Chapter 237: The One Who Sent Me

TL: FoodieMonster007

Yayul Han unleashed his entire aura.

WHOOOOSH!

A frigid wind began to blow. The cold energy felt like it could freeze a person's lungs with a single breath, and an incomparably evil aura was imbued within it. This immense, malevolent presence seemed to ask a single question.

How dare you try to challenge me?

However, Geom Mugeuk did not stop walking. His gaze remained fixed on Yayul Han's eyes.

"It might have worked on everyone else, but it won't work on me."

Geom Mugeuk also raised his own aura to its absolute limit and unleashed it.

The two men's auras clashed.

Yayul Han was shocked by Geom Mugeuk's aura.

An aura's strength was not determined simply by one's inner arts. It was the culmination of a martial artist's entire being, their innate nature, personality, values, and the martial arts they had learned. An aura was connected to the very essence of a martial artist.

The aura Yayul Han felt from Geom Mugeuk was something he had never experienced before.

At first, Geom Mugeuk's aura felt gentle and refreshing, like gazing at an endlessly vast, blue sky.

Yayul Han found himself standing alone amidst the blueness. The sky, the walls, and the floor were all blue.

He reached out his hand. SPLASH. In that moment, he realized it was not the sky, but water of incredible clarity. He was seeing the sky reflected on the water's surface.

An unseen energy pulled Yayul Han into the water.

He kept sinking. When Yayul Han looked down, he could not see the bottom. The terror of the deep sea clutched at his heart.

A brat that young possesses an aura like this?

The approaching Geom Mugeuk felt like a giant.

Geom Mugeuk, for his part, confronted an immense aura of his own.

He walked through a raging blizzard. He could not see ahead, and there was no end in sight. It felt as if he was walking alone across a snowfield in the extreme cold.

However, Geom Mugeuk felt no fear or loneliness. He simply walked on in silence. This terribly lonely road was the path he had walked his entire life.

After passing through the fierce snowstorm, he saw Yayul Han standing under a clear sky.

Yayul Han, too, had barely managed to swim up from the endless depths of the sea to stand before Geom Mugeuk.

Yayul Han asked in a trembling voice, "Who are you?"

"I am…"

Geom Mugeuk added in a whisper, "Didn't I say I'd tell you when you're about to die?"

SWOOOOSH!

Geom Mugeuk's sword suddenly sliced through the air.

CLAAANG!

Yayul Han barely blocked it. He had been so engrossed in Geom Mugeuk's aura that his head had nearly been lopped off.

The fear of death excited Yayul Han. Joy surpassed his anger. He had never been in such an insane fight before.

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!

The two men's swords clashed again, creating flashes of light.

The attacks were stronger than before, but neither man yielded an inch.

Geom Mugeuk knew the source of his strength. The miracle herbs, bought with money scraped together by the Four Evils from wicked deeds that had driven countless people to their deaths, were all accumulated in his qi center.

CLAAAAANG!

Sword met sword.

From behind his sword, Yayul Han glared murderously and shouted, "Who in the world raised a monster like you!"

"You did!"

"What?"

"I was born to devour bastards like you."

Killing intent filled Geom Mugeuk's eyes.

For a moment, Yayul Han saw an illusion. Within a pitch-black, shadow-like form, a pair of crimson eyes glared at him.

Yayul Han's grip on his sword tightened.

"If you can devour me, then try it!"

Emotions now showed on Yayul Han's face.

Anger, fear, excitement.

As the dam holding back his emotions crumbled, all sorts of feelings poured out.

In that moment, he unleashed tremendous power.

RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE!

Yayul Han's immense killing intent crashed down on Geom Mugeuk like an avalanche.

Geom Mugeuk's Heavenly Demon Defense Art activated, preventing his body from flinching.

If it had not, the attack flying at him would have been utterly fatal.

SWOOOOOOOOOSH!

Yayul Han's sword qi was different from what he had shown before. The strike was like an illusion of a demon made of ice, flying at him with a sword in hand.

Geom Mugeuk did not evade. Instead, he unleashed the Soaring Sky Sword Art Fourth Technique, the Burning Sky Strike.

Yayul Han's attack was a dynamic sword qi that seemed alive. Geom Mugeuk felt that if he rashly tried to dodge it, it would follow him to the end and strike true.

The two rough and tyrannical sword qi tore through the air and collided.

KABOOOOM!

The impact sent both men sliding backward.

Surprise filled Yayul Han's expression. He blocked even this attack?

Geom Mugeuk's expression answered in kind. I told you it wouldn't work!

WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH!

"……"

A blood wheel and a finger qi bullet crisscrossed the space between the two men. The duel between the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and the Blood Calamity Bringer was still ongoing.

