Chapter 161
The original elemental power contained within Eclipse had become intermingled.
Due to the dilution of its essential negative forces, the magic that Eclipse wielded was inevitably somewhat incomplete compared to that used by demons.
As a result, what Eclipse produced lacked the true characteristics that magic should possess.
In common terms, it could be called half-baked.
However, that didn't mean Eclipse's magic could be taken lightly.
'...No, in some ways it's even trickier than regular magic.'
Thanks to its fusion with elemental power, its raw strength actually surpassed traditional magic.
[What pitiful power. Do you think a mere insect can handle the might of an emperor, an absolute being?]
Lee Seong-jun couldn't refute Eclipse's thunderous words.
After all, his protective energy was being helplessly pierced and shattered by the magic Eclipse was emitting.
The option of defense had disappeared.
This alone made the situation quite tricky, but such a disparity wasn't limited to just defense.
'...It's also putting me at a significant disadvantage when attacking.'
The reason his Sura Destruction Wave hadn't worked earlier was due to the magical armor covering Eclipse's entire body.
It was completely absorbing attacks below a certain threshold.
'What an annoying ability.'
Seeing Lee Seong-jun's hardened expression, Eclipse floated high into the sky with a leisurely smile.
[Submit quietly and accept your death.]
As Eclipse, with the world at its feet, stretched its hand towards the sky, wind and earth began to be drawn up in circular patterns.
Following that, pillars of fire erupted and waves surged forth – all the powers known as elements gathered in Eclipse's grasp.
Boom-!
Lee Seong-jun inwardly marveled at Eclipse's immense power, which was shaking heaven and earth with mere shockwaves.
'It's certainly... impressive.'
He now fully understood why Black Gates were objects of terror for humanity, and why a once-powerful nation like Canada had fallen.
If a being like Eclipse went on a rampage, it wouldn't be strange for a country to vanish overnight.
The power of Eclipse, the fallen elemental emperor, was undoubtedly the most threatening among all the beings Lee Seong-jun had encountered since returning to Earth.
In fact, just its presence made his shoulders ache, feeling heavy, and his breathing labored.
It was due to the pressure exerted by the opponent's sheer presence.
'How long has it been since I last felt this?'
It had been far too long in Lee Seong-jun's memory since he'd met a powerful opponent whose mere presence could make his shoulders feel weighed down.
Yet, the corners of Lee Seong-jun's lips were still curled in a smile.
After all, a battle of pure power was exactly the kind of fight he most desired.
'...This should be interesting.'
Ding-!
[Using Star's Advice, Star's Favor, Earth's Blessing, Wind's Protection, Strength, Stamina, and Agility Enhancement on user 'Lee Seong-jun'.]
[The number of active buffs is 5 or more, activating the skill Star Fusion.]
[Due to the Amplification effect, the effectiveness of enhancement skills increases by 50% each.]
[Agility status increases by 95.]
[Strength and Stamina status increase by 87 each.]
As he used the buff skills he had been holding back, power exploded throughout his body.
This alone would be enough to unleash destructive force capable of piercing Eclipse's armor.
But it wasn't enough.
It wouldn't be sufficient to handle the power of Eclipse before him.
'I'll have to go all out.'
He needed to unleash the supreme technique of the Blood Demon martial arts, known as Myriad Blood Demon Sea.
Normally, this would be somewhat reckless.
But fortunately, he had recently attained an Indestructible Body.
This meant he had the foundation to unleash the supreme technique of the Myriad Blood Demon Sea.
Of course, the Rising martial art couldn't be performed solely with physical abilities, or 'body'.
It also required the accompaniment of 'technique' and 'mind', referred to as internal energy.
Naturally, there was no shortage in terms of technical aspects.
However, due to the consecutive battles from the skies of Seoul to the movement to the military demarcation line, and then the fierce battle with Eclipse, his internal energy was somewhat depleted.
But this place was the heart of the battlefield where Hunters had fought fiercely.
It was a place where an enormous amount of blood had been spilled.
This meant internal energy was not just sufficient, but overflowing.
"...Let's have a proper fight."
Whoosh-!
As a massive amount of blood rose from the ground of the battlefield and gathered in Lee Seong-jun's grasp, Eclipse's brow furrowed.
[You're attempting a futile struggle! I am the emperor! The absolute being! There's no way I'll meet my death from the attack of a mere insect!]
As Eclipse's eyes flashed with its shout, it was at that moment.
Even the faintly remaining light and darkness, which could be called magic, were drawn into Eclipse's grasp, mixing and revealing a new seventh element that had never existed in the world before.
Boom-!
Along with a massive roar, the ground below twisted chaotically and the atmosphere screamed and convulsed at the power of the seventh element emitting an eerie light.
It was a terrifying power that seemed to herald the end of the world.
However, Lee Seong-jun's expression showed not a hint of agitation.
He merely calmly went about his task.
