ALL NOVEL Chapter 465
Chapter 466
Rolling his chin, Choi Yeon-woo gazed at the scene before him. Shar, looking utterly shocked, took a cautious step back.
“Um, Dad, it’s scary…”
“Indeed.”
Yeon-woo observed calmly as Kim Hyun-soo, who was always cheerful, now wore a gory expression, his clothes drenched in blood.
Holding a blood-dripping war hammer, Hyun-soo approached Hwayo. The sight sent chills down Yeon-woo’s spine.
Yet, fueled by a desire to not appear foolish before Shar, he maintained a serious demeanor.
Though he knew they were allies, it was still terrifying to witness such a scene.
‘Was Kim Yoo-min really in that bad of a shape…?’
It didn’t seem like he had to react as intensely as this, but maybe things looked different from Hyun-soo’s perspective. Regardless, it was promising to see him so motivated.
“I think we can leave it to them over there.”
In any case, Hyun-soo’s ability to break through signaled that the fight against the cult was nearing its end.
While there were more humans in numbers, the average strength couldn’t compare to that of the violence cult, so Hyun-soo’s escape was a significant clue.
“Has Shar already run out of roles?”
“Just think of it as buying us a little time. As much as I can, I wouldn’t want to take a life.”
“But didn’t you already take a Lizardman’s head and stuff back in the day?”
“Oh, hush.”
At Yeon-woo’s words, Shar drooped sadly. This guy knows how to be adorable, using it as a weapon.
Yeon-woo patted Shar, who had her tail limp. Suddenly, Shar’s tail began to wag energetically.
Just a moment ago, there had been a massive blunt object attached to the end of that tail. Now, watching it thrash around so joyfully was incredibly menacing.
‘What was that dinosaur again…?’
[Are you talking about the Ankylosaurus!?]
At Yeon-woo’s words, Tae-oh excitedly interjected. Ah, our family’s dinosaur expert had appeared.
They say a human’s best time of knowing dinosaurs is either when studying paleontology or during childhood, huh…
As I listened to Tae-oh excitedly discuss dinosaurs, I looked up at the sky. The sun was breaking through the once-stormy clouds.
“I wonder if it’s alright for things to be this peaceful while still alive.”
Well, it was a strange thing to say in a place flooded with blood.
Still, it felt like something I had only dreamed of was unfolding.
*
No matter what thoughts Yeon-woo held about no longer participating in the fight, the battle continued.
Hwayo felt his life fading. It was almost mystical that the blood leaving his body did not return.
How far could he go in this state? How long could he hold on? Death, after all this endurance, what sweet relief it must bring.
Time passed to the point where he couldn’t even remember what it meant to give his all. Nevertheless, Hwayo continued to do his utmost.
In truth, he was at a stage where it mattered little whether he killed someone or not; regardless, as the Demon King, he should certainly finish with style, wouldn’t you think?
Smiling faintly, Hwayo let go of Lucrecia’s arm, which he had believed he would never release. Surprised, Lucrecia’s eyes widened as her arm was freed.
“Looks like you realized that clingy men aren’t popular?”
[How interesting.]
Instead of commenting on the joke, Hwayo lightly spread his left hand. It swept through the air like a wave.
The instant something gleamed, Lucrecia felt a sharp pain in her right arm.
[A simple thank you or apology, interpret it as you wish.]
“Gah, ugh!!”
Lucrecia suppressed a scream that almost escaped.
Above her elbow, precisely where the bone began, her arm was severed as if cut with a sword. The limb that couldn’t even be damaged was now gone.
“What the…!!”
[Ha ha, there was no way I couldn’t break something that small. Toyo, this isn’t even the main body, but a part made by a Great Warrior. Still, looks like it was well-crafted. It’s just I couldn’t break it with just grip strength.]
A red aura gathered in Hwayo’s left hand. It took shape with a deadly intent that induced sheer terror—it was truly the form of a lethal strike.
[Had I left it alone, it could have turned messy, so feel free to express your gratitude for this early cut.]
“Are you out of your mind!!”
Instead of her severed right arm, Lucrecia swung her left fist. The lethal strike aimed at her was met by Noel’s holy sword.
As the holy sword clashed against the strike, a disturbing grinding noise filled the air. Seeing the edge of the sword chip made Noel’s face twist in agitation.
Not that she was getting cut, but with continual clashes, she felt the sword could break.
In the meantime, Kim Hyun-soo had closed the distance rapidly, aiming for Hwayo’s unprotected backside. The war hammer swung dramatically.
It was a forceful strike with no finesse, ignoring anything else.
Of course, Hwayo noticed the movement; a brief consideration flitted through his mind.
It was a moment everyone thought was a pointless motion.
Suddenly, Hwayo’s figure vanished, as if he were wearing an invisible cloak.
