◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 459: Uncertain Conviction
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That ominous thing rose like smoke.
Then it took on a form.
A humanoid shape familiar to people.
Humans were naturally drawn to things that resembled themselves.
But when it became twice, three times their size…
“Urgh!”
“W-What the hell is that?!”
It spread fear and despair.
Not only among the Mount Mao Sect members, who had been targeted by the purge operation.
Even the Black Officers on Heo Gwanjung’s side were terrified.
“What happened?!”
“I-I don’t know. The commander entered the Myriad Illusion Formation, got thrown out, and then suddenly…”
“You’re saying that’s Heo Gwanjung?”
“L-Look over there…”
Several strands of energy extended from the waist of the massive black-smoke humanoid like threads.
Those threads led to Heo Gwanjung, whose red eyes gleamed as drool ran from his mouth.
“W-What should we do? Doesn’t that look like demonic qi?”
The Deputy Black Officer Commander fell silent at the Black Officers’ report.
“Deputy Commander.”
“Have you ever experienced demonic qi?”
“What? What do you mean…?”
“You’ve never experienced it, yet you’re declaring that to be demonic qi?”
The Black Officers primarily inspected the Martial Alliance and its allied sects. When would they ever have the chance to encounter demonic qi?
They only knew the basics from their training on forbidden arts and dark arts.
“…”
The Black Officer immediately understood what the Deputy Commander meant.
This bastard intended to abandon the commander.
Hadn’t he cursed every day about how a brat half his age had taken the commander’s position?
Still, could they simply let this pass?
If someone within the Black Officers had learned demonic qi, then the very people responsible for inspections had already lost the right to carry them out.
“…”
But with the commander in that state, command authority now rested with the Deputy Commander.
“Order the Black Officers to fall back.”
“Yes.”
As the Black Officer turned away, they heard the Deputy Commander mutter.
“Perhaps we can deal with Mount Mao and the commander at the same time.”
#
Bang!
Geumpyo gritted his teeth at the impact passing through the Vajra Shield.
“What the…”
Whenever that vague thing struck with its fist, it felt as though a boulder were hurtling at him at full speed.
“How can smoke hit this hard?!”
Bang!
He forcibly twisted the Vajra Shield to disperse the force, but it was still far from easy.
“Brother! Are you okay?”
“No!”
“Then hold on a little longer!”
Eunho’s worried words made Geumpyo grind his teeth.
Still, he could not avoid it.
If he did not draw its attention, the attacks would focus on his younger siblings.
Bang!
While Geumpyo blocked the smoke giant’s fists, Eunho, Dongryong, and Saryeon targeted its host.
It was obvious that the giant’s energy originated from Heo Gwanjung.
As they used the Taeul Eighty Thousand Divine Steps to circle behind it, the giant’s back writhed like clouds.
Then a third arm burst out and raked across the ground.
Kwararararak!
A deep trench, impossible to make with human strength or tools, split open in the earth. Eunho and Saryeon’s hearts dropped.
“Senior Sister, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. But where’s Dongryong?”
The moment she looked for Dongryong, who had been beside her…
She saw him already closing in on Heo Gwanjung.
Grrrrrrr-
Heo Gwanjung had been drooling like a beast that had lost its mind. His red eyes flashed toward Dongryong.
“You brat…”
At the same time, he unleashed the Heavenly Flower Eighteen Claws.
His fingers had been cut off. He should not have been able to use it anymore.
Yet strange black currents shaped like claws rose from his fingertips and tore through the air, just like the smoke giant’s attacks.
Slaaash!
Dongryong’s body bent sharply as the claw qi burst toward him, but its sharp edge skimmed across his back.
Spurt!
Blood burst out and soaked his back red.
Even so, Dongryong did not cry out. He immediately swung for Heo Gwanjung’s neck.
Clang!
When the Black Dragon Sword was blocked, Dongryong rode the recoil and spun in the opposite direction.
A swift sword that split the air.
Swoosh!
Kaang!
But Heo Gwanjung’s blackened hand casually caught Dongryong’s Black Dragon Sword.
“Do you think I’ll fall for the same trick twice?”
At the same time, Dongryong fired the Great Yang Palm from his free hand.
Thump!
The Great Yang Palm engulfed Heo Gwanjung’s entire upper body, yet when the palm force faded, there was not a mark on his face.
“Did you think a Taeul Sect martial art like that could harm me?!”
Boom!
Heo Gwanjung’s fist exploded forward, flinging Dongryong back.
“Urgh!”
Oddly, it was Heo Gwanjung who groaned.
“This bastard… He did that on purpose…”
The hand that had been holding the Black Dragon Sword with demonic qi was covered in blood.
