Heavenly Dragon Sword Alliance (2)
Ha Seung-hoon’s expression twisted at the sight of the familiar monster looming right before him.
Harley had stirred up trouble on Gonmudo before, and now he was causing a ruckus in the Mosan Faction territory like this!
This was absolutely unacceptable, especially given the current emphasis on unity for rebuilding the world.
‘As much as I’d love to call Harley and smash him right away…’
He channeled his internal energy into Je Gal Hye-mi, tossing her behind him as he gripped the sword’s hilt tightly, feeling a hot energy surging from his grasp.
In that instant, it transformed into a blazing dragon, swirling along the blade and rapidly increasing in size.
Whoosh—! BAM!
With the power of “Public Spirit Body,” the furious fire energy engulfed the oncoming great monster.
[Ino-om! How dare a pathetic bug like you—!]
Even though there was a clear gap in their levels, an attack utilizing the “Heavenly Dragon Divine Technique” could not be underestimated.
Despite being in a fight with the Sword Saint, he had even managed to sever one arm of the Ghost Sword Demon Master, who was a master in the current realm.
[You think you’re special just because you’ve gotten some praise for a bit of activity? Not even close to competition for me!]
But to put it another way, that was all there was to it.
Such an attack could momentarily halt Do-ol’s steps, but it wouldn’t inflict any critical damage on a great monster like him.
Kraargh—!
With a roar that echoed like thunder, powerful currents of energy tore apart the flames that had engulfed the massive form.
As he caught a glimpse of the scattered embers disappearing, Ha Seung-hoon’s mouth twisted slightly.
‘Incredible resistance to fire energy. And regenerative power that repairs damage in an instant… At this level, I can consider him just a weaker version of Harley.’
Do-ol was a great monster from the martial faction that had thrived during the last war.
He had a history of being utterly crushed by Harley, who excelled in every aspect, but his pure combat power couldn’t be looked down upon.
With overwhelming resilience and constitution, he was even trickier to deal with than an average human master at the current realm.
‘I’m still at the level of a flower. He’s not a foe I can handle. If I face him head-on, I won’t survive long. But…’
He tightened his grip on the sword and gazed straight ahead.
Hadn’t he just realized this not long ago?
Wishing to become strong while only seeking comfort was a foolish thought.
‘Especially if I want to surpass the barrier through martial arts.’
This was a challenge, even for him.
Not merely crossing through the barrier as he had been doing with the “Avatar” trait to avoid side effects but seriously refining himself through training to achieve true transcendence.
Given that most of the drastically increased mental power status was being consumed to maintain the status of his avatars, this was no longer a choice but a necessity.
Wooooosh—
At that moment, as if to support his resolve, a familiar energy seeped into his body.
A power that only one person in this world could handle properly.
‘Holy Power of the Dragon God?’
He glanced back with a sly smile.
In a life-or-death situation, his body felt ignited with heat.
In contrast, his reason cooled down, allowing him to perceive his surroundings in great detail.
Condition: optimal.
The phrases of the “Black Dragon Secret,” which had been lying dormant deep within him, began to resurface, showcasing their existence.
“Phew, good. This should be enough…”
He barely had time to catch his breath.
Ripping through the atmosphere came the vicious claws.
Swift, Phantom, Shift.
His body soared upwards like flower petals dancing in the wind as it climbed along Do-ol’s arm.
The wind dragon that had been swirling around him coalesced at the tip of his sword.
Swoosh—
However, the ensuing sharp strike only left a long scratch on the great monster’s neck.
And even that was quickly healed in an instant.
The slight trickling of blood that oozed out indicated that the attack had even happened.
[You little bug!]
But that alone was enough to enrage Do-ol.
This pathetic human, whom he had disregarded, dared to give him a wound!
How could he let that slide?
[I will definitely kill you!]
Now wounded in his pride, the child of the dragon was no longer on his mind.
He completely forgot his original plan of quickly achieving his goal and escaping from here, letting his fury explode.
Only to tear apart that insignificant human.
BAM—!
