Ice arts suddenly came in.
The purpose of the Demon Lord using White Light Body Demonic Martial Arts was to block the retreat of Seol-Hwi.
That was all that was needed.
Chak!
Seol-Hwi’s face hardened. The energy of darkness was ahead, and the Four Peak Demonic Martial Arts was behind.
Sensing the crisis he changed his state
<Supreme Demon ON>
As soon as he switched it, Seol-Hwi fired the White Light Body Demonic Martial Arts with both hands. The ice arts which spread out broke the ice surrounding him, but the attack of the Demon Lord was not that simple.
Shhhh….
This intense cold flowed from the broken ice crystals that had. Seol-Hwi scattered.
“…!”
The pain came, and it felt like his lungs were being frozen. He could not even respond, and his movements slowed down.
At that moment—
Swish
—came the dark energy which slowly had surged right in front.
“…Euk!”
Seol-Hwi felt it. It was impossible to prevent it with ordinary means.
If it were normal internal qi, it would form some kind of film while being shot. The way then to approach it would be by pushing it away or annihilating it.
But this black energy did not meet any resistance. Resembling a moving shadow, it spread around and surrounded his eyes.
<Supreme Master ON>
Seol-Hwi changed his internal energy back to the Justice faction’s, and drew out the energy which collided against the black energy.
Kukukuk!
The moment the two opposing energies collided, Seol-Hwi lost his consciousness for a moment.
-Daaaang!
—came the sound of a huge bell ringing.
Until the end of his life, the monk spoke countless chants and sermons and passed into nirvana.
It was unfortunate and yet majestic at the same time.
“Ah…”
It was only for a moment that he lost consciousness. After seeing the end of the shaolin monk, Seol-Hwi had returned to reality.
All of a sudden, the dark energy which was spreading around him had vanished like it had been washed away. After all, it was Shaolin, and he tried to sigh.
Swish-
“…!”
Yupae’s attack flew in without giving him a chance to breathe. He thought that this brilliant white light was not just any ordinary attack.
Avoid.
Seol-Hwi chose not to counter but to let it flow. However, such an instantaneous response only brought more anger.
The orthodox martial arts did not follow the movement of Seol-Hwi. Rather, like a sticky paint, it stuck to his finger.
What is this?
Seol-Hwi was a bit taken aback at this unknown energy. He hurriedly tried to change his internal energy status to Supreme Demon on the same side.
<Supreme Demon ON>
Tremble
Euk!
But at that moment, Seol-Hwi was shocked.
It was like the Demon Lord was waiting for this to happen,and the darkness covered the Demon Lord again.
This…!
It was the energy of the Demonic Sect and the other world at the same time.
The Demon Lord and Yupae’s joint attack was perfect, and Seol-Hwi, who had to handle it, moved to defense.
<Supreme Master ON>
One mistake and I die!
His response had to be swift.
At the same time as changing the realm, he brought out the Taiji Sword, as it was the strongest martial art Seol-Hwi knew.
<The Taiji Sword is being used.>
Srrng
The best way to overcome this energy and the other world’s energy, was to use the energy of Shaolin. However, the energy which moved at him was too great.
Thinking that it could be pushed out, Seol-Hwi tried to swing the Taiji Sword more.
Wheik.
Fortunately, the black energy and the demonic arts got caught in the whirlwind created by the Taiji Sword and scattered.
It was quite odd. Even if it was not like the exorcism of Shaolin, it still could drive out this unclean energy because it did not harmonize with the energy of heaven and earth.
Uh!?
Seol-Hwi’s face went stiff as he barely took a breath in.
Crack!
A space which rapidly froze his moment when he moved. It was a barrier. He did not know how but a defense circle was put up by the Demon Lord when the ice arts were used.
“Shoot.”
The Demon Lord shouted and as soon as he said it, and energy moved in from all sides.
Th… ud!
Seol-Hwi’s eyes widened in shock at this rain from the heavens.
The range… is too wide!
It was not because he could not avoid it, he could avoid it if he wanted to, but—
Even if I live, they will die!
