiling.
“I learned something from you, you know.”
This was the truth.
The clash just now was just like that.
While I figured out she could utilize powers, witnessing it in practice was incredibly beneficial.
Likewise.
“I also realized one shouldn’t fight like a mindless fighter.”
In my experience, I also sensed this side had a unique method of combat.
“Hoo…Hoo….”
“Anyway. Anything else?”
As I uttered that, my gaze locked onto Yuseon’s midsection.
Swish….
I could see the flesh of her body regenerating in real-time.
“Does the internal organ also regenerate?”
Even if her arm was torn off, it regenerated. Even with ruptured internal organs, it healed.
Just how far can this regenerative power go?
It seemed to vary with the type of injury, as it looked somewhat slower than for her arm.
That in itself was significant.
“You’re suggesting it’s okay to lose an arm.”
I found myself coveting it.
Though it diverged from the teachings of the ultimate beings.
I still believed it suited my fighting style impeccably.
While Yuseon was operating in an uncharted territory,
I was immensely intrigued by her regenerative ability.
“Guess you don’t have any more to show me?”
“Ugh…”
Yuseon merely responded with a painful groan.
The process of regeneration didn’t appear peaceful at all.
Watching, my smile faded, replaced by mild disappointment.
“Is this it?”
She had seemed impressive earlier.
But suddenly, it felt underwhelming.
“If that’s the case, that’s fine.”
My interest diminished instantly.
Coldness seeped into my voice as well.
“Now, tell me where that guy is.”
“…Do you think I’m going to tell you…?”
Hehe…
This time, Yuseon erupted into laughter.
It wasn’t a laughter of amusement. It bore the essence of disbelief.
“Eating… power? Where on earth could something so absurd… come from…?”
I couldn’t help but nod at Yuseon’s words.
Right.
On the surface, power appeared significant; however, the real force was the one to negate it. For Yuseon, this would seem utterly nonsensical.
But…
“This is simply the way life is.”
Life inherently embodies absurdity.
“I certainly didn’t desire this, either.”
Who would presume to want and acquire such power?
When I opened my eyes, this was the only reality I embraced.
“Power for the Dragon.”
My avarice manifested as that kind of might.
It’s comical.
How much value did a dragon hold? The effect of wielding such authority was merely this.
“It seems like they tossed it at me, challenging me to fight dragons.”
You’re not dealing with mere humans.
It bore a tone that implied such.
In truth, it wasn’t far from reality.
As I quietly clicked my tongue in dissatisfaction…
“… In the end… will there be no light for me?”
Yuseon uttered those words.
“I’ve lived my life losing so much.”
Her voice cracked and sounded desolate.
“Born a woman against my will, fraught with missed opportunities. I lost even the affection I barely wished for.”
Yuseon shouted with raw desperation.
That was her life.
For simply being a woman, she had been relegated in the line of succession compared to lesser talented kin.
Additionally, she had lost someone she had deeply desired.
“I’m sorry.”
Snap!
Interrupting her speech, I seized her neck firmly.
“Cough!”
“I’m not curious. I don’t care what reasons led you to your current state. Not even a little.”
I covered Yuseon’s mouth firmly.
“Why are you babbling unnecessary things? We aren’t that close.”
If someone were to observe, they might think we were friends.
Why attempt to unilaterally disclose your family history?
I had half a mind to listen, yet I felt utterly uninterested.
“What’s it to me? So, what happened here? How tragic your life must be! That’s what led you here, right? Do you think I need to say something like that? Insufferable.”
There’s no need for justification regarding the deeds you commit.
Knowing an explanation changes nothing.
“If you did it, then you did it, you foolish girl.”
Where do you plan on tacking on excuses?
“Your reasons and situation? I’m not interested. Neither am I nor the world.”
There exists no villain without a narrative.
Somewhere, a wise individual’s words echoed.
Yet this was also the sentence I despised the most.
“Don’t indulge in delusions of justification. Prepare to answer my questions. Don’t provoke me.”
“Cough…Huff…Heh…”
Yuseon laughed at my insistence.
Each laugh left blood trickling from her lips, staining my hands.
“Do you think I… will… say anything?”
I won’t be swayed by your words.
Yuseon appeared to be conveying that message.
“Oh, it’s fine.”
I answered her with a calm demeanor.
“I will indeed ask, but your answer won’t matter.”
“What…?”
As she processed this, a frown formed on Yuseon’s face.
“What does that even mean…?”
Boom—!
“…Creak…!!”
I raised my fist and struck Yuseon’s heart.
Thud thud.
Black blood seeped forth, exposing the whites of her eyes.
I didn’t crush it completely. I intentionally tempered my strike.
She was at the breaking point, capable of enduring just one more blow.
I turned to Yuseon, asserting,
“I’ll hit you once more. This one will truly shatter you. Think wisely.”
Yuseon had already lost consciousness from the previous impact.
Still, I spoke to her.
No, to the entity ‘within’ her.
“….”
Thud.
The unconscious Yuseon hung her head low.
She appeared ready to let it go.
“Are you not going to respond?”
Then just kick the bucket.
Before I could land another blow to her heart.
[…This.]
Stop!
“How harsh.”
I halted my swinging fist at the voice resonating from Yuseon.
Swish.
The wire that had been slumped lifted her head, fixing her gaze on me.
Though only whites were visible in her eyes, I could sense it.
She was undeniably watching me.
“Ninth Pureblood.”
A smirk crept onto my lips from the utterance of that being.
It was apt.
Just as I anticipated.
That creature. In other words,
“How did you know?”
The will of ‘Bingjeong’ warmly embraced my presence.
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