Chapter 1290: Scorched World

RUMBLE-!!!

Monsters are rampaging. Although it was a wide space, Mang’s power was enough to fill the entire vast area.

KYARRRRRRRR—!!!

The immense roar contained power. Not only did the nearby monsters flinch at Mang’s roar.

“GURK!!!”

“GRAAAAH…!!!”

I could see all the Apostles nearby stiffening.

Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.

It was an authority derived from the monsters I use.

‘Pour down.’

KKURARARARA-!!!

KYAARRRR-!!!

Countless black-blue demonic gates opened in the sky. From there, monsters poured down incessantly.

It truly happened in an instant – they filled this entire space and began devouring the other monsters.

At the same time.

SSSSSSS-!!!

The energy gathered in my heart drained away at an unbelievable speed. What was consuming it so rapidly?

Was it because I used it so frantically? The amount lost made my eyes squint. If this continued, I felt I’d become an empty vessel soon.

‘It’s fine.’

I didn’t mind.

“GACK!?”

I grabbed the neck of an Apostle passing by. Rushing forward, I subdued him.

SSSSSSS-!!

“GRAAAAAAAAH–!!!”

Using the Demonic Sky Absorption, I swallowed the Apostle’s energy. It slowly seeped into me. After roughly replenishing my dwindling energy.

“Tasty.”

I smirked, as if it were quite alright.

“What the…?”

“He absorbed the energy…!?”

The other Apostles, seeing one wither and die, were horrified. One wasn’t enough. Since I’d been discovered, I grabbed and swallowed another one.

I replenished all the energy I’d lost using the monsters.

As the sensation filled me, I couldn’t help but lift the corners of my mouth.

“So that was it.”

Ahead, the Sword Master, with her graceful wing beats and swaying tail, spoke to me.

“I kept wondering where the children were disappearing to. It was you.”

“That’s right. It’s me.”

I brushed off my hands. The Sword Master must have sensed the Apostle’s death too.

“I was hungry and needed to swallow something… and there was plenty of food around.”

“Hmm…”

The Sword Master stared intently at me. The grayish orbs embedded in her pupils grated on my senses.

“You… what exactly are you?”

“…Well. It’s rather difficult to define.”

Definitely not human.

Yet, it was also hard to pinpoint exactly what. If I really had to define it.

“Calamity.”

That’s what defined my identity.

Calamity.

Something destined to destroy the world. That’s how the world defined me. Hearing that, the Sword Master’s eyes widened slightly.

“That’s a fitting word.”

She said to me in an understanding tone. How absurd. If I accepted that, I’d feel terrible.

“I don’t feel great about that.”

“Your aura seems to have changed a lot since I last saw you. Or… was it always like this?”

“Probably? I did try to act good in my own way.”

“I never said you looked good…”

“Well then.”

I cut off the Sword Master’s useless words. I didn’t really want to hear them.

Right then, I twisted my neck a few times to warm up.

“Let’s get this done quickly.”

KYARRRRRRRR—!!!

KUGUGUGUNG-!!!

I unleashed my full strength, making the surroundings reverberate.

Heavenly Demon’s Reigning Steps.

THUMP-!!!

Each step made heaven and earth tremble.

Gyaa-!!!

Gkkeu!!!

Pressure bore down from all sides. The Apostles groaned at the sensation. In the instant their movements froze, monsters appeared and began devouring them.

KODADEUK-!!

KYAARRRR-!!!

Two Baekgeup monsters, fueled by my energy, began rampaging.

Amidst that chaos, I advanced, keeping my eyes on the Sword Master.

CHIIK.

Infusing my hand with heat and power, I leaped.

THUMP-!!!

The ground shattered as I arrived before the Sword Master.

My heat-infused hand plunged straight into the Sword Master’s chest.

KWADUDEUK.

“Hm?”

My hand pierced through her chest far too easily. My eyes narrowed. The sensation was undeniably real.

PASUSEUK.

As I stared intently at my arm, having pierced the Sword Master.

“That hurts.”

A calm voice reached my ears. At that moment.

PASASASASASA-!!!

The Sword Master’s body cracked and exploded outwards. Fragments burst forth, scattering like a whirlwind in all directions, resembling petals caught in a storm.

I focused my eyes, activating my Mind’s Eye, and looked up. Right, I knew it felt too easy.

‘It couldn’t possibly be that easy.’

If it were a simple matter, it wouldn’t have been resolved this easily.

More importantly.

‘Dealing with a master wouldn’t be simple.’

The Sword Master is a master.

The feeling was unmistakable. Even more so.

‘She possessed my mother’s energy.’

Not just any master, but one who possessed the energy of my mother, the master of all realms. Though I couldn’t fathom why.

KWADUDEUK.

The floor cracked under my weight. I looked at the fragments scattered everywhere.

“What are you trying to do? If you leave it like this, all your allies will die.”

KYAAR-!

KWADUDEUK-!!!

The monsters were rampaging everywhere, busy devouring the Apostles. They say monsters are natural enemies to martial artists, but that meant nothing to me.

Of course, the Apostles themselves were strong, so the monsters likely couldn’t defeat them easily.

KUGUGUGUNG.

“Gkkeu!”

Those whose movements had stopped due to the pressure I emitted were different. I grabbed one of the frozen ones and absorbed its energy again.

If this continued, the number of Apostles would only decrease. Just as I wondered what their goal was.

• “That’s not true.”

The Sword Master’s voice echoed through the air.

• “My children aren’t that weak.”

