Chapter 1667
Volume 94 Chapter 1
The Demon Mask looked taken aback by my refusal.
“Wait, are you really refusing a talent bestowed by the heavens…? A talentless loser like you?”
“……”
I stayed silent as I assessed the situation. Although the summoning of the Demon King’s Eight Parts was still underway, offering me some time to converse with the Demon Mask, the summoning was ramping up, meaning I needed to prepare for battle.
‘I wonder what kind of beings are being summoned? From the mana signature, I should have a good idea…’
I scrutinized the form of the Demon King that elegantly rose over the magic circle, along with the aura of mana. Paying close attention, I could roughly guess who was about to appear.
‘Garuda, Yacha, Celestial, Asura…!’
Only heavyweights are coming out!
‘I guess it’s because the Great Dragon is too weak to handle anything other than martialists!’
If I were in my original body, facing even four of the Eight Parts wouldn’t be a problem. With divine power, I could take them out with just a couple of hits. But now, I couldn’t use divine power or mana, and I had to rely purely on my abilities as Yeodong-bin—it wouldn’t be that easy. Plus, the Great Dragon wasn’t completely neutralized yet, which was a significant issue.
And I realized the biggest problem among the upcoming summonings was Asura. The others were Demon Kings who relied on external techniques, but Asura would likely come straight at me with pure martial prowess. Given Asura’s instantaneous attack power, one wrong move could mean instant death by Nirvana of the Absolute.
‘Still, compared to everything else I’ve faced so far, this is nothing.’
It was a complicated situation, but I felt it was manageable. I began to formulate a rough strategy for how to deal with the Eight Parts—it wouldn’t be that difficult. I collected my thoughts and responded to the Demon Mask.
“Demon Mask! How do you possess Yeodong-bin’s memories?”
Upon hearing this, the Demon Mask flinched.
“What do you mean?”
“You previously claimed to be merely a talent. But as talents are formless, even a talent as formidable as yours shouldn’t be able to accumulate human memories. Yet, you’ve vividly conveyed all my competitions and inspirations with the Heavenly Demon Lord Beok Lee-so to me.”
“……”
The Demon Mask fell silent. I slowly continued speaking to it.
“This is only possible with consciousness. Right now, you’re speaking to me with an independent will.”
“Are you saying I’m a dual personality of Yeodong-bin? I’m just a talent.”
“Exactly. You stated you’re simply a talent, not a definite entity or mind. But as Yeodong-bin grew, you gained a [vessel] for a mind.”
“……”
“In other words… you, as a talent, have taken on a [mind]. So, you also embody Yeodong-bin’s personality.”
“That’s nonsense… don’t say that. Even with a personality, I cannot dominate Yeodong-bin’s spirit and present myself upfront. I’ve always been submerged in the hazy boundary of unconsciousness…”
With the Demon Mask’s protest, I responded nonchalantly.
“It’s simple. You are the mask of Yeodong-bin.”
“……a mask?”
“However, the difference is that Miyamoto Musashi accepted the mask of the Demon Mask, whereas Yeodong-bin did not.”
Articulating my thoughts precisely was challenging, but somehow I instinctively comprehended what kind of being the Demon Mask was.
This guy is a [mask].
However, unlike the masks carried by the [Coming Chaos], it wasn’t born from someone’s malice; it was an inherent, primal form of a mask!
Among the human race, this demonstrates how a superhuman talent could transform into a mask itself.
‘Is it because I’ve encountered so many [masks] during my rebirth…?’
A booming sound filled the air!
The mana of the Eight Parts exploded, filling the sky.
While conversing with the Demon Mask, the summoning of the Demon Kings had nearly completed, and their true forms began to reveal themselves. I thought about attacking before the summoning circle fully materialized, but considering a crafty deity like Chi You might have defensive measures against such actions, I chose to watch instead to reserve my energy.
I tightly gripped my black sword and said, “Is your explanation complete?”
“No… not yet! So, are you saying I’m another personality of Yeodong-bin, a mask? What does that even matter?”
The Demon Mask yelled as if furious.
“Does that mean a talentless wretch like you would have a reason to reject celestial talent?”
For some reason, my words seemed to have wounded the Demon Mask’s pride. Otherwise, it wouldn’t react like this.
I chuckled at the response and replied, “You’ll soon see the reason.”
