Chapter 102: Iron-Blood Sword Clan (4)

Slowly.

Han Seojin walked forward, letting the tip of his sword touch the ground.

I opened my Heavenly Eyes wide.

Everything started to come into view.

The head of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan.

I had to examine everything he possessed.

'I had guessed he was stronger than expected.'

I had guessed.

What Yoo Eunchae and Seon Woohyeon said was always wrong.

This world, their fate, was starting to move as if it could only be that way.

And perhaps, the ones accelerating it would be three people.

'An existence that shouldn't have originally existed.'

The regressor, Seon Woohyeon.

The reincarnator, Yoo Eunchae.

Lastly, the possessor, Han Seojin.

It was a hypothesis that formed recently.

Originally, Seon Woohyeon and Yoo Eunchae could have somehow resolved things, but as I intervened, everything collapsed helplessly.

Of course, the enemies would be paying the price as well.

But I can't see that now.

Perhaps it might already be happening at the border.

I looked ahead.

The head of the family was looking at me with arrogant eyes.

It was a gaze deeply lost in thought.

Wondering how to make me listen to his words, such worries.

I was having the same worries.

'What should I do?'

My specialty has always been in breaking my opponent with what they were confident in.

That's why I chose the sword.

And I used the Heavenly Demon Godly Technique.

Even for me, I can't break this place with any other swordsmanship—Emperor Sword Form.

"Won't you come in?"

"Are you offering me the first move? I'd appreciate it if you gave me about three initial moves."

"I'd like to say so, but your power is also hard for me to disregard."

The head of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan slowly stood up.

Thud.

An overwhelming sense of pressure filled the space.

My opponent was the head of the family.

He was a person who reached a level that fewer than ten people in Korea have attained.

I closed my eyes slowly.

I won't care for my body.

Even if I end up crippled here, I must kill him.

'It's okay.'

My manifestation is specialized in that area.

Storage.

And restoration.

Slowly, he inhaled and exhaled.

He opened his eyes.

"Your eyes have changed. But the difference in level is inevitable."

The family head took a stance.

"I know you're amazing. If we were equals, I already know I couldn't be your opponent. Killing ten elders in an instant and arriving here itself is an incredible feat, but."

Boom!

With the pressure of a great mountain, he was looking down at him.

"It must end here."

"You talk too much."

"…Even I am a bit reluctant to lay hands on my son."

"Stop with the nonsense."

"You won't believe it, but it's true."

As he moved his mouth, I watched him.

Mana, muscle movements.

All of those things.

'Shall I give it my all for the first time in a while?'

Because I had an opponent worth going all out for.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Swords clashed. Sparks flew every time steel met steel.

The head of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan, Han Junseok, examined his opponent's sword.

He knew that just before arriving here, his opponent had killed the elders.

And he realized that the swordsmanship was the Heavenly Demon Godly Technique he had longed for.

'A being related to the Heavenly Demon.'

Naturally, one being came to mind.

The existence known as Heaven-Surrendering Martial Emperor.

'Have you awakened the past life of Heaven-Surrendering Martial Emperor?'

If so, all his actions make sense.

Using the Namgoong Clan's ultimate technique, the Emperor Sword Form, without hesitation.

And using the sword skills of the Heavenly Demon Godly Technique.

He single-handedly destroyed the Namgoong Clan and was the betrothed of the Heavenly Demon.

'A blessing in disguise.'

Truly.

Han Junseok thought so.

The elders died. The death of the pillars of the family is a bigger blow than expected.

They were supposed to protect this place from other families if their plan was discovered.

But they were killed by Han Seojin.

However.

'It's okay.'

He just needed to learn the Sword Art of the Heavenly Demon.

In the process, he would capture Han Seojin and obtain what he needed.

'Though it means losing the principal's support.'

The Iron-Blood Sword Clan might never set foot in Korea again, but it's okay.

Because he had confidence.

The head of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan.

And in a world without transcendents, the most unparalleled existence at the Supreme Realm.

He had to achieve his unfinished goal as the head of the snake.

He swung his sword.

From top to bottom, it followed a simple trajectory.

BANG!!

However, Han Seojin frowned at just that. His hand was trembling.

Evidence that it is hard to block.

Han Seojin frowned.

"How is it? Still thinking the same?"

"No, my thoughts have changed a bit."

"Oh? At my overwhelming power…"

"You're worse at fighting than I thought."

"…What?"

Han Junseok frowned.

What did he just say?

"This is a nice surprise. No, maybe it's because you've become stronger faster than your original fate. You lack experience in direct combat."

"What…"

Nonsense.

Throughout his life, he had killed and captured monsters. But on the battlefield, he had fought countless humans.

However, Han Seojin was smiling as if it was ridiculous.

"Is it all talk?"

Han Junseok moved.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The swords clash. However, Han Seojin struggled to block his sword.

He was at an overwhelming disadvantage.

This was the difference in their levels.

The gap in their realms was enormous.

For every single swing, Han Seojin had to move several times.

All his abilities were superior.

Traits?

Needless to say.

All the traits he possessed were of high level.

'Even so.'

The years made a large difference.

