“Great Hero!”
When the startled Myeong Un tried to run toward Black Leopard, the metal monster attempted to fire another invisible slashing strike.
Judging from its somewhat slowed movements, the attached bracelet had merely been a device to make its actions more agile—it was not the Black Divine Artifact itself.
Flash!
At that moment, a brilliant red radiance bloomed into the sky and at the same time, the entire world seemed to slow down.
Slice. Thud.
The head of the metal monster, which had been about to launch the slashing strike, fell to the ground in an instant.
It was the extreme swift killing technique, Meteor Chasing the Moon Form, which was so transcendentally fast that it made time itself appear to slow.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the two boulders behind Myeong Un turned to powder.
Because the Meteor Chasing the Moon Form had split the invisible slashing strike aimed at Myeong Un into two pieces, the divided strikes simultaneously shattered the two rocks behind him.
Thud! Thud!
However, even though its head had been severed, the metal monster showed only traces of metal being split instead of blood. It continued moving and exerting its power without any hindrance.
Hummm! Hummm!
At that moment, a resounding sword cry spread from the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
It had likely detected the main body of the Black Divine Artifact and was attempting to destroy it.
Ziiing!
Before anyone realized, the Silent Tiger Soul Sword had created a terrifying sword gang three jang in size on its own.
‘Good.’
Bu Eunseol began slicing through the metal monster’s torso in sync with the Silent Tiger Soul Sword’s seemingly autonomous movements.
Papapapapa!
An immense sword wind spread out, enough to shake the trees more than ten jang away.
Thud, thud, thud.
The metal monster’s body shattered into hundreds of pieces and fell to the ground.
Faint radiance spread from the fallen metal fragments.
It was the same light that emanated when a Black Divine Artifact was destroyed.
‘So it wasn’t that there was a main body—the body itself was the Black Divine Artifact?’
The reason the entire body had been made of shimmering metal from the beginning.
Surprisingly, the monster’s torso itself had been the Black Divine Artifact.
‘Was it successful?’
Recalling the events he had experienced in the Ancient Sword Forest, a flash passed through Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
In the past, he had entered the Ancient Sword Forest by chance and met a mysterious woman named Biyeon there. Through her, he had learned that the Ancient Sword Forest was a secret organization whose goal was to forge the human body into a Black Divine Artifact.
‘Turning humans into a Black Divine Artifact.’
Clearly, the “human-form a Black Divine Artifact” Biyeon had mentioned referred to normal humans wielding the power of a Black Divine Artifact. But the metal monster before their eyes was closer to a demonic creature like the Yin-Soul Killing Men controlled by the Heavenly Mechanism Star, Chu So.
‘So “turning humans into a Black Divine Artifact” simply meant creating a Black Divine Artifact in human form.’
There was one more question.
The Ancient Sword Forest had created such human-type a Black Divine Artifact to guard the entrance, so how had the Absolute Boundary been forcibly torn apart?
Thud.
At that moment, dust rose from a pile of rocks, and the fallen Black Leopard slowly stood up.
Though covered in dust, he seemed largely unharmed. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and walked over.
“Great Hero Black Leopard!”
Myeong Un let out a cry-like shout and ran over quickly.
But Black Leopard stopped the approaching Myeong Un with a hand and waved it casually, as if it were nothing.
“I’m fine.”
“How can you be fine after taking that hit…”
Myeong Un’s eyes widened in shock.
The metal monster’s slashing strike had been powerful enough to topple even Mount Tai.
How could anyone receive such a strike with their bare body?
“Qinggong isn’t just about moving agilely and displaying superior light footwork…”
Black Leopard, who had removed the face cloth covering his face, explained calmly.
“It also includes footwork techniques for deflecting attacks and secrets for controlling the flow of incoming external force.”
Because Black Leopard’s qinggong had reached a level comparable to the strongest experts under heaven, when the monster’s slashing strike tried to pierce his body, he had instantly performed movements similar to the Radiant Sword Control and redirected most of the force outward.
