Chapter 615 – Three Cards (1)

‘As much as I anticipated it.’

Even for someone like me, his power is boundless.
An unending strength.

‘And that’s not even his full potential.’

The King of Trees had crossed dimensions and imposed various constraints upon himself.
Tens of thousands of hunters had expended their magic, and yet he was summoned by the magic of the ‘Tower’.
Even after absorbing the World Tree, there were limits to his power.

‘His recovery?’
‘Almost complete.’
‘…Hurry as much as possible. The resistance is stronger than I imagined…’

He replicated and executed the multitude of spells created by the sage.
When gravity was reversed, he reversed it again, and when a meteor fell, another meteor from the opposite side obstructed it.

The shockwaves of magic made my flesh tremble.

I had no choice but to admit to myself.
Regrettably, he’s an adversary I can’t triumph over alone.

If he could unleash all his powers and abilities, all the formidable beings here would have to await their foretold demise.

‘…On the other hand, he is still not at his full strength.’

Even though I don’t know how much power I’ve regained in the short time I’ve been to the dungeon.

The King was still in the process of regaining his original strength.
It wouldn’t be surprising if at any moment, the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill and the ‘Thorn’ were blocked.

If we don’t seize him now,
This world will fall into ruin.

— Clink!

I tossed away the potion bottle I’d emptied and converted the accumulated mana into Qi.

【 Eight Forms of Do-won 】

The second oath.
I repeatedly utilize a martial technique that, even once, burdens the body.

The Eight Forms of the Heavenly Demon, corroding blood and dantians with Qi.
The longer I employ it, the more my body assimilates with Qi, and my strength multiplies exponentially.

— Thump!

The blood vessels in my eyes burst. My swelling muscles compressed, becoming denser.
It would be a grave mistake to think a human body, eroded by Qi, would remain unscathed.

The more addicted to Qi one becomes, the more rapidly the vitality of the human body plummets.
Despite it being a power I’ve perfected, the burden is not insignificant.

‘…Four times.’

As it stands, the extreme limit of the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill is four times.
I had to strategically manage the segments of power that surged in a stepwise manner.

I had no intention of sparing myself, I braced for internal injuries.
The sage’s spell is primed to burst forth the moment it pierces.

— Swoosh!

In that instant, a sword energy that soared from behind me drilled into the King of Trees.

Crack! Crash! Boom!

The swiftly approaching sword energy ripped through the demon’s shoulder blades.
Considering what we’ve seen so far, it was a successful strike.
A wound similar to when he was hit directly with the Heavenly Demon Divine Skill was etched onto the demon’s body.

“…Hero!”
“It can’t be!!”

Angelica’s scream pierced the air, followed by the explosive discharge of the knights’ weapons. The devil’s gaze bore into my back.

‘Could it be Jung Si-woo?’

I didn’t need to turn around to know. I could sense it — an overwhelming surge of magical power, a spectrum of energy so potent it made my flesh tremble in anticipation.

A Hero.

In the times when countless disasters were repeated, a unique power was forged — power that drew upon the strength of the mighty World Tree that once stood tall. The one who inherits such a will possesses a talent that cannot be compared to any other.

─A blinding flash!!!

Sword energy, fragmented into dozens of shards, was launched once again towards the devil. The devil, mirroring the Hero, brandished his greatsword, cleaving through the energy.

“Si-heon.”

Si-woo’s voice, a whisper against the wind, danced on the edges of my hearing.

“I’m not sure how it came to this.”

Our past as academy classmates seemed a world away as we now stood as pillars of opposing forces.

He, the Hero, looked the part — but my path diverged from his. I was the harbinger of calamity, a monster, a descendent of King Mokryeong, known for his vile deeds. But despite our differences, in the grand scheme, perhaps our positions were not so different.

“Jung Si-woo.”
“I’ve gathered strength. It may be fleeting, but I’ll be able to keep up with you.”
“Follow me, you say?”

His white hair, bathed in a sanctified light, fluttered against the sky. The sun’s rays descended from the heavens, enveloping him.

I found myself instinctively looking up.

Pando.

The unbroken trunk of the tree dominated the sky, trailing after Jung Si-woo.

‘…’

Could it be that the power the devil had once used to blanket Seoul was originally from the World Tree of Justice? White branches descended from the heavens, creating a massive hole in the devil’s Pando.

