Chapter 63: The Calamity (2)

The Sword Master Siegfried arrived at the place where the magic resonated intensely.

“Khmm.”

The ominous air, laden with a suffocating sensation, mercilessly attacked his lungs, forcing him to cough involuntarily.

The magic spreading through the area was so oppressive that it could break even the strongest will.

Siegfried paused for a moment and surveyed his surroundings. The scene, which he wished were just a dream, was in reality a true nightmare.

Everything seemed suspended in time, as if a colossal force had halted the sounds of life. A single misstep, and his mind could shatter completely.

‘…This feeling.’

It was stronger than when he had fought Basmon, the commander of the Sixth Army, half a century ago. The corrosive magic burning his body made him realize something without even seeing the culprit.

“…Agor.”

The only one among the demon commanders who used fire magic. The threat Agor represented was beyond the capabilities of any human.

Many questions crossed his mind, but this was not the time to search for answers.

“Haa…”

He exhaled deeply, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly to dispel his fear. If he pushed through the underbrush, he would face whatever was beyond.

Siegfried took a step toward the devastating scene.

He saw a woman wearing what looked like a dress woven from malice. The magic emanating from her left no doubt: Agor had possessed her body.

For a demon commander to appear in the human realm, sacrifices of flesh and blood were needed to weaken the barrier between worlds, and a human body served as a catalyst for possession.

Although the possession limited part of the commander’s power, it remained an unstoppable catastrophe.

‘So in the end, I was right.’

He swallowed dryly and prepared to advance, but then his eyes shifted slightly.

He saw him, and he couldn’t speak.

It was the student Kang Geom-Ma, standing before Agor, staring at the demon while raising his knife.

Siegfried was captivated by that sight.

Kang Geom-Ma’s eyes showed no hesitation. In a situation that would make even the Hero of the Seven Stars tremble in fear, the young man had erased any trace of terror from his gaze.

It wasn’t the expression of a warrior who had accepted his death. His eyes shone with determination and clarity; Kang Geom-Ma was thinking of cutting down his enemy.

Agor, initially surprised, relaxed her expression and looked at him with interest. A seductive smile formed on her lips, captivating enough to ensnare anyone.

Buzz.

Kang Geom-Ma’s knife emitted a resonant metallic sound.

Fwooosh!

At the same time, a dazzling light ran along the blade of the knife, reflecting in Siegfried’s eyes, which glowed with a bright blue.

A chill ran through his bones. Recognizing the nature of that light, he murmured.

“…Aura.”

A young man at such a tender age was manifesting an aura. Beyond professional envy as a swordsman, what dominated was admiration.

Sparks of aura flew toward the enemy. The knife, as if it had its own will, moved with palpable intent. The bluish flame of the aura gleamed, standing out amidst the red hell that surrounded them.

Absorbed, Siegfried shook his head to regain control. He had almost lost his focus.

Then, with all his strength, he shouted Kang Geom-Ma’s name.

“Kang Geom-Ma, stop!”

Agor and Kang Geom-Ma turned their gaze toward the old man.

The demon, visibly annoyed by the interruption, gave him an indifferent look. Succubi, like Agor, showed little interest in old men, whose life force was no longer useful to them.

Agor refocused her attention on Kang Geom-Ma. Her eyes glowed intensely, and the atmosphere filled with an even more menacing aura.

‘No, that student must not perish here.’

He was hope, the treasure that could break the cycle of evil between humans and demons.

An incomparable talent should not be lost so absurdly in a place like this.

“I’ll take care of this! You escape now!”

Siegfried shouted again, desperately.

Kang Geom-Ma opened his mouth as if he wanted to reply but stopped. Then, without taking his eyes off the enemy, he fully unsheathed his knife.

Buzz!

The sashimi blade, as if it had its own will, emitted a sound that spoke for itself.

Siegfried drew his own sword and charged toward the enemy, but—

Swoosh.

Kang Geom-Ma left behind a trace of his shadow and vanished from sight.

***

As the human’s shadow stretched, a linear figure was projected onto the ground as if it were a film.

Boom!

A crash broke through the air, accompanied by the faint sound of a takeoff.

Kang Geom-Ma reached Agor in an instant.

His arm swung in an arc toward his enemy.

‘I can’t follow his speed with my eyes…’

The Sword Master Siegfried blinked. In that brief instant, the intermediate steps of the movement vanished, leaving only layers of silvery trails in the air.

Precise movements that targeted vital points with lethal sharpness, without any haste.

Whoosh, slash!

An unreal speed combined with impeccable precision.

The rapid blade of Kang Geom-Ma aimed directly at Agor’s neck.

The sound lagged behind, chasing Kang Geom-Ma’s movements.

A speed that completely surpassed the limits of human perception. It wasn’t something that sensory organs could track.

Siegfried had to rely on his mind’s perception to vaguely process the exchanges between the two combatants.

The art of the sword reached its peak, falling and then rising again in an instant.

The steady power of an experienced swordsman and the ferocity of swift attacks were reflected in the two sashimi knives wielded by Kang Geom-Ma.

Before a shadow could take shape, he had already moved to another distant position, then suddenly appeared above or below.

Kang Geom-Ma moved his knife.

‘Swing.’

With irregular movements, he bewildered his enemy.

‘Aim.’

The sashimi knife, with its sharp tip and lightness, was a unique weapon in its class.

‘Cut.’

With rapid consecutive attacks, he traced precise straight lines that other types of weapons could not achieve.

Whoooosh!

The strategy for facing a powerful enemy was clear: the vital points, the rhythm of their breathing, their emotional state, and the flow of their attacks.

