Chapter 154: Light Swordmaster (2) ————-«
The light in darkness tends to lure the lost.
Despite the knowledge that it could burn you, its temptations can’t be denied.
The desire for light, once at the presence of one, grows immensely.
And it’s a type of survival instinct engraved on the souls of living.
That light, which caused such madness, was the Heavenly Armory in Murim.
While the foolish moths that got attracted to the light were ones obsessing over the martial arts within the armory.
Fierce Dragon Blade, was another one of those moths to the fire.
「You’ve entered the Path of Dark Heavens of Heavenly Armory.」
“Damn it, damn it all…….”
Lee Jincheon grit his teeth looking at the lit up writing in front of him.
Not a single ounce of inner energy was detected, nor could any qi could be sensed.
He felt nauseous from the sensation of everything that he’s learned until now being rejected.
‘……So this is the secret armory said to be the remnants of the Best of Universe.’
It sent chills through him.
Nevermind the lit up words in front of him, this armory was nothing more than hell.
While the Path of Poisoned Parasite put several people in a cave to fight to the death like beasts.
This new path forced the challengers to kill each other to reach the end of the path after restricting Internal Energy.
“Damn it…….”
Lee Jincheon stared directly into the blinding darkness and groaned.
The last ditch effort of trying to overcome his lacking talent put him in more danger than ever.
He attempted to be calm and continued on.
‘……It’s okay. This will be worth it, as long as I can get my hands on that technique.’
Killing the innocent, committing murder while walking on a pitch black path, and more. He could do anything to achieve his goal.
Lee Jincheon gave up his humanity.
For over 60 years, seeing the monstrous geniuses overcome him within a blink of an eye, he realized.
If he stayed like this, he would only be a stepping stone for other geniuses to walk on.
That he will continue to live in that suffocating reality being overshadowed by those bright, absolute talents.
Which is why he made the decision to leave that small well of a sect to enter the Heavenly Armory.
To learn that supreme technique, and to ascend to a new level.
‘I’ll kill however many it takes to get that.’
Lee Jincheon walked through the darkness with bloodshot eyes.
Light Swordmaster.
The techniques of the one who massacred the entirety of Diancang Group alone 40 years ago.
If the techniques of such being can be acquired, then every rite of passage would be worth its price…….
Lee Jincheon repeated it as if to convince himself while walking through the darkness.
When he was met with a person, he cut them down unhesitantly, threw away his pride to crawl on the floor to keep his life.
Slash!
「The opponent is eliminated 」
「The darkness that blinds you is disappearing slightly.」
And he rejoiced in the fact that his sight was slowly coming back.
‘Yes! This is it! I……! I am! I am someone who will prevail!’
The elderly man who used to criticize the Light Swordmaster for his inhumane trials existed no more.
Only a dirty murderer remained.
Lee Jincheon did not hesitate walking through the darkness anymore.
Taptaptap!
In fact, he ran through the area loudly trying to find more opponents to kill.
With 60 years of basic training, no opponent came close to match his skills.
He didn’t even have much inner energy either.
So instead of training with his inner energy, he made up for it with other techniques which allowed him to progress in this passage smoothly.
However, he realized after a moment.
「The opponent is eliminated 」
「The darkness that blinds you is disappearing slightly.」
「The opponent is elim……..」
「The darkness that blinds you is ……….」
「The opponent is……..」
「The darkness that……….」
That he saw more corpses than people.
Lee Jincheon no longer felt delight from seeing multiple instances of corpses on the floor.
“What is…….”
He understood his situation.
All the corpses until now had their throats slit from the same technique.
Which meant that a single person had been killing them all.
All the ones who have a history of martial arts would conclude the same.
「The opponent is eliminated 」
「The darkness that blinds you is disappearing slightly.」
「The opponent is elim……..」
「The darkness that blinds you is ……….」
「The opponent is……..」
「The darkness that……….」
And the writings of light never ceased while Lee Jincheon was thinking.
