Sword King terharu.
Itu adalah emosi yang sama sekali tidak terduga. Fakta bahwa Geom Woojin telah meledakkan tembok itu adalah demi dirinya.
Tentu saja, menghancurkan tembok itu tidak semata-mata untuknya. Itu berarti bahwa mulai sekarang, mereka semua harus bertarung tanpa mengkhawatirkan apa pun.
Sword King menangkupkan tinjunya dengan hormat dan menunjukkan rasa hormat kepada Geom Woojin.
"Terima kasih atas perhatian Anda."
Geom Woojin mengangguk seolah itu hal yang biasa.
Wajahnya tersenyum, tapi sedikit berbeda dari sebelumnya.
Alasan dia bertarung hanya menggunakan seni bela diri dasar, tanpa benar-benar menggunakan Martial Emperor Divine Sword atau seni bela diri khas Master Heavenly Will Palace, adalah untuk memanfaatkan tembok itu.
Dia datang ke sini mengetahui bahwa tempat ini memiliki makna bagi mereka.
'Namun dia sendiri yang meledakkannya? Seperti yang kuduga, dia bukan lawan yang mudah.'
Itu terpotong dalam sekejap.
Dia benar-benar merasakan pepatah bahwa hidup dan mati dipisahkan oleh satu momen.
Setelah memeriksa lukanya, Jin Paecheon berjalan menuju Geom Woojin dan Baek Jagang.
"Aku membuat kalian khawatir tanpa perlu."
Dikatakan bahwa tahu kapan harus mundur lebih sulit daripada tahu kapan harus maju—dan Jin Paecheon tahu. Sekarang adalah waktunya untuk mundur.
Geom Woojin senang dia selamat.
"Itu seni bela diri yang luar biasa."
Pertarungan ini murni pedang melawan pedang, hanya dasar-dasar.
Baek Jagang berbicara lebih jujur.
"Sejujurnya, aku khawatir."
Jika dia mendengar kata-kata itu di masa lalu, dia akan berpikir dia diremehkan.
Tapi sekarang, itu tidak terdengar tidak menyenangkan.
Jin Paecheon menerimanya apa adanya. Jika seseorang mengkhawatirkanmu, kamu harus berterima kasih.
Hwa Moogi tidak membiarkan Jin Paecheon mundur begitu saja.
Karena Gentleman's Sword masih di tangan Jin Paecheon, dia memprovokasinya lagi.
Jin Paecheon dengan tenang menerima ejekan itu dan menyarungkan Gentleman's Sword.
Meskipun dia mengakuinya dengan jujur, tidak ada pukulan mental. Sebaliknya, dia merasa lega. Dia telah melakukan semua yang dia bisa.
Jika dia selamat dan, beberapa hari kemudian, melihat ke belakang pada hari ini, dia pasti akan merasa menyesal.
Tapi saat ini, dia tidak menyesal.
Mungkin dia bisa bertarung lebih baik. Tapi dia tidak berpikir dia bisa bertarung cukup baik untuk membunuh Hwa Moogi.
Ini adalah yang terbaik darinya. Dan karena dia telah bertarung dengan segalanya, tidak ada yang perlu disesali.
Pada saat itu, Cult Leader dari Heavenly Wind Cult, yang telah mendengarkan, ikut campur.
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader berbicara menggantikan Jin Paecheon.
"Pemimpin Jin adalah pria terhormat, jadi dia membiarkan ini berlalu begitu saja. Kamu menggunakan seni bela diri banyak orang dan bahkan energi dalam banyak orang. Kamulah yang seharusnya malu. Coba gunakan hanya seni bela diri satu orang dan hanya energi dalam orang itu—maka aku akan mengakuimu."
Hwa Moogi tersenyum saat menatapnya. Niat membunuh dalam senyuman itu dengan jelas mengatakan dia pasti akan membunuhnya, namun Heavenly Wind Cult Leader tidak peduli sedikit pun.
"Kamu seharusnya bersyukur Tuan Muda Kedua tidak ada di sini. Jika dia ada, pengecut sepertimu pasti sudah runtuh karena kemarahan belaka."
Pada saat itu, satu orang melangkah maju.
"Mohon beri aku kesempatan ini."
Itu adalah Sword King. Karena Cult Leader telah mencabut pembatasannya, dia ingin bertarung dengan bebas.
Geom Woojin menatapnya sejenak, lalu mengangguk memberi izin. Ada kepercayaan tertentu yang diilhami oleh pria bernama Ak Gunhak—keyakinan samar bahwa jika dia melangkah maju seperti ini, dia pasti punya alasan sendiri.
