novelraw Chapter 146 : The Realm of the 5th Circle (1)
Chapter 146 : The Realm of the 5th Circle (1)
‘Incredible.’
It was an overwhelming fight.
Now that I had reached the realm of a super-master, their chilling capabilities hit me even more clearly.
‘So that’s why she’s the best sword in Shaanxi.’
She was fighting on nearly equal footing with the head of the Heretic Alliance, who was said to have half-reached the Profound Realm.
As the Zixia Sword Art unfolded, it deflected the thrusts of the Heartless Life-Taking Sword. The ever-changing yet gentle sword path dominated the area.
Watching Cheong Ah-hyun perform the Zixia Sword Art, the vision I had seen from the White Plum Blossom seemed to resurface.
‘Something in my mind’s eye feels like it’s just within reach, yet just out of it.’
My hands were itching.
But even so, I had no confidence to jump in there alone. What could I do in such a fierce battle that even a decent Transformation Realm master couldn't carelessly support?
‘So, in this situation, we do what we can.’
I looked around.
On one side, Bong Cheol-hwan, the next candidate for the abbot of Shaolin, was fighting the enemy with the Arhat Hall.
At the center was a man of monstrous strength, swinging a mace and sending them all flying, even while being struck by the Arhat Sword Formation.
Bae Dong-pa, the Earth-Shaking Iron Mace. He was a Transformation Realm master and a key executive, the right-hand man of the Heretic Alliance’s leader, Jin Tae-gyeom.
True to his title, which meant he could cause an earthquake by striking the ground with his mace, he was showing an offensive of immense power.
‘This could be dangerous.’
At that moment, Bae Dong-pa broke through the Arhat Sword Formation and rushed out. Bong Cheol-hwan charged to block him, but was pushed back by a single blow from the mace.
Just as the mace was about to strike down on Bong Cheol-hwan, whose sword had broken from the heavy yet swift attack.
Kaang!
I immediately rushed out and fired a Flame Lightning First Blade Spear.
Bae Dong-pa, who blocked it by lifting his mace with a swift movement unbefitting his size, was glaring at me with murderous eyes when.
“You shouldn’t only be paying attention to this side.”
Baek Hasin’s Black Moon Sword, which had approached Bae Dong-pa before he knew it, scattered its sword qi and aimed for the enemy’s neck.
Kwaang!
With a deafening roar that was hard to believe came from weapons clashing, Baek Hasin was sent flying backward. Three Flame Lightning Spears flew towards Bae Dong-pa, who was charging to aim for the now-vulnerable Baek Hasin.
Kwa-gwa-gwang!
The enemy endured the magic with his protective qi and rushed at Baek Hasin. Having no choice, I ran at full speed and thrust the Demon-Slaying Sword at him.
Then, as if waiting for it, Bae Dong-pa turned the mace he was thrusting at Baek Hasin towards me.
It was a veteran response, worthy of the Heretic Alliance leader’s right-hand man.
Our powerful qi clashed in mid-air.
‘He’s strong, as expected.’
I narrowed my brow at the impact that was transmitted without any loss of power despite the sharp turn. It seemed I had suffered some internal damage.
‘Still, I bought some time, so I guess it’s fine.’
Because in the meantime, Baek Hasin had already recovered and was rushing at Bae Dong-pa.
The ferocious sword strikes of the Heavenly Demon Sword Art hammered down on Bae Dong-pa’s mace. I, too, floated in the air and occasionally fired a Flame Lightning Spear to keep Bae Dong-pa in check.
At first, Bae Dong-pa just took the hits with his protective qi, but as I continued to fire the Flame Lightning Spears, he started to dodge or deflect them, as if they were getting annoying.
Thanks to that, it went without saying that Baek Hasin’s room for movement had widened.
‘But if this goes on, we’re at a disadvantage.’
Although I had gotten quite strong, the opponent was also a master at least at the mid-tier level among Transformation Realm masters.
What I had felt while fighting Seo Chae-gang was that the Transformation Realm was on a different level.
Although I could hold out against him to some extent, I needed a decisive blow to defeat him.
“Unleash the Arhat Formation!”
Just then, a voice was heard.
Bong Cheol-hwan and the Arhat Hall had already surrounded Bae Dong-pa.
‘I was wondering what they were doing, suddenly widening the distance. So they were forming an encirclement.’
Indeed, as befitting the Shaolin Temple, the masters of sword formations, they were very skilled at secretly deploying the Arhat Formation.
Such a secret and swift encirclement.
Come to think of it, it seemed Bae Dong-pa had noticed and tried to break away a few times in the middle, but his ankles were caught by my and Baek Hasin’s checks.
“We’ll match the rhythm, so fight!”