“…I see.”
Drip.
However, he could not completely block the sharpness of the strike, leaving long sword wounds across his chest and shoulders.
“I’m sorry, Great Hero.”
When Myeong Un’s voice trembled as he stared at the blood flowing from Black Leopard’s chest,
“Not at all.”
Black Leopard showed a relaxed smile as if it were nothing.
“It’s something that commonly happens during one’s first real battle.”
He then patted Myeong Un on the shoulder.
“It’s good to worry about a comrade’s injuries, but that is something you should do after defeating the enemy.”
“I’m sorry. I got too excited…”
“In a life-or-death fight, how many people don’t get excited from the start? That’s just how it is.”
Shuuuk.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol, who had been examining the shattered remains of the metal monster emitting a faint light, reached out his hand.
A single sparkling stone rose into the air.
It was the gleaming eye of the metal monster.
“This must be the source of its power.”
Crack.
When he crushed the sparkling stone, the radiance emanating from the shattered metal fragments all disappeared.
“So it wasn’t turning the human body into a Black Divine Artifact—it was simply creating a Black Divine Artifact in human form.”
At Bu Eunseol’s murmur, Black Leopard said, “The gleaming left eye was the main body of the Black Divine Artifact.”
Clank. Clank.
At that moment, metallic sounds rang out again from deeper inside.
Not long after, a group of metal monsters with gleaming single eyes walked forward.
There were exactly thirteen of them.
Bu Eunseol’s face instead brightened, and he nodded toward Black Leopard.
Gulp.
Understanding the meaning, Black Leopard swallowed hard.
“This time, we’ll really have to risk our lives.”
“But now that we know the weakness, we won’t be helpless, right?”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Black Leopard spoke confidently.
“Of course.”
“I will help too.”
As Myeong Un approached, Black Leopard pulled the face cloth back up over his face and nodded.
“I will go first and disrupt their formation. Sect Leader Myeong, you must aim for their eyes without fail.”
He then spoke to Bu Eunseol again.
“My Lord. Please do not help us until we are on the verge of death.”
“Don’t worry.”
Bu Eunseol grinned.
“I wasn’t planning to help anyway.”
Realizing that he was serious, thick beads of sweat involuntarily formed on Black Leopard’s forehead.
“…If something happens to me, please take good care of the mercenaries.”
“The Martial Soul Society has the Mercenary Corps.”
“Then I’m going!”
Whiiiing.
At that moment, a strange sound rang out from Black Leopard’s left shoulder.
He was finally about to use the Black Wings.
Flash!
With a streak of light, the metal monster walking in front collapsed with a loud crash.
Black Leopard had sliced out its eye in an instant.
Shiiik!
The Black Wings not only doubled the speed of his light footwork, but when used in such a confined space, they allowed him to completely conceal his presence as if performing the legendary stealth techniques.
“Haaap!”
With a clear battle cry, Myeong Un fearlessly charged at the metal monsters.
Knowing the weakness that could destroy them, he attempted frontal attacks unlike before.
Whirl! Thud!
Having survived one life-or-death crisis, Myeong Un’s sword technique had become even more refined, and his agility and tactics had grown bolder.
Rumble. Crash.
By the time they had cut down seven of the metal monsters,
Clank, clank.
More metal monsters began pouring in from the distant passage visible ahead.
This time, their numbers exceeded forty.
“These must be reinforcements that arrived late, so we shouldn’t count them in the original number.”
Bu Eunseol sighed and shook his head.
When he had said he “wouldn’t help,” it had been for the battle against the thirteen metal monsters.
Moreover, given the nature of the metal monsters that fired invisible slashing strikes, every additional comrade made them several times stronger…
So the additional forty-plus metal monsters were for him to handle.
Shiiing.
In the end, Bu Eunseol drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
“I will break those ones from the front, so you two handle the remaining thirteen monsters.”
Boom!
