Chapter 415 – The Final Battle (8)

Boom!

A thunderous noise erupted from the sky, and the hunters hiding amid the debris lowered their centers of gravity.

“What on earth…?”
“Can’t see a thing. Are we even still alive?”

The trunk of a peach tree jutted out through the shattered windows of a partially destroyed skyscraper. Severed petals and corpses lay among the rubble.

S-class Hunter An Woo-hyung steadied his trembling breath and fiddled with the magical artifact in his hand.

‘…The gap is too wide.’

Flash!
As the Heavenly Demon moved, the sky crumbled and the earth split apart.

Heads bowed involuntarily under the crushing pressure. With only one opponent, the morale of the allies plummeted.

‘Is there truly a way to defeat someone like that?’

The quality of their magical power was on a different level.
Approaching the black-tinged mana even slightly would cause nausea and make one’s head spin.

Though they belonged to the same tier, they were worlds apart.

‘Nevertheless, I cannot stand idly by.’

An Woo-hyung clenched his fist around a sword-shaped magical artifact and gradually unleashed his mana.

If it could land even a single hit, it would exploit the enemy’s weakness. A weapon that disrupted the flow of an opponent’s mana, it had been a thorn in the side of even the previous generation’s Heavenly Demon.

‘Seven Strokes Bi-Yeon-Geom.’

As he gripped it tightly, a hook sprang from the handle and bit into the back of his hand, ensuring it would never be dropped. An Woo-hyung narrowed his eyes sharply, thinking of his family.

The Heavenly Demon was there.

【 Heavenly Demon’s Divine Technique: Hwan Jeokgwae 】

She painted the world with her brush. Black magic, which devoured light, danced amidst the flowers as they cascaded to the ground.

“Ahrg!”
“Ugh!”

Bodies crashed to the floor, leaving behind only a few dying gasps. In this place, combatants were nothing more than expendable resources.

No matter how much one denies it, the reality is undeniable.

“Heugh!”

At that very moment, four hunters who had been lying in wait charged at Hae-nul almost simultaneously.

A flawless coordinated attack from all sides, exploiting any vulnerability. Hae-nul thought it couldn’t get any better, yet the Heavenly Demon’s sword, gracefully extending, grazed the hunters’ necks without even a hint of faltering.

The only thing that could reach Hae-nul was the blood spilled by the hunters. The fallen blood splashed onto An Woo-hyung’s cheek.

‘Now is the time.’

An Woo-hyung scaled the building’s wall and soared into the sky.

In the midst of countless hunters, the Heavenly Demon swept across the battlefield with unparalleled prowess.

A vision of Hae-nul’s new form caught An Woo-hyung’s eye. Inside the Black Dragon robe, a thin fabric enveloped her body. Her eyes glowed an eerie red, and demonic energy radiated from her entire being.

*Pababat!*

Just as Hae-nul’s gaze turned towards An Woo-hyung, he clenched his teeth tightly.

Death was drawing near.

A plan devised by the World Tree, certain that the subjugation of the Heavenly Demon would occur once more.

Driven by a battle of numbers.
Many hold a grudge against the Heavenly Demon, and Anwu was among them.

Long ago.
The Heavenly Demon’s acts of retribution in his youth left countless hunters scarred.

Even she possesses flaws.

“…Heavenly Demon!”

Anwu swung the Non-Yeon Sword with ferocity.
The swordsmanship he had learned from his late father shone brightly, and as his body blurred, his shadow split into three strands.

As innumerable clones charged, the Heavenly Demon swung her sword.

【 Heavenly Demon Divine Skill (天魔神功) Red Ten Thousand Layers of White Peach (赤萬疊白桃) 】

-Thwack!

The sound of a head reverberating.

-Kwaaaa!

Before his eyes, massive leaves scattered, and his body was consumed by the blade’s edge.

His body tilted awkwardly.
Shoulders, abdomen, and thighs. Heart. A gaping hole formed in his head.

“…Ugh.”

The body plummets downward, the edges of consciousness fading away. As it falls from mid-air to the ground, a shadow flits past.

“You did well. Ah-ha.”

“…”

An arm is severed, and the sword’s ownership changes. The Bi-yeon Sword is now in Mugung’s left hand, and Anwoo-hyung closes his eyes.

Some may say that battling the Heavenly Demon only results in loss. But there were those who yearned to vanquish that Heavenly Demon.

