Chapter 630: Nine. And Three.

Smoke rises with the explosion.

The thick smell of burnt powder tickles my nose.

Heavy smoke obscures my vision.

Woong-!

I focused my energy into my eyes, clearing my vision.

I see the ground ahead.

Hwaruk-!

I immediately gathered flames, creating a Hellfire Orb.

And then I hurled the Hellfire Orb at the ground again.

Kwaaaang—-!!

Another massive explosion sounded, and debris swirled.

I kept repeating this.

I could feel my energy draining. The Hellfire Orb itself is quite the energy-consuming technique.

I could clearly feel the unusually high energy expenditure.

Still.

I didn’t stop.

Kwang-! Kwaang-! Kwang-!

I blew up the ground I could see, shattering it.

I continued using Hellfire Orbs without minding the energy I was spending.

Watching the continuous explosions of debris, I recalled.

‘Back then, even using it once was a struggle.’

There was a time when using it once would cause the backlash to flare up, leaving me crippled for days.

I think it was around the time I joined the Divine Dragon Hall.

Those were problems caused by forcing myself to use a technique I could only wield after reaching the Martial Realm.

Using techniques that don’t match my current level is still the same, though.

‘I have gotten better, though.’

At least the days of becoming half-crippled after one use are gone.

Of course.

‘But using it recklessly like this is still pushing it.’

Objectively speaking.

If we’re talking about the number of uses, I could probably manage about ten, maybe a bit more.

That’s the count when I meticulously control the compression and rotation, and use my energy efficiently.

Using it recklessly like now would reduce that number, but…

I don’t have time to find a proper path.

And it wasn’t the time to conserve energy.

Kuaaaah-!!

After wrapping myself in heat and unleashing several Hellfire Orbs.

If I were to count precisely, it was around the fifth use.

Kung-!

Sensing an anomaly, I stopped gathering my energy.

Instead of the chaotic terrain I’d seen so far.

I saw a proper underground structure.

It looked like something built artificially, anyone could tell.

Tuk.

I landed lightly there and sensed the surrounding energy.

‘This is it.’

I knew immediately.

That this was the place I was looking for.

A chill that pierced through my body and a subtly uncomfortable silence permeated the air.

I casually waved my fingers.

Hwak-!

Then, the light on my back, which had been off, switched on, illuminating the surroundings a bit more.

Though it was just a hallway that didn’t look much different.

With the light on my back activated, I walked down the corridor.

I expanded my senses, but strangely, there were no following presences.

I thought that guy, whether he was Mang or Maeng, would catch up quickly.

After walking a bit like that and passing through the corridor, I found a massive door ahead.

I frowned as I looked at the door.

‘This…’

I’ve seen this door somewhere before.

It had the same size and shape as the door I saw in the hideout where the Palace Lord was.

Recognizing it, I immediately grabbed the doorknob.

I thought it would open automatically if I just grabbed it like last time.

Pajijijijik—-!!

“…!”

Unlike my expectation, I felt resistance.

Along with pain, an unknown energy pushed me back.

As if trying to prevent me from opening the door.

Seeing that, I let out a hollow laugh.

“This bastard?”

It’s ridiculous. To be blocked like this just for opening a door.

Feeling an inexplicable irritation, I gripped the doorknob again.

Then.

Pajijijijijijik—-!!

The energy started pushing me back again.

This was immense pain, but…

‘I’m quite used to that sort of thing.’

Getting hurt and feeling pain was so familiar I was sick of it.

Ignoring it, I could put strength into my hand.

Jjiik.

As I endured the energy, my skin tore on its own.

To think this would happen even with a shallow layer of martial energy protecting me.

Of course, I didn’t let go.

Kkeueueuk-!

I grabbed the door and pulled it.

I felt immense resistance, but I also raised my energy to counter it.

It’s a truly crude method.

Whether it’s a formation or anything else, if something is set up, shouldn’t the priority be to disable it first?

To not even care about that and just grab and open the door.

Even I couldn’t believe how crude I was being.

However.

‘Since when did I ever use my brain that much anyway.’

In the end, I thought this was the method that suited me best.

Even though my skin tore, I felt pain, and exerted strength.

I applied force without paying it any mind.

Ujijijik.

After some time passed like that, the door really started to open.

Ah, rather than opening…

‘It’s closer to being ripped open.’

What does it matter?

I applied strong force to my hand.

