Chapter: 762
Kurururung—!!!
I felt as if my ears would be deafened by the booming sound echoing in the emptiness.
Padduk.
Kurung.
Beyond the continually swirling dark clouds lay an unfathomable thunderstorm. It was a scene one might only witness in a tempest filled with thunder.
Everyone had to swallow hard at the sight.
Even just witnessing it was a spectacle. It wasn’t a natural occurrence, but rather a phenomenon conjured by a single human being.
How could one not be amazed?
This was beyond mere admiration.
Kururung-!! Kurururung—!!!
The sight of the surging thunder was reminiscent of a colossal serpent writhing within the clouds.
A vast spectacle that demanded attention.
At that time, while countless observers watched in silence…
Keeeeeeee-AAAAAH!–!!!
The monster unleashed a howl.
In that moment…
Kuaaaahhhh—!!!
From the countless demonic gates floating in the air, monsters surged forth.
Though each resembled a beast, their individual traits and sizes were far from comparable.
It looked as if a massive building was collapsing.
Each one of them was capable enough to raze entire villages, causing all nearby warriors to hold their breath.
Disaster was at hand.
A ripe peak of calamity. A red monster that could only be faced if one was sufficiently familiar with it.
Dozens of these monsters appeared simultaneously.
If they landed here, destruction would follow.
Even if one tried to endure through justice and collaboration, there were limits.
So, all the warriors contemplated sacrificing their lives.
They probably didn’t see this coming either.
“Be careful, everyone.”
I intended to confront such monsters.
“It’ll be dazzling to your eyes, so it might be best to keep them closed if possible.”
That meant I had summoned something even stronger.
Flutter.
As the old man’s red robe fluttered, he lightly drew his fingertip downward. Then…
Kurururung—!!!!
Thud—!!!
Lightning began to strike from the skies.
Kuaaaahhhh!!
Squeak-!!
Countless divine retributions rained down magnificently.
The overpowering thunder pierced through the monsters, obliterating them as if they were nothing.
Enemies, boasting tremendous defensive powers, were being systematically slain by the thunder’s might.
Kyaaaaaaaah!!
The wails of the demons filled the air.
The scent of burning flesh tingled in my nostrils, while the vibrations ruled everywhere.
The monsters thirsting for blood were dying one by one.
“…Her….”
I swallowed hard as I watched it.
‘…How strong is that gentleman…?’
He swung his sword expertly with just a flick of his fingertips.
That alone was enough to annihilate a village of Hanam.
Heavenly Lord.
He was one of the three most respected figures in the realm and possibly the most senior warrior alive.
Legends said he had once confronted thousands of Sapa warriors single-handedly in his prime.
His power was truly formidable enough to be called the Three Lords. Even in his current state, he exuded a powerful presence akin to the title of the Ruler of Heaven.
‘I don’t remember him being this strong.’
A twinge of doubt surfaced in my mind.
This was something I had anticipated the moment I first heard about the dragon’s resurrection from Pilduma.
I had reorganized my plans while preparing for unforeseen circumstances.
I assumed that even if I was uncertain about the strength of a hundred-level monster, it would certainly overpower me.
‘The monsters are strong.’
I couldn’t inflict a scratch unless I reached the realm of imagination.
Not only did they boast incredible defenses, but even their offensive capabilities made it a daunting task to confront them alone.
But for the sake of my future schemes, I needed to summon that thing and hunt it down. Thus, the method I chose was simple.
‘If I can’t kill it, I’ll summon someone who can.’
If I couldn’t hunt a hundred-level monster by myself, I would find someone who could.
Almost immediately, the individual I managed to summon was none other than Cheonjon.
A strong ally I could somehow call upon.
Of course, it required a bit of manipulation and humiliation on my part, yet in the end, the one available was that old man.
For reasons unknown, he had been staying at the Gu Clan with his father since the incident at Dangmun, offering to take on the role of a gatekeeper, sword in hand, insisting he needed to earn his keep.
As a result, I found myself caught in a bizarre predicament where I received care from the Sword Lord, while the Heavenly Lord guarded the entrance, and the Fallen Lord trained me.
But…
‘…Regardless, I managed to summon him.’
Whatever the circumstance, the Heavenly Lord had arrived in Hanam at my request around two weeks ago, demonstrating such formidable prowess.
‘What makes him so strong?’
I was in awe of the Heavenly Lord’s appearance.
The Heavenly Lord is strong. That’s a given.
How could one be counted among the Three Lords without immense strength?
I had briefly clashed with him a few times in my previous life, and knowing his might, I had always tried to steer clear of him.
He is stronger than me—even now, he has surpassed the level he reached in his previous life.
It made sense for him to be this powerful…
‘…But he’s way stronger than I expected.’
What Cheonjon displayed now was far above my anticipations.
With a mere gesture, the red monsters were expunged.
It was the same in my past life, too.
When the red monster made its initial appearance, it was Cheonjon who both hunted it first and discovered its weaknesses.
There are two approaches to dealing with a red monster.
Hunt by searching for tiny gaps in its continually healing barrier, targeting those openings.
