Chapter 222: No, I Don't Know Anything (5)

The spectacle unfolding before Nine, the Dragon Half-Blood, left his mind blank.

"Hey."

He asked his companion, Wei.

"What am I seeing now?"

Consumed by a rage so blinding, he'd forgotten his purpose. The sight before him was a shock that rendered him speechless. Wei's trembling voice was the only sound that pierced the silence.

"What's going on with you? You said that was the Force just a moment ago!"

Wei was also enveloped in confusion. He even halted his use of magic and stared at Choi Han.

"It can't be..."

But Wei averted his gaze from Choi Han, taken aback by a sudden thought.

Force.

And a Sword Master.

A person with all those incredible things stood before them. And he had a companion at his side, someone who had nullified Wei's magic with a water whip.

'It can't be that this person also uses Force...'

The use of Force by a Human. He couldn't even believe it. If such beings have appeared, it wouldn't be just a matter of punishing the Beast People but an emergency situation.

'We must report to the commander immediately!'

While Nine acted impulsively, Wei understood the delicate balance required to uphold the empire. He realized that brute force would not suffice in this instance.

Splash~

At that moment, the sound of water was heard. Wei turned his head. A blue-haired woman was looking at him with a smile. There was no Force.

"...You don't know how to use Force?"

The woman facing Wei's question opened her mouth with a smile. A rather friendly voice was heard.

"Don't you know me?"

"...What?"

With such a carefree question, Wei thought for a moment.

'Have I seen this woman somewhere before?'

But he had never seen a water whip like that before.

"Ah!"

At that moment, he understood.

'...What is that water whip? I've never seen anything like it.'

No magic or spirits. The water whip was simply formed by water itself. No trace of mana or Force could be felt within it.

'But she's not a Dragon.'

She didn't seem to have the characteristics of a Dragon.

'Then, what kind of power is this?'

This power shouldn't exist. And how could she use that power, that was also a mystery.

Pffft...

Laughter was heard. Or rather, it was a mocking laugh.

Wei, the Dragon Half-Blood, could see the blue-haired woman openly laughing at him.

'...Are you mocking me?'

Is she looking at me with disdain?

Not only that. After leaving the Holy Empire, everyone, whether they saw him on the continent or not, looked at Wei, the Dragon Half-Blood, with awe or humble smiles.

"Pff."

But this woman not only mocked him, but she also openly laughed as if it were really funny.

"...How dare you?"

Beyond the bewilderment, anger began to accumulate in Wei. Flames ignited in his eyes. At the same time, the magic around him began to fluctuate.

Mana and Force.

For Wei, being able to control both was a testament to greatness. A testament to having inherited the "great blood."

"Why should I know you?"

Although she used a strange water power, why should the great him know someone like that?

"Hah."

The woman let out a laugh that sounded like a sigh and turned her head gracefully.

Seeing that appearance, Nine realized one thing in his anger.

'This woman is not affected by my Force.'

Fearless.

Rather, Wei felt anger at the woman's calm appearance, as she smiled and sighed quietly.

'Anger?'

Am I feeling angry?

Just as he was about to be surprised by that fact...

"If you're killing Beast People, shouldn't you be able to know me?"

"What?"

Suddenly, the matter of the Beast People came to light.

'Why are we talking about those inferior and dirty people?'

Wei couldn't follow the flow of the conversation.

But Wei's eyes widened at the woman's next words.

"How do you consider Dragons as Gods?"

What?

What is this crazy woman saying now?

The woman laughed.

And not only that, but she spoke softly.

"When Dragons are defeated, their blood flows just like ours, you know?"

What did she just say?

"...Defeated?"

Witira gently told Wei.

"I mean..."

She kindly explained her thoughts.

"Whether a Dragon, a Dragon Half-Blood, Human, or any other Beast People, if they are beaten, their blood flows the same way."

She was quite angry.

What should she show that arrogant guy who thinks he's cool because he has dragon blood?

"Is your blood exceptional in some way?"

She found the answer.

"So, let's see. In what way is your blood different?"

Then he will understand.

That both he and I are beings with hot blood flowing through our veins.

Witira moved her hand slightly.

The water whip headed towards Wei.

"That woman is insane!"

Witira laughed at the insults directed towards her.

She ignored Wei's force trying to invade the space around her.

She didn't cut it like Choi Han did.

An intangible energy.

Unlike the place where Witira lived, in this place called Aipotu, it seemed that Dragons Half-Bloods flourished, using Force as a form of power in battle.

Crack!

It just broke.

"It makes no sense..."

Wei was bewildered again.

For Witira, it was obvious.

The sea.

There were no Dragons dominating it.

Because there was the Whale Tribe.

They were weaker than Dragons, but the Whale Tribe had the strength not to be defeated by Dragons.

But can an enemy who is not a Dragon and has less than half the strength be her opponent?