Ujik-! Kwang-!

Finally, the iron door was ripped open.

The iron door that had guarded the Ice Palace for hundreds of years was torn apart.

Looking at the door in my hand, I said.

“You should have just opened obediently, why did you have to act tough.”

Hwik.

Kung-!

I casually threw the iron door somewhere down the corridor and immediately walked towards the entrance.

Fortunately, when entering, I didn’t feel the backlash like when opening the door.

Only, the chill I felt had become much stronger.

In addition to that. I turned my gaze to my forearm.

‘Hmm.’

Goosebumps had risen between the scales that had sprouted slightly.

‘What’s this now.’

As soon as I entered the space, goosebumps erupted all over my body.

Along with an uncomfortable, nauseating sensation.

It was a feeling I always got when I saw traces of half-humans or dragons, but this time it was unusually intense.

It was like.

‘Meeting the Blood Demon.’

The Blood Demon wearing Jang Seon-yeon’s guise.

Like when I met him, an immense hostility was boiling up.

First, I suppressed the emotion and surveyed my surroundings.

‘It looks similar.’

The space with the Ice Crystal I saw in the hideout.

It was quite similar in appearance to that place.

‘Which means…’

I turned my head towards the place where the energy felt particularly strong.

As expected. The Ice Crystal was there.

‘It was the right answer.’

The Palace Lord said so.

He said there was an Ice Crystal in the Ice Palace basement that protects against extreme cold.

It seems this is where it is.

Just like the space, the Ice Crystal’s appearance is no different.

It’s just puzzling to look at.

‘Protects against extreme cold, huh.’

The surrounding cold is the same, and it looks no different.

This thing supposedly consumes extreme cold and emits it elsewhere.

I couldn’t feel any difference.

So, I don’t know the principle behind how it works.

‘Though that doesn’t really matter much.’

How such a thing is possible doesn’t matter anymore.

What’s important is that I found out the reason why it was doing that.

I took a step forward, looking at the Ice Crystal.

Hwaruk.

At the same time, I channeled energy into my hand.

There’s no long thought or grand plan.

It’s just bad, so I’ll break it.

With only that thought, I approached the Ice Crystal.

Just as I was about to punch the Ice Crystal without hesitation, whether it broke or not.

“…”?

The moment I examined the Ice Crystal closely, my movements froze, and the energy in my hand dissipated.

“Crazy.”

The curse that slipped out involuntarily. I couldn’t help it.

There’s something inside the Ice Crystal.

The inside of the Ice Crystal, which wasn’t clearly visible due to the cold, became visible.

Inside it.

“What the hell is this guy doing here again?”

Woo Hyuk was inside.

“Huh?”

My eyes widened the moment I saw him.

The original purpose for seeking the Ice Palace.

Remembering that I came to find Woo Hyuk and bring him back, I looked at the Ice Crystal.

What the? Why is this bastard inside here?

I’m flustered.

It was the most flustering situation I’d experienced recently.

Why is Woo Hyuk suddenly inside the Ice Crystal?

I glared at the Ice Crystal, frowning deeply, but…

‘This is fucked up, really.’

My fluster had to end in an instant.

Leaving aside why such a crazy situation occurred.

Rather, the reason to destroy the Ice Crystal had increased.

Kkuuk.

I twisted my waist and clenched my fist.

Energy seeped into my fist.

Just as I was about to unleash it towards the Ice Crystal.

[Damn it.]

Along with the rough words.

Kwaaaang-!

Suddenly, sharp ice poured out from the Ice Crystal.

Should I just take the hit and strike back?

I hesitated for a moment, but…

Huuk-!

My instincts had already made me twist my body and create distance.

‘Tsk.’

It was an attack that wasn’t cost-effective to take and strike back.

Since they were all aimed at vital points, it was difficult to dodge even while moving.

Immediately after dodging the attack by creating a few steps of distance.

“Ha, you fucking bastard.”

I spat out a curse and looked straight ahead.

“You son of a bitch. What the hell are you doing?”

[…]

A brief, silent stillness followed my words.

[Truly, this is absurd.]

A familiar voice.

Mang’s voice came from the Ice Crystal.

[Are you smart? Or are you stupid? To come out so recklessly like this.]

Kkeudeudeuk.

As he spoke, his voice trembled slightly, filled with rage.

[It only took a tiny bit. At most, a mere moment. How dare you, refuse my offer and interfere with my work?]

