Chapter 332

Chapter 332

How is the level of martial arts determined?

This topic is simpler than one might think, yet it’s also a debate that isn’t easy. Because realms aren’t something that can be clearly divided into high and low as one might think.

For instance, a martial artist who can use Deungpyeongdosu can still be defeated by a martial artist who can’t even use Chosangbicho, and a martial artist who has reached Singeonghapil can still be defeated by a martial artist who hasn’t. Because there isn’t just one path in martial arts.

Even if they walked the same path, it’s natural for their compatibility to reverse depending on the variables and circumstances of each moment, and there are even cases where it reverses due to personal tendencies, so need I say more?

—Since the level of martial arts can’t be clearly judged anyway, you must look at how much that person has accomplished!

To know how high a martial artist’s martial arts are, follow that martial artist’s footsteps.

Though it’s not completely established as orthodox theory, such talk circulates as mainstream in this martial world. That a strong martial artist is one who has accomplished much. That a challenging martial artist is truly strong. And.

“Is this right……?”

In that sense, right now Muheuggaek and Cheongong had no choice but to instinctively place Baek Riyun above themselves.

And for good reason, since he had completely blown away the Monster Realm’s center with one strike.

“Incredible.”

Tadak. Tadadak.

Confirming the sparks flying here and there, the light reflecting off the snow that hadn’t yet melted, Muheuggaek burst into hollow laughter filled with admiration and fear. He had expected him to be strong to some degree, but this was martial prowess at an absurd level beyond expectations.

‘Just in terms of the power of a single strike, he wouldn’t fall behind Ilryun…… no, even Taeag.’

If Taeag, who boasted extreme destructive power even among the Talgatja, properly deployed his techniques, would it feel like this?

“The world is really unfair. Damn it.”

He didn’t look that old, but damn, isn’t it a difference in talent?

Shaking his head slightly while admiring Baek Riyun’s level, Muheuggaek fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a signal flare. Seeing this, Cheongong tilted his head.

“What is that?”

“A signal flare that the area occupation is complete. We agreed to fire it once the formation installation is finished.”

“Formation?”

“Didn’t I explain why we’re occupying this area? What were you listening to during the operation briefing?”

“I was sleeping!”

“How proud of yourself.”

Sighing, Muheuggaek continued his explanation.

“The reason we occupied four areas is simple. To block this monster’s movements.”

“Seolgui?”

“No, Sangui.”

“Hmm.”

“The four areas the alliance is currently occupying correspond to Sangui’s leg joints.”

Binding Sangui is impossible.

The military strategists who first saw Sangui’s size made that judgment without hesitation. That it’s impossible to stop Sangui head-on with formations or anything else.

Any formation, any attack could be ignored and broken through if there’s this much size. Even if the Talgatja gave it their all in attacks, to Sangui whose body length is at minimum hundreds of ri, only damage equivalent to being pricked by a small needle would go through.

“So you’re sealing the joints!”

“Right. Binding is impossible, but if we can just prevent the joints from moving, we can stop its movement.”

We can’t seal all the joints, nor do we need to. Even sealing just some of them will make Sangui unable to control its body and crawl on the ground.

“However, since we don’t know what will happen if we only bind one or two, we decided to activate the formations all at once…….”

The other Monster Realms’ preparation signals haven’t come down yet. In this situation, we can’t activate the formation either.

“Why are they so late?”

Ppiiiiiiik—!!!

“Speak of the tiger and it comes.”

No sooner had he spoken than seeing several Myeongjeok fly through the sky, Muheuggaek smirked and fired the signal flare indicating they were ready. Simultaneously, signal flares burst here and there all at once.

“Looks like everyone’s ready. Hey, Central Plains person.”

“Yes? Are you speaking to me?”

“Well, is there any other Central Plains person here besides you? Activate the formation.”

“You have a perfectly good name but call me Central Plains person…….”

‘Does the Murim Alliance have no talent? Why did they send this kind of guy?’

Isn’t he quite defective?

Watching the technique practitioner muttering, Muheuggaek made an exasperated expression, shook his head, and gestured for him to hurry up. Then the technique practitioner activated the formation with a displeased expression.

Gugugugugugung—!!!

A deep earth rumbling spread out.

“Brace for impact.”

At the deep, majestic sound and vibration ringing as if a volcano were active, Muheuggaek lowered his stance and deployed a Gimagk. And at that moment, a grave cry echoed out.

────!!!!!

“Keurheok!”

“Kulreok!”

“Damn it, protect your ears with Gimagk!”

Would it feel like this to take a Buddhist Sajahu head-on?

At Sangui making those with low internal energy cultivation collapse with just its cry alone, Muheuggaek clicked his tongue and looked around before clenching his fist. The Beopmun floating in the air were telling him much.

“Success.”

“Did it go well?”

“Yeah. Now Sangui can’t move.”

“Hmm…….”

Strictly speaking, this formation doesn’t bind the joints. It’s similar to inserting giant bead-like objects inside the joints.

It’s easy to understand if you think of inserting thumb-sized beads into a person’s knee. You can move if you force it, but the pain goes without saying, and Sangui, which has no reason, wouldn’t try to move while enduring such pain.

“With this, we’ve bought time for a while. In the meantime, we just need to proceed with the operation as planned…….”

