Ch.72EP.19 – The Knight Defies the Seasons (2)

…Derrick still couldn’t understand.

What had the knight seen that made him believe his words?

No, even if he believed him, why was he fighting with such dedication?

‘It would have been easier to run away….’

Anyone in this situation.

Anyone facing such a giant would tremble with fear and run away first.

That was the natural order of things.

Yet he wasn’t giving up; instead, he was at the most dangerous frontline, swinging his sword.

What made him so desperate…

So brave?

– Huh? You don’t know the simple answer to that? You really are quite the pseudo-intellectual.

…And the one who provided the answer was a girl with beautiful amethyst eyes.

– It’s not about bravery. When people have something to protect and reach a moment when they can’t run away, they split into two types: those who give up and end their lives, or those who struggle. And the person you mentioned is probably the latter, except he’s not just an ordinary person struggling—

“—He’s resisting with everything he has.”

Derrick recalled the words of the wisest and most reliable girl he knew as he watched the battle between human and monster.

That desperate and fierce battle.

Watching this.

“My lady, I think I’m the only one struggling here, and that person is just.”

Truly brave.

Derrick muttered quietly before collapsing from exhaustion, but even as he fell, he kept his eyes wide open and prayed.

‘Please, let me be of even the slightest help.’

“…Status window?”

In that moment, Ihan felt it.

The presence of countless flower petals pouring from the sky.

And once again, he felt it.

The determination of the gray-haired boy behind him, who had desperately mustered his courage.

Feeling this clearly, he.

[[HAAAA!!!]]

With a powerful battle cry, a lion’s roar, he swung his sword with even greater ferocity.

For a moment, the Demon King was startled by Ihan’s thunderous roar and powerful strike, causing him to step back.

Ihan had just made the giant-like Demon King retreat with nothing but his fierce swing.

An achievement like an ant making a human back away.

But he hadn’t deliberately made the monster retreat for the sake of some achievement.

The coward, who had seemed so timid, had shown courage for the first time, and he was merely adding his support so that courage would be rewarded.

And so.

Patter-patter-patter!

Countless needles resembling flower petals poured down to the ground.

Babababam!

The flower-shaped throwing weapons filled the air densely, bursting and raining down like large needles.

Roughly ten thousand, or perhaps even more.

But the needles didn’t target people.

Even if they had targeted people, these gentle needles that wouldn’t harm human bodies only aimed at the evil monsters filled with demonic energy.

“Ten thousand flower rain…”

The spectacular scene involuntarily reminded him of the secret technique of the Sachungdang family, masters of poison and throwing weapons, the four strongest in the martial world.

And sure enough.

[[Ugh…ugh!!]]

[Ga…?!]

[!!?!]

[Aaaa…!]

The power was equally spectacular.

The needles pouring down like a shower targeted only the demonic creatures, killing them painfully.

They aimed at the monsters fighting the students, and also showered down on the Demon King, crushing his skull, piercing his neck, and slashing through his heart and back.

It was like a claymore exploding from the sky.

But what made it better than a claymore was.

“Kid, you were hiding an incredible cheat skill.”

Woong.

Ihan felt his body becoming comfortable the moment he was hit by the needles.

His health and injuries recovered a little.

It was probably a buff effect.

Death to enemies, buffs to allies.

Where else could you find such a cheat skill?

Of course.

‘It’s not without its drawbacks.’

He sensed the collapsed Taechang.

After unleashing the Ten Thousand Flower Rain, he must have used up all his strength.

A one-time use skill with terrible cost-effectiveness, but.

‘It’s enough.’

His role was sufficient.

What he provided was time to catch a breath and a brief respite.

Like welcome rain in a drought during a breathless battle.

It couldn’t have been more satisfying.

But what pleased him even more was.

[[━━]]

“Painful, isn’t it? But what can you do?”

[[??]]

“Looks like there’s one more shot left.”

Swoosh!

As soon as Ihan finished speaking, the water from the lake surged up.

