Chapter 101
“How dare this rotten bastard!”
Sparks flew from the Phantom Divine Monarch’s eyes.
“To spout such nonsense! Fine! If you wish to die, I shall grant your wish!”
Was it because he was ashamed that this young man he had never seen before had seen right through him?
The Phantom Divine Monarch was revealing a great deal of anger, unlike his usual self.
His usual relaxed and leisurely demeanor was nowhere to be found; only the Phantom Divine Monarch with a face twisted like a demon’s stood here.
*Grind.*
*Has there ever been a moment this humiliating since I became one of the Ten Great Masters?*
The Phantom Divine Monarch resolved to subdue Yeo Un-hwi alive, not kill him.
He planned to use every means and method he knew to inflict the most horrific pain in the world upon him, for a very long time.
To kill him in one blow would be far too merciful a method.
*‘No, absolutely not!’*
Since he dared to inflict such humiliation upon him, he would grant him a hell to match.
And he would make everyone know.
What becomes of those who dare to displease him or run their mouths carelessly in his presence.
*Kuuuung.*
Soon, a massive aura began to emanate from the Phantom Divine Monarch’s heavy body.
For a moment, it felt as if the air in the entire underground arena had grown heavy.
No, it was not a feeling.
“From now on, I will make you feel a pain that will make you wish you were dead!”
With those words, the Phantom Divine Monarch charged toward Yeo Un-hwi.
He was incredibly fast. Unbefitting of his large frame.
No one present could properly follow his movements with their eyes.
The moment they thought he had moved, he was already in front of Yeo Un-hwi, brandishing his unique weapon, the ‘Red Serpent Axe.’
*KWAAAAANG!*
The massive axe struck the floor.
The ground where Yeo Un-hwi had been standing just a moment before was deeply gouged.
It was an incredible display of power.
And that was not the end of it.
*Swiiiiiish!*
*Kwang! Kwang! Kwaang!*
The Phantom Divine Monarch attacked Yeo Un-hwi from all sides with even greater speed.
Each attack possessed immense power, but they were also incredibly fast.
Every single attack was a threat.
*Rip. Rip.*
Before long, small cuts began to appear on the clothes of Yeo Un-hwi, who had been perfectly dodging the attacks until now.
A small cut also appeared on his cheek.
“Hoh.”
Yeo Un-hwi’s eyes widened slightly.
A wound.
How long had it been since he had been wounded like this?
*So this is one of the Ten Great Masters?*
But instead, a smile spread across Yeo Un-hwi’s lips.
As if he found it quite amusing.
The Phantom Divine Monarch ground his teeth and spoke as if this were only the beginning.
“Hmph! You run and hide well, like a little rat! But how long do you think you can keep running!”
*Click.*
In his hands, the axe suddenly became two.
It seemed he had been using two axes as one from the start.
Yeo Un-hwi let out a smirk.
“You certainly use a weapon that suits your appearance. Why don’t you just go be a mountain bandit? It seems to suit you better.”
“What did you say?”
“By the way, when are you planning on showing me that pain that will make me wish I were dead? I’m waiting, you know.”
“For a young brat, you sure know how to run your mouth! Very well!”
As his words ended, a red aura erupted from the Phantom Divine Monarch’s body.
His atmosphere was completely different from before.
It felt as if even the floor of the arena was vibrating.
The Phantom Divine Monarch had begun to reveal his true power.
“Ooh! That’s the Ghost Heaven Opening Art!”
“We have quite a lot to see today, don’t we? Haha.”
“Indeed. I never thought I would get to see the Divine Skill that the Phantom Divine Monarch prides himself on.”
The distinguished guests who still remained in the underground arena exclaimed in admiration, enjoying themselves.
They were all delighted by the unexpected spectacle.
They had not the slightest thought of escaping.
Perhaps it was only natural.
In their minds, the possibility of the Phantom Divine Monarch losing did not exist at all.
They firmly believed that the Phantom Divine Monarch would, as always, subdue this intruder, laugh heartily, and continue with the remaining events of the underground arena.
Meanwhile.
Yeo Un-hwi, who still wore an indifferent expression despite the Phantom Divine Monarch’s terrifying change in aura, suddenly picked up a sword that had fallen to the corner of the arena floor.
It was a half-broken, rusted sword, caked with the blood of the many who had died here.
With a strange look in his eyes, Yeo Un-hwi nodded his head.
“Yes. This will be enough to deal with you.”
“You crazy bastard. You’re pissing me off to the very end!”
Of all the opponents he had fought in his life, Yeo Un-hwi was the first to make him grind his teeth with every single word and action.
To dare say that a rusty sword like that was enough to face him.
Beyond being insulting, it was simply dumbfounding.
He was clearly and utterly insane.
But it didn’t matter.
*‘Fine, spout whatever nonsense you want.’*
From now on, he would be wailing, begging to be saved. No, to be killed.
The Phantom Divine Monarch’s aura, which had been raging explosively until a moment ago, suddenly calmed.
And then,
*Whoosh.*
The Phantom Divine Monarch’s figure vanished from that spot without a trace.
And he soon reappeared right in front of Yeo Un-hwi.
It was the Phantom Step that the Phantom Divine Monarch prided himself on.
*‘First, I’ll cut off one of his arms!’*
The Phantom Divine Monarch’s Red Serpent Axe glinted.
Soon, Yeo Un-hwi would see his own severed arm and let out a horrific scream.
And would that be the end? He planned to cut off the other arm as well.
He would watch with his own two eyes as he became a cripple, bound in an underground prison for the rest of his life with both arms and legs cut off.
The Phantom Divine Monarch had made up his mind.
