Chapter 77 : Chapter 77
Chapter 077. Arrival of the Demon God (3)
The power Wi Cheon-rak could use had been close to infinite since this battle began. Even if Dam Jeok-san had damaged the essence of the demonic energy, the amount had not noticeably decreased.
What was lacking was his technique and the size of his vessel. However, by offering himself to the Cult Leader, he was able to cast off those limitations.
He was currently in a state where both his body and mind were united with the Cult Leader.
The nearly infinite knowledge and realization regarding forbidden arts possessed by the Cult Leader surged forth like a flood.
In exchange, Wi Cheon-rak's upper dantian was completely ruined, but the power he obtained was equally mighty.
Every time he waved his hand, a fire thunderbolt of hell fell. Sorcery of such power that even the Sword Venerable and Sword King could not avoid death if hit directly.
As the fire thunderbolts fell a few times, the world changed like a fiery hell of the other shore.
Even that was a result made possible because Dark Heaven, that half-dragon, unfolded sorcery and offset some of his power.
If not for that, small fries like the Monster Repelling Squad would have already been annihilated.
However, this was merely a part of the power Wi Cheon-rak had obtained.
His specialty, the Soul Consuming Restriction, had also evolved much more efficiently than before due to the Cult Leader's influence.
Originally, the Soul Consuming Restriction had many constraints. Especially against a target like the Sword Ghost whose spirit was suppressed by a surprise attack.
Because of that, he could not fully draw out the Sword Ghost's capabilities, so he was being unilaterally pushed back by the Sword King. However, thanks to the Cult Leader's knowledge, the Soul Consuming Restriction became more perfect.
The Sword Ghost fully displayed his capabilities and pushed the Sword King back again.
And Wi Cheon-rak did not look strained at all even while pouring out fire thunderbolts.
While covering the battlefield with wide-area sorcery, he concentrated energy as black and sticky as an abyss on his hand blade and engaged in close combat with Un Wol-hyang.
Literally, combat power close to a disaster.
Like that, the tide of battle turned in an instant.
* * *
BOOM!!
Sword strikes rained down like a storm with lightning-like momentum from Namgung Gwan's hand. All of them were ultimate techniques of the Emperor Sword Form possessing terrifying power.
Every time his sword flashed, the fire thunderbolts falling from the empty air were annihilated with a roar.
“...This is burdensome.”
A deep sigh flowed from Namgung Gwan's mouth. He had only struck away the fire thunderbolts a couple of times, but his sword tip was already becoming dull.
“Kihiki...”
To make matters worse, the Sword Ghost also swung his blood-red sword while letting out a bizarre laughing sound.
The guy was different from before. A blood-red intent was contained in the guy's Blood Sword, and that intent was powerful enough to gnaw away even the domain of the Emperor Sword Form little by little.
The Emperor's sword and the ghost's sword carved away at each other's flesh every time they clashed. Furthermore, whenever he thought he could push back a little, flashing fire thunderbolts would strike.
Namgung Gwan clicked his tongue, feeling a clear disadvantage.
“How is it, is it somewhat manageable for the Sword Venerable?”
The Sword King asked while receiving a fire thunderbolt, glancing at the Northern Heaven Sword Venerable who was dealing with Wi Cheon-rak's main body.
“I must make it so.”
Un Wol-hyang answered without hesitation. The path she had walked was extremely barren. There were more fights where defeat and death were certain than fights where victory was guaranteed.
That was the same even after reaching the Entering Transformation Realm. Because the Demonic Realm is a battlefield where even masters who have reached a transcendent stage can lose their lives in an instant.
“Haha, that is correct.”
Namgung Gwan let out a hollow laugh at her calm attitude and adjusted his grip on his sword.
He too had regarded death closer than life in his old days. However, as the time he lived as the head of a family and a powerful man south of the Yangtze River grew longer, his blade became dull.
Days of arguing rather than killing and dying. Days of fighting for interests rather than fighting for life.
Such days piled up like dust, making his sword rusty.
But it will be different from now on.
WHOOSH!
The spirit exuding from Namgung Gwan's body changed completely.