Like a serpent completing its training and ascending to heaven, the water rose high.

Even he would not be able to handle such a current if caught in it.

The water was that threatening and overwhelming.

“Don’t bully our instructor!”

Irene Windler.

The highest tier of this generation, and in reality, worth even more than Roen.

The girl with the talent to become the greatest mage of the century cast her spell.

“[Water, rage! Water, rotate! Water current, pierce my enemy, become bars and judge!]”

A water magic spell infused with immense magical power.

But the ghost girl hovering around Irene Windler.

[Wind, blow! Become one with water! Become a guillotine that pierces the enemy.]

Wheeeeee!

Combined an extra-large wind magic spell.

Dual incantation.

Not only possessing two attributes, but also possible thanks to the help of a ghost watching over the girl.

A miraculous moment when an individual simultaneously uses two attributes.

“Im-impossible.”

Odwal screamed, for Irene’s magic was truly unbelievable.

To other mages, it was an incomprehensible talent and mystery.

And that catastrophic magic.

“Go!”

Was directed at the monster that had tormented her precious person.

What was created was a small [waterspout].

But even small, a waterspout was still a waterspout, and the moment it engulfed the Demon King.

Kwaaang!!

The Demon King fell silent.

“…The neighbor chick, now I see she wasn’t a chick but a phoenix fledgling.”

Ihan muttered with admiration.

As if he hadn’t expected such great help from a spellcaster.

Though he unconsciously made a derogatory comment about spellcasters, Ihan was genuinely grateful at this moment.

Thanks to the girl’s efforts, he could buy more time.

And using this precious time.

‘The kids are doing their best, so I can’t look bad.’

He decided to bring out his ‘trump card.’

* * *

-The small waterspout ensnared the Demon King.

The massive compressed mass and flow of water created by magic was something no creature could resist.

In fact, the Demon King was completely immobilized by the magic, trapped in narrow bars of water, essentially being water-tortured.

[[—–.]]

The rotating water bars not only held the Demon King in place but also inflicted wounds with their powerful rotational force, threatening to completely grind his body.

A blender.

That was nothing less than a water blender.

Once caught, there was absolutely no escape, until the entire body was ground up…

In other words, death was the only way out—an overwhelming power that seemed impossible for an individual to wield.

But the problem was…

[Arin, hang in there a little longer!]

“Nnngh!”

No matter what, maintaining such a powerful spell was extremely difficult.

Irene was already trembling all over and on the verge of fainting.

If she hadn’t been forced to undergo physical training after meeting Ihan, she would have collapsed on the spot without lasting even a moment.

[Physical strength really is national power!]

‘Is that what you should be saying in this situation?!’

Irene felt like she was about to go insane.

Wait!? How on earth had the instructor been fighting this monster!?

‘This is crazy! This is truly a monster!?’

Its resistance was alarming.

No, beyond resistance, that monster was.

Kwaaaa!

Trying to resist the waterspout.

Kung! Kuung!

What did it matter if its body was being ground up?

As if saying it could just regenerate even if its body was pulverized, and it could break through with strength even if the water was heavy.

That’s what it was.

A being that solved most of the world’s impossible problems not with its head but with its excessively powerful body!

One step, another step.

Like in a horror movie, it was trying to break free from the waterspout to pounce on her.

As if determined to pay her back for what it had suffered.

“I’m going to dieeeee!”

[Arin-?!]

Irene’s eyes rolled back as she reached her limit.

No more…

Thud.

“You worked hard.”

“…Instructor?”

“Thank you, I’ll repay this debt later.”

“……”

Irene looked at him, forgetting her fatigue.

When he conveyed his encouragement and gratitude, she felt relief.

Relief that she could faint now.

So.

“Y-you have to buy me an expensive meal later…”

“I promise.”

“It has to be really expensive…”

Hehe.

The girl collapsed with a silly smile.

Looking directly into his confident eyes.

Thump…

Though not as light as a feather, he caught the almost weightless girl and gently laid her down.

A rather gentlemanly gesture.

