<The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family Chapter 134>
Gigant Factory.
In a space filled only with ashen-gray machinery that belched out smoke, a woman brimming with life sat there, completely out of place.
“Hmph, so Gigant, you knew Red Dragon was targeting Park Ki-hyuk?”
“Yeah!”
“And yet you sent Ki-hyuk to the west?”
“Spot on!”
“If that’s the case, it’s highly likely Ki-hyuk and Red Dragon will clash.”
“Yup!”
Gigant quickly guzzled down an energy drink and grinned in his characteristic mischievous manner.
“It’s confirmed. Probabilities don’t matter. That perverted Dragon will definitely go for Ki-hyuk. Like this, psssh psssh!”
Gigant wildly lunged his monkey wrench into the air as if it were a sword.
“Are they fighting right about now? They probably are! I’m curious! I want to watch! It’s going to be so entertaining! Ugh, I’m getting excited. Goosebumps.”
“Is this what you should be saying as a Guardian Spirit?”
“Meh, who cares. If it’s fun, that’s all that matters.”
“Gigant, you truly…”
“Tell me honestly, are you not curious either, Yggdrasil? Aren’t you imagining how Ki-hyuk will fight?”
“Huh…”
Yggdrasil struck her chest several times, as if trying to calm down her despair.
Does she even realize she’s a Guardian Spirit?
“Gigant, Park Ki-hyuk is human. Unlike us, who have been granted immortality in this realm, he is a mortal who walks a finite path.”
“I know.”
“You know, and yet you’re willing to send him right in front of Red Dragon? Despite knowing how much Red Dragon desires Ki-hyuk? You wouldn’t possibly have forgotten our ‘duty’, would you?”
The secret of the Guardian Spirits, and the secret of this world.
The very purpose of the Guardian Spirits’ existence.
“We were reborn on this land to secure the survival of the human realm. It’s our duty to protect humanity!”
That’s right.
Why do the Guardian Spirits call themselves Guardian Spirits?
They were created to ensure the continuation of the human realm and the protection of humanity.
Hence, they must avoid wielding undue influence on the human realm and receive penalties for directly harming humans under any circumstances.
This was the reason why Guardian Spirits, who possessed transcendent power, didn’t dominate humanity.
“I know, I know that.”
“What kind of human are you protecting?”
“You don’t understand him. What do you know about Ki-hyuk?”
“…!”
Why do you only see the finite side? Why can’t you see the infinite potential?
“Have you ever fought with Ki-hyuk?”
“….”
“Haha! Stupid Yggdrasil~. Humans have their own unique strengths~.”
“What do you mean?”
Yggdrasil was worried about Park Ki-hyuk, who was now in the grasp of Red Dragon.
“Why do you think Ki-hyuk will lose?”
“…!”
“The premise is wrong~.”
Gigant had fought with a crazed Red Dragon. He had also fought with Park Ki-hyuk when he had mastered Giant form.
Is Park Ki-hyuk a human? Is Red Dragon a Guardian Spirit?
Conditions like these don’t matter for victory or defeat.
In the end…
“The stronger one wins!”
And in Gigant’s eyes, Park Ki-hyuk is undoubtedly strong.
“That perverted guy deserves a beating. Hahaha-!”
A punch sent Red Dragon flying into a cliff, which collapsed under the shock.
‘BOOM!’ Debris from the fissures fell with a thunderous roar.
However, Red Dragon calmly activated ‘128-layered Shields.’
KAAANG—!
He blocked Park Ki-hyuk’s impending strike and immediately prepared his counterattack in the same instant.
Earth Pool
Explosion
Sand Spike
Striking
When Park Ki-hyuk struck the shield and descended, he stomped on the ground, causing it to cave in like mud.
KWAHHHHNG—!!
The ground erupted.
As the explosion sounded, chunks of mud were blasted in all directions, and the liquidified clumps scattered around Park Ki-hyuk.
At that moment, the mud chunks transformed into thorns and flew outward, reinforced by ‘Striking.’
“Haa…”
Thorns rained down.
There was no place to evade. He could only block.
The hovering left arm of Park Ki-hyuk’s body, ‘Asura’s head, rose.
And with a bright shine in its eyes…
Absolute Shield (Revised)
Iron Fortress
Hexagrams floated around Park Ki-hyuk.
Like a castle wall, they encased him, deflecting all of Red Dragon’s thorns.
In retaliation, the hovering right arm of Park Ki-hyuk, ‘Baphomet,’ spat out a beam of light.
WHOOSH—!
A mist spread from Park Ki-hyuk’s center.