“Cough!”
Ha Seung-hoon’s body, brushed by the lightning-fast fingers, slammed into the ground, creating a deep pit.
If he hadn’t wrapped himself in the energy of Fire Dragon to dissipate the shock prior to that, it would not have ended like this.
But there was no time to catch his breath.
Rumble—
Right where he hurriedly dodged, Do-ol’s feet crashed down, creating the earth shattering over him as a massive landslide swept through the area.
*
Amidst the deafening collapse of the mountain came a series of brutal explosions.
“Ah, Master…!”
As the tremendous collision of energies continued unabated, Je Gal Hye-mi, using magic to evade the blasts, bit her lip while gazing at the origin of it all.
‘I should have just stayed still. Because of me requesting help, Ha Seung-ho…’
It was all because of the dragon’s magic that Ha Seung-ho had managed to catch up and save her in time.
Drawing from her past experience when she’d been kidnapped by the Demon Cult, she had calmly completed the mind communication spell, allowing her to convey her location to him in real time.
‘If only I had a bit more ability. If so, I wouldn’t have needed to ask for help and could have escaped on my own!’
But no matter how much Do-ol belonged to the martial faction, he was a being known as a great monster.
While secret communication could work, high-level magic that enabled spatial movement wouldn’t be so easy to pull off.
If it hadn’t been for the timely ambush that had distracted him just earlier, she wouldn’t have escaped from his grasp.
Boom—!
Another fierce backlash surged from the epicenter of the landslide.
Vibrantly colored dragons erupted brilliantly from within, decorating their surroundings.
Each one could easily obliterate an ordinary mountain, but unfortunately, those energies were merely being shattered and scattered one after another.
‘All I can do now is…’
With her hands clasped together, Je Gal Hye-mi squeezed her eyes shut.
She had no real skills beyond magic, and if she tried to step into that fight, she would only become a hindrance.
The best she could do now was to support him through blessings and pray for him to endure as long as possible.
‘With the monsters causing such a ruckus, Gonmudo won’t just sit idle. If I can just hold out until the dragons I saw before come!’
At that moment, feeling the substantial amount of power being stripped away through her connection with Ha Seung-hoon, she opened her eyes wide.
Just then, his body, having allowed an attack, was buried in the cliff, and fragments of various sizes poured down.
‘No way!’
Although the blessing had absorbed quite a shock, he had not reached a level where he could no longer battle immediately.
She knew that fact too, but watching him, her heart couldn’t help but weaken.
“Maybe… if I just went along with that monster…?”
Now, he would never be able to defeat that great monster.
At this rate, he wouldn’t hold out for long.
So rather than continuing to resist and losing his life, perhaps it was better to follow that monster and wait for him to save her from Gonmudo!
“Huh, you’d do well to reconsider that.”
Then, cutting through her thoughts came the voice of a stranger whispering in her ear.
“That guy would prefer to devour you outright rather than risk sacrificing another offering.”
“Huh?!”
Startled, she turned her body, casting a wary glance.
From just a few steps away stood a middle-aged man with his arms crossed.
As she observed him, he leisurely gazed towards the battlefield.
‘I didn’t sense his presence. Who on earth is he?’
Despite the situation, she kept her vigilance up.
Anyone of a reasonable level… No, even someone at the current realm should have given off some sort of aura.
“…Impressive. Did you say Heavenly Dragon Sword Alliance? I’ve heard you’re still in your twenties, yet already facing a barrier.”
He mumbled quietly.
Despite his calm voice, Je Gal Hye-mi perceived the palpable jealousy woven into his words.
At that moment, her wariness intensified.
“Tsk tsk— this fool still hasn’t shaken off his thoughts.”
“Ugh!”
As another voice echoed, the man who had appeared earlier clutched his head.
“You damn old man…!”
“Ah, judging by how you speak to your master, it seems you’ve still got a long way to go.”
“Ugh—!”
Je Gal Hye-mi looked at the newly emerged figure in shock.
An old man dressed in worn out robes, with a long beard flowing down.