In this life, I had secretly disseminated this knowledge while hiding my identity, allowing me to mitigate the damages inflicted by the red monster.
The second method of dealing with it…
‘I’ll unleash a force that the barrier can’t withstand.’
The barrier protecting the red monster.
That barrier shatters once it absorbs a certain threshold of energy.
The second strategy seems simpler at first glance.
However, that ‘certain amount’ is significantly large, making it conventional wisdom leans toward the first approach.
Yet…
‘…He’s just using it freely?’
Watching the Heavenly Lord’s hunting methods left me astounded.
Kurururung–!!!
[Kkuiik-!!]
With one bolt of lightning, he instantly obliterated the red monster resembling a pig.
It was a pig-like monster known as Jeokbidon (赤緋豚).
This creature was particularly tricky to deal with, being resistant to both fire and physical strikes, yet it simply fell to a single lightning strike.
No effort to search for weaknesses was needed.
The power contained within the lightning was sufficient to pierce the barrier.
It suggests there’s no necessity to get bogged down in weakness-finding.
At this point, I, too, have opted to skip the weakness-searching and instead utilized the second method.
‘I can use it even in this situation.’
Handling that many monsters in such a manner was impossible.
Not only was the energy volume a concern, but maintaining constant explosive firepower was excessively draining.
‘The old man’s stamina is impressive too.’
Seemingly unaffected by any fatigue, Cheonjon continued to unleash lightning.
Kurung-!! Kurururung—!!
The discharges kept on pouring relentlessly.
Kurrrr-!!
Each time they fell, another monster perished.
I narrowed my eyes at the unfolding scene.
‘My energy reserves should be greater.’
Despite Cheonjon’s superior level and experiences, if we were discussing solely the amount of energy possessed, I would likely have more.
Yet, how could he pull off such feats?
I couldn’t grasp the underlying mechanics.
‘What sets us apart?’
It seemed to be a difference in methodology. Yet rather than delving into that, I pondered…
‘Is this what the Trinity looks like?’
As I confirmed Cheonjon’s presence, I found myself swallowing hard.
What hadn’t I realized in my previous life?
It felt distinctly different from that time.
The Lord of Thunder and the Skies.
Despite being the same sword master, the reason he is identified as the Heavenly Lord rather than the Sword Lord dawned on me.
‘…Now that I reach this level, it feels vastly different.’
Perhaps this would be the first—truly facing an adept of the Three Lords.
The Fallen Lord is a mere shell of his former self, so that comparison has little meaning… But with Cheonjon, it became evident.
‘This is a wall.’
What stood before me was indeed a wall.
A wall that looms even higher, one I can’t possibly scale yet.
Even witnessing the prowess of youthful masters, I felt them to be superior to me, let alone Cheonjon.
He genuinely appeared like a wall.
One I could not dare to ascend—yet someday, I must.
That very wall stood right in front of my eyes.
“…Uggh….”
I stumbled, struggling to rise.
Just moving a little sent waves of pain reverberating through my bones.
‘Ah… this isn’t good.’
It was blatantly evident that I would be suffering from this injury for a couple of months.
The pain in my insides was notably sharp.
So much so that even practicing the Tuapacheonmu had become futile.
Earlier, I had almost fainted just from the habitual movements.
“Phew… phew….”
I attempted to breathe while scanning the area.
Then the people’s reactions became vividly apparent.
‘These people… I told them to shut their eyes.’
Despite the Heavenly Lord’s warning, everyone’s eyes were wide open, mouths agape.
With such thunderous flashes, aren’t their eyes hurting?!
“…That… person… no way.”
“Heavenly Lord…?”
“How could the Heavenly Lord…?”
Even with his red cloak hiding his features, his identity was unmistakable.
They clearly understood.
There was only one individual capable of summoning lightning from the heavens like this.
Kuaaaahhhh!!
Just as I pondered that with growing apprehension, another lightning strike rained down upon a monster.
The creature, ignited to the core, collapsed lifelessly.
“…”
That signified the conclusion.
Over thirty monsters lay vanquished.
The overwhelming force anticipated to ravage Hanam was utterly dismantled by a single elderly figure’s prowess.
All that remained were the corpses of monsters and the acrid smell of burnt flesh.
At the epicenter, the old man turned nonchalantly, approaching me.
He held a sword but didn’t swing it; his actions were merely a series of gestures.
And with those simple motions, he created this chaos.
‘Heavenly Lord.’
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
‘So he was this powerful.’
To think mere fleeting appearances could overshadow this much presence.
If he possessed this much strength, how did I remain oblivious to it in my past life?
Had I simply failed to see?
‘I doubt it’s something you’d miss just by not looking.’
Such is an ability finely tuned for warfare.
He didn’t even draw his main weapon—that sword of his—so if he were to engage properly, it would surely manifest in a far more overwhelming display.
This wasn’t something one simply overlooked due to lack of exposure in a past life.
It was genuinely perplexing.
“Are you alright?”
As I observed the approach of the Heavenly Lord, I could no longer pursue my questions.
“…Yes… I’m… alright.”
“I shall assist you.”
“There’s no need for that, sir, and…”
I glanced around just slightly.