Songhwa who was chanting a sorcery spell for a long time. He would get caught in this and die. And Songhwa’s death will be the end of the time limit.
Could he continue to deal with the Demon Lord and Yupae in the other remaining 300 or so seconds?
That was a tough decision. Seol-Hwi realized that the choice at this moment would be what determined his success or failure.
<Supreme Demon ON> <Ice Field Compression is being used.>
This time he used his strongest ice technique.
“Huh!”
Crack
It felt like his body was being torn at in random places. Continuing to go back and forth between Supreme Demon and Supreme Master, he lost a good amount of internal energy.
One step, just one step.
Seol-Hwi was slow, but he forcibly moved his body in a state where time was completely blocked. And after taking five to six steps like that, there was a subtle movement of an explosion.
Just a little more!
Dozens of steps were taken like that.
Seol-Hwi gritted his teeth as he endured the pain within and barely reached right in front of Songhwa.
Jjjjkkkk
The internal energy for defending was raised with all his might to collide with the attack.
Kwaa—thud!
—came the deafening roar.
Thuuuud!
The area engulfed by the explosion was shocking. All sides turned into a sea of water, and the land seemed scratched by the ice as it got hollowed around.
The Demon Lord’s attack, which looked so determined, along with the unleashed energy turned the entire area upside down.
Trickle
“…Eup.”
With a pale face, Yupae pushed away the Soulless at his feet.
If only this…
What was the Demon Lord thinking to go this far?
Looking back, Yupae’s eyes looked more shocked than resentful.
“Ahh…”
The Demon Lord had a relaxed look as he noticed this mess.
No, was it right to say that he was instead excited?
The power of this other world, a power which did not exist in this world. This bottomless infinite internal energy.
At this destructive power, he thought that the energy of the other world was significantly superior to the demonic energy.
“If this is the level… Supreme Demon. No… well.”
Would it not be possible to compete with the sect leader who had reached Profound Demon?
The eyes of the Demon Lord burned bright in new hopes.
“Cough, cough.”
A pained cough escaped from this frost and mist filled place. The sound brought him back to consciousness.
“Ah…”
Songhwa was frozen to death. The energy which seemed to fill the sky for a moment.
He got swept away at the waves and died. Wait, no… he did not die. A man protected him.
Even in the situation where his body was being torn down by the ice, this man stood, blocking the waves until the end.
“Why go this…”
It was a situation that Songhwa did not understand. Why was this man risking his life to save him?
“Cough. Do not give up. Because there is just one life.”
“…?”
Songhwa suddenly tilted his head. He had only one life? Did this man not have just one too? But he talked like he had many.
“Even though you are destined to die, do not give up on yourself. Struggle by any means. At least, so that it can be stopped.”
Drop
A few red drops fell from Seol-Hwi’s shoulder.
It was frozen blood.
His entire body staggered like it had turned into a rag in the cold air which was tearing everything apart.
But those eyes were still shining brightly, making Songhwa tear up.
It was strange. He was not sad or moved by this man, and yet he could not stop the tears from flowing.
Maybe this was empathy. And maybe it is because there was hope.
“Do not give up on yourself…”
So far life had been painful.
A life with nothing but adapting, unable to resist because of the fear of death, and the man in front was talking about that.
To resist and strike back.
If you are going to die, you might as well hit back.
100… 99…
Seol-Hwi confirmed the decreasing time.
Then—
“Euk!”
“…You alright?”
He was shocked when Songhwa coughed up red blood.
“I-I am sorry… I will… try again…”
“Ah, right.”
No matter how desperately he tried to block it, Seol-Hwi could not stop the wide range attack of the Demon Lord.
And spatial movement required a high degree of concentration, so continuing that with such a shock would be close to impossible.
So Songhwa blamed himself but Seol-Hwi calmed and said,
“Wouldn’t it be unfair…”
“…?”
“I was used all my life, and then eventually got abandoned. But the fact is that I have to run until the last moment of my life.”
