Episode 42

When was it?

It was during a time when I was training my body to the point of overuse, as usual.

On a day when my mana was surging because of the superiority of the spiritual veins.

I saw such a window.

A description so simple it’s utterly useless as an explanation.

However, I can understand how nonsensical this ability is.

Whether it’s martial arts or magic, there’s always some consumption.

But this ability, doesn’t it make all those things nearly zero?

‘It can’t really be true, though.’

Just to test, I tried using it a few times.

It couldn’t possibly be real, but this power was too dangerous to apply to attack magic.

Enchanting tools with magic formulas,

Surprisingly, it showed an efficacy close to real eternity.

‘It’s not exactly zero, but.’

It becomes eternal.

I just sat down as is.

However, if the first revealed ability is this much, I became curious about how far I could grow.

If I, like the principal, only cultivate my Unique Traits.

‘I would truly become eternal.’

This power is similar to the principal’s.

If her power encompassed the entire space.

My power affected time.

‘That’s why it ridiculously consumes mana.’

Time and space.

Creation.

These three powers consume an enormous amount of mana compared to their performance.

But as I grow, there is a return on that investment.

And.

Even the performance itself is excellent now.

“Eternal Heavenly Glacier.”

A blue sphere flew.

Paaat!

Engulfing the blue light, it created a lily made of ice.

“…!!”

“What is this…what?!”

“Immense magical power?! No, more than that. What kind of magic formula did you apply to have such power?”

Voices filled with astonishment were heard from all around. I drew my sword.

Swoosh.

The sword that was newly made to suit me not long ago.

I liked the cool sensation.

“Relying on just one magic, you dared to intrude into the Namgoong clan?”

“I wouldn’t think of it as relying on one magic because of one loophole.”

I slowly loosened up my body.

Kwoong! Kwoong!

I loosened the heavy rings on my arms and legs. He is not an opponent to be taken lightly just by fiddling around.

After all, he is a top-notch master.

“The Lightning Sword Brigade will release it soon. The Lightning Sword Brigade leader’s ability is anti-demonic power, after all.”

“What if they won’t?”

Eternity.

The Eternal Heavenly Glacier, combined with the Ice of Destruction, cannot be undone by ordinary anti-demonic powers.

‘Honestly, I didn’t know it would be this much.’

Eternal Heavenly Glacier combined with the power of time.

Even now, it was a bit tricky for me to unravel.

“Seeing you talk more, you must be feeling anxious? Being the patriarch of the Namgoong Clan, it seems hard for you to handle alone, so you keep talking.”

“…You’re whining like a foolish colt. I’ll teach you a lesson.”

“A lesson? The difference between us isn’t just one lesson. Isn’t it shameful for someone who brought a whole force of warriors to be pushed back like this, fighting from home?”

“…”

“No words, huh? Are you worried because your swordsmen are being pushed back by the students I brought? Or are you fretting over when those outside might barge in?”

“…It doesn’t matter. I’ll have to step forward soon anyway.”

The patriarch of the Namgoong Clan stepped forward.

“Today, I will set the law straight.”

“Don’t just talk, come at me.”

Crackle!!

Blue lightning wraps around my sword.

From there, lightning condenses.

Blue Dragon Qi.

The qi art that Namgoong is proud of. A qi art created in the image of the blue sky.

He seemed to meet the minimum requirements to be called the patriarch of the family.

I drew my sword.

I felt the cool touch of the iron sword.

Pretending to be the ultimate, it exudes an aura and is quite tingling.

“I’ll ask one last time. Surrender willingly.”

“Do you want the Emperor Sword Form that much?”

“It’s a sword technique that originally wasn’t yours. It’s a pity to waste it like this, a technique that will make our Namgoong Clan great again.”

The patriarch of the Namgoong Clan said this and raised his sword.

Whoosh!

The wind boomed and was upon me in an instant.

Moonlight.

I infused the sword with Moonlight. As if the moonlight had settled, a sword qi wrapped around it.

I swung it immediately.

Crrraaasssh!!

Seeing his Blue Dragon Qi clashing with my Moonlight, I frowned.

‘The strength is on his side.’

Our magical power is equal.