“I mentioned this before, but please… lower your voice. There are too many eyes watching…”
The young master insisted, utterly unreasonable, even needing me to speak quietly.
I attempted to plead with him further, but…
“How could I do that while working as a servant?”
“…”
I don’t get why every prominent figure—be it the Sword Lord or the Heavenly Lord—has to make me feel so uncomfortable.
Was this somehow entertaining for them?
“Are you saying the Heavenly Lord is raising his voice in regard to Soyeomra right now?”
“How could that… happen? Last I checked, Soyeom was engaged to the Namgung family…”
“Then it must be that…”
Damn it, as expected, strange rumors were on the verge of spreading.
Just as I frantically tried to intervene…
Keeee… keee… squeak…!
All heads turned to the sound.
It wasn’t over yet.
The one who had summoned the red dragon remained alive.
But…
‘…I have a feeling he’ll be dead soon?’
The state of the creature seemed rather unusual.
Its enormous wings were riddled with holes, resembling a tattered rag. Moreover, its already emaciated body had become even more frayed.
“I refrained from intervening, just in case. Could my old man’s meddling have been unnecessary?”
“…”
I pondered why only this one was still standing, only to realize it was a gesture of goodwill from Cheonjon.
After hearing that, I whispered quietly.
“…No, thank you. This was quite necessary.”
“I’m relieved to hear I was of assistance.”
The elderly man’s laughter took my breath away.
Anyone could see he was teetering on the brink of death.
Seeing this led to a moment of urgency in my thoughts.
‘If I don’t act quickly, it will be too late.’
It would be unacceptable for him to die like this.
So I pushed through my broken body and stepped forward.
“Confucius…!?”
Dang So-yeol rushed to stop me, but someone else stepped in front of him.
It was Namgung Bi-ah.
“Sister…! Why…?”
“…Please wait….”
“But Confucius…!”
“There must be a reason….”
“…”
Namgung Bi-ah blocked Dang So-yeol’s path, and he struggled to find words but ultimately fell silent.
Wi Seol-ah looked at me hesitantly, but fortunately, she didn’t take any action.
“Wha-what are you doing going alone!?”
“It’s dangerous!”
“…Damn it, everyone, move! We must save Soyeomra!”
The warriors present seemed united in spirit, ready to rush toward me, but they found themselves unable to approach.
Fizzle.
A fleeting shockwave of thunder surrounded them.
“Ugh….”
Surprise coursed through me, while the master of the thunder waved his hand with a grin.
“I apologize… But please hold on a moment. It seems there’s something significant happening here.”
With those words from Cheonjon, the crowd fell silent.
“Phew….”
With my weary frame, I finally made it to the monster.
Kki… kkii…
The creature truly appeared on the verge of demise.
I stretched out my hand slightly.
Pass!
“…”
The surrounding barrier had long since dissipated.
It seemed to have been destroyed long ago, signaling that it had reached its limits.
Perhaps summoning the monsters was a final desperate attempt.
“I guess the initial attack when it resurrected must’ve been effective.”
It was definitely the right move to initiate.
Had I not done that, this victory might not have materialized.
I pondered while seizing the beast’s neck with my extended arm.
[Kki…]
The creature couldn’t muster any retaliation.
I stated, “You’ve lost. Accept it.”
[…]
There was no response.
“Well… Perhaps talking won’t lead anywhere.”
‘…Is this pointless?’
If I don’t admit victory or defeat, I can’t utilize my desires. Maybe there’s nothing to gain from this unreasonable entity after all.
I had hoped it might work, but it turned out to be a hollow endeavor.
Just as I intended to execute the beast…
Woohoo…
“…!”
A sensation shot through my heart.
Ps…
In that instant, a dark energy exploded from the shadows, enveloping the creature’s body.
It was desire.
Crunch.
Crack.
The desire surged forth, beginning to devour the monster’s powers.
“…”
This was working.
I was ready to eliminate him if my previous efforts failed, yet now it appeared as if the power was asserting itself.
After a lengthy feast, my desire returned to the shadows as if concluding its meal.
Ugh…
“…Phew….”
At that very moment, I sensed something seeping into my heart.
This… was his power.
As I sat down heavily, I was graced with a strange sensation.
[Ugh… Kkur…]
The creature from which the powers were drawn began deteriorating, its once vibrant form becoming emaciated. I quietly observed it.
It would be correct to assert that it no longer possessed enough strength to kill.
“Hooh….”
With a deep sigh escaping my lips, a measure of rest came over me.
[…I… feel… sick…]
“Eh?”
A bizarre tone mingled with its cries.
[Thank… you… I appreciate it…]
“What?”
Clear human speech.
The monster, which had howled in an empty voice just moments ago, now spoke in a tone reminiscent of a child.
Startled, I approached, saying, “What did you just say…?”
Whir—!
As if it had finally stopped breathing, the monster’s form fluttered in the breeze, dissipating in an instant.
Moments later, everything had vanished, leaving nothing but a pristine white gem on the ground.
The white gemstone served as proof that it had been a hundred-level monster.
“…”
As I recognized this, I couldn’t help but squint.
For reasons unknown, a sense of discomfort gnawed at one side of my chest.
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