Geom Mugeuk could feel that the blood wheel's power had significantly diminished. However, he could not be happy. He had seen blood on the wheel.

Geom Mugeuk did not spare a single glance for the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

The moment he showed concern, a fatal weakness would be exposed.

That was why he had not looked at their fight even once since the battle began. Not that he had the luxury to, anyway.

At that moment, Cha Hwan jumped in.

He had judged this to be his chance. Geom Mugeuk and Yayul Han had just exchanged a major blow and were both pushed back. He had been waiting for this single moment the entire time.

SHWIIIIK!

The very instant he thrust his sword toward Geom Mugeuk in a surprise attack.

"……"

A beam of light burst from Cha Hwan's chest, splitting it open. It was as if he had launched hidden weapons from inside his body.

Blood spurted from Geom Mugeuk's arm. It was a terrifying attack that would have pierced his chest if he had not barely dodged it with the Vanishing Step.

Cha Hwan stared blankly down at the gaping hole in his chest.

The sword qi that Yayul Han had launched from behind had pierced through his chest and flown toward Geom Mugeuk.

Yayul Han was ruthless. He had used the moment his vision was obscured by Cha Hwan as an opportunity.

Cha Hwan could never have imagined it. The person to whom he had devoted such loyalty had used and discarded him in such a way.

What is this?

Cha Hwan was in too much shock.

Others got a small tattoo on their chest, but he had covered his entire body. He had served him without a single day of rest. If he had at least been told through telepathy, 'Sacrifice yourself,' he would have willingly laid down his life.

This isn't right, is it?

Right, those who use others are always like this.

Still, dying so miserably is embarrassing to the dragon tattooed on my body, isn't it? Truly, even if one were to use a broom left in a corner, they wouldn't use it so contemptibly. With that final thought, Cha Hwan's breathing stopped.

In the moment Cha Hwan's breath ceased, another battle was decided.

Until then, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and the Blood Calamity Bringer had been fighting with all their might.

Initially, the Blood Calamity Bringer had opted for a battle of attrition. His inner arts were superior, and his opponent was already injured.

If I just hold out, I'll win!

He did not throw his blood wheels recklessly, instead focusing on blocking the Blood Calamity Finger.

However, as the fight progressed, he found himself getting drawn into it for two reasons.

The first was an unknown heat.

Looking at the piercing blue gaze from behind the mask, his inner arts would surge and his blood would flow faster without him realizing it. Before he knew it, he was launching blood wheels at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

The second was the clear difference in skill.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon never moved according to his opponent's intentions. A battle of attrition? Says who?

If the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had not suffered internal injuries, the fight would have been over long ago. However, his qi circulation was not smooth.

When the fight began, the Blood Calamity Bringer was confident he could win. As the battle continued, however, his fear only grew.

Just die already! You demonic bastard!

The Blood Calamity Bringer used the last of his strength to push the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon into a corner.

WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH!

As he unleashed his hidden techniques, the blood wheels performed a dance of death. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's movements became increasingly precarious.

It's working! Just a little more!

The Blood Calamity Bringer mobilized even his final secret technique.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Small blood wheels, used like throwing stars, cut through the air and joined the assault.

The chaotic, dizzying, and wild blood wheels were driving the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon into a corner!

"……"

THWACK!

A sound the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had been waiting for a long time was heard.

CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH!

The blood wheels that had embroidered the air flew off, gouging the ground before smashing into a wall. The smaller blood wheels were also thrown to the ground.

The Blood Calamity Bringer watched the scene with a shocked expression.

Why can't I control them all of a sudden?

Just then, something trickled down his face.

The Blood Calamity Bringer absentmindedly wiped it away with his hand.

It was blood. Blood streamed down from his forehead.

The Blood Calamity Bringer lifted a small blood wheel he was holding and looked at his reflection. He saw his own face with a hole in his forehead.

When the hell…?

With that final question, the Blood Calamity Bringer's life ended, and his body collapsed.

Amazingly, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had fired the Blood Calamity Finger through a tiny opening in the center of the madly spinning blood wheels. He had not missed the precise moment that opening aligned perfectly with the Blood Calamity Bringer's forehead. The Blood Calamity Bringer never expected such an attack, and because his own blood wheels obscured his vision, he was utterly unable to block it.

The fight between Geom Mugeuk and Yayul Han was also reaching its climax.

When even his move using Cha Hwan failed, Yayul Han's eyes changed. His black pupils completely disappeared, and his entire eyes, including the whites, turned blue. They had not just started emitting a blue light, they had completely changed color.

Geom Mugeuk sensed it intuitively. He was about to unleash his final secret technique.

