Chapter 354: The Start of the Cleanup (4)
“You son of a bitch!”
The moment of hair-trigger crisis.
“Gok Gang.”
Gok Gang, who had taken a stance as if he would rush in at any moment, flinched.
Seok Gyeong spoke in a stern tone.
“Hold back.”
“Senior!”
“How can you call yourself a martial general if you fall for the provocation of a child who doesn’t know the ways of the world? Be aware of your own position.”
It was a different way of speaking from his usual. Like a man who strictly distinguished between public and private affairs, his voice was full of dignity, and the momentum he emitted was perfectly refined.
It was an atmosphere where any subordinate in the organization would naturally bow their head, but Gok Gang was different.
“He made a provocation that wasn’t even a provocation, so shouldn’t we appropriately punish him?”
“Gok Gang.”
“By any chance, do you think I wouldn’t be able to catch that young bastard, Senior?”
If Seok Gyeong’s voice was full of dignity, Gok Gang’s voice was full of anger and murderous intent.
Seok Gyeong inwardly clicked his tongue.
‘As expected, he’s young.’
An experienced genius was scary. However, a genius who had returned from fighting through an asura realm could have a fatal flaw.
Carelessness, and arrogance.
In terms of talent alone, Gok Gang was a genius who ranked in the top three among the Eighteen Martial Generals. That innate talent gave him a rapid increase in martial arts, but on the other hand, it had taken away some of the qualities he should have as a warrior.
Seok Gyeong spoke.
“Winning or losing is not what’s important. Do not melt personal feelings into the mission.”
“Look at the difference in troops. Our victory is a foregone conclusion.”
“Whatever it is, stepping out rashly is forbidden.”
“Senior!”
“Or, are you saying you won’t follow the order of me, the leader of this group right now?”
In an instant, Gok Gang flinched.
He was arrogant, but he didn’t have a personality that would just go wild without bottom or end.
And Seok Gyeong was a person equipped with top-tier experience and martial arts even among the Eighteen Martial Generals. His rewards and punishments were also clear, so if a subordinate made a contribution, he would greatly praise them, but there was no forgiveness for insubordination.
‘Damn it.’
Gok Gang ground his teeth and took two steps back.
Of course, he didn’t just back down.
“Novice. Consider yourself lucky.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smirked.
“Dogs that back down with their tails tucked always take care of their pride with similar words. Does saying that relieve your anger at all? How fascinating.”
Seok Gyeong frowned. On the other hand, a much thicker murderous intent than before bloomed from Gok Gang’s body.
“You son of a bitch!”
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“It’s done. You’d better just go back. This is a battlefield. It’s not a place where a fool who is only an empty shell like you can run wild.”
In an instant, Gok Gang’s eyes completely turned.
Seok Gyeong shouted.
“Gok…!”
Bang!
There was no time to stop him. Before anyone knew it, Gok Gang rushed in at a terrifying speed and swung his fist toward Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s left hand also moved like lightning.
Clang!
Gok Gang’s fist and Yeon Ho-jeong’s hand collided, causing a terrifying shockwave.
If Seok Gyeong had learned the Azure Furnace Pure Fire Art like Gyu Jeok, Gok Gang had learned the Red Lotus Pure Fire Art that Yo-roe had mastered. The red fire qi swirling from his fist showed a dynamic movement like a tornado.
Sizzle!
On the other hand, dark water qi was sloshing from Yeon Ho-jeong’s hand.
The clash between fire qi and water qi. Hazy water vapor rose above the hot shockwave.
Gok Gang growled.
“You had a pretty good trick.”
Tremble.
The touching hands of the two people emitted a faint tremble.
Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.
“You bravely mustered up some courage, little kid.”
Seok Gyeong shouted.
“Gok Gang! Step back right now!”
Gok Gang shouted like a beast.
“Don’t say such nonsense! The fight has already begun!”
He was filled with anger to the top of his head. Now he couldn’t hear the orders of his superior or anything else.
It was when Seok Gyeong was about to open his mouth again.
‘……?’
Mu Seong grabbed his sleeve and shook his head.
Seok Gyeong frowned. Unlike Gok Gang, Mu Seong had a cautious personality. There was a reason he stopped Seok Gyeong.
Seok Gyeong looked back.
The Divine Fire Soldiers were blooming fierce murderous intent and glaring at Gok Gang and Yeon Ho-jeong. They were already completely immersed in their fight.
