1305 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Rumble---!!! A flash of light so bright it could blind and the violent clash of my wager. Strictly speaking, it wasn't just a bet. It was more like a chaotic blend of countless tricks. Engulfed in the realization of strength and intent that defines the wager. On top of that, various skills were condensed and intricately woven together. Having reached transcendence at the end of this launching pad and utilized my techniques, an explosive outburst was to be expected. 'This is absurd.' I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh at the sight before me. The heat was excruciating. It was an extreme evolution of the Radiant Flame Technique, powerful enough to incinerate anything in its path. 'Yet it's enduring too easily.' Rumble---!!! The heat that erupted ahead of me couldn't shatter the gleaming golden wall. Should I even call it a wall? No, it's not a wall. 'If you consider it.' It's a sword. Yes, a sword. A golden sword was withstanding all of my heat. I narrowed my eyes as I watched the sparks fly. If this continued, there would be no solution. I retrieved the flames I had summoned and condensed them once more into my hand. A fire jade. I detonated it immediately. This wasn't meant as an attack but simply to create a shockwave. Boom-!!! As I intended, an explosion occurred, propelling my body backward. Crack. I braced my legs to kill the momentum and create distance. Dust rose in clouds as a result of the explosion's aftermath. I focused, my eyes scanning the billowing dust. Buzz-! My spiritual eye captured beyond that. A clear, golden figure appeared in my sight. The Sword Sovereign hadn't moved. He remained in his original position. Swish-! He lightly flicked his hand. As the cutting sound resounded, the dust dispersed in an instant. "Amazing." Beyond the clearing view, an elderly man with sharp eyes was staring at me. "I was curious about how far you had reached, and it's truly bizarre." "......" Sword Sovereign couldn't hide his admiration for my level. 'Admiration, huh.' It wasn't quite the positive feeling typically associated with that word. It was more of an odd sensation. Discomfort might be a more appropriate term. "The flames just now. I know it's not the work of the Paejon." "......" "It's the Gu Flame of Shanxi. It resembles the old master's skills so much. I had heard you were of his bloodline, but I didn't expect you to master his martial arts. Even more so." Vvvvwwoooom. The sword in the Sword Sovereign's hand sparked with golden energy. "You've reached the end." Indirect mention of great and transcendence. Hearing this, I calmed my breathing. "Fwooo-." As I exhaled, steam escaped my lips. My body, still heated, remained scorching. I clenched my fist, assuming a stance once more. Ssshh-!! A sawtooth-shaped ring materialized behind me, rapidly rotating. I concentrated. Crrnch. I slightly thrust forward with my sole. The Sword Sovereign's arm moved in response to my stance. Upon seeing that, I twisted my upper body to the left. Swipe-!! Scraaaape!!! The world was sliced. As if the space itself was severed, a diagonal sword force manifested in the air. If I hadn't dodged, my chest would have been cleanly cut. 'He's out of his mind.' What is this? 'Can this even be called swordsmanship?' It had already surpassed the realm of swordsmanship. Severing space... how could such a thing be considered a mere sword technique? 'These insane beings.' The Three Venerable were truly of a different species. The Heavenly Lord seemed almost human when he had lost his mind, but upon regaining sanity, he was a monster enveloped in lightning. Both the Paejon and Sword Sovereign were undoubtedly madmen. Shoosh-!! The sword continuously flew toward me. To be hit even once was perilous. I dodged each strike, gradually closing the distance. After evading the sword a few more times. Shoosh-! The sword came flying once more. From the front. Watching it approach, I slightly lowered my head to evade it. "……!" I caught sight of a foot in my lowered gaze. It was Sword Sovereign's. When did he get so close? I hurriedly tried to pivot my body and widen the distance again, but— "You're late." Sword Sovereign spoke while drawing his sword downward. My shoulder was about to be slashed when suddenly— Clang-!! "Urgh!" A strange sound erupted alongside the pain. It was similar to just a moment ago. 'The Armored Sleeve...' The Armored Sleeve enveloping my body had once again deflected Sword Sovereign's attack. Earlier, it had cloaked my arm, but now it had slid up to my shoulder. "Hmm?" Sword Sovereign narrowed his eyes. "You're using something quite peculiar." My shoulder throbbed. Though it hadn't been severed, the pain lingered. 'What is this?' Why does the Armored Sleeve keep behaving this way? 'I don't know what it is.' But thanks to it, I survived. I focused again to gauge my energy. Though I had used a transcendent technique, my energy reserves were conserved due to the foundation of condensation. "Ssshh." I narrowed my eyes. Sword Sovereign was a greater monster than I had anticipated. Being at the same level of transcendence shouldn't result in such a disparity, should it? ‘If that's the case.’ I realized that the Flame Wheel Technique alone was insufficient to face him. 'Hmm.' Moreover, it seemed Sword Sovereign was engaging with me rather leisurely. As if gauging how far I could go. 'This is absurd.' Despite having lived through the years, do I still need to be put through this by someone? 'The fortuitous encounters I've consumed would be a waste.' Thinking about it made me involuntarily smirk. That's when I realized it wasn't time to be choosy. Vvvvvwww---!! I spun the ring within my heart. Starting friction beyond condensation and rotation. Inside, energy clashed. The threads of incantation entwined to stave off an explosion. The internal friction instigated chaos. "……Huh?" Sword Sovereign sensed the anomaly and reacted again. "You still had more to show." "Now I'm certain." "What is?" "When facing a monster, there's no room for useless actions." Sword Sovereign was indeed a monster. I had to acknowledge this. How such a monster had died to Heavenly Demon was bewildering, considering his unparalleled strength. Ssssshhh—!!! The demonic aura responded defiantly. Flames darkened to an ominous black, enveloping my entire body. "……!" Sword Sovereign's eyes grew wide as he observed this. "Black energy... This is." Ignoring his reaction, I raised my hand. "Dark Abyss." Thud—!!! Like thickening the night, the demonic aura surged, forming yet another sky. "Fire Ring Star." Above it, a scorched sphere materialized. My energy drained rapidly. Indeed, this was the force with the worst efficiency possible. Sizzle-!!! Chaos. Unleashing the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, I channeled immense energy throughout my entire body. "Here I come again." With a single step forward, the scenery blurred. I reached the forefront of Sword Sovereign, faster than before, on an entirely different level. Whoosh-!!! The sword came flying at me. I could see it clearly now. The expanded energy allowed me to fully perceive Sword Sovereign's attack. I evaded it and murmured. -Stop. "……?!" Sword Sovereign's body froze in place. Halted by the command, a backlash surged through me, boiling my blood. I forcibly swallowed it down, suppressing the turmoil. Gulp. After swallowing the blood, I gathered energy into my hands before Sword Sovereign could move again. Heavenly Demon Soul Jade. A mix of Chaos and Fire Jade. I directed it straight at Sword Sovereign. Boom-!!! The Soul Jade collided with his chest. Thud-! Screaaam---!!! My wager screamed and exploded. The explosion was twice as formidable as before. An enormous blast and storm swept through the surroundings. However— 'Damnit.' I hadn't escaped from it. The Soul Jade hadn't fully impacted him. Screeeeeech-!!! Sword. The Sword Sovereign had managed to withstand the Soul Jade with his blade in that fleeting moment. Crackling. A real sword. Not the golden sword he'd been using, but the true blade from his waist, shielding him against the Soul Jade. "Haap!" Swish-!! With a powerful shout, he cut through the Soul Jade. The cleaved Soul Jade, which had barely contained energy, unleashed its power. Boom-!!!! A colossal surge of energy shot into the sky, ripping a hole through the Dark Abyss. A vast mushroom cloud formed. This was a heavy calamity born of wager against wager. And from there, my face twisted into a grimace. Something began to stir. Moonlight Dance Sword. Sword Sovereign slowly swung his sword. A golden streak of light spun, with traces of crescent arcs, weaving into a singular line. Full Moon Storm (萬月嵐). Swirling and spinning, the chaotic energy was drawn and dissipated, the immense energy caught in the golden vortex whisked away. A grand moon rose majestically in the darkness. "…Impressive. Truly impressive." Just as I was about to curse at the incredible scene— "Child." Sword Sovereign addressed me while holding the moon. "I acknowledge you. Among all the warriors I've seen in the past dozen years, you stand above them all." A compliment. Yet, it didn't feel pleasant. What did he mean by this? "And so." 'Damn.' "Let us end this." As the full moon was retracted, Sword Sovereign stepped forward, his body now coated in an overwhelming golden aura. Moonlight Dance Sword. Moon Shattering Radiant Sword (月殲熙聯劍). Swish-!! Three swords, sharp and precise, emerged from behind Sword Sovereign, slicing through the air and heading straight for me. I gritted my teeth. My energy reserves were still intact. With this much— 'How many seconds of Proficiency Change can I manage?' Once. And maybe a fleeting moment more. It was possible. I had to attempt it, even if it meant depleting all my energy to block them. As I resolved to channel my strength into my heart, at that very moment— Crack—!!! Boom—!!! Lightning struck. Rumble—!!! The struck lightning shattered Sword Sovereign's flying swords. "……What?" Two bolts of lightning descending before me left me dumbfounded. One was Namgung Jin. And the other— ‘…Namgung Bi-ah?’ Hyun Soyeon, her hair now white, appeared. It was Namgung Bi-ah, having summoned Heavenly Thunder Descent.