Chapter 124 - Red Mask (3)
"Sa… Satan?" Kim Si-Hun uttered as his expression hardened.
Everyone in the world knew about the demon Satan. He had appeared in many different works of media as some sort of final boss. He was Wrath from the seven deadly sins.
"You're Satan?" Si-Hun questioned.
He glared at the red-masked man in disbelief. The man didn't look like how Si-Hun thought a demon would look. This supposed demon was shrouded in darkness, but his silhouette clearly belonged to a human.
[That is correct.]
"Kurgh!!"
The masked man who called himself Satan gripped Alec Osborne's neck even tighter. Alec swung his two legs desperately while making an expression filled with despair.
"Stop!" Si-Hun shouted.
He felt anxious. Alec looked like he was going to stop breathing at any moment.
[You look anxious,] the demon said.
"..."
[Is this man important to you?]
Si-Hun remained silent. He asked himself in his mind if Alec was important to him.
Ultimately, he replied, "I have no reason to tell you that."
Si-Hun raised his sword, the El Cuero Blade. It was the Legendary-grade weapon that Kang-Woo had given him.
'Kang-Woo hyung-nim.'
Si-Hun had called Kang-Woo after Alec contacted Si-Hun to say that a Demon Cultist had appeared, but Kang-Woo had not picked up. That meant Si-Hun couldn't expect to get anyone else's help.
'I have to defeat that demon.'
Si-Hun knew it was impossible. He knew it made no sense. There was no way that he had a chance against someone who had defeated the Sword of Justice, Alec Osborne.
Even so…
'Azure Dragon Rush.'
Si-Hun used the Azure Dragon Sword Technique he'd learned from Tian Wuchen. He lunged toward Satan with the swift and powerful sword attack.
Pound!
"Kurgh!"
[Weak,] Satan mumbled in disappointment.
He didn't even need to move. He flung Si-Hun backward with a simple flick of his hand.
Si-Hun, who had fallen to the floor, staggered to his feet with an intense determination in his gaze.
"I know I'm weak."
He activated his sword energy, and blue mana wrapped around his sword. Si-Hun stepped forward, raised his sword, and then swung it down. The blue sword energy flew from the sword and headed toward the demon.
Si-Hun had aimed the sword energy infused with his intense bloodlust at Satan's head. However, Satan flicked a finger and created a black wave that struck Si-Hun.
"Kuh!" Si-Hun groaned.
As he was pushed backward, he coughed up dark red blood. A simple flick of Satan's finger made Si-Hun feel like he'd been bashed by a sledgehammer.
[You seem desperate.]
"Cough! Cough!"
[Why are you so desperate? I don't believe you're related to Alec Osborne in any way whatsoever.]
"..."
Kim Si-Hun's eyes trembled as the demon's words echoed in his mind.
Satan was right. Strictly speaking, Si-Hun barely knew Alec. They weren't friends or comrades. Alec was just a hero whom he admired. Risking his life to save someone he'd only seen on television was dumb.
"Cough!" Si-Hun coughed up more blood.
'I know that.'
He knew he was doing something stupid, and other people would have a hard time understanding why he would choose to do it. If Kang-Woo were to see him like this, Kang-Woo would probably scold him.
'But…'
Si-Hun got up and firmly rooted his feet on the ground.
He turned to look at Alec again. Alec had turned pale. He was coughing up so much blood that it seemed like he was about to die.
'Hyung-nim probably wouldn't be able to understand,' Si-Hun thought, laughing at himself.
It was unlikely that Kang-Woo would understand what the Sword of Justice meant to him. After all, he had never told anyone.
Alec wasn't just someone he admired. He wasn't a boy who was blinded by a hero on a screen or a girl who had lost her mind over an idol. He wouldn't risk his life for something like that.
Si-Hun raised his sword and took a deep breath. In any case, he had no intention of explaining everything to that demon.
"Is it that weird to save someone who has nothing to do with you?"
[It's more idiotic than weird.]
"Idiotic, huh?" Si-Hun laughed. "You're right."
He didn't deny it. He wasn't expecting anyone to understand him. There was no way a demon would be able to understand something that even normal people couldn't.
"I'm sorry, Kang-Woo hyung," Si-Hun muttered under his breath.
He still hadn't been able to repay his debt to Kang-Woo. Kang-Woo had saved his life and given him even more help after that. Not being able to make up for all of that was Si-Hun's only regret.
"Fuuu."
He took in a deep breath and exhaled. The Qi inside his dantian spread throughout his body. The sword in his hand didn't feel like a weapon but an extension of his body.
Si-Hun was one with the sword. He let that sensation take over his body.
Boom!
He stomped on the ground and leaped forward.
The man in the red mask raised his hand, and a sword emitting demonic energy appeared in it. Si-Hun raised the El Cuero Blade, which was enveloped in sword energy, and swung it down.
The swords emitting blue and black light collided. They exchanged an enormous number of blows in just one second.
However, the difference in strength was clear. The recoil of sword energy transmitted through the sword ripped open Si-Hun's palms.
Whoosh!
Nevertheless, he ignored it. He stepped back and lowered his stance.
