Chapter 253: The Technique of Combat (2)
4LuxD9The Sword Master and Changseong couldn’t help but be surprised.2yF4
cbe1BMhRumble, rumble.03x
wFZcoemThe ground shook violently, and the gray sky rumbled. Both men barely managed to stay upright, clinging to the quaking earth beneath their feet. They were lucky.GuF
IcA5MRPSome heroes weren’t as fortunate. Crack— the ground opened like a crocodile’s jaws and swallowed them whole. Their screams echoed briefly from the depths before fading away.wNAejx
IvFjQAn earthquake.I19
OmPPElTThey had considered the possibility. The enemy was in a state of full power. Besides, Fermush, the Fourth Corp Commander, was a “Walking Calamity” type threat. They were fully aware of that.CUFXfzK
xYm‘But I didn’t think he’d unleash magic of this caliber the moment he appeared.’LW9U
lxs8qjtThat wasn’t what shocked them.uD98
JnpfuPWhat truly unsettled them was Fermush’s appearance.oDC
nBUBDLh“A… girl?”iB5f
hOCQ3NPale skin. Ash-gray bobbed hair. Purple eyes. A body so small she barely reached Changseong’s waist. At most, she looked like a twelve-year-old girl, smiling sweetly at them.Cx7v
0WTIAYBut after a few seconds, Changseong frowned and clenched his teeth. He could say it without a doubt—this seemingly harmless being was the most dangerous presence on the battlefield.Bxi
uANsK“Ha.”vFe6hof
16AwxbFermush stroked one cheek while watching them with interest.25E
U9Ke8r3“So, you two were the ones who eliminated Basmon.”wGGLEWo
6r5AVHer tone was odd. Though she had a little girl’s face, she spoke like a sovereign looking down on the world with disdain.0imnv
nOV“Life has been cruel to you humans. For us demons, only a moment has passed. But you… you’ve withered.”wGJ2
XKi7r“……”0KAMH
PFyjs9“I’ll ask you something.”7ItU5
BpquOEHer mocking tone persisted. Though the ground continued to quake, her voice reached them clearly.hoHZYht
9Pf27U5“Why do you resist? Don’t you know it’s useless? Or perhaps, after killing three of my siblings, you think nothing can stop you?”yJAhj
fHOzFermush walked lightly, hands behind her back. The golems to either side stepped aside to let her pass. Two in particular—giant stone statue-like figures—escorted her like personal guards.z4ldP
QEdpuaU“Basmon was mediocre. If not for Lord Kuarne’s orders, he wouldn’t even have been considered an equal. But Agor and Vesna… they were true siblings.”Qkyq
SyuuYAs she walked, she picked up some stones and began to roll them between her fingers like marbles.0CSIMT
xwtXIf“If they’d been at full strength, half of humanity would already be gone. But they were impatient. They let their guard down. That’s why they were killed by human insects.”QFQzp
qn7Fermush placed a stone between her thumb and index finger, as if to flick it, and smirked.4m7T
bNS4FM“I won’t make that mistake. I won’t lower my guard. From the start, I’ll fight with all my strength.”mqdaFe
MUrfmcBOOM!pyC
SBn3wtAn explosion that no one would expect from a simple pebble.8hb4
FfinFlicked lightly, the stone became a projectile, flying at them like a cannonball.I994Xw
nalF75If it hit, even their trained bodies would burst like water balloons. Dodging it was impossible due to the speed. There was only one option block it.zEsRlK
0pnnB8GThe Sword Master and Changseong moved their weapons in unison. They exchanged no words or glances, but their movements were perfectly coordinated.Dazeq
XsYThe Sword Master sliced the first stone in two. Tack, tack, tack— Fermush hurled another, and another. Human movements always have blind spots. Even more so for the Sword Master, who had only one arm. Every movement required immense effort.Obys0
8rbTlTIf he were alone, he wouldn’t have succeeded.Kia
DlnLQSChangseong deflected the second stone with his spear. Even so, his hand throbbed with pain, nearly numb. But he couldn’t stop.2pwLWFj
9zfHe spun the shaft of his spear like a windmill. Using centrifugal force, he deflected the third and fourth stones directly. Only with a spear could that be done.KVf
UFKDfl2After all, a spear’s secret lies not in attacking, but in defense.FhF
nOFF“Nibelung!”pySzBCi
xyGHx3tHe hadn’t even finished shouting when the Sword Master shot forward. Golems blocked the way like a wall. They were tough as stone, impossible to cut even with aura.Cw3qAN
wACrAxW‘In that case…’FuMo9l
