Chapter: 855
The Sword of the Heart. Sword Mastery. It is an ultimate state that only a very few martial artists who have reached the Hwagyeong can perceive.
The unification with the sword, known as Shingeom Unification, represents the dream of all swordsmen. It is an absolute power that can only be awakened by reaching that state.
“…Four years….”
The Lord of Gyecheon clutched his chest and let out a sigh.
He had been cut. Blood flowed, soaking his black uniform.
What did the cut? Was it sword energy? No.
The Lord of Gyecheon was also a high-level swordsman. He already knew what had struck him.
“How could you, four years old, do such a thing…!”
This is the Sword of the Heart. What he experienced was undeniably the Sword of the Heart.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t feel this way.
“Cough.”
Blood spilled from his mouth and splattered onto the floor.
The wound was considerably deep. Had he not dodged with a split-second decision, he might have been killed on the spot.
“…Ugh….”
The Lord of Gyecheon groaned in pain as he looked straight ahead.
He glared at the damn girl who put him in this state.
Swords lay scattered on the ground. Even though sword energy seeped from them, they did not stick to the earth. This space couldn’t be broken, no matter how great the strength used.
However, the attack had landed; it wasn’t without effects. Because of that, the opponent didn’t seem to be in good condition either.
Blood seeped from his torn uniform, and the blood that began at his forehead dripped onto his pale neck.
It seemed they had sacrificed their defense for the sake of attack.
Because of that, it must have been hard for her to even stand, yet she was still doing so.
“Huh… are you laughing?”
She was smiling brightly, as if she found the current situation enjoyable.
“Heh heh….”
The Lord of Gyecheon let out a hollow laugh at that sight.
“It’s truly the very essence of a fight.”
This was a life-and-death battle, yet she was having fun facing someone vastly more skilled than herself.
She must be out of her mind. A fleeting sense of fear darted through Gyecheon’s mind.
But he quickly dismissed it.
“…Don’t get cocky.”
He stood up while sidestepping. The wound was still agonizing, but he used his energy to staunch the bleeding.
“Do you think you have a shot now that you’ve landed one hit?”
Woohoo!
The swords that had fallen to the ground rose into the air and returned to the Lord of Gyecheon.
Then, they began to circle around him.
“You failed to cut my throat with that attack. That means your end is near.”
The Lord of Gyecheon frowned as he pointed his finger down.
At that moment, the swords flew toward Namgung Bi-ah at high speed again.
Swords soaring through the air, drawing lines against the sky.
“…”
He observed the elegantly moving swords. They were quite threatening. Each sword’s energy, vibrant and heavy, displayed the Lord of Gyecheon’s strength.
Each one was enough to threaten her life.
“…”
Namgung Bi-ah merely smiled silently as she gazed at the swords.
And then.
Swish. Suddenly, her body began to move lightly.
Seeing that, the Lord of Gyecheon furrowed his brows.
The movements were smooth.
Like silk swaying in the breeze. It appeared both graceful and fresh. Plus, her looks were outstanding—so beautiful that it was a treat for the eyes.
‘What is she doing?’
It didn’t match the situation. What good is gracefulness? A dancer drenched in blood only seems mad.
‘Has she lost her mind?’
After failing her final attack, did she just give up? Just then, as that thought traversed Gyecheon’s mind,
Shh-!
“…!”
His eyes widened at the spectacle unfolding before him. From that beautiful movement, he sensed something.
According to the will of the Lord of Gyecheon, the swords continued slicing through the air. Their speed surpassed that of sound, and there was more than one.
Swish! Swish!
“This girl…?”
Even though several swords stabbed toward the same spot, they strangely didn’t even graze Namgung Bi-ah’s collar.
There was no sound from her feet as she stepped forward.
Those graceful movements evaded all attacks.
Like soft feathers. It felt precarious, as if she’d float away with the slightest breeze, yet she maintained her stance.
‘What the heck is that?’
The Lord of Gyecheon couldn’t help but be astonished by those movements. They were beyond his comprehension.
These were moves he would never employ as a martial artist.
She was completely outside the box.
Namgung Bi-ah appeared that way, and the Lord of Gyecheon found it hard to believe.
‘What is this…?’
What on earth is going on?
Gyecheon looked at Namgung Bi-ah with trembling eyes. She dodged another deadly strike. No, rather than dodging, it seemed as if the sword only missed her.
It was such a sight—natural yet strangely artificial.
Another sword passed by. And then another.
Namgung Bi-ah kept walking, narrowly avoiding the swordsmanship of Gyecheonmunju.
She didn’t even take a glance at the swords passing her by.
‘That’s…!’
Only then did Gyecheon grasp Namgung Bi-ah’s condition fully.
This was a state of transcendence.
‘…Fighting me so boldly!’
She was standing her ground against him. They were both injured in an intense showdown.
But, how could she possibly enter this state of fluidity now?
‘No matter how much you enjoy fighting, this kind of recklessness is absurd.’
