Chapter 54

Chapter 54

“Kararararararak-!!!”

Looking at the great yokai ‘Ah,’ who screamed and flew far away, Seonwoo Gang checked his own sword energy with a dumbfounded expression. The golden sword energy still burning vividly.

“Gold……en color?”

This was strange. Fundamentally, Hyeolgeommun’s secret technique, the unique martial art of Daesageom  Hyeong Seo, Hyeolhae Surajgeom was a martial art that drew out blood-red sword energy that anyone could recognize at a glance.

In the first place, the name itself was Hyeolhae , and the internal energy it gathered was also domineering internal energy thick with death energy . An endlessly practical, domineering, and evil-path-like martial art—that was Hyeolhae Surajgeom.

However.

Then why was his sword burning golden?

“Pull yourself together! The battle isn’t over yet!”

Seonwoo Gang, who had been blankly lost in thought, was reminded of the current situation by Gwang Yeon’s voice hammering his ears and hurriedly raised his sword. ‘Ah,’ who had been thrown far away and was now looking at its broken claw with a bewildered expression.

“Geureureuk, an, angry. Human. Was hiding power……!”

Right.

What was important now wasn’t why his sword energy became golden, wasn’t it?

Seonwoo Gang, who looked at that appearance for a moment then calmed his breathing, nodded and took one step forward before opening his mouth.

“Seomun Cheok. Your condition?”

“……I’m fine thanks to you.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Seonwoo Gang, who lightly exhaled, swung his sword once through the air, then aimed his blade forward and spoke.

“The odds have increased. What do you think?”

“What do you mean?”

“The odds of holding out, no. The odds of defeating it.”

Reflecting on the current situation, that strange ability clearly wasn’t something it could use easily. If that weren’t the case, it would have freely utilized that ability from the beginning to pressure them.

Then now, when the creature used its ability, was the opportunity to press it. Originally, they’d thought just holding out would be difficult against such an opponent.

However, now it felt like they could do it.

“Anyway, if we continue like this, holding out will also reach its limit. Branch Chief. Other places are starting to get pushed back too. Isn’t that right?”

“……That’s not wrong.”

When Seonwoo Gang sought confirmation from Gwang Yeon, who was breathing roughly behind them, Gwang Yeon looked around and gave an answer.

“It’s undeniable that killing that creature is the best choice. However…… can you two do it?”

“Not two. Three. And…….”

Chwaaaaak!

Seonwoo Gang, who burst into a smirk, swung his blade to cut through the air and nodded.

“In my current state, it seems worth trying even one-on-one. Though it might be arrogance.”

“……You’ve crossed the wall.”

“I can’t be certain, but to some degree.”

Looking at Seonwoo Gang’s eyes filled with determination, Gwang Yeon closed his eyes for a moment. Countless possibilities that rose up in an instant.

‘It’s all-or-nothing anyway.’

Seonwoo Gang’s words were right. Anyway, even if they held out against that yokai here, other places couldn’t hold out. If you looked around, hadn’t gaps already started appearing in the defensive line due to casualties?

Holding out wasn’t the end. Time wasn’t on humanity’s side but the yokai’s. And if time wasn’t on their side, it was natural that they had to end it quickly.

Kwak!

Gwang Yeon, who organized his thoughts and bit his lips to awaken himself, answered.

“Greenhorns…… no, I can’t even call you greenhorns anymore. This isn’t an order but a request. Seonwoo Gang. Seomun Cheok.”

“”Yes.””

“……To protect Akyang, can you kill that creature?”

At Gwang Yeon’s quiet question, Seonwoo Gang and Seomun Cheok glanced at each other and met each other’s faces. And.

The moment tacit agreement was reached.

Kang-!!

“Of course.”

Seomun Cheok’s spear and Seonwoo Gang’s sword lightly clashed with each other.

“Let’s finish it within half a gak.”

By nature, predators feel wariness toward prey but don’t feel fear.

Wasn’t that natural? Fundamentally, predators had to live by eating prey. But if predators felt fear toward prey, that relationship couldn’t be established.

That’s why ‘Ah’ also, until just a moment ago, didn’t feel any particular fear toward the martial artists here.

Only until, just a moment ago.

“Kararararararak-!!!”

Kaaaang-!!!

Swift speed.

After sweeping away the spear that stabbed into its side, ‘Ah’ immediately flipped its body and the spear shaft swung like a windmill swept over ‘Ah’s’ body. And Seomun Cheok’s opening that instantly revealed itself.

