Chapter 17: Special Mission (3)
Before the look of confusion could disappear from everyone’s faces, Jang Woo-hyun moved.
There was a similar technique in the Six-Legged Horse King’s Step to the method he used before he gained the Qi Sense, where he had forcibly expelled his internal energy to propel himself forward.
The second step of the Horse King’s Step, Swift Sprint.
Although both techniques involved releasing internal energy through the Yongcheon Acupoint, the Six-Legged Horse King’s Step was far superior in every aspect, from foot placement to the utilization of internal energy.
Puh-ung!
The earth beneath his feet scattered as he shot forward.
The reaction of Insect Monster and Fire Monster was a beat too late due to his speed.
The companions couldn’t even properly see his movement.
Jang Woo-hyun closed the distance and switched his footwork.
Horse King’s Third Step: Sovereign Ruling.
Combining kicking technique with his footwork, he kicked Insect Monster directly.
Bang!
With a loud sound, Insect Monster flew backward, crashing through trees.
As his raised leg lowered, he stepped forward with Jin Step.
At the same time as the Jin Step, internal energy surged up his body.
As he swung his sword, a crescent-shaped slash aimed at the slightly distanced Fire Monster.
It was the Black Wolf Fang of the Silent Night Three Swords technique.
Fire Monster, who belatedly came to her senses, used shamanism.
A giant wall of fire emerged in front of her, colliding with the Black Wolf Fang.
Puh-ung!
The crescent-shaped slash broke through the wall of fire created by Fire Monster.
“Kyaaah!”
Fire Monster, unable to block it, was deeply slashed on her shoulder and collapsed.
Jang Woo-hyun did not stop there.
He had already launched the Black Wolf Fang and turned his body.
His target had been decided from the start.
Puh-ung!
He kicked off the ground again, approaching Insect Monster.
“Kill him! Let’s kill them too!”
The companions, stunned by Jang Woo-hyun’s fast movement, finally snapped out of it at Kwak Dong-ha’s shout.
Kwak Dong-ha was the first to rush forward, followed by the rest of the group charging toward the monsters and shamans of the Thousand Demon Sect.
Jang Woo-hyun had already reached Insect Monster.
Insect Monster, who had been rolling on the ground after smashing through trees, got up only to have to block an incoming sword aimed at him.
Ka-ga-gak!
The sword collided with his arm.
Insect Monster’s arm had transformed.
His arm was now encased in a hard exoskeleton, resembling the leg of an insect.
Monster Transformation.
A technique that could only be used by shamans who had mastered the Art of Strange Contracts.
It was the last resort technique that Insect Monster had been saving, but now he was forced to use it.
“You bastard, don’t think you’ll die easily.”
Insect Monster’s face had also changed, becoming a grotesque fusion of human and insect, evoking disgust.
However, Jang Woo-hyun didn’t react and instead added strength to his sword.
Shadow Serpent Coiling Sword.
The sword’s qi wrapped around the blade, swirling like a serpent.
It was one of the Silent Night Three Swords’ techniques that enhanced the sword’s power in a unique way.
The Silent Night Three Swords aimed to increase power and destructive force, making it closer to a strong sword technique rather than a heavy sword technique.
“What the…”
Insect Monster’s face contorted with shock as the pressure on him suddenly increased.
Ki-gi-gik!
The sword, wrapped in sword qi, began to pierce through the arm that had been easily blocking his attacks.
“W-wait! Hold on…”
Ka-gak!
With a sound, his arm was severed, and a diagonal slash cut across his body.
That was the end.
Insect Monster, one of the Five Monsters of the Demon Extermination Sect, had used his last resort and still died at Jang Woo-hyun’s hands.
Before the split upper half of his body could hit the ground, Jang Woo-hyun quickly swung his sword again, slicing Insect Monster’s body into pieces.
Since he had transformed into a monster, even though his body was severed, there was no telling what kind of trick he might pull.
Having learned his lesson from his previous battle with the Iron Armor Monkey, Jang Woo-hyun had no intention of letting his guard down.
He was determined to use all of his power.
The fact that he encountered one of the Five Monsters in a situation where he could fully utilize his martial arts made him feel fortunate.
So, while others were alarmed when they learned there were two of the Five Monsters, Jang Woo-hyun smiled.
It was an enjoyable moment.
After all, he had a worthy opponent to cross swords with.
Leaving the now sliced-up body of Insect Monster behind, Jang Woo-hyun turned his body.
His next target was Fire Monster.
