Ch 91

Chapter 091: A longing (1)

Sword Flame.

Namgung Hyuk called the Sword Ki that swayed like heat-haze a Sword Flame.

In addition, he said that it’s a level beyond Sword Ki and a level that can’t be reached with fake Sword Ki.

I wondered what would be so different just because the sword fluttered like flame, but…

It was only after I blocked Namgung Hyuk’s curved sword with my Sword Ki that I realized the true meaning of it.

Claaaaang!

A level that couldn’t be achieved with Sword Ki had no other meaning.

‘My Sword Ki is being eaten up…!?’

Like a predator, the Sword Flame began to greedily eat the Sword Ki I formed.

The Sword Flame was overwhelming the Sword Ki, not because the Sword Ki’s power is weak, but rather, it was like it had met an enemy you can’t ever beat in terms of compatibility.

Just by letting the blades touch each other, using the Sword Ki became meaningless.

A deciding move.

In an instant, I realized that this Sword Flame is a technique that exists to break the Sword Ki.

And to me, who can only use the Sword Ki, it’s like a natural enemy.

“I shall end you along with your fake Sword Ki.”

Namgung Hyuk coldly announced the end and completely destroyed my Sword Ki.

Clank!

As though a glass window was broken, the Sword Ki shattered, and Namgung Hyuk swung his curved sword with the force to cut even the sword I was holding.

But—

「Blood Ki is being infused on the blade due to the unique effect of the Heavenly Blood Demonic Sword.」

To talk about the result, Namgung Hyuk’s curved sword that was swung in an instant couldn’t cut the sword I was holding.

It was because reddish energy lingered on it at the same time the Sword Ki disappeared from the Heavenly Blood Demonic Sword in my hand.

「When used by someone with swordsmanship skill, blood ki flows around the blade, and the flow of magical power through the blood sword becomes smoother. 」

I didn’t really understand what the Blood Ki flowing around the blade meant in the past, but—

As the Sword Ki coated on the Heavenly Blood Demonic Sword disappeared, its true potential was revealed at that moment.

Moreover, the Blood Ki lingering on the blade was just being slightly pushed back by Namgung Hyuk’s Sword Flame, but not destroyed.

In short, Blood Ki is the kind of ability that can’t be consumed by the Sword Flame.

‘Nice…!!’

It was the moment when I was quickly retreating, uttering yells of delight inwardly.

「The duration of the unique trait ‘Force Duel’ has ended.」

「The duel area formed within a radius of 30m will be lifted, and interference from outside is now possible. 」

“I can’t control the firepower. Try your best to avoid it…!”

At the same time, Katheryn’s voice is heard from outside. A fire was rushing in from the right side.

Looking at that, I quickly distanced further from Namgung Hyuk, but…

“Do you think I’ll fall for this kind of trick again?”

Namgung Hyuk, looking at that fire, stopped on the spot, unlike me, and raised his spirit.

“Flying Sword of Blue Sky.”

Namgung Hyuk stated as if he was going to put everything in one sword.

For a moment, I thought that Namgung Hyuk had activated skill or power, but soon I changed my mind.

How can someone who hates skills or traits proudly utter those words like that?

I quickly judged that there was no way that it was a skill or power and stared at him.

And soon, Namgung Hyuk whirred up his Sword Flame to the limit and started swinging his sword as if dancing.

Bababababang……!!

Like the sky that burns in the sunset, the Sword Flame overwhelms the power of fire.

At that moment, I stepped out, anticipating that Namgung Hyuk would run wild if this continued.

I had to stop him.

I can only survive by thrashing him within an inch of his life while he’s not running wild any further.

That idea didn’t leave my head, and I moved my body forcibly.

Perhaps I wasn’t the only one who got that strong intuition.

Whiiish!

Kim Seunghoon, who came out of the remains of the building, dashed towards Namgung Hyuk frantically with a hammer in his hand.

He must’ve thought he couldn’t just sit by idly when the skill seal and the stat debuff on him were taken off.

Namgung Hyuk was still using the Sword Flame to erase the fire, so there was a chance.

Shiiiiiiing!

Under that one thought, I shot Namgung Hyuk with my Lightning Sword Ki thoughtlessly at my maximum output.

However…

“Rolling Sword of Blue Sky.”

The moment Namgung Hyuk, who erased all the Fire before anyone knew it, uttered so and rotated.

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaash!

Not only the slash of the Lightning Sword Ki, but the Sword Flame that cuts out everything around it rushed in like a storm.

