Chapter: 906
“Cough…!”
Gubong crashes down to the floor.
It seemed like the trembling had finally settled in.
‘Hmm.’
I glanced at my fist while watching the collapsed guy. It definitely landed.
‘The feeling is a bit strange.’
Is it slightly tougher leather? Or perhaps I should call it sturdier muscle?
Anyway, it felt completely different from the usual.
Originally, I intended to shatter his ribs entirely, but all I managed was moderate pain without any real damage.
“Krr… Krr…”
Meanwhile, Gubong hadn’t lost his spirit; he glared at me with his fangs and began to fight back.
“…How dare you sneak attack… bang!”
I kicked his chin. His head shot up towards the sky.
“Sneak attack, my ass. Get lost with your nonsense.”
I stepped right up and started hitting him, but he dares to say it was a sneak attack?
“You should be embarrassed for not reacting. Talking about a sneak attack like that is ludicrous.”
I clicked my tongue and reached to grab his hair.
Bam-!
“Oh.”
The guy caught my wrist.
Just as I was exclaiming in admiration, I squinted at his hand.
It wasn’t just the strength I felt; I also noticed the claws and the hair on the back of his hand that looked far from human.
Kwuk.
The pressure I felt wasn’t bad at all.
At this level, it could rival the martial artists who have reached Hwagyeong; it’s pretty close.
‘Hmm.’
If I had to measure it, maybe it’s on par with Dangdeok? His grip seems stronger, though…
‘Let’s say this guy’s physical strength is off the charts.’
What is he? The more I looked, the more curious it became. So, my interest was piqued.
So…
‘Let’s hit him a bit more.’
I smiled and tugged at the bastard’s hand.
As I applied strength and pulled, the arm gripping mine weakly released.
“Ugh!”
This time, I tried to force his arms in a twist, but all it brought was pain.
Damn, his frame is surprisingly strong.
‘Then.’
How about this?
WHACK-!!
“Kwaaaaak!”
‘Now that’s broken.’
I bent the joint of his arm in the opposite direction. Applied just a bit too much force, and it snapped.
I booted him away with my foot.
Gubong rolled on the floor a few times before barely managing to stop himself.
“Ugh…”
As he held his broken arm, expressing his pain…
Wood crunch.
“Huh?”
I noticed a change in his arm. With a rough crack, it started to heal back to its original state.
“Wow.”
That’s impressive! The regenerative ability is astounding.
“That little runt too… is everyone here like this?”
Or are there just a few special cases around?
And then…
“I’m asking just in case. If I pulled it out, would it grow back too?”
“…”
At my curious question, Gubong’s shoulders flinched.
“Oh, just kidding! Just kidding.”
Seeing his reaction, I chuckled and waved my hand.
‘I guess that’s not the case here.’
It’s disappointing, but should I really check? A fleeting thought crossed my mind, but I decided to suppress it.
After all, that wasn’t what was important right now.
‘His body is tough and regenerates quickly.’
Just right.
‘It’s ideal for beating him until I feel better.’
This is a perfect outlet for my frustration. With that thought, I took a step toward him.
The scenery shifts.
I was already standing right in front of him.
As he noticed me, Gubong shifted his body.
His reaction speed was quite impressive.
Cheolgeok. As he got back up, Gubong drew a sword from his waist.
Should I stop him from pulling it out? I contemplated it briefly but decided to let it be.
I was just curious about the kind of swordplay he would use.
Sreung–!!
The sword sliced through the air as it came out of the sheath.
I tilted my head and dodged the initial strike.
In that instant, he twisted his waist, propelling himself forward. He started building speed.
Shhh-! Shhh shhh–!!
The sword strikes were steady and incredibly fast.
The fact that he remained steady despite taking hits one after the other indicated he had a solid foundation.
‘Not bad.’
I continued to evade the strikes while glancing around.
The distribution of power he possessed overall was good.
Among the martial artists at the Hwagyeong level, these guys had particularly solid fundamentals. I felt that strongly.
In that situation, his unique physical abilities, flexibility, and unusually good reaction speed all combined to become quite a threat.
But…
Bam-!
“…!”
That didn’t mean there was no opening to exploit.
Amid the flow of his sword strikes.
Even in those tight and narrow spaces, my mind’s eye found the path.
While he was executing his swordsmanship, I tripped his ankle, breaking his balance.
Yet, even then, he somehow managed to maintain his balance and continued his assault.
‘Wow. What flexibility!’
Such unbelievable control!
I couldn’t help but admire him while watching the sword.
Just as I was about to stop the sword by gripping the blade, I ended up pulling back, increasing the distance between us instead.
Shhh—!!
“Hmm…”
Yet again, the sword sliced through the air. As I observed, a chill ran down my spine.