He can no longer go back to the past. Because the Namgung Gwan in his twenties who ran out of the family and wandered the Gangho with a single sword as his friend is already dead and gone.
However, he had something to protect.
'Yeon...'
The future of the family, and his eldest daughter, Namgung Yeon. He must send her back from here alive. Even if he dies.
“In my youth, I admired the unhindered nature of the Azure Sky.”
The Sword King said quietly, looking at the Sword Ghost rushing at him having lost his reason.
He knows the fact that he is a puppet who lost his reason. But swinging such a powerful sword in that state means that the Sword Ghost is a swordsman who reached a respectable stage regardless of good and evil.
“But I found that I could not live like that even in my old age.”
So Namgung Gwan calmly recited his realization. Containing respect for his opponent.
“Therefore, now I intend to walk the path of the Emperor.”
Heavy and dull.
Therefore, heavy and powerful.
A sword that kills to protect.
Therefore, naming it the Chapter of the Super Heavy Sword Style of the Emperor Sword Form.
WOOOOOOO!
The pressure in the area strengthens just with the precursor of the sword technique. Pressure as if being crushed by thousands of pounds of steel touches both of the Sword Ghost's shoulders.
Namgung Gwan thrust his sword without any hesitation. From top to bottom, an honest downward cut. A simple and powerful strike harboring the mystery of cutting something in two with one stroke fell upon the Sword Ghost.
CR-CR-CR-CRASH!
The strike of the Emperor Sword Form stretched out with fierce momentum as if to bisect the Sword Ghost from the crown of his head.
But the Sword Ghost used a strange body movement art difficult for a human to mimic and pulled his body out at a speed transcending imagination.
Namgung Gwan's sword ended at cutting deeply into the guy's shoulder blade.
It is a very fatal injury for him who had already lost one arm to Un Wol-hyang.
A situation where it wouldn't be strange to call him incapacitated for combat if he wasn't a half-demon.
However, the Sword Ghost was a Cardinal of the Yin God Cult even among half-demons.
Crimson blood-colored energy sprouted like thorny vines and began to forcibly suture the Sword Ghost's tattered shoulder and arm.
“Disgusting.”
Namgung Gwan summarized the situation with a single word.
“Try prolonging your life pitifully like that a hundred times, and I will gladly cut it all off.”
He glanced coldly and rushed toward the Sword Ghost.
The domain of the Emperor Sword Form became much heavier than before. Namgung Gwan became able to deflect the baptism of fire emitted by Wi Cheon-rak while dealing with the Sword Ghost.
And the tide of battle, which seemed to be tilting completely, regained stability at least partially.
* * *
[Squad Leader of the Monster Repelling Squad, if it goes on like this, it is all over. You must create a variable.]
Heaven-startling and earth-shaking. Amidst the battle where the sky was startled and the earth shook—
Myung-cheon's telepathy pierced into Dam Jeok-san's mind like an awl.
[...What do you mean by that?]
Dam Jeok-san, who was observing the battlefield looking for a gap to intervene, asked back with a surprised look.
[Wi Cheon-rak, the problem is that the Status of the demonic energy the guy handles has changed.]
Originally, with the demonic energy Wi Cheon-rak handled, it was extremely difficult to corrupt Myung-cheon.
Because the guy's Status did not reach the level of Myung-cheon, or strictly speaking, the Black Dragon. It is the same logic as water not flowing from bottom to top.
However, the moment he united with the Cult Leader, this premise was overturned.
Befitting the grand title of Demon God, the guy reached a Status higher than a dragon with a human body.
So the demonic energy fully soaking up the Cult Leader's Status was encroaching upon Myung-cheon's spirit and body.
[The time I can endure is not long. At most about two double hours?]
[...Do you mean only that much?]
A story that even Dam Jeok-san, who prides himself on not being pushed around anywhere in terms of boldness, had no choice but to be flustered by.
[Because it is a Great Art unfolded by such a sorcerer prepared for death. It is something we should have been prepared for from the beginning.]
Myung-cheon answered calmly without being flustered.
[I trust you, Squad Leader.]
[.......]
Dam Jeok-san forcibly swallowed a sigh and bowed his head deeply.
