Chapter 138

I expected it, but after a few exchanges,


Jang Do realized that killing Sima Mantian wasn’t easy.


“Too fast and free…”


And then…


“Kuaaaaah!”


Jang Do sees a Blood Church member fall to Sima Mantian’s sword.


He can’t use big moves with allies mixed in.


The annoying situation heats up Jang Do’s nerves.


Yes, it’s frustrating. So frustrating that…


It’s like when you want to write a grand plot twist in a novel but have no idea how to wrap it up.


*Thud!*


A Blood Church member falls to the ground after being hit by a staff.


…It’s as frustrating as not knowing what to do.


Too ambitious but lacking skill.


You want to include this and that… but you need to know when to cut.


You have to cut greed.


…But then, what is that?


Jang Do watches a beast, filled with greed, wielding multiple martial arts techniques without restraint.


He narrows his eyes, targeting Sima Mantian’s rotation.


Sima Mantian spins, stealing even the wind and momentum around him.


A strange emotion rises in Jang Do, different from when he saw the flapping wings of a delinquent girl.


Not beauty, admiration, or cruelty.


A sensation like a snake slithering.


“Why are you so free when you don’t even have wings?”


Irritation bubbles up.


“Haah…”


As Jang Do exhales, a frantic voice rings in his ear.


[The fire isn’t spreading anymore! The Martial Alliance is cleaning up! We need to get out now! Where are you?!]


It’s Ner, Erzeveta’s subordinate sent as backup.


The noisy voice in his head might be some kind of spell or magic Erzeveta uses.


But it doesn’t matter.


The Martial Alliance’s pursuit doesn’t matter either.


“Do you remember what I said at the bookstore? ‘Readers are just guests.'”


Jang Do speaks to Ner, unsure if she can hear.


[…What? What does that have to do with now? Hurry and escape-!?]


She seems to hear him, confused by the irrelevant question.


“That was a lie. I don’t really think that.”


Jang Do mutters to himself amidst the screams and blood.


“I was scared of readers leaving disappointed… so I kept my distance, pretended to master the craft, and spouted nonsense to escape.”


Self-loathing flows out like a snake.


“Damn it! I ran away-!!”


A beast-like growl escapes Jang Do’s throat.


He shouldn’t have looked away.


From the terrible update schedule, the bloated plot filled with greed…


…and the jokes only the author found funny.


There were readers who kept liking it, saying it was the best, that it was fun.


People who acknowledged him.


But he was scared and ran away.


“What I really needed to do was just shut up and write…”


He should have crashed, fallen, and kept going.


His tired, strangely heated eyes lock onto Sima Mantian, who is rolling and wounded, unleashing martial arts.


“I’m sick of running away now.”


Self-loathing and irritation mix and merge.


“…I’m going to kill him.”


Hatred forms. He moves to see the end.


“Now, either I die or he dies.”


Jang Do’s legs support his body, his waist delivers the force. The sword swings as if exploding.


Red ink spills violently from the blade of Pure Hook.


Like cutting through a tangled thread, it doesn’t distinguish friend from foe…


Book Sword Technique – Turbid Flow


A merciless red slash pours forward.


The refreshing sensation of staining a blank page with words swirls inside Jang Do.


“…Massacre isn’t bad.”


A faint smile forms on his lips.


Yes, if the novel gets stuck, just erase that part. Kill it off.


Just… just… until the novel is complete.


Keep swinging the brush, the sword, without stopping.

***


Humans abandoned, drinking the blood of vampires.


The Blood Church’s demons, who chose to become evil spirits, scream and die.


With each swing of Sima Mantian’s sword and staff, the Blood Church’s demons fall.


Dog Chasing Stick Technique – Staff Strikes the Rabid Dog


A technique to beat a mangy dog to death even kills demons.


Fear and doubt rise in the vampires’ minds.


Why are they, who surpassed humans, dying to a mere human brat?!


The reason is simple! Truly simple!


Sima Mantian doesn’t rely on supernatural powers…


He thoroughly trained in martial arts.


A red-tinged vampire spear targets Sima Mantian.