He twisted the sword in that instant?
The jagged wounds were traces of sword qi.
At the moment he was struck, Dongryong had infused the Black Dragon Sword with internal energy at full power and twisted it free.
It was too clever to dismiss as simple improvisation.
“You know you’re in a strange state… right?”
Dongryong glared fiercely at the smoke giant.
At that dangerous being attacking his brothers, senior sister, and the Mount Mao Sect.
“There’s nothing strange about it. I’ve simply recovered my true strength.”
“I think your mind has gone strange too…”
“Let’s see how long you can keep acting so arrogant.”
Kwakwakwa!
The Heavenly Flower Eighteen Claws erupted.
They possessed cutting power and destructive force beyond anything they had shown before.
Kwakwakwakwang!
It was not only Heo Gwanjung. Like him, the smoke giant formed sharp claws and attacked.
Bang!
A palm as large as a human body used a claw technique. The impact was impossible to redirect or block.
“Brother!”
Geumpyo was finally hurled back three jang.
Yet Geumpyo shouted that he was fine.
“I’m okay! Don’t come over here!”
“That’s not the problem! We’re exposed to its attacks!”
“You little bastard!!”
As though venting his anger, Geumpyo charged at Heo Gwanjung even faster than he had been sent flying.
Bang!
But the smoke giant’s beam-thick fist came down and stopped him.
“Aaaagh!”
Eunho forced his way through the opening and leaped in, swinging his sword at Heo Gwanjung.
Heo Gwanjung unleashed the Heavenly Flower Eighteen Claws.
Then Saryeon, who had hidden in his blind spot, unleashed the Demon-Extinguishing Sword and targeted Heo Gwanjung’s heart.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
At that moment, the smoke giant’s body sank inward and completely blocked their view.
“W-Where is he?!”
Even when they spread their energy sense, they could not distinguish him. The smoke itself was a manifestation of qi.
Then the black smoke swept to one side.
It gathered into an unnatural shape before taking human form again.
And beneath it…
“Here.”
Heo Gwanjung wore a triumphant smile.
“Die!”
Kwakwakwakwakwa!
Kwakwakwakwakwa!
The giant swung its merciless Heavenly Flower Eighteen Claws.
The Taeul Sect disciples had no choice but to retreat.
“…This is insane.”
The instant Heo Gwanjung realized no one was blocking him, he moved to attack the Myriad Illusion Formation.
Swoosh!
A golden radiance shot toward the smoke giant with a sharp whistle.
Bang! Kwakwang!
This was different from the previous attack.
Each explosion tore away part of the smoke giant’s form as though chunks of flesh had been blasted from it.
What kind of…
“Eldest Senior Brother!”
“Eldest Senior Brother!”
Eunho and the other Taeul Sect disciples shouted.
Swoooosh!
Jin Sowoon descended as if flying, the Scarlet Radiance Sword glowing gold in his hand as he swung golden sword qi.
Green claw qi gathered at the fingertips of the smoke giant, which had restored its form. It swung at Jin Sowoon as if to tear him apart.
Kagagagak!
The sound of metal scraping against metal rang out continuously as shockwaves spread in every direction.
Crack! Crack!
The smoke giant collapsed, crushing buildings beneath it.
As though it had decided it was at a disadvantage, it erased its form and tried to gather around Heo Gwanjung again.
Demon-Severing Radiant Whip
The golden Flying Dragon Claw in Jin Sowoon’s left hand lashed out like a whip.
It wrapped around the smoke and seized it tightly.
“Attack the host now!”
Before Jin Sowoon had even finished speaking, all four had already rushed Heo Gwanjung.
“You damned bastards!”
Heo Gwanjung’s eyes glowed red as he released demonic qi in every direction.
The foot-long claw qi cut through anything it touched.
“Argh!”
Still, wounds steadily accumulated under the attacks of the four, who formed a coordinated formation as though they shared one body.
“Do you think… I’ll be defeated?!”
Red currents began pouring from Heo Gwanjung’s shoulders.
At the same time, he displayed incredible brute strength and sent Geumpyo flying in an instant.
“Why am I the only one?!”
As Jin Sowoon pulled the smoke giant closer to disrupt Heo Gwanjung’s balance…
Kwakwang!
The Eight Directions Stone Heaven Golden Lock Formation shattered, and a man in white martial robes burst out.
“Yong Soa…”
After looking over Heo Gwanjung and the Taeul Sect members, he immediately rushed into the Myriad Illusion Formation.
“That bastard actually…!”
Boom! Kwabang! Rumble!