Well...

'It makes no sense.'

There's no way she could lose to such a weak enemy.

Pssshhh!

The water whip rose like a snake, attacking Wei.

"Damn woman!"

Wei deployed his shield to block it, and between the shield and the splashing water, he could see Witira approaching.

Splash~

The water extending from Witira's two arms swayed in the air like a snake, stalking him.

And she was smiling.

Far from kindness.

Rather, she looked like a predator who had found her prey. A look that combined tranquility and cruelty.

Wei looked down at his own arms.

For the first time, he realized that he felt "fear" towards a being that was not a Dragon.

At that moment, he looked for his companion.

Nine.

Although he was a quite useless guy among the useless, in the midst of the battle between Wei and Witira, he was needed at a time like this.

He desperately looked around.

"Ah."

He saw a Black Dragon.

Nine also saw the Dragon and stood still like a statue.

Although that was different from the Dragon Nine knew, it definitely looked like a Dragon.

The Black Yong, full of ferocity and evil, shone. It seemed capable of destroying everything around at any moment.

But it was calm.

The unchanging surface of the lake reminded him of a tranquil lake.

And the darkness that enveloped the two.

That darkness surrounding the man and the dragon.

That darkness was small.

Yes, it was small compared to what Nine had.

But -

'That is definitely Force.'

And it was also solid.

He didn't even have to face it to know.

'No.'

Nine shook his head.

'It's strong, but I can resist it.'

There was nothing tougher than himself.

Nine believed they couldn't defeat him with such a small amount of Force.

'Yes, that's right.'

A fiery intensity erupted in Nine's gaze as a tempestuous storm raged within his mind.

It started with doubt, passed through confusion, and what remained was anger.

Why does anger arise in the heart?

He didn't even pose that question.

Annoying things are annoying, and infuriating things are infuriating.

He'd always been impulsive, releasing his emotions without a second thought, regardless of his surroundings. He expected to do the same now. Little did he know his control over himself, and perhaps even his abilities, had grown significantly.

Unlike when he let anger take over in the past, he is now cautiously assessing his opponent and himself.

So, after deciding that he can win, he considers releasing the anger.

He didn't even realize the train of thought that led to this point.

In fact, he himself thought he was angry.

"Yes."

Nine let out a scornful laugh.

"I've never seen a Human like you before."

Choi Han stared at Nine, who was approaching slowly. And he listened to what he said.

"It's strange. When a human who can use Aura or Mana appears, we should receive a signal at the Central Temple."

Then, their identity would be identified through the temple.

"Well, but we can't manage everything from the temple. There are always variables and areas that can be overlooked."

Rules.

Sometimes, the laws of the world, called so by the Temple, deviate slightly.

In those moments, things happened that the Temple couldn't understand.

To prepare for that, the Temple has handled various things.

This incident could be considered one of those.

"Of course, it's also amazing that a Human can use Force. Who taught you that?"

Nine relaxed imperceptibly.

"Learning to awaken Force is amazing, but cutting it is a higher level. I'll ask you again, who taught you that?"

Choi Han finally spoke after staying silent.

"I haven't learned it."

Cutting Nine's Force.

That wasn't difficult for Choi Han, who had already cut the Blood Demon's Aura.

And furthermore...

"My power is not Force."

He didn't inherit the power of the Dragons.

"Hah!"

Nine laughed as if finding that amusing.

Without believing Choi Han's words, he lightly struck the ground.

And launched himself towards Choi Han.

"I waste time talking to you! I guess I'll have to get a proper answer after beating you up!"

How dare a Human use Force?

I will find out how you did it.

And then I will torture you so intensely that you won't be able to hold a sword or use Force again.

Because you made me angry.

Because you mocked me, who inherited the great blood.

That's reason enough to kill you.

A crimson aura surged from Nine's sword.

It was an elegant and refined aura, like a bird.

Unlike its owner, it was not at all violent.

Nine looked at the Black Yong approaching him.

"Haha."

He didn't hide his laughter.

Enveloped by a tempest of rage, he maintained an aura of chilling composure.

His elegance was a mask for the inferno within.

Violence was a familiar tool, wielded without fear.

The true terror resided in the depths of his controlled fury.

Thuuuuuud~

There was a loud noise.

Everything turned red.

"!"

Nine's eyes widened.

The crimson bird was torn to pieces.

The dark creature known as the Black Yong, resembling a majestic dragon, unleashed its gaping maw and devoured Nine's vibrant crimson bird in a single swift motion

Or rather, it tore it apart.

Unlike the true elegant Dragons Nine had seen before, this one looked as fierce and beastly as a beast.

"How is it possible for something so violent and vulgar like that to easily eliminate my bird?"

How can that Black Dragon, which shows not even a hint of nobility, easily eliminate my bird, even though both are Sword Masters?