*Whoosh!*


He lightly dodges with a bridge spin!


Simultaneously, the spinning staff smashes the vampire’s skull.


Because he’s a true martial artist!


NO–karate! NO–martial artist!


Those who neglect training, intoxicated by supernatural powers, can’t be called true martial artists!!


Sima Mantian’s body sways, creating afterimages.


Body Shift Technique


Movement speed fast enough to create afterimages.


But the vampires’ brains, soaked in the shock of massacre, create illusions.


Beyond the afterimages, a form overlays Sima Mantian.


The monster has no openings. Its arms continuously unleash martial arts from various angles.


A six-armed battle demon.


Their master…


Three Heads, Six Arms Asura


Even the evil spirits who abandoned humanity tremble.


Overwhelmed by near-lethal fear.


Just as the vampires, their name a joke, try to flee.


Book Sword Technique – Turbid Flow


A merciless red slash slaughters the vampires.


One vampire tries to explain to Jang Do, wrapped in a strange killing intent…


“I-I wasn’t trying to run… Gah!”


No questions asked. A sword pierces his heart, feeding Pure Hook.


“Sima Mantian…”


A jealous viper opens its mouth, revealing black malice.


In front, a fierce demon; behind, a venomous snake.


Two monsters clash to kill each other.


Of course, the vampires’ lives mean nothing.


Every time Sima Mantian dodges and deflects Jang Do’s slashes, the force turns the Blood Church members’ bodies into minced tuna.


A whale fight breaks the shrimp’s back!


Mountain of Corpses, Sea of Blood


A slaughter even Buddha would weep over.


Truly, a hellish inferno!


Namu Amita Bul Namu Sam.


Ah, Buddha, where are you?


The evil spirits, about to fall into hell, scream, searching for a spider’s thread to save them.


But there’s no savior for them.


Sima Mantian leaps and spins.


The sky is obscured, blocking Buddha’s view.


What’s here is-


Asura, Asura, Asura, Asura, Asura.


Asura.


Two men, turned into battle demons, swing their weapons.


Boundless Sky Sword Technique / Book Sword Technique


Sima Mantian’s blade from above, Jang Do’s from below.


Two blades cross.


Gou-


They engage in a primal dialogue of steel.


-Rangga!!!!!!!

***


As if drawing an invisible line and wrestling for power.


Sima Mantian and Jang Do.


Their blades clash, cutting each other, engaging in a bloody battle.


Over a single line. Neither giving an inch.


Like beasts fighting for territory, they lunge to bite each other’s necks.


*Clang! Clang!*


Countless attacks continue.


With exhausted, wounded bodies, they grit their teeth, push each other, and exchange sword strikes.


Literature and martial arts.


Completely different paths, but with one commonality.


Those who don’t believe in themselves are weak.


Jang Do’s sword slides diagonally against Sima Mantian’s blade, pressing down.


If you don’t believe, you can’t use it.


Sima Mantian’s staff swings down, striking Jang Do’s knee.


If you don’t believe, you can’t move forward.


You must hone your body and skills, believe in yourself.


It’s about self-belief.


In the martial world, there are two types of people who grow strong.


Jang Do, grimacing in pain, swings his sword at Sima Mantian’s neck.


Those born geniuses from the start. Or…


Sima Mantian doesn’t dodge. It’s too late. So he charges.


Those who can believe in themselves as geniuses to the end.


Before the sword reaches.


Steady eyes cross the line.


He headbutts.


“Gah-!”


Jang Do’s stance crumbles from Sima Mantian’s unexpected, brute headbutt.


He’s pushed off the line.


Sima Mantian doesn’t miss the opening. He swings his staff at Jang Do’s head.


But Jang Do hastily raises Pure Hook to block.


Instead, his stance becomes unstable, and he’s pushed back completely.


Staggering backward.


“Haa… Haa…”


Rough breaths escape Jang Do’s mouth like a wounded beast.


“…I’ll kill you.”


The life-sucking demon sword, anticipating Jang Do’s next words.


*Whoosh-*


Pure Hook dyes its eerie red blade even redder, laughing.