A chance. Even from such an unstable posture, the yokai ‘Ah’s’ body could unleash an attack capable of killing a person at any time. So ‘Ah’ extended its claw.

At the same time, feeling the golden sword energy blazing above its head about to fall, it hurriedly rolled its body to widen the distance.

Kagagagak-!!

“Geureuk, geureureuk…… Human, strong…….”

‘Ah,’ who jumped far back, looked at its claws and let out a mournful crying sound. Ten claws that once existed, now only four remaining on both hands.

Three broke in the first strike. The remaining three broke during the current battle. In other words, it was like losing six out of ten weapons. Compared to that, what about the opponents?

“Geureureuk……!”

Not a single proper serious injury. At most only small cuts or puncture wounds. Even those were minor wounds that didn’t interfere with fighting at all.

At the sight of Seonwoo Gang burning such brilliant sword energy that it looked like lightning, ‘Ah’ shrunk its neck as if intimidated and turned its head to look toward Akyang.

“Human…… must eat, power, must build…… up.”

It knew.

Power was insufficient. Though the difference was minimal. If it could just gather a bit more power, if it could just advance to the next level, it might be able to weather this situation.

And to do that, it had to eat fear. It had to eat someone’s fear, eat blood and flesh to build up power. However.

Seomun Cheok, who stood blocking the way, extended his spear and blocked ‘Ah’s’ path.

“Think I’ll let you go?”

It couldn’t get past.

Those humans had already adapted to its speed. If it tried to forcibly cross that line, surely swords and spears would be stuck in its back.

It couldn’t set foot in the human territory beyond. It couldn’t build up power.

Then──.

It would die. Here.

Unable to do anything, not as a predator, but as prey.

“Don’t, want to die. I, don’t want to die. Don’t want to die. Don’t want to die. Don’t want don’t want don’t want-!!!”

‘Ah,’ who trembled, shrieked and wildly swung its claws. The tremendous fear occupying ‘Ah’s’ spirit.

It had been that way since its homeland, in Sinseongok.

It did anything to survive. If it had to crawl on the ground, it crawled; if it had to stick its head in filth, it did. The great yokai there had no hesitation in killing it.

To survive, it had to become a fly that wasn’t noisy. It had to become an ant that wasn’t bothersome. That’s how it survived.

Yet.

To die in such a place?

All those years meant nothing?

That.

Was unacceptable.

Absolutely.

“Eat……-!!!”

‘Ah,’ engulfed in madness, contracted its legs to leap, and Seonwoo Gang and Seomun Cheok tensed their bodies to respond upon confirming that. And.

The moment they confirmed ‘Ah’s’ body leaping up, both their eyes were colored with doubt. Because.

‘Ah’ was jumping backward.

“Eat!”

Yokai grow by eating fear. And most yokai grow by eating human fear.

That was because human fear was the most advanced, detailed, and thick. Beasts without proper intelligence couldn’t have fear as concrete as humans’. In other words, human fear was a delicacy with both taste and nutrition for yokai.

The fact that most yokai grew by eating human fear meant there were also yokai that didn’t.

Unfortunately for the Muryeongwan trainees, ‘Ah’ knew that fact very well.

Seogeok-!

“……Huh?”

The Murim Alliance Akyang Branch member, who had been desperately blocking yokai, made a blank sound while looking ahead. The sight of another yokai being cut in half and dying after shrieking at him just moments ago.

“Kararararararararak-!!!”

In an instant, the necks of the yokai that had been dominating the front line started being cut off one by one. At imperceptible speed.

‘Ah’ was at that center.

“Kill, all. Kill all!!!”

Tear apart, cut, stab to death, slash.

Dozens of yokai were slaughtered in an instant, unable to do anything. ‘Ah’ rampaging at a speed they couldn’t react to.

“Kararararararak-!!!”

At the demonic power and strange cries that burst out, most of the yokai that had been fighting to eat humans were gripped by fear. Fear toward an overwhelmingly superior predator. The reverence ‘Ah’ once held when looking at great yokai back when in Sinseongok.

“This damn……!”

Confirming the sight of all those things flowing into ‘Ah,’ Gwang Yeon shouted urgently.

“We have to kill it right now! If it gets stronger, we might not be able to handle it!”

“But catching up……!”

Wasn’t this a speed that was already difficult to respond to in the first place?