***

Reaper Scans

[Translator – Ramen ]

[Proofreader – DVN-L ]

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***

Horizon.

The scene that can only be said as such unfolded before my eyes.

「 Activating the skill ‘Ashen Blood.’ 」

「 All pain inflicted on the user is reduced by 60% 」

“…”

After my left arm blew up and my right eye was wholly blinded, I looked at the newly-made horizon.

It was a horizon created by the gorgeous Shinjuku’s disappearance as the whole area’s buildings were destroyed.

I felt dispirited by the fact that this scene was created by only one man.

In fact, Namgung Hyuk was a monster who was far beyond my powers.

The Flying Sword of Blue Sky and Rolling Sword of Blue Sky weren’t even skills or powers, but purely his technique.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t stop Namgung Hyuk and was barely holding onto my life.

“…”

「The skill ‘Counter Shield’ was destroyed, and the release of the accumulated damage became impossible.」

The only reason why I was alive was thanks to the Counter Shield and the Ashen Blood.

I instantly took stock and blocked the Sword Slash by wrapping around everyone with Counter Shield, putting myself in the center.

‘…No, I can’t say I blocked it properly looking at this.’

All I did was cancel out a single attack by exhausting all my mana.

I couldn’t even utilize the true effect of the Counter Shield, which was the reflection of the accumulated damage.

Perhaps I couldn’t even cancel the attack out properly. The result was horrible.

Kim Seunghoon, who had just escaped the remains of the building, was rammed into a building again, and Katheryn and Oh Choonsuk were knocked out from only the shockwave that passed through the shield.

“Shit…”

It was a complete defeat.

On the other hand, Namgung Hyuk’s condition, which caused this devastation, didn’t look as severe as mine.

Although he was gasping for breath and the hands holding the curved sword were trembling, perhaps his stamina was running low, but…

He wasn’t on a level like me, where some body parts were completely damaged.

Of course, I was also recovering my body through the Ashen Blood, but there was no way that it could recover properly.

Maybe my body wasn’t regenerating well because all my stamina was depleted.

However, Namgung Hyuk seemed to have no Ki left too, so the situation was somewhat similar for now.

I lost my left arm and right eye, but Namgung Hyuk was in a state where it was hard to even hold his sword.

I thought to myself that it was one hell of a time and soon tightened the grip on the Heavenly Blood Demonic Sword in my right hand.

As I tightly grabbed the handle of the sword, red energy flew on the blade immediately.

Of course, it’s weaker than when the Blood Ki was greatly activated by flowing in the mana, but—

‘Even if I can’t win, I guess I can inflict some fatal wounds together.’

At least the minimum amount of means to fight with Namgung Hyuk was prepared.

If Namgung Hyuk rushes in to fight more, I’ll fight at the risk of my life.

That was the conclusion I made.

It was at that moment when I was trying to fight again, as I pointed my Heavenly Blood Demonic Sword at Namgung Hyuk—

“…Looks like it’s not yet the time to settle our fight yet.”

Namgung Hyuk silently narrowed his eyes and forced himself to say it in a strained voice.

“…This time, I’ll admit my defeat. But next time, it’ll be different.”

I frowned, as it was hard to understand the words that Namgung Hyuk spit out, but I could read his true intention as he took out a blue stone from the burnt, blue martial arts uniform.

“Interdimensional movement…”

“Will you stop me?”

“…”

“If so, one of us will die here.”

He was right.

Even though Namgung Hyuk was tired, I lost my left arm and blinded my right eye.

I lost my sense of balance from the lack of my left arm, and my sense of distance would’ve completely disappeared since one eye went blind.

‘I’ll die.’

Neither of us would get each other killed easily, but if we clashed properly, I couldn’t guarantee my life.

Well, Namgung Hyuk wouldn’t be able to guarantee his life too, but I didn’t want to gamble.

“Today, I’ll admit my defeat and withdraw, but you and I will face each other again.”

Namgung Hyuk barely kept his footing while staggering; he grabbed the blue-colored stone tightly, and—

Whirrrr!

“Farewell, Ghost Blade.”

Namgung Hyuk disappeared by stepping into the blue portal that appeared behind him.

“…”

It was only after seeing the portal closing like a light turning off that I turned my eyes away.

The buildings of Shinjuku were all cut into half with the sword of Namgung Hyuk.

“Admit defeat, my ass… this is no different from my defeat at this point.”

I couldn’t protect anything.

Like how I lost my parents with the group of monsters pouring out from the dungeon break seven years ago.