He shivered looking at those writings that seem to be coming alive to burn him.
There was no more darkness now.
The unwelcomed lights surrounded the area to lift up the darkness and persecute the moth.
‘S- something’s wrong here…….’
Before his thought continued, his instincts yelled loudly with a warning bell.
60 years.
The instincts that he developed over decades of experience moved his body before he could think.
Slash!
But it was too late.
“Aughhhh……!”
Lee Jincheon rolled on the ground, feeling a wave of hot heat on his back.
And
Through his fear stricken eyes, he saw his enemy.
An emotionless eyes, training robe that are only used in the west, and the two swords emitting an ominous aura…….
A young man that resembled a grim reaper looked down on him.
“How did you know that I approached you?
Lee Jincheon realized that he was facing death itself and quickly made up a lie.
“……I- it’s the technique of my sect! If you let me live, I’ll share it with……!”
Perhaps the desire to live enabled the lies to flow effortlessly.
But he couldn’t finish it.
“Lies.”
The pupils of the young man suddenly slit into vertical, like that of a reptile and glowed like a flame.
The lie was so easily detected.
At that horrific appearance, Lee Jincheon trembled, feeling his airway being blocked.
“Ah…….”
Lee JIncheon finally realized it at his final moments.
That his desire for the techniques was greed that he could not handle.
That he was only a sacrificial lamb that the Heavenly Armor chose for monsters like that young man.
That the ones that will get a hold of the techniques have been predetermined.
And…….
“I- I don’t want to die…….”
Slash─!
That it was too late to turn back time.
»————- ★ ————-«
The time passed by quickly.
「You’ve eliminated a strong opponent」
「All stats raised by +1 temporarily within the 17th floor..」
「Kill every enemy.」
Moving to complete the special assignment was pretty boring and repetitive.
「You’ve eliminated every lost opponent.」
「Congratulations, You’ve completed the Special Assignment, ‘Pathfinder of Death’.」
「Temporary +4 on all stats as a reward of completion.」
Approaching the enemy, cutting their throats, and seeking a new enemy.
Repeating that task was mind numbingly boring.
And the enemies couldn’t use their Mana Circuit or Aura Sense so they were purely relying on their senses…….
「The skill ‘Dark Wolf’s Steps’ is currently activated.」
With a skill that can erase my entire presence, killing them was way too easy.
「You have absorbed the soul of the Murim individual ‘Lee Jincheon’.」
「Proficiency increased by 0.017%.」
「You have absorbed the soul of the Murim individual ‘Baek Sukmun’…….」
「Proficiency increased by 0.011% …….」
「You have absorbed the soul of the Murim individual ‘Lee Gunbaek’…….」
「Proficiency increased by 0.009% …….」
The one sided massacre ended just like that.
「 Permanently increasing your stats using the souls in captivity. 」
「 Strength increased by 1.」
「Stamina increased by 1.」
「Mana increased by 1.」
It was easy to defeat enemies who couldn’t use mana nor aura sense.
After concealing the presence with a skill, just a single strike of blade was plenty to defeat them.
Ultimately, there was an old man who could still detect my presence, but.…….
‘It seemed like he detected me coincidentally.’
That was not enough to deter me at all.
‘This is definitely not up my alley..’
I’ve killed them all for the completion of the special assignment and the temporary stat boost…….
But I couldn’t help but wonder if I’ve been killing the innocent throughout this process.
Of course, the moment they stepped into the Heavenly Armor, it implied that they were willing to fight.
And that’s why I could kill all the opponents without hesitation.
「Skill ‘Instant Acceleration(B)’s proficiency reached 100%.」
「Skill ‘Instant Acceleration(B)’ ranked up.」
「Skill ‘Wind Grace(A)’s proficiency reached…….」
「Skill ‘Wind Grace(A)’ ranked…….」
「Skill ‘Sixth Sense(B)’s proficiency …….」
「Skill ‘Sixth Sense(B)’ ranked…….」
After seeing the skills rank up in a while, I surveyed my surroundings.
