"You, who grew strong through sorcery, cannot defeat me."
Moyong Chan pointed his sword at Okua.
"The sword of Qingcheng holds the power of purification. Just as darkness cannot overcome light, you cannot defeat me."
[What a foolish thing to say.]
Okua spoke.
Moyong Chan didn't like his tone. From the beginning, Okua had spoken in a soft voice, as if teaching a child.
[Darkness does not fight against light.]
Okua lifted his eyes to the sky.
[Do you see it?]
The grotesquely twisted face wrinkled even further. It was as if the sunlight was too blinding for him.
He opened his palm.
As his five claw-like fingers stretched out, a shadow was cast.
Okua no longer squinted.
[It is because the light vanished, that the darkness was born.]
"You've even mastered spouting nonsense now."
[You cannot defeat me.]
Okua clenched his fist with the hand that blocked the sun.
He held no weapon, yet it was a means of attack more powerful than any blade. Moyong Chan had nearly had his throat crushed by that grip several times.
[You'll understand soon enough. But don't despair too much.]
Then, he swung his fist at Moyong Chan, his body twisting wide. A black current condensed like a ball and flew toward him.
Moyong Chan deflected the attack by drawing a soft curve with his sword.
"You cannot harm me with such foul-smelling power."
Okua launched another wave of black energy.
Moyong Chan met it head-on with a blast of sword aura.
The two energies collided and exploded.
[Come.]
Okua spread his arms wide. He looked even larger than before.
Literally, the creature was continuously growing stronger.
Moyong Chan twitched his lips.
"You're still absorbing power right now, aren't you?"
It was truly disgusting.
Qingcheng Sect's internal energy method was pure and orderly.
Since childhood, Moyong Chan had gathered mana spread throughout nature within his body.
But that Okua absorbed the energies of other living beings. He was, in every sense, an evil heretic who had to be destroyed.
Then suddenly, Okua's face twisted.
Moyong Chan noticed his gaze and turned his eyes slightly.
His disciple, and descendant of the former Heaven-Conquering Sword Saint, was fighting an orc. Despite his severe injuries, he kept swinging his sword to the end—it was the mark of a true lunatic.
"No way…"
When he put together Yuri's actions and Okua's sharp reaction, Moyong Chan reached one conclusion.
He extended his senses.
The demonic energy saturating the land hadn't stopped. It was flowing toward Okua.
"You were absorbing the power of your own kin as well?"
[Kin?]
Okua sneered.
Though his voice was soft, the grotesque grin was that of an orc through and through.
[Just as humans are different from orcs, so too am I different from them.]
Nonsense.
Moyong Chan raised his internal energy.
Now that he realized Okua's power was still growing, there was no reason to drag this out.
Even if it was risky, he had to kill Okua quickly.
Moyong Chan raised his sword.
He could feel the flow of the atmosphere on his skin. The texture of the sunlight pouring down from the sky, the pulsing life of the grassland beneath his feet—his senses embraced the entire scenery of the plains.
His sword simply followed the flow of nature.
Azure Cloud Scarlet Mist Sword Technique.
Following the Current.
His sword advanced slowly.
But with each step forward, its power increased exponentially.
His sword contained the force of a typhoon and a tidal wave. Earthquakes, lightning, wildfires, floods—all the disasters summoned by nature were imbued in his sword aura.
Okua raised both arms to block.
His mouth opened, exposing large fangs. From within, darkness flowed out, wrapping around Moyong Chan's sword aura.
But Moyong Chan didn't force his strength. He simply took a step forward, matching the flow pushed by the world.
Okua's body rose into the air.
Moyong Chan stepped forward again.
Like morning dew rolling off a leaf and dropping to the ground, his movements did not go against the natural order.
Okua retreated.
For the first time, a flicker of bewilderment passed through his eyes.
Moyong Chan spoke.
"Have you ever stared blankly at the blue sky?"
Okua didn't answer.
"Was there ever a sunset so red that you had to close your eyes because you couldn't bear to look?"
Before he knew it, Okua was floating in midair.
His eyes were bloodshot. Yet an unknown force held him still, like a fixed target.
Moyong Chan lowered his eyelids.
Within the darkness, an image formed.