“…”
Seol-Hwi turned around and said,
“Even if we die when we have to die, make sure to give it back.”
“…”
“Even if we have just one life, let’s live like that. What do you think?”
Songhwa could not be silent.
He could not move them. And Seol-Hwi did say this, the only way out was now sealed.
It felt stupid to fight and yet his confidence was amazing to watch.
Shhhk
It was so funny.
He was different from those he met. And for the first time, it felt interesting?
Right. This man was a double edged sword.
“Right. Let us try it.”
Seeing Songhwa respond in a shy manner, Seol-Hwi nodded and—
<Safeguarding Heavenly Pill is being used.>
After using the pill and recovering at once, Seol-Hwi raised his head, and it felt strange.
According to the original plan, Songhwa had to be forced to cast teleportation.
Because there was not much time left, and no matter what happened, he wanted to get out safely now. But life did not happen as planned.
This is their last life.
Seol-Hwi saw Songhwa trembling in fear.
The image of himself shaking without any strength, this is why he wanted to help him regardless of the result of the mission.
He was trying to fight regardless of whether it would be a win or a loss. Because he did not want to regret it.
“You really are a strange guy,”
Said Demon Lord floating in the air.
Did this human survive the explosion?
For some reason, the sword was shorter now. And he approached Seol-Hwi.
“You are tough. That makes this more exciting.”
“…?”
“The joy of being able to deal with you.”
“…!”
The Demon Lord ran away. He hit the body of Seol-Hwi with a palm technique and watched it with a smile.
“I saw it a while back, the Heavenly Demon King’s Step.”
Shhhh
Seol-Hwi’s shadows approached from around but Demon Lord did not seem bothered.
Rather, he was smiling.
“Well, come on.”
Shhhh
One of the illusions of Seol-Hwi moved in. The Demon Lord was hit in the stomach with his body collapsing.
“Kuk…”
He raised his head, but right then another Seol-Hwi kicked him near the chin and the third kicked him down.
Thud!
The Demon Lord, who was slammed down, had to breath heavily, and blood trickled down his mouth as his expression distorted.
Tak! Tauk!
The fight between the two was nothing short of one sided. The Demon Lord tried to get up but the illusions of Seol-Hwi continued to hit him.
From the front, an internal energy led kick or punch would come down to keep him grounded.
“Ah-No! something is wrong!”
Songhwa, who saw it, shouted loudly.
The fight was so one sided and unsteady. Seol-Hwi was completely winning, and the Demon Lord was like a corpse.
It was strange.
As far as Songhwa knew, the Demon Lord was not a person who would be defeated so easily.
He always had a plan, and if that plan went wrong, he would withdraw.
He would not simply let himself get attacked like this…
“…Wait. The Heavenly Demon King’s Step?”
Songhwa’s eyes widened. A moment later he realized what the Demon Lord was aiming for.
“Warrior Seol! That…!”
Tak!
But he was too late.
The moment Songhwa was about to shout, Seol-Hwi, who was about to hit the Demon Lord on the head, stopped.
“Huhuhuh…”
And the Demon Lord, with his face of bones exposed and blood dripping down, was smiling as he held the arm of Seol-Hwi.
“Caught you.”
Shhh
The eyes of his distorted.
It was not the eyes of this world. At the same time, he used martial arts as well.
He used a taboo which should not exist.
“Absorption Great Technique.”
“…!”
Songhwa was shocked.
As he thought. The Demon Lord was deliberately aiming for this. He watched Seol-Hwi move all throughout the fight.
“Ackkkk!”
Songhwa shouted as his ominous premonition was coming true.
But the screams stopped.
“Right. I was aiming for this.”
The voice and look of the Demon Lord which was elated went stiff.
Seol-Hwi, with a grave look, looked at the Demon Lord and said with a chilling face,
“I was hoping for this too.”
The strangeness spread, and then the Demon Lord realized.
Just like how he aimed for Seol-Hwi’s energy.
This guy was copying that.
“Absorption Great Technique.”
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