Chapter 9 - Demonic Claw (3)

Seong Ja-Myeong said,

＂Third Brother is thorough with the basics.＂

＂I have nothing else, so I try to build on what I have.＂

＂Excellent. Many wander later because they aren't faithful to the basics. Of course, I'm not one to teach…＂

Seong Ja-Myeong reached out in the darkness.

＂The first form of the Nine Heavenly Demon Arts is Demonic Claw. As Third Brother knows, it's a fist made for striking down enemies. But Third Brother, among its applications, there are also angles.＂

＂Are you talking about Devil's Horn…?＂

＂That's right, Third Brother. The first form of the Nine Heavenly Demon Arts, Demonic Claw, has the fundamental Demonic Claw and four applicable forms, right?＂

Seong Ja-Myeong clutched at the empty air.

＂White Snake to seize the enemy.＂

He turned and struck at the side of an unseen opponent.

＂Piercing Fang, driving in the elbow.＂

His Qi-filled arm vanished for a moment in the air.

＂True Blood, a deception to trick the enemy.＂

His extended leg kicked the abdomen of the invisible opponent.

＂And it ends with Devil's Horn, a strongly thrusting angle technique.＂

＂......＂

His form is clean. Whatever else, I know one thing.

He's stronger than me. He must have trained in Martial Arts for a long time.

＂Excellent.＂

＂I'm ashamed. It's not a skill I can proudly display. Despite learning it, it’s lacking, merely mimicking what I’ve seen.＂

Seong Ja-Myeong wiped the tip of his nose.

＂But fortunately, I can be of some help to Third Brother. Come, let's take it slowly, Third Brother.＂

＂Is it alright for you to help me? Won’t it take away from your personal time…?＂

＂Third Brother, speaking like that, wasn't it Third Brother who helped me first?＂

Seong Ja-Myeong grinned.

＂Moreover, it would be difficult if you considered it a favor, Third Brother.＂

＂Yes?＂

＂This is an investment. In my opinion, Third Brother will climb higher than me.＂

He winked.

＂It means don't forget that I played a part in the world you'll one day look down upon, Third Brother.＂

＂...What is that?＂

＂I wonder the same. What am I even saying?＂

Seong Ja-Myeong laughed.

I laughed along.

＂Now, let's practice. Third Brother.＂

I followed his movements. I stretched out my hand and matched his footwork.

I thrust forward.

Forward…

I thrust.

. . .

Kwaaang!!!

My body crashed into a tree. A terrible pain ran through me, but I immediately got up.

I dodged the incoming sword. More than half of my ear was sliced off, but I ran out. I slammed into Yi Ho’s body and rolled on the ground together.

＂You crazy bastard!＂

I have to jump shorter than the gap of the sword.

I mustn't give the enemy advantageous space.

Think. Don’t stop thinking, Jeok Un.

Move.

If you don’t move, then you’ll really die.

Nine Heavenly Demon Arts

First Form.

Demonic Claw.

I slammed my hand down. Yi Ho’s head snapped.

My fist struck empty air. But I still didn’t let him go.

I grabbed his falling body.

「White Snake to seize the enemy.」

Following the memory, I slammed my hand down. I grabbed his escaping wrist and twisted it.

I threw him.

＂Kugh?!＂

I chased the tumbling Yi Ho. The Nine Heavenly Blood Demon Sword Arts, regaining its composure, pierced my shoulder.

Pain screamed a warning. My vision went out for a moment. When I regained consciousness, my left arm was floating in the air.

Severed. But I immediately snatched it. I forced it back into place and roared.

Don’t stop.

Jeok Un.

Once you’ve started running…

---Never stop!

＂You crazy bastard?!＂

Yi Ho twisted his sword. An unfamiliar Sword Technique flew towards me. I didn't even consider dodging it.

I just focused on mirroring his slightly, very slightly, flustered expression.

Hesitation. An expression crumbling under confusion and tension.

