Winter is a harsh season.
Maybe that’s why the evil beasts associated with winter tend to be wicked and cruel.
Among these beasts, the most famous is the Mountain Tiger.
Defying the season, it brings forth a brutal winter with its own malevolence and power, mocking those who prepare for winter and freezing them to make them its prey.
An arrogant serpent appeared, flaunting its power while trailing a snow mist, but rather than worry, I was calculating.
Surely, the Mountain Tiger was among the powerful beasts in Heavenly Bright Moon.
But could it not be caught? Well, that’s a different matter.
It may have the power to change the weather and freeze anyone approaching with its snow mist, but that beast was definitely catchable.
And given our current strength, could we catch the Mountain Tiger?
Without extensive calculations, I could get the answer quickly.
It’s not impossible.
“Haah!!”
As if to prove my thoughts, Hongryeon leaped forward with a battle cry.
As the red blade aura manifested on her great sword, the Mountain Tiger laughed with a weird sound and its eyes sparkled.
At the same time, the snow mist enveloping it thickened even more.
– Swoosh!!
A chill so strong it could freeze even the blade aura; it seemed Hongryeon knew she would be blocked.
She swung her great sword once more.
– Boom!!
With a loud explosion, the snow mist erupted.
The great sword technique of Hongseong Divine Art—she used Destroy!
As the shockwave created by clashing the inner power of Hongseong Divine Art with the earth’s energy began to clear the snow mist, interest and mockery appeared in the Mountain Tiger’s eyes.
From its large mouth emerged a long, red tongue. At that moment.
“Yah!!”
Sayoon, who was leaping behind Hongryeon, glided forward.
Skillfully dodging the whip-like tongue, Sayoon raised her sword and it burst into light.
– Swoosh!!
Bloodstorm. As the sword technique of Hongseong Divine Art shone, blood splattered from the Mountain Tiger’s tongue. Sayoon reached out towards it.
– Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three blows froze the blood sprayed by the Mountain Tiger.
While the three members of the Hongseong Clan pressed the Mountain Tiger naturally like flowing water, Moonjeong’s disciple slowly pushed the technique from within the Taoist charm.
And then.
A white flash spread from the charm.
At the same time, the snow mist split apart.
Chaejin, having cleared the mist, grinned and swung the technique at the Mountain Tiger, now exposed.
– Chaaay!!
But was the Mountain Tiger such an easy beast?
It blocked the technique filled with Taoist power with its thick scales, swinging its long tail.
Filled with the energy of snow and ice, the long tail swung violently, creating a storm of cold.
“Sayoon! Hyunhwi! Chaejin!! Back!!”
That’s quite a powerful attack!
To block it, Hongryeon reached into her bosom and pulled out a talisman.
It was a flame talisman.
I told Sword Saint to be prepared for a mountain tiger, and this must be part of that preparation.
– Whoosh!!
The talisman ignited, creating a wall of flames.
The mountain tiger’s attack, which turned everything around into a frozen wasteland, melted away in the flames. Only the area around Hongryeon remained unharmed, and as ice spread and white snow began to fall, Chaejin let out a low whistle.
“Pretty effective, huh?”
“It’s Changju’s special product!”
Laughing heartily, Hongryeon confidently declared.
Ha! In the old days, they couldn’t do something like that.
Costing at least ten silver coins per talisman, after all.
But to prove that things are different now, Hongryeon threw a few more talismans.
– Whoosh!!
The talismans soared into the air, bursting into flames as they rained down.
As a result, the frozen ground began to thaw, and the coldness created by the mountain tiger gradually subsided.
– Whoosh!!
It seems the mountain tiger didn’t like its own coldness disappearing.
After all, to the mountain tiger, these humans were just a quick meal and could only be seen as toys.
Yet the women raging over there were far too strong to be treated like that.
“Whoooaah!!”
Hyunhwi quickly dashed toward the mountain tiger, grabbing it with both hands. Simultaneously, she lifted it up and slammed it down.
The beast roared loudly as it tumbled on the ground, once again trying to protect itself with a snow mist.
“Oof!”
– Whoosh!!
It seems the mist flowing from the mountain tiger’s open mouth froze the clothing.
Chaejin frowned and tore the sleeves of her outfit.
Clang! As the shredded fabric burst apart on the floor, Chaejin roared.
“I’ll turn you into snake meat!”
– Slash!!
– Whoosh!!
Chaejin’s sword technique was unleashed in a crescent arc.
Unlike other attacks, it even sliced through the scales, causing the mountain tiger to writhe in pain as it rolled on the ground. As a shockwave developed, Sayoon dodged skillfully.
“Sayoon!!”
“Yaaah!!”
At Hongryeon’s shout, Sayoon let out a battle cry and drove her sword down. The crimson sword energy pierced between the scales, striking the mountain tiger, which shook its body violently.
– Crash!!
At that moment, Hongryeon and Hyunhwi charged toward the exposed abdomen of the mountain tiger.
With Hongryeon’s great sword and Hyunhwi’s striking blow.
As the mountain tiger halted from their powerful strikes, Sayoon, perched atop it, nimbly hopped like a squirrel and aimed her sword at the massive eye.
