Episode 72

When the bright light faded, time was frozen. He was standing right behind Jeok Seong.

<2 or more hostile targets found.>

<You can choose your target. Who will you attack?>

▶ Supreme Pavilion Lord

▷ Heuk Bi

What’s this now? Choose a target? Seol-Hwi was already nervous, despite his preparations. The new window startled him. However, the possibilities sent a thrill through his body. This was a one-of-a-kind chance for a surprise attack, especially considering that the Supreme Pavilion Lord couldn’t be defeated by normal methods. If Seol-Hwi was lucky, he could turn the whole game around.

<You have selected “Heuk Bi.”>

Normally, there would be another flash of light and then Seol-Hwi would be able to move. There was something different this time—his vision was distorting before time was unfrozen.

It was the airflow. He was already moving towards Heuk Bi and Sama Gwi, placing him in the perfect spot to strike.

“—What?!”

“—Huh!”

The Supreme Pavilion Lord took a few steps back, almost pushing Heuk Bi forward.

He really got to them. His foot landed neatly on the ground.

[A great opportunity! Found a weakness in Heuk Bi. How would you like to respond?]

Nice!

He had the initiative here. And all of the worst opponents he’d faced, he’d beaten with a surprise attack.

▶ Attack

▷ Use Martial Arts

▷ Use Toolbox

▷ Approach the Opponent

Seol-Hwi had to make the best of this chance. He couldn’t let them control the battle; he had to dictate its direction to maintain the maximum advantage.

▶ Use Martial Arts

Martial Arts was the best option when his opponent was strong and had unknown abilities, and he had full internal energy reserves, unlike his recent battle.

<Which martial arts would you like to use?>

▶ Unified Light Demonic Martial Arts (Perfect)

▷ White Light Body Demonic Martial Arts (Intermediate)

▷ Flaring Heat Fist Demonic Martial Arts (Intermediate)

▷ Four Peaks Demonic Martial Arts “Wind” (Beginner)

It was a troubling decision. Can I use the Flaring Heat Fist…? No, I have a weapon.

With hand-to-hand combat eliminated, he had three options left. The Four Peaks Demonic Martial Arts was the strongest in terms of raw power, but he didn’t have sufficient mastery to use it properly.

T-Then, White Light Body…? No. It looks like it could be strong, but its proficiency was low as well. There was no guarantee that his attack would be strong.

Next, then, was the Unified Light Demonic Martial Arts. The power was a bit weak, but it was the one he knew best.

It’s the obvious choice.

▶ Unified Light Demonic Martial Arts (Perfect)

He hadn’t used it in a while, but he remembered that this technique had a certain level of power regardless of the opponent.

<You have selected “Unified Light Demonic Martial Arts.”>

His vision blurred again. It wasn’t that he had moved; instead, the flow of time had changed.

In turn-based combat, his sword techniques were automatically selected based on the circumstances.

Is this the 9th form? Unified Light had nine forms; the 8th and the 9th—the Phantom Flying Sword—were the strongest. It had the advantage of using large motions, and distorted space in a one-meter radius using internal energy.

Four illusionary swords rose from the tip of Seol-Hwi’s blade.

“…Ack!” Heuk Bi’s concentration collapsed. As soon as she could think, she retreated.

The attack hit anyway.

[Critical hit! Inflicted 1 million damage to Heuk Bi.]

Heuk Bi [Vassal of the Lord of the Supreme Pavilion]

Health: 3.5 million(↓1.5 million)/7 million

“Ugh!” The stab wound Sama Gwi had given her dropped her health by two million; with Seol-Hwi’s attack, her health was down to half.

[A great opportunity! Found a weakness in Heuk Bi. How would you like to respond?]

▶ Attack

▷ Use Martial Arts

▷ Use Toolbox

▷ Approach the Opponent

I need to use this. He had an opening, but the distance had grown. From experience, Seol-Hwi knew that you had to account for variables in turn-based combat.

▶ Use Martial Arts

<Which martial arts would you like to use?>

▶ Unified Light Demonic Martial Arts (Perfect)

▷ White Light Body Demonic Martial Arts (Intermediate)

He was in a situation where he had to attack. Seol-Hwi went back to the list.

▶ Attack

▷ Use Martial Arts

▷ Use Toolbox

▷ Approach the Opponent

He chose to attack. He knew that with the three-second rewind, he’d be able to corner the enemy and still be prepared to defend afterward.

<You have chosen “Attack.” Rewinding time by 3 seconds.>

Seol-Hwi lashed out with the Phantom Flying Sword again.

“Agh!” Heuk Bi was bounced back by the hit. Seol-Hwi’s eyes gleamed, and he rushed at Heuk Bi as soon as he could move.

“Hah!” Seol-Hwi’s sword came slashing down at an angle, accumulating a layer of ice as it did.