But his piercing eyes remained fixed on the Demon King.

Grrrrrk!

With a sound like nails on a chalkboard, the monster was breaking through the weakened waterspout.

Now he could understand why it was treated like a living natural disaster.

“I admit it. You are strong.”

Ihan had tried numerous methods leading up to today.

The spear with explosives.

The large harpoon.

The unexpected help from skills and the mage’s assistance.

…Despite using all these methods, the monster still wouldn’t die.

He had to admit it.

That monster was strong, and not something a weakling like him could defeat.

But.

“I will subdue you.”

This might sound like an absurd declaration, but he never spoke empty words.

Twi, twist.

Ihan’s body rotated slowly.

A languid movement.

With a weary face and no strength in his body.

A sword form of complete relaxation, entirely different from his previously spirited appearance.

‘This is enough for now.’

But his eyes were clearer than at any other moment, and his concentration was at its peak.

The realization Ihan had gained the previous day while swinging a pickaxe relentlessly at the quarry was simple.

‘Strength’ doesn’t necessarily come from exerting force.

It sounds paradoxical, like nonsense.

But what he realized was that power (力) doesn’t necessarily mean what the physical body possesses.

‘Power is everywhere.’

There is power in rotating air currents and blowing winds, in songs and the sounds of instruments.

The same applies to swinging a pickaxe.

The pickaxe swing from ‘that time’ was the weakest in Ihan’s life.

But that pickaxe split the rock like a razor-sharp blade.

It didn’t crush it, but cut it.

A technique made possible by instantly consuming all the power possessed by the pickaxe itself, by the iron.

It’s not as grand as the unity of sword and mind.

He just seemed to understand.

The weapon he possessed was actually sharper and more powerful than he thought.

And that realization.

Hwarak!

Formed a sword aura (劍氣).

Sword Aura Manifestation.

A new frontier in the fighting technique Roen had shown.

But while Roen’s sword aura was forceful, combining various elements and innate talent to forcibly create it, Ihan’s sword aura was different.

It was simply the sword, the iron mass, releasing its potential.

Similar to the principle of respect, but because he understood the sword more deeply, the sword responded to its master’s will, and the sword aura flickered like a beam of light, and finally-.

Hwak!

─It bloomed fully like a flower.

[[???]]

The Demon King, who had barely escaped from the waterspout, experienced another optical illusion.

What is this?

[[…A flower?]]

Yes, it was a flower.

Completely different from the needle-shaped flowers from before…

A flower in the true sense.

However, it wasn’t a flower appropriate for this season.

It resembled the flower petals of fruit trees that bloom abundantly in spring and then disappear.

…Perhaps another magician had cast a spell, creating this out-of-season bloom (開花).

And the blooming flower petals were like.

“-I couldn’t do the Six Harmonies Sword Technique, but I found I could make plum blossoms bloom. Strangely enough.”

Yes.

That flower resembled spring plum blossoms.

* * *

[[…….]]

The Demon King didn’t even think of avoiding the flower petal-like sword aura.

The beautifully blooming sword aura was so enchanting that even the king of demons was captivated.

Beautiful.

It was just a flower bloomed from sword aura, but those who saw it could only feel its unfamiliarity and mystery.

None of those who had attacked him a thousand years ago had shown him anything like this.

So the Demon King was enchanted by the plum blossoms blooming out of season as summer approached, and just like that.

Puk.

[[?]]

He blankly watched as the flower petals pierced his flesh and entered inside.

“It won’t be weak.”

With a haggard face, he muttered.

As if he had truly used everything this time.

Passeuk…

The sword that had bloomed the aura fulfilled its life and turned to powder, scattering.

Everything requires a price, and the sword had fulfilled its role for its master.

Similarly, after making the flower bloom, he too didn’t have the energy to move even a finger.

That’s the kind of technique it was.

But with a satisfied expression.

“Quite a nice piece, isn’t it?”

Puk!

Pupuk!

Puuuk-!

He admired his creation,

Watching the flower petals burrow into the Demon King’s body.

