Chapter 1322: If That's A Human, That Is (Part 2)

Krrrrrunch!

The canyon shook as if it were about to collapse.

But that was all.

The canyon, which had stood for thousands of years, didn't easily crumble with such a mild shock.

If a canyon were to collapse with this level of impact, it would have collapsed long ago.

Unless someone had drilled holes in the cliff in advance and caused an explosion from within.

However, from the perspective of the Myriad Man Manor, the fact that the canyon didn't collapse was not a situation they could be relieved about.

As the thick dust and smoke that had filled the air were carried away by the wind, the sight of the members that had turned balls of flesh was revealed.

Even those who had charged in with madness were momentarily stunned, stopping their feet in the face of such a gruesome scene.

"Ugh...."

But they had no other choice.

"Uwaaaaah!"

To shake off the rising anxiety and discomfort in their hearts, they roared even more like wild beasts as they charged forward.

Just forward, and forward again.

Thud!

They stepped on the ground that had turned into a pool of blood.

Something like resentment stuck to their feet, but this was a battlefield.

This wasn't a place where such sentiments could continue.

There was no way out, and ironically, it was the Myriad Man Manor that had no retreat.

If they wanted to survive, they had no choice but to rush forward and defeat the enemy.

But standing in their way was none other than Chung Myung.

Paaaaaah!

Chung Myung, who had thrown his body backward, consecutively beheaded those who rushed at him.

If a blade swung, it would be deflected, and if they tried to grab his ankles, the wrists would be severed.

If one tried to withstand the sword strike by raising their internal energy, their internal energy was destroyed, and if they twisted their body to avoid the attack, he preemptively seized the spot, piercing their vital points.

It was a solid wall called despair.

The sounds of comrades dying behind them were heard clearly.

Suppressed moans and the sound of flesh being torn and twisted.

The sound made it more vivid than seeing with both eyes.

But there was no going back. There was no place to go back to in the first place.

"Dieeeee!"

The sword was simple.

If you were going to measure here and there, it was better to use a spear or a sword.

If you were going to wield a sword in a way that utilized your strength, it was better to swing it to sever the opponent in two.

A sword wielded by a Myriad Man Manor member landed with a perfect fit for its purpose.

Kwaaaaaa!

The internal energy drawn up from the dantian seemed to explode at the tip of his sword, pushing forward and colliding with the enemy's sword.

The sensation of forcibly grabbing and pulling something inside the body, a feeling mixed with pain and pleasure, caused a huge explosion in the head.

The certainty that there was nothing more than this overwhelmed the entire body.

At the end of the limit, the drawn out internal energy shone brilliantly, as if containing all of one's life.

But even such a feat of surpassing one's limit was of no avail against the cold-blooded swordsman who blocked their way.

The blade began to cut through the air with immense force.

Compared to the black internal energy that spewed out from the blade, the red aura around the sword seemed faint and indistinct.

If someone were to see it, they would undoubtedly say that the sword could not withstand the dark internal energy.

The moment it touched, it would bounce away without hesitation.

However, the internal energy embedded in that sword shattered all common sense.

Gakagak!

The moment the sword and the blade clashed, the sword slightly twisted.

The overwhelming weight and force carried by the descending blade took a path other than the edge of the sword and fell below.

Kagagagagak!

In the short time, the blade, brought down with full force, flowed through the sword's body.

As if dividing that time into dozens, the sword repeatedly twisted again, abruptly changing the direction of the blade.

From vertical to horizontal.

The blow that surpassed his limit immediately escaped the control of the Myriad Man Manor.

At that moment, Chung Myung's left hand struck the Myriad Man Manor's flank like a gleaming flash.

The body that had already turned sideways with the blade forcibly returned.

The blade strike, which should have stopped when it was supposed to be embedded in the ground, continued unabated.

Towards the colleagues rushing from behind him.

Kwaaaaah!

The blow, inadequate to be described by the word "severe," swept away those following behind in one fell swoop.

There was no way to skillfully deal with such an unimaginable attack.

Those with waists split in half were thrown away with faces expressing disbelief.

"Uh...."

A momentary sigh of empty air escaped from the Myriad Man Manor member's mouth, who had caused this tragedy.

However, there was no need to feel guilt.

The dead were not allowed to feel guilt either.

Pwoook!

He silently looked down at the tip of the sword that pierced through his chest and protruded out crookedly.

Somehow, a thought that it was amusing crossed his mind.

When he raised his head, he saw his colleagues throwing away the bodies that had been cut in half, rushing towards him.

Their momentum was astonishing, but he knew from the look in their eyes that an uncontrolled fear was lurking within them.

Suh-guk!

At that moment, the sword was pulled out of his chest, and his body slumped forward.

Even before his body could touch the ground, those who surpassed him rushed towards Chung Myung with a fierce swing of their blades.

"Dieeee!"

"Please!"

Someone who couldn't overcome the pressure from Chung Myung's cold gaze spat out their true feelings.

At the same time, those who had climbed the cliff descended onto Chung Myung's head.

If a direct approach wouldn't work, the strategy was to increase the number of attackers.

However, what those who had raised their bodies into the air faced was the gruesome consequence of their foolish choice to jump into an unavoidable place.

Swooooosh!

Tang Pae's daggers flew in and pierced the bodies of the Myriad Man Manor disciples one by one.

Although there were those who managed to fend off the daggers, among them, Yoo Iseol's sword flew like a quiet illusion, waiting.

Suh-guk! Suh-guk! Suh-guk!

Blood spurted out from various parts of their bodies, spraying in all directions.

Yoo Iseol's eyes remained calm.

It wasn't difficult.

Those engulfed in madness, rushing recklessly, might seem threatening at first glance, but ultimately, it was no different from saying that they lacked the usual sophistication.

