Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 399

[…Oh ho la.]

The boy, who had been sitting on the throne with a boring expression, suddenly gasped in surprise.

The Demon King of Fire, the king of wrath who takes lives at will, just realized that something surrounding him had changed.

It was certainly not a simple matter. He was the Demon King. To restrain such a being would take a level of providence carved into the world itself; it was no small feat.

‘Whoever did this, I should enjoy this moment.’

Thinking that, Hwayo sprang to his feet. Now that the restraints were lifted, he had to act.

Sitting idly would only leave him yearning for the alluring freedom that had just vanished.

[Let’s go, kids.]

“W-where are you suddenly going?!”

His followers, taken aback by Hwayo’s sudden movement, were bewildered.

He had boasted that he wouldn’t do anything for a while, and the Violence Cult was planning how to spend that time.

But Hwayo had no doubt they would willingly follow him.

Because the place he was heading was, indeed, where a fierce battlefield would unfold.

[We’re going to kill the Demon King.]

With a grin, Hwayo moved forward, his followers trailing behind, clueless.

They were the Violence Cult, a group of crazed individuals willing to sacrifice their lives for their Demon King, engaging in war and violence.

*

With a loud bang, a cloud of dust rose into the air. The Heavenly Demon’s clapping caused an explosion of immense mana.

Yeon-woo, flying at incredible speed, spread his wings and spun his body.

He wanted to stop this tightrope act, but the opponents he faced were all Demon Kings, so he had no choice.

Though he confidently claimed he could kill them, the Heavenly Demon was still a formidable foe.

Of course, it wasn’t without weaknesses. Even if it was mere speculation that it feared getting hurt, the fact that it had no awareness of being a martial artist could be seen as a flaw.

It might be easier to understand if he thought of it as feeling that its Heavenly Demon technique was merely a means of being a Demon King.

So instead of avoiding and defending against attacks by analyzing movements, it preferred to wield overwhelming amounts of mana to block them.

While there’s no denying that it’s incredibly efficient.

“Hmmm!!”

Jin Baek-cheon’s spear struck the Heavenly Demon’s mana with intense force.

Bam, and the mana was forcefully pushed back. However, the mana that had been struck quickly filled the void left behind.

As expected of Jin Baek-cheon, who had acquired the ancient martial arts technique known as Heavenly Heart Spear Technique, he was handling the spear at the peak of its potential.

If you were to count the strongest martial artists of this era, his name would undoubtedly make the list.

The Poison King didn’t stop either, unleashing a barrage of cursed spells. Countless curses wrapped the Heavenly Demon’s protective mana in dark green poison.

Of course, it was only natural for the mana to quickly fill the gaps left behind.

Dang Jin-ho was focused more on cursed spells than poison techniques. Techniques like Single Soul Separation, Dual Soul Connection, and even curses Yeon-woo had never heard the name of popped up.

Honestly, he was more worried about where all those countless curses were coming from than the unknown ones.

And with Shar and Tae-oh joining in, even the Heavenly Demon seemed troubled.

With attacks bombarding from all directions, the Heavenly Demon couldn’t find the opportunity to switch to offense.

This was clear evidence that the Heavenly Demon was not a martial artist. It was completely unable to read its opponent’s attacks.

[It seems I have many sins. I am even trying to love the bothersome bugs.]

As Yeon-woo took in the sight of the grinning Heavenly Demon, he returned. Grasping the Tundun and White swords in each hand, he aimed them down at the Heavenly Demon.

The ample thrust transformed into power, nearly piercing through the mana barrier the Heavenly Demon had set up. It was the power of flame contained within the Tundun.

The flame within the sword flowed into Yeon-woo, not only enhancing the Aura Blade but also reinforcing his very essence, making it more formidable.

Where on Earth could one look at this power and simply call it a sword?

If Yeon-woo had acquired this sword at the Expert level, it would have propelled him straight to Master level, an absurd capability.

Of course, the reason the Sword Saint didn’t give him the Tundun back was that he didn’t want Yeon-woo to rely on it.

Still, at this point, he wanted to rely on it a bit. His primary weapon had to be the Tundun.

That said, he hadn’t abandoned the Doppleganger. The inherent utility of the Doppleganger itself was incredibly useful.

So, Yeon-woo began to push the Heavenly Demon, wielding both swords. Of course, he was the most threatening one present.

Others were only capable of breaking the surface layer of mana, but Yeon-woo was able to get alarmingly close to the Heavenly Demon’s body.

This was precisely why the Heavenly Demon fixated on Yeon-woo. They each had the certainty that only they could kill each other.

Slowly, mana seeped into the wounds on Yeon-woo’s body.

Now, unless it was a mortal wound or one that would hinder his fighting, he was not shedding the mana that drenched him.

This was one of the downsides of the Tundun. The stronger the self as an Aura User, the more the performance of the Aura Blade is elevated.

However, the greater that performance increased, the more mana it consumed, which was only natural.

With the Tundun itself, he was essentially raising Yeon-woo’s mana consumption.

Considering he had already used most of his mana to open the source and alter the world’s laws earlier, now he was consuming mana just to maintain his offensive, which naturally left Yeon-woo’s reserves low.

He refrained from conserving and invested in attacks, ultimately becoming a tightrope act.

Yet, because he had the certainty that he could kill, Yeon-woo pressed forward without hesitation.

“Hey, you’ve become quieter!?”

[Hah, yes, it’s tough!!]

Of course, within all this, he didn’t forget to keep his mouth running. The Heavenly Demon accepted Yeon-woo’s provocation and lifted a leg.

