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Chapter 139

He forced his lips to move and shouted, “Run away now! He\'s not someone who would die from an explosion like that!”

“Of course he wouldn’t. I know that too,” coolly responded Se-Hoon.

He then walked over to In-Cheol and grabbed the spear that had pierced In-Cheol\'s shoulder before pulling it out in one swift motion.

Splash!

With the plug gone, blood began gushing out from the gaping wound. But Se-Hoon had expected such a thing so he immediately administered first aid by using the Harmonite.

Swish!

Silver threads shot out of his hand and penetrated In-Cheol\'s mangled body. They then began to align his broken bones, stitch the torn muscles, and reconnect his mana circuits.

“Ugh...”

To In-Cheol, it felt like he was receiving surgery without any anesthesia; it felt like his entire body was being turned inside out, making him tremble from the excruciating pain. Yet Se-Hoon just continued the treatment without blinking an eye.

A moment later, when he had mended In-Cheol enough to keep him from dying, he poured a potion he took out from his void pocket over him.

Sizzle!

“...!”

The potion worked wonders. Though In-Cheol was trembling uncontrollably, unable to even scream, his body was bubbling and mending at an incredible speed.

It worked so well that Se-Hoon became interested.

Maybe it\'s because I\'ve seen his memories before.

Perhaps thanks to the memories he had glimpsed through the Phantasmal Spyblade, where he got to experience In-Cheol\'s physical and mental state firsthand, he could use Harmonite to heal In-Cheol better than expected.

Well, that’s one thing down...

Done with In-Cheol\'s emergency treatment, Se-Hoon promptly looked toward the direction the motorcycle had gone.

Fwoosh!

Over there, a pillar of fire was soaring into the sky and burning the surrounding forest.

It seemed the opponent hadn’t liked what he had done on the way here, which was modifying the structure of the motorcycle with Harmonite to make it more usable for offensive measures.

Creak- Crack-

The sound coming from beneath the wreckage was chilling. After all, it was the sound of the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter’s body, tattered by the explosion, was rapidly regenerating.

“Professor.”

“What...”

Noticing that In-Cheol looked even more exhausted than before he was treated, Se-Hoon made an awkward smile and got to the point, “I\'ll need your help.”

“...Even if I tell you to run, you won\'t, right?”

“Right... and it\'s already too late for that.”

With the motorcycle destroyed, running away from someone stronger wasn’t a choice in the first place.

Making a wry smile at Se-Hoon’s reply, In-Cheol forced his weakened body to rise.

Drip-

Even that slight movement had caused blood to ooze out from his half-healed wounds. His body was currently so fragile that it would tear at the slightest touch.

But it didn’t deter In-Cheol. Enduring the tremendous pain and fear of death, In-Cheol steadied his breath.

“What do you need me to do?”

Taking off the Flaming Scabbard with the Five-Flame Sword sheathed within it from his waist, Se-Hoon handed it to In-Cheol.

“I want you to heat this up as much as you can.”

“...”

Though In-Cheol didn’t understand why Se-Hoon would want to heat equipment that wasn’t even Hero tier, he just nodded instead of asking further.

“Got it.”

“I\'ll leave it to you then.”

Having handed off the preliminary work to In-Cheol, Se-Hoon began preparing for the imminent battle.

Whoosh-

From his void pocket, Se-Hoon took out the blade of the crescent moon glaive used by the assassin who previously attacked Sung-Ha and the level two Fatestone extracted from Lea.

[Bond Imprint \'Iron Desire\' has been activated.]

Crunch!

The effect of Iron Desire caused the two materials to melt and permeate his body, energizing his blood. When the blade of a weapon that was originally Hero tier was combined with the Explosive Fusionite from Lea, which amplified the potential of materials to the limit, it created an enormous synergistic effect.

Voom!

The taste of the blade surged explosively throughout his body. It energized his blood, making it course wildly through his veins, and turned his hair tips a vivid crimson.

Fwoosh-

Unlike before, he no longer looked like he had used a mere enhancement skill; his appearance right now would make anyone think he had activated Soul Furnace. Moreover, it wasn’t just his hair; his eyes had also started to gleam with heat, indicating the manifestation of the second stage of Soul Furnace, Crimson Eye.

So this is what she meant by the second stage being different...

Compared to the previous stage which only boosted his physical strength, the second stage heightened all senses, allowing him to acutely perceive his surroundings.

He immediately put his new senses to use and spread them out in all directions, allowing him to notice that the enemy had started to rise from beneath the wreckage of the motorcycle.

Taking out his weapon, the Forgefire Hammer, Se-Hoon walked forward to meet his enemy.

And the moment his eyes locked with the enemy, who was shrouded in flames—

Booom!