3pLL2A golem is just a clay puppet. It must have joints—shoulders, torso, knees, legs—those were the weak points.iXvLGHW
x7PU19S‘Don’t strike at surfaces. Hit the lines. No, better yet—aim for the points.’Itdsl
JSwBkA demonic beast lunged. The Sword Master closed his eyes. Time seemed to slow. In that meditative instant, his life replayed in his mind.ziL5
TFBA life of wounds and pain. He had lost the arm that was his treasure as a swordsman—and his family, which had been half his soul.kOzvZ
5ylitvWEven so, he never gave up. He only did what he knew best wield his sword and overcome the impossible.brFzVC
QMWFmmAnd now, the same.CLJxwI
NAYeoAn enemy he couldn’t beat alone. He wasn’t even sure he could wound it.zGM
DuBMtXFermush mocked them, but she was serious. It was like an ant fighting an elephant. The gap was vast. There was no chance of victory. He would die.wt1plM
ziRxdX‘But…’Vd20LU
AAtz0So what?GF2
x0rV8S‘My true master.’4HSOBN3
SVKCjThis was a man who had devoted his entire life to the sword.R1UMLX
2iPZbRq‘The light that showed me the path in life.’6Mf
YILt0And without further thought, he simply advanced with his drawn blade. As he had always done.4oYGSbZ
lG8Y‘Until the end.’dG7jTHB
W2HRrhThe Sword Master half-closed his eyes. A golden aura bloomed. His snow-white hair floated as if lifted by static.Dgl
hxC3mc‘Guide me.’SLFZH
0OFeHe opened his eyes—eyes that barely opened before. The golems swarmed, closing in like bees. Heaven and earth raged in storm, and the commander remained unmoved. Everything was the same. But in the Sword Master’s vision, a new world unfolded.ZGoHTo
fxrp“I can see it.”lB9c
St9O3nBarely visible red lines.mYQf
9W2JzOne on each creature. In his pupils, those lines appeared.1oc7y6d
tG0cKBlurrier than Kang Geom-Ma’s, but unmistakably cutting lines. The unique fruit of a lifetime, a drop of genius and effort concentrated. Right now.h2h3B2B
ZtLEFDHis body moved as if pushed by something invisible. His arm traced a soft arc. The sword slid forward. A flicker of light shone on the blade. His technique brushed the golem’s rough surface, tracing a clean crescent moon—a single continuous line.B6m6d
doHDozens of golems collapsed, sliced diagonally like bamboo stalks.5ttZOo
8T80L1m“Nibelung, could it be…?”cNBXfrB
JIeFixWChangseong blinked, still spinning his spear with agility.EhgoZZX
D9fUfThe Sword Master instinctively shook off his blade. His half-closed golden eyes locked onto Fermush. In that gaze burned an intensity that made one dizzy.hHNHVze
xnj“An Awakening.”yCfHt
VVdYzlGChangseong muttered. That’s what it was. The awakening of the blessing. At this moment, the Sword Master was equal to his ancestor, the first Sword Master, Aaron Nibelung.nRkCv
sFUVN“Hahaha!”l6oyd
JnaR4lChangseong burst out laughing. Amid the dust, his white teeth gleamed.9uZq0
kkCXC9“Go ahead, Nibelung.”9TTC
C23kHe looked at his comrade’s back. A fellow graduate of the Joaquin Academy. They’d started from the same place, but now his old friend had crossed to a higher plane. He paid his respects in his own way.KYCGE1
Ccf“I’ll follow.”Jh6G
FLf1VAt that moment, the Top and Mid units arrived just behind Changseong. When they tried to advance, he held out his arm to stop them.zJu5bl
IZvSPnf“Your task now is to reduce the number of golems as much as possible while buying time until Kang Geom-Ma intervenes.”qXkVD
WUrn“What about the Sword Master?”asMmZw
JlfPcit“Don’t worry about Nibelung.”qBNd
vqn5i4With a smile on his lips, Changseong nodded toward him. A subordinate’s eyes widened as he followed the gaze.4tSKsRc
Xa8hi8“Is that what I think it is?”bMjYNBU
ghC“Exactly. And tell the rest of the heroes—”0Z5eHg
knKChangseong said with a laugh.tgaAI
jkQqi“If they don’t want to lose their heads to a sword, they’d best stay clear.”e5ASYm
hEh4n***WsSF
N8jltFermush twisted her lips.0MU
Yv2“Humans, as always.”lx6ZHzR
vkI3She bit her lips in silence. Besides Kang Geom-Ma, now another one was starting to irritate her.ciZ9WK1
vY5Ic“You two, deal with that swordsman.”Kmd
ovWShe gestured with her chin to the golems shaped like Buddhist statues on either side. Nodding, the two stepped forward.PqIC04
sDsZ9They were special golems, created from the lives of a hundred heroes each. In other words, each one possessed the combat power of a hundred heroes.Qoj
ikyRumble, rumble!gUFPQCO