‘I think I would’ve gotten hurt badly if I tried grabbing it just now.’
His power was extraordinary, and the strength he carried was impressive.
I knew his skills were high, but honestly, dealing with him wasn’t that troublesome.
The issue at hand was that unsettling feeling.
‘What’s with that sword?’
That sword in Gubong’s hands felt strange.
If I’d tried to catch it earlier, I surely would’ve suffered severe injuries.
‘What is going on?’
Is there something special about the sword? As I pondered about it, Gubong lunged at me.
Saah—!
He bent down, rotating the sword halfway.
With that, a crimson glow began to envelop the blade.
In a flash, a dazzling light erupted from the swift, sharp swordsmanship.
I could smell something sweet at the tip of my nose.
“…They said it was volcanic, but it seems that’s not just talk?”
I had already recognized it at first glance—the sword technique he wielded was undoubtedly the Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
Just the spectacle of that slowly blooming aura told me enough.
For sure. Did Shin Noya simply call it Hwasanpa, or did he teach the swordsmanship itself too?
‘So, if there’s a slight difference, it makes sense.’
It wouldn’t be accurate to say it’s identical to the Plum Blossom Sword Technique of the Central Plains—there’s a marked difference.
The most significant of these being that it’s rough.
Thinking back to what Yeongpung used, his swordplay was exceptionally smooth and delicate.
This, however, was something else entirely.
It merely borrowed the basic framework of the style, but the outcome was wholly different.
‘This is brutal and coarse.’
If the Plum Blossom Sword Technique of the Central Plains is truly swordsmanship, then
This is…
‘It feels like it aims for slaughter.’
A technique designed for slicing and chopping without mercy.
It’s absurd how both the fragrance of blossoms and the stench of blood can be wafting from the same sword.
‘What in the world has that old man created?’
There was no way I could consider it a normal sword.
When I kept dodging, Gubong gritted his teeth and yelled.
“Stop running away like a rat…!”
Is this a provocation? If it is, all I can do is scoff at it.
“If he’s rushing to take my life, of course, I’d run away!”
“Huh!”
His spirit surged, increasing his speed.
The plum blossoms scattered across the sky swirled around.
Leaves falling from the sacred tree intertwined with the energy-made leaves and surged toward me.
The shape resembled a tidal wave.
I clenched my fist and thrust it straight out.
Boom-!
A hole opened up in the tsunami with a short sound. It was a Heart Technique.
I readied my fist again to strike, but Gubong darted through the hole.
He charged at me like a beast stalking its prey.
In the blink of an eye, he reached right in front of me, and his blade was aimed straight for my neck.
Bam-!
“Guhk!”
Just before the sword made contact, my fist slammed into Gubong’s face. The impact sent him crashing to the floor.
Crack-!!
The shock caused the floor to fracture beneath us.
“Slow. And very slow.”
No matter how fast you are, that’s only relative to your level.
The difference in weight was too significant—it rendered any action meaningless.
“Gah…”
Poor Gubong, with a smashed face, couldn’t help but let out a groan. He looked up at me, seemingly mocking.
“Did you pick a fight just to show me something like this? Is this really all you’ve got?”
Wood crunch.
“Ughh!!”
I stomped down on his chest with my foot.
As I pressed down with force, his body gradually pushed closer to the ground.
“Hey. Is this everything you’ve got?”
“Huh… Urrk…”
“This is just pathetic.”
With a smirk, I gazed at him.
To be quite honest, this was all rather disappointing.
If this continued, I wouldn’t be able to let off steam.
‘This is getting boring. Should I just go with my initial idea and pluck his eyes out?’
This was a fleeting notion spurred by his unpleasant demeanor.
I thought for a moment about acting on it, but…
‘Nah.’
That felt a bit too far. I’d scratch a little longer.
“What’s up? You’re siding with the old geezer so much, but despite that, you’ve learned nothing. What a waste!”
“…”
As soon as the words left my mouth, Gubong visibly tensed. Though he must have been suffering under my foot, not a single scream escaped him.
His breathing stilled. Just as I suspected, this was hitting home.
“If you learned something from him, you shouldn’t be this weak. Did the old man not teach you properly? I mean, if he had, you wouldn’t only be this….”
“Stop blabbing about things you don’t know—!”
Woooosh—!!
The wind pressure surged forth. He let out a cry infused with significant energy.
In a bid to spring back, he grabbed my ankle.
My body lurched violently.
Kuung—!!!
Gubong hurled me away.
As I flew through the air, I ignited flames, allowing for a safe landing, rolling on the ground.
Cheeek!
The floor was scorched by the flames.
I straightened up and turned to face him.
“Looks like you still had some strength left in you. If so, you should’ve used it sooner.”