‘It can’t be helped.’
It would have been different if he hadn’t stepped forward, but since he had, it couldn’t be stopped. If they backed down here, the morale of the Divine Fire Soldiers would shake.
Of course, he didn’t think Gok Gang would lose because of that, but there was no need to take an unnecessary loss.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s smile deepened.
“Your superior gave permission for the fight.”
“Shut up! I’ll turn you into ashes within three exchanges!”
Bang!
With an explosion, the two people stepped back three or four steps.
“You bastard!”
Boom!
It seemed his temper had flared up as much as possible. The movement of Gok Gang kicking the ground and rushing in was incredibly fast, and as rough as it was fast.
Whoosh!
Red fire qi swirled from Gok Gang’s fist once again.
It was the Flame King´s Eight Fists, the peak technique of the Divine Fire Cult.
‘Die!’
Boom!
He stepped on a foot stomp right in front of his nose and gathered all his destructive power into his fist.
Gok Gang swung his fist forcefully. It was a strong fist capable of crushing a boulder in a single blow.
Yeon Ho-jeong was just quietly watching that fist.
Gok Gang smiled triumphantly inward.
‘Crazy bastard. He can’t even react.’
It was too late to dodge, and too strong to block. Gok Gang thought so.
That was when.
‘……?!’
Suddenly, time slowed down.
A brief moment felt like eternity. It was to the extent that he could see every single ember of the fist fire being pushed back perfectly by the air pressure.
‘What is this?’
Gok Gang was puzzled.
This sensation of time suddenly slowing down.
This was a case where the true qi forced the brain power to amplify when an unexpected threat rushed in. The body, not the head, felt the threat first, and the true qi naturally reacted.
‘Why on earth…?’
In an instant, Gok Gang saw Yeon Ho-jeong’s right arm tilting forward from the upper position before he knew it.
‘What?!’
It was such a fast movement that it was clearly seen tilting even in this slow world. Such speed would not come out unless he had made up his mind and prepared from the beginning.
‘……!’
For a moment, his vision went dark. Something huge was covering the light and casting a shadow.
Gok Gang’s eyes went up to the top.
Before he knew it, an ignorantly large axe blade was falling over his head.
‘Gasp!’
A tremendous murderous intent was felt from the axe blade.
It was the axe Yeon Ho-jeong was striking down. If Gok Gang didn’t stop his fist, Yeon Ho-jeong’s face would be crushed, but if he did, Gok Gang’s body would also be split diagonally.
‘This crazy bastard!’
Gok Gang quickly raised his fist and struck upward.
Boom!
With a tremendous explosion, the Crazy Dragon Axe bent down and struck the ground. Gok Gang had retrieved his fist and struck the side of the axe, changing its trajectory.
Whoosh!
The time that had been flowing sluggishly suddenly sped up.
At the same time, Yeon Ho-jeong’s body moved like lightning.
Bang!
A footwork that completely turned the short distance into nothingness.
It was the Blood Wing Sweeping Heavens of the Vermilion Bird Art. The wings of the phoenix containing flames raised Yeon Ho-jeong’s speed to the extreme.
The startled Gok Gang swung his twin fists like crazy.
Bang bang bang bang!
Indeed, Gok Gang’s martial arts were amazing.
Even though he was hit by a counterattack aiming at his carelessness, there was no shaking in the storm of fist strikes.
It meant that his innate nature was arrogant, but his skill was solid. He had bloomed his innate talent with blood, sweat, and tears, and had perfectly mastered it to the point where he could manifest a straight martial path even unconsciously.
However, it was no different for Yeon Ho-jeong.
In terms of innate martial talent, he was below Gok Gang, but he had numerous experiences, the enlightenment of the Dark Emperor, and the ultimate combat sense together.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
Gok Gang stepped back like crazy.
It was a fist technique thrown out in a panic, but its power was certain. However, even though he pounded with such a powerful strong fist, a repelling force that felt like it would break his wrists was transmitted.
Gok Gang glared forward.
Sizzle!
Beyond the hazy water vapor covering his vision, a translucent black fortress wall was floating.
It was the Northern Heaven Twelve Walls of the Black Tortoise Art. It was the secret art of absolute defense formed with water qi, which was fundamentally incompatible with fire qi.