The thick fog quickly enveloped the area, and the humid air began to cling to Red Dragon’s skin.
Lightning bolts.
Struck.
RUUUUMMBLE! KOOOOMMM—!!
Specialized for pinpoint attacks, the lightning magic was somewhat weak in a wide-range scenario. However, the “fog” countered that weakness.
Inside the moist fog, lightning danced and fed on its humidity, growing more and more powerful over time.
It was madness to be trapped in there.
Slipping out of the sparking fog like it was water, Red Dragon managed to escape.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
“…!”
Park Ki-hyuk awaited him there. His Demon descended.
A flash of ‘Moon Slash’ surged forward but…
KANG—!
It was blocked by the red shield.
But that wasn’t the end.
Wind magic ‘Wind Burst’ hit from behind, and flame magic ‘Flare’ overlapped with Park Ki-hyuk’s Demon weapon through the swirling winds.
WHOOSH—!
With flames encasing it, Park Ki-hyuk’s Demon weapon pressed the attack toward Red Dragon.
A combination of magic and swordsmanship by Park Ki-hyuk.
For Red Dragon, unskilled in close combat, this proximity was disadvantageous.
As Red Dragon unraveled his magic to escape, runes of red ‘letters’ floated behind him. They were called ‘Runic Language’, the founding language of magic.
Responding to this, hexagram magic circles floated behind Park Ki-hyuk as well.
As mana waves swirled momentarily…
“Let’s play.”
Magic.
Collided.
KHHHHAAAAAAAANG—!!
A torrential downpour of magical exchanges erupted.
Flames danced and ice emitted chilling frost, and the ground itself seemed to rise skyward like it had will. The winds acted almost palpable, as dense as they could be seen with the n*ked eye.
It was impossible to discern the levels of spells. The type of magic didn’t even matter.
Magic, when pushed to its extreme, always reverts to a rudimentary form.
Whether the ‘Fire Arrow’ classified as basic or the ‘Inferno’ ranked as top-tier, their true nature remains fire—only the power differs.
Can one not craft a ‘Fire Arrow’ with Inferno-level flames?
Can one not overlay Fire Arrows to unleash Inferno-level destruction?
Everything was possible.
Whatever it was.
Magic knows no impossibility.
Endlessly, like a Mobius strip, it holds infinite potential.
If there is a ‘limit,’ it’s the ‘limit’ crafted by the sorcerer themselves.
Thus, dream freely.
Such is magic itself.
“Hahahaha!!”
The left arm, Asura, took charge of ‘defense.’
Dozens of hexagrams zipped around in Asura’s gaze, erasing incoming spells.
The left foot, Fenrir, took on ‘support,’ maintaining various buffs, removing the opponent’s debuffs, while at the same time adding debuffs to enemies.
The right foot, Chimera, acted as a battery by deploying Mana Drain.
“Eating, mana! Eating, mana!”
Chimera, being the least intelligent, was given a simple task.
On the contrary, the intelligent right arm Baphomet took the lead in commanding ‘attack’ formations.
So, while the “bodies” were fighting, what was Park Ki-hyuk doing?
He was recycling Red Dragon’s “mana.”
KRAK!
When a “Lightning Bolt” shot right at his face and was deflected by the hexagram magic array, scattering the last bits of mana before dissipating, Park Ki-hyuk clenched his hand at that moment.
Recycling.
In the midst of this dazzling battlefield, Park Ki-hyuk stealthily siphoned off Red Dragon’s mana.
‘Guardian Spirits have unlimited mana within their territory.’
Currently, Red Dragon was receiving mana supply from this ‘Dragon Lair.’
‘Surely he’s happy about this ferocious attrition battle.’
That was Park Ki-hyuk’s prediction, and it was correct.
Red Dragon’s mouth, covered in runic language, was smiling widely.
‘He might assume I don’t know he’s receiving mana?’
This was also correct.
Even in this seemingly advantageous situation, Red Dragon’s mind was restless. Hadn’t Gigant taught him these fundamental things?
‘But as time goes on, he’ll feel more reassured. After all, magic is what he’s most confident in.’
Confidence that, in the face of the “Magic Battle” displayed before his eyes, he could handle any variable.
It was natural for a Dragon, the sovereign of magic, to exude such confidence.
“Your confidence is your weakness.”
Park Ki-hyuk smirked and extended his hand, thrusting it into the gathered mana of Red Dragon.
“Offerings, go!”
Chimera swallowed up half of the souls it had been storing.
Park Ki-hyuk’s eyes darkened like a bottomless abyss.
He immediately connected with the world.