If it were nearby, they might be able to attack by seeing gaps, but following with speed itself was close to impossible. Moreover, ‘Ah’ was continuously moving away, wary of them.

Catching it was close to impossible. At this rate, it would be the end. Everyone would die.

What should they do?

‘There’s no choice but to risk death……!’

“Seomun Cheok!”

“……It seems we had similar thoughts.”

At Seonwoo Gang’s voice calling him, Seomun Cheok heavily nodded and looked at the Hundred Demons Night Parade gripped by fear. The appearance of yokai all stiffening their bodies, trembling without even being able to prepare for the approaching death.

Catching the opponent was impossible in this situation. Even if they chased, it would just run away, and no matter how they tried to attack, it wouldn’t face them directly until sufficient power was gathered.

Then make it come to them. Dig a trap so it can’t help but bite.

And from ancient times, traps usually used prey as bait.

“We penetrate into the yokai. Just once. If we can just block it once, we can somehow manage……!”

One strike. If they didn’t finish it within one strike, the side that would be hit would be them.

Seonwoo Gang, who confirmed his precariously remaining internal energy, bit his lip. And Seomun Cheok, who confirmed that appearance, gripped his spear shaft.

“I’ll create the opportunity.”

“……Can you?”

“Once, at least.”

At Seomun Cheok’s calm words, Seonwoo Gang heavily nodded and headed forward, into the space between the yokai, feeling the rough texture of his sword hilt.

‘Let’s calm down.’

Looking directly at the tree-like yokai in front of him, Seonwoo Gang calmed his heart. Killing intent that couldn’t be felt. What was felt was only fear.

No living thing covets food knowing it would die. Yokai were the same.

Despite him approaching to close range, the yokai showed no particular reaction. Because the shadow of death approaching from far away was more threatening.

Then use that gap.

Seogeok. Seogeok. Seogeok. Seogeok.

“Kill. Eat. I…… survive-!!!”

In time like an eternity, cutting sounds and strange cries slowly approached. ‘Ah,’ unable to properly grasp Seomun Cheok and Seonwoo Gang’s positions as they killed their presence, wildly cutting down yokai gripped by fear of death.

Breathing slowly stopped. Random thoughts disappeared. The last single opportunity. The single moment that could end all this.

The extremely concentrated mind blocked out surrounding noise. What could be heard was only the cutting sounds and strange cries.

Taang-!

The moment he heard the sound of the spear shaft being deflected within those strange cries, golden sword energy blazed up like fire.

Hwareureureureuk-!!!

“Ka,rarararararak……!”

‘Ah,’ bounced into the air by Seomun Cheok, belatedly confirmed Seonwoo Gang who had risen and brought its regenerated claws to bear. However, the claws broke unable to even hold out a bit.

The internal energy filling the blade extended in a straight line toward ‘Ah’s’ heart. No unnecessary moves, no possibility of failure. All defenses were broken, and there was no escape route.

They did it. Seomun Cheok and himself.

They killed this yokai.

Pagak!

──Except the center of the blade couldn’t withstand the impact and broke, surely that would have been the case.

“……Keureuk.”

Slowly, ‘Ah’s’ gaze went to the broken sword aiming at its chest. Seonwoo Gang in front, frozen while assuming a sword stance.

“Keureuk?”

Kkadeuk.

‘Ah,’ who tilted its head in wonder, gripped the extended claw, the blade with its hand and made a sound in its throat.

Wasn’t it anywhere?

It broke. The human’s claw too, the brilliantly burning golden sword energy too. Everything that seemed like it would kill it right away.

Now it was gone.

“Keureureuk. Keureureureuk! Kararararararararak-!!! Human, won. I won! Survived! Kararararararak!”

With the frozen Seonwoo Gang right before it, ‘Ah’ let out a victory roar. The victor clearly apparent to anyone.

Just one step, one step was lacking and victory and defeat were divided. The opportunity was once.

That single opportunity had now flown away.

Seonwoo Gang, who grasped the situation, ground his teeth and glared at ‘Ah.’ The long claw’s shadow gradually cast over his head.

“Kararararak! Now, die. Human!”

It was over.

With ‘Ah’s’ strange cry filled with rage, Seonwoo Gang sensed death. And.

Just before the claw fell.

“Well done.”

A familiar voice was heard.

“You may rest now.”

Cheongyeok

The battlefield was split in half.