“What do you mean?”
“Stop the chit-chat and focus. It’s not going to be easy.”
At last, the summoning of the Eight Parts was complete. In that moment, I wielded my sword at the gathered Demon Kings while the Great Dragon fought the White Lotus Sect’s leader and Dharma Protectors.
“Take care of the Great Dragon. I’ll handle the newly appeared enemies!”
“Understood!”
With Lee Gun-ak’s reply, I aimed my sword at the Demon Kings appearing before me and jokingly exclaimed, “Hey there, friends! It seems we’ll be seeing each other way too much!”
“……?”
The Eight Parts seemed confused by my words, undoubtedly because they were seeing Yeodong-bin in control for the first time. However, I had faced the Eight Parts as foes so often that I truly felt a sense of familiarity.
Then, Garuda guffawed.
“Hahaha! What’s this? The strongest of the Eight Immortals, Yeodong-bin, has gone mentally unstable?”
“Don’t underestimate me, Garuda!”
Yacha didn’t appear in her beautiful human form but instead revealed her primal state as the ancient magical beast right from the start. With her blood-red mana, she glared at me and spoke.
“That fool has used some bizarre technique to shrink the Great Dragon down to a fraction of its size…! The Great Dragon, which would never budge against even the mightiest Great Immortal of the Celestial Realm, is staggering now because of it! If we fall victim to that peculiar technique, we too will be in danger, so swiftly eliminate him!”
“Hehe, this is interesting. My lord warned me to be cautious of him, so let’s see how strong he really is?”
Garuda opened his mouth wide and unleashed a massive inferno into the air.
“Let’s see if you can handle this, Yeodong-bin!”
Bang!
Simultaneously, the inferno exploded with incredible light, shooting out a barrage the size of several football fields toward me. Realizing that taking this head-on in my current state would yield great losses, I immediately employed the Soul Removal Technique to evade swiftly.
Boom!
In the next moment, a massive fire ruby crashed into the ocean, causing an eruption. I glanced back to see a tremendous area—equivalent to ten giant islands—evaporating in the southern seas of the Central Plains, and I couldn’t help but let out a quiet sigh. I was finally starting to understand why the Great Bear Empire had struggled against these Demon Kings for centuries.
Sure enough, Garuda’s firepower matched the might of the strongest from the Eight Parts. I had to deal with him quickly… What?
Suddenly, I felt my body freeze as time and space seemed to stop. Within this halted moment, I could hear the astonished voice of the Celestial.
“What is this? I activated time stop to coincide with Garuda’s attack, but it seems to have delayed in effect? Does he possess immunity to spatial techniques?”
Of course! I’ve wrapped myself in the enhanced energy of the Thunder Spirit!
However, because it was a powerful spatial stopping technique from a Demon King like the Celestial, it wouldn’t be completely ineffective; instead, it would weigh down my entire body and slow me down.
I frowned in annoyance. “This bastard… still resorting to cheap time stops.”
The Celestial was already an irritating enemy simply by raining down attack techniques, and his preferred tactic was invariably to use a time stop first. I recalled how troublesome it was to catch him before.
“Are you speaking? You are quite an extraordinary one… eliminate him, Asura!”
Smack!
“Do not command me!”
In sync with the Celestial’s command, Asura rushed toward me, wielding a weapon from each of his six limbs, striking without hesitation with the Nirvana of the Absolute.
“……!”
What the hell?! These bastards are seriously going all out just to take me down! Even being a Demon King, they’re treating this like a life or death matter!
“Ugh… there’s no helping it!”
As the Nirvana of the Absolute unfolded, I felt the six wheels revolving. I sensed time passing slower than any creature could perceive, and that was due to achieving the Realm of the Divine Domain, enabling me to read the [flow]. Normally, no one would even believe how exceedingly difficult it was to decipher such techniques through mere sight and reflexes—but for me now, it was simple.
The [flow] indicated that the openings were too large and abundant to ignore.
Swoosh!
In this seemingly stagnant time, I directed my sword’s trajectory without any missteps toward the gaps in the wheels. At that moment, an unsettling sensation jolted through me.
Something foreign.
Lack of harmony causing imbalance!
This unexpected and cumbersome sensation nearly made me fail at striking the right spot. But knowing the reason already, I composed myself and constrained my mindset, following through with my trajectory until I could finally slash into the gap of the Nirvana of the Absolute.