I casually loosened my throat as I spoke.
Gubong was also getting ready to rise again.
“…How dare you… How dare you insult the Sect Leader…?”
“Are you angry?”
I chortled lightly, eyeing him.
“What’s your angry self gonna do about it?”
“…”
His face twisted in rage.
It seemed I had effectively provoked him.
“Krrr.”
His hair bristled, and the fur on his ears stood alert. I nodded slightly at the sight.
‘His presence is growing stronger.’
The fighting spirit he exuded. The murderous intent radiating from him felt somehow more intense.
“I won’t forgive you.”
“Then what are you going to—”
“Don’t regret it.”
Thud thud thud.
“…Hmm?”
A transformation started to take shape in his body along with a gravelly sound.
He was swelling up more and more!
His fur grew longer, and his pupils elongated vertically, bleeding into an ancient and fearsome aura.
His well-kept hair now fell into a wild mess.
The low, crouched posture and the tail that had now doubled in size made for a striking visual.
Literally a beast.
“…Krrr…”
His breath came out thick and powerful, almost resembling smoke being exhaled.
As I marveled at his unsettling transformation, Gubong locked eyes with me and spoke.
“…The night has arrived. You should have finished this fight before it did.”
‘Night?’
I glanced up. It truly was night.
Just like yesterday, the purplish auroras and dazzling stars twinkled in the sky.
And adding to the spectacle, there were now two moons present.
It looked the same as the last time I saw the night sky.
“It’s night…?”
I stared at the moons, then shifted my gaze back to him.
And then, recalling that little beast I had seen before, a thought crossed my mind.
“That little beast too… it seems something changes at night. Am I right?”
“…”
“The little guy was being all elusive when a person questioned it. What’s up with that? Don’t you know how to talk? Then at least bark or something!”
“Krrr… You insolent—!”
“What? You know how to talk…”
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!!!
I saw the claws just inches away from my face.
I arched back, narrowly avoiding the attack.
Crack crack crack—!!!!
The pressure from the fierce swipe shattered the ground behind me into pieces.
But that wasn’t the end.
Mid-air, Gubong twirled around and swung his sword directly at me.
Crash—!!!!
Thudded—!!
As soon as my sword clashed with his, the ground beneath me sank.
It was an outrageous force. My eyes narrowed instinctively.
‘Even if it’s weaker than before, he’s at least twice as strong.’
That applied to both speed and strength.
Was this due to his transformation?
‘I could at least pretend he was human if you removed the ears and tail; now he’s just a savage beast.’
Even the feeling emanating from him was similar.
He resembled a creature forged from both wolf and human traits.
Was this the effect of nightfall?
‘It’s confirmed that something happens at night.’
I wasn’t sure if it was a general phenomenon or just with him.
I would need to ask Noya about it later.
‘Oh, wait…’
As the thought crossed my mind, I re-evaluated my approach.
‘There’s no need to ask Noya, after all.’
Instead of seeking out that old man who I didn’t even know the whereabouts of…
There was someone right here in front of me—the one I should be asking.
He was baring his fangs as he observed me from a distance.
“Too late to regret now—”
Thud-!
“Huh?”
I reached out, grabbing his neck and slamming him down into the ground.
Kuaaha—!!!
“Ugh…! Kkkuuk!”
Overwhelmed by shock, he attempted to spit out blood, but I cut him off with a punch to the face.
Boom-! Boom-!!
I bombarded him with punches as Gubong writhed beneath me.
I kept him pinned down, ensuring he couldn’t escape as my fists kept coming.
“You little shit.”
Bam-! Bam-!
“What is night? What is night, you little punk?”
Kwaang—!!
“What if you’ve gotten a bit stronger?”
With every punch, my feelings intensified.
“Damn, weaklings are always the ones making mistakes.”
Bam-! Bam bam—!!
“You think you’ve gotten stronger? So what?”
Bam-!
“That doesn’t mean I’m getting weaker.”
Crack-!
“Seriously, these stupid little brats…”
I tightened my fist, preparing for the final strike.
“You really don’t understand anything, do you?”
The last punch drove down, fracturing the ground beneath us like spider webs.
“Cheh.”
I spit on the ground and got back up.
After hitting a bit harder than necessary, dust kicked up everywhere.
I brushed off the debris and regained my stance.
“Making a fuss over nothing.”
I turned my wrist and looked down at him.
He was in a dreadful state, having fallen silent after thrashing around just moments ago.
“…”
Looking at him, I poked him with my foot.
“Hey. Get up.”
“…”
“I said get up!”
Still, no movement.
“Uh…”
Upon seeing that, I scratched my cheek.
“Are you dead…?”
…Did I go a little overboard?
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