i1VgHThe ground trembled again beneath their steps. The Swordmaster lightly tapped the ground with the tip of his sword and jumped immediately. Like lightning, he appeared between the two golems.imURp1
x4jThud.Xn2z
pP5mNot even a surprise attack fazed them. They were golems—emotionless, without judgment, obedient only to orders.i9oa
Y7fqiEr“….”5Kss22y
dMhOYh“….”1Gg
MxdcHjBoth their shins lifted to kick him. The dust swirled violently. A single blow from those could crush a building like a tin can.yNs
w37They tilted their heads. They felt no impact. Their legs remained raised in the air. Their expressionless faces seemed to ask, “Where is he?”kWhSJmB
O0SbX1They raised their chins. Chunks of earth crumbled from their necks with the sudden movement.DB2C73
TowayQThe sky.S6u
QjZzcwTThere stood the Swordmaster. Balancing on the blade of his sword as he descended. He was using the sword-riding technique of the “Sword upon Victory” style.Avpc
hKl1“Forgive me.”wU8
rWpnoVqHe spoke with sorrowful eyes. These were golems born from the absorption of a hundred lives each. They were enemies, yes—but at their core, they were once innocent heroes.3VQBdNb
JgEtj“May you rest in peace.”7bk7z
GzrvgHe slid down the sword and dropped. In the moment he drew near, the two golems crossed their arms to shield their faces. But the blade slipped through the one exposed gap and pierced through the head of one.71Trd
DVNThe other dropped its guard and lashed out with a punch like a whip—an inhuman motion. Golems could dislocate their joints at will.PfNpa9
sgPJThe Swordmaster slightly shifted his right shoulder. The strike grazed just past his abdomen.JxsR
3elkHe struck with his palm like a martial arts master. Though the golem was massive, it lost its balance and toppled backward.rnQG6
LH8YnYSwish!UUivT
gKnYdVThe sword came down vertically toward its face. The golem rolled, twisting its torso to the side, and just as it tried to spring back up using its waist, a swift sword cleaved through its neck from above.YlLvNt
0dXThe head fell to the ground and shattered like pottery. The Swordmaster saw the shattered face in the fragments.33h
Fyg6Finally—an expression of peace, as though they had found rest.BNlEJy
MEmDGmWith solemn respect, he stepped down and moved on. He slashed without mercy through the golems, even knowing they contained the souls of heroes. In fact, he showed no hesitation. He wanted to free them as quickly as possible from their earthen shells. And now, he had the power to do so. His sword cut across sky and earth, driving back the enemy.3BYPQ
Wqd“Hmmm.”xsbXY
yImUlFermush simply watched the scene calmly. The initial surprise had already faded.nFl5
ItCTCShe laughed. Then clutched her stomach and let out a sharp cackle. The heroes, busy fighting the golems, turned to her.vqdrdx
QJJot“How amusing, how amusing. Brings back memories.”tlplK
wnmaShe wiped the corner of her eyes. But not a single tear fell.9Lbbyu
uQMoq“I almost died once too, trusting myself against other Awakened. And my sisters who descended to the human world—they also died because they let their guard down. Though they still hadn’t mastered the blessing, so I can’t say they were exactly like the Seven.”RMAZ
PCl8ZZShe brought her small hands together in front of her chest in a solemn gesture.njbvAVZ
eIh“I said it before, didn’t I? I’ll go all out from the start.”RA7YL6s
JRbXuuShe exhaled a soft breath. The wind reversed; the trembling ground fell silent. The sudden calm made the heroes all the more uneasy.AXxpj
IFdlWNXThen, her small lips opened.CNFNr
k7FKSV「Ksitigarbha Who Walks Backward to Kill」vmKloIZ
nuSIHLA roar unlike anything before distorted space itself. The dust vanished as if blown away by a great current. The ground didn’t just tremble—it rippled like water.k40
ysoTOcRumble, rumble!JwgbHj
eEPRXvThe heroes dropped their weapons. Heads thrown back, they blinked in confusion. A colossus had risen amid the chaos.enpZSv
CaHi2「Thousand-Hand Death Strike」Ud1Hcy
HX8txA statue seated in lotus position, with a thousand pairs of arms fanned out behind it, looked down on them from above. Its size cast a shadow over the entire area like a black storm cloud.azc0V
SRt8LQM“Destroy them.”W9qC185
2ok3hFermush leapt and landed gently atop the giant’s head.GPndOvk
mOtrnQv“Leave no one behind.”QfRNH2X
YcvDPbwShe smiled sweetly and raised a single finger.ZR2t
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