2.
Blossoms cascade like gentle rain.
These petals, like a warm snow, softly lain..
3.
"Very well."
I speak, raising my sword.
"Let's test it."
I charge forward.
Swinging.
The sword I swing collides with the blade held by Venomous Snake.
Clang…!
The sound of metal rings out.
Clang…!
The sound of metal rings out again.
Clang…!
Venomous Snake's shoulders flinch, then with a 'pop', his condensed muscles unfurl all at once, splitting the sword path.
It's as if several sword paths are attacking simultaneously, an illusion.
'No, is it not a sword path but rather a sword discussion?'
He raises his aura, creating multiple afterimages of his blade, asking me which one I will respond to.
Depending on which one I choose, the nature of that sword path will become something entirely different.
And none of those changes will be in my favor.
'Unparalleled in the world.'
Perhaps this is the skill Venomous Snake acquired when he first entered the tower.
The ability to read the projected paths of attacks, something I glimpsed in my master's world.
"Then,"
I raise my sword.
"There's no need to choose!"
It wasn't just one sword.
The sword strike Venomous Snake brings down from the upper left is parried by the [Sword of Compassion].
"One!"
The sword strike burrowing towards my waist is blocked by the [Sword of Prayer].
"Two!"
The strike aiming for my wrist is stopped by the [Sword of Sacrifice].
"Three!"
The attack aimed at my neck is deflected by the [Sword of Salvation].
Thus, I block all of Venomous Snake's attacks, binding his hands, and then I leap towards his chest.
"Ha!"
I swing the [Sword of Idolatry] in my hand.
"Uh,"
Venomous Snake steps back.
He's trying to create distance and regroup.
But I'm not about to give him that chance. I charge.
I bend.
"—–Huh!"
And in that moment, I see a smile flicker across Venomous Snake's lips.
"Hrryaaahhh!"
Clang! The sound of metal rings out.
My swing with the [Sword of Idolatry] is blocked by something.
It's not Venomous Snake's sword.
His wrist—wrapped in aura-engulfed gauntlets—blocks it.
Not only does he block it, but he also rotates his hand, grabbing the blade.
He pulls.
"Liao Fan,"
Venomous Snake's one-eyed gaze, suddenly, closes in.
"Aren't you a swordsman,"
"There are two things I want to tell you,"
Our voices overlap, and in the next moment, they are drowned out by a loud explosion.
Boom...!
The sonic boom created as Venomous Snake's other fist grazes past my ear swallows all other sounds.
– This too is one of the great sword techniques,
So Venomous Snake's words are conveyed only through the movement of his lips.
– The main reason I use a sword is simply because it suits me best and looks cool.
The moment his fist grazes past, Venomous Snake is already launching into his next attack.
Pulling the sword he has grabbed, he aims to strike my abdomen with his bent knee. If I let go of the sword and back off, he'll swing it directly, aiming to strike my shoulder in a cross-cut. Should I then brace my legs and stand firm? No, then he'll straighten his bent knee and strike my solar plexus.
– I see, that's true.
I see it.
I feel it.
– When controlling the Seven Heroes of the Oni, you handled many weapons simultaneously.
– Yes.
Venomous Snake's intent. His prediction of my response. The strategy based on that prediction. All of it supported by one pure objective.
– From the scythe to the fist, there is no weapon I cannot wield!
We are now, 'conversing'.
– That's right.
Floating in the flow of time created by the aura, I surreptitiously count the number of cards Venomous Snake can play.
I count for a while, then give up.
– There are many.
Dozens.
Considering the traps lying in wait to be triggered, easily hundreds.
In the blink of an eye, I feel Venomous Snake's intent and killing aura from my left, right, behind me, all around, and even beyond.
– Really now.
This is truly like a human wave attack.
The Seven Oni Heroes, the Twelve Winged Generals, the Seventy-Two Demon Kings, the One Hundred and Eight Arhats… whatever it may be, this is different in nature from the unified will controlling numerous bodies that I had encountered before.
Here, numerous wills are displayed through a single body.
Therefore, the one before me now is Liao Fan, yet not just Liao Fan.
