Chapter 1017: The Divine Tree and the Master.

Rumble.

The snort he let out brushed past. The snort, imbued with flames, was exceptionally hot.

Living with flames contained within my body is no different for me, but if even I felt that it was hot, it meant there was considerable heat.

‘How?’

How on earth did he know?

Looking at the Leader who appeared before me, I frowned inside my mask.

‘…Surely, I had hidden all traces of my presence?’

I glanced up slightly. The Wheel of Fire was still floating around the moonlight.

‘Did I misuse it?’

Although there was a modification method for the Wheel of Fire that actually maximized presence…

‘No.’

I used it properly this time. Since I’m the caster, there’s no way I wouldn’t know. I had properly suppressed my presence using heat.

‘But he noticed?’

However, the Leader noticed me.

‘How is that possible?’

Even the Dark King, who reached the pinnacle in this field, could confidently declare that one cannot sense any presence in this state.

I could not understand how the Leader noticed me.

‘Perhaps.’

I glanced sideways.

‘Is it because of this guy…?’

I wondered if it wasn’t the Heavenly Demon, who was observing the situation together beside me, who was at fault.

‘No, it’s not.’

When I observed the Heavenly Demon, there was no problem. Even though he was right beside me, his presence was faint. In other words, at that distance, he definitely wouldn’t notice.

‘…Sseueup.’

Although I couldn’t understand it at all, now was not the time to think deeply about this.

“Intruder.”

The Leader, looking this way from afar, speaks.

“Are you the one they say is disrupting the order of the Myriad Realms?”

“…….”

I stayed silent. I wondered if he was perhaps pretending to have noticed just to probe me, but…

‘No.’

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like that. His gaze was clearly directed this way.

It was proof that he had definitely noticed me.

‘Tsk.’

Even though I didn’t know what happened, if it was like this, I had no choice.

I straightened my crouched body and revealed myself from outside the rock.

Simultaneously, I put strength into my heart and emitted energy.

Kkukugugugugu—!!!

By the energy emitted from my body, the ground around me began to rumble.

“Disrupting the order. What ridiculous words.”

Even though I had revealed myself, the Leader’s gaze didn’t change. It’s because he had been looking this way from the start.

It was correct that he was certain of my location.

“I am the order itself, so who dares to speak of order-“

“Pfft.”

“…….”

At the sound of laughter coming from the side, I looked at the Heavenly Demon. What is this crazy bastard doing?

“…Ah, sorry.”

The Heavenly Demon apologizes to me urgently. My hands, clasped behind my back, involuntarily clenched. Damn it. Although embarrassment suddenly washed over me, I tried my best to ignore it.

“…Go on.”

“…….”

I barely managed to continue speaking. Just by not letting my voice tremble, I must have done my absolute best.

The Leader made a somewhat strange expression at my reaction, but fortunately, it seemed he wasn’t particularly bothered.

No, perhaps he didn’t need to bother.

“Order? You claim to be order?”

“Yes, I am the order.”

“Arrogant.”

Kkung-! Kwaaaaaa—!!!

As the Leader slammed the axe he was holding onto the ground, a strong shockwave erupted.

The fighting spirit grew more intense.

Kuhuhuhuhung—!!!

Flames seeped into the snort the Leader let out, and the infused flames filled the ground.

“But it doesn’t matter.”

Kkwaak.

I felt the strength entering his hand gripping the axe.

“Whatever it may be.”

His knees bent. Seeing that, I heightened the tension.

At that moment.

“Those who disrupt the order of the Myriad Realms will not be forgiven.”

Kwaaang—!!!

The Leader’s rugged body charged at me. It was instantaneous. A mere instant was enough for that massive body to reach before my eyes.

When I shifted my gaze, he was swinging his axe at me with his large body.

I twisted my body, moving my toes.

Kuaaaaaaa—!!!

The rough axe blade embeds itself in the ground. Instantly, the ground was crushed, and a tremendous area shook violently.

Rock fragments flew as a consequence. I rolled my eyes to examine the fragments and focused on the largest one.

Using my legs, I kicked the fragment forcefully and shot it towards the Leader. The rock fragment, wrapped in energy, flew towards him at high speed, but…

Kuhuhuhuhung–!!!

I saw the fragment fizzle out in the flames he generated.

Crazy.

‘Some people have to strain with all their might just to emit that much heat.’

That bastard just lets out a snort and flames come out.

It’s absurd.

Tsk.

Clicking my tongue inwardly, I moved my left hand. Seureureuk-! I felt the restraints on my Gui Jing loosen.

‘First test.’

Hwiriririk—!!!

The Gui Jing that moved flew straight towards the Leader and bound his left arm.

“……?”

At the Gui Jing that suddenly appeared, the Leader frowned slightly.

Kkwaak-!

I moved his left arm and pulled. It seemed his arm moved along with it, but then…

“Hmph.”

Huuk-!

As if finding it laughable, he roughly swung his arm, and my body was swung along with it.

As soon as I confirmed this, I released the bound Gui Jing.

Only then could I barely manage to stop my body from being flung away.