There was no need to drag out the fight.
He intended to finish things quickly, not knowing what other variables might arise.
“You… I don’t know who you are, but you’ll regret this.”
Fire Monster, holding her severed shoulder with her hand, glared at Jang Woo-hyun.
In her hand, instead of blood, flames flickered.
Staring at him, Fire Monster snapped the necklace hanging from her neck.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
A scorching heatwave radiated from Fire Monster’s body.
Even from her bleeding shoulder, instead of blood, flames surged.
It seemed she had a hidden trick up her sleeve as well.
The flames that started from her wound engulfed her body, burning fiercely.
The fire eventually consumed Fire Monster.
Fwoooosh!
As the flames intensified, a giant figure made entirely of fire, about the size of a large tree, appeared where she had stood.
【I will burn your soul to ashes!】
Her angry spirit roared, and a massive torrent of flames surged toward Jang Woo-hyun.
In response, Jang Woo-hyun raised his sword.
Then he drew a small circle with it.
The thought of blocking an incoming firestorm with a sword might seem absurd.
However, Jang Woo-hyun had confidence he could block it.
The fire used by Fire Monster was based on the Red Fire technique of the Yin-Yang Five Elements Art.
The fire energy of the Five Elements, the energy of nature.
It might seem reckless to block the energy of nature with a sword, but Jang Woo-hyun had internal energy.
The internal energy accumulated in his dantian was also energy gathered from the world.
In that sense, internal energy was no different from the firestorm approaching him.
The phrase “all things return to one” applied to both martial arts and shamanism.
At the pinnacle of martial arts, one would resemble shamanism, and at the pinnacle of shamanism, one would resemble martial arts.
Ultimately, when reaching the highest level, everything converges into one, so blocking shamanism with a sword was not impossible.
One by one, circles overlapped to counter the firestorm.
After completing the fifth circle, Jang Woo-hyun brought his sword down from the middle.
The moment he did, the massive torrent of fire pouring down followed the tip of his sword and veered off course.
Fwoooosh.
The fire ran along the ground.
Although Jang Woo-hyun’s clothes were slightly singed, he remained unharmed.
Surprised, the eyes of the fire giant widened.
【So, you have a few tricks up your sleeve!】
The fire giant charged at him.
Since it lacked physical weight, there was no thundering sound, but the sheer size of its body and the aura of fire were enough to exert pressure.
Jang Woo-hyun quickly swung his sword in response.
Single-Heart Sword.
The Swift Sword differed from the heavy sword.
While heavy or strong sword techniques focused more on distributing internal energy into the sword, the Swift Sword channeled more strength into the arms.
The sword was light, the arms heavy.
Puh-ung!
The swiftly thrust sword pierced through the fire giant’s body, but it didn’t seem to have much effect.
The large hole that had been created in its chest was quickly filled by the surrounding flames.
It seemed Fire Monster’s body had already been consumed by the flames, as her form could no longer be seen inside.
【Kraaaah!】
The fire giant opened its mouth, spitting out a massive sphere of fire and flame.
Jang Woo-hyun attempted to deflect the incoming fireball with the Three Wheels Sword Art.
However, as soon as his sword made contact with the fireball…
Puh-ung!
“Ugh!”
The fireball exploded.
It was an attack that couldn’t be deflected.
Realizing Jang Woo-hyun’s sword techniques, Fire Monster had changed her method of attack.
With five or six fireballs targeting him, Jang Woo-hyun leaped backward.
Each time a fireball hit the ground, explosions and flames erupted.
【Don’t think you can escape!】
Jang Woo-hyun, who had retreated, strengthened his sword and unleashed a slash.
A massive crescent-shaped sword qi, Black Wolf Fang.
The fire giant twisted its body to avoid the incoming slash.
However, since it was already charging forward, it couldn’t completely dodge, and one of its arms was severed.
【That won’t work!】
As the giant shouted, its flames intensified, and another arm made of fire regenerated.
‘Is she avoiding it?’
Though the fire giant acted as if nothing had happened, a question arose in Jang Woo-hyun’s mind.
If there were truly no damage, then she could have just charged forward without trying to avoid the attack.
Even though the severed arm had regenerated, she had clearly evaded it.
‘The attack works. There’s definitely a limit.’
The giant of fire was not invincible.
【Die!】
Fire Monster swung her arm, which had extended like a whip, pressuring Jang Woo-hyun.
She drove him into a corner and opened her mouth again, spewing another fireball.
