Chapter: 741
Kwaaaaak—!!
The ink that blanketed the floor shook violently.
It looked as though it was swirling in a vortex.
While maintaining a rough and intense shape…
Hwaruruk—!!
A burst of flames erupted over the water.
Sizzle—!! The flames were so hot that you could hear the sound of water evaporating in their wake.
Such hot and radiant flames…
The flames, imbued with a vast heat, seemed to rage like a dragon, overturning everything in sight.
Both in size and in the stakes it held, it was an overwhelmingly powerful figure.
The old man was quietly gazing at the sight from above the water.
A little while later…
Kyaaaaaaaah—!!!
The flames rushed toward the old man as if they were howling.
Three massive streams of fire began to pour down from a single point.
The heat was so intense it felt like you would burn up just by being nearby.
If that fell, it would be a disaster for ordinary folks.
Slice.
A tiny sound drifted through the air.
Paaak—!!
Chorrrr—!!
In an instant, the flames split into dozens of tendrils and began to vanish.
‘Sick.’
Watching from a distance, I laughed lightly in disbelief.
What in the world is that?
‘I didn’t even see you cut it.’
I only heard a sound for a moment; I couldn’t catch how it moved.
At first glance, it looked like just one strike.
But the outcome was dozens of slashes!
How fast did he swing it for it to appear that way?
I couldn’t help frowning as I watched the flames disappear.
At the same time…
[Seven.]
The old man’s voice resonated.
[Three left now.]
“Yes, yes. I know.”
I replied while gathering my stakes in hand.
Tch.
As the old man pointed out, I had already attacked seven times and hadn’t landed a single hit.
‘This is insane, really.’
All the old man did was swing his sword to block or dodge.
I was blocking his attacks with simple methods, yet I never succeeded even once.
While it was absurd, several thoughts began to swirl in my mind.
The first thought that struck me was…
‘Is it a space issue?’
Could it be that this place, unlike reality, had its quirks?
I wondered if the old man had done something to make my attacks ineffective.
‘That doesn’t seem like it.’
The feeling of placing my bets and the clarity of my movements felt unusual.
Though it seemed like mere imagination, it strangely felt real. The old man seemed to agree.
That means…
‘Is it just that this old man is ridiculously strong?’
A conclusion so simple it bordered on absurd.
Even in an ethereal state, isn’t this the power the old man possesses?
‘That seems a bit far-fetched.’
I didn’t want to believe that.
Yet still, there’s no way that could be true.
‘If he’s that strong, how can he not catch the Blood Demon?’
If that’s the case, it means the path I need to walk is horribly long.
I thought that couldn’t be true.
Hwaruk.
I wrapped the fire in my hand and focused my heart’s power.
Thump—! My energy surged through my veins, thundering violently before shooting up into the air through my shoulders.
Hwaaaak—!!
A blue light swirled in the dark space.
Red Sky.
No, or should I say Clear Sky now? What does it matter?
As I cast my domain, strength coursed through my body, and my toes felt light.
[Hmm.]
The old man eyed the transformed situation with interest.
I felt no tension at all.
Damn, it’s even more annoying that I feel so unlucky.
Because of that, I ended up betting a little too much.
Kwuk.
A large phoenix salt, far bigger than the one I used against Yeongpung, sat in my hand.
If you just looked at the amount used, it far exceeded what would be poured into a castle.
I simply tossed it away.
Wooooow—!!
The gigantic sphere shot toward the old man.
This time, he tried to slice it with his sword.
But before he even moved…
Snap—!!
He sent a signal by snapping his fingers.
Kwaaaa—!!
Immediately, the salt erupted, and flames engulfed everything!
Perhaps due to the substantial quantity contained, the size of the flames was quite remarkable.
That meant…
It blocked out enough of the view to make me grin maliciously!
I held my breath and prepared to create distance as I triggered the fireworks.
‘You won’t get through if you get close.’
But what if I attacked from a distance?
‘Since I’ve used the Holy Spear, he should feel the stakes. Most of the flame wheel techniques will work the same way.’
Seven times before me…
That wasn’t merely a number from mindless usage.
‘The more you hit, the more familiar you get. The same applies to your opponent’s energy.’
It was a carefully calculated move meant to familiarize the old man with my flames.
At this point, the old man’s body and eyes should have adapted to it.
So now was the time.
An irregularity is best offered when your opponent is used to the rhythm.
To fight by tooth and claw, breaking heaven!
If he had grown used to the flames, it was time to pull out something completely different.
The Third Form.
The energy gathered at the tip of my fist like a beacon.
I sharpened it further, making it a bit more violent.
If the first and second were meant for close combat, the third aims to strike targets farther away.
To fight by tooth and claw, annihilate with swords!
With impeccable precision, I sensed my opponent shrouded in flames.
And then, I targeted the old man, delivering a quick, short punch.
Then…
Boom—!!
A ripple resonated in the air.
Kwaak—!!
A circular gap opened in the encompassing flames.
To fight by tooth and claw is to be intangible!
It was an attack based pure speculation, with the victim likely unable to even register it.
The sudden assault must have wrapped around the old man.
No, without a doubt…
It should have done so.
[Eight.]
I bit my lip hard upon hearing the voice next to me.
[The attempt was commendable. The usability is nice too. Not to mention the quality isn’t low either. I’m really curious who taught you this.]
The old man regarded me with genuine fascination as he began to explain.
“…You’re a bit quick, huh?”
Quick? It’s wildly too fast!
I hadn’t noticed how rapid it was until you brought it up.
[Well, in my lifetime, few were faster than me. If I had to pick, there’d be two or so?]