Her sword, entrusted to her passion, did not neglect those rushing without a plan and without countermeasures.

No matter how many rushed towards her, she could block them all without missing a beat.

The process was ridiculously easy, and Yoo Iseol knew exactly why. 

Paaaah!

The throats of those rushing head-on were pierced in an instant.

The extended sword was swiftly retracted, efficiently blocking the oncoming attacks without any waste.

Chilling.

Yoo Iseol, who rarely felt emotional fluctuations, felt a coldness from that sword, even though it was not directed at her.

After all, weren't humans ultimately emotional beings?

It is said that swordsmen strive to create a sword that is close to an ideal form, but since swordsmen are human, their sword is bound to contain a touch of emotion.

Hence, the sword wielded by excited individuals was intense, and the one swung by frightened individuals trembled.

However, in Chung Myung's sword, no such emotions were felt.

It just existed where it needed to be and swung where it needed to swing.

Its consistency was almost unnerving.

The battlefield was where everything hidden deep within a person burst forth.

The aftermath of that madness even shook Yoo Iseol to the core.

But how could Chung Myung remain so calm?

How could he regard all this as a matter of course?

Suddenly, Yoo Iseol thought that the sword seemed sad.

Sadness and Chung Myung did not go together, and it was even against reason, but somehow, it felt that way.

Paaaah!

Chung Myung mercilessly split the heart of an approaching enemy and withdrew the sword.

The red blood splattered on Chung Myung's cheek.

Yoo Iseol swung her sword.

'I can do it.'

She could block them. If it continued like this, she could block them until the end of this canyon.

Even if tens of thousands came, there was no way Chung Myung could be pierced.

But... one thought didn't disappear from her mind.

Her gaze passed Chung Myung's shoulder, beyond the end of the canyon. The one at the end was manipulating everyone here.

Ho Gakmyung, the tyrant commanding the army of the Evil Tyrant Alliance beyond the Myriad Man Manor.

Did that man truly not know this fact when he came here?

Yoo Iseol's eyes dimmed faintly.

The cold gaze of Ho Gakmyung, as cold as a snake, watched them through and through.

"It's impregnable."

Goyang, seeing the absurd sight, eventually burst into laughter.

"Attack and defense may seem similar at first glance, but they are completely different things."

HoGakmyung also agreed with that statement.

The Chung Myung he knew was a terrifyingly sharp spear.

A spear that tore through the opponent's defense and pierced the heart no matter what.

Forcefully breaking through an unbreakable shield.

A spear that destroyed contradictions.

Yet, to perfectly defend the opponent's offensive as well—this was something that should not happen in reality.

A sword is exquisitely delicate.

Therefore, when charging and retreating, every aspect, from the distribution of strength to the manipulation of inner strength, must inevitably change.

However, Chung Myung handled all of these aspects effortlessly.

Goyang nervously scratched his chin.

They were the ones being chased.

Even if they escaped this canyon, there was still plenty of time for them to be pursued.

Their forces?

Their forces are excessive, overflowing.

Even if this canyon collapsed suddenly and everyone was lost, there were still more people than this.

This was true even just considering the Myriad Man Manor.

Among the remaining individuals, there were numerous formidable figures incomparable to those mobilized here.

The symbol of Myriad Man Manor, Honggyeon, hasn't even entered the battle, and the elite warriors, apart from the Blood Sword Unit accompanying them, were also fully intact.

So, there was no reason to be impatient no matter how one thought about it.

They were the ones doing the chasing.

However, Goyang felt restless at the moment.

He couldn't deny he was anxious.

Despite being in the position of a hunter, he felt a pressure that made his throat tighten, as if his breath was being cut off.

Goyang spoke with a slightly irritated tone.

"At this point, I can understand that excessive vigilance."

Ho Gakmyung glanced at Goyang with an indifferent gaze. Goyang muttered, grinding his teeth.

"Is it because you can't see it?"

"…That's right."

A conversation that seemed to grasp at clouds.

However, the two people engaging in the conversation accurately understood each other's words.

Can't see.

Where is the end?

This wasn't about the limits of strength or martial skills.

Originally, what was necessary for hunting was understanding.

Those who hunt deer must know the habits of deer, and those who hunt tigers must completely understand tigers.

Otherwise, not only will the hunt fail, but their lives may be at risk.

However, that guy was beyond the scope of understanding.

If you think you've grasped him, a new aspect emerges.

As soon as you think you've found a clue, parts that shouldn't coexist within one person consecutively reveal themselves, and the moment you think you've figured it out, it hides its form again in the ambiguous fog.

So, it's unpredictable.

What he will do, what kind of incident he will cause.

And in the end, it's frightening because this uncertainty might swallow even the Evil Tyrant Alliance.

"…But even so, it's meaningless. The terrain here is not favorable."

Ho Gakmyung didn't provide a response.

"If we could reduce the enemy's stamina somehow, I don't know, but at this rate, we'll only increase meaningless sacrifices. You surely know that guy won't tire out at this level, right?"

Goyang didn't consider human life to be extremely valuable.

However, it was unnecessary to waste available forces needlessly.

At the moment when Goyang seemed about to say something to Ho Gakmyung, who had remained silent.

"Perfect, indeed..."

"Hm?"

"Yes, he might be perfect. But… even if he's perfect, that doesn't mean you can't kill him, right?"

"…"

"If that's a human, that is."

For a moment, an eerie brilliance flashed in Ho Gakmyung's eyes.

His cold gaze was fixed on Chung Myung's right leg.

From the moment Chung Myung stepped forward until now, Ho Gakmyung had only been looking at one thing.

The sight of Chung Myung's right foot slightly dragging for an instant.

"You are a human after all, Mount Hua's Chivalrous Sword."

A triumphant smile filled his face.