"Maukah kamu menjaga punggungku sekali lagi?"
Orang itu adalah Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. Dia meminta lagi kepada pria yang telah melangkah maju sebelumnya untuk menyelamatkannya.
"Kamu juga menggunakan kekuatan tak berbentuk, dan seni bela diriku juga mengandung energi tak berbentuk. Kita harus saling melengkapi dengan baik."
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, juga, telah memastikan melalui pertarungan Jin Paecheon bahwa membunuh Hwa Moogi sendirian sama sekali tidak mudah.
"Yang di sana punya banyak jiwa, sementara aku hanya satu orang—tapi aku tetap harus membantu."
Dengan ejekan lain pada Hwa Moogi, Heavenly Wind Cult Leader melangkah maju untuk membantu.
Geom Woojin memberi Sword King satu nasihat.
"Jangan lupakan janjimu."
"Ya, aku tidak akan lupa."
Alasan Sword King melangkah maju sebagian karena keinginan pribadinya untuk bertarung melawannya, tetapi yang lebih penting, untuk mengurangi energi dalamnya sebanyak mungkin.
Dia bermaksud menguras energi dalam Hwa Moogi sebanyak yang dia bisa. Hanya dengan begitu orang yang menghadapinya di akhir akan memiliki peluang menang.
Sword King mengirim transmisi suara ke Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.
—Pilihan yang bijak.
Pada saat itu, Jin Paecheon, yang telah menonton, berbicara kepada Sword King.
"Hati-hati."
Sword King sedikit menundukkan kepalanya ke arahnya sebagai tanda terima kasih.
'Bahkan jika kamu memberinya Gentleman's Sword di pinggangnya, dia sudah menjadi orang yang pergi.'
Terlepas dari Geom Woojin berbicara seolah dia sudah mengamankannya.
Dari bagaimana dia mencoba melindungi tembok itu sebelumnya, dia sepenuhnya milik Geom Mugeuk sekarang.
Meskipun, mungkin, justru itulah mengapa seseorang akan semakin menginginkannya.
Tentu saja, bertarung bersama tidak membuat mereka dua kali lebih kuat. Tanpa berlatih teknik gabungan, mereka bahkan bisa saling menghalangi. Mereka harus beradaptasi secara naluriah pada saat itu.
Hwa Moogi menyilangkan tangan dan berbicara dengan arogan.
"Siapa yang memberimu izin? Hanya karena kamu ingin bertarung, kamu pikir aku akan menuruti?"
Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Dia memblokir semua serangan berturut-turut tanpa mundur selangkah pun.
Orang yang melepaskan serangan berturut-turut itu adalah Sword King.
"Apakah ini masih tidak membuatmu ingin bertarung?"
"Tidak satu pun dari kalian yang kusukai."
Di antara mereka yang tidak dia sukai, Heavenly Wind Cult Leader dengan mudah termasuk yang terburuk. Dan sekali lagi, dia tidak bisa menahan diri.
"Jika semua orang di sekitarmu seperti itu, apakah kamu pernah berpikir bahwa mungkin masalahnya ada padamu?"
Hwa Moogi tersenyum dan mengangguk.
Saat dia selesai berbicara—
Swoosh!
Hwa Moogi bergegas bukan ke arah Sword King, tapi ke arah Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. Mulut yang terus berbicara itu tampak lebih menjengkelkan daripada kekuatan yang datang.
Pedang hitam yang membelah udara dengan kecepatan cahaya.
Boneka berbentuk manusia muncul seketika, memblokir ruang di antara keduanya.
Tembok Manusia Ilusi Bayangan.
Itu adalah saat seni bela diri khas Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, Seni Iblis Darah Langit Luar, terwujud.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Di belakang boneka-boneka itu, Sword King sudah berdiri.
Sword King berniat memimpin. Bukan karena dia menganggap dirinya lebih kuat, tapi karena kompatibilitas.
Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, yang bertarung dengan tangan kosong, akan kesulitan melawan pedang Hwa Moogi—itu terlalu cepat dan terlalu kuat.
Sekarang bangunan yang hancur tidak lagi penting, Sword King segera melepaskan seni bela diri khasnya.
Formless Divine Sword, Bentuk Pertama—Kembali Ke Kekosongan Tanpa Bentuk.
Whiiiiiiing!
Saat dia menusukkan pedangnya, angin puyuh menyelimuti tubuh Hwa Moogi.
