episode_0147

147. The Absolute.

With the death of the Chongnam sect leader, a quiet silence lingered among the martial artists.

It was the Black King who broke the silence.

“Hahahaha! Sword Captain! Your skills have improved a lot! To defeat the Chongnam sect leader!”

“Thank you.”

Sara answered bluntly. As if it were nothing, true to her nature.

The Black King looked around at the martial artists and said,

“Alright, everyone, go back to your rooms now. You need to sleep soon. That way, tomorrow’s journey will be easier.”

Even though someone had just died, he was very nonchalant. Johann asked,

“Are you sure it’s alright? What if there are Chongnam remnants left?”

“I don’t think so.”

Chief Manager Shim shook his head.

“Why?”

“If their goal was to annihilate us from the start, the Chongnam sect leader wouldn’t have come alone.”

“Hmm. Then why did the sect leader come alone?”

“Well… I suspect he made a deal with Hwagaem Jin-in. More precisely, with the Hwasan sect.”

“A deal?”

Johann asked back, and Chief Manager Shim adjusted his glasses and answered.

“Yes. A deal. I suspect that the deal was to reduce the power of the Black King Fortress in exchange for the Chongnam members residing in the Hwasan sect.”

“Does that mean… the Chongnam sect sacrificed their sect leader and latched onto the Hwasan sect?”

“To put it harshly, yes.”

It was a harsh measure, but Johann understood. Not all members of the Black Faction are close, and not all members of the White Faction are close.

There are individual conflicts of interest between noble families, between sects, and between sects and noble families.

Even during the war with the Black Faction, there were no exceptions. Rather, now was the opportunity to expand their power.

‘Ridiculous.’

Well, isn’t that how the world works? Johann didn’t think deeply about it.

Johann gave a small bow to Chief Manager Shim.

“Good night.”

“Yes. I hope the leader also has a peaceful night.”

Johann went straight into his room and lay down. A heavy sleepiness washed over him.

Snore-

Perhaps he was quite tired, as Johann even snored as he fell into his inner world.

***

The next morning, the Black King’s group had a simple breakfast and set off immediately.

The road to Hwasan was very smooth. This was because it was in the same region to begin with.

‘I can only see ordinary commoners who haven’t learned martial arts.’

Even the common neighborhood bullies were nowhere to be seen.

You have to assess the atmosphere before causing trouble. With Black Faction martial artists openly roaming around, no one with enough guts would be wandering the streets.

“We’re here.”

Someone said. But there wasn’t a martial artist who didn’t know they had arrived at Hwasan. It was just a way to alleviate anxiety, to say it out loud.

The Black King, who was at the front, approached with heavy steps.

Hwasan (華山).

There was a deeply engraved nameplate, and a magnificent gate supporting that nameplate. It felt as if a giant mountain was standing tall.

The Black King raised his hand.

Bang- Bang-

The mountain shook, boomed.

“……”

There was no answer. It was only right to ask who it was when a guest arrived.

“Is no one here? That’s strange.”

The humans wearing black martial attire were definitely not guests.

The Black King grinned.

“To exude such fierce energy… Are you suggesting a game of hide-and-seek? Huh?”

It was at that moment. The Black King widened his eyes and turned his head.

Whoosh-

“Cough!”

The sound of air leaking out was heard first, followed by the groan of a Black King Fortress martial artist. They were heard almost simultaneously.

His subordinate’s moan. The Black King didn’t look back. He immediately twisted his waist and swung his right claw.

Kwaaaang!

The gate shattered into small pieces and scattered in all directions. At the center of the collision, a single sword and a human’s right arm were touching.

“Keeuk……”

Human limbs cannot overcome blades. It is a natural principle.

However, the Black King had denied that natural principle until now. Based on his outstanding skills.

Squeak squeak squeak-!

This time it was different. The Black King, with his eyes shining in the dusty haze, looked straight ahead. He saw a middle-aged man holding a pure white sword.

The middle-aged man clicked his tongue and said.

“To confront me without holding a sword, you’re being presumptuous.”

“Heh, isn’t it because I can win even without one?”

“Do you think it will be the same this time?”

“Well……”

The Black King deliberately dragged out his words. A shadow soared behind him.

The old monster holding a fan. Sima Han aimed for the middle-aged man’s right forearm.

Sima Han knew that the old man was right-handed. If he could create even a small wound, he could certainly lead the battle to his advantage.

“Hmm.”

The middle-aged man tried to pull his sword to block Sima Han’s attack. But the Black King was not an easy opponent.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Thud, the Black King spread his hand wide and grabbed the middle-aged man’s sword. His palm felt rough and painful.

The middle-aged man quickly assessed the situation. If he kept holding the sword, he would never be able to block it.

The middle-aged man stretched his left hand towards the sky. Sima Han swung his fan down without any hesitation.

Kwaaaaaang!