The fire exploded, and the enemy instantly closed the distance, swinging the blade of the Fire Heaven Greatsword swiftly toward his neck.

The enemy’s physique, seemingly strengthened after regenerating, was at the peak of A-rank, and his weapon was nearly Legendary tier. In contrast, Se-Hoon was barely an A-rank with his enhancement that was running on a time limit.

Even he himself was sure that a direct confrontation, like the blade swinging at him right now, would result in his complete defeat, but then he had a certain feeling.

I can see it.

His sharply heightened senses told him that he could bridge the chasm.

Clang!

The Forgefire Hammer clashed with the Fire Heaven Greatsword.

Normally, the hammer would have been shattered by the impact, but instead, the enemy\'s blade bounced off.

To the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter, it was humiliating. Enraged by the unexpected outcome, he roared.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Despite wildly swinging the Fire Heaven Greatsword at Se-Hoon repeatedly, Se-Hoon was able to skillfully deflect it each time, along with the reckless punches and kicks that followed each one.

It looked like Se-Hoon was sparring with a tantrum-throwing child.

It was a sight that made In-Cheol, who was heating the Five-Flame Sword, expand his eyes in sheer disbelief.

What on earth is going on...?

He had noticed that Se-Hoon had enhanced his physical abilities earlier, but to see him so easily handle, perhaps even dominate, the one-on-one duel with the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter was unbelievable.

It wasn’t long before In-Cheol came to realize how Se-Hoon was dominating the seemingly impossible battle.

Has he lost his sanity?

The Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter seemed to have lost all his finesse and was just roaring and attacking wildly. It seemed that forcibly grafting the power of the Vermillion Bird into his body had broken the delicate balance the Specialization Ritual was maintaining. In the first place, the Specialization Ritual was supposed to finely adjust one’s body to a single piece of equipment over a long period, so the recent events seemed to have made him merge with the Fire Heaven Greatsword instead of adjusting to it.

Boom!

Now driven by rage and power, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter was unable to use his decades-honed skills and just recklessly swung his sword. However, while they were clumsy, his attacks were still extremely deadly, forcing Se-Hoon to stay hyper-aware.

Boom!

Changing his tactics, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter stomped on the ground, sending a surge of power through his body which he then channeled into the sword.

Thankfully, Se-Hoon’s heightened senses allowed him to clearly perceive the flow of power and counter it with an opposing flow.

Mortal Combat Techniques: Mirror Strike

Clang!

The perfectly mirrored counterflow neutralized the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter’s force perfectly. Yet, before Se-Hoon could savor his success, the enemy roared and began swinging his sword even more frantically.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Like before, Se-Hoon managed to parry all the following attacks, but it wasn\'t without strain. Each clash made Se-Hoon’s hands feel like they were being torn apart, and dodging the punches and kicks left his body aching like he hadn’t dodged them in the first place.

Damn it, he’s too strong...!

He had managed to overcome the disparity in power with Iron Desire, but it was only a stopgap. It would never end because of the regenerative power of the Vermilion Bird which the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter now possessed.

If he didn’t deal with it, then even if he targeted the gaps in the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter’s defenses to break his wrists and joints, flames would just fiercely flare up and regenerate them as if nothing had happened.

At this rate, even if I try to behead him, he\'ll finish regenerating before I manage to cut all the way through.

Additionally, any clumsy attack would only result in his weapon being caught and smashed to pieces.

For Se-Hoon, who needed to conclude the fight while the effects of Iron Desire were active, it was the worst possible matchup.

Clang!

However, he remained calm. Very methodically, Se-Hoon calmly struck the Fire Heaven Greatsword with his hammer, continuously aiming for the slightly visible cracks in the crimson blade.

Just a bit more...

He relentlessly hammered at the Fire Heaven Greatsword, focusing on the cracks in the blade as if trying to forge it anew.

Then, just as he felt the heat swirling around his eyes begin to dissipate—

Crack-

A large crack appeared on the blade of the Fire Heaven Greatsword—the moment he had been waiting for had arrived.

Boom!

Acting immediately, Se-Hoon stepped forward, crossed his arms, and drew power from his legs.

Sparing him not a single moment, the Fire Heaven Greatsword descended with the intent to split Se-Hoon’s skull.

It took only a glance for Se-Hoon to realize that the Forgefire Hammer alone wouldn’t be able to counter it this time, so he quickly forged a sharper, stronger weapon within his body.

Celestial Infinity Blade: White Light

A surge of white sword aura erupted from the foot he stepped forward with, coursing through his entire body and into one of his hands. With his arms crossed, Se-Hoon then swung the blade infused with sword aura jetting out his hand and then the Forgefire Hammer with all his might.

Clang!

