Chapter 171
"The ability to confuse senses... It must be the Kurux clan."
If I hadn't prepared some defenses, I would have been a bit flustered. But in other words, with proper preparation, there was no reason to be particularly surprised.
"However, your control of the ability is too amateurish."
Arabis's eyes trembled like an earthquake at the sight of Lee Seong-jun's sneering expression.
It was already surprising that he could speak the language of demons. But what shocked Arabis even more was something else entirely.
"You... What exactly are you?! How does a mere human know about our clan?!"
High-ranking demons are born into specific families and bloodlines, gaining powers that could be considered privileges.
This was common knowledge for demons. However, it was definitely not something that should come from a human's mouth.
"Your question is wrong... How I know about the clan isn't what's important here."
Arabis finally realized his own mistake. He had become too flustered, clouding his judgment.
The demon language and clan information weren't immediately important. What mattered right now was why and how his demonic eye ability had been nullified.
Though he understood this perfectly in his mind, sadly, he couldn't voice the question. His mouth wouldn't move according to his will.
"...?!"
Unlike the panicking Arabis, Lee Seong-jun opened his mouth with a relaxed smile.
"And... if you're from the Kurux clan, you should have used your ability like this."
Arabis felt his breath catch at the sight of Lee Seong-jun's chilling smile. Naturally, it wasn't just because of the eerie smile.
The massive amount of red energy that had invaded his body was now wildly disrupting all of his sensory organs.
Despite not having the demonic eye ability, he was manifesting the Kurux clan's privilege of sensory control.
'This... this is impossible!'
Moreover, it wasn't just jumbling his senses. The sensation in his mouth had completely disappeared.
This meant he was demonstrating even better control than Arabis, who had been using and honing his demonic eye for hundreds of years.
Countless questions arose in his mind, but there was no time to ask them. His instincts as a demon and his experience from numerous battles were sending him signals.
'...This human is dangerous.'
Intoxicated by his own power, he had failed to recognize a stronger opponent and acted arrogantly. The price for this was considerable.
He had expended a significant amount of demonic energy recovering from critical injuries. Moreover, his hidden trump card, the demonic eye, had been completely nullified, and now his senses were being controlled.
However, it wasn't as if he had gained nothing. The brief exchange allowed him to completely reassess his perception of the enemy, Lee Seong-jun.
'I can't win in a head-on confrontation...'
It was admitting defeat to a human he had underestimated, but he felt no shame.
'...This is no ordinary person.'
In fact, it was questionable whether the being before him could even be called human. He was showing combat prowess surpassing Arabis, a demon who had lived for hundreds of years.
There was even an overwhelming imbalance of information.
'He knows about us, but I know nothing about him.'
It meant his capabilities were being completely understood. No, it was beyond mere understanding.
'He sees right through me.'
Indeed, the human before him was even skillfully wielding the sensory control ability, a privilege of the Kurux clan.
In such an unreasonable battle, there was virtually no chance of victory.
'...I need to create distance first, then seize an opportunity to escape.'
Having quickly assessed the situation in his mind, Arabis sprang into action. Unlike his initial composure, he was now desperate.
Whoosh!
Spreading his bat-like wings, Arabis soared into the sky and fired a series of energy spheres he had hastily created by condensing demonic energy.
Given how quickly they were made, each individual blast might not be very powerful. However, Arabis was a high-ranking demon, a battle-hardened legion commander.
As such, even these seemingly random spheres were interconnected, designed to exploit the enemy's weaknesses.
Yet, Lee Seong-jun's expression remained calm as he faced the barrage of black spheres filling his vision.
"Too predictable."
Arabis's current actions matched over 90% with those of the demons he had faced in the early stages of the Demon God War.
Though Arabis thought he was being clever, he wasn't deviating from expectations.
Whoosh!
As Lee Seong-jun spread his blood energy with a leisurely smile, the flow of energy within the black spheres obscuring his vision was sharply captured within his control.
'Ten shots in total.'
Having perfectly grasped the number, Lee Seong-jun dove between the spheres.
Whoosh!
It was literally a paper-thin margin. Lee Seong-jun's movements as he avoided the spheres looked perilous, as if walking on thin ice.
However, in reality, it was a perfectly calculated movement. Every motion within his spread blood energy was under his complete control.
Indeed, not a single one of the ten spheres managed to touch Lee Seong-jun's body.
Finally, after evading all the spheres, Lee Seong-jun reached Arabis.
"How trivial."
As Lee Seong-jun sneered, his form dispersed into a red mist before Arabis's eyes.
Babababam!
Stomach, sides, back, face – Arabis's body, defenseless against the Cloud Mist Blood Scattering Strike, became like a punching bag.
Thud!
Crashing to the ground with a massive impact, Arabis felt as if he had hit an enormous wall.
'...Overwhelming.'
In fact, 'overwhelming' was an understatement. Even the attacks he had carefully planned out were completely nullified.
Moreover, he couldn't even properly comprehend the final attack he had suffered. The gap was immense.
But it wasn't entirely hopeless.
'I may never match his skill... but in terms of total power, I should have the advantage.'
Of course, this wasn't baseless wishful thinking. Demons could store vast amounts of demonic energy in their horns over decades or even centuries.
This could be considered a superior inherent trait of their species. Moreover, Arabis was a high-ranking demon possessing three horns.