He wasn’t sure why, but he had heard of this maneuver before.

‘If the Heavenly Demon lifts its leg…!!’

Yeon-woo quickly withdrew Shar and Tae-oh. The Poison King and the Martial Lord were already shouting at Yeon-woo to prepare.

“Choi Yeon-woo!! Prepare your defenses!!”

Yeon-woo nodded and gathered mana to create a barrier. Shar helped with the formation.

Although it looked thin, it contained numerous formulas, creating a remarkably strong barrier.

[You’re quick on the uptake.]

With a sly smile, the Heavenly Demon slammed the lifted foot to the ground. At first glance, it appeared to be an utterly ordinary action, but the impact it caused was immense.

[Heavenly Demon’s Descent.]

The first move of the Heavenly Demon Technique unleashed a chill across the area, as if cold water had been splashed everywhere.

Everything in sight began to tremble. All beings, kneel before the Heavenly Demon. It was as if the world itself started to shake.

Boom, boom, boom… It was a force that couldn’t be believed to belong to an individual.

Crash! As if dust, everything within sight shattered.

Space became entangled, matter warped, and under that pressure, it turned into dust and scattered.

“Ugh…!!”

The groans of Jin Baek-cheon and Dang Jin-ho could be heard. Shar and Yeon-woo were no different.

Since Yeon-woo was the one who constructed the barrier, he understood all too easily the pressure that would have been unleashed upon them without it.

Their bodies would have contorted like a rag squeezed dry, certainly leading to death.

He had heard tales of those who survived being engulfed by the Heavenly Demon’s Descent, but he had never expected such overwhelming power.

Given his knowledge of what the Heavenly Demon was, he had at least prepared adequately, but…!!

This was a being capable of annihilating the world alone. The strongest enemy conceivable in the martial arts realm.

Wiping out tens of thousands of troops single-handedly, disregarding human dignity, obliterating everything without leaving even a corpse behind.

“Ugh…!!”

And then, just as suddenly as it came, it vanished.

Jin Baek-cheon and the Poison King, who had shielded themselves with their protective mana, sat trembling on the ground, cold sweat covering them.

Unlike moments before when the path had maintained some form, everything had been completely reduced to dust, making the ground feel plush.

Fortunately, Yeon-woo’s situation was relatively better. Thanks to adding assorted formulas to his barrier for defense, he was able to consume less mana than those two.

Taking a deep breath, Yeon-woo charged forward.

[Ha ha, still not enough!? You’re making me want you more and more, showing that kind of figure!!]

“Shut your mouth!!”

Yeon-woo barked back at the Heavenly Demon’s unpleasant, suggestive voice and expression as he struck with the Tundun.

Such immense power surely required a corresponding toll. If the Heavenly Demon had used such absurdly powerful techniques, it should undoubtedly be feeling intense mana exhaustion.

Then, this was the opening. This was the perfect time. There was no moment more suitable to kill the Heavenly Demon than right after executing its Heavenly Demon Technique.

With this thought, the thrust of the Tundun slid forth with a clang.

“…Damn it.”

“I ask for your name.”

The man in the black mask deflected Yeon-woo’s blade, his words cold. With that mask and pure white sword, Yeon-woo recognized him well.

“Get out of the way, Sword Demon!! I can’t kill that guy!!”

“Speak your name.”

As the four remaining figures of the Omen, aside from the already dead Poison Master, entered the battlefield one by one.

Timing was just horrible. Of all times…!!

[Controlling minions is not a privilege exclusive to you. I will personally descend to that place.]

The Heavenly Demon grinned from behind the Sword Demon.

What an insufferable brat. It’s rare to see someone adorn the boast of fighting with numbers so elegantly.

Jinma, looking half a monster, the Soolma dressed in garments bearing the symbols of the Heavenly Demon, and the Color Master who wore no clothes beneath his outer robe emerged one after another.

Ugh, I really want to kill the Color Master. That’s why the Heavenly Demon’s associates are pretty unsuitable for the children’s education.

But fortunately, there were contingencies in place for Yeon-woo regarding that.

He was certainly aware of the Omen’s presence, and with the Heavenly Demon the likelihood of the Omen and the faction they led showing up was inevitable.

Naturally, Yeon-woo’s aim was the return team. If they were to be attacked by the Heavenly Demon during the return, and it was noted that Choi Yeon-woo single-handedly blocked it… then support reinforcements would surely be sent immediately.

After all, the reason he had sent Jegal Yeon back during their trip was precisely because of this.

When the Martial Lord was away, that higher authority could unite the martial arts factions. That was who Jegal Yeon was.

So it wouldn’t be long before they arrived. The best supporting force the martial arts faction could muster.

And just as Yeon-woo’s deductions proved correct, from behind, sharp sounds like bowstrings snapping echoed, coming from a distance.

“Have you been waiting long!?”

“Hey, I’ve got your opponents right here!!”

At the overly familiar voice of Namgung Seong, Yeon-woo flicked the Tundun away from the Sword Demon, immediately increasing the distance between them as Namgung Seong’s blade fell like a guillotine.

“…Such rudeness.”

The Sword Demon muttered irritably as he received Namgung Seong’s sword.

Without a hint of concern, Namgung Seong extended his fingers like a Taoist, spreading his forefinger and middle finger apart. Then he lowered his forefinger.

“Yeah, screw you! I’ve got no reason to show manners to a demon!!”

Watching Namgung Seong, Yeon-woo felt a sense of satisfaction, but he couldn’t help but think he had maybe gone a bit too far…

(To be continued)