Pusaran besar memelintir tubuhnya. Biasanya, daging dan tulang akan terkoyak—tapi tubuh Hwa Moogi tidak terpelintir. Energi pelindungnya mengubah badai itu menjadi hembusan angin musim semi belaka.
Swoosh!
Bang!
Pada saat itu, serangan telapak tangan Heavenly Wind Cult Leader menghantam tubuhnya.
Shhk.
Kemudian, dalam sekejap, dia melepaskan diri dari pusaran itu.
"Awas!"
Saat Heavenly Wind Cult Leader berteriak, Hwa Moogi sudah bergegas di depan Sword King, menusukkan pedang hitamnya.
Energi yang merobek ruang itu bukanlah kekuatan biasa.
Whoooosh!
Energi membara yang tampaknya mampu melelehkan segalanya meledak ke arah Sword King.
Itu adalah serangan yang tidak akan pernah bisa diblokir secara langsung.
Ruang hitam pekat muncul di depan Sword King.
Whoosh.
Ia menelan api yang datang—
Whoooosh!
Fwoooosh!
Hwa Moogi menerima panas yang membara—
Slash!
—dan membelah api itu, melaju ke depan.
Clang!
Bahkan ketika Sword King mengangkat energi dalamnya ke batas maksimal untuk memblokir, kejutan seperti pergelangan tangan yang terkoyak menjalari dirinya. Dia sudah bersiap, tapi tidak bisa beradaptasi.
Dan serangan seperti itu turun seperti hujan.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sword King melakukan semua yang dia bisa.
Tapi dengan setiap benturan, satu pikiran tumbuh lebih kuat—
Dia tidak bisa menang.
Cepat, kuat, dan tanpa cela. Rasanya seperti bertarung melawan tembok besar.
Pada akhirnya, Sword King tidak bisa menahan serangan tanpa henti Hwa Moogi.
Boom!
Dia terlempar ke tembok di belakangnya. Saat dia melompat berdiri, dia memuntahkan darah. Memblokir serangan kuat seperti itu secara berturut-turut akhirnya menyebabkan cedera internal.
Apakah itu karena niat membunuhnya tumbuh lebih kuat? Hwa Moogi bahkan lebih kuat daripada saat dia bertarung melawan Jin Paecheon. Dia terus menjadi lebih kuat.
Hwa Moogi bergegas untuk menghabisinya.
Tapi tepat sebelum itu, Heavenly Wind Cult Leader melangkah di depannya.
Shashashashashashashashak!
Garis-garis biru terbang dari segala arah—hanya menyentuhnya saja sudah bisa memotong tubuh manusia. Itu adalah Jaring Darah Garis Biru dari Seni Iblis Darah Langit Luar.
Papapapak.
Hwa Moogi menerobosnya dengan tubuhnya. Jaring itu tidak bisa menembus energi pelindungnya.
Swoosh!
Dia maju terus tanpa menghiraukan.
Pada saat itu, sebuah titik kecil jatuh di udara—lalu tiba-tiba mengembang.
Whirrrrrr!
Sebuah lubang hitam mulai menarik Hwa Moogi masuk.
Namun dia tidak tersedot. Menggunakan Penurunan Seribu Kati, dia melawannya dengan kekuatan murni—menahan Pusaran Kematian Heavenly Wind Cult Leader sepenuhnya melalui kekuatan saja.
Dia mendorong energi dalamnya ke batas dan melepaskan kekuatan telapak tangan juga.
Swoosh! Bang!
Namun bahkan kemudian, Hwa Moogi tidak tersedot. Sebaliknya, dia berjalan maju.
Dum! Dum!
Bahkan saat pusaran di belakang
Chapter 821: My Problem Is Always Because of the Young Cult Leader
The Sword King was moved.
It was a completely unexpected kind of emotion. The fact that Geom Woojin had blown away the wall had been for his sake.
Of course, destroying the wall hadn’t been solely for him. It meant that from now on, they should all fight without worrying about anything.
The Sword King cupped his fists respectfully and showed courtesy to Geom Woojin.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Geom Woojin nodded as if it were nothing.
His face was smiling, but it was slightly different from before.
The reason he had been fighting using only basic martial arts, without properly employing the Martial Emperor Divine Sword or the unique martial arts of the Heavenly Will Palace Master, had been to make use of that wall.
He had come here knowing this place held meaning for them.
‘And yet he just blew it away himself? As expected, he’s no easy opponent.’
It had been cut in an instant.
He had keenly experienced the saying that life and death were separated by a single moment.
After checking his wounds, Jin Paecheon walked toward Geom Woojin and Baek Jagang.
E n u m ӑ
“I caused unnecessary worry.”