“I’ll give you all my life and blood.”


He stabs the red blade into the ground, uttering the activation phrase.


“Devour it all, Pure Hook.”


With enough corpses and blood from the massacre.


Book Sword Technique -彼岸花 (Higanbana)


The abandoned building fills with beautiful blood-red stone flowers blooming everywhere.


Poong Ran’s green eyes widen at the sight.


The technique that subdued her.


She struggles to remove the gag and shouts at Sima Mantian.


“Young Master! It’s dangerous! Dodge!!”


But this isn’t a technique you can dodge just by wanting to.


The Higanbana petals turn into blood-red tentacles, wrapping around Sima Mantian’s body, binding him.


He tries to break free, but they don’t tear.


Different from when he used it to subdue Poong Ran.


The blood petals wrap tighter around Sima Mantian, draining his energy.


Sucking his life.


Poong Ran’s warning is in vain as Sima Mantian’s body is safely enveloped by the red Higanbana petals.


“Young Master-!!”


Her mind goes blank, thinking she’ll die trying to save him.


Tears well up in Poong Ran’s eyes.


‘Please… help… save the Young Master…’


Like humans seeking gods in despair.


She prays, calling for Sima Mantian.


It’s a tremendous coincidence, a kind of miracle.


Because not far from here, the Namgung Family’s young master,


Namgung Sososo, was unleashing the Boundless Sky Sword Technique, defeating the Demon Sect.


The Namgung Family is part of Jeoseokcheon’s priestly clan.


Sososo is a sword master, a girl chosen by the heavens.


The sword dance honoring the gods and the Gandharva’s prayers merge.


A part of the emperor sleeping within Sima Mantian awakens.


In the darkness, bound by red petals, a vision flashes in Sima Mantian’s eyes.


A memory that doesn’t exist.


Not Sima Mantian’s memory. A memory you can’t unsee once known.


But it was necessary to save Poong Ran.


Light spreads, and a very brief memory passes by.


A blurry face, but somehow a cheerful impression, a black-haired man with wings on his back comforting a girl.


“It’s okay, I’ll protect you.”


A short but reassuring phrase.


A kind of oath. A promise.


Not a promise Sima Mantian made, but combined with his desire to save Poong Ran.


It was enough to draw out power.


A divine martial art named after a god from Tianzhu.


Indrastra


A Taoist chant to summon lightning.


Thunderous Vibration, Lightning Transformation


Also known in the martial world as the Namgung Family’s martial art.


Heavenly Thunder Energy


Pure lightning energy flows through Sima Mantian’s entire body.


Passing through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.


Breaking through walls, reaching the peak.


Lightning spreads from Sima Mantian, burning the Higanbana.


The red blood petals turn to ash and scatter.


Freed, Sima Mantian immediately takes a stance.


Left foot forward, slightly bent. Right foot stomps the ground.


Though he just awakened this martial art…


It feels as familiar as wearing well-fitted clothes.


Lightning energy swirls around Sima Mantian’s sword, becoming one.


Zap-!!


The Namgung’s martial art, learned not long ago, is unleashed freely.


Boundless Sky Sword Technique + Heavenly Thunder Energy


Blue Sky Thunderbolt – A Blue Sky’s Lightning Strike


Sima Mantian’s body becomes a blue lightning bolt, charging straight.


“…Were you hiding a life-saving trick?”


Jang Do asks without turning, addressing Sima Mantian, who has already moved past him.


“No, I just awakened it.”


At the refreshingly honest answer, Jang Do sighs.


“I won’t deny that awakening in a crisis is cool. But if it keeps happening, it ruins the readers’ tension… No, it’s not my problem anymore.”


His deeply cut neck opens, blood pouring out.


“O-chi-o syllables… Was it a haiku…?”


*Clang-* Losing strength, Pure Hook falls to the ground.


Even as a third-rate failure…


As a writer, he moves his legs to conclude the story.


“Blood flowing out.”


“Seven steps taken.”


“The curtain falls.”


Jang Do’s body collapses to the ground.


Ninja massacre complete.