If he hesitates, I can do it. I can chase what’s in front of me.

Turning my body. Even if the sword lodges deep in my waist, it doesn’t matter.

Bleeding. Desperately.

「Piercing Fang, driving in the elbow.」

---Strike with your whole being!

＂Keuk?!＂

For the first time, I hit him squarely. I gasped in pain and sprinted forward.

The Demonic Claw I threw next barely grazed his chin. Shallow. I need to get closer.

But he knows my range. There's a limit to recklessly pushing forward.

So.

So.

「True Blood, a deception to trick the enemy.」

Deceive.

＂Hup!＂

I took the Demonic Claw stance. I lowered my body. I gathered strength in my legs as if to explode forward in an instant.

I unleashed my killing intent.

I kept my body still.

Yi Ho reflexively swung his sword. He predicted my trajectory and swung his sword preemptively.

Neck.

He aimed for my neck.

But I didn’t move forward. I gathered all my strength and looked for an opening.

For the enemy’s stance to crumble. For my Void Step to induce an opening in my opponent.

＂What?!＂

It crumbled.

And now.

「Devil's Horn a strongly thrusting angle technique.」

I turned and kicked.

With all my might.

＂Keeerk?!＂

I chased after Yi Ho, who was flung back, dropping his sword. The Demonic Claw he reflexively threw grazed my cheek.

Blood splattered. As if he wouldn’t be defeated so easily, he twisted his hand.

Demonic Claw’s White Snake.

My seized shoulder creaked as if it would shatter.

＂Kreeeuk?!＂

The bone broke. I’m sure of it. Starting from my shoulder, it cracked.

He’s squeezing all his Qi and crushing my shoulder.

Internal Explosive Qi Strike.

He’s trying to destroy me from the inside.

＂You piece of trash!!! You…!!! You…!!!!＂

My whole body trembles. I can’t breathe.

The pain of recovery is worse than the initial agony. He’s strangling me like wringing out a rag.

My vision flickered. I entered complete darkness, then saw his form again.

My knees buckled. My gradually lowering posture had shifted at some point.

He looked down at me.

And I looked up at him…

That…

That…

「This is an investment. In my opinion, Third Brother will climb higher than me.」

…That kind of…

That kind of talk is now…

Disgusting.

＂Kuuuh…!＂

I squeezed out my Qi. Blood erupted from my whole body in the agonizing pain of Thousand Veils. My eyes were bloodshot, and something kept pouring out of my nose.

My vision is blurry. Death is before me. But I absolutely couldn’t collapse.

Don’t stop.

Jeok Un. Please.

If you have nothing, wring it out even if you have to twist it.

「It means don't forget that I played a part in the world you'll one day look down upon, Third Brother.」

If you’ve started, see it through to the end.

＂What… what… what the… what the hell…? What is this…?＂

If you have nothing, bring out what little you do have.

＂With that kind of body condition… fuck… with that worthless Qi…?!＂

Don’t choose when to overcome.

If it has to be done, it’s now.

For me, there’s always only now.

So…

＂A mere third-rate…?!＂

Overcome.

Now.

I straighten my bending knees. I clench my fists.

I clench them harder than ever before.

Beginning and end.

End and beginning.

I vomited blood within that space. I roared and shouted.

Nine Heavenly Demon Arts

First Form.

Demonic Claw.

The fist I threw was swallowed by a bloody afterimage. Yi Ho’s face contorted, and the hand gripping my shoulder was released.

Something touched the end of my fist. Flesh. Then bone.

A feast of a twisting nose and protruding teeth.

I turned my body. A red shadow followed my movements.

A fist striking towards the enemy whose stance has crumbled.

A crimson flower blooming in the mud.

＂Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!＂

Demonic Claw.

My scream mingled with the Martial Arts Move.

. . .

＂First Demon.＂

＂Yes, Sect Leader.＂

Crack.

Bamboo sounded in the garden. The Heavenly Demon, sipping tea amidst the flowing water, chuckled.

