Chapter 45
-Kuuung!
Again, the bastard charged at me like a beast. A fist filled with murderous intent came flying toward me.
"Guhk!"
I tried to block it with my Japanese sword, but his fist shattered the cracked blade. Broken fragments of the blade scattered in every direction.
The moment I lost my weapon, his second fist flew toward my chest. It was already too late to dodge.
-Thwack!
"Kgh!"
An immense impact slammed into my entire body. Along with pain that made it feel as though every bone in my body were breaking, I was sent flying through the air.
-Krrack!
My body flew through the building wall and rolled across the floor. Blood burst from my mouth.
"Honey!"
"Hey! Are you okay?!"
I heard the frantic voices of Jeon Do-eun and Im Hwa-yeon. But I had no time to answer. Pain, as though the bastard's attack had twisted my internal organs, swept through my entire body.
-Kuuung!
Without giving me even a moment's respite, the bastard chased after me. The steel-colored monster charged through the collapsed wall.
"Lightning!"
"Flame Burst!"
The two women's successive attacks flew at him, but he paid them no attention. With eyes filled only with murderous intent toward me, he raised his fist.
'Not like this….'
I tried to force myself up, but even moving my broken ribs was difficult.
The instant his fist was about to descend toward my face-
-Thwack!
Just before the steel-hard fist came down, someone shoved me aside.
"Aagh!"
It was Im Hwa-yeon. After pushing me away and taking the bastard's fist head-on, her body went flying and rolled across the floor.
"Hwa-yeon!"
Im Hwa-yeon lay motionless on the floor.
-Kuuung!
The bastard charged toward the fallen Im Hwa-yeon. With a crazed look in his eyes, he raised his fist once more.
'No!'
I forced myself up despite the pain. The agony of my broken ribs digging into my flesh slammed through my entire body, but I had no time to worry about it now.
The instant his fist was about to descend toward Im Hwa-yeon-
-Screeech!
Gripping a sharp fragment of the broken Japanese sword, I drove it toward his arm. The blade fragment infused with internal energy pierced his steel-like skin.
"Kraaagh!"
For the first time, a scream of pain burst from his mouth. Blood flowed from the arm pierced by the blade fragment.
Without missing this opening, I scooped up Im Hwa-yeon and leaped away. While the bastard pulled the blade from his arm, Jeon Do-eun also hurried toward us.
"Are you okay…?"
Im Hwa-yeon asked in a faint voice while bleeding.
"Is this really the time to worry about someone else?"
I held her carefully and scanned our surroundings. The bastard had pulled the blade from his arm and was glaring at us with an even more ferocious look in his eyes.
-Kraaaargh!
Along with a beastlike roar, even more intense killing intent poured from his body.
A lightning attack from Jeon Do-eun flew toward him.
"Honey! Get back!"
At Jeon Do-eun's shout, an even stronger bolt of lightning came crashing down. But it had no effect on the bastard whatsoever. If anything, it only provoked him.
-Kuuung!
The bastard suddenly changed direction and charged toward Jeon Do-eun. He rushed at her as though he were faster than lightning-
-Thwack!
"Kyaaak!"
Along with Jeon Do-eun's scream, her body flew through the air. A single blow from the bastard sent her through the building wall and out of sight.
"Ms. Jeon Do-eun!"
Kim Jeong-hu and the ability users appeared after evacuating the civilians. The moment they saw us, they charged at the bastard.
Kim Jeong-hu immediately controlled the shadows and bound the bastard's legs. The other ability users also unleashed attacks with their respective abilities.
But none of them had any effect.
"Kikikikik"
Laughter leaked from the bastard's mouth. In an instant, he shattered the shadows binding his arms and legs, then charged at the ability users.
"Aagh!"
"Save me!"
Two men died instantly as their torsos burst apart. Blood and chunks of flesh flew through the air.
The bastard did not stop. He immediately charged at Kim Jeong-hu. Kim hurriedly wrapped himself in shadows, but the bastard's fist broke through the shadow barrier in one blow.
"S-save…. Kgh"
Kim Jeong-hu's face, caught in the bastard's grip, twisted with terror. But that lasted only a moment.
-Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The bastard slammed Kim Jeong-hu's body against the floor again and again like a rag doll. The floor turned red amid the horrible, sickening sounds.
In an instant, the bastard began massacring the ability users.
Taking advantage of the bastard's distraction, I carried Im Hwa-yeon and ran toward the wreckage of the building where Jeon Do-eun had been sent flying. I could see her between the collapsed walls.
"Do-eun, are you okay?"
"Hah… haaah… honey…. I think I'm going to die…."
Even while bleeding, Jeon Do-eun barely managed to sit up. Her body was battered all over, but fortunately, she did not seem to have suffered a fatal injury.
"Hngh…. I think my arm is broken."
Im Hwa-yeon, who was in my arms, spoke. Neither of them looked capable of moving properly. Besides, my condition was not good either.
"For now, run…."
Before I could finish speaking, the screams of the ability users rang out in the distance. The bastard's presence was heading this way.
"Do-eun."
"Haaah… why are you calling me, honey?"
Jeon Do-eun answered while breathing heavily.
"Take care of Hwa-yeon.“
I handed Im Hwa-yeon over to her and spoke.
"What about you…?"
Jeon Do-eun's voice trembled.
"Run far away while I deal with him. I'll follow right after you.“
At my order to run, the pupils of both women trembled.
"…All right. The two of us would only get in your way right now. But make sure you come back alive. If you do, I'll do something nice for you."
Jeon Do-eun nodded and supported Im Hwa-yeon.
"Hey, are you sure you'll be okay on your own…?"
Im Hwa-yeon asked with a worried look in her eyes.
"Don't worry and go on ahead. I'll catch up with you soon."
The two women slowly backed away until they disappeared from view.
Now I truly needed a final trump card.
I dropped the fragment of the Japanese sword and picked up my smartphone. Even though I was far away from the gay bastard, a notification appeared saying it could not be used during combat.
‘As expected, this doesn't work?’
I checked my inventory. Then I clicked on the Bicheon Sword.
[Inventory]
[Bicheon Sword (飛天劍)]
Then a sword appeared in midair.
The scabbard of the Bicheon Sword was made of platinum carved into the shapes of clouds and wind.
'Fortunately, I can take items out freely even during combat.‘
I reached toward the Bicheon Sword that had appeared in midair.
The moment I grasped the Bicheon Sword-
“Kgh….”
An immense pain traveled through my hand and slammed into my entire body. It felt as though the sword possessed a will of its own and was pressing down on me, refusing to acknowledge me as its master.
"Grrrgh…."
Gritting my teeth, I gripped the hilt and scabbard of the Bicheon Sword. Then I slowly drew the sword from its scabbard.
-Whoooosh
The blade emerged with the faint sound of wind. The silver-white blade gleamed transparently, as if it contained the sky itself. Golden engravings depicting patterns of the heavens ran along the center of the blade.
At that moment, an even more intense energy traveled through my hand. A fierce force, like a raging storm, coiled around my body. It was as though the sword were testing me of its own accord.
And then-
-Thud!
A huge man fell from the sky. He looked down at me with an unpleasant smile.
”Kikikik.“
A shitty laugh leaked from the bastard's mouth.
”Yeah, you gay bastard. Let's see which of us dies.“
I gritted my teeth and gripped the sword. The harder I held it, the more the hand gripping the sword was torn apart by something sharp.
-Kikikikik!
The bastard charged at me. He raised his steel-hard fist.
'Fuck…. I don't know.'
Blood flowing from my palm ran down the blade. Despite the pain of my hand being torn apart, I swung the Bicheon Sword.
The thin, sharp blade bent naturally and sliced through the wind. It moved as though following the flow of the air. Faint blue trails remained wherever the blade passed.
The bastard's steel-hard fist collided with the Bicheon Sword.
-Swish
A smooth sensation passed through me, as though I were cutting through empty air. Then, in an instant, the bastard's fist was severed with a single stroke. His arm, hard as steel, was cleanly sliced off as easily as cutting tofu.
"Kieeeek!"
