Chapter 526: Intense (1)
'What is this place?'
Lee Hyeon-Su narrowed his eyes while scanning his surroundings.
An artificially constructed... nature? That was the initial impression Lee Hyeon-Su got.
The road leading up to here had been surrounded by dense foliage seemingly untouched by human hands. But a massive open space awaited the wary visitors at the end of this road.
Another thing to note was the road itself; it didn't seem to be designed for people's convenience. Rather, it was meant to be as hidden as possible. And then... what was up with the sudden burst of blinding light coming from the wide open space?
Lee Hyeon-Su finally confirmed the source of the light and was taken aback. He hurriedly took another look at his surroundings.
'Spotlights?'
Those spotlights hung on steel scaffoldings, the kind commonly seen in pop and rock concert halls. These skeletal structures looked old and worn out. What surprised Lee Hyeon-Su more, though, was the fact that these things were built in the middle of a remote mountainside. All those spotlights were illuminating a steel cage shaped like a... hexagonal ring.
When Lee Hyeon-Su saw rusted steel wires and all the spotlights, the dots finally connected in his head. He figured out where they were.
“A... dog fighting arena?”
Indeed, it was an illegal dog fighting arena constructed here in the boonies to escape the eyes of the law. However, judging by the state of disrepair, it must've been abandoned a long time ago.
A voice suddenly rang out. “Isn't this a perfect location?”
Lee Hyeon-Su's head jerked to the side, and almost at the same time, his expression crumpled instantly. A giant of a man was leisurely walking out from behind one of the spotlights. '...Vator!'
Vator looked exactly like in the descriptions. His shoulders, twice the size of an average adult male, proved that he had to be none other than Vator.
“It suits our current circumstances, too,” said Vator while not even bothering to spare a cursory glance at Lee Hyeon-Su. His gaze was solely locked on Kang Jin-Ho as if Lee Hyeon-Su or anyone else didn't exist in this place.
“Wouldn't you agree?” Vator loudly muttered while leisurely taking a few steps forward. That was all he did. However, Lee Hyeon-Su still reflexively stumbled back two steps.
This was different. The pressure Vator emitted was starkly different from anything Lee Hyeon-Su had sensed until now. If Kang Jin-Ho was like a growling, snarling wild beast, Vator was like a massive, solid stone statue imposingly strutting around.
The hostile pressure emitted by a massive physique that seemed inhuman was not something anyone could easily endure!
However, Lee Hyeon-Su had to quickly revise his evaluation. Under the slightly better light condition, Vator didn't just resemble a stone statue anymore.
Each of Vator's muscles seemed to be sentient beings. With every step he took, all those muscles squirmed and writhed with life and power. So much so that even Lee Hyeon-Su was left awestruck by this sight.
Just how much... destructive force could such a physique produce? To those who cultivated through the circulation of qi, having impressive muscles didn't mean much. However, Vator's physique was so impressive and imposing that Lee Hyeon-Su couldn't help but reconsider that notion.
His unclothed torso seemed to gleam under the light. Meanwhile, his impossibly-thick arms were protected by wrist guards.
Just looking at his figure was enough to stop Lee Hyeon-Su's breathing.
That was when Kang Jin-Ho's voice suddenly came from behind. “Hmm. Surprisingly romantic, aren't you?”
Lee Hyeon-Su felt his pounding heart calm down just then. After all, the man behind him was special. Kang Jin-Ho might be the worst enemy imaginable... but also the best ally in the world!
Kang Jin-Ho smirked. “You don't even look the type, either.”
“Kekeke...” Vator cackled quietly.
“Still, I should commend you for finding a suitable spot like this,” said Kang Jin-Ho while glancing around.
“I should apologize for bringing you to such a decrepit location. I couldn't find a better place than this, you see?” Vator continued to cackle. Despite what he said, his expression implied he was rather pleased with his choice. “It's time to acknowledge what needs to be acknowledged. All martial artists of the current era share this fate. We must never reveal ourselves to the public. And those who are interested in this sort of thing, we fight to decide who is the strongest among us while avoiding attracting attention,” said Vator as his muscles rippled.
“What a convenient way to interpret things,” Kang Jin-Ho's smirk deepened. “However, that's your situation, Crimson King's dog.”
Vator's brows quivered at that provocation. Such a subtle movement might have gone unnoticed with most other people, but everything about Vator was so massive that even the smallest changes to his expression were starkly noticeable.
“You should watch your mouth or else,” Vator quietly growled.
