Chapter 627
Chapter 628: Nine
Hooook-!
A fist glides past my face.
I shift my gaze, inspecting the opponent’s body closely.
While a fatigued expression flickers across their face, it clearly doesn’t hinder their movements.
Does that mean…
‘Aside from mental fatigue, their physical recovery is also remarkably swift?’
I keenly analyze the scene unfolding before me.
In the midst of it all, the attacks persist.
A knee strikes towards my abdomen. As I attempt to twist my body to evade it, needle-sharp ice pierces the ground beneath me.
Seeing that, I immediately conjure a flame.
‘Technique of the Flame Wheel.’
Whahh-!
The flames erupt from my body, bursting forth towards the ice in fragments.
Bam-bam-bam–!!
Ssss–!!!
As the flames collide with the ice, a thick fog bursts out.
The dense vapor obscures my vision for a moment.
But since we’re both martial artists at the Transformation Realm, such things aren’t much of an issue.
Ssss-!
A sharp onslaught continues through the mist.
I shift my head to dodge the attack, rolling my eyes.
‘Oh.’
Just in time, I spot an arm aiming for my head.
Despite having just torn it off, her—Yu Seon’s—arm is regenerating rapidly.
‘Is she capable of regenerating limbs too?’
I ponder while subtly glancing behind me.
In the direction where I had previously discarded the severed arm.
To my surprise, Yu Seon’s arm lies untouched there.
Tap-tap…!
I can see it gradually burning away and disappearing.
‘Once a body regenerates, does the severed part also disintegrate?’
It was a fascinating phenomenon.
Even at this point, it’s evident that…
Her ability surpasses mere dragon-like regeneration.
‘This surely belongs to the domain of powers.’
It wouldn’t make sense otherwise.
I direct my gaze back to Yu Seon.
She looks at me fiercely with her eyes wide, maintaining a distance.
I can even hear her teeth grinding.
“What… are you doing?”
“Hmm? What’s that?”
“Are you toying with me?”
Her voice is laced with fury.
“Why aren’t you fighting back?”
Right after I tore off her arm.
A sustained assault had ensued.
Determined not to lose, Yu Seon charges at me with the remnants of her arm.
I could have stopped her advance if I wished, but I chose not to.
For a simple reason.
“I’m not being lenient. I’m in the middle of an experiment.”
“…What?”
“I haven’t seen it all yet.”
Yeah, I haven’t seen everything.
‘What else do you have?’
Not yet, haven’t seen it all.
So…
“Keep going. I’m fine with it.”
“…!”
Creeeak.
Yu Seon’s grinding teeth scrape harshly against one another.
And then…
Fwooosh-!
“!”
A massive chill descends from the gaping hole she created.
The chill passes by, brushing against my back.
Where’s this heading? No need to ponder that either.
‘Looks like she’s trying something.’
The cold is all directed toward Yu Seon.
A rough, cold aura swirls around her, embedding itself within her body.
‘Hmm.’
What a strange feeling.
Is that also a power? I wondered for a moment but quickly dismissed that thought.
Ssshh–!
The cold gradually converges, slowly taking shape around Yu Seon.
Ice envelops her body.
It’s as if…
‘Armor?’
A means for bodily protection. It resembles the structure of armor quite a bit.
Could this also be part of her Ice Technique?
Its appearance is peculiar, but that’s not odd at all.
‘After all, this isn’t all that different from my own stuff.’
The Technique of the Flame Wheel’s flames engulf her as she prepares for battle.
It’s not strange since Fire Techniques can utilize Qi in such ways, but…
‘That doesn’t seem to be her intention.’
This is distinctly for offensive purposes.
That form is definitely made for attacking…
Swoosh-!
“…!”
I suddenly twist my body, sensing something.
Swoosh-! A gust of wind grazes the spot where my body used to be.
Bam-!!
I turn my head at the sound coming from behind, realizing that the pillar behind me has collapsed.
It cleanly split in two.
“Whoa.”
I admire Yu Seon, absorbed in the moment.