– There really are many!
A blacksmith's hammer-like fist targets me. The blade of a farmer's sickle, the snips of a gardener's scissors, the net of a fisherman – countless attacks unfold towards me.
– Yes, go ahead, give it your all.
I too will use all my strength to defeat you.
No, to defeat all of you.
'Let's go, Shiny.'
As I leap into the vortex of attacks, I swing my fist as well. Whether it was the right answer or not, strength drains from Venomous Snake's sword-wielding hand.
'Resonate with my heart.'
The moment my fist cuts through the air, I pray.
'The Salvation of the Torn Goddess.'
Among the four swords floating in the air, the Sword of Salvation vibrates intensely.
[Activating skill.]
This is a secret technique once possessed by Constellation Killer.
Forgetting memories, drawing strength equivalent to the weight of the forgotten memories.
The more the past is discarded, the more the current me dies. I promised Raviel not to recklessly throw away my life, so I try not to use [The Salvation of the Torn Goddess] unless it's a moment when I have to give it my all, like now.
'Sword of Salvation.'
I swing the sword.
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
First Form.
Sword of Starvation.
The Sword of Salvation fiercely leaps in the air. "Kuh!" The blacksmith-like fist targeting my right side is flung far away. One, two, three, four lives join the fray, but none can withstand the [Sword of Salvation].
The consumption of my aura is also intense.
But.
'I discard the memories of the four attacks I just repelled.'
For a moment, my vision clears.
My heart beats. The depleted aura is replenished. My footsteps lighten, and my movements quicken.
Glancing to my right, despite being surrounded on all sides, that area alone is conspicuously empty. Looking more closely, I see four lives groaning and rolling on the ground.
Although I can't remember how it happened, the reason and meaning behind it are clear.
'Okay.'
My right side is open.
'Sword of Sacrifice.'
Then the next action to take is clear.
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
Second Form.
Sword of Thirst.
From my left, the Sword of Sacrifice strikes. Groans and screams fill the air as attacks approaching from the left are blocked.
'I discard the memories of the attacks I just blocked.'
My left side is open.
'Sword of Prayer.'
Look.
Chen Mu-mun Master.
I am giving it my all right now.
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
Third Form.
Sword of the Drowned.
You are not a nobody to me.
How could I use the sword of Infernal Heavens against someone who is nothing to me? How could I just forget memories that are fleeting yet significant? How could I scrape my soul, gather every bit of flesh shredded from wounds, and connect them into a stroke of the sword?
'Sword of Compassion.'
Do you intend to stop me?
Do you intend to make me your karma?
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
Fourth Form.
Sword of Freezing.
I am indeed dealing with you with all my strength.
Using all my strength means that my life is laid upon my sword.
I ponder what excuse I'll give to Raviel. I can't just say, "I didn't die, so I didn't break the promise," right? How could I show such shamelessness to Raviel, insisting on the literal meaning of a single word?
Right?
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
Fifth Form.
Venomous Snake Strike Sword.
I am concerned about Bae Hu-ryeong's gaze. This man. Ever since I developed the Infernal Heavens Formation, he has become quite serious. The time he spends watching me has increased compared to the time he spends talking to me. It seems he's started to see me as a more equal warrior, and while I'm pleased, it still continues to bother me. I wonder how Bae Hu-ryeong is evaluating the swordsmanship I'm displaying right now.
Right?
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
Sixth Form.
Sword of Illness.
I think of my master. I recall the decisive battle he fought with the Martial World Leader. At that time, my master fought to the extent of shattering his internal energy, and wherever she stepped, cherry blossoms bloomed and flowed. The world devoured the internal energy and blood shed by my master, blooming a few petals in return.
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
Seventh Form.
Sword of Blunt Impact.
I need to reach that level to persuade my opponent.
Only at that level will I be able to cut you down.
I wonder if I can even reach that level, even by a fingertip or a nail,
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
Eighth Form.
Sword of Incineration.
I am worried.
You have made me worry about all my love, friendship, and admiration.
You can't be a nobody to me.
Right?
'The left side is empty.'
