Chapter 1054
A storm of dark demonic energy swirled. The rough crust of the earth was torn and lifted by the strong winds, and trees were uprooted and caught in the storm. The storm, which swallowed up the remains of the broken pavilion and the acrid dust, swelled in size and swept everything around.
Facing that amazing sight (??(奇驚)), Baek Cheon’s eyes were filled with an uncontrollable fear.
‘Thi- This….’
It was literally a storm. This is impossible by humans…. No, humans shouldn’t be able to create something like this!
Kwaaaaaaaa!
An ominous black current swept everything away, tearing the world apart.
The demonic energy weighed down his entire body and constricted his breathing. As if it wouldn’t even allow him to take a breath or lift a finger.
In front of that overwhelming power, Baek Cheon’s existence felt incredibly insignificant.
‘This is the true bishop….’
He understood. He had no choice but to understand.
Why does Kangho still shun the name ‘Bishop’ and consider it taboo to even mention it? Why did the ancestors bury this cursed name of Magyo so deep that they refused even to think about it.
And he also understood. Why did Chung Myung say that the Bishop of the North Sea was nothing more than a half-hearted enemy?
A true bishop tears the earth and makes the heavens cry with his demonic energy. He was a man who was different from any imaginable state of martial arts and could only be described as destructive.
…It felt like his heart was going to break.
Even Baek Cheon, who had overcome numerous crises with Chung Myung with his sword, felt the urge to let go of everything the moment he faced the existence of the bishop.
No matter the situation, he believed his spirit would not break. But now, he painfully realized just how arrogant his thoughts had been.
How powerless is human will in front of this terrifying power that seems to engulf the whole world?
“Ouwh….”
“Oh…. Ouwh….”
Even Red Dogs was taking a step back. The hunting dogs, who would laugh even as their bodies were torn to shreds if it were Jang Ilso’s command, were retreating in front of their master. No, rather than retreating, it would be more accurate to say fleeing. They just don’t have the courage to turn their back on the bishop.
They do not fear death. But isn’t there surely something even more terrifying than death?
Although they being weak put Red Dogs’s notoriety to shame, Baek Cheon could not laugh at them. No, he could not. He too was using all his mental strength just to keep his faltering feet in place.
Eudeudeuk.
His lower lip, which he had bitten hard, was torn and bleeding. The swirling wind scattered the blood into the air.
“Ugh…”
Nevertheless, Baek Cheon endured.
Because he had experienced it once before. Because he knew to some extent how inhuman monsters these bishops were.
However, for those who experienced the bishop’s existence for the first time in their lives, the scene that unfolded before their eyes was even more shocking. It was like some kind of disaster that cannot be described in one word ‘despair’.
“Ah….”
Namgung Dowi took a step back without realizing it. His eyes trembled as if he had been struck by lightning, not knowing where to go.
‘How….’
How could such a thing exist in this world?
He is the eldest son of Namgung Family and will become the head of Namgung Family. Therefore, he were already very familiar with the existence of powerful people ruling the world. However, that bishop was different from the powerful being he had known until now.
“How….”
Different. Even with the heads of Five Great Family who command the world. Even with the sect leaders of Ten Great Sects who oversee the world.
Even those considered absolute beings of a previous era who held power beyond them did not emit such an immense power. It was a despairing kind of power.
Naturally, a thought came to his mind.
This was not something a human could handle. This was…
“Uh…”
As he slowly retreated, someone grabbed Namgung Dowi’s shoulders from both sides, startling him. He turned around in surprise and muttered.
“Yo- Yoon Jong Dojang… Jo-Gol Dojang….”
Jo-Gol and Yoon Jong were holding both of his shoulders until it hurt. So that he can no longer retreat.
“…Don’t back down, Sogaju.”
Yoon Jong said, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.
“Hold on.”
Namgung Dowi’s eyes wavered at those firm words.
Hold on? How? How could they say such a thing when facing such a being? If they truly saw what he saw, how could they utter such words?
‘Aren’t they afraid?’
Even after seeing that? Even now, Namgung Dowi felt as if his spirit would collapse before his body. His soul seemed to scream in terror, how on earth could he endure this situation?
Or, were they suggesting he calmly accept the impending death as inevitable?
‘I can not!’
Namgung Dowi, who was about to shout with bloodshot eyes, suddenly closed his mouth at that moment. What calmed him down was… it was a small tremor that could be felt in Yoon Jong’s hand grasping his shoulder.
Namgung Dowi looked at Yoon Jong in shock.
‘He’s trembling?’
His gaze slowly went down. Yoon Jong’s legs were trembling as if they were about to give out at any moment.
An uncontrollable groan flowed from Namgung Dowi’s mouth.
‘How could….’
It wasn’t that they weren’t afraid. It wasn’t defiance.
They were trembling.
Upon reflection, it made sense. If they are also human beings, how can they not be afraid? They are just like Namgung Dowi. No, they may be feeling even more fear than Namgung Dowi.
Nevertheless, they were enduring the existence of bishops without taking a step back and stood their ground.
“Running away….”
Eudeuk.
As Yoon Jong spoke, he bit his lip.
“…Do not let it be remembered that you fled, Sogaju… for your sake as well!”