The White Light Demonic Martial Arts had truly transitioned to the White Light Body Demonic Martial Arts. What once could only happen from the sword now came from his entire body, making it several times more powerful. It didn’t just hurt the enemy anymore, it also stunned them.

[Critical hit! Inflicted 400k damage to Heuk Bi!]

Heuk Bi [Vassal of the Lord of the Supreme Pavilion]

Health: 3.1 million(↓400k)/7 million

[Special effect “Freeze” has been applied; Heuk Bi’s movement is slowed by 20%.]

[A great opportunity! Found a weakness in Heuk Bi. How would you like to respond?]

[Warning! The Lord of the Supreme Pavilion has found a weakness in Seol-Hwi. How would you like to respond?]

Seol-Hwi bought another opening with the freezing effect, but he wouldn’t be able to act on it.

8… 7…

He looked around. Five steps in front of him was Heuk Bi. Sama Gwi was more than three meters away.

He’s definitely fast. That was four times as far as Heuk Bi, but Sama Gwi was still able to exploit Seol-Hwi’s weakness! At this rate, Seol-Hwi would be fatally wounded—but he couldn’t possibly miss the chance he had now.

Combat Mode: <Simulation>

<Analyzing Martial Arts.>

<Analyzing techniques.>

…

<Analysis complete.>

<Select a target to attack.>

▶ Supreme Pavilion Lord

▷ Heuk Bi

This is new. The Supreme Pavilion Lord caused it.

It seemed he had to decide whether to attack the more distant target, or the closer, wounded one.

<Attacking “Heuk Bi.”>

A flurry of busy illusions appeared in front of him. All of them avoided the Supreme Pavilion Lord, and Seol-Hwi could clearly see Heuk Bi’s movements, which was promising.

But there was something different; not one, but three different illusions remained at the end.

<Discovered three options. Which will you choose?>

▶ Take no damage and deliver an attack on Heuk Bi.

▷ Take 30% damage and deliver a strong attack on Heuk Bi.

▷ Take 90% damage and inflict a critical hit on Heuk Bi.

Hmm. Simulation mode was supposed to show him the most optimal course of battle. It was strange that it asked him to choose an option.

This one.

▶ Take 90% damage and inflict a critical hit on Heuk Bi.

Seol-Hwi took the boldest option. His objective was to kill Heuk Bi from the moment he stepped in. There was no sense in taking the safe route.

Life +4

Whatever else she was, this woman harassed Jeok Seong. He had to punish her for that.

<Selected “Take 90% damage and inflict a critical hit on Heuk Bi.” The simulation will be displayed again.>

Two of the illusions disappeared, leaving the last one behind.

And then, for a moment, his vision went pitch black.

What? He could see a single spot of brightness. What’s this? He could see the leaves falling from the tree next to Jeok Seong, but they were falling too slowly. When he was able to see Heuk Bi, he noticed that she was turning to defend herself, but she was just as slow as the falling leaves.

Why is it so slow?

And then it went dark again.

When it brightened again, he could see Sama Gwi nine meters away.

—What?! He was abnormally fast, in contrast to Heuk Bi, like a leopard after its prey.

The distance closed to one meter before the virtual form of Seol-Hwi moved.

Eh? It was looking backward, not ahead. It saw Sama Gwi coming, but didn’t counterattack. What it did do was reach out with its sword at shoulder height.

A quick strike? Seol-Hwi’s eyes narrowed. This technique was normally used to disarm the opponent. It didn’t even qualify as martial arts; it was just a basic sword technique.

As Seol-Hwi expected, the illusion didn’t move despite the flames from the Supreme Pavilion Lord’s technique touching its body. It was completely focused on maintaining its stance. Then, something unbelievable happened: some of the flames flew straight at Heuk Bi.

The simulation ended there.

Seol-Hwi’s eyes narrowed. Isn’t this Taoist martial arts? He had seen it before—or at least heard of it when he was introduced to martial arts.

It was called the “Four Limbs Movement.” When students first picked up a sword, their instructors would always tell them to imagine the movements in their head four times and to wield their sword like it was their hand.

Seol-Hwi had no idea why it showed up here, but the simulation said it was the answer.

But how do I do that…? It was a delicate affair; if his body trembled for even a moment due to the pain, the attack would fail. On top of that, he had to manage the timing between sending the flame to Heuk Bi and when Sama Gwi struck.

But there was no other way.

I have to do it! Whatever it takes!

<Turn straight to the right and extend your sword at shoulder height. (Perform at 5x normal speed.)>

<As soon as the sword touches the Supreme Pavilion Lord, attempt to stab while using the White Light Demonic Martial Arts.>

<After four breaths (100 time units each), do a half-turn with body and sword.>

- Start.

If he didn’t want to die, he had to do it perfectly.