If we’re talking absolute amounts, mine is about a third.

But the exceptionally high quality of my mana compensates for the quantity.

The problem is that he’s also faster.

He comes at me again.

His eyes flash blue.

And within, a red light flickers as well.

‘The power of a demon.’

I jumped back.

The patriarch of the Namgoong clan pressed close.

“Why is that? Your mouth is flippant, but your body moves back.”

“It’s just that your breath is a bit too much.”

“Ha, I can see the desperation.”

After a bout, he feigned nonchalance.

No, he might actually feel at ease. His speed and strength are superior to mine.

But there is one thing where I overwhelmingly surpass him.

Swordsmanship.

The sword then moved.

Woo-woong!!

The sword screamed.

The Moonlight’s glow deepened. I circulated my energy endlessly with the Great Sky Dancing Divine Mantra.

Swing!!

I swung it diagonally, entrusting my body to the power flow in my wrist.

Clank!!

The swords collide. The redness in his eyes began to deepen.

At the same time, I felt my strength increasing.

However, his swordsmanship skills are negligible.

It seems the patriarch of the Namgoong Clan has neglected his swordsmanship training.

His face turned pale.

After the first exchange, he was full of vigor, but now, after the third, he looked utterly baffled.

I charged at him.

Namgoogn’s patriarch readied himself and swung with the Blue Dragon Qi.

Clank!

We exchanged blows. In an instant, we surpassed ten exchanges, and it was about time we passed twenty.

“Are you starting to feel overwhelmed? I see you’re resorting to powers you shouldn’t even be using.”

“…Who are you?”

“Han Seojin.”

“No, you are not just such a being.”

He swung the sword once more. He thrust in, tilting the sword.

My eyes were wide open, trying to block it.

‘There’s no depth.’

I can tell what kind of life you’ve lived so far.

You must have relied on magic power, physical strength, and speed. Most of your opponents would have been helpless against you.

Clang!

I flicked the sword away and slashed across his chest. The Namgoong’s patriarch glared with his eyes wide open, gritting his teeth.

“This can’t be possible!”

“It seems like you lived an easy life in this world. To think that the most important martial force in the family runs like this, on what courage did you make enemies in all directions?”

“Kuhuk!”

Screech.

A sword strike, a beat too late, sliced halfway through his wrist. As his right wrist dangled, his complexion changed.

“It’s a sword that capitalizes on speed, but the sword can’t keep up. How much did you slack off and fall to end up like this?”

“This sword isn’t something that can be wielded only at the peak of one’s power!”

“You call yourself a clan leader, but at least you have the eye for it.”

I mocked him, feigning nonchalance.

It’s a bit troubling.

This guy is slightly stronger than the information Yoo Eunchae or Nam Hyerin gave me.

It’s not that I can’t handle him.

But things might get much more complicated if he pulls ‘that’ out in this situation.

‘Should I risk an injury and fire off a Divine Thunderbolt once?’

Or.

‘Maybe one use of the Heaven-Surrendering Godly Technique would do the trick.’

As I thought up there, I suddenly found myself laughing.

To think I’m having such thoughts over this guy.

“I said I would teach you a lesson, didn’t I? Then let me show you something as well, a lesson. Emperor Sword Form. Let’s see what that is.”

Sssssssss.

A chilling breath flowed out of my mouth.

Woooooong!!

The sword vibrates. It hasn’t been long since it was made, but today’s fight feels like it might be the last.

I quite liked it.

The sword is circulated with energy infinitely. It’s imbued with enough sword qi to blow up a mountain.

I took my stance.

With an endlessly arrogant posture, I looked down on him.

“How absurdly arrogant! How dare you use the secret techniques of Namgoong while the patriarch of our family is glaring with wide-open eyes!!”

A flash of red light sparked from the eyes of the Namgoong Clan patriarch.

It was bizarre.

And it was regrettable.

Such power is growing stronger.

Evidence that demonization is progressing.

‘Soon.’

He will have no choice but to reveal the disgrace of the Namgoong Clan.

No, I will make it so.

I swung the sword imbued with sword qi.

Emperor Sword Form.

Whoosh!