“Interfere my ass.”

I said with a sneer at Mang’s words.

“You never intended to be on the same side anyway, you fucking bastard.”

Who do you think I am, an idiot?

“Do you think I’d just listen to that quietly?”

I could tell from our conversation that Mang never intended to join forces with me in the first place.

A center without roots.

In conversations where he hinted at telling me things but left out the important parts.

Listening to his subtle attempts to persuade me, I couldn’t help but understand.

“It was obvious he was just stalling for time. Why would I listen to that?”

[Ha.]

At my words, he let out a hollow laugh.

[You’re quicker-witted than I thought.]

He was buying time from me.

Even hiding so carefully and then appearing in Yu Seon’s body.

What could be the reason for that?

Why would he have needed to do that?

I didn’t ponder this for long either.

If there was truly a reason why he had no choice but to do that to me.

That reason must be in the Ice Crystal.

Anticipating that, I searched for the Ice Crystal, and as expected, the situation was fucked up.

“What is this now?”

Grinding my teeth, I asked him.

[I’m the one who wants to ask.]

Mang asked me back instead.

[Ninth. What is this you’re doing?]

“What?”

[Why are you interfering with me, tell me.]

Mang spoke to me as if he truly couldn’t understand.

[At least I didn’t lie in our conversation. Our common enemy is the same, and my intention to join forces was also true. So why did you make this choice?]

At his words, tinged with a slight sense of injustice.

I looked at him and said.

“Perhaps, you don’t have ears?”

[“What…?”]

Maybe he doesn’t have ears. Otherwise, he couldn’t possibly say something like that.

“I clearly told you I hate guys who are shitty to work with. Is your comprehension that lacking?”

[…]

“I hate people who are shady the most.”

If they act up in front of me, I can just beat them.

But with shady people, you never know what they’ll do, so there’s too much to worry about.

Especially since he’d been sucking the life out of the Northern Sea’s bloodline for hundreds of years for his own resurrection, I lost all affection.

[…]

[…For such a trivial reason?]

Even after explaining kindly.

Mang continued to speak as if he still couldn’t understand.

[Just because I ate a few of these primitive creatures, you refuse to join forces with me?]

“Look at your tone. Your tone itself is shitty.”

[It’s a blessing that these insignificant vermin were used for my resurrection.]

“Now you’re spouting bullshit too.”

[Even in death, they should be grateful. Are you saying that this is something you, of all people, a fellow kin, should get angry about?]

Hearing that, I clicked my tongue inwardly.

I couldn’t stand talking any further; I was too pissed off.

“Don’t get the wrong idea.”

I gathered energy into my body again.

“Whether the Northern Sea suffered or not is none of my business.”

Yeah, that doesn’t matter.

What great connection do I have that I’d get worked up about that?

What’s important to me.

Isn’t the sacrificed bloodline of the Northern Sea.

“It’s because I’m sick of you, you son of a bitch, for doing such things so casually.”

Wrapping even more energy into my fist than before.

I lunged forward.

Ppeojeojeok-!

Ice spikes poured out like before, but…

This time, since it was based on evasion, dodging wasn’t difficult.

My clothes were slightly pierced by the somewhat violent movements, but…

It wasn’t a blow worth worrying about.

Tuk-! I pivoted on my toes, assessing the situation.

Eventually, I broke through Mang’s attack and reached the Ice Crystal.

This time, without hesitation, I drove my fist straight into the Ice Crystal.

Kwadeudeudeudeuk—-!!

My fist sank directly into the Ice Crystal.

Seeing that, I swallowed a slight surprise.

Because it penetrated much more easily than I expected.

I thought there would be some resistance.

To think it would go in with the feeling of breaking ordinary rock.

‘The surprising part is surprising, but…’

I pushed my fist in with all my might.

Then.

Ppeojeojeojeok—-!!

Starting from my embedded fist, cracks began to form on the Ice Crystal.

The rapidly spreading cracks engulfed the entire Ice Crystal.

After that.

Kwadeudeuk.

It took only a few seconds for the Ice Crystal to crumble and collapse.

Hudeuduk.

The gradually scattering fragments of the Ice Crystal.

I had to frown as I watched the collapsing debris.

It wasn’t because the Ice Crystal had collapsed.

The reason was.

“…Ha… You’re really pissing me off.”

Because someone was gripping my outstretched fist.