Si-Hun wouldn't be able to win in a direct confrontation. He dodged the incoming attack and once again swung forth with the El Cuero Blade. It moved fluidly like a dragon and stabbed the darkness shrouding the demon.
"Kargh!"
Si-Hun was flung back by a massive rebounding force and once again coughed up dark red blood. His expression hardened.
This was not a matter of martial arts; the difference in their raw strength was colossal. No matter how much Si-Hun charged at the demon, it was like trying to destroy a rock with an egg.
'But…'
Si-Hun wasn't going to give up. He couldn't give up.
He got up with his trembling legs and gripped his sword tighter, leaping toward the insurmountable wall before him without hesitation.
* * *
They exchanged blows. Si-Hun was flung back once again.
'Well, isn't he amazing?'
Kang-Woo didn't mean it mockingly; he was purely impressed.
Now that he had achieved the Ultimate Demonic Body, there was an enormous difference in physical specs between him and Si-Hun. It wasn't at a level that could be overcome with just martial arts. No matter how outstanding the techniques of a three-year-old child were, they wouldn't be able to win against a pro wrestler. This was a gap that was impossible to overcome.
'Like I thought, Si-Hun is far better than Alec.'
Kang-Woo smiled in satisfaction.
Alec's swordsmanship was orthodox to a fault, but he'd refined it to its utmost limit. This meant that it was powerful but very easy to anticipate because it was so straight and simple.
However, Si-Hun's swordsmanship was different.
'I can't see it.'
It would be more precise to say that Kang-Woo couldn't anticipate it. Even Kang-Woo, who had experienced hundreds of thousands of battles in his life, was unable to figure out Si-Hun's swordsmanship.
His heart beat in ecstasy from seeing Si-Hun's unlimited potential.
Thwack!
"Kuh!" Si-Hun groaned, once again tumbling to the ground.
Of course, Si-Hun still wasn't as strong as a World Ranker at the moment. He would lose even if he was fighting against Alec.
'But that's purely due to the difference in their physical specs.'
Si-Hun was still growing. He hadn't even reached the level cap yet. In the first place, it was impossible for a Player who had only just broken through Level 60 to land an attack on Kang-Woo.
Yet, Si-Hun had managed to do it.
'Based purely on level, he's above me.'
Nevertheless, a Player's level wasn't that important. What truly mattered was the thing that gave a Player power—their stats. In that sense, Kang-Woo had stats comparable to a Level 100 player.
'I'll have to modify my plan a little.'
Kang-Woo licked his lips as he saw Si-Hun charge toward him with everything he had.
Originally, he'd planned to overwhelm Si-Hun with absolute power to stimulate his growth. However, Kang-Woo had changed his mind. Si-Hun was more desperate than Kang-Woo had anticipated.
'I don't think he's going this far because of plain admiration.'
If it were that, Si-Hn wouldn't be trying so hard. Kang-Woo thought about the reason for a little while but ultimately shook his head. Just because Si-Hun was his Familiar didn't mean that he would know everything about Si-Hun.
'Whatever the case, this is better.'
The more important Alec was to Si-Hun, the stronger the stimulation would be.
Kang-Woo faced Si-Hun with one hand while grabbing Alec's neck with the other. Si-Hun thrust his sword sharply. It suddenly changed trajectory right when it was about to collide with Kang-Woo's sword. His swordsmanship was truly unpredictable like a slithering snake.
Clang!
'Yes, good.'
Si-Hun's sword was deflected by the shroud of darkness. Then he used the recoil to spin in the opposite direction from his initial trajectory, swinging his sword toward Kang-Woo's head. It was a phenomenal acrobatic movement.
'Yeah, that's it,' Kang-Woo remarked inwardly and used less power on purpose.
Si-Hun's sword pushed him more aggressively. Si-Hun destroyed a little bit of the mask that wasn't protected by the darkness.
'You're doing so well, Si-Hun!!'
Si-Hun's swordsmanship wasn't like Alec's, which was purely for suppressing the opponent. All of Si-Hun's attacks targeted the vitals, and each attack was filled with a powerful bloodlust. It was the perfect lethal swordsmanship that had no other intention but to kill the opponent.
'This is what I call a battle!'
If Si-Hun's stats were higher, it would've been a more thrilling battle.
Kang-Woo felt a bit disappointed but shook his head.
'Si-Hun will get stronger.'
Si-Hun already had the Heavenly Martial Physique, which was an aptitude bestowed onto him by the heavens, the soul of the Martial God, and a great master known as Sword Emperor Tian Wuchen.
'And now I'm filling in the missing pieces.'
Kang-Woo's eyes shone sharply. It was about time that he overpowered Si-Hun.
He drew out more of his power.
Right then…
Fwoom!!
"Huff! Huff!"
Si-Hun was surrounded by an explosive blue light.
Riiing.
[Familiar Kim Si-Hun has accepted the power of the Martial God.]
[Familiar Kim Si-Hun has learned the essence of the Azure Dragon Sword Technique.]
'The hell?' Kang-Woo thought when a blue system window appeared in front of him. 'He powered up again?'
He laughed in disbelief. This had not been in his calculations.
'He's powering up like it's nobody's business... Are you Naruto or something?'
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