With his mind fully concentrated, he traced back Red Dragon’s mana to its source, touching upon the origin… and at that moment, the runic letters that had gone dim floated up again.
He then used these to guide Red Dragon’s red-rune filled mana, completing the circle, inside which the hexagram was formed.
Apocalypse
Apocalypse
The control finally shifted entirely to him.
Magic crafted by Red Dragon’s mana, but infused with Park Ki-hyuk’s truth.
It took on its final form.
‘A spear. A spear would do well.’
A spear that would crash through this dazzling battleground, piercing through Red Dragon’s arrogance.
The moment the crimson spear was generated, Park Ki-hyuk didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the spear and launched it.
The crimson spear flew forward.
It deflected through clashes of Inferno and Blizzard, bypassed Hurricane and Earthquake, penetrated Dark Web and Absolute Shield, and stripped away all defenses.
Even then, Red Dragon was completely unaware of the spear’s presence.
Because it had slipped beyond his detection range.
The sole reason: This magic was crafted using Red Dragon’s own mana.
The dazzling magical battlefield.
At the moment, dozens of spells were firing and colliding.
Naturally, the mana currents were swirling about, and within these torrents, reading someone else’s mana was already overwhelming. There was no need to interpret ‘his own’ mana, certainly.
… That was the typical perception of a mage.
Approaching a Demon Lord with such a typical perception…
Was arrogance.
Thud!
“Kuh-hack!!”
The crimson spear pierced out through Red Dragon’s back.
Accurately striking the pride he held.
Thankfully, his superhuman reflexes twisted his body to avoid the heart, but it was indisputably a fatal wound, and all the runes floating around him immediately disappeared.
Lost spells dissipated.
When one side pulls back in this tightly tensioned battlefield, it’s a natural consequence to be overpowered.
Above the bleeding Red Dragon, a magical bombardment rained down.
WHOOSH!
RUMBLE!
KOOOOONG—!!
Spells of all kinds—attributes, ranks, and sizes—mixed together, causing a chain explosion. The explosion was so destructive that a blinding flash of light erupted, obliterating the terrain.
At this level of destruction, it was dangerous even for Red Dragon.
Park Ki-hyuk, as a ‘human,’ had effectively won.
But accepting defeat wasn’t easily in the nature of Red Dragon’s lofty pride.
Ultimately, he resorted to his final means.
From within the explosion, a massive shadow rose.
Massive legs, a long torso, clawed hands, and a head reminiscent of a snake and crocodile combined.
A reptilian figure the size of a mountain.
The progenitor of magic.
The source of magic.
The sovereign of magic.
Dragon.
And finally, the Dragon descended upon this place.
Like a grand proclamation, Red Dragon unfurled his vast wings.
ROAAARRR!!!
With his true form awakened, there could only be one outcome in this battle.
Confidently roaring, he declared his victory.
Does he know?
That all of this was Park Ki-hyuk’s intent.
Amidst the dust, a smile spread across Park Ki-hyuk’s face.
Finally, his moment had arrived.
“…Begin.”
So far, all parts of his “bodies” had adhered to their roles, but now all of them furiously absorbed the offerings.
“Listen well. The power of the ‘Giant’ you completed isn’t meant to fight humans.”
“Something larger, breaking the limits… but forget it! I’ll make it simple.”
“The Giant’s purpose is to k*ll gods.”
The strength was awakened.
Black manes rose, and the ‘Sword Master’ eyes opened.
Hexagram magic circles appeared, and the head of the ‘Demon Lord’ rose.
Finally, the shadow of the ‘Giant’ descended through Park Ki-hyuk’s shadow.
An upper-torso-only shadow of the Giant appeared.
Above Apocalypse, a colossal sword emerged.
The Giant’s arm gripping it.
In that instant, Park Ki-hyuk grabbed his Demon Weapon and assumed his stance.
The Giant followed suit, assuming his stance in tandem.
When Park Ki-hyuk brought his Demon Weapon down,
Geomho-ryu Destruction
God Slayer
The sun was split apart.
The world itself was bisected.
God Slayer.
The power that slew gods.
It cleaved Red Dragon in half.
WHOOSH—!!
Clodding steps.
I walked towards the fallen Red Dragon.
Lying on the ground, Red Dragon couldn’t believe it, gaze fixed on his severed claw and wing.
“Hey.”
Jump!
When I jabbed his snout and body with my Demon Weapon, Red Dragon startled.
You might look tough, but you’re scared of everything.
“You remember the bet, right?
Two dragon heads, a wing, all claws. Plus, a ton of scales.”
“Package it properly.”
I lightly tapped the scaly dragon with my hand and turned around.
