“…You bastard. Don’t mess around.”
“Hehe. But what does ‘bastard’ mean?”
Park Jinsung asked with an innocent face, looking like someone who had just had a satisfying bowel movement after opening the door.
“One or two limbs are something even the chief would acknowledge.”
“Without the leader, you’ve become quite talkative, haven’t you? I think it looks good.”
Hood was having a hard time adapting to Park Jinsung’s lead.
“This guy keeps on!”
The side that had been driving, one side, and the side that would continue to drive, were all Hood’s own.
This damn kid had lost too much fear. Did he hit his head while running away?
Park Jinsung still had a beaming face as he brought out his Edeya.
“Come out, [Dagger.]”
[Dagger]
World Spirit Unit Grade System (Edeya): F
Overall Combat Ability: F
In Park Jinsung’s right hand was something slightly better than a kitchen knife, seemingly sharp enough to easily slice a pineapple.
“…What is that, really? You’re not going to say it’s the essence of a soul, are you?”
“Jinsung, run away!”
“Just quietly get hunted…”
[Legs that take 1 second to reach zero to hundred]
World Spirit Unit Grade System (Edeya): B
Overall Combat Ability: B
Hood, who seemed to have paused for a moment, suddenly exploded into action. It was a speed difficult to react to, even though he was just narrowing the distance in a straight line.
Park Jinsung stood there dumbfounded and said.
“Lee Sunghwa, now is the time. Hurry up and run away.”
“Where do you think you’re escaping to? I need to catch both of you!”
“Hehe.”
Park Jinsung smiled while making an onomatopoeic sound.
His temples bulged noticeably, indicating that his blood vessels were dilating due to the intense heat coursing through his body.
His already large eyes turned into chilling white eyes, and his solid thighs became even more muscular, with veins protruding.
Tick…tock.
Time seemed to slow down for Park Jinsung. The legs that could reach zero to hundred in a second now appeared as slow as a tortoise’s crawl.
[Complete Killing Intent]
World Spirit Unit Grade System: S
Captured by the desire to kill humans.
Physical abilities increase to three times their original kinetic energy.
Able to perceive all the vital points and Edeyas of the target.
Can identify the most efficient route to destroy the target within one’s own capabilities.
Can only be turned off by taking the life or Edeya of the target.
Jinsung’s worldview was uniquely his own.
“Yo-you bastard…!”
Whooosh, whoosh whoosh whoosh whooosh.
The F-grade knife, which was nothing more than a kitchen knife, went berserk under the S-grade manipulation.
Right shoulder, left shoulder, lower abdomen, upper abdomen, and then reversing the order to the left collarbone.
There was no blood splatter in the process of stabbing and withdrawing, the wounds formed faster than blood could escape.
Blood only started oozing out after reaching the last collarbone wound.
“Aaargh!! What, what is this!”
“Hehe. I’m sorry. Really sorry.”
Jinsung’s tone had changed completely.
His speech, facial expressions, and actions were completely out of sync. Only the corners of his mouth were prominently raised, almost making him look happy.
Creak.
Jinsung pressed down firmly on the dagger embedded in the right collarbone with both hands.
“Aaagh! You, you bastard…!”
“Oh? You have quite useful legs, don’t you?”
“My soul name?! Can you, can you actually see soul names?”
“Hehe! I can’t stand it! What would happen if I cut the Achilles tendon? What if I destroy the condition that activates the Edeya itself? Could it possibly downgrade the grade?!”
He was nothing short of a madman.
At least, that’s how he appeared to Hood. His excited expression resembled that of a curious child.
A self-centered murderer, acting solely on his own interests.
Not a calm and composed lunatic like a zealot, nor a psychopath incapable of empathizing with wrongdoing.
The reason for stabbing was simply because the target was there.
An evil purer than a pestilence.
His malicious intent, clearer than the purest spring water, laughed as he looked at Hood, whom he had turned into a complete mess.
“Hehe. I can see everything.”
“Cough.”
“I can see every spot where to stab.”
“You’re insane…”
“Hey, mister. Right now, I can see 113 different routes. Want to pick a number?”
The force behind the dagger increased. His demand for a response was like that of a petulant child.
“Jinsung… ah…?”
“Hehe?”
Lee Sunghwa, who had been hiding and watching, spoke up as he looked at Jinsung’s back.
He seemed like a completely different person. Even wrapped in the shell of Jinsung, the aura he emitted was different.