Boom!
In that moment, my body was drenched in blood as I was thrown back. Asura similarly flew backward at the same rate. I soared through the air, barely regaining my balance and letting out a sigh of relief.
“Damn it!”
I nearly thought I would perish!
Even though I had perfectly made the counter, my internal injury sustained during my earlier attempt to absorb the Great Dragon’s size was not wholly healed yet, which made me bear the brunt of Asura’s pressure!
And that ‘reason’ made it all the more precarious!
But at least I succeeded in piercing through the Nirvana of the Absolute! As I hastily healed from my internal injuries with the power of the Soul of the Evil God, Asura recovered mid-flight and halted in mid-air, stunned.
“You… you pierced through Nirvana of the Absolute?”
Asura seemed to comprehend what I had just accomplished. I spat out a mouthful of blood and glared at him with fierce eyes.
“Do you realize how many times I’ve cracked that technique? By now, I can slice the gaps in the wheels as naturally as breathing!”
“……!”
“Damn it! Now I see why you were so insistent that I shouldn’t learn Nirvana of the Absolute.”
Having penetrated Nirvana of the Absolute several times while within the Realm of the Divine Domain made me realize.
Against those who reach the stage of the Divine Realm, that technique becomes complete trash!
To seize upon a gap as thin as a hair within the essence of Nirvana of the Absolute requires a keen understanding of the fine flow and the ability to exploit weaknesses.
However, with the complete mastery of [flow] allowing me to maintain my heart’s balance, the gap within Asura’s Nirvana of the Absolute was far too artificial and abundant. In the Realm of the Divine Domain, the combat no longer revolved merely around force and speed, so facing six intertwined wheels would yield six times the openings, rendering it entirely possible to obliterate before they could even initiate their assault! From the perspective of one at the Divine Realm, a perfectly overlaid cohesive technique would be far more challenging.
‘Is that why Asura felt embarrassed about crafting the Nirvana of the Absolute after reaching the peak?’
While I pondered this, Asura said, “When did I ever tell you not to learn Nirvana of the Absolute?”
“Not in your current state! I’m talking about the Asura who will reach the apex in 500 years.”
“What…??”
“Asura! Don’t you realize why you’re unable to achieve the Divine Realm?”
“……”
I provocatively nodded toward Asura.
“Let’s fight one-on-one without interference from the others! If we do, I might reveal the reason.”
Asura seemed to feel insulted and let loose a furious roar.
“Fine! I accept your challenge! No one else is allowed to interfere!”
The Celestial and Yacha seemed taken aback and voiced their concerns.
“Asura! You fool…”
“You can’t be serious! We’re executing the orders of Lord Chi You!”
They tried to dissuade him, but Asura unleashed his killing intent toward them as if prepared to annihilate even allies.
“What?! You think I’m going to lose?!”
“It’s not about that; we have a mission—”
“Shut it!”
Crack!
“Aaah!”
The Celestial shrieked after getting hit square in the chest by Asura’s swift attack. I had my doubts but didn’t anticipate Asura attacking the Celestial and greatly injuring him. Pulling his blade from the Celestial’s chest, Asura growled, “Everyone shut up! I can’t stand living on after such humiliation! You think I’ll lose?!”
As the Celestial hastily healed his wound with technique, he waved his hand dismissively.
“N-No…”
“Anyone who intervenes will die regardless of whether they interfere with victory or defeat!”
The Eight Parts looked at Asura in bewilderment as they retreated, and Asura exploded with rage, lunging at me.
“Die!”
Crack!
I could feel Asura’s vigor and mana were tremendous. If I hadn’t reinforced myself with the Soul of the Evil God, standing here as Yeodong-bin would have left me swaying like a blade of grass before the tempest with every lightning-fast attack. What’s more, Asura’s speed was far beyond even that of Miyamoto Musashi’s!
Thump.
But—just as Asura was about to unleash his powerful strike, I easily blocked his blade’s trajectory before it could gain momentum. I put all my intent into blocking, and no matter how powerful Asura may be, he couldn’t utilize martial arts anymore. With his power thwarted, Asura stumbled, and before he could regain his senses, I took advantage of that brief second to lift his chin with the hilt of my sword.
“Haah!”
Slap!
“Ugh!”