I couldn’t help laughing at that. “Kkkkk.”
[Myeong-i and Dangjemun. Excluding those two, there probably wasn’t anyone faster than me in the Central Plains.]
Are we talking about the Thunder Heaven Sword and the Poison Heaven Sword?
Well, considering he was the number one noble in speed in the Central Plains, they must’ve been fast too. Senior Dang Je-mun was likely speedy given his reputation as an assassin.
But one question nagged at me.
“What about Yeon Il-cheon?”
Since he didn’t bring up Yeon Il-cheon, who was the greatest of his era, does that mean the old man was faster?
I asked with that hidden implication.
[He wasn’t strong, but he wasn’t fast either. Just that strength…]
The old man trailed off, moving suddenly.
Because he swung his fist before I could hear the rest of his answer!
To fight by tooth and claw, breaking heaven!
Tobi’s Heavenly Fist!
A whirlwind of speculation swept toward the old man.
Explosions detonated everywhere around me as they erupted from where I stood.
[Oh my. How can a young kid be so cowardly?]
Again, the old man appeared to absorb all the energy aimed at him.
He caught it all.
How nonsensical is this?
To fight by tooth and claw is a kind of explosion.
Circulating energy to the point of pain.
Since it’s a skill meant to burst from using the body as a shield, the chaos contained within is unparalleled.
Thus, when it goes off, it’s supposed to leave a mark everywhere.
But the old man was unscathed even at close proximity. The reason was obvious.
‘He cleared it all.’
‘An indestructible treasure.’
He wielded his sword, capturing every bit of energy that dared approach him.
“That’s a real monster,” I muttered.
[You’re really calling a grown-up a monster? What a strange thing to say.]
Everyone says I’m a monster every day.
I really wanted to show them what a ‘real’ monster looks like.
[Alright, there’s only one left.]
Watching him move that sword around so carelessly got under my skin.
I truly wanted to land just one hit.
‘Once more.’
The final chance I’ve granted him.
I pulled my feet back and hunched low at the waist.
Hwaruk. The ring began to expand slowly.
How much betting power is left?
‘I don’t know.’
There’s probably a little more than half remaining.
Fortunately, being in a fantasy reality means no lasting injury or trauma—at least not yet.
‘…But what good will that do?’
Whether there’s an injury or not, whether over my limits or not…
It all means very little.
After all…
‘It won’t work against that old man.’
Whatever I try against the self-proclaimed Volcano Sword, it’s all the same.
This was a truth I’d grasped long ago.
Oh, sure, my thoughts had changed a bit after meeting him.
‘It’s worse than I thought.’
From ‘I guess he’s strong’ to ‘Is this even a real person?!’
Unbelievable.
‘Is this how it feels to fight against the Three Lords?’
Even now, as we stood face-to-face, death danced around us.
One step.
When I took it, my throat was at risk of being cut and my heart pierced.
A delusion flickered in my mind.
I was acutely aware.
The old man could indeed do that yet chose not to.
At the same time, he made clear that I had the potential to do so as well.
I recalled my past life.
‘The Heavenly King wasn’t like this.’
The true head of the Namgung clan.
I frequently faced the Three Heavenly Beings, yet I’d never felt such an overwhelming presence from them.
I wondered, maybe there’s a way forward?
Such thoughts seemed reasonable at the moment.
What really mattered?
‘The Heavenly King was under a spell, and the Fallen King was in a sort of semi-retirement.’
Considering that, neither was operating at full power.
Now, the Volcano Sword stood at the same level as the Three Lords. Perhaps even…
‘Higher than that.’
That would be a fair assessment.
What this ultimately means is…
‘There’s no chance of winning.’
To say there’s no path to victory.
I know it all too well.
Even knowing this clearly, I moved my arm.
Phew—! I channeled strength into my flames that wrapped around my arm.
With flames burning in my hand, I clapped over them vigorously.
Crack—!
The impact exploded, and sparks shot out in all directions.
Sparks rose, flickering before dying out.
That’s how it should have been, but the sparks that spread did not vanish; they simply paused in the air.
And then…
‘Flame Jade Star, Scarlet Lotus, Enlightenment!’
The scattered sparks twisted together, growing rapidly into a blaze.
Around me, countless flames ignited!
This was an application of the Gu Flame Wheel Technique.
The old man’s eyes narrowed as he beheld this.
‘Rain down!’
Suaaaaaaaah—!!
Blue stigmata cascaded from the heavens.
Kwaaaaaaaah—!!!
An attack solely directed at a single target.
The firepower was enough to erase an entire small town.
Yet even amid this chaos, I spotted it.
Chook-! Chookchookchookchook—!!
The old man was swinging his sword in place.
Incomprehensible speed. The strikes of the sword, once invisible, became apparent.
It was merely the afterimage left by the continuous movements.
The sword technique that Yeongpung practiced…
A paradox of complexity blending with freedom, yet rooted in the basics.
The perfected form was unfolding just over there.
Chookchookchook—!! Chookchook—!!
The stigmata tore as the sword passed, disappearing into oblivion.
No flame could stand against that sword.
Whoosh—! He waved his hand.
While continuing to conjure the jade, he controlled the water fluidly with his hands.
The multitude of flames began to move in response.
From two to three.
If you blocked out the sky, you wouldn’t escape from either side, front, or back.
Sparks erupted around us.
[Hmm.]
The old man’s response was simple.
Chorrrrrr—!!
He swung faster. When one area proved hard to block, he swung even faster to cover that spot.
That moving blade cut through every black jade without missing a single one.
I chuckled bitterly at that.
It truly was hopeless.
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