It was said that knowing when to retreat was harder than knowing when to advance—and Jin Paecheon knew. Now was the time to step back.
Geom Woojin was glad that he was safe.
“That was splendid martial arts.”
This fight had been purely sword against sword, fundamentals alone.
Baek Jagang spoke more honestly.
“To be frank, I was worried.”
If he had heard those words in the past, he would have thought he was being looked down on.
But now, they did not sound unpleasant.
Jin Paecheon accepted it as it was. If someone worried about you, you should thank them.
Hwa Moogi did not simply let Jin Paecheon withdraw.
Since the Gentleman’s Sword was still in Jin Paecheon’s hand, he provoked him again.
Jin Paecheon calmly accepted the mockery and sheathed the Gentleman’s Sword.
Though he admitted it honestly, there was no mental blow. Rather, he felt relieved. He had done everything he could.
If he survived and, days later, looked back on today, he would surely feel regret.
But right now, he had no regrets.
Perhaps he could have fought better. But he didn’t think he could have fought well enough to kill Hwa Moogi.
This had been his best. And since he had fought with everything, there was nothing to regret.
At that moment, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult, who had been listening, stepped in.
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader spoke in place of Jin Paecheon.
“Leader Jin is a gentleman, so he lets it pass like this. You’re using multiple people’s martial arts and even multiple people’s internal energy. You’re the one who should be ashamed. Try using only one person’s martial arts and only that person’s internal energy—then I’ll acknowledge you.”
Hwa Moogi smiled as he looked at him. The killing intent within that smile clearly said he would definitely kill him, yet the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader did not care in the slightest.
“You should be grateful the Young Cult Leader isn’t here. If he were, a coward like you would have already collapsed from sheer rage.”
At that moment, one person stepped forward.
“Please grant me this chance.”
It was the Sword King. Since the Cult Leader had lifted his restriction, he wanted to fight freely.
Geom Woojin looked at him for a moment, then nodded in permission. There was a certain trust that the man named Ak Gunhak inspired—a vague belief that if he stepped forward like this, he must have his own reasoning.
“Would you watch my back just once more?”
That person was the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. He was asking again of the man who had stepped forward earlier to save him.
“You also use formless force, and my martial arts contain formless energy as well. We should complement each other well.”
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, too, had confirmed through Jin Paecheon’s fight that killing Hwa Moogi alone would by no means be easy.
“The one over there has many souls, while I am just one person—but I should still help.”
With another jab at Hwa Moogi, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader stepped forward to assist.
Geom Woojin gave the Sword King one piece of advice.
“Do not forget your promise.”
“Yes, I will not forget.”
The reason the Sword King stepped forward was partly his personal desire to fight him, but more importantly, to reduce his internal energy as much as possible.
He intended to exhaust as much of Hwa Moogi’s internal energy as he could. Only then would the one who faced him at the end have a chance of victory.
The Sword King sent a voice transmission to the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader.
—A wise choice.
At that moment, Jin Paecheon, who had been watching, spoke to the Sword King.
“Be careful.”
The Sword King slightly bowed his head toward him in gratitude.
‘Even if you give him the Gentleman’s Sword at his waist, he is already someone who has left.’
Regardless of Geom Woojin speaking as if he had already secured him.
From how he had tried to protect the wall earlier, he was completely a man of Geom Mugeuk now.
Though, perhaps, that was precisely why one would desire him even more.
Of course, fighting together did not make them twice as strong. Without having trained combined techniques, they could even hinder each other. They had to adapt instinctively in the moment.
Hwa Moogi crossed his arms and spoke arrogantly.
“Who gave you permission? Just because you want to fight, do you think I’ll oblige?”
Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
He blocked all the consecutive attacks without taking a single step back.
The one who had fired those attacks in succession was the Sword King.
“Does this still not make you want to fight?”
“Not a single one of you is to my liking.”
Among those he disliked, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was easily among the worst. And once again, he couldn’t hold back.
“If everyone around you is like that, have you considered that maybe the problem lies with you?”
Hwa Moogi smiled and nodded.
The moment he finished speaking—
Swoosh!
Hwa Moogi rushed not toward the Sword King, but toward the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. The mouth that had been talking seemed more irritating than the incoming force.
A black sword that cut through the air at the speed of light.
Human-shaped puppets appeared instantly, blocking the space between the two.
Shadow Illusion Human Wall.
It was the moment the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s unique martial art, the Outer Heavenly Blood Demon Art, manifested.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Behind those puppets, the Sword King was already standing.