Behind me, the shadow of an emperor was cast. The Namgoong Clan patriarch’s eyes flashed.

“Come!”

The lightning imbued in the sword intensified.

Azure Sky Emperor Sword.

KUUUUUNG!!

The sword was swung down.

KAGAGAGAGAK!

Namgoong Family patriarch was struggling to block it.

Tadak.

He dashed out quickly. The moment I drew my sword wrapped in moonlight to strike the foe,

PAAT!

A black-light burst forth from him.

[BASTARD!! I will never, ever let you off easy!!]

It was a voice like a beast howling.

A voice that shook the entire battlefield. The war turned into a lull because of that voice.

Everyone was watching this way. I wanted to look around, but it was difficult.

The momentum of Namgoong Family patriarch.

And the intent to kill

They were directed at me.

But it was different from what it had been until now.

‘This.’

I was flustered.

Because it was very different from the information I had heard from Yoo Eunchae, Nam Hyerin, and Seon Woohyeon.

‘Is it a bit dangerous?’

I stepped back significantly.

The emperor’s sword that was struck down shattered completely.

Clang!!

What was seen with that sound was not human.

And the unique ability it possessed.

It had fully blossomed. And a chilling magical power was spreading in all directions.

Boom!!

A sound as if something heavy was moving.

As the dust settled, what revealed itself was…

“Pfft.”

A pig.

Not metaphorically, but an actual pig.

His limbs had shortened, and for some reason, he was holding a sword with pig hooves.

However, what set his appearance apart from other pigs was.

‘He walks on two legs and is much bigger.’

His body was massive.

His aura had grown stronger.

And the most noticeable thing was.

The patriarch. Half of his patriarch was dyed black.

‘Demonization.’

Evidence of a contract with a demon.

It was unexpected, because I intended to draw the demon out during the fight,

But he pulled it off in one go.

[This is the first time I’ve shown this form.]

“This form suits you very well. Why were you hiding it? You’re nothing but a greedy pig with no real power.”

[Youuuuuu!!]

The Namgoong’s patriarch leaped greatly. His momentum was different from before.

The one who was superior in strength and speed had become even stronger.

‘Focus.’

Straining my eyes, I wrapped my whole body with the Great Sky Dancing Divine Mantra.

Tadadadadadadadang!!

While swinging countless sword strikes, I forcibly increased my speed to block the sword to block all of the incoming sword strikes.

But that was it.

I couldn’t make any offensive moves.

‘Tricky.’

It’s hard even to hold on. It’s not just a slight difference in strength or speed.

[You can still endure this much…?]

With a voice full of emptiness, the Namgoong’s patriarch spoke.

He was rolling his eyes.

As if measuring a place to escape.

‘Do you think I would let you go?’

I smirked and swung my sword.

Creaking

My body was overexerting itself, but I clenched my teeth and swung my sword.

Emperor Sword Form.

Azure Sky Emperor Sword.

[This guy!?]

The Namgoong’s patriarch was astonished and prepared to counter.

‘Good choice.’

Emperor Sword Form.

Utilizing the subtleties of heavy and defeating swords, this sword boasts an effect that could almost certainly be called infallible.

Moreover, the one using it is me.

There’s hardly a chance of missing.

That’s why he’s blocking like that.

“Where do you think you’re running off to? Don’t you see that Namgoong’s swords only look at you?”

[You, you, you!!]

“How many times are you going to call my name? Keep this up, and I might get attached, hey.”

[I will definitely kill you if it’s the last thing I do!!]

“Try it if you dare.”

The patriarch of the clan charged at me, furious.

But I didn’t provoke him for no reason.

Right before transforming, someone with a presence similar to Namgoong’s arrived.

“I will join you.”

A man wrapped in black cloth appeared before me.

Drawing a massive sword as he did.

[The dogs of Mighty Seo Clan should scram!!]

“Namgoong, I understand why you didn’t reveal your Unique Trait.”

[Keuk!]

The man in black clashed with Namgoong’s patriarch.

Or so I thought.

Namgoong’s patriarch simply handed over one of his arms to the man in black.

With the intensity of a man facing his mortal enemy.

…Huh?

[I will kill you if it’s the last thing I do!!]

Why me?!