Nine couldn't believe it.

And he was even angrier.

"This bastard!"

He exhaled his anger as he unfolded his crimson bird again.

And also infused Force into it.

All of this happened in an instant, in the brief span of a few seconds.

His movements were fluid, and there was not the slightest hesitation.

"Kill him!"

The Crimson Bird enveloped the Force.

Nine's Force was already larger than the ominous black energy of the sword.

Although the intangible energy was not visible, it rippled like a great flame blending with the crimson bird.

He wanted to show that damn swordsman what he was capable of.

So, he used his maximum power.

"Yes, I definitely want to show him my strength."

Nine firmly believed in his heart that he would.

Because of that, he didn't feel the chill in his right arm.

He only trusted his emotions, which were surely filled with anger.

Whirr~

The air vibrated.

The moment his Force surpassed the Black Dragon's, the crimson glow shot towards Choi Han like a single point.

Nine leaned over his sword, using his body to shield it.

And the eyes of Nine and Choi Han met.

"…."

There was a calm gaze.

Nine opened his mouth due to uncontrollable emotions.

"Do you think with that small Force, you can defeat me?"

Yes, that guy can't beat me.

He believed it because it was the truth.

Crack.

At that moment, an unimaginable sound was heard.

His Force was cut.

"Eh?"

Before he could touch the enemy, the sword infused with dark energy cut Nine's Force again.

Too easy.

"How, how can this happen?"

Is it possible for this to happen?

Crack.

The sound was heard again.

The Force was cut again.

It was such an easy cut.

Baaam~

The opposing forces exploded, intertwined vertically and horizontally.

But they didn't affect Nine and Choi Han in the center.

Nine only saw Choi Han's serene presence and the strong energy surrounding him.

"T-this, ugh!"

Nine got angry again.

"This can't be!"

The Force surged from his body again.

The power that dominated everything in his surroundings!

And the crimson bird also emanated from the sword.

The power that made him feel special.

He used these two forces again.

"I will definitely kill you!"

Nine shouted fueled by anger.

Choi Han's closed mouth opened.

"Then come."

"!"

Nine's eyes widened.

And Choi Han took a step forward.

"Ugh!"

Nine let out a groan. He tilted his head.

When Choi Han took a step, unconsciously, he took a step back.

He looked down at his retreated foot, and his face distorted.

Choi Han spoke emotionlessly.

"It seems you're scared."

"No!"

Nine shouted, thinking it couldn't be possible.

"My Force is superior! There's no way I can lose to such unworthy Aura and Force!"

Choi Han let out a subtle laugh.

"It seems that Force is not yours, right?"

"What do you mean?"

Choi Han didn't bother to answer that question.

Nine's aura?

It wasn't excellent.

When he faced the Sword Master of the Mogoru Empire, his aura was as elegant as ever.

But Nine's was worse than the Sword Master's.

Because it was only a superficial elegance, without the responsibility and purpose that came with it.

It was just a stylish appearance.

"No, don't talk nonsense! The Force is mine, it's mine!"

Nine complained, and Choi Han didn't open his mouth.

The Aura that Nine called Force.

It was the path that Choi Han had walked.

It was the power imbued with his life, his will.

It was a power that could only be built on the foundation of faith in the path taken and the path to be taken.

Nine.

That person's strength was not his.

'Because there is no self-faith.'

What was contained in his Force was his faith in the great blood of the Dragons that he praised so much.

How could Choi Han's Force lose to the Aura that praised others?

It was Choi Han who finally diminished the Blood Demon's Energy created with hundreds of thousands of lives.

Step, step.

He simply moved forward.

"No, don't go on!"

Nine exclaimed, taking a step back.

He was so scared that he couldn't even think about fighting properly.

Choi Han smiled seeing him.

"That's smart."

This Dragon Half-Blood seemed to have instinctively figured it out immediately.

That he couldn't beat Choi Han with his own power.

Although he seemed to be jumping as if he wanted to forget it, in the end, retreating in fear was the inevitable result.

"And-I-"

Look at him now.

"I will kill you. I will definitely kill you!"

Shouting loudly with a frightened face.

Choi Han smiled. And he realized.

This guy, who arrogantly begged, had never lost.

"…You've never lost, right?"

And he has never faced a life-or-death situation.

Therefore, all he can do is feel this level of fear and threaten the other party with a desperate desire to live.

"I was told you were Dragon Half-Bloods. I thought of something like him."

The Dragon Half-Blood in the Black Castle.

That guy who became a Bone Dragon.

"But you're completely different."

That guy did many wrong things, but at least he didn't fear defeat and didn't tremble in the face of death. Rather, whether angry or arrogant, he wanted to overturn and burn everything he had.

"I was worrying unnecessarily."

So...

Choi Han's sword pierced Nine's hand.

* * *

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]