─A rustling sound!

The red cloak of a knight fluttered in the wind. His bright yellow armor glowed, and the sacred sword flamed with holy fire.

“I’ll create an opening.”
“You will?”

I drew a sharp breath at Jung Si-woo’s statement. It would be ideal if he could, but was it truly feasible?

“I have to. I have no intention of dying here.”
“Will it truly work?”
“It will be fine. I can’t stand by any longer as people die.”

As Jung Si-woo extended his hand, a white spear materialized. A large red flag, the symbol of an army, appeared in his hand.

─A thunderous crash!

As it embedded itself in the ground, a surge of light radiated from the surrounding national trees and the knights.

“To the national trees who heed my words, and the knights, I implore you. Do not hesitate to aid the king.”

The surroundings trembled at Jung Si-woo’s words.

“What are you saying?”
“Hero Jung Si-woo!”

A knight commander’s challenge rang out, followed by Angelica’s call of his name. Jung Si-woo disregarded their gaze, speaking once more.

“If your vision is clear, you should be able to discern who our enemy is.”

The devil remained unmoving, seemingly amassing power as he waited for Jung Si-woo’s words.

As the battlefield briefly descended into a lull, it was Jung Si-woo’s charisma that rallied everyone.

The blossoming of prowess.

“Even should my friend become my foe in the future.”

Jung Si-woo’s blade was trained on the king’s forehead.
I, too, harnessed the power I had in reserve, igniting the magic.

“This is the path I deem correct.”

Jung Si-woo is led by his own convictions.
Though the protestations of the World Tree seemed to cause him to furrow his brow, he remained undeterred.

Banners whip in the wind. A subtle hope intermingled with the air, infusing the knights’ stride with vigor.

-Thud!

As if to heed the clarion call of war. The knights charge with full might at the demon.
Armor begins to materialize on their bodies as they throw themselves into the fray.

The national trees were no different.
Each, in their own way, pulled out their weapons, gearing up to confront the demon.

-Humming!

Alba’s auxiliary magic envelops me and Jung Si-woo.
The demon, wielding a large sword, vibrates the crown to draw in magical power, and we brace ourselves to engage.

Jung Si-woo creates an opening.
It became clear to me.

The first card to play against this adversary.
If the situation wasn’t going to unfold favorably, I was prepared to confront it solo, yet things seem to have taken a better turn than anticipated.
It would be ideal if it ends without having to resort to another card. But who can say…

It seemed like I would know only once I clashed with it.

* * * * * * * * * * *

【 Swift 】

The demonic entity vanished, and the necks of the front-line knights were severed in an instant.

‘Branches’ sprouted from the sunken ground.
The difference now was that there were ample individuals to mark these ‘branches’.

Those who had the capacity to face the demon could now reach him with ease.

‘We can do this.’

Jung Si-woo, who had awakened the power of Pando, led the way, forging a path.

His body, fortified under Pando’s influence.
He absorbed all the power of the World Trees that watched him.

The body that had momentarily transcended ‘realm’ was on par with King Mokryeong.

-Thud, Thud!

The footsteps of the two intertwined, syncing to the rhythm.
The gaze of the demon, who had slaughtered every knight in the vicinity, now fell on the pair.

【 Swift 】

Once again, power.

【 Heavenly Demon Dominance Step 】

The newly executed footwork technique wrested control of the demon’s movements, but this was a power that had already been used once.
In a flash, the demon extricated itself from the martial bind and crossed swords with Jung Si-woo.

-Kwaang!

Black and white intermingled in a flurry of sword strikes.
The warrior and the demon, locked in a dual sword clash, scattered apart, and Lee Si-heon caught them in his wake.

-Fzzt!

This time, magic and mana clashed. Lee Si-heon retreated, his place filled by Jung Si-woo who wildly brandished his sword.

One, two.

Methodically, one beat at a time.

As if partaking in an academy’s performance evaluation, the unhindered rhythm forced the demon into submission.

After four combined strikes, the Heavenly Demon’s fifth strike drove the demon back. The demon countered, slashing his sword, severing the martial arts, but Jung Si-woo’s holy sword found the opening, striking the king’s armor.

“Again!”

Jung Si-woo commanded. Lee Si-heon seized the moment, piercing the demon’s flank.

