The Calm before the Storm

[Red's POV]

I stared at Lee Jeong Hun and revealed my weapon.

He readies his weapon as we both walked normally towards each other.

Without warning,

*Clank*

Both our weapons are stuck to each others.

I broke free from the clutch and swing my staff up.

[Bo Staff Technique: Up Strike]

Flinging my weapon from the bottom to the top, he parried it and start striking back with slashes.

I blocked and return it with a couple of hits.

These went on for at least 30 seconds with neither side letting go.

I step 2 step back and closed the gap with [Poke Thurst], he saw passed it and kick it upwards.

Now my entire weapon is flying above my head.

He pushed forward a lightning speed, trying to end it with a stab, I prepared my gloves and knocked it with the back of my hand to the side.

While the trajectory of the sword changes, changing the direction of motion with his immense reflections, he changed direction midway, counter-attacking with a [Hook Kick].

Bam-!!

I blocked it with my elbow and returned it with a [Right Roundhouse Kick].

With his back facing me, I for sure thought that I got him, but he rolled forward just before my kick could land on him.

While he rolled over, he tries to slice my foot off but I managed to notice it.

However, I jumped a bit too late and he managed to cut my thigh.

"Insane Battle Instinct."

[He's the strongest out of them all. You need to think before you execute a move.]

I checked the sword he was holding.

It's not normal, that's for sure.

[Geom. A double edge sword made in Korea. That weapon is crafted by mixing something that is not part of your world in it.]

"What do you mean?"

[That weapon's alive.]

[Judging by how he moves and fights, he's an all-rounder. Thou need to be ready at any time.]

He closed the gap between us for instance, slashing horizontally in the position of my eyes, I guard it and was going to hit back when he placed his palm on my chest and spoke softly.

[Heavenly Destruction: 5-point Spiral]

A Single Target Skill.

A Murim Skill created by the Heavenly Demon. 5 Vital points on the human chest are grabbed with the User's Qi through their fingertip and are utilized, spinning in a spiral direction. Cause both external and internal bodies to be destroyed utterly until nothing is left.

Qi users will have their internal Qi destroyed.

Mana User will not be able to use Mana again.

Requirement: Only someone related to the Heavenly Demon or Intermediate Level for Heavenly Demonic Mastery can use it.

Duration: 3 seconds

Skill Cooldown: 2 Minute

My entire chest was gripped and twisted. It felt as if a black hole was on my chest swallowing me from the inside.

It felt like my flesh was trying to rip from the inside, tearing everything out of the way.

I was in so much pain yet I couldn't pass out. No, it was more like I wasn't allowed to be relieved of my pain.

[Red! Get a hold of yourself! Red!]

[*Master, Please get treatment, you are dying!*]

As I spasm out, I tried to grab a hold of something to soothe the pain. I looked at my chest seeing my chest along with my flesh and bones spiralling.

Just kill me now, as I grab ahold of the foot of Lee Jeong Hun. He kicked me away and prepared to end the life of the Imoogi.

As I watched as Lee Jeong Hun starts stabbing the Imoogi. Again and again.

The imoogi locked its eyes on mine as we both lay on the grown, both waiting for our deaths.

Ryong and Blue were trying to keep me awake.

But I'm too tired. This asshole is just cheating man.

I'm sorry that I was not able to save you.

The Imoogi nodded its head as if it understands my intention.

I cursed at myself for being weak, not being able to protect anything, not even myself.

"If there's one thing I want, it's to beat that bastard up."

The last image I saw before I blacked out again was the sword of Lee Jeong Hun, piercing through the skull of the Imoogi.

[Lee Jeong Hun's POV]

Looks like the Masked Outsider is dead. Glad that no one else stood in my way. They say that seeing an Imoogi ascending as a dragon is good luck as well as a stats boost.

But that's not what I need. I need more power for what is to come.

As I stabbed the Imoogi, one last time. Looks like my experience point came.

[Level Up]

[New title given: Dragon Slayer]

Name: Lee Jeong-Hun

Level: 23 --> 26

Class: [Job not Chosen]

Title: Dragon Slayer

HP: 2395 / 4750

MP: 370 / 760

[Stats]

Strength: 67

Endurance: 55

Intelligence: 45

Agility: 50

Luck: 25

(Points for Distribution: 15)

[Skills]

Passive Skills:

-->[Battle Sense] Lv. 3/10

-->[Heavenly Demonic Mastery] Lv. 4/10

-->[Qi Cultivation] Lv. 6/10

-->[Mana Manipulation] Lv. 6/10

-->[Spirit Taming] Lv. MAX

-->[Poison Resistance] Lv. 7/10

-->[Weapon Mastery: Sword] Lv. 8/10

-->[Observation] Lv. 5/10

Active Skills:

--> [Heavenly Destruction: 5-point Spiral] Lv. 2/10

-->[Ifrit's wraith] Lv. 5/10

-->[Frost Fang] Lv. 7/10

-->[Heavenly Destruction: Mind's Eye] Lv. 4/10

-->[Heavenly Destruction: Void Slash] Lv. 1/10

-->[Phantom Cleave] Lv. 6/10

-->[Recovery] Lv. 6/10

As I butchered the Imoogi looking for what I wanted, it took a while but I found it.

[Item Found.]

[Incomplete Yeouiju -1/1]

Yes, this was the item I need.

An Imoogi is said to need to survive 1000 years to ascend as a dragon.

However, it is also said that an Imoogi can ascend as a True Dragon if they catch a Yeouiju, which is an orb that falls from heaven. Like catching a shooting star.

This meant that what an Imoogi has been doing for a thousand is to let its own Yeouiju be fully developed so that it can ascend.

This meant that killing an imoogi that is about to ascend as a true dragon is crucial or you have to wait a long time again.

I need to absorb this. This can help me achieve strength even further beyond what I used to have.

As I kept the Yeouiju in my inventory and was preparing to open the portal to leave when.

*Thump, Thump*

The hairs from all my body start sticking out.

Someone is releasing a very heavy bloodlust.

Very heavy.

I turned around and looked.

The Masked Outsider. He was up. But something's isdifferent.

His Mask. It changed. Previously the mask was white and had a painting of a beast in it in red.

Now it's ominously pure black in color. The beast in the mask is no more.

Now it's just an eye marking in red, with teeth painted on it.

More importantly, It has 6 ears now instead of 2.