The surrounding area was engulfed in explosions and flames as their fight raged on.
It looked less like a martial artist’s battle and more like a fight between a mythical monster and a divine general.
Even though his movement was limited, Jang Woo-hyun didn’t panic.
He launched another Black Wolf Fang to cancel out the fireball.
Bang! Boom!
He drew a circle and flicked the fire whip away.
Then, focusing his qi on the Yongcheon Acupoint, he shot forward.
Closing the distance, he immediately activated the Horse King’s Third Step: Sovereign Ruling.
With each step, the ground was gouged out, and the fire giant’s flames were extinguished by the surging qi.
Before Fire Monster could react properly, Jang Woo-hyun’s thrust targeted the monster’s weak points, creating numerous holes in its body.
Before those holes could be regenerated, Jang Woo-hyun was already preparing another attack.
He stepped forward and unleashed two consecutive slashes.
Black Wolf Fang: Cross Blade.
【Kyaaah!】
With a scream, the fire giant’s body was quartered.
Without stopping there, Jang Woo-hyun’s numerous slashes tore apart the quartered flames.
The scattered flames could no longer burn, and the fire giant disappeared, leaving behind only small embers.
As the last ember faded, the only thing left was a small, charred, crouched body.
It was Fire Monster, who could no longer be seen within the fire giant.
Her shamanism had consumed her life as a final resort.
“Phew…”
Having exhausted all his power in order to test his abilities, Jang Woo-hyun let out a long breath.
As soon as his sigh ended—
“Waaaah!”
Kwak Dong-ha, who had just beheaded Ong-hwa, came running while shouting.
“That was insane! Captain, you’re really crazy! What the heck was that? You just casually took down a burning giant! And what about Insect Monster? That guy, one of the Five Monsters, couldn’t do anything and just died in a corner. Wow! Seriously, that was crazy! Captain, aren’t you stronger than even the elders or the Vice Sect Leader?”
Kwak Dong-ha kept talking as he circled around Jang Woo-hyun.
By now, the others had also gathered.
The five of them had joined forces to defeat the shamans and monsters of the Thousand Demon Sect.
“That’s not quite the case.”
“What do you mean, ‘not quite’? You’re out of your mind. Captain, you’re not a disciple of one of the Nine Sects, are you? With skills like that, you must be from Mount Hua or the Wudang Sect! I mean, you just sliced up a fire giant with a sword.”
“First, let’s clean up the area. We don’t know what other dangers may arise.”
“Understood. Yes, sir! Our mighty hero, Master Jang!”
Kwak Dong-ha exaggeratedly saluted and began moving.
“I knew you were strong, but I didn’t think you’d be this strong. Who would’ve thought you were a Master Level martial artist. When did you become this powerful?”
“I stopped by the Martial Arts Repository and gained some insights. It was then that I broke through the wall.”
“That’s truly amazing. Thanks to you, this mission is a success. No, it’s more than a success; it’s a huge triumph.”
The Seon Chan and Seon Min brothers’ eyes were shining, and even Ma Choong-won’s gaze was no different.
Once again, they had barely escaped death thanks to Jang Woo-hyun’s skills.
Everyone now held deep gratitude toward him.
“Brother, do we need to take the heads as proof? If we’re going to claim we defeated one of the Five Monsters, we need some evidence, don’t we? Oh? It’s already cut off. Luckily, the head hasn’t been shattered. Should we take it?”
“The head’s not necessary. Look closely at their hands. They should have a ring. They say when someone becomes one of the Five Monsters, they receive a ring. The ones we’ve killed before all had one.”
“Really? Let me see. Oh! Here it is.”
Kwak Dong-ha took a ring off the hand of Insect Monster, who had returned to his human form, and approached the burnt body of Fire Monster.
“This one might be tough. Let’s see… a ring… Is this it? Ugh, I don’t know.”
He cautiously searched through the charred body and ended up cutting off the entire hand to take with him.
“Looks like we’re pretty much done here. Let’s go find the villagers.”
Everyone’s heads turned in the same direction.
There was no need to search around; there was one suspicious area.
A crevice in the cliff where Fire Monster had appeared.
They all moved in that direction.
After advancing through the crevice for about ten paces, they arrived at an area surrounded by cliffs.
And there, in one corner, they saw a bizarre object, leaving everyone speechless.
“Hmm…”
“Huh…”
“Wow, what the hell is that?”
Each person let out a startled exclamation.
It was a massive beehive.
A beehive the size of a two-story building had taken up residence in one corner of the area.