With a fluid motion, Lee Si-heon attacked and as he finished, Jung Si-woo charged in. Their breaths synchronized, one exhales as the other inhales. In this cyclical rhythm, they launched relentless assaults.

There were moments of discord, but they found opportunities in these mismatches. Their attacks occurred simultaneously, each targeting different areas. The demon’s brows furrowed in response.

【 Distortion 】

The demon’s surrounding space twisted, bending the holy sword. Lee Si-heon’s outstretched arm contorted.

-Pause.

Locking eyes, Lee Si-heon and Jung Si-woo stepped back simultaneously.

The battle escalated, the demon adapting to their rhythm and gradually gaining the upper hand.

‘We need to create an opening.’

Their synchronized breathing faltered, shifting into overdrive. Jung Si-woo’s sword clashed with the demon dozens of times.

-Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

‘Somehow, protect Si-heon.’

His arms were heavy, his wrists numb. Blood trickled from his torn cheek and neck, and Jung Si-woo’s vision blurred. Though the magical energy throughout his body was yet to deplete, his physical stamina waned.

‘Send him away-‘

It was then that the yellow aura flashed past him.

-Swish!

A knight appeared as if sliding in. A golden retriever, helmet askew, had appeared between Lee Si-heon and Jung Si-woo.

Cornus.

The academy’s three rivals had assembled. Sansuyu, who charged forward amid the chaos, unleashed a flurry of rapid stabs.

【 Stone Jujube Eight Qi Rakshasa 】

A massive surge of mana concentrated at the tip of the sword, threatening to pierce the demon’s vital point.

The pinnacle of defense and resilience. Sansuyu absorbed all the countless powers and spells emanating from the demon’s body.

Blood dripped from his nose, but he didn’t falter in his mission to aid them.

【 Stone Jujube: Cornus 】

Swinging his sword till the end, he fell.

“Si-heon, I entrust this to you!”

Mana condensed in Lee Si-heon’s hand, and Jung Si-woo covered Sansuyu’s retreat.

They had each tread different paths, but had grown stronger. Standing on the same battlefield, bearing similar marks, honing their swordsmanship against an AI in the training grounds, they had at times filled in for each other’s shortcomings.

Jung Si-woo, cloaked in a shroud of alabaster magic, awakened a ferocious intent and charged forward.

The demon’s colossal sword came crashing down on Jung Si-woo. His greaves shattered, their seams splitting apart.

Then, an ensuing moment of separation.

Crack! Jung Si-woo hoisted his sword, meeting the demon’s mighty swing.

“Never…”

A spark flickered in Jung Si-woo’s eyes, his blade pulsating with an intense aura.

Memories of a fleeting moment shared over drinks during their midterm exams surfaced. A time when they had agreed, in a no-nonsense manner, not to spare each other any quarter.

Lee Si-heon had humorously fallen first, and they had both ended up in the infirmary.

Time held its breath.

Jung Si-woo’s teeth gritted as his sword managed to repel the demon, if only temporarily.

“…Ughh!!”

With all his strength, channeling all his magic, he parried the demon’s blade, advancing to unleash his own strike.

-Thud!

The demon, pushed back, lost its footing. It was time.

“Lee Si-“

Had he exerted too much force? His words failed him. The demon’s sword cleaved through Jung Si-woo’s torso. But it was alright. Lee Si-heon, equipped with the second Heavenly Peach from behind Jung Si-woo, took a step forward.

“……”
“……!”

The demon attempted to regain its footing swiftly, but…

【Blink】

Blinking wasn’t exclusive to Alba. Lee Si-heon’s form vanished from the demon’s sight. In the next instant, he appeared behind it, striking with all his might.

【Heavenly Demon Divine Art (天魔神功) The Seventh Form, Heavenly Peach (天桃)】

Magic filled his vision.

The sky and earth seemed to disappear, and the ensuing shockwave swallowed the demon.

A direct hit.

Black mist clung heavily to the surroundings, black petals fluttering about. One of Lee Si-heon’s arms was speckled with dark spots, his face etched with agony. The same went for Cornus and Jung Si-woo.

─Trudge.

However, the following footfall forced the trio to release a hollow laugh.

The demon was still alive, its immense magic undiminished.

An utterly hopeless battlefield.

Lee Si-heon, still clinging to his rationality, muttered inwardly.

‘Have you comprehended it?’

The words were directed towards the spirit queen, Erinies.