He was simply smiling gently while smoothly stroking his beard, yet the man writhed in pain as he gnashed his teeth.
“There’s no need to worry, my child. That young man is not going to fall so easily.”
Noticing Je Gal Hye-mi’s gaze on him, the old man smiled gently and nodded slowly.
“By the way, you are truly remarkable. How on earth is this possible? It’s as though you’re completely disregarding the principles of this world.”
Then, he turned back to the battlefield with admiration.
A glint of wonder and curiosity shimmered in his wrinkled eyes.
“Ugh, what are you talking about? Sure, at that age, reaching this level is impressive, but…”
“Haha, this foolish disciple of mine has eyes yet cannot see.”
The man, clutching his head in agony, grumbled back rudely, but the old man continued to gaze at the fight, utterly enthralled.
His eyes could clearly see the various martial principles, not of this world, intertwining through that young man’s body, forming into one cohesive system.
Had it not been for that, he wouldn’t have lasted even this long against a great monster.
Given the difference in their levels, the fact that he was holding on at all was astonishing.
And perhaps the one most acutely aware of that was not the old man watching from the sidelines, but Do-ol himself facing his opponent.
“So, that’s why he’s so intent on targeting that young man.”
Tsk, tsk, the old man clicked his tongue at the fierce expression of Do-ol.
At first glance, his face seemed exclusively filled with rage, but it was clear to anyone that a faint hint of fear flickered in his eyes.
Something he had intertwined with time and time again, yet still couldn’t comprehend, despite many encounters.
Especially with this enigmatic essence growing stronger with every moment, it was only natural that he would be out of control, trying to crush it before it could fully awaken.
If that incomprehensible force fully bloomed, he already knew what would happen to him.
“While I’d like to wait a bit longer for the sake of that young man, it seems the limit is near.”
The old man looked at Ha Seung-hoon, who appeared to be on the brink.
Regardless of how he managed to withstand and progress through means unknown, there were limits to that as well.
Do-ol was a greatly notorious monster even in Gonmudo.
If he were to let more time pass, it seemed likely that the young man’s talent would break before it could fully flourish, just as the monster intended.
“My disciple, why don’t you go lend him a hand? He’s working so hard; as a senior, you can’t just stand by idly. Opportunities like a life-or-death duel with a great monster don’t come often.”
“…Are you out of your mind, elder? I haven’t even surpassed the barrier yet, and you want me to take on Do-ol? Are you trying to get me killed?”
“Ahh! You again!”
“Ugh! Fine! I understand! Damn it! I must have lost my mind to volunteer to walk right into that old man’s trap!”
Ultimately, the middle-aged man had no choice but to head towards the battlefield.
Je Gal Hye-mi, who had been quietly assessing the situation, turned her gaze back to him with sparkling eyes.
It was clear these people were also in opposition to that great monster.
If that was the case…
‘Mosan Faction… No, they are likely those from higher up.’
Gently taking a breath, she cautiously addressed the elderly man still beside her.
“Good day, sir. I am Je Gal Hye-mi of the Zhuge Family from Hubei. Might you be someone who came from Gonmudo?”
“Oho?”
Being the gateway to Gonmudo, it was no surprise that pursuers would emerge swiftly after causing chaos in that area.
“Haha, you’re quite perceptive. It’s true I come from Gonmudo. I happened to come nearby due to my disciple and ended up assessing the situation.”
But having come face to face with a problem, he had no intention of standing by idly as the light in his eyes shimmered.
As the intimidating aura naturally emanated from him, she swallowed hard.
“By the way, I have long since dropped my name, so I have no particular title to tell you. However, if I were to introduce myself by what I am called in Gonmudo…”
Je Gal Hye-mi’s eyes grew wide, blinking repeatedly.
As the daughter of the Zhuge Family, the one who had the most comprehensive understanding of monsters, she recognized the significance behind the title that escaped his lips.
Nachalwang.
One of the top leaders of Gonmudo, standing shoulder to shoulder with the eight dragons, gazing gently at the child of the dragon.
