Chapter 103: The Play
Wielding Sword.
The rain of swords, moving at will, began to pour down.
Han Seojin slowly walked from the front.
'He's walking forward?'
It didn't matter.
If so, I'll just cut him down as he is.
No, does it really not matter?
It was inexplicable.
Han Seojin newly awakened his unique ability.
That is the trait related to time, known as eternity.
Demon.
According to their words, he could become a new demon.
They thought they were deceiving him.
But he knows.
Time attribute.
Though it's nicely called the attribute of time, it's a nature that cannot fully blossom in the Iron-Blood Sword Clan.
So, they sold Han Seojin.
Because the conditions they offered were enormous.
Iron-Blood Sword Clan.
That place is no different from hell for those without abilities.
Han Junseok deliberately made it that way.
Because that was how it could become the most outstanding family in Korea.
'And Han Seojin would also find that place to be good.'
Han Junseok sincerely believed so.
Being revered as a demon king in that place.
That was the kind of existence Han Seojin desired.
It was a form of affection twisted beyond recognition.
However, as the head of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan, it had to be that way.
He could not sever the bond with his child if twisted, even if it went astray.
'But.'
He awakened a new trait.
A trait called Reincarnation.
And the past life oa f transcendent being.
That changed Han Seojin's life anew.
As a professor, he was personally overseen by the principal.
At such a young age, he was now making his presence known clearly to the world.
He became a threat to the Iron-Blood Sword Clan.
Someone who threatened the clan to which he dedicated his life.
'Heaven-Surrendering Martial Emperor.'
Truly a dangerous existence.
An ominous existence.
He is crossing swords with the family head despite being only of the same rank. Something that should never happen.
A person in the High Realm, yet he slaughtered ten people of a similar rank.
'I see why the martial world fears him.'
An existence that doesn't seem beatable even if they are of the same rank.
The more the difference in realms, the more victory should be visible.
'I can't see it.'
The chances of winning are becoming slimmer.
Truly astonishing.
Therefore.
'Dangerous.'
The presence before me, Han Seojin, who has become an enemy of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan, is dangerous.
Even if I reveal everything, I don't think I can win.
"One moment."
The figure begins to waver.
And before I knew it, he was in front of me.
"You…!"
"…!"
Instinctively thrust sword.
Simultaneously, he was sure.
With this sword, Han Seojin would be finished.
…Surely, I had that certainty.
Certainty begins to change.
With a chilling sensation.
Grayish light.
Ashen flames.
They flowed and burned along Han Seojin's black blade.
Thwack!
The ashen flame drew a diagonal line.
Heaven-Surrendering Godly Technique.
A martial art that destroys everything of the opponent.
It is a martial art that even breaks down the concepts and images built by the opponent.
On the other hand, the attack aimed at Han Seojin was merely a martial art of the highest class.
It is not a martial art that destroys the opponent like Han Seojin's Heaven-Surrendering Godly Technique.
However.
Nevertheless.
It was fatal.
""Kuheok.""
At the same time, both spat blood.
Han Seojin and Han Junseok.
Both were coughing up blood, glaring at each other.
Both had distorted expressions.
'Just a mere High Realmer's attack!'
High Realm is not just a mere level.
However, his level is merely in the High Realm. Junseok was now in the Supreme realm, seeing transcendence.
But Han Seojin was thinking the same thing.
'To someone like that!'
Twice the experience of transcendence.
The opponent couldn't even fight.
Yet he was struggling this much.
Wielding Sword Technique.
A rain of swords filled the sky with sheer quantity. It was trickier than expected.
If it had simply been strong, he would have broken through it and moved forward if it had just been a complicated technique.
However, the overwhelming quantity was too much even for Han Seojin.
Han Seojin calmly checked his body condition.
'My strength is roughly at 50%.'
He could only exert half of his usual power.
The problem now was.
'That guy is serious.'
Fortunately, his power wasn't particularly lethal to Han Seojin.
Unlike the Heaven-Surrendering Godly Technique, his abilities weren't powerful enough to destroy manifestations.
He was just ordinary, an average guy—that was the head of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan.
But.
"It won't do."
His gaze wavered.
Eyes of black light stared at him.
Puhak!
An overwhelming force enveloped the surroundings.
As if everything so far had been a joke.
Kwoong!!
With one step, as he moved, the space around him and the world began to tremble.
"Do you know? Building a manifestation is like stacking a tower."
Awakening mana and the stage of utilizing it.
That was called a mana novice.
Beyond that, there is the stage where you can imbue objects with mana.
That is the Middle Realm—.
At the High Realm, one would build their manifestations with mana, bending the laws of the world.
The Supreme Realm—..
"I can impose my laws on others."
Rumble, rumble.
The world starts to change. Everything around.
And Han Junseok's voice quietly resounded.
Manifestation Liberation.
Sword Tomb.
And the world started to change.
He quietly opened his eyes.
What he sees is a desolate world.
A land where everything has dried up.
And countless swords stuck into the ground like tombstones.
"Someone says that mana is just a blessing. But do you know? From the moment mana overflowed in this world, it was hell for us."
Countless blood was shed.
All the people of the world despaired at the sight.
A dragon's form covered the sky.
A whale that blocked the sea paths, plunging the entire population into a food crisis by swallowing the sea.
