Chapter 1233: Scorched World

“Kkuhk!”

“Hup…!”

Everyone watching the sparring match held their breath. The sheer heat made their expressions contort involuntarily.

The blue sky had turned crimson. The air itself seemed to have changed, as if reflecting the heat.

“…What is this heat….”

“The air is unbearably stuffy.”

Since they were all martial artists who held their own ground, they seemed to be enduring it to some extent.

However, the fact that it was affecting nature itself seemed to surprise everyone.

“They said he surpassed the perfected pinnacle… Isn’t this level comparable to the Flower Realm?”

“Flower Realm? Even if the Divine Dragon is outstanding…”

No one believed a martial artist not yet at the age of establishment could reach the Flower Realm. It seemed everyone thought so.

‘Well, yeah.’

Was I any different? I respected their common sense. Even I, who had absorbed every fortunate encounter, found my father to be a strange existence.

‘Jeokcheon…’

The crimson-spreading domain.

It was Jeokcheon, one of Gugye’s secret techniques.

As I watched it.

“This is amusing.”

Taehoan’s voice reached me.

“This is one kind of fun. Blue Dragon Unit Leader. You’ve got more fire than I thought.”

“……”

Even hearing his words, Father didn’t change his expression. He casually loosened his hands.

Kkududuk.

He cracked his neck again, a rough sound echoing. Even that simple movement made people swallow involuntarily.

“I’m going.”

Thump.

With that short utterance, Father’s figure vanished. He instantly appeared before Taehoan.

KUUWONG-!

His fist shot straight towards Taehoan.

KWAAANG-!

Taehoan drew his sword and blocked the punch. The impact exploded outwards, pushing him back. Even then, Taehoan’s face was full of smiles.

“Good.”

Kkik.

He braced himself against the push, planting his foot on the ground. Seizing the opening, he moved forward half a step and rotated his body.

Shifting his axis, Father’s punch lightly sliced through the air, and Taehoan slipped into the vacated space.

Srrrreeng–!

He sheathed his sword and drew it again in one fluid motion. The action took but an instant.

Swish-!

Father turned his head, dodging the attack, but it seemed he couldn’t evade it completely as blood splattered on his cheek.

Just then.

HWAAAAAAAH—!

Crimson flames enveloped Father’s body.

Now I understood.

‘He let him do that on purpose.’

He had created an opening. Just so Taehoan would get closer.

He unleashed the crimson flames, forming a circle around them. Taehoan narrowed his eyes.

“You think you can catch me with this?”

Could this possibly be enough?

At his words, Father’s eyes grew serious.

“Who knows.”

HWAAAAAAAH–!

The flames intensified. Fierce embers burrowed towards Taehoan.

Seogeogeok–!

An immense sword dance began. Flashes erupted as he moved as if to slice through all the flames. It was an incredibly fast sword technique.

“Hah…!”

“He’s cutting through all that massive amount of flame?”

“…As expected of the Divine Dragon Unit Leader.”

The Unit Leader of the Divine Dragon Unit. It truly seemed to showcase his distant reputation and name value.

‘…This is frustrating.’

I wanted to watch more closely, but unable to use my energy, I couldn’t grasp the full extent of that speed. What I could discern was this:

‘He has a purpose.’

My father seemed to have something in mind.

As the flashes pushed back all those brilliant flames.

Tuduk.

“…Hm?”

I felt a sensation in my chest. I initially thought it was the aftershock of the energy, but it wasn’t quite like that. Without any energy surge, what was this feeling?

While I was pondering this, I soon found the reason.

‘That’s.’

Something had formed in Father’s hand. It looked like Yeomok (Flame Jade). But.

‘Something’s different?’

It seemed different from ordinary Yeomok. The Yeomok, which should have been a simple sphere, inexplicably had small, thorn-like protrusions. What was that?

‘…It doesn’t seem like just Yeomok.’

It was a form I’d never seen before. I didn’t know about this either? If so.

‘It’s an applied technique.’

An application of a secret technique. It looked like that.

The thorn-covered Yeomok.

As I watched it calmly.

“…Ssssh…”

Father exhaled. Heat flowed from his lips. He floated the Yeomok he’d created into the air.

‘What is it?’

Wouldn’t the safety decrease if he did that? He wasn’t throwing it, so what was it?

Just as I wondered.

“Hup!”

KWADEUK-!

“Huh?”

Father suddenly punched the Yeomok. Then.

KWAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAH—!!!

The Yeomok exploded, engulfing Taehoan completely.

Meanwhile, the flame intensity was high, and within it, the solidified flames seemed to strike the opponent in thorn-like shapes.

‘…So that’s why.’

That’s why the shape was like that. Ah, so the purpose was to destroy it from the start.