A solemn view from the peak of Mount Qingcheng unfolded.
The supreme and peerless martial art that once swept across the martial world—Azure Cloud Scarlet Mist Sword Technique.
Its true form was now being revealed.
Azure Cloud Scarlet Mist Sword Technique.
Bright Moon Over Deserted Mountain.
Okua flailed wildly. But Moyong Chan's sword did not waver.
A bluish glow shone from the tip of his sword, illuminating Okua's entire body.
[What are you doing?]
Okua's body twisted.
His muscles contracted, and his once-massive frame began to wither.
He desperately summoned black energy, but it was swept away by the light radiating from Moyong Chan's sword.
A blue sword aura slashed through Okua.
Okua couldn't resist at all. Like a rotting tree battered by rain, his body was torn apart by Moyong Chan's sword.
No blood flowed. Only his skin split open.
The attack ended.
The formless energy that had engulfed Okua vanished.
Blood gushed from his body all at once, and his enormous frame collapsed to the ground.
Okua crawled along the ground, a truly butchered mess.
Moyong Chan panted heavily.
Even he found the Azure Cloud Scarlet Mist Sword Technique burdensome.
But against those who had gained unclean power through demonic energy, like Okua, it was incredibly effective.
Remaining cautious, Moyong Chan approached Okua.
He had traveled the world eliminating countless unclean beings. He knew all too well their despicable tricks. Even when they appeared dead, they would suddenly rise and strike your back.
"Vermin."
Moyong Chan thrust his sword into Okua's head.
There was no anomaly. His skull was pierced.
Blood dripped down.
Leaving the sword lodged in Okua's head, Moyong Chan passed by his corpse.
He stood before a pit.
It looked even wider up close.
It was filled with naked human corpses. Like livestock, their foreheads had been branded, and without exception, every single one had died with wide, terrified eyes.
They were sacrifices for human offerings.
Even in death, their souls would have been bound to Okua.
Moyong Chan felt nauseous.
"A purification ritual is in order."
He murmured, then turned around.
And froze.
He had clearly pierced Okua's skull.
[I enjoyed your little performance.]
The being he thought was dead was standing.
Okua pulled the sword out of his head.
A gaping hole was revealed.
Even as blood and brain matter spilled out, Okua smiled.
[That pit… it's quite large, isn't it?]
Okua approached Moyong Chan.
[But you don't know how deep it is, do you?]
His soft voice reached Moyong Chan's ears.
[Deep, so deep.]
Okua handed the sword he had pulled from his own head to Moyong Chan.
[I filled it, over and over, for a long time.]
A great number of corpses meant an equally great number of offerings. Okua was flaunting his power.
[They grew so hungry, they started tearing at each other down there. Like worms.]
Moyong Chan once again activated the Azure Cloud Scarlet Mist Sword Technique.
Okua's body was torn to shreds.
But his mouth remained intact and kept moving.
[You are a mere speck.]
Moyong Chan's sword pierced through Okua's mouth.
Okua mumbled with the blade clenched between his teeth.
[A speck.]
The sword spun.
Okua's head was ripped apart. No mouth remained to speak further.
Panting, Moyong Chan thoroughly destroyed the corpse.
He annihilated the body.
And yet, why did this ominous feeling keep crawling coldly down his back?
[A speck.]
A voice came from behind.
Moyong Chan turned.
A voice was rising from within the pit.
With a clenched jaw, Moyong Chan approached. His sword trembled faintly.
The corpses crumpled within the pit spoke in unison.
[A speck.]
Moyong Chan's face twisted as he raised his sword. But then, a violent gust of wind surged and pushed him back.
He fell on his rear.
[A speck!]
A dark mass was rising above the pit. Human corpses merged together, forming a single entity.
Moyong Chan stared blankly upward.
Okua had been right.
The pit was deep.
That thing was climbing endlessly from the pit, revealing its massive true form.
Moyong Chan muttered,
[Oh, Primordial Celestial One…]
***
Yuri suddenly turned around.
Moyong Chan was slashing at Okua with all his might. Okua couldn't resist and was being hacked to pieces.
A smile curled on Yuri's lips.
"As expected of my master."
