Chapter 255: The Technique of Combat (4)

“…An angel?”

Fermush murmured briefly, her neck tilted back, completely still. Even as she remained there, stunned, the number of shadows rising like whirlwinds within the clouds kept increasing.

Dozens, hundreds, thousands. Soon they were beyond counting. The figures, white as snow, descended close to the ground.

The angels’ feet hovered slightly, a few centimeters above the ground. They were not bound by gravity.

Flap.

The angels folded their ivory-colored wings as if curling inward, and then extended them. Feathers scattered. White and light, they fluttered like snowflakes.

One of them landed softly on the bridge of Fermush’s nose. Even then, she stared blankly. Her laughter had long since ceased, and her face was now painted with sheer astonishment—white as the feather on her nose.

Amid it all, footsteps were heard approaching. With each step, the world, once turned upside down, slowly began to stabilize, restoring its natural order. The earth and sky, the sun—everything returned to its rightful place.

Step.

The clouds, punctured like a sieve, timidly dissipated, revealing their interior. The original colors. A violet sunset. The moment of purple light jaha.

Step.

The angels, sashimi knives in both hands, parted to the left and right. That corridor, like a snowy avenue, was walked through by Kang Geom-Ma, striding forward with unwavering steps.

Black and white. Opposing colors that pushed all sense of reality far away. The pure white backdrop created an illusion that made his dark figure stand out even more.

Fermush’s pale face twitched as she brushed off the feather. Then she bared her teeth in fury.

“…So it’s you. The human who killed Agor and Vesna. The one they call the spiritual successor of Balor Joaquin, that arrogant bastard. And also…”

Fermush, her expression completely twisted, screamed.

“The damned insect who monopolizes lord Kuarne’s attention.”

“……”

Kang Geom-Ma looked on with those black eyes at the hell Fermush had created. The heroes had died. And horribly. Burst, crushed, trampled. It was rare to find an intact body.

Crunch.

His teeth clenched on their own.

If he’d been ready just a bit earlier… would fewer have died? That thought crossed his mind for only a second. He shook his head, black hair swaying.

This was the best. It wasn’t self-justification. After weighing all options and analyzing the data, this was the only way to ensure the greatest number of survivors.

But.

Even if logic and reason were on his side…

The fact that so many lives had been lost remained unchanged.

“Fermush.”

I am a swordsman.

“I will cut you down.”

Therefore, with my sword, I will honor their souls.

“Not leaving even a single piece of flesh behind.”

***

Beep—

[The humanity level has increased drastically.]

[The user’s level is still slightly low for the program to function perfectly.]

[The world line’s level is still slightly low for the program to function perfectly.]

[However, by using the humanity level as a catalyst, partial temporary use of the divine level is possible.]

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《Oh, Omnipotent One who has become a youth.》

《Be liberated.》

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***

The Swordmaster barely managed to place his feet on the ground, and the moment he felt the earth beneath his soles, he looked up. Across the long horizon, he saw Kang Geom-Ma surrounded by a host of angels. The Swordmaster rubbed his eyes and looked again in that direction.

“It’s just like that time with Agor.”

No, maybe this time was a little different. The Swordmaster was in an Awakened state.

His perspective had risen along with his level, and now, more than ever, he felt an inevitable chill.

Because now, even if just a little, he could comprehend what had previously been beyond understanding—how disconnected from reality Kang Geom-Ma truly was.

‘What dwells inside Kang Geom-Ma is not a god.’

He was convinced of it.

‘It’s something beyond the Divine level.’

He couldn’t find words to describe it. A being superior to a god. A notion so irreverent that he didn’t even dare to dwell on it. But it undeniably existed.

His reality, seen through the eyes of the Awakened, was the clearest proof.

At that moment, Changseong nimbly climbed the giant’s arm like a monkey. Ever since Kang Geom-Ma had manifested that inconceivable power, the giant had stopped moving entirely.

As if someone had unplugged its energy. Whether it was due to Fermush’s shock or Kang Geom-Ma’s presence, they didn’t know.

Either way, it gave the heroes a brief respite, and Changseong had made it just in time.

“Nibelung!”

He rushed forward, shouting. The Swordmaster, who was kneeling, waved his hand to show he was okay. Then, with the same hand, he silently pointed toward something.

Changseong followed the direction of his finger. He blinked several times, rubbed his eyes like the Swordmaster had earlier, and widened them. The rubbing had reddened the skin around his eyes.

“…What the hell is that?”

“The white ones are angels. The little one is Fermush.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

He knew about the angels because Kang Geom-Ma had mentioned them the day before. And that Fermush had the body of a child was unexpected, yes. But that wasn’t what drew attention.

It was that overwhelming presence that seemed to erase everything around it. Kang Geom-Ma, as if he were the very center of gravity, drew in the surroundings and every gaze.

The space bent under the pressure of his existence, and the ground beneath his feet rippled softly.

They couldn’t even see his full form. Only a human silhouette outlined in light, as though wrapped in a radiant cloak of white.

“Can’t you see it, Mura?”

“No. That’s why I’m asking. What is that?”

Changseong was bewildered. Unlike the Swordmaster, he was not Awakened.

“What else could it be? That’s Kang Geom-Ma.”