Countless monsters appeared on land, devouring humanity.
In troubled times, heroes emerge.
In those days, heroes awakened their mana and rose to fight against the monsters.
"They all sacrificed themselves. For the civilians. They shed blood they shouldn't have, for the insects who couldn't even begin to understand mana."
"And their end was nothing but death and an unrewarded, ridiculed life."
So, a family was established—to honor their spirits.
That was the Iron-Blood Sword Clan.
"It was quite noble, but why is it in such a state now?"
"Haha, there were worse ones than us in this world. We had to make choices to survive."
Whiiiiish.
The wind blew. It was a chilly wind. The scent of blood filled the tip of the nose.
And then.
Claang!!
The swords embedded in the ground began to be drawn, emitting cries.
"Bring out everything you can. I will remember you."
"You should also bring out everything you have."
So that I can remember you.
An endlessly arrogant tone.
Han Seojin said this and quietly formed a seal.
Buzz!
What appeared was a blue mirror.
This was his manifestation.
Skewed towards utility, it couldn't even act against the Manifestation Liberation that Han Junseok had summoned.
And it was slowly healing Han Seojin's body.
Han Junseok looked at the mirror Han Seojin had brought out.
Preventing the surrounding space from being eroded.
"Hmm? Is that your manifestation? A mirror, that's quite unusual."
"A bit unusual."
Not just a bit.
The power he possessed was something unseen until now.
'But a mirror?'
It seemed to be a recovery-related ability, but was that necessary?
Based on his current experience with the power, he couldn't understand why Han Seojin had manifested such an image.
If it were him, he would have pursued even greater power.
Then, there is only one possible inference.
'Is it that Han Seojin's original image and the image of Heaven-Surrendering Martial Emperor have intertwined?'
In that case, it is somewhat disappointing.
Even though he had created a space through Manifestation Liberation, Han Seojin could only muster this much.
With eyes filled with disappointment, Han Junseok raised his sword.
Countless sword stances stood behind him.
"Now, die already."
The swords are fired.
Han Junseok raised his sword. Manifestation Liberation consumed an enormous amount of mental strength.
Han Seojin moves.
An infinitely graceful and swift movement. It was a speed that even he couldn't accurately capture with his eyes.
'It's difficult with just the Wielding Sword.'
He can kill.
However, Manifestation Liberation cannot be maintained for long. Thus, it is his duty as a parent to allow him to meet his end by his hand.
Holding the sword, he dashed out.
"Haaaaaah!!"
Swords crossed.
Thwack thwack thwack!
A moment of hesitation.
In that time, swords pierced Han Seojin's body.
Flames erupted from within Han Seojin's body.
He was recovering quickly,
Han Junseok embedded the floating swords around him into his body.
"Don't think it's unfair. It means you're that dangerous."
"I don't intend to say anything like that."
From the start, the plan to take down a person in the Supreme Realm by himself was flawed.
The opponent was already at the edge.
'Tsk, I didn't want to use this.'
It was useless anyway.
He quietly took out a ring.
"Hmm?"
"You know? Divine power is usually strong against demons."
"It may seem strong against demons. But it's not a perfect counter."
It was created and shaped by people's beliefs.
That was divinity.
Meanwhile, the demonic was shaped by people's evil hearts.
That was why divinity is weak against demons.
'It was just a nuisance anyway.'
His own trait, Eternity, weakened its power.
Crack.
A crack began to form in the ring. And what emerged from it was a white light.
[W-Wait a moment! W-What are you doing… Were you fighting against evil?]
Divine Power began to flow out.
The voice, momentarily flustered, started to recover its composure and began to dwell in the sword.
[Fine. If you're fighting against evil, I will lend you my strength right away…]
"Not necessary."
[Let's go, to a place where no one knows, where justice and evil clash… What?!]
Ignoring the bewildered voice, he absorbed the divinity.
'After clashing a few times, I understand now.'
And he also found a breakthrough to escape from here.
Black lightning began to swallow the white light.
Flames and ice.
Their extreme reaction occurs.
Black lightning made from amplification.
And the divine light of white.
Heaven-Surrendering Godly Technique.
Divine Thunderbolt.
[Trait, Soul Origin Qi (S) imbues you.]
[Trait, Soul Origin Qi (S) $***%***@%@(!!!]
[Trait, Severence !#@@%$@#^!!!!]
[Unique Trait, Eternity !#@@%$@#^!!!!]
Everything was put in.
Gray.
A gray sphere was formed.
The gray sphere began to distort more and more. Divine Power and Divine Thunderbolt. Along with Soul Origin Qi and Heaven-Surrendering Godly Technique.
And the space-related ability of disconnection and the time-related ability of eternity.
A power that simply combined all of that.
It encompassed all light. Therefore, I thought it would be black.
'Gone?'
Void.
Its form, its color did not exist.
It was merely exuding an immense presence.
Perhaps because of that.
It was uncontrollable.
'I don't care.'
I won't control it.
This was the crux of the matter.
Amplification is a school of thought that uses the nature of repulsive forces.
And he was the most outstanding in that field.
So, one strike.
He would finish the enemy with one strike.
Fortunately, the enemy had a fatal weakness.
'If I cut off the neck, he'll die.'
So, just make it so that they won't be able to withstand this attack.
'Die.'