In the meantime, an invisible massive force poured down.
The formless slashing strikes simultaneously unleashed by more than fifty metal monsters were like the fury of nature itself.
Rumble!
Bu Eunseol unfolded the lightning-like Seven Fist Demon Forms to deflect each one, and sliced out the metal monsters’ eyes.
Slice! Thud!
Every time he took a step, a heavy thud rang out and a metal monster inevitably collapsed.
Clatter.
When they finally spread out widely to surround the slowly advancing Bu Eunseol,
Slash! Clang!
Black Leopard and Myeong Un cut down the monsters that broke formation one by one.
‘Their power increases several times with every additional comrade.’
Watching Bu Eunseol cut down the metal monsters from the front, Black Leopard smiled.
‘But when the Lord and I combine our strength, we become dozens of times stronger.’
Bu Eunseol and Black Leopard had traveled the martial world together for a long time, and they could communicate with just a glance.
When the two truly combined their power, even if an army of thousands of metal monsters came rushing in, they could topple them in an instant.
Boom!
Whenever Bu Eunseol suppressed or deflected the slashing strikes with the Seven Fist Demon Forms,
Slash!
Black Leopard became a single black line and freely weaved between them.
Hummm! Hummm!
The monsters tried to exert another power of the a Black Divine Artifact to slow Bu Eunseol and Black Leopard’s movements.
Clang! Thud, thud.
But because of Myeong Un’s sharp Hyungsan sword style that exploited the openings, they ended up rolling on the ground as scrap metal before they could even exert their power.
Kiiiing!
The metal monsters now no longer used invisible slashing strikes.
Instead, they contaminated the space itself with extreme poison or poured out metal projectiles that could pierce anything.
Each time, Bu Eunseol instantly purified the extreme poison and unfolded the Wishful True Binding to create a massive wall.
In truth, he did not need to fight this way.
If he used Harmony or the Seven Blood Tear Forms at once, even demonic creatures possessing the power of a Black Divine Artifact would be toppled instantly.
However, he was deliberately using this method so that Black Leopard and Myeong Un could break through them once more, creating an extreme battle environment so they could leap forward again.
“Haaap!”
As if sensing this, Black Leopard and Myeong Un squeezed out every last bit of strength to face the enemies.
Whenever the monsters slowed their movements by exerting pressure, Black Leopard used the Black Wings to escape danger, while Myeong Un comprehended the profound principle of Movement within Stillness during battle and confronted the enemy’s swiftness without moving.
Moreover, as Black Leopard and Myeong Un fought together in this extreme battle, their minds became connected.
When Myeong Un faced a situation where he could not block an attack, Black Leopard moved like lightning to intercept it.
Myeong Un, instead of simply defeating the enemy, deliberately created openings so that Black Leopard could easily attack the monsters’ eyes.
Boom!
Before long, only one monster remained.
However, unlike the others, this one possessed an unbreakable hard body and unleashed intense power that could not be avoided even with their movement techniques.
It seemed to be the leader of the metal monsters that had attacked so far.
“Black Leopard, Sect Leader Myeong.”
Understanding Bu Eunseol’s meaning, Black Leopard and Myeong Un, shouted battle cries and charged at the monster with all their might.
“Haaap!”
“Uaaaaah!”
Paah!
When the metal monster exerted its power, Black Leopard and Myeong Un’s flesh burst open and blood sprayed everywhere.
The invisible waves had sharply sliced their flesh.
Yet Black Leopard and Myeong Un paid no heed and continued attacking the monster relentlessly.
Their coordinated assault was so precise and perfectly synchronized.
The speed of their strikes and withdrawals was like that of a single person, and their attack range was perfectly identical without the slightest deviation.
Crack. Craaack.
In the end, cracks began to form on the monster’s body, which had boasted an indestructible form.
Rumble! Crack.
When the two attacked once more as fierce gales, cracks finally began spreading from around its neck.
“Now!”