Gyecheon squeezed his lips and stretched out his hand. A sword hovering in the air adjusted its angle and zipped into his palm.
Seizing the sword, he felt a surge of energy unlike before.
His wounded body was still in torment, but Gyecheon was past caring about that.
‘I will kill you.’
Regardless of being a holy king or a womanizer, he intended simply to handle this. If not, his pride would take a severe hit.
‘What could stand in my way?’
Disturbances from outside the box, or the Sword of the Heart? That too was pointless.
In the end, the one standing victorious from this battle would be him.
‘If possible, I’d prefer not to use that much power.’
Maybe he would have to resort to it. A shallow unease whispered in Gyecheon’s head. He tried earnestly to ignore it.
Whii-iiiiing!
The speed of his sword strikes increased. A burst of energy exploded from his lower danjeon.
With this level of output, he wouldn’t last half a day.
But that was of no concern.
‘That’s more than enough.’
The sword lunged toward Namgung Bi-ah. Gyecheon too leaped in response.
A flash of light crossed the air.
All the light aimed directly at Namgung Bi-ah. She didn’t halt her movements, even as she witnessed it.
Pick!
One sword grazed Namgung Bi-ah’s shoulder, ripping her uniform and causing blood to spurt.
Yet, she didn’t stop this time either.
The distance between them narrowed. Another sword flew in. Namgung Bi-ah twisted her waist to evade the attack.
But, this was a trap.
By deliberately altering the angle, he made it tough to dodge, and then the third sword flew in.
Namgung Bi-ah swung her sword.
Swish! The strike cloaked in thunder cleaved through the air, accurately deflecting the oncoming attack.
Clang-!
The rebounding sword rolled across the ground. At that moment,
Gyecheon had already reached Namgung Bi-ah.
Catching her attention with three swords, he reached his destination at top speed.
Namgung Bi-ah’s gaze was peculiar as she realized this.
Gyecheon noticed her looking and momentarily held back his speed.
Slash! His nose was lightly sliced. It was a Sword of the Heart.
Although he himself hadn’t yet reached that state, he was capable of sensing it and ultimately dodged her strike.
At last, he managed to engage her. The Lord of Gyecheon grinned while clutching his sword.
“I warned you.”
The sword was drawn.
“The moment you failed to cut my throat, your fate was sealed.”
An unstoppable sword.
It lunged toward Namgung Bi-ah’s elegant neck.
Clang-!
“…!”
Suddenly, the sword of the Lord of Gyecheon was repelled.
Someone intervened, blocking his attack. The old man glanced down.
The first sight was of dark blond hair, and the second was a vibrant golden gaze, glowing as if set aflame.
“You…!”
Gyecheon’s surprise contained a hint of awe when he recognized her.
In that instant.
Thud-! Thud thud thud-!!
“Ugh!”
Multiple swords assaulted the chest of the Lord of Gyecheon.
Golden swords forged purely from energy.
Boom!
The shockwave sent the Lord of Gyecheon tumbling back into the wall. Wi Seol-ah, witnessing this, urgently turned back.
“Sister—!”
Namgung Bi-ah had also dropped to her knees.
Maybe fatigue had finally caught up, and she was gasping for breath.
“Phew… huh…”
“Sister… are you alright? I’m sorry… I suddenly lost focus…”
As Wi Seol-ah looked at Namgung Bi-ah with tear-filled eyes, she raised a hand to pat Wi Seol-ah’s shoulder.
“It’s… okay.”
“But…!”
“…It’s okay… I had fun.”
“…What?”
Namgung Bi-ah’s expression was one of genuine enjoyment amidst their turmoil.
“Too much blood has been spilled. Let me stop the bleeding first.”
“…Yeah…”
Before she could finish, Wi Seol-ah laid her hands on Namgung Bi-ah’s back and poured her energy into her.
It could barely stem the bleeding.
However, not only was the pain severe, but fatigue had piled up significantly.
Although she finally regained her senses, it was obvious how much she neglected to support herself in the fight.
Wi Seol-ah bit her lip in guilt.
“I’m so sorry, sis. First, we need to get out of here urgently…”
Cough-!!
At the sound of a cough echoing from the wall, Wi Seol-ah’s face went pale.
“…Please wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Wi Seol-ah drew her sword and took action.
“Ugh… heh heh…”
The Lord of Gyecheon, slumped on the floor, looked at the swords embedded in his chest, letting out a grim chuckle mixed with blood.
“I almost forgot about you. I should’ve dealt with you sooner.”
He knew there was another woman present. Yet his greed led him to make a mistake.
He should have started off by cutting that girl’s neck first.
“… Ah, what a disappointment.”
The words slipped from the Lord of Gyecheon’s lips. But Wi Seol-ah did not respond.
She simply charged in to end him. Seeing this, the Lord of Gyecheon seemed resigned.
Suddenly, he withdrew something from his sleeve.