Namgung Dowi’s jaw twitched uncontrollably.
Forcing his gaze away, he saw the back of Chung Myung standing at the forefront.
Even Namgung Dowi, who was standing in the back, felt his resolve twisting. If that was the case, how immense must the burden be for Chung Myung, who was directly confronting the bishop?
‘Dojang….’
As he clenched his fist tightly, Namgung Dowi’s fingernails dug into his palm.
Ppudeudeuk.
Grinding his teeth as if they were about to break, he planted his feet firmly on the ground.
The courage to confront? Still absent. If that demon charged at him, Namgung Dowi’s will might collapse in an instant.
But….
‘No matter how ugly I am.’
How could he turn and run when someone in front of him is holding their ground?
With bloodshot eyes, he held the sword in his hand as if to break it.
“Help… I may not offer much.”
A choked voice escaped from Namgung Dowi’s throat.
“…At least I’ll die with you.”
Only then did the hands on his shoulders relax their grip. But Namgung Dowi didn’t even notice that fact and just stared at Chung Myung’s back.
‘Dojang, please!’
There was extreme earnestness in that gaze. It was similar to the gaze someone from the distant past had given to his back. That look seemed to push Chung Myung forward.
Kwaaaaaa!
Merely touching it caused the skin to rip and the insides to churn, and a vicious demonic energy swept all over the place at a tremendous speed.
Chung Myung bared his teeth as he faced the explosively spreading demonic energy.
“So…”
For no reason, a chuckle escaped him.
‘I’ve been dealing with something like that?’
Every time his fingertips felt like they would crush, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“This is….”
A snickering voice escaped through Chung Myung’s lips, which were twisted as if mocking himself.
“I must have been mad too.”
It is a demonic energy that he has already experienced countless times. But isn’t it said that what one sees depends on where one stands? The bishop he had once looked down upon from a lofty position and the bishop he now looked up to from a much lower place were worlds apart.
He felt a force that was hopelessly so overwhelming. At the same time, fighting spirit began to boil in Chung Myung’s eyes.
‘The difference in power….’
He bared his teeth like a wild beast growling.
“A mere bishop speaking so arrogantly.”
A dense murderous intent began to sharply hone Chung Myung’s momentum. At that time, he heard someone talking to themselves next to him.
“…It’s chilling.”
Jang Ilso’s long sleeves were fluttering wildly in the blowing wind. However, Jang Ilso was taking the incoming demonic energy head-on without even moving a muscle.
He quietly raised his hand to brush his face.
“As expected, the world is indeed vast. I never thought such a being would exist.”
Chung Myung chuckled.
“Why? Are you scared?”
“Scared?”
Jang Ilso turned his head to Chung Myung standing next to him. His two long eyes drew arcs as if amused.
“You’re a naughty boy. You should break the habit of saying things you don’t mean.”
“That’s rich coming from you, madman.”
“Kekekekek.”
Jang Ilso laughed heartily. Even then, his eyes sparkled with a vivid blue light. Despite facing an absolute adversary right before him, his sense of humor did not fade at all.
“It’s definitely a miscalculation of mine. And I don’t particularly like variables.”
His bright smiling face was full of charm.
“If there’s a variable that can’t be utilized, it must be eliminated. Whatever it may be.”
“…I don’t particularly want to agree with you but.”
Chung Myung, who had turned his sword backward to hold it in a reverse grip, chuckled.
“I agree with that opinion.”
The mischievously shining eyes of Jang Ilso and Chung Myung’s cold, boiling eyes intersected in the air.
“Then let’s make sure.”
Jang Ilso slowly lowered his hand and said. Then, with both hands spread out, he calmly took a step toward the horrifically swirling demonic energy.
“I wonder how sharp the good sword I prepared will be.”
“Don’t get in the way, you idiot.”
Chung Myung, with his sword hanging down, also took a step forward.
Two men, black and red, keeping their distance from each other, moved forward. Towards the black storm that is swirling as if engulfing the world.
Two men who could never walk the same path were looking at the same place at this moment.
Kagagak!
Kkararak!
The moment when the sound of Chung Myung’s sword scraping the ground and the sound of Jang Ilso’s rings rubbing against each other resonate simultaneously.
Kwaaaaaaaang!
As if by agreement, both men kicked the ground and hurled themselves into the storm of demonic energy.
The sword of Chung Myung, which spewed out Violet Mist Divine Art, blazed with the hue of a red sunset. And Jang Ilso’s hands were burning blue as he raised Blue Flame Killing Strength (????(蒼炎殺剛)) as much as he could.
Two streaks of red and blue light rushed toward the darkest place in the world.
TL:
So there was reinforced sword energy. Literally it would be strong sword energy. In Jang Ilso’s case, his technique is Blue Flame Killing Strength (????(蒼炎殺剛)). I can’t understand the term. I assume it was a type of energy, like Taoism, Buddhism, or evil sects, but step above. I was confused because of this term ?(剛). For me, I used ‘reinforced’ instead literally ‘strong’. For a while, this ?(剛) will come out often and the name might not seem as fitting. And as always, I accept suggestions. I just added this note to say that my edit of this ?(剛) is not accurate.