The ability of Predation, swordsmanship reached the Ultra-Peak, talent that might appear once in a hundred years, the quality of a Grandmaster, martial artists of the Monster Repelling Squad ready to risk their lives...
Even if he mobilizes everything he can employ, it is uncertain if he can even intervene in that heaven-startling and earth-shaking battlefield.
Even so, it was hard to expect Myung-cheon's help. Because she was fulfilling her calling by blocking the fire thunderbolts falling on the battlefield while simultaneously suppressing her own corruption.
“Two Vice-Squad Leaders, and Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear.”
Dam Jeok-san called the four people in a low voice.
Baek Ri-gwan and Peng Cho-seol. Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear. Practically the combat power that can be called the strongest in the Monster Repelling Squad. Power that even the current Dam Jeok-san would have no choice but to struggle against if the four attacked at once.
“Cover me. Ensure that I do not die before you die.”
Instructions as cold as a sheet of ice flowed from Dam Jeok-san's mouth.
Create a variable in that damnably intense battlefield?
It is absolutely impossible alone.
All he could do in the middle of that battlefield would probably be barely preserving his life. If he tried to attack even for a single moment, his body would be torn to shreds and he would die in an instant.
“Yes.”
The one who answered first was, ironically, Gyeong-won, the weakest among them.
Dam Jeok-san could read the fear contained in that voice. It is not that he fears death. He fears the future where he dies and fails to protect him.
'To move forward, you must overcome that fear.'
“I will follow.”
Next, Black Panther Spear answered faithfully. No trembling was felt in his voice at all.
Let's grasp the seat of power together, he had said so. Does he remember? He probably hasn't forgotten. It's just that Black Panther Spear didn't doubt anymore.
'Me, not himself.'
Since I said so, he must believe that he can survive.
His shoulders were heavy.
“...I will try my best.”
Peng Cho-seol answered slightly reluctantly. It wasn't that she was afraid of dying. However, it was hard to firm up a grim resolution like Gyeong-won and Black Panther Spear.
To her, Dam Jeok-san was a superior who subdued her at once with a lightning-like sword strike.
Even so, it didn't mean Peng Cho-seol's resolve was lacking. Because she was ready to dedicate her life for the Monster Repelling Squad at any time.
“Huhu, you may trust us.”
Lastly, Baek Ri-gwan. He said with a crooked smile that didn't suit his neat face.
The center of the four martial artists was definitely Baek Ri-gwan. Only he, who is looking at the Ultra-Peak, can save Dam Jeok-san from those raging shockwaves. The other three are in a role to assist Baek Ri-gwan.
'If I die, everyone dies.'
It wasn't a new role either. Originally, if the Armed Group of the Northern Branch loses its Squad Leader, it scatters and suffers damage close to annihilation.
Baek Ri-gwan adjusted his grip on his sword and blocked Dam Jeok-san's front.
The remaining three martial artists surrounded Baek Ri-gwan as if forming a defensive formation.
Although they never agreed separately, a formation for cover is completed naturally.
Dam Jeok-san kicked off the ground smoothly without a single word. That was the signal. From Peng Cho-seol standing at the very front to Baek Ri-gwan guarding Dam Jeok-san's front. The four people moved forward escorting Dam Jeok-san simultaneously.
* * *
'Although I stepped forward confidently, there is almost nothing we can do.'
No, it would be correct to see it as absolutely nothing. Dam Jeok-san analyzed the situation coolly.
His blood vessels stood out on his pupils as if they would burst at any moment. Side effect of raising his visual power beyond the limit. But Dam Jeok-san didn't care about his condition at all.
Finding even a thread-like hope is the priority. He sought a way out by mobilizing all the knowledge he possessed, as well as tracing back even the faint memories of his past life.
Seo Woo-joo's memories, which flickered like a dream, turned into a wave at some moment and poured into his mind.
Most were things filled with pain, death, and struggle. Therefore, hope lingered that he might be able to find a clue to break through this moment.
When a moment like an eternity passed like that.
'If it is this...!'
A flashing inspiration pierced Dam Jeok-san's mind.