"Huff..."
Taking a deep breath, Lee Seong-jun converted all the blood in the vicinity into blood energy.
Woong-!
Finally, Lee Seong-jun, having raised internal energy equivalent to several dozen lifetimes, stretched his hand towards the sky.
Unlike before, no red blood demon sword materialized.
But that didn't mean there was no sword.
Rather, it could be said that he had produced something sharper than any physical sword.
A legendary state that any martial artist would have heard of – the Mind Sword!
He was simply unleashing his martial art based on a sword forged from will.
In fact, red blood energy began to extend lengthwise where Lee Seong-jun's gaze fell.
'...I'll cut it down.'
The sword, sustained by intense will, instantly formed a blade aura and sword energy.
Its length was so enormous that it couldn't be measured by eye.
This was the result of skill praised as demonic, a body that had reached the peak of the Manifestation Realm, and the tremendous blood energy created from the blood spilled by hundreds of Hunters.
Eclipse's eyes shook violently at this vast power.
[...!!]
Humans were a species with a short lifespan of less than 100 years and no outstanding talents.
They were undoubtedly a species that could be called insects.
In fact, Eclipse had commanded spirit wraiths to corrupt and bring destruction to humans across numerous dimensions.
Of course, through their earlier exchanges, it was clear that the human before him was incomparably stronger than the insects he had seen before.
But the sword manifested in the air was, quite literally, on a different level.
Boom-!
The majesty of the giant sword forged in the air gave the feeling of facing an irresistible, overwhelming power.
No, it was undoubtedly an overwhelming power.
The red sword that had appeared in the air could become anything, because it was the projection of one's will onto the world.
'How can a mere human...?!'
Even while directly confronting it, Eclipse found it impossible to accept.
How could a human, whom it had considered an insect, wield power imbued with will – something that had been Eclipse's own goal?
'Im-impossible... This can't be, no! This shouldn't be!'
Biting its lower lip hard, Eclipse denied the reality before its eyes.
Eclipse, the fallen elemental emperor.
The being that had reigned as an absolute entity became unable to make rational judgments due to fear.
In fact, Eclipse, shaking its head frantically, was urgently clenching the hand it had stretched towards the sky.
[Kuaaah-!]
The massive energy that surged from Eclipse's entire body caused the power of the seventh element floating in the air to explode.
Boom-!
As a huge explosion engulfed everything in the area, plunging the world into a vast darkness, Lee Seong-jun, with a cold gaze, slashed his hand down towards the seventh element created by Eclipse.
Swish-
It seemed somewhat slow.
It also felt heavy.
It could be described as an utterly ordinary movement.
However, that motion contained the full power of the Blood Demon martial art, along with the intense strength and profound techniques and principles of its supreme technique.
'Myriad Blood Demon Sea, Supreme Technique, Death Soul Sword.'
The Death Soul Sword, imbued with the intense will to annihilate the enemy, could cut through anything.
Lee Seong-jun was confident it could slice through in an instant, even if the target was an element that had not existed in the world before.
And indeed, the seventh element created by Eclipse was being split in half.
Slash-!
Along with the sound of cutting, the Death Soul Sword that had been swung turned the world, which had been plunging into darkness, into an alluring red.
It was a scene as if the world had been dyed in blood.
In this mesmerizing scenery, an astonished exclamation flowed from Eclipse's mouth.
[Aaah-!]
It was only at the moment of death that it saw.
No, it would be more accurate to say that it saw because it was the moment of death.
From the beginning, the true nature of the human before it was something that Eclipse's power could not even dare to face.
'An absolute being...'
He was one who possessed power that even emperors would bow to and could only revere.
'Demon God...!'
He was not a being that mere emperors or absolute entities could contend with.
Eclipse realized this fact far too late.
[How could such a noble being be with these insects...!]
As Eclipse's mouth uttered a question mixed with lamentation, it was at that moment.
Whoosh-!
The alluring red light that had been enveloping the world descended upon Eclipse's body.
In that instant, both the magical armor covering its entire body and Eclipse's flesh beyond it were cut like paper.
Ding-!
[You have defeated the SSS++ grade named boss monster, Eclipse, the Fallen Elemental Emperor.]
[Experience points greatly increased!]
[Due to the effect of the title 'Conqueror', experience gained increases by 75 percent.]
[Congratulations! As you have met the required experience, your level has risen to 188.]
[For single-handedly defeating Eclipse, the Fallen Elemental Emperor who had achieved transcendence, you acquire the 'Achievement: Elemental Dominator'.]
As the clamorous notification sounds rang in his ears, the massive rift in the sky, the Black Gate, dispersed like a mirage and vanished.
It meant that the Black Gate, which had been classified as an object of terror and destruction, had been perfectly blocked.
The emotion that surged beyond gratitude to excitement erupted from the Hunters' mouths as cheers.
"Wooaah-!"