– Stab!!
– Whoosh!!
Attacking the eye seemed to deal a significant blow.
The mountain tiger opened its mouth wide and roared. It unleashed its jaw to swallow Sayoon mid-air in one swift motion.
The mountain tiger let out a loud roar, opening its mouth wide to swallow Sayoon, who had floated into the air.
But Hongryeon wouldn’t let that happen.
Bouncing lightly, she swung her great sword and struck the tiger’s jaw, catching falling Sayoon and tossing her away.
Using that force, Sayoon landed another attack on the mountain tiger, and as she exhaled slowly, Chaejin laughed.
“Not bad!”
“Hehe. I’ve been working hard all this time!”
“That’s great!”
Just as Chaejin said, the mood was good.
The women continued their assault on the mountain tiger, and as it gradually became blood-soaked and on the brink of death, it raised its tail.
– Kaaah!!
Was this its final struggle? The tiger plunged its tail down like a spear.
– Kuooong!!
A massive wave of cold air surged out from around the mountain tiger. Seeing this, Hongryeon raised a talisman while looking after Hyunhwi and Sayoon.
“Chaejin!! Protect the Innkeeper!!”
“Got it!!”
Chaejin, who had received some talismans earlier, was coming this way. Thinking that the wide attack would become a threat, I smiled at her.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
The used talismans ignited and blocked the wave of cold air. Then—
– Shyaaak!!
“Ah?! This little rascal?!”
The mountain tiger, thought to have made its last stand, started to thrash wildly as it came barreling toward me, who had been retreating to avoid interfering with the battle.
Seeing this, Hongryon, Hyunhwi, and Sayoon tried to catch it.
Chaejin swung her sword.
– Swoosh!!
A long cut appeared on the mountain tiger’s triangular face. Yet, it still wouldn’t stop.
Was it trying to catch even someone as seemingly easy as me?
The mountain tiger approached, and perhaps due to its winter energy, the surrounding temperature plummeted, causing me to feel an intense chill.
Gathering even more power, the tiger opened its mouth.
As the white energy began to strengthen, Chaejin threw a talisman and attempted to swing her sword.
With the talisman from Changju, Chaejin should be able to block that attack.
However, it wouldn’t be able to stop the attack entirely.
So, I took a step forward.
I couldn’t guarantee success.
But hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
In martial arts, the monarch refers to someone who stands above others.
Those who stand above do not need to be strong. What they must possess is powerful will.
Thus, Cheonilhwa is called martial arts that reveal will, and it was said in the military that the monarch’s will grows through this.
In that case, my steps don’t need to be strong.
I simply take a natural step forward.
Just taking a step forward.
But I realized that was enough.
The blood-red eyes, previously filled with hate, violence, and murderous intent, were now softened.
I took another step, and the mountain tiger hesitated, slightly shifting back as if enchanted.
And at that very moment, light returned to the mountain tiger’s eyes.
Hmm… I felt I could do more, but this is it for now.
Emotions began to surface in the once empty red eyes. Among the feelings I could decipher were resentment, anger,
And shame.
Was it feeling humiliation from retreating at the approach of a mere prey it had regarded as insignificant?
With even greater intensity than before, the mountain tiger opened its mouth.
But.
It was already too late.
“How dare you!!”
The mountain tiger froze for just a brief moment. Literally, the time it takes to blink.
But that was enough.
Hongryeon’s great sword sliced through the mountain tiger’s back, and Hyunhwi’s fist smacked its jaw upward.
As Chaejin’s blade glimmered and struck the mountain tiger’s neck, Sayoon’s sword pierced its remaining eye.
-Kyaahhh!!
The dying scream echoed. The winter-bringing evil monster, the mountain tiger, was finally meeting its end.
And at the same time, the weather slowly began to clear, the dark clouds dissipating, revealing the sky.
“Are you okay?!”
Sayoon, who sprinted over upon confirming the mountain tiger’s death, asked. I smiled and nodded at her.
“Did the Innkeeper just do that?”
“Indeed.”
It must have been the effect of the Crown Prince’s Aura that caused the mountain tiger to freeze just before its final strike.
I recalled similar reactions from those when I used the Crown Prince’s Aura in Heavenly Bright Moon and nodded. Chaejin, startled, looked at me and grinned.
“How did you do it?”
Amazed, Hongryeon asked as she rushed over. I shrugged my shoulders.
“It’s the effect of Crown Prince’s Aura. I honestly didn’t think it would work. But I trusted that Chae would protect us, and I believed you all would catch the mountain tiger just in time, so I simply tried it.”
“Still, impressive. Haha. You seem strong in actual battles?”
“Too kind. More importantly…”
I gestured towards the mountain tiger’s corpse.
“This fight has brought us many things. Congratulations.”
Yes. It truly is something worth celebrating.
We can easily overcome several parts of the scenario.
I laughed as I looked at the mountain tiger’s corpse, which was beginning to crumble into ashes.
A tail infused with the spirit of the eye.
A few scattered scales of the mountain tiger.
And.
A fist-sized orb.
It was the mountain tiger’s heart.