Had it truly been an invisible cloak, there might have been some feeling of presence, but no master in that room detected it at all, indicating it was something entirely different.
“…What the hell?”
Kim Hyun-soo looked bewildered. No matter how many battles he had faced, it was rare for an enemy to disappear in front of him. And never had an enemy vanished so completely.
A massive strike packed with power swiped through the empty air. Naturally, striking the void meant Hwayo wouldn’t get hit.
Amid this sudden change, only Yeon-woo perceived the situation. Not due to synesthesia, nor purely by understanding.
He simply foresaw the future. The future where Hwayo suddenly appeared beside him, aiming to kill.
Yeon-woo’s mind began to whirl. The future he could see might barely last 10 seconds.
And even that wasn’t certain; it was as if he could randomly observe the future between 5 to 10 seconds.
At least, he was grateful. Timing errors wouldn’t significantly disrupt a defensive stance. He didn’t want to wildly swing his sword; instead, he had to wait patiently.
Fortunately, that short patience paid off as Hwayo’s figure materialized. Yeon-woo, who had been waiting for that precise moment, swiftly drew the sword embedded in the ground.
Crash!!
The sword and strike collided. Clean sounds attracted the attention of those who had caught on to the situation.
Although confusion reigned, I’m sure no one was quite as shocked as Yeon-woo.
[…What? How did he know?]
“Is it fun just playing with tricks you know?!”
[It’s not bad. Still, as the Demon King, shouldn’t I have my final showdown with the Hero?]
Thank goodness for the foresight that skipped the cause and simply presented him with results—without it, he would have been manhandled and killed.
“Damn, I’m so tired…!!”
[Ha ha, why should I care?]
Hwayo laughed at Yeon-woo’s complaint. It was true; where would you find an enemy who took your fatigue into account?
However, after a long period of enjoying peace, being thrust into this chaos was quite unpleasant.
The sword and strike clashed multiple times. Memories of long ago resurfaced. Was it like this when I first fought Kai?
Looking back, I felt like I often ran into people who utilized their bodies as weapons.
Just like that, Yeon-woo’s immediate task was to endure. If he could hold out just a little longer until Hyun-soo arrived, victory would be all but assured for Yeon-woo.
Shar, who stood beside him, quickly took up a combat stance. However, before he could even assess the situation, Hwayo’s patched-up right leg crashed into Shar.
Shar, struck before she could react, rolled across the ground, pushed far away. Yeon-woo’s expression cracked.
“Cough…!”
He knew better than anyone that she was unharmed. Dragons didn’t fall so easily, and if Shar were to die, the contract would have been severed.
Still, it was hard to maintain any semblance of calm when he watched his daughter get hit right in front of him.
He may not be her real father, but he lived as if he were, with genuine thoughts of caring for her.
As for Yuri… well, maybe that was acceptable. He had anticipated that, so it was fine, but it was unbearable seeing Shar fall so pitifully.
Keep your composure. The most important thing in battle is composure. Steady your mind like a sword. Rise the mind’s sword that had been resting.
The sword-heart technique. The technique of focusing one’s spirit through the sword, learned from Yuri, now activated. He swung the sword unwaveringly.
[Looks like you’re feeling motivated?]
“I really want to get going, so I’ll need some help too!”
The sword danced busily. In the future Yeon-woo perceived, all of Hwayo’s attacks were blocked by the elegantly sweeping sword. Clash!!
Not only that, but he began to slowly shift toward the offensive. Even with his right arm gone and his right leg severely injured, making it nearly immobile, there was still plenty for Yeon-woo to do.
He carefully navigated, slowly peeling toward Hwayo’s right side. Each moment brought countless advantages.
His magic was insufficient, leaving him unable to move his body as usual. The sword’s firmness and grace fell short, overall weaker than he typically would be, yet still, he refused to give up.
[Hmph!!]
Hwayo swung his deadly strike, and Yeon-woo’s sword wavered like a willow in the wind. The ominous red energy buried into the ground tore the earth apart.
‘…He’s dying.’
Yeon-woo was convinced. The momentum, brutality, everything felt much weaker than before.
He was certain the point of Hwayo’s demise was nearing, and soon he could see it through his ability to foresee the future.
That’s why he waited for an opening. The greatest weakness was undoubtedly his right arm. The final remnant left behind by his master. If he struck there, he was certain he could bring an end to everything.
Repeatedly, he used up his magical energy, waiting to charge it just enough during those few seconds until his friends arrived.
The brutal aura that had previously torn through everything hesitated momentarily.
When the crimson energy enveloping his hand began to flicker like a mirage, Yeon-woo swung his sword without hesitation.
“Haah-.”
In a sound like the shattering of space, something broke, flowing through Yeon-woo’s grip.
(To be continued in the next episode)