The Swordmaster replied, getting to his feet shakily. The backlash from Awakening had left his body in tatters. Though moving was hard, they had to get away quickly.

“We have to go. If we stay close, our heads will blow off.”

“…Funny, I said the same thing to my subordinates just a while ago.”

“What are y—?”

Just as he was about to reply, the angels broke formation and soared into the sky.

Hovering in the air, they launched themselves at the remaining golems.

Even the giant, disconnected from power, was torn apart, its arms severed by the sashimi knives of the angels.

“So it wasn’t just about throwing sashimis as a preemptive strike, but giving those weapons to them.”

Changseong commented, watching the scene.

“He didn’t just see the present, but also what was coming. Sure, the cost was enormous, but by holding back his trump card until the end, he avoided even greater damage. Right now, the one suffering the most emotionally is Kang Geom-Ma. That’s why he has that expression.”

While helping the Swordmaster, Changseong tilted his head.

“And you, as an Awakened, can see his expression?”

“Not clearly. But I can feel he’s furious. My whole body’s trembling.”

“Mine too… In any case, it seems the plan worked. What Kang Geom-Ma said, ‘he’s an earth-affinity enemy, so we need an aerial unit to intercept,’ was spot on.”

“Yeah. And those angels modified by the President of the Association are incredibly fast and strong.”

Changseong nodded.

The angels flew at astonishing speeds, scattering feathers as they moved. Just flapping their wings created shockwaves. It seemed like the absolute limit of what a living being could achieve.

But when Kang Geom-Ma took a step, that limit was instantly surpassed.

Then they saw it—a speed so extraordinary it bordered on mystical. Or rather, they felt it from behind.

Whoosh.

A gust of wind slammed into the two of them as they retreated. They nearly fell, but Changseong managed to stay on his feet.

Instinctively, they turned around. A flash of light burst forth. A crimson slash tore through space and then slowly closed.

Their lips dried instantly. That wasn’t something human eyes could track. Kang Geom-Ma’s movement was pure disappearance. All he left behind was a crescent-shaped crater.

The slashes raining down on Fermush even melted the air.

———!

A second wave hit them. This time it was a white buzz that burst their eardrums. Blood trickled from their ears.

Fermush’s ten fingers floated in the air. Her pink stumps dripped blue blood.

Fermush looked at her empty palms as if she couldn’t comprehend what had happened.

When had she lost them? Even before asking the question, the cuts were already there on both wrists.

All that remained were streams of blood where her hands used to be.

Fermush, struck twice without being able to react, lost focus in her eyes. Her brain finally grasped the severity of the situation. She twisted her lips.

“No, no it can’t be…”

But she couldn’t finish the thought. Kang Geom-Ma appeared before her and swung his sashimi blade in a sweeping arc. The blade traced a fan of light and grazed her forearm.

She felt a searing burn. She had no time to scream. She swallowed the pain with her whole body and tried to cast a spell. At least raise a barrier and counterattack…

But only breath escaped her lips.

“The magic… it won’t concentrate…”

Only by reviewing the milliseconds could she understand why.

「Earthshift」, 「Thousand-Hand Death Strike」, 「Mantra」

She had used all her most powerful spells. In short, she had spent too much magic.

‘Even so, it makes no sense.’

They were near Gehenna, a place rich in magical energy. Not infinite, but nearly. How could she have run out of magic? Worse yet, she had drained her internal reserves and now couldn’t absorb more.

‘Don’t tell me…’

Fermush felt her mind go hazy. She scanned the surroundings.

The flow of mana was flickering as if boiling. She had thought the magical bombardment had been chaotic, but in fact, it was to block the magical flow.

He had waited patiently until her internal reserves were spent.

‘He didn’t retreat just to summon those angels!’

The battle had been lost before it even began.

— The way to win a fight. The second and most important wait. Wait and wait until the enemy thinks they’ve already won. Even if they hit you, look them in the eyes and wait for your moment.

One of the longest lessons from his old restaurant master.

— And when they make that victory face… bam, stab them with a knife! Or a punch. It’s called a counterattack.

He always said it with a smile.

— You’ve got a shit attitude, but you’re stubborn. Don’t live just taking hits. If the enemy’s strong, carve your madness into them. That way, they won’t dare come back.

His master’s face flashed in his mind, ruffling his hair with one hand.

— I’ll cover the damage.

A faint smile formed on Kang Geom-Ma’s lips.

Slash.

The sashimi knife sliced her shin. Fermush, already small, had just closed off her growth plate. Elbow, shoulder, legs, hip—excluding the vital points, she was struck with surgical cuts all over her body.

Just as he had promised, Kang Geom-Ma was carving her flesh away.

He was the best blade man in the nation. He didn’t just know fish anatomy, but human as well.

He knew exactly how to make it hurt.

Crunch.

Suddenly, Kang Geom-Ma grabbed her by the neck and lifted her into the air.

With her limbs severed, Fermush was completely incapacitated. She couldn’t even twitch.

Kang Geom-Ma stared directly at her.

Fermush’s eyelids quivered.

Then he spoke. His bloodshot red eyes pierced her.

“Fermush.”

He deactivated the [Blessing of Insensitivity to Pain].

“All the pain I feel.”

He activated the [Blessing of Transference].

“You’ll feel it too.”

The [Blessing of the Sword God] destroyed the demon.