Even if the destructive power of the Yeomok itself was low, it would be hard to evade, wouldn’t it?

As if to prove it, the smile vanished from Taehoan’s face.

KWAAAAHAAAAH–!!!

He took the flames directly, his vision blurring.

Chwaak-!

Sword aura erupted. Pushing aside the flames, Taehoan’s figure was revealed. He wasn’t in pristine condition. Although his protective aura had blocked the attack, his clothes were slightly burnt.

However, the damage was minimal compared to the destructive power. It seemed focused more on defense than offense.

Father charged towards Taehoan once more.

In response, Taehoan also dug in to meet him.

KUGUGUNG-!

Sword aura and fist aura clashed. Their speed was so fast they were barely visible.

It seemed to easily surpass the speed of sound.

“Hahahahaha-!”

A loud burst of laughter was heard. It was Iron Blood Fan. He seemed excited, erupting into boisterous laughter.

“Good! This is it!”

Beside him, the Sovereign of Dominance glanced at him as if he were pathetic, but he too soon watched the sparring match with interest.

KUGUNG-!

They fought like that for a long time.

“…Amazing.”

“Truly.”

“How can they fight so evenly?”

Everyone was astonished seeing Father, who was fighting evenly with Taehoan, the Unit Leader of the world-renowned Divine Dragon Unit.

Of course.

‘Evenly matched.’

To me, that statement was hardly convincing.

There were clear aspects that fell short of being called an even match.

The biggest factor, perhaps.

‘He’s using his domain.’

Father was fighting using Jeokcheon. He was fighting within a domain he had created to his advantage.

In contrast…

‘Taehoan isn’t doing that.’

Taehoan wasn’t utilizing a domain. Moreover, he wasn’t even using proper martial arts techniques.

It was certain.

‘Taehoan is stronger.’

Although Father was on a different level compared to later disciples, he seemed weaker than Taehoan.

KWAANG-!

Suddenly, the distance between the two widened.

“Hmm.”

Taehoan twirled his sword and looked at Father.

“Is this all?”

“……”

Father casually shook his body instead of answering.

“Then it’s a bit disappointing.”

Taehoan smiled.

Ssssh—!

Blue sword aura surged around his sword.

“Well, let’s go again. I’m looking forward to it.”

If it continued like this, Father would be pushed back. There was no way Father didn’t know that.

Furthermore.

‘He must have something planned.’

The fact that he initiated the fight knowing he would be pushed back. I focused on that point. I believed Father surely had a reason.

“If you have nothing more,”

Taehoan’s figure moved.

“I might be a little disappointed in you.”

“……”

Brilliant sword aura drew lines along the path. Just then.

“Don’t worry.”

Father spoke, and flames flared up around his body again. It wasn’t different from before. What was he trying to do?

Using the same method repeatedly wouldn’t make sense.

What was Father thinking? As the question arose.

“Sss.”

Father let out a quiet breath. This was also the same as before. But.

‘……Huh?’

I felt something from Father. The moment Taehoan approached, Father’s aura drastically changed.

This is.

‘…The feeling of a master.’

It was the same sensation I’d felt from Grandfather or Taecheon. I felt it from Father.

What? Why is this?

Why am I feeling this? As I stared at the scene with surprised eyes.

“……!”

Taehoan seemed to sense something too, flinching slightly. However, sensing it didn’t make him increase the distance.

He seemed intent on slicing through without backing down-

“That’s far enough.”

Tuk.

Taehoan, who had been charging forward, stopped. It wasn’t by his own will.

The Sword Sovereign blocked Taehoan’s path. The Sovereign of Dominance and the Sword Queen blocked Father.

“Alliance Leader…”

“This will cease to be a sparring match beyond this point. Let’s stop here.”

The Alliance Leader showed his golden eyes and spoke to Father.

“You must feel the same. Isn’t that right?”

“……”

Hearing the Sword Sovereign’s words, Father recalled the flames he had summoned.

Everyone sighed at the sight. The building heat instantly cooled down.

“This sparring match will conclude without a victor.”

What more could be said when the Alliance Leader declared that? Unfortunately, the duel between Taehoan and Father ended just like that.

Father turned his back without lingering regret. Watching him, I nodded my head.

‘What was he trying to do.’

What on earth was he trying to do? How could he emit that kind of aura?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure it out.

Though the questions remained, the Martial Arts Festival continued.

“Soi. Victory.”

The Blue Dragon Unit gained a victory with Soi’s win, after having one draw, seemingly winning the overall match.

Perhaps the fight between Father and Taehoan had been too intense? Feeling a slight deflation.

“I nominate Baek Yangcheon.”

“Hm?”

Someone called out to me.

Wondering who it was, I looked over.

‘What now.’

I scrunched up my face. The one who nominated me was none other than Poison Dragon Tang Cheongi.