Suffering from the pain, Asura reached for weapons in the other six limbs and attempted to unleash another unparalleled technique on me. Being Asura, this move likely came from an ultimate martial skill picked up somewhere in Tianzhu or the Central Plains, so it was sure to be formidable.
‘If it executes to completion…’
Thump.
Once again, I preemptively blocked before Asura’s power could harness itself.
“Too shallow!”
While Asura’s technique was exquisite, I could read his intent beforehand, already knowing where it was heading. If I were to engage under perfect harmony of all my energies, I would have struggled to counter Asura’s technique so easily, but—
‘In this moment of rage, Asura cannot contend with the Divine Realm!’
My thoughts drifted as I instinctively threw a punch.
Smack!
It was just a casual jab to his nose; it wouldn’t inflict a critical injury at all. Yet, visibly shocked by the unexpected blow, Asura stumbled backward.
“……!”
Though they were just swift exchanges, Asura’s face bore an expression as if he had realized something crucial. I had pressed him with the advantages of the Divine Realm, but I was secretly worried if this was truly the right approach.
‘Damn… ideally, I should have leveraged this advantage to obliterate Asura before he comprehended his flaws… If I’d met him as a foe, that would have been the plan…’
Having missed the chance to strike while he was off guard left a bitter taste in my mouth. Normally, while I would finish with a decisive attack, this was merely a non-lethal assault instead. Had I struck with the Thunder God Sword Name and seized the perfect moment for a counterattack to sever his neck, Asura would have met his end right then and there.
Regardless, I decided not to regret conversing with Asura on an equal footing as a martial artist. Simply ending matters that way felt hollow for me.
I steadied my black sword and adopted a Taoist stance, gathering my fingers to declare, “You must have noticed what I am reading in Nirvana of the Absolute by now!”
Asura fell silent before speaking.
“Is it where my heart guides me? Can you sense the realm before killing intent and will arise?”
Sure enough, this is Asura talking.
Witnessing him intuitively grasp the essence of the Divine Realm prompted me to grin.
“You too can! No, I’m simply reciting the answer that future you would come up with.”
“Future me?”
“I’m someone who received the teachings from your future self.”
“……”
Asura seemed to dissipate all his rage, finally grasping a new comprehension. After some time of staring blankly, Asura voiced once more.
“One more time… I need you to break down Nirvana of the Absolute for me!”
“Sure.”
After all, asking me to dissect his own technique was a ridiculous request for someone prideful enough to be a master of the absolute technique, but I sensed Asura’s current feelings, so I didn’t think twice and drew my sword. Asura, who had steadied himself, prepared to unleash Nirvana of the Absolute with far more poise and meticulous energy than before.
…….
As the brief tension abruptly concluded, Asura once again activated Nirvana of the Absolute. For me, witnessing it unfold this time was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
‘Remarkable!’
The openings had been halved!
The previously six gaps shrank down to three, immediately alleviating the weaknesses of the Nirvana of the Absolute. This indicated Asura had not only recognized the essence of the Divine Realm but also understood the shortcomings of Nirvana of the Absolute and rapidly improved his technique!
The fact he could achieve this in a mere instant implied Asura was indeed one of the greatest martial geniuses of all time. Normally, it would take several decades for any martial artist to hone and apply something like this.
Suddenly, watching Asura activate Nirvana of the Absolute reminded me of the arduous journey that Asura must have undertaken during the Great Bear Empire era.
He diligently focused every ounce of mana into the sole practice of martial arts, chiseling away at himself; through that training, he must have come to realize the shortcomings of Nirvana of the Absolute as he did now. After a few hundred years of fruitless labor, he would come to recognize that an absence of gaps was truly the pinnacle. In his struggle, he continuously fought with the goal of defeating divine beings through his martial skills, not because he wanted to become a god.
And perhaps… that in itself is the heart (心).
Swoosh!
Although the openings had diminished, the task had become considerably tougher to break through. Nonetheless, I continued to read the [flow] and proceeded to slice away at the gaps in the wheels of Asura’s techniques. Just as I thought it would be a smooth cut, I detected a disturbance causing my blade to wobble once more.
‘Ugh!’
There exists a better path.
Another more creative trajectory for my sword.
Such temptations dulled the sharpness of my blade itself.