Once again, a massive cloud of dust rose. Johann, who was watching from a distance, thought unconsciously.

‘Did they get him?’

At that moment, something black flew towards Johann. Johann reflexively deployed a shield.

With a “thud” sound, the black figure slid down the shield. Johann lowered his head.

“Elder?”

“Keuk, glug…… That, that monstrous old man.”

Even Johann was quite surprised this time. For none other than Elder Sima Han to be knocked away. Moreover, the Bloodhowl Fan he was holding was nowhere to be seen.

Johann whipped his head around and looked ahead. His vision was limited due to the cloud of dust. Johann lightly waved his palm.

Whoosh!

The cloud of dust was instantly pushed back, and the Black King and the middle-aged man could be seen.

Pow! Clang!

The two were fiercely continuing their bloody battle. Johann’s eyes widened like lanterns.

“Kuaaaa!”

The Black King roared desperately like a wounded beast. His right arm had been torn off.

Johann urgently gathered his magic power.

Peeeong-

“Oh? There was a sorcerer on that side too.”

The middle-aged man leisurely muttered while exchanging attacks. He feinted as if to cut the Black King, then kicked him away.

“Keeuk!”

‘Crazy!’

Johann opened his mouth wide. The direction the Black King was being knocked away was overlapping with the path of the Magic Missiles.

At that moment, Johann’s thoughts accelerated intensely. Whether to forcibly change the direction of the spell, or to trust the Black King and leave him be.

Two propositions sharply conflicted in Johann’s mind. Eventually, he made a decision.

“Hup!”

Johann gritted his teeth and pulled out the threads of magic power. Blue lines, visible only to Johann, wrapped around the Magic Missiles.

Whoosh, Johann’s two hands spread to both sides. In response, the paths of the Magic Missiles were modified in real time.

“Kkeueueueueup!”

His vision turned red. At the same time, his head spun. He forcibly held onto his fading consciousness.

‘The aftermath of the Hwanghwa River battle still remains.’

That’s why it was twice as difficult as usual. But what could he do?

‘It’s not always possible to be in top condition.’

“Kkeuryaaap!”

Whoosh, eventually the Magic Missiles narrowly missed the Black King. It was a graceful movement, like a school of sardines avoiding a giant rock.

Clap! Johann widened his eyes and clapped his hands together. The paths of the Magic Missiles, which had been spreading out, were modified once again.

Oval blue spheres targeted the middle-aged man.

“Huh! Remarkable!”

It was a strange sight. That must be why it was sorcery.

The middle-aged man sincerely admired it and swung his sword. Immediately after, a dizzying fragrance tickled Johann’s nose.

‘Plum blossoms?’

It was definitely that kind of fragrance. Soon, light pink petals fluttered in the air.

‘No, they’re not flower petals.’

They were highly refined pieces of internal energy. Soon, the petals and Magic Missiles collided with each other.

Sarararak-

“What!”

Johann shouted in horror. The expected explosion sound wasn’t heard. That’s why it was even more mysterious.

The petals simply wrapped around the blue spheres. And then scattered into the air as if nothing had happened.

Saaak-

The middle-aged man smoothly drew his sword. At that moment, a storm of petals poured down on the Black King Fortress martial artists.

“……!”

Johann took out a pure white fan from his chest. It wasn’t the Bloodhowl Fan. That fan was currently in the middle-aged man’s hand.

“Heup!”

The battle hadn’t even properly begun yet. He didn’t know how many White Faction martial artists were standing behind that middle-aged man.

‘We have to conserve our strength!’

Johann twisted his entire body and swung his fan. At the same time, his magic power violently fluctuated.

Demonic Art (魔功). Flame Gale Heaven (炎飇天).

Whirrreeeeeeeeuk-

A storm of scarlet flames was unleashed from Johann’s fan.

The storm of petals and the storm of flames. Outwardly, the latter seemed much more advantageous.

But everyone in this place knew.

With the leader’s skills, he could never stop that middle-aged man.

Kuaaaaaaaaaaang!!

“Cough!”

A violent collision sound was heard, and the petal storm gently devoured the flames.

Johann swung his fan without stopping. He couldn’t stop. The moment he stopped, he felt like he would be buried in those beautiful petals.

But not everything in life can be solved with will alone. The flames are gradually dying down.

“Kkeueueue……”

Should he retreat now? The moment Johann thought that—

“Hup!”

Along with someone’s short shout, a strong wind blew from behind.

Whirrreeeeuk-

The dying embers blazed up once again. Johann rolled his eyes and looked to the side.

“Sorcerer brat. You’re not the only one with a fan.”

Sima Han, who had gotten up at some point, was swinging his fan. Johann’s fan techniques originated from Sima Han.

Thanks to that, Sima Han was able to assist Johann.

Surprisingly, the two storms were barely managing to reach a tie. Sima Han grinned.

“So, you’ve really reached the next realm. Now this old man is the best in the world.”