“As planned?”

“I don’t know if it’s possible.”

The next plan is simple. Continue along the set path to subjugate all monsters up to the summit, and ultimately subjugate Heukya who is atop Sangui’s head.

But is that truly possible? Against ‘that thing’?

‘Is that something that can be handled by human power?’

The sound waves that had been continuously exploding from above.

Recalling the level of those sound waves that had now quieted down, Muheuggaek sighed and shook his head. If it can’t be done with human power, what can be done?

‘If they say do it, I have to do it.’

If there were another method, we’d do that, but isn’t there no other method in the current situation?

Unconsciously smiling bitterly, Muheuggaek quietly raised his gaze upward. Beyond the snowy landscape split in half.

Uicheon was walking.

Together with the companions he had brought up.

***

Atop Sangui’s head.

—The first line has been broken?

The resistance is fiercer than expected.

Heukya, who had been quietly observing the series of movements occurring throughout Sangui’s body, held a small impression and raised his gaze upward. At the blood wind scattering in the wind.

—Things went according to your plan. Nakcheon.

Speaking in a low voice, Heukya looked at Nakcheon standing vacantly before him. Nakcheon, with half his upper body torn away, just staring blankly at him.

—Do you wish to die?

Most living creatures usually die when a third of their body is blown away.

That’s not much of an exception even for monsters. Unlike other tenacious insect-like things, monsters usually die even if just their heads fly off unless they have special abilities.

Even if their regeneration and vitality are superior to humans, there are limits.

At least Nakcheon, being one who has reached the pinnacle even among Great Monsters, could survive even if he loses most of his power by retreating here. However.

What if he doesn’t retreat here?

—This time there will be no trace left. There won’t even be a chance for resurrection.

Will you still oppose me?

To Heukya asking this while swishing his tail, Nakcheon, who had been quietly lowering his black sword, answered with a deflating sound.

—Heukya, what have you lived for?

—Hmm?

—You have a purpose. Isn’t that right?

—Need I say?

—I had none.

At first.

At first, there was only the determination to protect his daughter.

The world at that time was an environment like hell for humans. A world where humans bred like livestock died for the amusement of monsters.

People died and were born like insects. If people were eaten by monsters, they thought it couldn’t be helped and bore the next child. It was an era when such awareness was prevalent.

But Nakcheon couldn’t think that way. His wife died giving birth to their first child.

And Nakcheon had no intention of accepting another wife.

—I had no grand cause like liberating humanity.

He simply trained his body to protect his daughter.

Nevertheless, there were limits to opposing monsters. No matter how excellent one’s willpower, one cannot escape the limits of one’s birth. Even if one’s talent is outstanding, one cannot approach monsters that collapse mountains and part seas in a single breath.

He became a monster to save at least his daughter. At that point, Nakcheon was prepared to abandon all of humanity to become stronger.

If his daughter hadn’t held a great cause, Nakcheon himself might now be sitting in the Monster King’s seat.

—Will is a curious thing. It’s hard for it to properly bloom and bear fruit, but once harbored, it’s not easily broken.

They say there’s no parent who can beat their child.

In the end, Nakcheon couldn’t stop his daughter from starting to walk a dangerous path. Rather, he was dragged along by it.

Thinking about it now, it was undoubtedly an incredibly dangerous thing. To the point where he doesn’t understand why he didn’t stop it. However.

Unlike his selfish self who had tried to free only himself and his daughter from their livestock status, his daughter wanted the liberation of all humanity.

And that desire was ultimately achieved, albeit in a limited way.

—After that child died, I wandered for thousands of years.

—…….

—I killed monsters, killed them, killed them.

It wasn’t because of any purpose or sense of duty. Simply because there was nothing else to do, he just continued what he had been doing by inertia.

—Then, after thousands of years passed, when I met a child who resembled that child, I came to realize.

That child praised as a divine maiden didn’t not know the fear of death.

Rather, because she knew that fear all too well, she tried to overcome it. For just a few decades, so that she wouldn’t die, so that she could live eternally by people’s sides.

—Leave a trace.

The trace of how I lived.

He just lived to leave that in the world.

—I am a specter. A specter that has not yet fully died.

Nakcheon already died thousands of years ago. What remains is just a specter of the past. Then why is a specter a specter?

—Because it cannot let go of the remnants of the past and clings to them, it is a specter, and because it does not easily perish, it is a specter. All that remains to me is obsession.

To protect the new world his daughter created.

It doesn’t matter if his destruction lies at the end of that. The human Nakcheon died thousands of years ago anyway. The specter simply follows the same path.

—Come.

His tattered body slowly regenerates as it’s wrapped in bandages.

Gradually returning to his original appearance, but with clearly diminished Yoryeok, at the sight of Nakcheon gripping his sword, Heukya let out a pleased laugh and lowered his hand. Claws protruding sharply.

—Humans as beings are the same now as then.

Each and every one incomprehensible.

Lightly uttering those words, Heukya stomped his foot. And then.

A moment later.

—Each and every one leaving only scars before disappearing.

Heukya, who extended his long tongue to wipe the blood on his fingertips, quietly closed his eyes.

Now, the Seven Great Monsters have become the Six Great Monsters.