Chapter 160
As Lee Seongjun heightened his senses, preparing to engage in battle at any moment...
Right beside him, Baek Mujin, steadying his trembling legs with effort, adjusted his stance.
"Let me help too."
"No need."
Lee Seongjun shook his head.
"I'll do it alone."
"That's impossible. Absolutely impossible. I understand you have an excellent ability to purify the power of corruption... but that monster's abilities aren't limited to just that. I'll tie down its feet even at the cost of my life, so take advantage of that moment."
"...Didn't I tell you to rest for at least a week?"
Despite Lee Seongjun's cold words, Baek Mujin showed no intention of backing down.
Instead, determination rose in Baek Mujin's eyes.
"I have no intention of idly watching the death of the benefactor who saved my life."
Seeing is believing; there was no need for lengthy explanations.
To be precise, there was no time for exchanging words.
Eclipse, emitting a terrible killing intent from its entire body, could pounce at any moment.
'...I'll have to go with the most certain method.'
Lee Seongjun narrowed his eyes and unleashed the power he had been suppressing and hiding.
The presence engraved in his soul, the status of being called the strongest and worst Demon God, pressed down on the entire area.
In an instant, Baek Mujin's face turned pale at the suffocating feeling.
"This isn't a request, it's an order."
"W-what...?"
Baek Mujin couldn't finish his words.
It was beyond overwhelming.
It made Eclipse's intimidating aura seem laughable in comparison.
"Don't be a nuisance and wait quietly."
After this one-sided declaration, Lee Seongjun flew towards the sky, but Baek Mujin didn't dare to follow.
"Just what is his true identity...?"
As Baek Mujin muttered to himself with a dazed expression, looking up at the sky...
He saw Eclipse, wrapped in corrupted power, colliding with Lee Seongjun, who was surrounded by a red energy.
Bang-!
After that, Eclipse's form spun through the air and retreated several meters back.
Although it was just the first exchange of attacks, the victor was clearly evident.
'Eclipse... is being pushed back?'
Baek Mujin's eyes widened at what was literally a miraculous sight.
* * *
Baek Mujin had been steadily observing Lee Seongjun for a very long time.
Lee Seongjun, the reason and goal of his life, his growth was an incredibly exciting and thrilling matter from Baek Mujin's perspective.
Therefore, he could say he knew Lee Seongjun better than anyone else.
'...Lee Seongjun is a special existence.'
Indeed, Lee Seongjun was the only standout from the insignificant country of Korea, showing an exceptionally overwhelming presence.
Thus, he was certain that Lee Seongjun would soon become one of the top powerhouses.
In reality, Lee Seongjun had shown rapid growth, and recently proved his abilities by defeating Retar, the Emperor of the Undead.
Given enough time, he was confident Lee Seongjun could climb even higher.
However, he thought it would be beyond his capabilities to handle Eclipse alone right now.
Yet, what was this current situation?
Eclipse was being helplessly pushed back by the pouring red energy.
'Lee Seongjun... has he grown again?'
It was already remarkable that he had broken through a wall less than ten days after his fierce battle with Retar, but what surprised Baek Mujin the most was something else.
The presence Lee Seongjun had just emitted was indescribable.
It felt like facing an absolute demon.
'With that level of power...'
Surely, he could overwhelm Eclipse.
But despite this, a deep shadow still hung over Baek Mujin's face.
'...Eclipse has never once fought at full strength.'
He always showed composure and a look of disdain.
This wasn't limited to just himself, Baek Mujin.
Even under Lee Seongjun's continued offensive, Eclipse's expression remained unchanged.
If there was any change to point out, it was only that emotions like anger and irritation had intensified.
He showed no signs of agitation or fear whatsoever.
This meant that Eclipse still had room to spare.
'It's dangerous.'
His instincts, honed through countless battles, sent a signal, and an uneasy feeling began to rise in a corner of his heart.
Perhaps it was just his own delusion and fantasy.
No, he hoped it was a delusion.
'If Eclipse isn't fighting at full strength...'
There was no need to think deeply about it.
'It's over.'
Lee Seongjun and Korea. No, the entire world would face destruction because of Eclipse.
Gulp.
Swallowing dry saliva, Baek Mujin gazed with desperate eyes at Lee Seongjun and Eclipse clashing in the sky.
* * *
Eclipse.
He was the emperor ruling over Illuth, a dimension of overflowing elements and the spirit world that fed on them.
With his powerful and unique strength, he was confident he could easily fend off even if impudent beings took advantage of the chaos in the world to attack.
But this was merely Eclipse's own delusion.
The black beings that tore through the cracks of the world and their following army possessed power far beyond expectations, and the spirits fell helplessly.
Thus, he had been waiting for death, fallen into despair.
However, the black beings and their army did not annihilate a single spirit residing in the Illuth dimension.
They merely planted a tiny seed in the heart of Eclipse, the so-called emperor of spirits, and then vanished.
As questions arose about this incomprehensible situation...