Bong Cheol-hwan shouted, deflecting the enemy’s mace with a sword he had newly acquired on the battlefield.
The Arhat Formation was a martial art that was only possible when all members moved as one body.
This feat was possible because they, who were skilled in the Arhat Formation, changed their formation in real time and kept Bae Dong-pa in check.
All of this was thanks to Bong Cheol-hwan, the center of the Arhat Formation, intervening at the right time and place.
‘As expected of the next abbot of Shaolin.’
His eye for reading the surrounding battle situation, his leadership, and his skill at the proficient super-peak level.
Although he might seem weak compared to the monster of monsters, Baek Hasin, or the top-tier of the advanced students, his capabilities were quite excellent.
A fierce battle ensued.
Before he knew it, the number of super-peak masters had increased to three, and on top of that, there was the Arhat Formation that surrounded and followed him even if he tried to escape.
In the chaotic battle, the tide was gradually turning.
No matter how strong one person is, if they fight a long-term battle against dozens of people, their energy is bound to be depleted.
Bae Dong-pa, who was now at a disadvantage, swung his mace and let out a roar.
“Uwaaaaaah!!!!!”
A powerful qi of immense density. The front was momentarily empty from the blow that seemed capable of crushing everything within the weapon’s range.
‘Where do you think you’re going!’
But for me, who was floating high above his head, it didn't matter.
I immediately fired the giant Flame Lightning Spear I had been preparing and caught his ankle.
“You fly-like bastard!!”
He looked up this way as if enraged, but there was no time for that. Because Baek Hasin and Bong Cheol-hwan were following up, swinging their swords.
Ka-ga-ga-gang!
Two proficient super-peak masters. On top of that, with magic falling from above his head and a barrage of sword qi occasionally flying from beyond the Arhat Formation, Bae Dong-pa’s steps couldn’t help but slow down.
Even if he charged like a wild boar, he was just caught in the traps and nets set before him, only draining his stamina.
The enemy was already caught in a spider's web.
The only lifeline was outside help, but since Bae Dong-pa’s subordinates were already blocked by the Zhongnan Sect and our instructors, that was also a distant hope.
All that was left was a single beast destined to be eaten alone.
“I won’t let you go!!”
Finally, Bae Dong-pa, whose ear was partially cut off by Baek Hasin’s sword, let out a roar.
A tremendously large powerful qi formed on his mace. At the end of it was Baek Hasin.
“Dangerous!”
I immediately fired the Flame Lightning First Blade Spear I had prepared for the final moment.
Even a Transformation Realm master couldn't be fine after being hit by this head-on, so he would have no choice but to block it.
But the mace did not stop.
As if betting everything on this moment. Bae Dong-pa raised his entire body’s protective qi and thrust his mace at Baek Hasin.
Kwaaaaaang!!
Soon, with a deafening roar as if the earth’s axis was shaking, a cloud of flame lightning and dust rose.
I immediately stepped on a shield and rushed to the ground, drawing the Demon-Slaying Sword.
Since I had used excessive output with the last attack, a medium-to-large-scale magic was impossible for now.
If Baek Hasin was alive, I would buy time for him to escape with a surprise attack. If he was dead… I was thinking of cutting off the enemy’s neck.
The moment I was about to thrust the Demon-Slaying Sword towards the enemy’s presence I felt below, what I saw was an unbelievable sight.
There stood Bong Cheol-hwan with one arm missing, and right in front of him was Baek Hasin, kneeling on one knee, deflecting the mace diagonally with the Black Moon Sword.
Next to the Black Moon Sword, a crater several meters deep was dug.
‘Don’t tell me Bong Cheol-hwan blocked it?’
Although it was a brief moment, I could tell. Bong Cheol-hwan had sacrificed one of his arms to block the mace that had been aimed at Baek Hasin.
If Bong Cheol-hwan hadn't blocked it, Baek Hasin might have been the one to lose an arm.
As I was falling at high speed towards the ground, I finally assessed the enemy’s condition.
I could see that the Flame Lightning First Blade Spear, which had been aimed at his neck, was stuck in his shoulder, and the upper part of his shoulder blade was half cut off.
A failed all-out attack. And a broken shoulder.
There was nothing Bae Dong-pa could do. Except to accept the sword blade that fell on the back of his head.
Seo-geok-!
A sword strike sharper than any powerful qi he had ever erected cut Bae Dong-pa’s neck in two.
The head that flew up in the air, spinning, rolled into the crater he had made, and soon the headless body, unable to withstand the weight of the mace, also fell into the crater.
For the right-hand man of the Heretic Alliance’s leader, it was a futile death.
There was much to say, but since we were in the middle of a war, I used psychokinesis to pull out Bae Dong-pa’s head and body and floated them in the air.
And then I imbued my voice with internal energy and shouted loudly. So that everyone on this battlefield could hear.