For the first time, a scream of pain burst from the bastard's mouth. Red blood gushed from the severed stump like a fountain.
Before I could even admire the sword's performance, the bastard attacked with his leg.
I circulated internal energy around my body to protect myself from his attack.
-Thwack!
"Ggh.“
His attack pierced through my energy barrier and struck my torso.
Blood welled up from my mouth. My already broken ribs dug even deeper into me. Pain made the strength drain from the hand gripping the Bicheon Sword.
The bastard's face was twisted with rage, apparently furious that one of his arms had been severed. His steel-colored face contorted as he raised his remaining arm.
Suppressing the pain stabbing into my lungs, I barely supported my staggering legs. Every time my broken ribs moved, it felt as though they were stabbing through my entire body.
"Heh heh, you gay bastard, I'll carve up that fucking face of yours. Bring it on."
Suppressing the pain of the Bicheon Sword digging into my palm, I raised the corners of my mouth.
Whether he understood my provocation or not, the bastard's eyes twisted even more viciously. Pink energy poured from his remaining arm, making the air around us vibrate.
"Hoo…."
I took a deep breath and composed myself. The sound of my pounding heart rang in my ears, while the little internal energy and vital essence remaining in my lower dantian churned violently.
When I gripped the Bicheon Sword tightly, the blade trembled, and I heard the quiet sound of wind. Gradually, the blade of the Bicheon Sword began to glow white. Despite the pain of my palm being torn apart, I gathered every last bit of my strength into the sword.
"Iron Mountain Shatters Heaven (鐵山破天)!"
With a booming shout, I kicked off the ground and leaped. Pain, as though my broken ribs were screaming, slammed into my entire body, but I gritted my teeth.
All the internal energy remaining in me gathered in the hand holding the Bicheon Sword.
-Thud!
The energy released from the tip of the sword took the shape of an Iron Mountain. It swallowed the pink energy pouring from the bastard's arm and pierced straight through his body.
"Kieeeek!"
An explosive shock wave swept through the surroundings. The ground split apart, and fragments flew into the sky. A cloud of dust whipped around like a storm.
"Ggh…."
I groaned in pain as I dropped to one knee.
"Haa… haaah…."
Breathing harshly, I sank down onto the floor.
The power of Iron Mountain Shatters Heaven just now was even greater than I had expected. It was power I should not have been able to produce at my level.
It seemed the Bicheon Sword had amplified my internal energy.
When I raised my hand, I saw that my palm had split completely open. The place where I had gripped the sword was torn so deeply that the flesh was exposed.
'I don't think I can even move anymore….'
That was when it happened.
-Kuuung….
The ground split apart along with an explosive shock wave. Dust and fragments scattered in every direction.
As the dust cleared and my view opened up, I saw the bastard. Iron Mountain Shatters Heaven had pierced straight through his body. His once steel-hard skin had shattered, leaving a huge hole through him.
"Ki… kiee…."
His mouth twisted as he approached me, blood flowing from it. The center of his body had been completely pierced through, yet he was still moving.
"Now… just… die already…."
With the last of his strength, he spat out those words, and his knees buckled.
My palm was completely torn apart, and my internal energy was exhausted. I was truly in a state where I could do nothing anymore.
The bastard was still approaching one step at a time. Even while bleeding from his hole-riddled body, he seemed unwilling to let go of his obsession with me until the very end.
The moment the bastard reached me.
-Thud
The bastard's huge body fell backward. He did not move again.
'Is it over….'
Once I confirmed that the bastard had fallen, the tension left me and my body slowly tilted over.
'Haa…. I really thought I was going to die.'
My consciousness faded as I collapsed onto the floor. The Bicheon Sword slipped from my hand and fell to the ground.
Before my consciousness disappeared completely, I heard someone calling my name from far away. When I looked toward where the voice was coming from, I saw Im Hwa-yeon and some people I had never seen before.
I could sense the energy unique to ability users. The Association's ability users had finally arrived.
'They sure took fucking long…. When I wake up… I'm filing a complaint….'
My vision gradually blurred. That was my last thought before I lost consciousness.