Pushing past all those distractions, I concentrated, fully extending my sword all the way through, ultimately succeeding in smashing through Nirvana of the Absolute once more.
Shwoosh!
This time, I didn’t spare Asura at all; within moments, two of his six arms flew from his body. Yet, more than the pain from losing his arms, Asura’s expression conveyed he had gained a more profound insight at that brief moment. Then, Asura said, “You… your blade also trembled!”
To think he grew this much in such a fleeting instant…
I could only smile wryly as I replied, “It’s because another’s heart is mixed in.”
“……Is that so? You really don’t seem like the real master of that body.”
“……”
“Thanks… I think I finally understand what path you’ve shown me!”
Having declared this, Asura began to pulse as he healed his severed limbs with mana and abruptly turned his back on me.
Then, he aimed his sword at the Celestial and Yacha along with the other Eight Parts.
“From this day forward, I will withdraw from the Eight Parts! I will walk my own path!”
“……?!”
What?!
I was stunned by this impulsive decision and remarked, “Wait… aren’t you being a tad hasty? What made you turn your back on Chi You all of a sudden?”
Asura chuckled softly and said, “It’s easy to say that when the one who showed me the way is urging me to return.”
“You’ve got to be kidding…!”
Asura’s laughter echoed. “I believe now I understand what the peak of the Divine Realm, the utmost limit of martial arts signifies… It’s only natural that I cannot pursue that path while beneath the rule of one who desires to dominate the world!”
To that, the Celestial’s teeth ground together in agitation.
“You… to think you would forsake your confidence and betray us! Have some shame!”
“Say what you like!”
Bang!
Instantly, Asura dashed toward the Celestial. Garuda, who was beside him, sensed the danger and joined in. In an instant, the dynamic of the room shifted to a one-on-one duel between Yacha and me.
“Thank goodness.”
If worse came to worse, I had also prepared to unleash the Thunder Spirit carelessly against whoever might attack, but fortunately, since Asura had taken my side, I could save considerable energy for the Great Dragon instead.
Yacha looked at me, seemingly unable to believe it.
“Yeodong-bin! Just how have you grown so strong? Last time I scouted you, you were never that formidable!”
“Yacha! Stop right there. You know you can’t beat me, right?”
“Don’t kid with me… for the will of the great Chi You, I shall never yield!”
Yacha’s mana surged, etching countless characters into the air. Watching that, I thought, ‘A curse, Yacha’s specialty.’
Yacha’s curses were potent enough that ordinary humans couldn’t withstand them. Even among Great Immortals, falling victim to Yacha’s curse would mean certain doom. Unlike the intuitive strength shared by the Celestial and Asura, Yacha held a treacherous prowess, willing to end herself entirely just to drag down her opponent. If I improperly countered, it could end up being a significant hassle.
But I retrieved my black sword and gripped the handle of the Fire Dragon Sword tightly, declaring, “Fire Dragon Incarnate! Do you still intend to doubt me? Right now, it’s time to show them the will of the Serpent!”
As the grip resonated, the voice of the Fire Dragon Sword rang out.
“Who are you calling Baek Woong? And where has Yeodong-bin vanished?”
“I’m not sure where he’s gone! But if I complete my duties properly, he may just return!”
“……”
“Though I could potentially wipe out those fools alone, having your aid would hasten and ease the process! Please assist me!”
“You’re awfully honest… Very well then, I too can only hope that Yeodong-bin returns!”
Boom! Boom!
In that moment, the Fire Dragon Sword, which had never been unsheathed up until now, finally emerged from its scabbard. As it did, I awoke to the miraculous divine flame that enveloped the sword blade—this was the refined and potent divine energy. The Fire Dragon was imparting its full power to me.
“Thank you!”
With the Fire Dragon Sword in its peak state, no one here could stop me now!
“Die!”
In the next instant, Yacha unleashed thousands of potent curses at me. Being formless, those curses were incredibly challenging for a martial artist like me to perceive or deflect. Yet, at that moment, I swung the Fire Dragon Sword, and as the blade sliced through the air, the curses met their end instantly.
Boom! Boom!
“You’re the one who will die!”
As the power of the dragon soared, I unleashed the Fire Dragon Sword with my flying sword technique, directly aiming for Yacha’s neck.
Bam!