“The Martial Academy student and the Arhat Hall have killed Bae Dong-pa!!!”
Whether he had underestimated the power of the Flame Lightning First Blade Spear, or had simply made a move to take Baek Hasin with him at the end. He was dead, and we had won.
That was what was important.
When Bae Dong-pa’s body floated in the sky and was displayed, a great commotion broke out on the battlefield.
Because it meant that the de facto number two of the Heretic Alliance was dead. And by two kids who were students and the Shaolin Temple’s Arhat Hall.
The deaths of Bae Dong-pa and Lee Do-yul, and the escape of Seo Chae-gang, the defeat of the leadership and super-masters was enough to break the enemy’s morale.
Having raised our allies’ morale, I immediately looked for Bong Cheol-hwan, who was stopping his bleeding.
“…Are you alright?”
“I can endure it.”
Although he was saying that, one of his arms was completely torn off and crushed. Since the bone was crushed into powder without even leaving a shape, recovery was impossible.
For a martial artist, it was a half-death sentence. As I was searching for words of comfort in the silence, Bong Cheol-hwan gave a dry laugh and comforted me instead.
“No need to make such a serious face. From the moment I held a sword, I was always prepared for this. Besides, thanks to you guys, I almost died but survived. I not only saved my life but also killed Bae Dong-pa and gained merit, so I will give you my thanks.”
He then bowed his head. At the unexpected thanks, Baek Hasin and I waved our hands and stopped him.
Soon, Bong Cheol-hwan slowly raised his gaze and said.
“If things had gone wrong, not only me but the entire Arhat Hall could have been in danger. If I could save the lives of my juniors with just one of my arms, it is enough.”
Bong Cheol-hwan. His name wasn't great, but his spirit was a splendid man.
“I will surely repay today’s favor.”
And he was thorough in repaying his debts.
And so, while we were catching our breath, the tide of the battle was slowly starting to turn.
‘The problem is the fight between Cheong Ah-hyun and Jin Tae-gyeom.’
There was no suitable master to help.
The Zhongnan Sect’s only Transformation Realm master, the sect head, was fighting Jin Tae-gyeom’s left-hand man, and the masters from the Shaolin and Huashan sides also had little room to provide support due to injuries or their own opponents.
In the original story, Jin Tae-gyeom eventually retreats with the joining of the Zhongnan Sect’s head, but in a situation where many things had already changed, I couldn’t just be optimistic.
“Let’s go.”
“What are you trying to do now?”
The guy who immediately questions my words.
“Don’t worry, I’m not fighting directly.”
Worried about the time with the Blood Demon, I first put Baek Hasin in front and approached the middle of the battlefield.
In the scene where a radius of several dozen meters was being shattered by the battle, I prepared a full-power Flame Lightning First Blade Spear.
Woong-!
As if sensing something unusual from the aftermath of the mana, Jin Tae-gyeom sent a sharp gaze this way.
But Cheong Ah-hyun did not let him be.
Sword strikes clashing in mid-air.
Aiming for that moment, I fired the Flame Lightning First Blade Spear.
Beon-jjeok!
An attack flying towards Jin Tae-gyeom.
For a guy who had reached the pinnacle of the Transformation Realm, he could have easily dodged it, but he couldn't because Cheong Ah-hyun's sword blocked him. No, he didn't dodge.
Kaang!
With a loud roar, the First Blade lodged in Jin Tae-gyeom’s back. To be precise, it stopped at the end of his skin before lodging.
He had endured the Flame Lightning First Blade Spear with just his protective qi.
‘He’s crazy.’
No matter how stark the difference in levels was even among Transformation Realm masters, to think it was this much.
I didn't expect that I wouldn't even be able to inflict a wound.
But he couldn't completely offset the impact, and in that moment, Cheong Ah-hyun's sword deflected Jin Tae-gyeom's dao and wounded his shoulder.
The first wound.
I could feel Cheong Ah-hyun, who had succeeded in a very brief attack, looking this way.
‘Good.’
Just as I was hoping that if the support was properly provided, we could sufficiently drive Jin Tae-gyeom away. One fact flashed through my mind.
‘Wait. Come to think of it, it’s about time…’
Just as I was looking at the center with an unfinished thought, a tremendous monstrous roar was heard from high above.
“Kkeu-wo-eo-eo-eo-eo!!”
A winged monster in the shape of a dragon was falling from the sky.
“What’s that!?”
“It’s a monster!!”
In the midst of the suddenly appeared giant monster and the surprised reactions of the surroundings, I drew the Demon-Slaying Sword.
‘It’s finally here.’
Soon, what descended to the ground, casting a shadow, was a 20-meter-sized demonic beast, the Yinglong.
(End of Chapter)