Accurately piercing the crack, the blade of White Light was then driven deeper by the impact of the Forgefire Hammer striking after it. Together, they were able to precisely reach the weak point of the Fire Heaven Greatsword—the weapon and source of the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter’s power—its core.

“Impressive.”

The Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter’s eyes focused sharply on Se-Hoon.

Fwoosh!

And the Fire Heaven Greatsword, which should have shattered, dispersed like flames.

Now empty, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter thrust his hand forward—Thunk!—piercing Se-Hoon’s chest with a crimson blade that extended out of it.

Se-Hoon’s breath caught in his throat, his hands trembling, no longer able to hold his weapons.

Thud-

With no means to attack left, Se-Hoon grasped the blade impaling his chest with his right hand in a last-ditch effort.

Sizzle!

Smoke rose the moment he touched the blade.

Watching his futile struggle, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter quietly said, “Your technique and response were perfect. But your one and only mistake was assuming I wouldn’t be able to easily break out of a berserk state.”

“Haa... haa...”

“With people like me, who live and die for battle, getting hit or intensely fighting only brings more clarity to our minds.”

If Se-Hoon had chosen to flee instead of fight, he might have escaped by chance. It could have meant others would be targeted and killed, but dying in their place also seemed meaningless.

I was told to capture him alive if possible... but, maybe it’s better if I kill him.

Without his regenerative ability from the Vermillion Bird or the Fire Heaven Greatsword, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter acknowledged that he wouldn\'t have won so easily.

He glanced back at In-Cheol. How would a master feel, watching their world-renowned prodigy die trying to save them?

I will never let you die easily.

For twenty long years, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter had suffered, growing his vengeance until it consumed him. Determined, he glared at In-Cheol; however, what he saw was not fear but a look of curiosity on In-Cheol’s face.

Such a reaction was completely unexpected, giving the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter a strange sense of unease.

“Space Distortion.”

Taking advantage of the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter’s moment of distraction, Se-Hoon twisted space with the power of the Ascension Ring while gripping the Fire Heaven Greatsword with his right hand.

Crack!

Sensing the spacial waves, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter instinctively kicked Se-Hoon away.

Crash!!!

Unable to resist, Se-Hoon was sent flying, smashing through every tree in his way. Then, instead of checking if he was dead, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter looked at the Fire Heaven Greatsword.

“What the...?”

A massive crack had spread across the blade. The power of the Ascension Ring had completely twisted and damaged the sword’s core.

Fwoosh!

Now damaged, flames began to uncontrollably pour out of the cracks, causing the flames in his body to also begin to distort. The Fire Blacksmith Hunter straightaway began to try and control the fire, sensing the danger he was now in.

Voom!

However, the more he tried, the more violently the flames raged, scattering their power into the air. It was as if the souls trapped within were actively trying to escape.

“Why... why are you all trying to escape...!”

Weren’t they in the very paradise that they had wanted and dreamed of?

With bloodshot eyes, all he could do was watch the traitors try to escape the sword. He gritted his teeth, again attempting to contain the chaos.

This won’t do... this won’t do...

Knowing that the Specialization Ritual he had undergone was partially incomplete in the first place, if his body twisted any further he would likely end up a complete mess.

Such a thing was absolutely unacceptable to him. Even if the plans failed or the Fire Heaven Greatsword ended up in the enemy\'s hands, he refused to allow such a thing to happen. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to prove that his daughter\'s soul had been used meaningfully.

I need to reinforce the broken vessel. For that...

He needed another soul with the right aptitude.

He rapidly turned his head to look where Se-Hoon had been flung. If it was him, a promising candidate noted by even the heads of Offering, he would undoubtedly be more than sufficient to reinforce the vessel.

And the moment he reached that conclusion, he started sprinting.

Fwoosh!

Flames spread indiscriminately from his unstable body, engulfing the surrounding trees and setting the entire forest ablaze. In desperation, he moved through the rapidly spreading flames until he finally found Se-Hoon.

“He almost died...”

Standing still against a tree, Se-Hoon was covered in blood. His chest, which should have been pierced by the Fire Heaven Greatsword, was still intact, with faint purple flames flickering around him; only the torn shirt he wore showed he had been pierced.

Figuring out that he had been tricked, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter’s eyes grew wide.

Seeing that reaction Se-Hoon sneered and said, “Your technique and response weren\'t bad... but your mistake was naively believing I’d fall for your trick.”

When the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter regained his sanity, Se-Hoon had actually noticed immediately. The Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter had thought he had hidden it well, but he was unable to hide the subtle signs of consciousness in his movements when attacks were aimed at his vital spots from Se-Hoon’s enhanced senses. It was quite clear when compared to his stark lack of reaction at the start of the battle.

Your decades of honed skills became a hindrance.