There's nothing.
'The right side is empty too.'
Nothing to obstruct.
'The rear is also completely empty.'
No chance of being caught from behind.
'Thus.'
What remains is only the front.
My path forward.
Left, right, rear, all sides clear, the path toward Venomous Snake's true form is wide open.
'Here I go.'
I step forward.
'Piercing through the entirety of your lived life.'
One step.
I recall the swords sent out to block the incoming lives. Salvation, Sacrifice, Prayer, Compassion, the four swords quickly gather around me, encircling me closely.
'I will cut your heart.'
Three steps.
The four swords scatter like iron filings. The aura used to maintain the Ego Swords is recollected. For a moment, my vision brightens, and blood boils throughout my body.
But towards me, an accountant's pen, a vegetable seller's basket, a drunkard's bottle, countless ordinary things from countless people fly at me.
'Good.'
My steps crush the ground with the force to confront all of it.
"Chen Mu-mun Master!"
My voice erupts.
As the long night subsides and the shadows of the forest turn pale, the leaves tremble coolly in the dawn light, my roar resonates through the jungle.
"Venomous Snake!"
Suddenly.
Something seems to flow where I stepped.
"Liao Fan!"
Three steps.
My feeling that something is flowing is not an illusion.
With each step, one, two, petals flutter from the ground I tread.
It's merely a brief flutter at the bottom of my vision, not like the master and the leader whose steps bloomed flower stems, not like the flowers spreading fragrance where their swords passed, not like the two who turned the radius of their swordplay into a garden. But just for a moment, white petals flutter between Venomous Snake and me.
Infernal Heavens Demonic Art.
Ninth Form.
Sword of Suicide.
Four steps.
My sword cuts a single petal.
"——."
The sound of drawing breath.
A gasping sound from the tip of my sword.
-....
The petal cut by the blade silently splits into two. As white splits to each side, slowly the view clears. On one side, Liao Fan with his dark eye patch appears, and on the other, Liao Fan's left eye is revealed.
The blade has stopped beside Liao Fan's neck.
No.
It had to stop.
"...."
My heart.
Right at my solar plexus, Liao Fan's fist was placed.
-....
-....
Either I was slightly late in stopping, or where my blade halted, it lightly cut him, and tiny droplets of blood slide down the blade, turning red.
Either he was slightly late in stopping, or where Liao Fan's fist halted, it slightly bruised me, and blood squeezed from my lips, trickling down my chin, turning red.
"...."
I can't swing my sword any further. The moment I do, my heart will burst out.
He can't thrust his fist any further. The moment he does, his neck will be severed.
We both knew this fact, and so we naturally stopped.
"Ah…"
"How can this be…"
"Unbelievable."
The forest was in turmoil.
Again, it's not just the hunters playing the role of spectators in this forest. The races that followed the hunters were bustling, and especially, the entire retinue of our Death King Family was attentively observing the duel, hidden in the shadows of the forest.
A sea of people.
With such a scale, it wasn't that there were people in the forest; rather, the forest seemed to be made of people.
Under the gaze of everyone, I casually said first.
"I even defeated the Sword Saint."
A corner of the forest twitched. Probably the Sword Saint himself.
Venomous Snake casually replied.
"That old guy? I beat him too. A long time ago. Back then."
The Sword Saint twitched again.
I laughed.
"I heard you lost an eye in the process."
"That doesn't mean I lost."
"What? So the Sword Saint is just a measuring stick for combat strength? Totally."
"He's an old man, after all."
"Maybe there's some kind of rejuvenating chance, you know?"
"Ah. Like suddenly becoming a silver-haired pretty young man, right? Well. It's cliché but plausible."
"No, I was thinking more like becoming younger, like a young man or a middle-aged man…. A pretty young boy, what are you talking about… I'm kind of feeling upset here…."
"I doubt you feel as bad as I do!?"
That last shout came from the Sword Saint.
I laughed. Liao Fan laughed too. Our blood flowed with that laughter. The dripping blood hit the ground with a 'plop'.
"Ugh…."
And then, both of us collapsed at the same time.