Not only was there armor; she now wielded a sword.
But not just any sword.
A blade forged entirely of ice.
It felt nothing like an ordinary iron sword.
Watching her, I ask, “You’re a Sword Master?”
We had merely been exchanging punches. Given her refined movements, I naturally assumed Yu Seon was of the martial arts category.
‘But that sword strike…’
It was shockingly sharp and precise.
No one could wield it without having practiced swordsmanship.
“…”
Yu Seon points the sword’s tip at me, opening her mouth.
“…You think I’ll lose just because I can’t use my powers? Not a chance. The outcome remains unchanged.”
“Oh? That’s rather intriguing—”
I couldn’t finish my sentence as Yu Seon lunges at me.
‘She’s quite the hothead.’
The problem is…
Ssshh-!
‘…Oh?’
The feeling was entirely different from earlier movements.
Much faster.
Much stronger.
Swish-! Swoosh-!
Every time she swung the sword lightly, parts of the palace were cut away, with ice flowers blooming in their wake.
‘She’s cutting it down and freezing it at the same time?’
That’s some solid counterplay.
I found it quite impressive.
‘Speed seems about twice as fast, and the attacks…’
Choke-choke-choke-!
Nodding as I witness another pillar being sliced away.
‘That one’s about twice as strong too.’
I continue to observe Yu Seon while dodging incoming attacks.
It was fun.
To discover what she was capable of.
How far she could go.
Piece by piece.
‘Her speed and attack power have doubled.’
What a fascinating martial art.
I could have sworn that her previous attacks were her utmost strength.
Was that an act? No, it doesn’t seem like it.
There were odd elements indicating she was hiding her true strength.
Swoosh-!
As I deftly dodge and weave, a lock of hair gets cropped off.
That moment confirmed my suspicion.
‘She’s terrible at using a sword.’
Yu Seon was still indeed in the martial arts category.
Her swordplay was terribly clumsy.
Yet, at the same time…
Swoosh-!
‘But the sword energy is remarkably precise?’
The Qi projected from the sword is exceptionally intense.
This means…
‘Although she’s bad at using a sword, her attacks are strong.’
In contrast, being from the martial arts category, she should fight without a weapon.
But the fact that she insists on using the sword signifies…
‘There must be a compelling reason for her to wield it like that.’
Watching her, I felt a twinge of regret.
Not for some other reason.
‘That’s not a power.’
Purely out of longing, I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
“Stop dodging like a rat…!!”
As her attacks ceased landing, Yu Seon scowled deeply and…
Kyaaaaah-!
She suddenly screamed towards me.
What the heck is that? I shot her a bewildered look.
I flinched.
“Huh?”
Her shriek momentarily freezes my body.
How fascinating; is it possible to do something like that?
In that brief hesitation, the next instant, Yu Seon’s sword was mere inches from my neck.
If I don’t do something, I’ll get stabbed.
What to do then?
The answer was simple.
I gazed at the approaching Yu Seon and spoke.
[Stop.]
“…!!”
Just like how she had done to me.
If I could just command her to freeze in place.
Stomp-!
With the spell, Yu Seon’s body stiffens.
The duration may be no more than a second, but…
Thud-!
That was all I needed.
Unlike when using Heart’s Authority, I made a large, sweeping motion this time.
Bam-! I conjure energy, causing my heart to race intensely.
Creak-creak-creak-! A sensation as though my insides were being split apart washes over me.
That was the result of using Breaking Heaven Technique.
I twisted my waist with force.
Bash-!
I leaped forward, utilizing the rebound while applying pressure.
After that…
Swish-!
I maneuvered my Heart’s Authority, wrapping it around my left fist multiple times for added thickness.
It won’t tear or shatter.
The characteristics of Heart’s Authority shone brightly in that moment.
‘Breaking Heaven Technique.’
Eclipse.
Breaking Heaven Fist.
With perfect motion, I thrust the enveloped fist into Yu Seon’s upper body.
Bam-!