From then on, Se-Hoon baited the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter into targeting his heart and then used the Dream Storage to evade the attack at the last moment. When the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter relaxed just a bit, he took the chance to use the Ascension Ring to completely shatter the core of the Fire Heaven Greatsword, the vessel containing his power.

“...I see. It seems I’ve made a mistake.”

Suppressing his rising anger, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter made a proposition, “So, out of respect for your skills, how about we complete this perfect equipment together.”

“...”

“If we combine my daughter\'s soul with yours, this perfect equipment could potentially reach the Mythic tier!”

He was desperate to persuade Se-Hoon. Surely completing a Mythic-tier equipment, an achievement every blacksmith dreamed of reaching at least once in their life, would convin—

“Why the fuck would anyone want to do that?”

“Of course...”

“Hey, do you think your dead daughter and the other souls desperately trying to escape that thing actually want that?”

Hearing Se-Hoon\'s pointed question, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter looked at the wildly flaring Fire Heaven Greatsword in a trance.

There, in the blazing flames, he was faintly able to see faces twisted in agony. His eyes then wavered and he gritted his teeth.

“No... that can’t be! Inside the perfect equipment is paradise...!”

“A-”

A very familiar voice reached his ears and he completely froze with a shudder.

“Prin-princess...?”

Did she have something to say to him?

But all he could hear were weak murmurs after the faint voice, the words were too garbled to understand. The Fire Sword Blacksmith strained even harder to listen.

“It hurts.”

For the first time, a daughter’s weak cry was able to reach her father\'s ears.

“AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

A beast-like roar of anguish erupted from him.

As his sanity crumbled, the repressed power of the Fire Heaven Greatsword surged wildly in all directions. It seemed ready to explode at any second, threatening to engulf the entire forest in flames.

At this rate... this entire area will be obliterated.

It would be a disaster that resulted in the loss of countless lives, including his and In-Cheol’s since the nearby regions were residential areas. There was no chance of a proper evacuation.

Se-Hoon reached out to In-Cheol.

“Hand me the sword now.”

“...”

In-Cheol blankly stared at the Five-Flame Sword which he had been heating with all his might until now. He had tried his best, yet it was still nothing compared to the Fire Heaven Greatsword. What could Se-Hoon possibly do with such a feeble weapon?

What if I use my soul to repair or distort the Fire Heaven Greatsword instead...

Perhaps he could at least save Se-Hoon.

Determined, In-Cheol moved to achieve that faint hope, but a kick to his chin knocked him down.

“I told you to give me the sword, not think such useless thoughts... tsk.”

Annoyed, Se-Hoon took the Five-Flame Sword from the fallen In-Cheol and looked ahead.

Fwoosh!

Facing the flames that wanted to engulf the entire world, the flames of his Five-Flame Sword seemed puny. It seemed utterly impossible to win against such odds.

With seemingly no hope, Se-Hoon recalled an old teaching from his master.

“Forget about a clean workshop, top-quality materials, and ample time. That’s all nonsense.”

A workshop could be destroyed at any time, needed materials were always out of reach, and a blacksmith’s time was always limited. So what should a blacksmith devote themselves to and hone?

To demonstrate the answer he heard from his master countless times, Se-Hoon unhesitantly stabbed the Five-Flame Sword into his heart.

Thunk!

The heated blade pierced his heart and protruded out his back. Experiencing the bizarre and thrilling sensation for the first time since he regressed, he summoned the skill hidden within his blood, ignited by the burning heat.

Soul Honing: Demonic Blood Art

Crunch- Crack-

His blood consumed the Five-Flame Sword, and soon, the form of the weapon engraved within his soul was recreated. Using his spirit and body as a forge and container, the weapon in his mind unfolded in his hands.

Whoosh!

A sword began to be forged inside his heart. The blade, charred like blackened coal and cracked all over, branched out and resembled a seven-branched sword that looked withered and unremarkable.

Grasping the bizarre Demon Sword, he slowly pulled it out and extended it to release its flames.

Drip-

Starting off as a trickle, the fiery blood of Demon Sword became a raging stream and spread throughout the burning forest. Like an apex predator, the blood-red flames began to devour the flames of the Fire Heaven Greatsword.

At the eerie sight, the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter stopped wailing with a shudder and looked at Se-Hoon.

Fwoosh!

Standing with the blazing forest to his back, Se-Hoon grasped the eerie sword and stared at him. The hateful yet terrifying sight restored the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter’s sanity.

Burning the entirety of his remaining strength, he charged at Se-Hoon. His body crumbled before transforming into a massive blaze along with the Fire Heaven Greatsword.

Se-Hoon swung the Demon Sword in his hand.

Soul Weapon: Starfire Blaze

The blood-red flames devoured everything in sight.