“…….”
The room completely engulfed in darkness regained its original appearance.
And all the opponents holding different weapons laid on the ground without their heads.
After a moment of looking at the corpses, I touched the pool of blood on the ground with Blood Demon Sword.
「Activating True Blood Demon Sword(A-)’s exclusive skill ‘Blood Eat’.」
「Item’s rank raises to A (4,800/4,800) from absorbing blood.」
「The stats of the item met its requirements to rank up from A to A+.」
After completely absorbing the pool of blood, the Blood Demon sword lit up eerily.
A voice rang out from the sword while I was looking at it.
―Hahah. What a good feeling. The bountiful resource of blood is rather nice. How pleasant.
Dam Cheonwoo spoke in satisfaction.
“I’m glad.”
I answered half heartedly while sheathing the sword back at my waist.
Truthfully, I didn’t care if he felt satisfied or not.
‘What matters is how efficient Dam Cheonwoo became.’
At that moment.
―……you don’t change at all huh? Seeing this great one as a mere tool. Are you really not a child of the East?
I flinched at his words.
―Tsk, having the perception ability ranking up during these times……. What a skill.
“……Did you read my mind?”
―Indeed. I read that blasphemous thought of yours. I never told you to worship this great one, but you need to at least have some respect for me.
But I realized after a short while.
“It seems that you can’t read what’s in my deep consciousness at least.”
―What? How did you find that out so quickly…….?!
“You couldn’t read any of my thoughts just now. If you could, you wouldn’t have stayed silent.”
―……Just what were you thinking this time?
“It’s a secret.”
After saying that, I continued on to follow that path with the flowing rocks.
“I’m guessing you can only read what’s on the surface of my consciousness. And you got it after ranking up, correct?”
―……Yes, you’re right. You catch on way too quickly. As you said, my synchronization with the one that the sword deems their master went up, so I can read your thoughts now.
“That is certainly convenient.”
I didn’t have to waste any more mana during battle for stealth-communication.
Furthermore.
No one could eavesdrop on our conversation by using mana, and not having to send out messages during battles…….
The item became more capable.
―You are thinking every disrespectful thought under the sun.
“I’m calling an item, an item. What else do I call it then?”
―…….
“Don’t be cross over something like this.”
―That’s not what……!
“Forget it then.”
―Let me finish talking at least!
I lazily answered Dam Cheonwoo’s excuses and continued to follow the flowing line.
And at the end of the line, a narrow road that barely fits a person appeared.
After entering that path, a new message appeared.
「You’ve passed the Path of Dark Heavens of Heavenly Armory.」
「You’ve met the requirements. Opening the doors.」
Rumble─!
But something was odd.
「Requirements satisfied.」
「Every opponent has been killed」
「You are now partly qualified to become a true heir. A secret gateway is opening.」
Suddenly, the exit at the end of the path got shut with a stone door…….
「Opening the Path of Heavenly Light.」
A new shining portal appeared in the middle of the road.
“……What?”
Is it normal for portals to appear like this in Murim?
―……Not a chance. Even this great one never heard of something like that before.
“Then what is that? A portal instead of a gate?”
―I told you. That this Heavenly Armor is created to choose an heir by the divine entity. So it’d be not too out of place for an odd feature to exist.
“…….”
―Just that, according to this great one’s memories, no such rites of passage existed. I’m guessing that It must meet a very specific requirement.
Dam Cheonwoo spoke in a flabbergasted tone, but continued to explain.
―Well, to put it in your terms. It goes like this.
And I couldn’t help but let out a laugh at what followed.
―To sum it up, it’s a hidden stage.
Well if you put it that way…….
‘When he says it, it sounds different.’
It felt as if a stroke of serendipity got bestowed.
A very fortunate stroke of serendipity at that.
[To be continued.]
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