＂Is our puppy dead or alive?＂

First Demon answered curtly,

＂Alive.＂

＂Have you confirmed it?＂

＂I have not. I do not use shortcuts.＂

＂Then why are you so certain? Didn't you say with your own mouth that he was just a Bum-bu?＂

＂I did say that.＂

＂Did you secretly slip him a Spirit Pill?＂

＂As I said, I do not use shortcuts.＂

＂Hmm. Is that so? This lady feels that you want that boy dead.＂

＂.......＂

＂You don’t deny it. Then has there been a change of heart? What was the trigger?＂

＂That feeling hasn’t changed. I still consider him troublesome and useless.＂

＂Then why are you so sure he’s alive?＂

I wonder why.

First Demon looked at the teacup in front of him. The surface, untouched, was filled with green tea, almost overflowing.

If he brought his lips to it, he could release that precarious fullness. But he didn’t.

Sometimes, there are things that are relieved just by looking at them.

That boy is like that.

＂The Nine Heavenly Demon Arts are the Martial Arts you created, Sect Leader, are they not?＂

＂That's right. This lady put quite a bit of effort into creating those Martial Arts. I put in some funny things too.＂

＂I also learned those Martial Arts, so I know. I haven't reached the peak, but I control it.＂

＂Those are incomplete Martial Arts. The Nine Heavenly Demon Arts were not originally meant to have a defined end. It is said that one can escape the demonic nature of the Nine Heavenly Demon Arts as one’s Realm rises…＂

The Heavenly Demon rested her hand on her cheek. She chuckled.

＂Few reach a high Realm solely through the Nine Heavenly Demon Arts. Besides, it's difficult. It's a Martial Arts where only crazy people can achieve greatness. Even this lady gave up halfway through creating it. The number of people who have mastered the seventh form can be counted on one hand, and only you and this lady have mastered the eighth form, haven't we?＂

＂Your words are correct, Sect Leader.＂

＂What is the reason for bringing this up?＂

＂As I said before, I haven’t mastered those Martial Arts. There are various factors, but in the end, it’s because I lack patience.＂

The Heavenly Demon yawned.

＂What kind of patience is that? That's suicidal. As this lady said, it’s a Martial Art created by burning one’s life to grab hold of the ankles of Masters…＂

The Heavenly Demon stopped speaking.

After a moment of thought, she asked,

＂Did you perhaps teach him one of the methods of using Thousand Veils?＂

＂Yes, Sect Leader.＂

＂You confirmed it?＂

＂I confirmed it.＂

＂Was he walking around fine?＂

＂He was screaming, but he was walking.＂

＂...Pufu! Hahaha! What nonsense! That boy is truly a madman among madmen!＂

Before the laughing Heavenly Demon, First Demon reached out. He placed his hand on the teacup and lightly sipped the near-overflowing tea.

＂He is incompetent, but he can fulfill conditions that others cannot.＂

＂That’s right. The Nine Heavenly Demon Arts are Martial Arts where the achievements accelerate the more one walks the Death Line… Thousand Veils inflicts pain, but it also prolongs life. Any injury, as long as the head is attached, will heal. If the conditions are met, can't one continuously walk the Death Line? It's a battle of whether one goes mad first, or achieves greatness first… It was a good decision to take him in.＂

＂He will achieve greatness first.＂

＂Why are you so certain?＂

＂He truly admires your power, Sect Leader.＂

Just stating what he saw.

That boy is crazy. Crazy in a different way.

＂Sect Leader, I cannot even imagine myself surpassing you.＂

＂Everyone is like that.＂

＂But he is different.＂

＂...Hmm.＂

The Heavenly Demon placed her hand on her cheek.

＂A talentless sword built upon pain.＂

Her fingertips brushed her lips. Her smiling face was so bewitching that even First Demon lost his sight for a moment.

＂Truly a layman’s sword. What a funny fellow.＂