Considering the divine prowess Yayul Han had shown so far, it was time for Geom Mugeuk to unleash his own final move.

The final form of the Soaring Sky Sword Art was unleashed.

It was the Eighth Form, the Returning Sky Strike, which he had never used in actual combat despite having achieved Twelfth Star complete mastery.

The Returning Sky Strike was a forty-four consecutive strike technique.

It was powerful, but it had one fatal weakness. The consumption of inner arts was too great. It was a martial art that required using almost all of one's inner arts.

Therefore, if it failed to kill the opponent, he himself would be in danger. It was truly a final technique.

Now, not only his eyes, but Yayul Han's entire body began to turn blue.

The Primordial Freeze!

It was the final secret technique of the Primordial Splitting Light Sword Technique, which gathered all the energy in one's body to annihilate the opponent. It was a secret technique that displayed power far greater than one's original abilities, and it too was a final gambit that could cost one's life upon failure.

Geom Mugeuk unleashed the Soaring Sky Sword Art Eighth Form, the Returning Sky Strike.

SWISH! SWIIISH! SWISH!

With the sound of wind brushing past his collar, lines from a sword began to be drawn across Yayul Han's body.

Emitting an extreme cold, Yayul Han began to swing his sword to block the attacks. If he managed to block all of the Returning Sky Strike, Geom Mugeuk would die.

SHIIING! SHING! SHIIIIING!

The speed at which the sword lines were drawn grew faster and faster.

Yayul Han's swordsmanship did not fall behind, blocking the attacks.

VIIING-

The Black Demon Sword cried out.

This was the first time the Black Demon Sword had cried out in the middle of an attack.

Geom Mugeuk felt that the Black Demon Sword had become one with him, protecting him by emitting demonic qi against the terrible evil aura radiating from Yayul Han.

Alright, let's end this!

Geom Mugeuk poured all of his mental energy into it.

SH-SH-SH-SH-SH-SHIK!

CHANG-CHANG-CHANG-CHANG!

Fifteen strikes, sixteen strikes, seventeen strikes…

Yayul Han blocked them tenaciously.

Twenty-three strikes, twenty-four strikes, twenty-five strikes…

"Is this all you've got!" Yayul Han even shouted.

The sword lines were drawn even faster.

Thirty-four strikes, thirty-five strikes, thirty-six strikes…

Yayul Han was blocking the attacks, which were too fast to be seen by the naked eye, with the secret technique of the Primordial Freeze.

If it went on like this to the forty-fourth strike, Geom Mugeuk would lose.

However, Geom Mugeuk was not anxious and believed in himself. Right, you must have worked hard to get to where you are, but you couldn't have worked harder than me!

Thirty-seven strikes, thirty-eight strikes, thirty-nine strikes…

The moment it was racing toward the end!

"……"

With the sound of tearing flesh, the flashing sword light stopped. The sound of swords clashing also ceased. It was the forty-second strike.

Geom Mugeuk's sword was embedded in Yayul Han's heart. In the end, Yayul Han had failed to block Geom Mugeuk's Returning Sky Strike.

Yayul Han's body, which had turned a deathly blue, began to return to its original color.

Looking into Yayul Han's eyes, which were filled with surprise, anger, and fear, Geom Mugeuk said, "The one who sent me is a father who had to watch his family die before his very eyes."

Yayul Han wore a look of incomprehension. He probably thought he was dying for some grand reason, like a plot by the Evil Alliance Chairman or the Demonic Cult.

That was why this moment might be an even greater punishment for him. I'm dying for a reason like that? It would feel more unjust. He would die feeling even more rage.

"Even though you saved his subordinate, you killed the physician's entire family just because he continued to treat the patient he was saving."

For a moment, the light in Yayul Han's eyes wavered. It was as if he remembered, and at the same time, as if he was demanding to know if he was really dying for such a trivial reason he could not even recall.

"You had a principle of killing anyone who disobeyed your orders, didn't you? This is the Horse Physician's answer to your pathetic principle. It's the answer of a husband who lost his wife, and the answer of a father who lost his child! Go to hell!"

SHUUUNK!

As the Black Demon Sword was pulled out, blood gushed from his heart like a fountain.

CHWAAAAAAAAAA!

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Yayul Han let out a desperate scream as he coughed up blood.

His blood rained down.

Geom Mugeuk did not avoid it. He stood in the rain of blood and slowly turned toward the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

Having finished his fight, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was standing there, looking this way.

Geom Mugeuk looked at him and smiled brightly.

"It's all over, Smiling Demon."

The moment he took a step toward him!

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon began to slowly collapse, as if crumbling.