Black Leopard, who had become a single black line, sliced off the monster’s head in one breath, and Myeong Un unfolded the Hyungsan sword technique to precisely destroy its eye.
Clatter, clatter. Thud, thud.
With a loud noise, the leader monster finally shattered into dozens of pieces and scattered everywhere.
“Huu… huu…”
Black Leopard and Myeong Un, who had defeated the monster, were covered in wounds and drenched in sweat.
Considering that they could train their footwork at full power all day without shedding a single drop of sweat, one could imagine how fiercely they had fought.
“You worked hard.”
Even at Bu Eunseol’s praise, Black Leopard and Myeong Un did not relax their stance and continued staring ahead.
One must never let their guard down during battle.
Rest was only possible after leaving the battlefield.
“No more are coming.”
Bu Eunseol, who had spread his supersensory perception, nodded.
“You may rest now.”
At those words, Black Leopard and Myeong Un let out rough breaths repeatedly and rested while leaning against the wall.
“You seem to have loosened up quite a bit for the first time in a while.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Black Leopard nodded with a refreshed expression.
“Thanks to this battle, I gained several insights.”
Black Leopard had fought in immediate coordination with the outstanding young swordsman Myeong Un for the first time in a while. Through this battle and through Myeong Un, he had been able to realize his own shortcomings and the direction for his development.
“It seems I was too focused solely on ronin martial arts.”
Black Leopard sighed as he looked at Myeong Un.
“Sect Leader Myeong was bound by the forms and shapes of the Hyungsan sword technique yet remained free.”
“Hmm.”
“However, even though I have mastered practical martial arts, I have been stubbornly sticking only to the techniques that are comfortable for me to use.”
He sighed and shook his head.
“Of course, even if I have identified the problem, it is not something I can fix immediately.”
When one reaches a level of martial prowess like Black Leopard’s, even after finding a clue, it is often difficult to discover a method that surpasses it.
But through Bu Eunseol’s consideration, Black Leopard had instantly realized those things and found the way.
“Simply realizing the clue for breaking through on your own is enough.”
Bu Eunseol turned to Myeong Un and said, “Sect Leader Myeong. It would be best for you to wait at Hyungsan now.”
Myeong Un did not insist and nodded.
“I understand.”
With a groan as he stood up, Myeong Un’s entire body was drenched in sweat.
He was still far from matching Black Leopard, who had been tempered through countless battles, and both his stamina and fighting spirit to continue the fight had hit rock bottom.
“Thanks to both of your consideration, I gained many insights.”
He then bowed politely to Bu Eunseol and Black Leopard.
“I will be waiting for your safe return.”
“Sect Leader Myeong.”
At that moment, Black Leopard took off his windbreaker cloak and draped it over Myeong Un’s body.
“Why this…”
“The night wind is cold, so cover yourself with this.”
“No, I’m fine.”
When Myeong Un declined, Black Leopard shook his head with utmost seriousness.
“Just wear it. It’s my gift to commemorate your first battle.”
When a serious expression appeared in Black Leopard’s eyes, Myeong Un’s cheeks flushed red and he had no choice but to lower his head.
“I will cherish it for the rest of my life.”
With an overwhelmed expression, he put on the windbreaker cloak that Black Leopard had handed him.
Thanks to it, the somewhat yellow-stained part of his buttocks was covered, but…
Myeong Un did not notice and was savoring the lingering aftertaste of his first battle, where blood had flowed and flesh had burst.
Once Myeong Un returned to the Hyungsan Sect, Bu Eunseol nodded to Black Leopard.
“Let’s go back in.”
Finally, after piercing through the mist and advancing all the way inside, a familiar scenery appeared.
Numerous giant trees grew there, and around them, round-shaped buildings came into view.
It was the Ancient Sword Forest.
The scenery before their eyes was almost identical to that of the mysterious faction where he had met Biyeon in the past.
“So it really was the Ancient Sword Forest.”
―This forest is not the only one.