He was very curious to see what would become of that smug face then.
But at that moment,
*Swish.*
In that very brief instant, Yeo Un-hwi turned his head toward him as he raised his axe.
*‘H-How?’*
He read his movements while he was using the Phantom Step?
*Impossible. It must be a coincidence.*
Pushing aside the absurd thought that had momentarily crossed his mind, the Phantom Divine Monarch raised his Red Serpent Axe high.
It was the moment he just had to strike down.
But,
“*Keok!*”
For a moment, his eyes met Yeo Un-hwi’s.
And an immense terror washed over him.
It was enough to make him choke.
He didn’t know why.
Just from meeting his eyes, it was as if every cell in his body was screaming.
*This is dangerous!*
It was as if he could see a vision of his own neck being severed the instant he swung the axe.
*‘N-Nooo!’*
Soon, he instinctively used the Phantom Step with all his might and retreated a great distance.
“*Heok! Heok! Heok!*”
He was now standing with his back against the wall at the edge of the arena.
His entire body was trembling uncontrollably.
His breath came in ragged gasps, and his whole body was drenched in sweat.
His hand holding the Red Serpent Axe was also shaking nonstop.
The Phantom Divine Monarch stared with wide eyes at Yeo Un-hwi, who was still standing quietly in the same spot.
*‘What is he! What in the world is that bastard that I, of all people!’*
Even he could not understand the emotion he was feeling right now.
He hadn’t even felt this way when he met the Spear Ghost.
Of course, he might have felt helpless in the face of overwhelming martial power.
But he had never felt this kind of terror, where every hair on his body stood on end and he felt like he was falling off a bottomless cliff.
Never once in his entire life.
No, except for that one time he met ‘him.’
Was that man on the same level as ‘him’?
That was impossible.
Then how?
“Wait, did the Phantom Divine Monarch just run away?”
“What is going on right now?”
The so-called distinguished guests, who had been leisurely watching the fight between Yeo Un-hwi and the Phantom Divine Monarch, began to whisper.
The Phantom Divine Monarch could feel their change in atmosphere as well.
Thanks to that, it was as if cold water had been splashed on his face, and his mind cleared.
Soon, the fear from before vanished without a trace, and his face flushed red with shame.
*‘I felt fear? Toward a brat?’*
And he had even trembled and retreated.
Others must have seen it too.
For the man known as the Phantom Divine Monarch to run away.
Had he ever made such a fool of himself?
Soon, the Phantom Divine Monarch, his hands gripping the Red Serpent Axe tightly, ground his teeth once more.
He must have been mistaken.
Otherwise, how could he feel fear toward a brat like that!
Something was wrong!
There was far too much at stake in this fight for him to simply accept everything.
Therefore,
“I can’t accept this! Never!”
Thinking he could not bear to see any more of this disgrace, the Phantom Divine Monarch cast aside his distracting thoughts and brought out his Signature Technique.
This would be his answer.
\[Raging Wind Thunder Strike\]
Soon, the two red auras contained within the Red Serpent Axe grew into the shape of axes and shot straight toward Yeo Un-hwi.
*Kwagagagagagagak!*
So fierce was the aura that the ground roared and was torn apart as it flew.
“Die!”
The Phantom Divine Monarch had long since abandoned the thought of subduing him alive to inflict pain.
He just wanted to get that ominous bastard out of his sight as quickly as possible.
No matter how skilled that bastard was, he would not be able to handle his Raging Wind Thunder Strike.
It was his Signature Technique, one he prided himself on, believing its destructive power would not lose even to the Twelve Venerables of the World.
“*Gasp!*”
“My goodness…!”
At the Phantom Divine Monarch’s truly tyrannical Signature Technique, Doil, Myeonghyeon, and Jongpal, who had been watching their fight until now, drew in a sharp breath.
It was dangerous.
Certainly, the martial prowess Yeo Un-hwi had shown was astonishing, unbefitting of his age, but.
He had to dodge that one.
If he didn’t, he would lose his life.
Therefore,
“Dodge!”
The three of them shouted in one voice.
Did their voices reach Yeo Un-hwi?
He turned his head slightly and looked at them.
And smiled.
Even in that urgent situation.
The expressions of the three men turned to utter shock.
*‘He’s smiling? How on earth…!’*
The answer came soon enough.
Yeo Un-hwi’s gaze turned to the Phantom Divine Monarch’s Raging Wind Thunder Strike, which was heading toward him.
It was certainly a Signature Technique befitting the name of one of the Ten Great Masters.
But,
*Swish.*
Yeo Un-hwi gripped the broken, rusted sword again.
“But that doesn’t give you the right.”
The right to commit such trash-like atrocities.
“Hahaha! What can you possibly do with a rusty sword like that!”
The Phantom Divine Monarch sneered.
He had regained his confidence, it seemed, as he burst into a loud, crazed laugh.
He was truly a man who was quick to become arrogant.
“What can I do with this?”
Yeo Un-hwi smirked at the Phantom Divine Monarch’s Raging Wind Thunder Strike, which had already arrived right before him.
Yeo Un-hwi swung the sword upward.
It was not any kind of technique.
He simply swung the rusty sword he was holding upward, at a speed that was not even particularly fast.
And yet,
*Shwaaaaaaaak!*
The Raging Wind Thunder Strike that the Phantom Divine Monarch prided himself on was annihilated with that single slash.
“Wh-What?”
The Phantom Divine Monarch’s mouth fell open.
As if he couldn’t believe it.
“This is what I can do.”
Soon, Yeo Un-hwi’s smiling face filled the Phantom Divine Monarch’s two pupils.
Then, his eyes began to shake uncontrollably, as if an earthquake had struck.