In a world where power is everything, even the virtuous cannot avoid making enemies. This is even more true for those who have reached the pinnacle.

– Thud!

Anwoo-hyung’s lifeless body crashes to the floor.

Each individual in this space holds a position of prominence. The nobleman of the Mage Tower wields magic, while the paladins of the church cast curses upon her.

【Clear Mind System】
【Heavenly Demon Sacred Art】

The stance of Mugung shifts, and the swords held by Heaven and Mugung are aimed at each other’s throats.

【 Azure Pinnacle, Layered Blossom, Jade Essence 】
【 Single Halo of the Vast Peach 】

*Crash!*

The magical energy born from the collision rippled through the air in undulating waves. Petals of black and white intertwined as they burst forth.

They poured down like rain, yet no one found joy in the spectacle.

“Heh heh heh.”

Mugung stared at his twisted arm with a bitter expression. The demonic energy had engulfed and tainted it black, bringing it to the brink of being severed.

Heaven was not unscathed either.

Her boundless magical power dwindled rapidly, sapping her strength. Parts of her body had already darkened, turning rigid like the bark of a tree. She was transforming, resembling a lifeless wooden puppet.

**”…”**

She had made countless enemies, but she had saved even more.

How many nations had survived under the protection of the Heavenly Demon? Without her, they would have long been devoured by the Flower.

Despite everything, there was no one who looked out for her.
Cheondo’s eyelids gradually began to close.

Hypocrites, selfish, damned people.

-Koo-goo-goo.

“…They are the eternal trees of cowardice.”
“Alas, don’t you realize that defeat was determined long ago?”

-Clash!

Mugung and Heaven’s swords collided once more.
Heaven’s body was scratched by the Biyeondo, and the other hunters simultaneously assaulted her.

“Do not be enslaved by petty emotions.”

Her shoulder was sliced. Mugung, exhilarated by the battle, yelled at Cheondo.

“Without any cost, you save your sworn enemy.”

Blood mingled with the petals.

【 Turquoise Heart · Lone Blossom · Eternity 】

A straight azure blade cut through Cheondo’s arm.
Her skin turned a shade of blue.

“I only sought after an unattainable ideal.”
“……”

“I can’t abandon a disciple. You lack the resolve, woman.”
“So?”

【 The Four Forms of Heavenly Demon God 】
【 Okya: Fertile Plain Substitution 】

A difference in power.
Mugung’s blade shatters, fragments bursting forth.

“A tower riddled with lies is bound to collapse eventually.”

At Cheondo’s gesture, his shoulder bursts like a balloon.
Despite his eyes turning crimson, Mugung still can’t suppress his laughter.

“Sword Saint. You are the failure.”
“…You spout amusing nonsense.”

The torn Mugung’s body reassembles like a puzzle. His eyes are also dyed black, and a collar wraps around his neck, just like Cheondo’s.

【 Liberation 】

No Sword
The space splits, aiming for Cheondo’s neck.

In the aftermath of the attack, the bodies of nearby hunters were sliced apart.

“Whether human, puppet, or even a World Tree hailed as a god…”

The Absolute One.

A paragon for all, the master of the sword.

With a single touch, flowers bloom. Even countless trees lower their heads in deference.

Mugung’s hand stirred the heavens.
The black petals that colored the world turned to dust and vanished in an instant.

“All of them, without exception, are wretched souls with not even a trace of goodness. Harboring those who might stab you in the back at any moment… What are you trying to achieve?”

Deception has no place with Mount Tai (泰山不如欺毫末)
Yan Zi has no desire to envy Old Peng (顔子無心羨老彭)

Why should one cling to this world and constantly worry about death? (何須戀世常憂死)

The mugunghwa flower may last only a day, but it is glorious nonetheless. (槿花一日自爲榮)

– Flash!

【 Geunhwa Ililyeong (槿花一日榮) 】

“Abandon your unsatisfactory dreams. Escape from that fleeting place.”

Disenchanted with the world, have you diligently cultivated your own land?

Or perhaps, even there, you tried to forcibly nurture it to bring forth flowers.

The difference between Heavenly Demon and the Sword Master was evident at a glance.

– Whoosh!

Countless hunters charging toward Heaven’s body.
Inexplicably, they all harbored hatred towards her.

“……”

Mugung spread his arms.

“Fruition. It never existed to begin with.”

Heaven’s unchanging face.
Mugung closed his eyes for a moment.