The Sword King intended to take the lead. Not because he thought himself stronger, but because of compatibility.
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, who fought barehanded, would have difficulty against Hwa Moogi’s sword—it was too fast and too powerful.
Now that the building being destroyed no longer mattered, the Sword King immediately unleashed his unique martial art.
Formless Divine Sword, First Form—Formless Return to Void.
Whiiiiiiing!
As he thrust his sword, a whirlwind engulfed Hwa Moogi’s body.
A massive vortex twisted his body. Normally, flesh and bone would have been torn apart—but Hwa Moogi’s body did not twist. His protective energy turned the storm into nothing more than a spring breeze.
Swoosh!
Bang!
At that moment, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s palm strike struck his body.
Shhk.
Then, in an instant, he broke free of the vortex.
“Watch out!”
By the time the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader shouted, Hwa Moogi had already rushed in front of the Sword King, thrusting his black sword.
The energy that tore through space was no ordinary force.
Whoooosh!
A blazing energy that seemed capable of melting everything exploded toward the Sword King.
It was an attack that could never be blocked head-on.
A pitch-black space appeared before the Sword King.
Whoosh.
It swallowed the incoming flames—
Whoooosh!
Fwoooosh!
Hwa Moogi received the scorching heat—
Slash!
—and split the flames apart, advancing forward.
Clang!
Even though the Sword King raised his internal energy to its limit to block, a shock like his wrist being torn apart surged through him. He had prepared for it, yet could not adapt.
And such attacks poured down like rain.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Sword King did everything he could.
But with each clash, one thought grew stronger—
He could not win.
Fast, powerful, and flawless. It felt like fighting against an immense wall.
In the end, the Sword King could not withstand Hwa Moogi’s relentless assault.
Boom!
He was blown back into the wall behind him. As he sprang up, he coughed up blood. Blocking such powerful attacks consecutively had finally inflicted internal injuries.
Was it because his killing intent had grown stronger? Hwa Moogi was even stronger than when he fought Jin Paecheon. He was steadily growing more powerful.
Hwa Moogi rushed in to finish him.
But just before that, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader stepped in front of him.
Shashashashashashashashak!
Blue lines flew in from all directions—just grazing them would sever a human body. It was the Blue Line Blood Net of the Outer Heavenly Blood Demon Art.
Papapapak.
Hwa Moogi broke through them with his body. The net could not pierce his protective energy.
Swoosh!
He pushed forward regardless.
At that moment, a small dot fell in the air—then suddenly expanded.
Whirrrrrr!
A black hole began pulling Hwa Moogi in.
Yet he did not get sucked in. Using Thousand-Pound Descent, he resisted it with sheer force—enduring the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s Death Vortex entirely through strength alone.
He pushed his internal energy to the limit and unleashed palm force as well.
Swoosh! Bang!
Yet even then, Hwa Moogi did not get pulled in. Instead, he walked forward.
Thud! Thud!
Even as the vortex behind him pulled harder, he continued forward.
He approached until he stood right before the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader—perhaps because he had been the one speaking irritably all along.
Go on, say something again.
Even at a distance where a thrust would pierce his heart, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader did not dodge.
Swiish!
Before it could strike, the White Flower Sword cut through the air.
Clang!
The Sword King, despite his injuries, had barely recovered and intervened.
Whirr!
He was sucked into the black hole.
Pop.
As if sent to another world, the hole vanished instantly.
“With his level, that won’t hold him long.”
No sooner had he finished speaking—
Rip!
The black sword tore through space and emerged.
Through the torn space, Hwa Moogi’s head appeared.
He was smiling while immersed in a space that erased everything.
Watching that eerie, overwhelming presence, the Sword King asked:
Earlier, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had risked his life to save him. If he had been even a moment slower, he would have been pierced by that sword.
Curious, even Hwa Moogi listened, his head still protruding from the darkness.
One might have expected a joke—*There are five others, someone would have saved you.*
But the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader gave an unexpected answer.
All eyes turned toward him.
“If you die, even if we win this battle, it will be a defeat for the Young Cult Leader.”
“!”
“It will be a defeat he grieves for a very long time… perhaps his entire life.”
The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader turned his gaze toward Geom Woojin. He believed that Geom Woojin would understand his heart best—because he knew better than anyone what kind of feelings his son had entrusted this battle with.
His feelings now were the same as Geom Woojin’s when he had blown away the wall—to save everyone, so they could leave new words upon a new wall.
“I want to give the Young Cult Leader a proper victory.”
Even as that nightmare-like being extended his head toward them, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader showed no fear.
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