This time too, I said I’d defend the Shinjuku by killing Namgung Hyuk, but—

What I achieved was barely sending Namgung Hyuk back to his original place.

To that fact, I felt a pain rising up as if my heart was being twisted.

But…

Before I could even feel the heartache, the aftermath of the battle came up all over my body.

The absence of my left arm, loss of eyesight in my right eye, and other small and big injuries slowly lowered my consciousness.

Thud.

“…”

I fell to the ground and closed my eyes without any resistance.

***

“…You finally woke up.”

After opening my eyes, I saw the face of Katheryn, a beauty with red hair.

She had a surprised face, as though a terminal patient had woken up miraculously.

‘No, I must’ve been a severe patient.’

Since my left arm blew up to the shoulder, and my right eye went blind…

Realizing that, I moved the exhausted body immediately to energize my senses.

Then, I could feel the senses of my fingers on the left side and my arm.

In addition, the right eye, which was blinded, was recovered to the point where it was possible to distinguish things properly.

‘Looks like the Ashen Blood did activate properly.’

As a matter of fact, the rank of Ashen Blood skill, which had a solid regeneration ability, went up in this battle.

There was no way that a skill that originally could regenerate a damaged body couldn’t fix this much of the damage.

Feeling a sense of relief at that fact, when I slowly rolled my eyes to look around, Katheryn opened her mouth.

“We’re in a hospital near Tokyo.”

“…Don’t you have to get treated, Katheryn?”

“Are you saying that knowing what happened to you…?”

“…”

“Your left arm entirely blew up, and your right eye went blind.”

“I know .”

It was a problem that I didn’t really mind since it would be recovered by the Ashen Blood skill.

But perhaps it wasn’t for Katheryn. She continued her words while tearing up.

“We were all safe thanks to you blocking it with the shield, but you’re the only one in this shape.”

“…”

“Honestly, I would’ve died if it weren’t for you. I’m grateful for that.”

“Ah, yes…”

“But you need to learn how to take care of yourself. If you keep fighting like that, It wouldn’t be enough even if you had multiple lives.

“…”

At her words mixed with emotions, I stared at her for a while and nodded my head.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I smiled bitterly at the advice given purely from someone’s favor after a long time.

Only then she realized that she was getting emotional. She blushed and cleared her throat.

“…Anyways, the doctor said you need to take a rest, so please focus on recovering. You are, no, only you deserve to do so.”

With that word as an end, Katheryn took out three small potions from her pocket and handed them to me.

“It’s the skill proficiency potion that the Japanese Hunter Association promised as a reward.”

It was a reward that anyone would have to covet, increasing a skill’s proficiency by 10%.

“…But why are there three?”

“One is yours that was promised to be given to you by default, one is my share of the reward, and one is the potion I originally had.”

“…What?”

“It’s heavy, so please take it already. To be honest, if I don’t do this at least, I’d be ashamed to see the face of my savior.”

“…”

Honestly, I wondered what was left for her if she did this much for me, but…

Seeing her blushing up to the tips of her ears, it was awkward to refuse it, so I soon accepted the three bottles of skill proficiency potion.

“…Thank you.”

Then Katheryn stood up as if she had finished her job.

“Then I’ll be going. See you soon.”

With those words as the last, she quickly left the hospital room, and I put three potions in my hand on the table and raised my upper body.

“Urk…”

I’m sure the injuries were all recovered, but should I say it felt like my whole body was somewhat sore?

I could understand why the doctor said that I needed a rest.

I walked to the room’s window with the slippers that looked like they were given by the hospital.

Creaak.

“Pheww.”

I felt the cold winter air flowing in from outside as I opened the window.

But contrary to the cold wind, the beating of my heart became hotter.

I could figure out right away what this feeling was.

A longing.

Currently, I was frustrated that I couldn’t beat Namgung Hyuk and wanted a stronger power.

The heat of my body wouldn’t subside, as if a fuse that couldn’t be stopped was set on fire.

My heartbeat changed repeatedly, as though the different emotions crossed.

It beat as if I wanted to go through the intense growth that I achieved in the battle with Namgung Hyuk.

It beat from the guilt that I couldn’t protect anything this time too, just like how I lost everything seven years ago.

It beat purely from the desire to grow to reach the state of Sword Flame that Namgung Hyuk reached.

My heart has been beating excessively, but I just looked out the window to soothe its heat.

It’s not Spring yet, but like this Winter in Tokyo, which will soon pass…

Soon the time will come when I’ll be able to quench the thirst of this longing.

It was time to prepare for growth by using this longing as fuel.

——