“Who would’ve guessed…I’d need to use this precious item… right now.”
He pulled something out. The moment Wi Seol-ah recognized it, her pace quickened.
But the Lord of Gyecheon had already put what he held in his mouth.
Crunch—!
Change occurred instantaneously.
Bam-!
“…Huh…?”
The flying sword was caught by the Lord of Gyecheon. Wi Seol-ah let out a gasp, frustration evident.
Thud-!
A blow struck her abdomen. She was hurled back. Skreeeek—!! Her feet scraped against the ground, slowing her down. She barely managed to lessen the impact.
“…Ugh…”
Her abdomen was pained enough that she had to clutch it. Though she grasped the movements quickly, the magnitude of the shock had rendered her still.
“Hahhh…”
Wi Seol-ah steadied her breath and adjusted her stance. By then, Namgung Bi-ah had risen to her feet once more.
The two exchanged glances, sensing something was amiss with the Lord of Gyecheon.
“Sister.”
“…Yeah…”
Wi Seol-ah called to Namgung Bi-ah, gently rubbing her arm.
Goosebumps ran down their spines. Their bodies reacted to the overwhelming presence.
“…Kuh….”
Slowly, the Lord of Gyecheon lifted his body. A transformation was already underway.
His hair, originally dark for his age, was now turning white.
His height, already impressive, had increased even more.
He looked to be well over eight feet tall. His lean form characteristic of swordmasters was morphing, muscles swelling to almost bursting.
That alone was a staggering change, but the most bizarre detail was yet to come.
Scales sprouted across his skin. His irises began to shimmer with a golden hue.
“…”
Namgung Bi-ah’s gaze shot to Wi Seol-ah the moment she confirmed this.
Wi Seol-ah swallowed hard.
[Haaah…]
The Lord of Gyecheon sighed quietly.
[…Ahhh…]
At his brief words, Namgung Bi-ah squinted. The pressure wrapped in his voice seemed to crush their lungs.
It was dangerous. Whatever it was, the current Lord of Gyecheon posed a severe threat.
[Are you aware?]
His voice resonated throughout the entire space.
[This is something I never intended to unleash, even against the Holy King… no, it was far too precious for him. I never expected to use it against you.]
Such a shame. It was such a regret, yet the Lord of Gyecheon could smile.
The superiority and ease he felt were extremely sweet.
[…But that hardly matters now. You lowly…]
Observing the two, the Lord of Gyecheon abruptly cocked his head.
His attention shifted to Wi Seol-ah.
[Hmm?]
“…”
Just as Gyecheon was contemplating something, staring intently at Wi Seol-ah,
“…Sister.”
Wi Seol-ah called Namgung Bi-ah, as if signaling for action.
Simultaneously, she triggered the energy she had been holding back. The innate energy began to bubble up. If Namgung Bi-ah drew out Brain-ah to match it, wouldn’t they have a fighting chance?
Seeing this possibility, Wi Seol-ah steeled herself, but Namgung Bi-ah gripped her shoulder confidently.
“…No.”
“Wha? But… What then?”
“There’s no need, is there?…” Wi Seol-ah halted her words.
She had gotten the hint too.
“It’s okay.”
Namgung Bi-ah spoke assuredly, filled with unwavering faith. Wi Seol-ah mirrored her focus, gazing toward the door.
At that moment, the motionless Lord of Gyecheon seemed to realize something as he turned to Wi Seol-ah, speaking again.
[Ah, I see. You are… no, you’re…]
Krrrack.
[Huh?]
Lord Gyecheon turned at the sound of a rough noise that had interrupted him. There was only a door behind him.
But what sort of noise was coming from there?
Crashhh—!
[…What?]
The sound emanated from the iron gate, which was gradually becoming dented. It sounded as if something outside was attempting to rip it apart.
This is absurd.
[That’s… something no one should be able to break?]
A space that no one could open and could never be destroyed.
That was the defining characteristic of this underground realm, yet what on earth could be causing this?
Gyecheon could scarcely believe his eyes.
But as if dismissing such queries, the door rapidly lost its shape.
Boom—!!
In the end, it was torn off completely, iron door and all.
At the same time.
Something flew toward Gyecheon’s face.
He could only see it at the last moment. It was a fist.
Smack—! Boom—!!
Gyecheon, struck in the face by the punch, fell to the ground with his face planted.
“Ugh!”
The Lord of Gyecheon stifled a cry of pain. He couldn’t keep it together for long.
Before him stood a sole foot.
[Get down-!]
Crashhh—!
The foot slammed down on the Lord of Gyecheon’s face. With a cracking sound, the ground beneath him fractured like a spider’s web.
The ground, deemed unbreakable, shattered effortlessly.
“Guh… huh…”
Crushed beneath, Gyecheon trembled in defeat.
Witnessing this was the youth with the striking purple eyes—the owner of the foot, Gu Yangcheon.
“What is this freaking monster?”
Ironically, there was surprise in his voice.
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