---

Chapter 447: Resonance (2)

The flames rising from the mountainside reached the clouds.

‘That crazy bastard.’

I spat the words out as soon as I saw it.

The heat radiating from that distance felt abnormal, given how far away it was.

If I could feel this much heat from this distance, how hot must be the core of that flame?

I gazed at the flames.

Their size was so immense that just looking from afar rendered me in awe.

‘Hah.’

I wondered how much energy was needed to produce flames of that magnitude.

One thing I was sure of was that I couldn’t emit flames like that right now.

Feeling the heat, I accelerated.

It wasn’t just me; Muk-Gwon, who was leading the charge, also sped up, so I followed suit.

Crackle.

I heard the sound of thunder Qi crackling ahead.

Boom—!

The Demon Sword Queen suddenly increased her speed and surged ahead.

“Deputy Lord…!”

Muk-Gwon called out urgently, but she was already far ahead.

Confirming that, I gathered energy at my toes.

‘Tch.’

The sensation I felt was quite unsatisfactory.

Without being able to use the Technique of the Flame Wheel, I couldn’t unleash explosive power.

Not to mention my Lower Dantian was still not properly restored, making everything feel particularly uncomfortable.

‘What can I do? It’s all my karma.’

The one who caused the trouble was none other than me, so I couldn’t blame anyone else.

I wished I could just keep up casually.

‘Sigh…’

Looking at those ridiculous flames made it impossible to simply do that.

Thud—!

I pushed myself and leaped.

Using a lot of energy made the difference in speed very apparent.

But the problem was.

‘That was close.’

Trying to unleash too much power felt like the flames would explode uncontrollably.

Since I had been maintaining my Demonization, if those flames erupted right now, it would be a complete disaster.

“Paljeoryeop!”

As I charged ahead, Muk-Gwon called after me, but I ignored him.

In the midst of it all, his name was irritating. If you’re going to call, at least use a proper pseudonym.

The closer I got to my destination, the more suffocating it became.

The Black Flame was still raging, maintaining its position. What a dreadful heat.

I surveyed the void above.

Someone was floating in the air above the towering flames.

‘That rotten bastard.’

The Mage floated in the air, cloaked in Black Flame.

Even at that moment, he was probably using a tremendous amount of energy, but for him, it was probably just trivial.

I looked around.

The enormous flame surrounded the area, but it didn’t catch the forest on fire.

That meant he could control it to some degree.

‘Rather than control…’

It may seem absurd.

But such flames were almost performative.

The sheer size alone was enough to send chills down one’s spine.

There couldn’t be a better way to establish dominance than this.

‘…Not everyone can do this.’

Honestly, I could boldly say this was a method unique to me.

If I had to pull an exception, perhaps the Heavenly Demon could manage it too.

‘But in terms of intimidation, I’m better.’

The flames reminded one of a tsunami, and they were far too easy to instill fear.

I was well aware of this aspect, so I had used such methods before I began.

Look closely.

‘…The influence is already spreading.’

As I arrived at the heat zone, I spotted others gathered there.

They wore similar white clothing and gazed despairingly at the tsunami spread before them.

Just as Muk-Gwon had said.

There was a formidable group of martial artists gathered.

‘What is this?’

Even their appearances suggested they were no ordinary martial artists. Very few peak-level martial artists could be seen.

If considered by clan standards, they were enough to take up the position of the Deputy Lord of the Sword Team.

‘Did they gather this kind of power?’

And in such a short time too?

Thinking back to the past, it would have taken a long time to deploy such power in Sichuan.

They must have seriously rushed to gather such a force.

Considering that, it was indeed a remarkable force.

As I slowed down to observe them, the martial artists’ gazes turned towards me.

Their looks were far from pleasant.

Some glared at me with contempt.

Some looked at me with sorrowful eyes.

‘Sorrow.’

The reason they regarded me with such eyes was probably because my appearance was rather youthful.

Even such young martial artists had turned into demons. They likely had such thoughts while looking at me.

Feeling their stares, I kept moving.

Only when I arrived at my destination could I finally stop.

At the place I arrived, the Demon Sword Queen had already been there, looking at the void, her gaze directed at the Mage.

Following her gaze, I shifted my focus onto him.

In the air, there was a man floating, surrounded by flames.

The Mage looked down at those gathered with his unique gaze.

This place was precisely the boundary line.

The withered forest marked the demon’s domain.

And the green forest, just a step forward, symbolized the benevolence of the Heavenly Demon.

The Martial Alliance’s forces remained behind the boundary beyond Sichuan.

This meant they had not yet entered Sichuan.

Boom—!

The flames began to ripple.

Due to their size, even a slight movement elicited a response.

The wave that felt like it could engulf the people roared wildly, soaring high into the sky.

Boom boom boom—!

As the flames ascended, pressure burst forth.

The ground, already parched, began to crack here and there due to the aftermath.

It was an indescribable sight.

‘To see this with my own eyes.’

I hadn’t realized it when I was directly involved, but seeing it from someone else’s perspective was utterly mind-blowing.

To have flames of that magnitude rise into the sky at once, how could it not be wondrous in the eyes of others?

Moreover, if one imagined those flames aimed at them…

Could they truly remain sane?

Roar—!!

The sound coming from the flames resembled the cries of a beast.

Eventually, all the flames floating in the air converged into a single point, forming a sphere, a different force from the hidden technique, the Flame Jade.

‘Hidden techniques, my foot… that’s just—’

It was simply a case of lifting tremendous flames and gathering them.

He must have poured a significant amount of energy into emitting the flames.

And then used that same amount to keep it floating.