The seed planted by the black being germinated and became a massive black tree.
The black tree, which instantly dyed the entire Illuth with negative energy, encouraged the spirits to corrupt.
Some higher spirits struggled, refusing corruption, but it was futile resistance.
How could they resist the terrible thoughts that bored into their minds without a moment's rest?
In the end, they had no choice but to accept the power of negation, and this was truly an excellent choice.
It felt foolish to have denied and pushed away the power emitted by the black seed until now.
That's because just by accepting the power of negation, they could feel the same sensation as when ascending to a higher spirit, a feeling of being reborn anew.
'Completely...'
He had become a new being.
Originally, he was the emperor of spirits, but he was a weak ruler who only commanded one dimension, Illuth.
But by accepting the power of negation, he could advance one step further.
'The Absolute.'
He had become the greatest being in this world.
A power as vast as his confidence courses through his entire body.
It feels like he can destroy and take anything.
Indeed, he was able to destroy numerous dimensions and expand his army and territory.
He was certain that no one could stop him.
'But why...!'
Why was he in a fierce battle with a single human he considered insignificant?
Displeasure rises.
His head feels like it's about to split, and anger that devours his chest surges up.
[How dare you, you insignificant being!]
Finally, Eclipse frowns and shouts.
Bang-! Bang-!
He poured out attacks that seemed to shake heaven and earth, but the human before him was gliding through the air with the same calm demeanor as before.
This fact made Eclipse even angrier.
[I'll kill you for daring to block my path!]
As Eclipse shouted, another massive wave burst from his body.
Rip.
With a sound of something tearing, the cloak on his back was ripped apart, and giant bat wings sprouted.
Of course, they weren't just simple wings.
The aura emanating from Eclipse became even more profound and powerful.
[No matter what it takes, I'll tear you limb from limb!]
Eclipse's form, emitting a tingling killing intent, shot towards Lee Seongjun.
* * *
Shwaaak-!
Eclipse's movement, cutting through the wind, was like a beam of light.
He had suddenly grown stronger.
However, Lee Seongjun was deflecting the attacks nonchalantly.
His expression didn't show even a hint of surprise.
'...As expected, he was hiding his power.'
Eclipse, the Emperor of Corrupted Spirits, was emitting an overwhelmingly strong aura compared to any monster he had faced so far.
But his actual combat ability had shown a performance below expectations.
Therefore, it was easy to deduce that he had been hiding his power.
Of course, he hadn't predicted everything.
A wry smile spread across Lee Seongjun's lips as he scanned Eclipse's transformed body.
'Was it a demon race instead of a spirit?'
Eclipse's appearance, with two horns rising above his head and giant bat wings on his back, perfectly matched the demons he had encountered during the Demon God War in the Thousand Continent.
However, the aura flowing out couldn't be considered pure demonic energy.
'It feels like something is mixed in.'
It was similar to the demonic energy wielded by the demon race, but distinctly different.
It clearly wrapped the power of negation, but essentially, it couldn't be called pure demonic energy.
Questions arose in his mind, but Lee Seongjun quickly put those thoughts aside.
There was no need to rack his brains alone.
'I'll know for sure once we fight.'
He had fought countless demons due to the Demon God War.
In other words, he had more extensive and accurate information about demons than anyone else.
Just by clashing powers, he would be able to clearly understand what was strange about Eclipse's demonic energy.
Lee Seongjun's form moved with gleaming eyes, closing the distance with Eclipse.
Eclipse swiftly swung his spear to cut down the approaching Lee Seongjun, but Lee Seongjun, moving with the Shapeshifting Phantom technique, had already moved behind him.
Then, the extended Asura Destruction Palm struck Eclipse's interior.
[Kuaaagh-!]
Demonic energy flowed out of Eclipse's body, which had screamed as if in pain, wrapping around him like armor.
Then, black flames that erupted like a seizure surrounded Lee Seongjun.
It seemed like he was trying to create distance, but Lee Seongjun had no intention of letting him go.
'Blood Sea Dragon Step, Cloud Mist.'
Whoosh-!
Lee Seongjun, dispersing his form like mist, once again dove into Eclipse's embrace.
"Asura Destruction Palm."
Once again, the Asura Destruction Palm struck Eclipse.
But Eclipse's body didn't show even the slightest movement, he just narrowed his eyes and glared at Lee Seongjun.
"What?"
Eclipse's spear rushed towards the surprised Lee Seongjun's shoulder.
"...!"
Spitting blood, Lee Seongjun created distance, and Eclipse's charge continued.
Shwaaak-!
Eclipse's charge, with his giant bat wings, was swift.
It was also incredibly fluid.
He continued his attack, instantly cutting through Lee Seongjun's afterimages as he constantly deployed the Blood Sea Dragon Step.
Eclipse's attacks continued endlessly.
Despite the situation that couldn't be considered good by any means, a smile curved Lee Seongjun's lips.
'...I understand why his demonic energy felt strange.'