The power accumulated as a head of the family was different.

His traits were superior.

Although his Unique Trait fell short, Han Seojin's Unique Trait was unsuitable for combat.

So, this, too, was an advantage.

Clang clang clang clang clang!!

Claaang!!

Countless sword strikes.

They clash and clash and clash. Clearly, he was superior.

No, it wasn't just that level.

He possessed overwhelmingly superior power. Even if several men of Han Seojin's caliber attacked, he could win.

He was confident of that.

—He had been.

Crackkkkk!!

Sparks flew as swords clashed. Han Seojin was staring at him with eyes flickering blue flames.

It was as if he could see everything about him.

The momentum of his sword strikes became exquisite. His sword strikes began to be blocked.

A very slight change.

However.

'Ominous.'

Something he had never seen in his life.

Endlessly ominous.

Han Seojin's eyes shone blue.

The swords crossed.

The black blade ran along his sword.

The black energy blocked his sword. However––there was no way his strength would be pushed back by just this much.

That wasn't the problem.

'Gradually.'

He was catching up.

His movements.

It wasn't that he had gotten faster. No, he had gotten a bit faster.

But his speed was still lagging behind, and his strength was also lagging.

Magic? He possessed an enormous amount of magic power, but he was still superior.

The Iron-Blood Sword Clan used its own techniques that consumed a lot of mana, so they operated a mana heart to accumulate mana.

Basically, they held a mana advantage over beings of the same level.

However.

However.

Nevertheless.

All of their swordsmanship.

Everything they had built up.

It was now collapsing.

A fist is swung.

The opponent was faster. He deflected the blade with his fist and swung his sword.

He moved his feet.

'Quickly.'

He adapted to the opponent's swordsmanship with his eyes.

His mind responded immediately, mastering the swordsmanship.

Strong, Swift, Transformation, Illusion, Heavy, Defeating.

He incorporated all sword strikes.

A little faster.

A little stronger.

A little heavier.

His eyes glowed blue.

Heavenly eyes.

Even the eyes that peek into the secrets of the sky began to strain.

A warning that using them any further would damage his eyes.

—I ignored it.

That didn't matter.

Only winning this fight.

He observed the opponent's movements. He identified the opponent's weaknesses.

And the result of combining all of that.

'The sword that kills monsters.'

His sword was specialized in killing monsters.

He seemed to take pride in killing humans as well.

'Far from enough.'

This one had killed countless humans.

"Truly remarkable."

A voice of admiration.

"If it's that impressive, why don't you start losing now?"

"Heh heh, that's impossible. If it's to fulfill my deepest wish."

The head of the family stepped back and pointed to the sky.

"I can even kill my son."

Rumble…!!

Swords.

Countless swords appeared.

The iron-blooded sword technique that the Iron-Blood Sword Clan boasts.

The essence of it.

And in the middle, an enormous black sword revealed itself.

"This will be your grave. Do not worry. The blood of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan you killed will accompany you."

"Ha…"

The swords began to move.

Like fish swimming in the sea, countless swords move.

Dozens, hundreds of swords filled the sky.

It could be called an absolute technique.

Even the sword clans with advanced sword techniques in the martial arts world couldn't create this many black swords.

'Blocking them all is impossible.'

That was my first thought upon seeing them.

Freeze them with Glacial Heavenly Moon? The mana consumption is too high. The opponent still has plenty of reserves.

His opponent had used their ultimate moves, but he hadn't yet.

However, I also have the Wielding Sword Technique.

[Wielding Sword Technique (A+) is activated.]

'Wielding Sword Technique.'

A trait that I mimicked after seeing the existence of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan before.

Swoosh!!

Though humble, dozens of swords appeared around me.

Ordinary swords protected me.

"Sigh."

A tone of lament.

The head of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan, Han Junseok, opened his mouth as he looked at me.

"Still not revealing your full potential? It's getting more and more regrettable."

The tip of his sword quivered.

The swords began to descend slowly.

"That's why this must end here. You are a person who must never be kept alive."

"It's too late to realize that."

"Better late than never."

The head lowered his hand.

Whoosh!

Like a shower of arrows, the rain of swords poured down.

'I can't dodge them all.'

Dodge only what can be dodged.

Those targeting vital points.

Those that would hinder my movements.

Thud, thud, thud!

Three swords struck my body directly.

Quickly pulling them out with my bare hands, I ignited the Brilliant Blazing Fire to revive my life force.

'It heals quickly.'

Even so, it threw off my movements.

Han Junseok leaned back with all his might.

It wasn't suppression, unlike before.

There was murderous intent.

It was a move to kill me.

'Too late.'

But it was too late.

My head, my body.

Sssssst.

Ashen flames enveloped the sword. The sword moved.

Despite being slow, my sword reached him first.

The subtlety of the late but first strike.

"Earlier, you said you could kill me?"

"Heuh."

"Sorry, but I was prepared to commit patricide as well."

Fwoosh.

The ashen flames at the tip of the sword began to flare up.

Heaven-Surrendering Godly Technique.

Puhwak!

My sword pierced through his body.

Simultaneously.

Chwaaaak!

The gray flames slashed through his body.