And through the middle of that iron wall of black water, a giant axe appeared, splitting vertically.
Slash!
It was the tooth of a crazy dragon extending while splitting the water current.
‘This!’
Clang!
Gok Gang quickly twisted his body and struck the axe blade with his palm.
Whoosh!
The axe that lost its way disappeared faster than the speed it extended out. He retrieved it as soon as the trajectory shook.
The speed of extending and retrieving was as fast as lightning. Even at a glance, it was a heavy weapon weighing over dozens of geun, but he couldn’t understand how he handled it so freely.
Flash!
That wasn’t all.
He rushed in to attack Yeon Ho-jeong hidden by the water vapor, but before he knew it, Yeon Ho-jeong had occupied his rear.
Astonishment cast over Gok Gang’s face.
‘Why is he so fast?!’
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
Holding the spear shaft of the Crazy Dragon Axe with both hands, he poured out a frenzied attack.
Clang! Thwack! Boom!
A three-hit combo as fast as lightning.
He deflected the first strike, but he couldn’t completely deflect the second strike, so a handful of flesh on his shoulder flew off. And at the final third strike, Gok Gang’s body shook greatly.
Gok Gang vomited blood and backed away. He blocked it using the shield of qigong, but the power and sharpness of the Crazy Dragon Axe were beyond imagination.
Spurt!
A massive amount of blood sprayed from his left forearm. The muscle was severed by the axe blade of the Crazy Dragon Axe, and even part of the arm bone was broken.
‘This can’t be.’
Even as he backed away, Gok Gang couldn’t believe it.
‘I lost?!’
It was a match where he hadn’t even considered defeat. Was that why? He received a tremendous shock from being pushed back this much in less than twenty exchanges.
Gok Gang clenched his teeth.
“Nonsense!”
Gok Gang shouted fiercely and exploded the Red Lotus Pure Fire Art.
Rumble!
The bright red fire qi soaring from his whole body wriggled like a snake.
“Where did this bastard use a demonic art…!!”
That was when.
Thwack!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who quickly approached, struck Gok Gang’s chest.
It wasn’t a powerful blow, but it was enough power to send his body flying. Gok Gang’s figure was buried in the cloud of fog created by the clash of fire qi and water qi.
‘……!’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes gleamed.
‘As expected.’
A tremendous palm force flew from behind his back. Seok Gyeong, seeing the scale of the match tilting sharply, intervened in the battle.
‘It’s going to be difficult.’
A one-on-one head-to-head match?
There is no such thing in war. In front of victory, honor or shame was completely worthless.
Seok Gyeong also knew that and intervened.
Yeon Ho-jeong swung the Crazy Dragon Axe with the trajectory of the Sovereign Tiger’s Nine Thunderclaps, Sovereign Tiger Strike.
Boom!
The density of power was different.
Yeon Ho-jeong slid backward. The palm force was so strong that a tingling pain was transmitted from the hand holding the Crazy Dragon Axe.
However, that was all.
Boom!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who struck the ground with the Crazy Dragon Axe, stood up straight. Then, Seok Gyeong and Mu Seong, who were running, hesitated.
Yeon Ho-jeong smirked.
“What’s the rush that you’re running like a foal with its tail on fire?”
“…This bastard.”
Seok Gyeong growled lowly.
“What did you do to Gok Gang?”
At that moment, a cold voice flowed out from beyond the water vapor.
“Are you talking about this novice?”
Whoosh!
The water vapor soared high into the sky by a powerful gust of wind.
And in that spot, Tang Kwan appeared, gripping the neck of the bloodied Gok Gang. Gok Gang was limply hanging with blood flowing from his seven apertures.
Seok Gyeong and Mu Seong’s eyes became bloodshot.
“You bastards…!!”
“Didn’t you guys commit a foul first? Flocking together just to catch the two of us, it was too petty.”
Tang Kwan put strength into the hand holding Gok Gang’s neck.
Crack!
Gok Gang’s neck bent at a bizarre angle.
His internal organs were all melted and his neck bone was crushed, so survival was no longer possible.
Tang Kwan carelessly tossed Gok Gang away and approached Yeon Ho-jeong’s side.
Yeon Ho-jeong said coldly.
“The preliminary skirmish is over. Let’s fight properly now.”
Seok Gyeong shouted.
“Kill them all!”
Dash!
The two camps rushed toward each other.