Shivering.
“Huh?”
Lee Sunghwa suddenly realized that his legs were trembling.
When his gaze shifted back to Jinsung,
“Sunghwa, Sunghwa, Sunghwa. Hel-lo?”
He couldn’t help but regret calling out to Jinsung.
“Let’s, let’s run away quickly, Jinsung. Okay? Please, Jinsung.”
“Your words sound weird. Hehe. Who really should be running away here?”
“Uh…?”
“Sunghwa, Sunghwa. What are you doing? Why aren’t you running? Hurry… Hurry and run away, Lee Sunghwa!”
When he called out to Lee Sunghwa, Jinsung’s voice sounded like it did before he changed.
“Ji… Jinsung?”
“The hand becomes the sword. Eventually, the body becomes an unbreakable sword. Right? It can be, right? Right right right?!”
“Jinsung! I’m sorry!!”
Lee Sunghwa closed his eyes tightly and ran past the murderer and his victim.
The chill he felt when he passed right by them was anything but ordinary. The instinct to survive prevented Lee Sunghwa from looking back.
“That’s enough… that’s… Hehe. That’s that’s that’s that’s!!”
“Crazy, cough, you bastard, are you losing your mind?”
“You’re no fun. I’ll go with route 13.”
“Uh. What’s route 13?”
“Hehe. I don’t know either.”
Jinsung laughed with an awkward whine. However, the direction his hands moved in was fiercely different from his sulky expression.
[Complete Killing Intent]
Overall Combat Ability: S (F↑)
“You bastard… you were hiding your strength. I need to report this to the chief immediately.”
* * *
“Hah haah haa.”
Lee Sunghwa managed to regain his composure only after running for what felt like a very long time, both subjectively and objectively.
Being someone who prided himself on remaining calm in all situations like Park Jinsung, Lee Sunghwa’s ability to quickly recover from panic was already beyond the level of most adults.
“Sigh.”
The emotion that followed the fear was one of awe.
It was clear that Park Jinsung knew how things would turn out and had sent him away for that reason.
The overwhelming strength he had just witnessed was a far cry from the F-grade trainee he had briefly seen before.
“…The body becomes an unbreakable sword.”
Lee Sunghwa stopped for a moment, pondering the last words Jinsung had said.
“Did he want to say that my Edeya could change too?”
Park Jinsung believed that Edeyas could change.
Jinsung, who had cruelly hidden his immense power.
Perhaps the last words were meant for Park Jinsung himself?
That even the Edeya Park Jinsung possessed could change.
“I see…”
Having come to his own understanding, Lee Sunghwa resumed running to fulfill his duties.
* * *
At present, in Gyeongju’s Danseoksan, there are rocks that look as if they were cleanly cut with a sword. It is said these are the marks left by General Kim Yushin during his sword training.
After meeting a sage in Seorabeol Jungak, Kim Yushin was taught mystical swordsmanship and received a magical sword.
Called the Sain Sword (Four Tiger Sword), or Sain Chamsa Sword (Four Tiger Evil-Slaying Sword), the constellations etched into the blade are said to contain the essence of the stars.
Baek-ok Kim, a branch of the Gimhae Kim clan, poured all their wealth into acquiring an extraordinary goblin-like entity.
“…Finally caught it.”
The actual owner, Kim Seyun, treated it as less than baggage.
“What a pretty sword, isn’t it? Like the face of our ancestor’s mother.”
“Hmph. You might change your mind once you feel its power.”
Kim Seyun adjusted her grip on the Sain Sword’s hilt.
The energy, starting faintly from the hilt, intensified along the constellation patterns.
The energy, resembling blue flames, was known as sword energy or aura. Just looking at it could create the illusion of slicing through space itself.
“Huh? Can you handle it now?”
Crackle. Boom.
Kim Iljeong swung his greatsword abruptly. Although he shattered the wall with great force, he was blocked in front of the Sain Sword enveloped in sword energy.
“It’s gotten much lighter?”
“What’s this? Did this Kim Iljeong’s soul name reject it? Is there some divine power in the blade?”
“Hmph. How would I know your Edeya? But it seems that the dreadful power of your attack isn’t just because of the visible greatsword, is it?”
[Sain Chamsa Sword (Four Tiger Evil-Slaying Sword)]
Only swordsmen of A grade or higher in the World Spirit Unit Grade System can wield it.
Amplifies the energy of the wielder.