Not even having the chance to scream, Yacha was silenced as her head was taken cleanly from her body before it could even de-summon. To put it plainly, while the term de-summon applied, the overwhelming divine power of the Fire Dragon consumed her whole, incinerating her essence before Chi You could hastily send her back. I was genuinely taken aback by the power to eliminate a high-ranking demon in a single blow with the Fire Dragon Sword.
‘So this is the strength of the Fire Dragon Sword in its prime!’
I hadn’t even utilized the full sword path, just a simple flying sword technique, yet to cut down a Demon King with just the power of the Fire Dragon Sword revealed its prowess clearly.
Indeed, a legendary sword comparable to the Seven Luminaries!
Seizing my Fire Dragon Sword once more, I declared, “Now it’s time to take down the Great Dragon!”
“Agreed! Let’s go!”
With that said, I launched forward at high speed with the momentum of the Fire Dragon Sword, charging toward the Great Dragon engaged in battle with the White Lotus Sect’s leaders and Dharma Protectors. As the potent killing intent surged toward him, the Great Dragon hesitated momentarily before unleashing a mighty roar.
“ROAAAAR!”
In his eyes, something that couldn’t even compare to a toothpick had come at him, yet he roared in fear of losing his life! The full-force roar caused the Dharma Protectors to stagger under its weight momentarily. However, the Fire Dragon Sword neutralized the pressure, allowing me to rush forward at full speed without hindrance, getting close to the Great Dragon just as it unleashed its divine light.
‘Right now!’
Throughout the entire time I had been empowered by the Thunder Spirit, I had refrained from unleashing my full strength; I needed every ounce of power focused for the critical strike against the Great Dragon. Since he was as solid as solid can be and composed entirely of cause and effect, one misstep could lead to the injuries I had previously seen alongside momentous risks. I could just picture a situation similar to when I had attempted the all-encompassing technique earlier.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The full force of the Thunder Spirit swirled around me as it surged into the Fire Dragon Sword. It was my first time infusing the entirety of the power from the Thunder Spirit into a single weapon, and I sensed the Fire Dragon react with surprised energy.
“What…? Such overwhelming thunderous energy…?!
Clash! Crack!
The might of the thunder surged through the Fire Dragon Sword, intensifying the blade. The azure energy became luminous, arguably taking on the appearance of tripartite elemental blades! Reacting to this stream of energy, I shouted, “This much should be enough to end the Great Dragon in one strike!”
“That’s likely so!”
In that moment, I felt as if the true essence of the Fire Dragon emerged, revealing a distinct kind of divine flame that had never been seen before. As the flames raged, its powers appeared remarkably different. The air swirled with clouds of the divine flame, witnessing the synergy that felt familiar, as to reconnect with the elemental forces; such was the resonance of the Wind…
This is the strength of the Shenglong!
Whoosh!
A tremendous gale surged through, filling the cosmic ambience. As the winds fueled the flames, the previously sizzling heat escalated rapidly, and I immediately sensed a balance in power restoration as both the fire and thunder continued growing more vigorous together. The wind swirled around me while bolstering the Fire Dragon Sword.
‘The Fire Dragon now conjures the wind power of the Shenglong!’
All at once, I acknowledged the Fire Dragon Sword had integrated all three manifestations of Lightning, Fire, and Wind harmoniously! Stabilizing my stance, I understood this moment was the perfect moment for the Fire Dragon Sword to reign supreme. It was time for me to unleash my most powerful technique.
Thunder God Sword Name!
Burst!
A single strand of lightning split the heavens, severing everything in its path. Darkness bled from the rift, and as the tears of darkness fell, one could see a line drawn across the Great Dragon’s neck.
Drip, drip.
At that point, the Great Dragon’s lifespan extinguished right there.
Even as divine energy wavered, the Great Dragon stared at me incredulously.
“No…! This is impossible… such brute force…! A force strong enough to cut through a planet… how can someone without divine stature achieve this?!”
The Great Dragon roared.
“Pure… pure strength eliminating me…? You’re nothing but a mere Eight Immortal?!”
This time, the Great Dragon reacted differently compared to when Yeodong-bin had previously slain him.
With a trembling gasp, he thrashed out fervently.
“Chi You! My subordinates shall not perish here, but I won’t go quietly!”
“…?!”
“My flesh shall rot! The land will sear! The seas shall dry up…! My corpse will pollute these realms!”