As I focused my eyes upon hearing the beautiful voice.

PAAAAH-!!!

Suddenly, the fragments in the sky began to move, pouring down like rain. What was this? Just as I wondered what was happening.

“Aaaah-!”

“Oh, great being…!”

Surprisingly, the fragments began to seep into the Apostles’ bodies. Changes started occurring in the Apostles who received the Sword Master’s fragments.

THUMP-!!

It vibrated.

“Hah.”

I let out a breath of surprise at the vibration I felt.

The pressure from the Heavenly Demon’s Reigning Steps had been released.

At the same time.

PAAAAAAAAAAH-!!!

A massive gray light began bursting from the Apostles’ bodies.

It was a vast light, bright enough to make one squint momentarily.

That wasn’t all.

“The pressure has intensified.”

The aura I sensed had changed.

KRRRRRRENG-!!!

Not just the Apostles; light began emanating from the monsters in this space as well.

‘So this is.’

Is it the Sword Master’s power? Or something else entirely?

Sharing power without fighting directly…?

I wasn’t sure what it was.

“Fine.”

But would that change anything?

My gaze lowered further.

“Bring it on.”

WRIGGLE.

My words provoked my greed. Change wasn’t important. After all.

“I’ll just devour it all.”

The amount of food available to me had increased. I accepted it as such.

---

KWADUDEUDUK-!!!

The cave was crushed and burst open violently.

“KRAAAAK-!!!”

An Apostle screamed. It was one whose arm I’d torn off.

HWARRRRL-!!!

Flames swept through the area. Every time the white flames grazed an Apostle, they quickly turned to ash and vanished.

KYARRRR-!!!

Monsters fought monsters. Mang, using its massive physique, repeated the same rampage. How much time had passed?

‘An hour?’

It wasn’t long, nor was it short. But when it was just endless fighting, it felt incredibly long.

During that time, I ceaselessly slaughtered, and slaughtered again.

The cave, once merely spacious, had been reduced to ruins.

Even after fighting until the space was ruined like this.

“Damn it.”

There’s no end. Feeling this, I bit my lip.

“This damn power.”

I said this as I twisted off an Apostle’s neck. The lifeless body fell to the floor, but…

“GACK!”

Surprisingly, the bastard didn’t die; his neck regenerated.

The neck I’d torn off disappeared, turning into gray energy.

Only then did I understand the Sword Master’s power.

Immortality.

The Apostles had become immortal. Not only had their strength increased, but they revived even after dying.

Because of this, their numbers didn’t decrease. And the biggest problem of all was.

‘The Demonic Sky Absorption isn’t working anymore.’

I need to fight by absorbing energy, but I couldn’t.

Was this also the Sword Master’s power?

HWARRRRL–!!!

No matter how many white flames I shot, it was the same. They only erased them momentarily before they revived, so nothing was getting solved.

“Disgusting. Damn it all.”

I had to find a solution.

And right now.

“Hmph.”

I swallowed my frustration and gathered strength, looking around. The number of monsters I’d summoned had also decreased by more than half.

Not because the monsters had died and disappeared.

‘Rather than maintaining them.’

I thought it was better to move myself.

‘But this is getting tiresome too.’

An hour of fighting. Even while expending energy, there was no resolution.

‘Troublesome.’

How should I deal with enemies who wouldn’t die? Was it a mistake to try fighting in this cave? Yes, it was.

‘I hadn’t expected it to be this severe.’

I hadn’t realized the Sword Master was a human capable of this. I narrowed my eyes.

HWAAAAAA-!!!

‘Should I just run away?’

While fending off the Apostles, I pondered. The outcome would clearly be bad if things continued like this.

‘But-‘

Paejon weighed on my mind. That damned old man, lying weakly, hanging from that tree.

‘Hah.’

I ground my teeth. Wasting time like this was meaningless.

As I pondered what to do.

KKIIIIIIK-!!

“…!”

Something was approaching. I turned urgently.

KWAGAGAGAG-!!!

A storm struck the ground where I stood. Recognizing the familiar aura, I raised my head.

“What is this?”

Above stood an old man holding a fan – Cheolhyeol Busan.

“Good thing I came… I never expected you’d be having fun without me.”

“…Damn.”

Right, this is exactly why I didn’t want to waste more time.

Cheolhyeol Busan’s arrival significantly worsened the situation.

“Ahaha. Your face looks rough. Don’t worry, I have no intention of fighting dirty.”

“…What?”

“Won’t you fight me instead of dealing with those others? It would be better for you.”

He was suggesting a one-on-one fight, excluding all these Apostles.

His tone suggested he was offering me a chance.

“I don’t know why you’re here, but seeing your master like that, you must have learned something. How about it? Isn’t that the better choice?”

“…”

His words, mentioning Paejon, proposed the deal.

Hearing him, I rolled my eyes. I scanned for an escape route, thinking there must be one somewhere, and took a breath.

‘Focus.’

This wasn’t about Paejon. Now that I’d seen the Sword Master’s power, a prolonged fight was impossible. And even if I fought and won against Cheolhyeol Busan…

‘The aftermath would be the problem.’

In any case, escape was impossible.

‘What should I do?’

What should I do?

As I racked my brain during this total crisis.

“So. Make your choice quickly-“

The moment Cheolhyeol Busan continued speaking.

PAJIK-!

“Hm?”

“Huh?”

From the sky.

KWAAAAANG-!!!

KUUUUUUUNG—!!!

The cave ceiling shattered as a light cyan lightning bolt struck down.