All that data accumulated in Kang Geom-Ma’s mind as if it were being forcibly engraved.

The scars etched on his skin were a testament to 20 years of experience handling knives, the trace of a life dedicated to the blade.

An innate talent that made him the best slicer in his country, now combined with the Blessing of the God of the Sword.

The combat experience he lacked was compensated by his long career with knives, while his refined senses were further tempered by the blessing, pushing his limits to an almost unreachable mastery.

Slash!

A gust sliced through the air, appearing as a lightning bolt of light due to its incredible speed.

“Oh, not bad at all. You’ve surpassed human limits, haven’t you?”

Agor, who had vanished from his field of vision, now appeared behind Kang Geom-Ma.

Where she had stepped, the ground had deteriorated and cracked instantly.

With sharp, sticky claws, Agor struck downward.

Boom!

Only the impact’s aftermath distorted the air and dented the ground.

Kang Geom-Ma, showing no hint of surprise, adjusted the trajectory of his knife. The sword technique enveloped in aura was serene yet fierce, with a green jade glow that snaked like threads along the blade.

“You control aura so freely at such a young age. It’s a shame you’re human, truly.”

Agor laughed briefly, deflecting Kang Geom-Ma’s attacks with her bare hands. Though superficial cuts formed on her skin, she seemed unfazed.

Blood gushed from the wounds, but Agor, with a smile tinged with pleasure, blocked and neutralized the attacks.

The surrounding landscape warped without leaving a trace, while the porosity scattered. In the interval between counterattacks and strikes, the line between life and death blurred.

Clang-clang-clang!

The more it happened, the more fiercely Kang Geom-Ma attacked with his knives. As his arms and shoulders trembled, the space rippled like waves.

A series of rapid strikes. All movements were mechanical, precise, and fundamentally solid. The sharp sword strikes created a cutting wind that blew through.

Boom!

Before the echo of his last strike faded, multiple blades charged toward Agor like birds of prey.

Though she managed to deflect them, Agor’s confident expression began to harden.

‘He’s getting faster.’

Agor exhaled a deep sigh. At first, it seemed like she was toying with him, but now she was barely keeping up with Kang Geom-Ma’s attacks.

Soon, Agor’s blood soaked the ground. As soon as a cut formed, new flesh sprouted eagerly. However, Agor frowned.

“I really can’t get used to my blood being red. It makes me feel human… I hate this. If it weren’t for that damned pact 700 years ago… How unpleasant.”

Suddenly, Agor’s shadow flickered and appeared right at Kang Geom-Ma’s feet.

With claws soaked in blood, she struck toward his neck, but Kang Geom-Ma twisted his body in time to dodge it, counterattacking simultaneously.

Only his black hair swayed slowly in the air. His movements, minimal but incredibly fast, maximized speed and precision.

Clang-clang-clang!

The fierce combat, a whirlwind of red and white, formed a tangible structure with their escalating attacks.

All of this occurred in barely five seconds.

“…It can’t be.”

Siegfried, rubbing his eyes, murmured incredulously.

Kang Geom-Ma’s swordsmanship transcended human limits.

His blades, imbued with intent, directed the aura at his enemy, slicing even the space itself and leaving artificial scars on the terrain.

Siegfried couldn’t move. The strikes were too fast to follow with his eyes.

Moreover, the intensity of Kang Geom-Ma’s combat seemed to exclude any external intervention.

He could only squint, struggling to understand the flow of the attacks. His pupils trembled as if shaken by an earthquake.

Fwoosh.

Each swipe of the knife through the air created sparks, and a faint burnt smell lingered in the atmosphere.

‘…However.’

As the fierce battle continued, the balance slowly tipped in Agor’s favor.

Kang Geom-Ma was reaching his limit. His eyes were dulling, and his movements were losing sharpness. Blood streamed from his eyes down his cheeks.

His breathing was erratic, and every time he exhaled, a white breath escaped his mouth, despite the summer heat.

It was clear that his body temperature was abnormally high, a result of physical overexertion defying natural laws.

“Haaah.”

Then, Agor murmured, letting out a strange moan with a face full of pleasure. Steam rose from her minor wound, which healed completely.

“It’s a pity you’re human. That burning determination consuming your own body is so… alluring. Though you’re a bit insolent, I think you have more potential than some of the candidates for ‘him’. But…”

Agor smiled maliciously, extending a hand and murmuring.

“This is the end of the game. Now that I’ve fully adapted to this body…”

In an instant, the wind’s flow changed and began to reverse.

Agor took a deep breath. Then, the wind’s current reversed and flowed backward. The magic power gathered in Agor’s hands began to take shape instantly.

“Let’s see if you can truly fulfill our wish, little one.”

“Get back, Kang Geom-Ma!”

Siegfried, understanding the gravity of the situation, rushed toward him without hesitation.

Agor glanced at him, releasing a sinister smile before calmly uttering an incantation.

“Flame.”

As soon as she finished, a scorching heat enveloped the area.

A gigantic flame surged with a roar, burning even the eardrums, while the forest and all living things turned to ash.

Black smoke filled the air, poisoning the depths of their lungs.

Although it was a basic fire spell, when cast by a demon commander, its power was on a completely different scale.

Behind Agor, the flames twisted like serpents’ tongues, filling the sky with a hellish red.

Against the blood-red backdrop, Agor narrowed one eye and asked mockingly.

“Can you withstand this?”

Kang Geom-Ma stared at Agor with a twisted expression. He was trembling, as if he could no longer move.

Seeing this, Agor laughed unpleasantly, like a malevolent spirit, and straightened her fingers.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!