The Myriad Illusion Formation flashed like clouds filled with thunder and lightning the moment Yong Soa entered, erupting with tremendous explosions.
“You can hold out, right?”
Eunho answered boldly.
“No!”
“Fine. Don’t overdo it. Just keep it restrained!”
“I said no! We can’t hold…!”
Before Eunho could finish, Jin Sowoon released the Demon-Severing Radiant Whip and charged into the Myriad Illusion Formation.
The black giant raised its enormous body again.
Eunho stared at it, his brow tightly furrowed.
“Damn it, I said we can’t…!”
#
Inside the Myriad Illusion Formation, Yong Soa was fighting the animals within the illusion.
More precisely, they were creatures Gu Songbaek had manifested with illusion art.
The Azure Dragon breathed fire, the Vermilion Bird raised gales, and the Black Tortoise tried to restrain him.
Yet Yong Soa was not caught by any of their attacks.
He was simply waiting for an opening to cut down Gu Songbaek in one strike.
Boom! Boom!
The sword qi Yong Soa unleashed severed the Azure Dragon’s neck and broke the Vermilion Bird’s wings, turning them into fragments of talismans.
At that moment, the Black Tortoise and White Tiger blocked the front of Geoncheong Hall.
Yong Soa moved to cut off Gu Songbaek’s head at once.
Swoosh!
I slashed toward Yong Soa’s neck in a single stroke.
Clang!
As expected, Whirlwind Sword Art stopped the Scarlet Radiance Sword as though it had been waiting for it.
There was no longer any need for words to confirm where we stood.
We would simply fight for our own justice.
Clang! Clang!
Clangclangclang!
Wounds appeared on Yong Soa’s body.
Wounds appeared on mine.
We responded smoothly to each other’s attacks, as though we knew exactly what the other would do.
We tried to overwhelm each other with fierce strength, redirected each other’s force, and searched for gaps to counterattack.
It was as if the Myriad Illusion Formation’s effect of blurring our vision did not exist at all.
“Young Hero Jin! The mystic formation!”
At Gu Songbaek’s desperate cry, I glanced over and saw the Eight Directions Stone Heaven Golden Lock Formation collapsing.
Its remaining durability must have finally run out.
When the Eight Directions Stone Heaven Golden Lock Formation was revealed, the Mount Mao Sect disciples hiding inside it were exposed as well.
And Heo Gwanjung had watched it all.
“Hah!”
Heo Gwanjung stopped heading toward the Myriad Illusion Formation and immediately changed course for the Eight Directions Stone Heaven Golden Lock Formation.
Unable to endure any longer, Gu Songbaek left the Myriad Illusion Formation.
“Over here, you monster!”
Gu Songbaek scattered arm-length pillars around Heo Gwanjung and tossed talismans into the air.
But Heo Gwanjung already knew illusion art. He simply swept away the ground where the pillars had been planted, rendering it useless.
“Run!”
The Mount Mao Sect members froze at the sudden appearance of the grotesque monster.
Gu Songbaek drew his sword and charged at it.
Thump!
But he could not withstand even a single move. A long wound opened across his chest, and he was sent flying back.
Screeeech!
As I watched that scene with my sword still locked against Yong Soa’s, I asked, “Do you still think the future you saw is certain?”
“…”
Kwakwang!
The Mount Mao Sect disciples died helplessly beneath Heo Gwanjung’s claws.
At this rate, not only Gu Songbaek but everyone from Mount Mao would die.
If everyone from Mount Mao died…
Damn it, Yong Soa!
Gu Songbaek, who had fallen into Eunho’s arms, painfully rose again and rushed at Heo Gwanjung.
Watching that, I thought of a clever move.
No, it was closer to a gamble.
“Yong Soa! Look carefully! Can someone who fights that desperately against demonic beings truly become one with them?!”
Yong Soa did not answer.
“Are you truly certain?!”
He only looked at me without emotion.
So I pressed again.
“Well, if I were Sect Leader Gu, I’d want to join the Demonic Cult and wipe out the Martial Alliance too. After suffering an injustice like this!”
I stopped attacking.
“If you’re so certain, kill me.”
“…”
“Your actions may be what turns Sect Leader Gu into that!”
Then I threw myself toward Heo Gwanjung.
Someone whose mind could not be changed by skill or persuasion.
That was why all I could do…
All I could create…
Was self-doubt.
The dice had been cast.
I had no idea whether it would cause a ripple in his heart.
Fuck, he isn’t really going to kill me, right?
Fortunately, Yong Soa did not attack before I left the Myriad Illusion Formation.
I exploded a wave of qi and shot toward Heo Gwanjung.
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