My fist smashed through Yu Seon’s ice armor, driving directly into her solar plexus.
Crack-!!
“Ugh…!”
That landed solidly.
That’s what my senses conveyed.
Boom-!
A gust of wind roared as Yu Seon soared into the air, bursting with energy.
Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!
She crashed through several remaining pillars, a wondrous sight to behold.
I casually brushed off my hands in response.
Then, I contemplated a few times around my clenched fist.
‘The recoil feels reduced.’
More importantly, the backlash from when using Breaking Heaven Technique had significantly lessened.
Normally, after a few uses, the pain would become unbearable, making it impractical to continue using in succession.
But based on this usage, it seemed I could now employ it repeatedly without issue.
‘Although, it won’t be easy to maintain it over an extended period.’
The feedback isn’t eliminated; it’s just diminished.
This insane martial art still inflicted pain without fail.
Looking at this, it seems fitting for someone unhinged, like a Master of the Martial World.
However, it also implies that I could blend Breaking Heaven Technique into combat without hesitation.
At the very least, I had surpassed the threshold of being deterred by recoil.
“Hey, you okay?”
As I stepped forward, I noticed Yu Seon buried beneath the debris.
“Cough…”
She seemed in worse shape than before.
Must be due to the direct hit from my punch.
I bent down to match her gaze, as she bled while sitting.
“Hmm.”
I lifted her chin with my hand.
“How are you feeling?”
“…Cough…Huff…”
As she spoke, her eyes drifted down towards her chest.
More precisely, to her solar plexus—the area I had struck.
“Your insides seem ruined. They look like they’ve burst, don’t they?”
I pressed down on her ribcage with my other hand.
“Ggghhh…!!”
Yu Seon emitted a pained scream.
“Your bones seem out of whack. Quite a bit, actually.”
Beyond the armor and piercing through the strong energy, the attack had clearly landed properly.
Yu Seon’s body lay in tatters. If left as is, even with her being a Transformation Realm individual, she’d meet her demise within ten seconds.
I smirked at that thought.
“How’s it looking?”
“…Huff…Huff…”
“Can you regenerate from this?”
“…!”
“I hope you can, because that way…”
I gazed into Yu Seon’s eyes.
“It’ll be ‘fun’, just like you said.”
“…Cough…”
Emotions swirl in Yu Seon’s blood-stained eyes.
Is it fear? Or discomfort? Something akin to that feeling.
It mattered little to me.
Regardless of what she thought, that was her affair.
“Is that the seasonal change of the Ice Palace? Fascinating. It doesn’t merely drape ice, does it? Does it physically affect you somehow?”
“…”
“Speed and power seemed quite decent as well.”
Her earlier clumsy movements appeared to stem from her inability to control her heightened physique.
“What’s the principle behind it? Does it relate to your regeneration ability?”
Intrigued, I continued to ask questions. As Yu Seon glared at me, blood spilling from her mouth…
“…You… monster of a human.”
She suddenly hurls harsh words at me.
Hearing that, I can’t suppress a grin.
“You’re mistaken.”
Crack.
“Ugh!”
I squeezed her neck tightly.
“Why call me human now? Who have I become.”
“…Ggg….”
At this point, being called human is inappropriate.
What I had sacrificed to be a dragon—how far I’d gone…
I momentarily nodded, recalling.
‘What did I even do?’
I found those memories fuzzy.
Thinking back, I hardly felt like I’d accomplished anything.
‘Rather, I seemed desperate to hold onto something.’
Now wasn’t the time to get sidetracked.
“Anything else? Show me more.”
“Ghh…”
Yu Seon responds in muffled moans.
The regenerative process appeared far from tranquil.
Watching her, my smile faded, replaced by a sudden pang of regret.
‘Is this as far as it goes?’
After showing some impressive feats, this felt oddly underwhelming.
“If there’s nothing, then that’s that.”
My interest quickly cooled, leaving a chill to seep into my voice.
“Now, tell me where that other person is.”
“…Do you think… I’ll tell… you?”
Hehe.