The two adversaries brandished their swords.

“Though you’re quite young… I genuinely respect your intentions. Even the old man, he regretted the ideals he held. But it’s not the case for you.”

– Crash!

At Mugung’s swordplay, Heaven’s body staggered for the first time.
Hunters rushing in simultaneously.

– Thwack!

She pulled out the sword lodged in her shoulder, attempting to move but was struck by an arrow.

Even as Cheondo retreated, a hunter was there.

Countless spells besieged her.
Mugung gazed upon those hunters with a face filled with disillusionment.
He was no different from them.

**”Let the flowers fall.”**
“…”
“Embrace the peak that cannot bloom, and collapse by your own hand.”

– *Snap.*

Her hair tie was severed, and her long red hair swirled in the wind.

Short branches sprouted above her cheeks.
Her face cracked, and blood streamed from Cheondo’s eyes.

**”Haha.”**

Though hatred’s gaze threatened to break them,

To hide the loneliness etched upon the petals, flowers layered upon one another, and though they were abundant, they were dazzling to the eye.
A beautiful form, even as the body is shattered.
As those who attained the two realms brandished their swords against each other, flowers bloomed simultaneously upon the bodies of Mugung and Cheondo.

Laughter shared in the very same instant.

**【 Eight Forms · Peach Blossom (桃花) 】**

A harsh, jagged light formed at the corners of Mugung’s mouth.

【 Mugunghwa · The Noble’s Demeanor 】

Roar!

A mighty roar resounded through the sky. A black dragon raised its scales, and multi-colored petals weaved through the clouds, descending from the heavens.

The petals, falling like snow, accumulated heavily upon the lifeless bodies. The forms of Cheondo and Mugung vanished and reappeared in a flash as they clashed their swords.

– Rumble. Thud!

It could be mistaken for thunder, so convincing was the illusion. Even the relentlessly pursuing hunters were taken aback, unable to plunge into the life-or-death struggle.

Splatter!

Blood sprayed from the one known as the Heavenly Demon. The Sword Saint’s body split apart.

Everyone thought that until the very brink of death, the battle would continue – injuries would heal, and then they would strike again, leaving no room for vulnerability.

– Crash!

Two petals. They split in half, nearly simultaneously, falling to the ground.

The bodies of Mugung and Heaven suddenly halted. They were pointing their swords at each other with faces twisted in madness.

Heaven’s arm was severed.
Her white jade-like skin was soaked in blood. Her eyes were on the verge of fluttering shut.

Mugung was not unscathed either.

Gasping for breath, both were simultaneously on the brink of collapsing from exhaustion. It was at this moment that hunters, seizing their opportunity, tore Heaven’s weary body to shreds.

-Jerbuck.

Countless shadows pierced through the barriers.

Above the skies of Seoul, a diminutive flower burst into laughter, unable to contain itself.

Sisyphus.

Numerous alter egos densely filled the vast sky.

“Mugung, Heavenly Demon, and three proxies…”

She exclaimed, her voice filled with elation.

“Finally, it’s over.”

An explosion swallowed the city.

*Squelch, squelch!*

My vision wavers.
A consciousness flickering so intensely that it’s difficult to maintain rationality.

Could everyone who uses lignification experience this?

Having escaped from the monster’s body, the first thing I did was search my belongings.

‘…What’s this?’

As I pulled out something trapped within my body, I found an unfamiliar mask in my hand. Did Sargenti bring it?

Blood was everywhere, and I held my breath as I put the mask on. I transformed the small branch in my right hand into a glove and clenched and unclenched my fist.

In that moment…

*Boom!*

An explosive sound reverberated through the sky. As the sun rose, the sky suddenly blackened, and the entire world became shrouded in darkness. It was as if a dome had been placed over the entire area of Seoul. Explosions pierced the fractured sky and swallowed the city.

‘…The World Tree of Prosperity.’

A transparent barrier enveloped the city center. It was obvious to whom the high-quality mana belonged. The explosion was most likely the work of Flower’s Cistus.

I instantly rose to my feet and sprinted toward the epicenter of the explosion. Piercing through the shattered barrier, the screams of innumerable people echoed.

‘Please.’

Silently beseeching, I ventured into the barrier.

Scaling the wall of a towering building, I leaped across the rooftop. The instant I managed to slip my body through the narrow gaps in the barrier—

My master, whose arm had been torn from the heavens, was plummeting at a breakneck pace.