In his previous life, Moyong Chan had been defeated by Okua.
But the current Okua had not yet reached the level of the Ten Strongest. On top of that, Moyong Chan had joined forces with the Allied Army.
He was not an unbeatable opponent.
"Whoa."
Watching Moyong Chan drive a sword into Okua's head for a confirmed kill, Yuri murmured in awe.
"Laurent."
"Yes!"
Yuri called out to Laurent, who was busy fighting against Orcbal.
"Look over there."
"I'm a bit tied up right now…"
"It's serious. You'll regret it if you don't see."
"Understood."
Laurent quickly cut down Orcbal and turned his head as instructed by Yuri.
And at that moment, a pitch-black figure erupted from the pit.
"Wh…?"
Yuri's mouth fell open.
Heart-soul Slash, nestled in his core, was sounding an alarm.
"Looks like the prince was right… This is bad."
"Yeah, it happened…"
A wicked energy rampaged wildly. Even from Okua, Yuri had never sensed such concentrated demonic energy.
Instinctively, Yuri stepped back.
Not just the Allied Army, but even the orcs were retreating in fear.
What should he do?
Yuri didn't know.
Then suddenly, a wave of déjà vu struck him.
He had felt this same way when the Empire's Black Army marched on Briol. Faced with a massive enemy, with no clue what to do.
He clenched his fist.
He did it so hard, his gauntlet tore.
"Prince, what do we…?"
Laurent's flustered voice reached him.
Yuri silenced him.
"Prince?"
"We do what we can."
Once his resolve was set, his judgment returned.
Even the brightest mind fails to think clearly in crisis. But Yuri was naturally gifted in such moments.
"Jared!"
He called in a trusted ally.
Yuri spoke to both Laurent and Jared.
"Find the shaman and kill them."
Both of their eyes widened. They understood exactly what he meant.
"Yes, understood."
Yuri looked back toward Moyong Chan.
He was facing the massive heap of corpses.
From behind, Moyong Chan appeared larger than ever.
Praying he could hold out a bit longer, Yuri immediately moved.
"Where are you going?"
Suddenly, he ran into the commander of the Empire's 3rd Knight Order.
Yuri said,
"You see that? Doesn't look like it's time for swinging swords, does it? I'm going to find and kill the shaman. It's almost done. I can feel it."
The man nodded, understanding instantly.
"Then we'll also…"
Suddenly, a thunderous crash rang out.
Both of them turned at once.
Moyong Chan had been flung through the air and slammed into the ground. In front of him was a monstrous pile of corpses that had taken a form eerily similar to Okua.
"Can you just help him out?"
Yuri asked boldly. He was stronger than Yuri.
The 3rd Knight Order commander stared at the creature with stern eyes, then nodded.
"Yes, I believe in you, Prince."
"Good. Believe in me."
Yuri spoke without a hint of jest.
He meant it.
He had asked them to walk into the jaws of death. That meant he had to shoulder the responsibility.
"I will make it happen."
The commander began shouting names.
Names like Graham and Jose were called—strong knights who might be able to stand against the Okua-formed corpse monstrosity.
A group of knights set out to fight the monster.
"Good luck out there."
Yuri grabbed a soldier who stood dumbfounded.
"P-Prince. What on earth is that…"
He was completely out of it. It was one thing to fight orcs—but now some indescribable monster had appeared.
Yuri slapped his cheek.
"Get it together."
"Y-Yes…"
"I've got a mission for you."
"A mission…?"
"Run to the rear and find Mage Ernando. Ask him to send a fireball. He'll know what that means if you tell him I sent you."
"A fireball?"
"Yes, a fireball. Can you do that?"
"Y-Yes…"
"My life depends on you."
"Y-Your life, Prince?"
"That's right."
The soldier still looked confused.
Yuri grabbed him by both cheeks and brought his face close. The man's jittering eyes gradually focused on Yuri.
"Your name was Pides, wasn't it?"
"Y-Yes, sir. How did you know my name…?"
"Pides."
Yuri gave him a faint smile and lightly tapped his cheek.
"I'm counting on you."
Pides stared at Yuri with his mouth open, then nodded with a determined expression.
"Yes."
[T/L: Read more chapters on Ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]