This time, Yu Seon chuckles softly.
It wasn’t mocking; a smirk of incredulity lingered in her laugh.
“Consuming a power? That absurdity… where might that even occur…?”
I couldn’t help but nod at her words.
She had a point.
It’s clear that powers seem significant, yet here I am able to nullify theirs; it must seem downright ridiculous to her.
But…
“Life’s fundamentally unfair.”
In essence, life is the epitome of absurdity.
“I never particularly wished for anything like this.”
Did anyone think I sought this power?
I merely woke up one day and it was there.
‘A force meant for a dragon.’
My greed took form as that power.
How laughable.
What good is a dragon anyway? To simply find that this is the effectiveness of the power I now possess is amusing.
It felt as though…
‘It’s like they threw me into a fight with dragons.’
I’m not meant to contend with ordinary humans.
It seems to convey that sentiment.
In reality, there’s hardly a distinction.
Feeling frustrated with the unpleasant situation, I couldn’t help but click my tongue.
“…Will I never see the light, then?”
Yu Seon spits those words out.
“I’ve lived acquiring little, losing even more.”
Her fractured voice bore a pitiful tone.
“By mere fate of being a woman, I fell behind even lesser talented bloodlines. And the affection I yearned for— I lost that too—”
Yu Seon lets out a desperate cry.
Indeed, her life had played out like so.
Being a woman meant being placed lower in the hierarchy than even those lacking talent.
And losing the one thing she had ardently desired—
“I’m sorry.”
Snap.
I interrupt her train of thought, grasping her throat.
“Ugh!”
“I’m not curious about your reasons for being like this; I couldn’t care less.”
I muzzle Yu Seon.
“Why would you prattle on about unnecessary matters? We’re not on friendly terms, are we?”
If anyone heard that, they might mistake us for close allies.
Why would she try to divulge her backstory?
I thought I might listen for a moment, but it hardly intrigued me.
“What’s the use? So here we are; we might all say, ‘Oh, what a pathetic life! That’s why it turned out this way for you.’ Do you need me to say something like that? Give me a break.”
Actions need no justification.
Knowing why changes nothing.
“If what you did was your own doing, it’s solely on you. Fool.”
Don’t try to slip in excuses.
“How dare you not consider my troubles, nor the world’s.”
There is no wicked individual without a story.
It’s a saying from somewhere, but it’s also something I despise the most.
“Don’t think you’ll make a moral victory here. Prepare to answer my questions. Don’t irritate me.”
“Ugh… Gggh… Hfff….”
Yu Seon chuckles at my words.
With each laugh, blood trickles down her lips, staining my hands.
“Do you think I’ll… tell you…?”
She seems resolute against my inquiries.
“Ah, that’s fine.”
I reply nonchalantly.
“I’ll be asking, but the one responding won’t be you.”
“What…?”
At her question, Yu Seon can only express her confusion.
“What do you mean…?”
Bam-!
“…Ggghh…!!”
I deliver a punch directly to Yu Seon’s heart.
Thud.
Yu Seon spews black blood while her eyes roll back in her head.
It didn’t burst; I controlled it intentionally.
Just enough for her to withstand one more strike.
I look at Yu Seon and declare, “I’ll hit you one more time. This one’s for real, so think carefully.”
She’s already lost consciousness from the last blow.
Yet I still spoke to her.
Or more accurately, to the entity within her.
“…”
Tap.
Yu Seon’s unconscious form shakes as her head droops.
She seems ready to fall over.
“Not answering?”
Then just die.
Bam.
Just as I was about to smash her heart again…
[…this is amusing.]
I pause.
[Quite a rough situation.]
Yu Seon’s voice reverberates within, causing me to halt my swinging fist.
Swish.
The wavering Yu Seon raises her head and gazes at me.
Though her eyes are still rolled back, I can tell.
She’s undoubtedly looking at me.
[Ninth pureblood.]
The words draw a smirk from my lips.
That was exactly right.
Just as I anticipated.
The being of ‘Ice Spirit’ welcomes me.