‘At least, I can’t win in terms of raw strength.’

I lose in a strength contest. He wasn’t on the same level as Yusa.

‘Then, the second.’

Kuaaaaa—!!!

The axe comes flying.

Since my body’s balance was already thrown off, I couldn’t avoid it.

If it continued like this, I would be crushed by the axe, but…

“Stop-“

“—!!!”

Uttuk.

The Leader’s body froze like stone at my single word. Confirming this, I regained my balance.

Afterwards, I burrowed into his body and initiated the Heavenly Demon Divine Art in his heart.

Kiiiiiiing—!!!

Friction erupted. Immense pressure and recoil settled into my body.

I wrapped the vibration coming from that around my arm.

Chaos was generated in my fist.

Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

First Style.

‘Heavenly Demon Fist.’

The coiled chaos directly struck the Leader’s abdomen.

Kiaaaaaaaa—-!!!

Along with its characteristic tearing sound, explosive energy tore through the Leader’s entire body.

“Kueeeeeeeuaaaa—!!!”

He flies away, letting out a full-throated scream.

Kkung-! Kkwadeudeuk–!

That massive body flew through the air and rolled across the ground. The ground made of rock cracked everywhere in its wake.

The Leader, after rolling for a while, barely stopped and tried to steady himself, but…

“Kuheok…”

His physical condition was terrible. His abdomen, hit by the blow, was gaping open.

With no internal organs spilling out, it was baffling how it was still attached.

Seueueu–!

“Hmm.”

His body began to recover rapidly. It returned to its original state as if the wound had never existed.

Seeing that, I chuckled and said.

“You possess something fascinating.”

“Kuhuhuhu… You…”

The Leader’s eyes were filled with bewilderment. Not because he took a blow? No.

“How… are you using Myung…!”

Just as Yusa was surprised when I did it to him, he was surprised that I used Myung.

Seeing him like that, I secretly nodded.

‘The second one was successful.’

Myung is effective. That was enough for now.

The problem is.

‘The backlash is too much.’

I flicked my tongue inside the mask. Licking my lips, I tasted something metallic.

Blood was flowing. Feeling the recoil in my body, a spurt of blood burst out momentarily.

‘It was the same with Yusa, but I need to use it at the right time.’

It’s the recoil from using Myung.

To be precise, it was the recoil from forcibly stopping him when he moved violently.

If I used it while he was still, perhaps. But using it when he performed specific actions or moved his energy caused the corresponding recoil to pour into my body.

It was bearable if I endured it, and my regeneration power supported me at night, making it manageable, but I still needed to be cautious.

“You ask the obvious.”

Hiding the fact that my body was injured, I said to him.

“If I told you to stop, shouldn’t you naturally stop?”

I continued speaking, mixing in laughter.

“What can a mere punk like you possibly do?”

“…Kuhuhuhu.”

The Leader’s eyes were still full of bewilderment, but it seemed he had no intention of stopping despite that, as he put strength into his axe again.

Hwareureureuk—!!!

Flames wrapped around the axe.

An intense heat was felt momentarily.

“Huup-!”

He expanded his muscles and swung it at me with all his might.

Hwaaaaaa—!!!

A massive flame instantly covered my vision. The firepower was immense.

Should I dodge? Such a thought crossed my mind, but my feet didn’t move. I merely reached out my hand.

Then, the hot flame touched my palm.

Kkwaak-!

The flames burned my hand. I felt pain. I used my energy to forcefully push it away.

The flames subsided due to my energy.

My right hand, which blocked it, was a mess. It wasn’t to the point where flesh melted and bone was exposed, but it was visibly sizzling and steaming.

Seeing that, I twisted my body.

Hwiik-! Kuung-!

As soon as the flames disappeared, the axe came flying. After finishing the feint, that guy charged.

Kkung-! Kkwadeudeuk-!

Close combat began.

Dodging the axe or using Gui Jing to deflect, and attacking whenever I saw an opening.

Every time my attacks hit him, his body took damage, but it repeatedly healed instantly.

While dodging attacks left and right, I thought.

‘I’m faster.’

It wasn’t that difficult to dodge. However.

‘If I get hit, it’ll be disastrous.’

If I took even one solid hit, my body felt like it would be smashed to pieces.

So, while focusing on evasion and continuously fighting…

Kkung-!

Just in time, the Leader and I created distance.

The overheating heat blew in the night wind, reducing the temperature.

While we both calmly caught our breath, I said to him.

“It seems the pleasantries are over now. Will you continue? I’m starting to get bored.”

“…….”

We’re both holding back our full strength.

Implying that, the Leader changed his stance.

He leaned on the axe he was holding, propping it up on the ground like a cane.

Hwareureureuk—!!!

The flames starting from the axe began to gradually envelop his body.

The heat of the flames, as I felt just before, was fierce and hot.

Expelling energy in all directions, I wondered what he was doing, but…

“Hmm?”

Looking at him, I narrowed my eyes.

The Leader’s condition was strange. Red spots gradually began appearing on his black skin, and the fur on his head was also turning red.