[[!!!!!]]

The Demon King’s body flipped over.

With a kuung sound, he rolled on the ground, screaming.

Until now, he hadn’t shown such a dramatic reaction to any attack, but now he had no choice.

The flower petals of sword aura subtly penetrated the skin, burrowing into every corner of the body.

They traveled through the organs, stabbing, cutting, and burrowing repeatedly.

For any living being with a sense of pain, enduring this would be impossible.

He must be seeing hell by now.

“…I told you I would subdue you.”

Indeed, that won’t kill him.

That regenerative ability is beyond unfair, it’s mystical.

But with such regeneration comes pain.

He had learned what it was like to have blades constantly moving inside one’s body when he was tortured by a magician in his youth.

After experiencing that, one wouldn’t even think of getting up due to exhaustion.

…Unfortunately.

[[You…you…wi…zard]]

Kuung…!

The monster seemed to defy common sense.

The Demon King was strangely rising again, and Ihan gave a bitter smile.

They said he was immortal, but was his stamina also infinite?

‘When I took that kind of damage, my stamina hit rock bottom, what a monster…’

It’s sickening.

His tenacity makes cockroaches look tame.

“…I’ve lost, you bastard.”

Ihan readily admitted defeat.

That monster was indeed a creature he couldn’t defeat with his current abilities.

A transcendent being, a monster.

A natural disaster, a demon king.

All these descriptions were fitting for this monster, and no wonder ancient kingdoms had fallen to it.

Kuung, kuuung!

[[Will…kill!!]]

With intense emotion, the Demon King came to devour him, and Ihan, unable to move a finger, calmly leaned against a tree and watched him.

Fortunately, the monster ignored Irene, Derrick, or even the fish in the lake, focusing solely on him, well.

“…Do you want to eat me that badly?”

[[Grrr!!!]]

His blood-red gleaming eyes seemed to say “why even ask,” and Ihan smirked.

He shrugged, thinking he was strangely popular with weird creatures.

“Eating someone like me won’t even fill your stomach, right?”

[[Will…kill….]]

“Seeing how this guy keeps saying ‘kill,’ he must have heard that word enough to learn it. What do you think, old man?”

[[……?]]

…The moment of realization was instantaneous.

Who was this lowly creature talking to?

“-You’ve created another bizarre technique. But it was quite good. If perfected, even I would find it difficult to deal with, haha.”

…How long had he been there?

“Aren’t you a bit late?”

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t leave the castle unattended.”

“Good grief. People are nearly dying here.”

“I trusted you.”

“Damn! You sure know how to talk.”

“Haha! I spoke sincerely, yet you don’t believe me. How unfair.”

The two men chatted casually, and the Demon King was suddenly sidelined.

[[GAA!!]]

The Demon King roared in anger.

As if saying, how dare you ignore me?

But ignoring the Demon King’s anger.

“This fellow is quite dull, why so much attachment to life when it’s already over-?”

…He tried to move forward, but the Demon King had no legs.

Swoong-!

No, they were ‘cut off.’

Separated legs.

But it wasn’t just the legs that were separated.

Seoguk! Seoguk-!

[[G……r…!]]

His head was also falling off.

Still not understanding what had happened to him, the Demon King widened his eyes.

Not because he was too indignant to close them, but because he hadn’t even realized he had been cut.

The Demon King…!

[[[—–.]]]

Without even time to utter a death cry, the light in his eyes simply faded.

So futilely…

“…Why does everyone call me a monster.”

When the true monster was right before his eyes.

Ihan was dumbfounded by his swordsmanship, not even seeing when he had swung his blade.

The Demon King was being cut into pieces, and he could only shake his head.

Defeating this man still seemed impossibly distant.

Baltar Grace.

The kingdom’s strongest knight and superhuman.

The Demon King’s only mistake was appearing in an era with Aura Users, which didn’t exist in the ancient kingdom a thousand years ago.

Futile but overwhelming.

That was the conclusion of the monster raid.