After that, maintaining it in a single point would require an immense amount of strength as well.

Even though I had an overflow of energy at that moment, if I poured it out so inefficiently like that…

‘I could’ve easily used up half of it.’

Just having a lot of energy doesn’t mean it’s infinite.

Even if I possessed an insane amount of energy, if I were to expend that much, it would be safe to say I had used half of my stored energy.

Nonetheless, the reason I was acting this way was for one reason.

‘To establish dominance.’

To firmly establish dominance on the enemy front.

And showing a sight at that level, based on my experience, would have a certain effect.

Even just looking at it now.

“This… this is….”

Seeing the expressions of the opposing forces, it seemed to have hit them hard.

Despair.

Their faces were filled with nothing but despair and fear.

The Mage slowly checked the faces of those around him.

Those who made eye contact with him trembled or even collapsed under the weight of their fear.

That’s how it was.

No matter who it was, in the presence of something overwhelmingly powerful, such expressions were inevitable.

At that moment, I was particularly adept at exploiting and using that.

As the silence turned cold, filled only with the sound of the flames’ breathing, the first to speak was from the Mage’s side.

“You’ve gathered quite the crowd.”

The mix of energies made the resonant voice cause the enemy to flinch.

“I came because I heard the bugs were hiding and doing something, and it seems that was true.”

The smug look on his face and his word choices were utterly maddening. Couldn’t he just speak normally?

I desperately wished for it, but contrary to my hopes, his mouth wouldn’t stop.

“What were you hiding here to do?”

At the Mage’s question, they hesitated and retreated.

Nobody could muster a response.

Seeing that, the Mage’s brow furrowed slightly.

“I’ll count to three. If I don’t hear an answer by then, there will be no further conversation.”

A threat to start a war.

With that final word, the Mage raised his finger and began to fold it one by one.

As each finger folded, the immense flame behind him began to bubble ominously.

It was clear that he meant to unleash it if provoked.

Just when two fingers had folded, and right before the last one bent.

Someone emerged from within the Martial Alliance’s ranks.

Wearing a robe over a martial robe, he seemed to be a Great Lord level.

He appeared to be a young man for a Great Lord.

With a face full of tension, he approached the Mage and spoke.

“I am the Great Lord of the Gold Dragon, Bi Yeonseong.”

As expected, he was a Great Lord…

‘…Wait.’

Bi Yeonseong?

I was sure I’d heard that name before.

‘Where have I heard it?’

My memory was hazy.

Looking at it, it didn’t seem like an important name after all.

Anyway, the man who introduced himself as the Great Lord of the Gold Dragon stepped forth from the boundary and began to speak to the Mage.

“…On behalf of the Martial Alliance, I request a dialogue with you.”

“Dialogue?”

The Mage burst into laughter at Bi Yeonseong’s words.

“Do you think this is how you come to have a conversation?”

“…”

“Do you think I’m a fool?”

The mere thought that only a Deputy Lord would come to talk was ludicrous.

Let alone.

“To think you’d come here asking for a dialogue… Did you find our sect amusing?”

Just the fact that a Deputy Lord would ask to talk was a problem in itself.

A Deputy Lord drawing forth mighty forces and then asking to speak?

‘Are they seriously underestimating us?’

No matter how many wars had been fought, that just couldn’t be the case.

Even if it was part of a plan, there were too many incomprehensible aspects.

The Martial Alliance, no matter how stupid they may be, wouldn’t be unaware of the situation.

They surely weren’t in a position to request dialogue.

In the face of a hungry beast smelling blood, the prey should be begging for mercy.

Still, the current situation was beyond understanding.

The issue was.

Growwwl…

While I was only filled with questions and doubts now.

In the past, I knew it wouldn’t end simply here.

The built-up Black Flame surged even more. It resembled the sun.

Swoosh…

The massive sphere started to slowly move, transforming its position.

It created a delusion as if it was blocking the sun.

Simultaneously, the Mage began to descend from the air.

Flowing his robe slowly.

Noticing that, the Demon Sword Queen took a few steps back to create space.

The Mage smoothly landed in that spot.

He approached the now-exceedingly tense Bi Yeonseong.

In my past life, I wasn’t very tall for a martial artist.

Compared to the Demon Sword Queen, I was slightly taller.

But next to the martial artist Bi Yeonseong, I would be far shorter.

Yet, as I approached, I didn’t feel small at all.

Taking a single step forward.

Boom—!

Pressure spread throughout the forest.

“Gah…!”

“Hrk….!”

Under that pressure, the martial artists of the Martial Alliance trembled and collapsed.

The boundary set by the Heavenly Demon.

The Mage stepped over it.

It was irrelevant.

This was merely the mercy granted to the Martial Alliance by the Heavenly Demon.

As long as they didn’t cross that line, their lives would be spared.

Such mercy.

Stepping beyond the boundary outside of Sichuan, the Mage approached Bi Yeonseong, gently extending his hand towards his neck.

“You little bug.”

He didn’t grasp it harshly.

He simply stroked his neck slowly.

Even that made the atmosphere grow tense.

His brilliant purple eyes met Bi Yeonseong’s dark ones.

“Don’t waste your efforts with unnecessary tricks. Unlike the Cult Leader, I don’t possess much patience.”

Roar—!!

The flaming mass that blocked out the sun began to shift in form.

As the flames moved, the intense heat warped the space around them.

A sound like something sizzling filled my ears.

One more time, the shape would change.

It contorted to the extent that one could hardly discern what it was, but vaguely, it seemed to resemble…

“A wolf?”

It looked like a wolf with its mouth gaping wide open.

That form looked as if it would devour everything in an instant.

 

---