“It's my mouth, so it's none of your business. Still, thanks for the advice,” Kang Jin-Ho casually quipped.
Rather than getting angry, though, Vator was dismayed more than anything else. “You're different from what I expected. When you were emitting all that bloodlust back in the stadium, I figured you'd be a slack-jawed moron who can't even string a sentence together.”
“I don't think you have any right to say that with a face like yours,” Kang Jin-Ho tutted.
“...It seems I can't win against you in a verbal sparring,” Vator slowly shook his head. “However, it doesn't matter. Oh, Kang Jin-Ho, the martial artist of this foreign land. You most likely have no idea how pleased I am to find a warrior of your caliber in this insignificant little land.”
Kang Jin-Ho didn't respond and simply glared at Vator.
“I'm sure it's the same for you, Kang Jin-Ho.”
“...”
“You must've been tormented by the thirst this wasteland could never satisfy. You must've been lamenting the fact that no one here was worthy of you going all out.”
Kang Jin-Ho smirked derisively. “Sounds like you're mistaken about something here...”
“Mm...?”
“It'd be nice if you don't forget that we live in the 21st century. If I want to fight someone, I can always hop on a plane and travel to China whenever it's convenient for me.”
Vator guffawed loudly. “Kuwa-hahahaha! Indeed! However, I'm sure you already know that's not what I meant.”
“Also, let me correct you on one other thing...” Kang Jin-Ho casually muttered again, prompting Vator to stare at him with some interest. “The likes of you... isn't enough to quench my thirst.”
“...!” Vator's expression immediately crumpled. “Hoh. How arrogant. Extremely arrogant...!”
“Maybe,” Kang Jin-Ho shrugged his shoulders.
“I shall make you pay for your arrogance, then!” Vator spun around on his heels before suddenly jumping up.
Boom!
His landing spot was inside the arena. The cage seemed large enough to accommodate dozens of people, but Vator's solitary presence instantly made it look cramped.
“Come inside. This is where you shall pay for your arrogance,” said Vator while beckoning toward Kang Jin-Ho. However, Kang Jin-Ho simply smirked before turning around to walk away. Vator furrowed his brow and roared out, “Are you running away, Kang Jin-Ho!”
“You are rather impatient, aren't you?” Kang Jin-Ho chuckled while leisurely heading toward the car. He opened the back door and took out the Azuremourne and the Crimson Destiny. He still hadn't mastered the Western technique, 'subspace', and had no choice but to rely on such a cumbersome method.
Vator narrowed his eyes. “Swords?”
“What's wrong? You want me to fight you bare-handed?”
“No. I don't care if you're a swordsman or not. What I do care about is fighting you at your peak.”
Kang Jin-Ho smirked softly at that.
A warrior. That was the most fitting description for Vator. Despite the exchange of barbed words, Vator was still an honorable man who didn't prepare traps. He only wished to fight fair and square like a real man. It would be hard to remain completely hostile toward someone burning in such a pure fighting spirit.
After all, the only thing separating Vator and Kang Jin-Ho was a line drawn on the sand.
Click...
After attaching his pair of swords to his hips, Kang Jin-Ho lit a cigarette up. “...We'll get going after this.”
Vator chuckled hollowly. “...You sure are relaxed, aren't you?”
“I have no reason to be nervous, after all.” Kang Jin-Ho muttered while leisurely puffing away. Unlike his relaxed demeanor, however...
His heart was slowly but surely being enveloped in an inferno. He chose to smoke as a way to calm his excessively-agitated heart.
'It sure has been a while.'
When Kang Jin-Ho looked back... It had been a long time since he encountered an opponent who wanted to duel him.
Kang Jin-Ho overcame countless traps and defeated enemies who would stop at nothing to kill him. However, this man named Vator was different.
He seemed genuinely pleased by the simple fact that he could fight Kang Jin-Ho like this. Kang Jin-Ho was sure of never encountering a modern-era martial artist with such an attitude until now.
'And I used to detest this attitude back in Zhongyuan, too...'
Kang Jin-Ho was a modern-era man when he was reincarnated in Zhongyuan. Of course he couldn't comprehend the ancient martial artists' mindset. How could anyone willingly throw their lives away just for the thrill of combat?
Distribute knives to professional fighters of the modern era and tell them to kill each other in a death match, and everyone would call you insane. However, such a thing was a daily occurrence back in Zhongyuan.
That stinking barbaric mindset...! The barbarity of the past Kang Jin-Ho detested and cursed at had revived itself right before his eyes after eons of time.
'But, isn't this funny?'