Depending on the wielder’s ability, it can cut through Edeyas of A grade or higher.
A sword meant for facing formidable opponents.
Kim Iljeong’s rebellious greatsword technique heavily relied on his Edeya.
“Quite a peculiar blade.”
Normally, it should have easily crushed Kim Seyun. Sword energy, aura, or whatever – that would have been the norm.
However, Kim Yushin’s mystical sword unknowingly weakened Kim Iljeong’s Edeya.
“Goblin Sword Technique.”
Kim Seyun’s figure split into three and charged simultaneously. Being able to block the greatsword meant she could also attack with equal prowess.
One aimed high, another mid-level, and the last one low.
Each of the figures attacked at precisely the same moment, in different positions. It wasn’t just speed; it was as if there were three separate entities.
Kim Iljeong, facing the trio of goblins, stood still and laughed.
“Ah! I want it, I really want it. Won’t you consider joining me? I’ll make you at least my third wife.”
“I’d refuse even if our family was in dire straits, especially to someone like you.”
“It would be such a waste to kill you like this. I find myself unable to bring myself to harm you!”
Kim Iljeong laid his greatsword horizontally, its speed surprisingly surpassing that of Kim Seyun’s figures.
Whoom!
Regardless of Kim Seyun’s attack, Kim Iljeong swung his greatsword in a straight line.
He didn’t care which of the three figures was the real one. His massive greatsword could easily target all three simultaneously.
The fight quickly devolved into a battle of sheer force. It was a race between the three Sain Swords striking first or the greatsword crushing them.
“Ugh.”
As Kim Seyun frowned, all three figures mirrored the expression.
The Goblin Sword Technique always had the real body in the middle. Its purpose wasn’t to deceive the opponent but to multiply the attack routes.
The greatsword, with its unevenly split blade, resembled shark teeth. The sheer force of the swing slightly overpowered Kim Seyun’s momentum.
“Argh…!”
Eventually, the figures, overpowered in their momentum, all took the same defensive stance. They prepared to defend against the shark-tooth-like assault of the greatsword.
Clashhh!!
“Ah!! Lady! What will you do if you get scared there?!”
“Ugh, shut up.”
The greatsword collided with the figures.
Kim Seyun barely managed to block the greatsword, but the other figures were shattered and disappeared.
“It seems I have the upper hand in terms of strength.”
“It’s not over yet!”
Kim Seyun, her pride deeply wounded, gripped her sword tighter. She assumed a stance again, but it lacked the previous force.
“Huh? What now, shall we settle this with technique again?”
“Goblin Sword Technique!”
One to the left, one in front, and the last to the right.
The figures, split by the Goblin Sword Technique, each performed a dazzling array of sword moves. The blue trails they drew resembled fireflies carrying will-o’-the-wisps.
“Try and block this if you can!”
It was impossible to block everything. Attacks were coming from multiple angles, each unique in its trajectory. At least one was bound to hit.
But once again, Kim Iljeong remained stationary.
“In a relationship where one becomes husband and wife, respect and trust are important. I’ve been sufficiently surprised by you, lady. Isn’t it time for you to be surprised by your future husband?”
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
“This guy…!”
For the first time since becoming an expert-level swordsman, Kim Seyun was flustered.
Kim Iljeong, with his legs firmly planted, countered the figures using only one arm. He effortlessly dismantled the 1-to-3 odds of the Goblin Sword Technique right there.
“Hehehe!”
His speed, and not to mention his skill, were unbelievably advanced.
He matched the speed of the figure coming from the right with his greatsword,
pulled back his left arm to deal with the attack from the left using the handle of his sword,
and for the frontal attack, he pushed forward as he pulled back from the left, effectively countering both at once.
The Goblin Sword Technique, in terms of attack power, was as real as having three fighters. It was the result of channeling Kim Seyun’s swordsman Edeya through the Sain Chamsa Sword.
“Not bad at all.”
In essence, she made three simultaneous attacks in different directions, all subdued by that single large greatsword.
Even when Kim Seyun tried to close the distance with a thrust, it was the same. In terms of distance control, Kim Iljeong was a step ahead.
“Ah, are you finally starting to respect me?”
“……”
Kim Seyun broke into a cold sweat for the first time in a long while. She felt that the swordsman before her was at least her equal, if not superior.
The terrorist before her was not only remarkable for his Edeya but also possessed a high level of skill in wielding it.
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