“……?!”
In a startling twist, I stared at the Great Dragon while it screamed anew. The next moment, as its head flew free of its torso, its body began a slow descent.
Boom!
‘What? What is this behaving so differently than when Yeodong-bin dealt with him…?’
It was obvious that the Great Dragon had already met his end.
However, it felt ominous.
As I gazed in a trance, the voice of the Fire Dragon Sword rang out.
“What are you doing?! He is about to cast a curse across this planet… upon all of Earth!”
A curse upon the planet?!
I gasped in shock. “What?! Is that even possible?”
“If it touches the land, it will be the end! Divine beings or magical creatures might survive, but no living being shall remain unscathed.”
“……!”
“This leaves no benefits to Chi You’s cause, yet here he is, cursing himself with his own soul… he must be a raving fanatic!”
The Fire Dragon expressed its disbelief, teeth grinding in frustration.
Comprehending the situation, I shouted to the leaders battling the Great Dragon.
“Everyone, hold that corpse up! Do not let it fall!”
Lee Gun-ak looked taken aback. “Y-You want us to hold that…? That’s bigger than several mountain ranges combined!”
“……”
What the hell!
Even the greatest among the Eight Parts couldn’t lift such a thing…?
Nonetheless, it was a stroke of luck that the speed of its free fall was slower than expected, but the urgency was still palpable; we couldn’t afford to let the corpse touch the ground.
Before I knew it, I was thinking, ‘Why did it end up like this?’
In the past, when Yeodong-bin dismantled the Great Dragon with the Martial Soul, its very essence was reduced to scattered ashes in the cosmos; why was this Great Dragon now a completely different affair?
Suddenly, I felt like understanding why that was.
‘I should have cut it with my heart! I couldn’t dismember it physically, so it’s making use of the remaining cause and effect to lash out!’
Is it possible that Yeodong-bin’s martial soul suppressed the opponent’s ability to wield any cause and effect against his will?
Only now did I realize that fact, and it was already too late.
The deed was done, and all I could do was act.
Just then, I heard the Demon Mask’s voice echoing inside me.
“I think I finally understand.”
“Demon Mask.”
“The Divine Realm… and the essential core of martial arts lies in the heart (心)…”
“……”
“Yeodong-bin’s talent and another heart… and its existence meant that you would end up weakening your technique.”
I couldn’t help but smirk as the Demon Mask seemed to grasp the context.
“True. If talent is also part of the heart, it can’t be otherwise.”
“So it was my own talent that disrupted the flow of your sword earlier, causing your original thrust to derail?”
“……Precisely.”
The very reason I couldn’t accept the Demon Mask’s talent: should I allow him in, regardless of his power, it wouldn’t make a difference.
In essence, accepting the Demon Mask was tantamount to becoming [another Yeodong-bin].
From the beginning until the end—the Realm of the Divine Domain must be met through my own strength!
And moments later, the Demon Mask spoke.
“In that case… I would like to lend you my aid.”
“How could you help? No matter how great your talent might be, it won’t change anything in this situation…”
“I’ve felt something by infusing all my strength into your heart. Within your heart’s boundary… the white and the black energies coexistence…”
“……?”
What’s he going on about?
While I was lost in confusion, the Demon Mask suddenly ventured into my black sword, floating into the air as it took aim at my very own self.
“Within your heart… you hold onto that chaotic heart which you haven’t yet utilized… do you truly recognize it?”
“Wait a minute…!”
“With all my strength… I will open that realm up!”
Wham!
Before I could reply, the Demon Mask pierced my heart! I couldn’t evade or block it because the Demon Mask was fundamentally an ‘ability’ without any physicality, and the will behind its fusion into this sword was not real. Since my heart was the only point of vulnerability, there was truly no manner to counter it.
Even so, I felt no pain.
“What’s happening?”
As confusion descended on me, I detected the Demon Mask fading away, leaving a faint smile behind.
“Don’t boast about being so superior… now face your own darkness…”
Boom!
In that instant, I suddenly found another black sword appearing in my hand.
Completely unlike the Demon Mask I had summoned a moment ago, this blade glimmered as if composed of obsidian, transparent yet dark—
The moment I held the blade, a single phrase flashed through my mind.
In front of a dream-like throne—
“Is that your choice?”
And I plunged into a deep dream.