Those had been Biyeon’s words at the time.
Just as she had said, the Ancient Sword Forest was not limited to one location but was spread out in various places, and its lineage seemed to be continuing steadily.
“Do you know this place?”
At Black Leopard’s question, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“It was a place I had a connection with in the past.”
After giving a short answer, he slowly walked deeper inside again.
“This is…”
At Black Leopard’s words as he examined the ground, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“There are traces of an outsider moving back and forth multiple times.”
From this path onward, there were traces of one person constantly traveling between the inside and outside.
They were the traces of an intruder.
“Though it’s hard to believe it was just one person.”
The Ancient Sword Forest researched a Black Divine Artifact, the most mysterious weapon in the martial world, and had isolated itself from the world by deploying Absolute Boundaries, never revealing its appearance.
Yet in a place guarded by so many terrifying troops, there were traces of an outsider frequently coming and going, and it was only a single person?
[Black Leopard.]
Sensing something, Bu Eunseol quickly sent a sound transmission to Black Leopard in a low voice.
[From now on, use your stealth technique to enter first. And…]
After silently listening to the instructions for a while, Black Leopard quietly nodded.
Ziiing.
He unfolded the extreme stealth secret art that made his entire body transparent and secretly entered first.
Thud. Thud.
At the same time, Bu Eunseol slowly walked forward. Every step he took shook the ground as if the earth itself was sinking.
He deliberately unfolded the Black Dragon Heaven Breaking Steps so that Black Leopard’s stealth, who had entered first, could become even more perfect.
Finally, as Bu Eunseol reached the center, his eyes narrowed.
Originally, the Ancient Sword Forest had been a research facility for creating a Black Divine Artifact, and people wearing masks had moved about actively.
But this Ancient Sword Forest had become a ruin, with most of the internal buildings shattered.
Moreover, as if a band of mounted bandits had plundered the interior, masked people lay horribly mutilated not only inside the buildings but throughout the forest.
‘So that’s why.’
Only then did Bu Eunseol realize why the metal monsters had guarded the entrance and attacked any humans entering without hesitation.
This branch of the Ancient Sword Forest had been attacked and taken over by external forces long ago, and those attackers must have given new orders to the metal monsters created by the Ancient Sword Forest to kill anyone who entered this place.
‘If someone can control the metal monsters created by the Ancient Sword Forest… then perhaps the one who invaded this place was not an outsider.’
After pondering deeply, Bu Eunseol stroked his chin.
‘Then could an internal traitor have tried to plunder certain treasures, including the metal monsters inside the Ancient Sword Forest?’
But at that moment, a silence as if time had stopped spread out.
Creak.
And a loud metallic sound rang out from far away.
The door of the black tower standing tall inside the forest had opened.
Clank. Clank.
At the same time, a figure wearing black armor covered in blades and thorns, along with a black windbreaker cloak, slowly walked out.
His height was similar to Bu Eunseol’s, but because of the massive weight of the armor covering his body, he looked like a giant statue.
The armor was completely different from the styles of the Central Plains. Blade-like decorations resembling wings protruded from the shoulders, and the chest was engraved with patterns of countless intertwined monstrous figures.
It looked like a demon that had crawled out from the dark abyss.
Step.
With just one step, the earth seemed to scream and the sky appeared dyed black.
From within the Ancient Sword Forest tower, a man in armor suddenly appeared, possessing power that surpassed even that of the metal monsters.
“Quite an impressive aura.”
Looking at the armored man, Bu Eunseol bared his fangs and smiled.
“I like it.”
Even if hundreds or thousands of metal monsters poured out here, from his perspective it would have been nothing more than a battle without any tension.
But with the appearance of this armored man with terrifying majesty, his fighting spirit instead burned fiercely.
“He is from the United Heart Society.”
It was impossible not to notice.
The entire body of the armored man was radiating the energy of the Sealed Demon Fragments that Bu Eunseol had sensed countless times before.
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