Chapter 327

Chapter 327

The many martial artists are those who accomplish through martial arts what humans cannot do.

Beings who step on grass without breaking it, run across the sky, conjure flames from their fingertips, and shatter boulders with bare hands.

Their actions that transcend human limits sometimes appear to perform miracles from the perspective of those who haven’t learned martial arts. Should we say that the prowess of martial arts masters appears to have touched a fragment of omnipotence, even if not omniscience?

However,

Just because people see it that way doesn’t mean martial artists have truly touched the realm of omnipotence. While they can conjure flames from their hands, creating matter is impossible, and while moving long distances quickly is possible, skipping space entirely is impossible.

Warriors, in the end, inevitably have clear limits to be called omnipotent.

Kaaaang—!!!

That is, up until now, it’s meant that way.

“…….”

The martial stage.

The Sado Alliance Leader, who had been unleashing consecutive strikes with an indifferent expression at the sharp metallic sounds continuously ringing out, stared intently at Baek Riyun standing stock-still before him. Because something that made no sense had happened right before his eyes.

“How did you block it?”

“…….”

“It was an angle that couldn’t be blocked.”

Twin swordsmanship utilizing the characteristics of Muhyeongbyeongjang.

It’s true it’s hard to block, but not to the point of being absolutely impossible to block. the Sado Alliance Leader’s mastery wasn’t high enough yet to discuss flawless martial arts, and the Sado Alliance Leader himself knew that well. If someone else had blocked this consecutive attack, he wouldn’t have found it strange.

No, even if Baek Riyun had blocked it, he wouldn’t have found it strange. Consecutive attacks are tools to create openings, not finishing blows for a killing strike. It’s not strange even if they’re blocked once or twice.

However,

“……Strange.”

That scene just now is different.

An angle that can’t be blocked, a path that can’t be blocked.

Baek Riyun’s sword, swung like that, strangely blocked all the consecutive strikes. Was it because Baek Riyun’s sword was a sword that changed form like his Muhyeongbyeongjang?

No, that’s not it. It’s simple.

Just now, Baek Riyun’s sword existed in two places ‘simultaneously.’ That’s all.

“I’m testing.”

“Testing?”

“Where my limits are. How far is possible, and from where it becomes impossible.”

Baek Riyun, who swung his sword with a swoosh to extend afterimages, raised his sword blade straight and thrust the sword in. At that sight, the Sado Alliance Leader reflexively lifted a large saber and struck upward from below. However.

It passes through.

Seeing Baek Riyun succeed in thrusting without any interference from the upward saber strike despite clearly existing there, the shocked the Sado Alliance Leader lowered his body extremely to avoid the situation and let out a deflated laugh. Because the situation became clear.

“You’re…… crossing space.”

“Yes.”

Originally, among martial arts groups, there are those where space distorts when internal energy reaches its peak.

Though it’s not easy to actually witness, it’s not a phenomenon that doesn’t exist at all. When Taeag extends his fist or when Ilryun’s energy manipulation bursts forth, tremendous internal energy condenses and then spreads, so spatial distortions are occasionally observed.

Like that, space itself being affected by martial arts isn’t incomprehensible. However.

Whether you can calculate and utilize that to bring it into the realm of martial arts—that’s impossible.

Because it’s literally just space ‘distorting.’

“Is it sorcery?”

“Not completely the same, but I’ve grafted it to some degree.”

“This is the first martial art where I can’t grasp even a hint of how it’s done even after seeing it more than twice.”

The grafting of martial arts and sorcery.

The Sado Alliance Leader, who let out an empty laugh at the absurd thing Baek Riyun had committed, raised his sword blade. Intuition suddenly rushing in.

‘I’ll lose.’

Baek Riyun just said it. He’d test how far is possible and from where it becomes impossible.

That’s no different from saying he’ll literally attempt things considered impossible until now. Just as the sword strike earlier crossed space and reached the Sado Alliance Leader beyond defense, it means trying things one by one that until now were ‘naturally’ considered impossible.

Of course, not all of them will be possible. Even now, though Baek Riyun’s sword strikes traverse space, they can’t completely destroy all reach and directly arrive at the Sado Alliance Leader, so there will be restrictions. However,

Even accounting for those restrictions, giving such a tool to a master at Baek Riyun’s level cannot be denied as being like adding wings to a tiger.

The Sado Alliance Leader, regrettably, wasn’t yet at a level where he could catch a winged tiger.

“Can I forfeit before getting beaten up?”

“Wouldn’t it be better if you came along?”

“Damn it. I’ll remain as a relic of the old generation.”

It feels like being chosen as a sacrifice to open a new era of martial arts. If he descends from this place now, he can preserve his immediate dignity, but in the end, he’ll be recorded in the history books as just another ordinary warrior who was neither this nor that.

“Come.”

“Yes……”

A situation he can’t withdraw from.

the Sado Alliance Leader, who wore a bitter smile, assumed his ready position and prepared for Baek Riyun’s attack. And.

‘Coming?’

When Baek Riyun finally slowly raised his sword blade and internal energy surged as it gently pressed down on all directions.

‘……?’

Seeing Baek Riyun suddenly stop, the Sado Alliance Leader narrowed his eyes at the strange sensation. Because Baek Riyun’s expression was contorting as if witnessing something that shouldn’t be witnessed.

“What’s…….”

“Ryeonju.”

“Mm?”

“The plan, how far has it progressed?”

“Plan, what do you…….”

“Thunder bomb burial.”

“……Suddenly?”