'If I release all the demonic energy in my horns... and strike at once, I should be able to buy some time.'
To be precise, he had to buy time. If this too was nullified, there would be no other option.
"Uwaaaaah!"
As a roar erupted from Arabis's mouth, the demonic energy stored in the three crimson horns protruding from his forehead exploded outward.
As the massive wave of demonic energy engulfed the area like a tsunami, a flashing light emanated from Arabis's blue demon eyes.
Boom!
With a thunderous noise, the vast amount of demonic energy moved according to Arabis's will, trapping Lee Seong-jun and the other hunters in a black curtain.
Demon Soul Restriction!
True to its name, it was an ability that used demonic energy, the power and soul of demons, to control all bodily senses.
Although it had the drawback of consuming a massive amount of demonic energy, the ability itself could be considered Arabis's ultimate technique and trump card.
'He won't be able to come up with a countermeasure immediately.'
Of course, given his past experiences, Arabis could anticipate that Lee Seong-jun would likely regain his lost senses before long.
However, regaining senses didn't mean he could break through. The Demon Soul Restriction was a concentrated form of pure demonic energy, boasting excellent defensive capabilities.
'...He won't be able to break through easily.'
It should be enough time to escape.
'Next time... I won't retreat so easily.'
As Arabis made this promise to himself and was about to spread his wings, a sound struck his ears.
Boom!
A noise that seemed to shake the very earth resounded. Naturally, his head turned towards the source of the sound.
Arabis couldn't hide his astonishment. For good reason – cracks were appearing in the Demon Soul Restriction he had been certain couldn't be easily broken through.
No, it was collapsing.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, the Demon Soul Restriction completely crumbled at its center. Lee Seong-jun's cold gaze was fixed on Arabis.
Inside the Demon Soul Restriction, where all senses were controlled, it felt like falling into an abyss.
Standing or sitting? Eyes open or closed? Even breathing – nothing could be confirmed as no bodily sensations could be felt.
However, not all senses were gone. The sensation of blood and blood energy flowing on the ground was clearly perceptible.
Only bodily senses were controlled, it seemed.
'As expected... too amateurish.'
Lee Seong-jun tightened his expression and clenched his fist. He still couldn't feel any sensation.
But the blood and blood energy flowing from where his nails dug into his palm were clearly perceptible.
Drip. Drip.
The blood dripping from his palm to the floor created ripples that instantly mapped out the interior of the Demon Soul Restriction.
'An ability that solely controls bodily senses, it seems.'
No other threats existed. It was a futile struggle to buy time for escape, but meaningless.
'...This is enough.'
Not just distance and senses, but power was also overflowing. Lee Seong-jun smirked, focusing on the blood flowing from the wound on his palm, and readied his stance.
Blood energy surged throughout his body, engulfing him entirely. It wasn't just his internal blood energy.
The blood of the hunters scattered around also gathered, mixing with the fierce internal energy of the Blood Shadow Asura Art.
The amount of blood energy created was enough to overwhelm the darkness currently spread out.
Finally, as the explosively rising blood energy devoured the surrounding demonic energy, the darkness covering the area distorted chaotically, revealing a weak point.
'Found it.'
The moment Lee Seong-jun's gaze fixed on that space – the weak point –
Boom!
The surrounding space and demonic energy shook. The trembling ground slowly settled with a roar.
Even then, the blood energy gathered in Lee Seong-jun's hand continued to condense.
Violent destruction spread outward from his outstretched hand.
Boom!
Finally, as his arm began to feel stiff, Lee Seong-jun unhesitatingly thrust out his clenched fist.
There was no technique to speak of. How could he properly execute a technique when he had no bodily sensations?
But that alone was enough. The destructive power contained in the Blood Shadow Asura Art, drawn out to its maximum by Lee Seong-jun in a life-or-death situation, could easily overwhelm the demonic energy.
Crash!
Indeed, with a thunderous sound, everything in the path of the Blood Shadow Asura Art's blast was destroyed.
The world of darkness split open as red cracks appeared.
Naturally, as the world of darkness crumbled in an instant, along with a burst of white light, the forcibly controlled senses rapidly returned.
Lee Seong-jun's cold gaze fixed on Arabis, who stood dumbfounded.
"Is this all you've got?"
His voice, filled with killing intent, made Arabis's spine shiver.
'This... this is absurd!'
The Demon Soul Restriction, which even other high-ranking demons couldn't easily break, had been shattered like glass.
Moreover, the human before him showed no signs of being affected by the sensory control at all.
"H-how... how is this possible?!"
Arabis's voice trembled. Lee Seong-jun's lips curled into a cold smile.
"You're asking the wrong questions again. What's important isn't how it's possible, but what happens next."
As he spoke, Lee Seong-jun took a step forward. Arabis instinctively stepped back.
'I... I need to escape!'
Realizing the desperate situation, Arabis spread his wings wide, preparing to flee.
But before he could take flight, a hand gripped his throat.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Lee Seong-jun's voice was calm, but his eyes burned with a cold fire.
"We're not done here. You still have information I need."
Arabis struggled, but Lee Seong-jun's grip was like iron. He could feel his consciousness fading.
"Now, let's have a little chat about the demon realm, shall we?"
As darkness crept into the edges of his vision, Arabis realized with horror that this human was far more terrifying than any demon he had ever encountered.
The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Lee Seong-jun's merciless gaze, promising a long and painful interrogation to come.