Even so, Kang Jin-Ho didn't hate this revival as much as he thought. How should he describe what he felt, then? Although dismayed, he suddenly grew a little nostalgic about his past?
“Fuu-woo…” Kang Jin-Ho slowly sucked on his cigarette before exhaling. He tossed the cigarette butt on the ground, stubbed it out, then leisurely headed to the arena.
That was when Lee Hyeon-Su suddenly stood in his path. “Mister Jin-Ho...!”
“Stay out of my way. I'll be done with it soon enough.”
“...I believe in you,” said Lee Hyeon-Su. However, hints of undisguised anxiety could be seen flickering in his expression.
Obviously, Lee Hyeon-Su didn't believe Kang Jin-Ho would lose. Until he saw Vator with his own two eyes, that was. Vator's physical appearance alone indicated that this battle should not be a cakewalk.
Kang Jin-Ho casually patted Lee Hyeon-Su's shoulder before heading toward the arena.
Creaaaaak...!
When he pulled the steel wire door open, sharp friction noises of rusted metal resounded out from the hinges. The level of rust seemingly hinted at how long this place must've been abandoned for.
Kang Jin-Ho ducked under the entrance and slipped inside the cage before closing the door behind him. Vator silently watched the proceedings before grinning widely. “Doesn't it feel like we're dogs about to fight?”
“...It's not a good feeling, actually.”
“Fella, you need to be more romantic in things like this.”
Kang Jin-Ho ignored Vator and scanned the cage. “What is the point of all this? When everything here will be blown apart as soon as we start fighting?”
“Don't say that. Don't you think this place fits our situation perfectly?”
Kang Jin-Ho slowly shook his head. This Chinese expert... No, the Mongolian warrior seemed to possess a sentimental side to him, which didn't suit his burly appearance at all. Also...
'Well, it is kind of fun.'
Kang Jin-Ho felt a little strange while scanning the surroundings from inside the cage. The steel wires and frames, rusted so much that they were almost red in color; and this striking silence of mother nature, far removed from the noises of civilization... As far as atmosphere was concerned, Kang Jin-Ho had to agree that this place wasn't so bad.
“Kang Jin-Ho...!” Vator suddenly began roaring like a powerful beast. “I am Vator! The warrior of the great plains! Today, I shall take your head as my trophy! However, do not be disappointed by your fate since I have acknowledged you! Even though you will die tonight, your soul will become a part of me and live on!”
It was as if Vator was performing a sacred ritual. His greeting, despite his animalistic roar, was dignified, solemn.
A sneer leaked out of Kang Jin-Ho's mouth as he listened. “Kekekeke...!”
“...What do you find so funny in this situation, Kang Jin-Ho?”
“It's all a bit too cringey, don't you think?”
/p>
“...You!” Vator gritted his teeth, getting ready to shout something back. That was when Kang Jin-Ho's atmosphere suddenly transformed. 'So, it's finally begun?'
Vator put his dukes up as if he had already expected this situation. A demonic cultivator rousing up their demonic qi would become much more violent and vicious than before. Since he knew this better than anyone, Vator got ready to counter Kang Jin-Ho's potential attacks.
To his surprise, though... What came from Kang Jin-Ho wasn't his blade but words.
“What did you say about souls?” Kang Jin-Ho cackled derisively.
This hulking idiot had no idea, didn't he? Vator didn't know what death was. He didn't even know what dying meant! Someone who had never experienced death would never know.
However, it was fine. That didn't matter since Kang Jin-Ho would show him. Once Vator experienced it... He'd understand the truth!
“I shall teach you, then.”
Shu-ru-ru-rung!
The Azuremourne and the Crimson Destiny were yanked out into the open. The pure-white blades glistening under the intense spotlights suddenly dyed in pitch-black darkness.
Almost at the same time, strands of demonic qi began gushing out like waves from below Kang Jin-Ho's feet. Soon, these demonic qi strands enveloped Kang Jin-Ho's entire body.
As he became the darkness himself... a pair of crimson eyes burned eerily where Kang Jin-Ho's eyes should be. Even Vator froze up at this bizarre, creepy spectacle. Despite having fought countless battles before, he had never encountered a scene this chill-inducing!
'Is this... what a true demonic cultivator is like?'
Kang Jin-Ho, now resembling a devil created purely out of all the despair and resentment of humanity, addressed Vator with a voice that sent chills down the big man's back.
“I shall teach you... what death is!”
Kang Jin-Ho's demonic qi gushed and billowed into the night sky.
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.co(m)