While reflexively questioning Baek Riyun’s out-of-the-blue story, the Sado Alliance Leader thought about the current progress of the plan and gave an answer.

“Over ninety percent buried. All burial will be finished before tomorrow.”

“……Can it be detonated now?”

“It’s possible, but…… why?”

“Look behind you.”

“…….”

Suddenly.

Seeing Baek Riyun quietly lower his sword body along with his words, the Sado Alliance Leader, who had assumed something, closed his eyes tightly. The question that followed.

“By any chance, is what I’m expecting coming from behind me?”

“……It seems it would be better if you confirmed it yourself.”

“Ha, damn it.”

the Sado Alliance Leader, who unwittingly burst into a chuckle, quietly turned around. And at that moment, the scene that appeared.

The sun rises from the east. Then where is the east of Uichang?

Mountainous terrain covered with massive mountains is located to the east of Uichang. To the degree that when day comes, the sight of the sun rising from somewhere in the gaps between mountain ranges scattered here and there to illuminate the earth is Uichang’s pride.

Naturally, that scenery is something that hasn’t changed for over hundreds of years, perhaps even over thousands of years. For mountain ranges to change requires immense time, and humans aren’t permitted that much time, so in a lifetime, that sight won’t change. However.

Right now, that scenery that wouldn’t change even after hundreds of years is dramatically changing before their eyes.

By a moving mountain.

“Wh-what the hell is that……”

Someone’s muttering.

While watching the assembled crowd lose their words as if witnessing something incomprehensible, Baek Riyun bit down hard and spat out a single phrase. The name of the approaching destruction.

“Sangwi…….”

Humanity’s doom that arrived a bit earlier than scheduled.

“Damn it.”

Kwaaaang—!!!

“……?”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who exhaled deeply, stabbed his sword blade into the martial stage and focused his gaze. The words that followed.

“I speak in the name of Sado Alliance’s Ryeonju, so all martial comrades located in this place, listen.”

“…….”

“According to intelligence just received, though the exact situation is unknown, it appears a monster has currently manifested in the east.”

The story about not knowing the situation is a lie. However, the words that will follow cannot be discussed as lies.

“That’s a monster of tremendous size that even this Ryeonju has never seen before. If left alone, it will surely become a great calamity. Therefore, wouldn’t it be right to subjugate it now when the most martial arts masters are gathered?”

The enemy’s strength is incalculable. However, this side’s strength is the maximum humanity can produce.

Then there’s only one thing to say.

“From this place, I, the Sado Alliance Leader Mumyeong, propose the subjugation of the Baekgwiyahaeng that has revealed itself in this place.”

the Sado Alliance Leader, who grinned, sheathed his sword blade at his waist.

“If you’re scared, feel free to run.”

Naturally, there was no one who ran away.

Not yet, at least.

***

Atop Sangwi’s head.

—So many have gathered.

A futile act.

Heukya, who looked down at Uichang from a dizzyingly high place, exhaled quietly while watching the tide of countless people. Even if that number of people swarmed, she wasn’t worried in the slightest.

‘Anyway, the rabble won’t even be able to climb onto Sangwi’s back.’

Sangwi is massive. Truly to a degree that’s hard to describe.

Sangwi is such that simply standing on all fours, the height of its back pierces the clouds, and with a single step, it instantly crosses several li. The height of its legs alone is no different from a cliff hundreds of zhang high—that’s Sangwi’s body.

Unlike other cliffs or mountains, Sangwi’s body moves and has no ledges to grab and climb. Unless you’re quite confident in lightness techniques, you won’t even be able to climb onto Sangwi’s back.

It’s impossible for all of those numbers to climb onto Sangwi’s back. Then what if the elite among them succeed in landing on Sangwi’s back?

‘Even so, nothing will change.’

Atop Sangwi’s back is the domain of various monsters.

Though they submitted to her, the monsters’ power is by no means weak. Even masters capable of climbing onto Sangwi will be unable to exert power in the monster realm spread atop Sangwi’s back.

‘Even if they break through all of that and come up, it’s the same.’

For monsters, the size of monster power is strength itself.

Unlike other monsters who handle monster power haphazardly, needless to say, Heukya is one who handles monster power efficiently. With this much massive monster power having entered her, is there a need to speak?

‘Nothing will change.’

Sangwi won’t stop here and will stubbornly walk to the Great Seal.

The last Great Seal that humanity protects will be destroyed, and humanity will ultimately be annihilated.

—I smell gunpowder.

Do they think they can inflict damage on Sangwi by burying thunder bombs?

At the sight of humans who are utterly complacent, Heukya unwittingly let out a scoff and stared down indifferently before suddenly turning her gaze at a strange sensation and examined the surrounding scenery. Natural, yet strangely distorted-looking scenery.

‘This is……?’

Chwareureureuk—!!!

Strange.

Before she could hold such a sensation, countless chains of light extended from the ground and bound each other. Not blocking Sangwi’s front, nor binding Sangwi, just binding each other—chains.

—……!

They’re being woven.

Realizing what the humans were aiming for from the form created by the chains entangling and interweaving, Heukya jumped up from her seat. However, the weaving doesn’t stop.

‘Sorcery!’

It’s a type of sorcery that guides power. A type of sorcery that prevents explosive power from spreading outside the chains, a type that confines power.

Chwareureuk!

While confirming numerous chains interweaving each other and rolling up like a ball, Heukya hastily waved her hand. And

Suddenly, the moment Heukya felt the ball of rolled-up chains swelling.

────!!!!!

Thunder descended.