Chapter 1148

For a martial artist, growing stronger meant more than sharper senses. It meant greater concentration, too.

The terrifying focus to pour everything he had into a single instant, no matter what was happening around him, with only one thought in mind.

That was Jin Taekyung now.

Ding.

A familiar chime rang in his ears.

But his senses, honed as keen as a blade forged by a master craftsman, didn’t dull in the slightest.

If anything, they sharpened further.

What was that?

The sudden appearance of the mysterious Named Monsters.

He’d already killed one, but what came first wasn’t satisfaction. It was the heavy impact he’d felt through his spear and an inexplicable wariness. He moved faster still.

Flash.

A flawless Shifting Form and Position left not even an afterimage.

Six bolts of magical power fired a beat too late and pierced empty air. At the same instant, White Flame spewed fire again in Jin Taekyung’s hands.

Fwoosh—KABOOM!

Space warped along the spearhead’s slanting downward arc. Deep-blue flames, carrying a tremendous amount of Scorching Yang Qi, sliced through another Named Monster.

Or so it seemed.

Then Jin Taekyung felt the powerful recoil through the spearhead.

CRUNCH!

“…!”

Eyes wide, he watched the Named Monster hurtle away.

And he understood the wariness he’d felt when he killed the first one.

They’re tough.

He didn’t mean their movements or their aura. Their bodies were, quite literally, damn tough.

Tough enough that even he, after bringing down countless enemies, could hardly believe it.

White Flame can’t even cut all the way through?

What kind of weapon was White Flame?

It was a ridiculously overpowered item he’d never have laid eyes on if the System hadn’t showered him with rewards early on. In Murim, no amount of money could buy a treasure like it.

Even modern artifacts decked out with cutting-edge technology and every kind of Magic couldn’t match the sharpness and strength of White Flame itself.

Yet its Force-wreathed spearhead couldn’t slice through these monsters like tofu. Their bones in particular were denser than he’d ever imagined.

The monster had suffered a horrific wound, of course. But it was still standing when it should have been split cleanly from collarbone to pelvis. That alone shocked Jin Taekyung.

Its incredible regenerative ability, already restoring the wound in an instant, was just a bonus.

“How is this even possible?”

The question escaped his lips. The Skeleton King, who had joined him by now, answered.

“I thought the same thing at first. But think about it. It’s not so hard to understand.”

“Why not?”

“If a human as monstrous as you exists, why can’t monsters like them?”

“Are you kidding? I’m an exception.”

“Do you have to say something that puts me off my food like it’s the most natural thing in the world?”

“Off your food? You’ve really become Korean. Weren’t you supposed to be playing a foreigner?”

The question had been based on reasonable evidence, but Mr. Stone-King, from Atlanta, Georgia, had just learned a lot from a marvel of civilization called a smartphone.

“I’m Korean American.”

“…You’ve gotten pretty good with words since I last saw you.”

“Words aren’t the only thing I’ve gotten better at.”

WHOOOOSH.

No sooner had he spoken than a tremendous mass of magical power swelled around him.

Jin Taekyung blinked at the unmistakable difference between his power now and before. The Skeleton King shrugged.

“What? Trembling at my might?”

“…What the hell happened while I was gone?”

“A lot. But I can’t tell you about it right now.”

He was right about that much.

Not far away, Choi Minwoo was leading the Hunters in a fierce battle against the monsters, while the six Named Monsters had formed a semicircle around them.

Ssshhh.

Magical power, dense enough to take shape, rippled like fog.

Behind the skull masks covering their faces, emotionless eyes fixed on the two of them like blades.

“Go for the neck. It’s the easiest part to cut.”

With the Skeleton King now at his back, Jin Taekyung adjusted his grip on the spear.

“I know.”

“We’ll take half each. Three for me, three for you.”

“Can you handle that? You’re weak as hell.”

“Arrogant human. Did you plant a knife in your tongue?”

The Skeleton King stopped grumbling. Then he added, so quietly Jin Taekyung could barely hear him:

“Still… it’s good to see you.”

What was that?

“I said I’m damn glad to see you again, even if it had to be like this.”

Jin Taekyung tried to think of an answer, then simply laughed.

Before an awkward silence could settle, he pushed off the ground and charged at the enemy.

And, just as his monster friend had done, he answered in a voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah. Me too.”

It all happened almost at once.

Whoosh!

The wind rushing over him swallowed his voice. Jin Taekyung shot forward faster than sound and reached the monsters a step ahead of the Skeleton King.

KABOOM!

Three swords met one spearhead with a deafening crash.

It was no even match. The monsters gave ground under the force of the blow, and Jin Taekyung kept advancing.

KABOOM! KABOOM! CRUNCH!

Amid the successive crashes, one Named Monster failed to keep up with his strength and speed and dropped to its knees. Jin Taekyung didn’t hesitate.

Slash!

He felt the heavy resistance through the spearhead.

He put even more strength than usual into the strike, and a head in a pure-white skull mask rose into the air.

Two swords were already swinging at him from either side, but they came half a beat too late to reach him.

No—the punch he threw after they’d begun to swing struck empty air first.

WHUMP!

Compressed air exploded.

As if he’d struck a mountain to hit the cow behind it, the shock wave burst outward, driving the monsters back and opening a gap.

An opening that lasted only an instant, but could decide who lived and who died.

Whoosh!

The sequence of movements didn’t need so much as a preparatory motion.

With physical abilities that made even superhuman sound inadequate, Jin Taekyung threw his spear.

THUNK!

It shot through the air as though plunging from above and pierced another Named Monster.

Just as he’d intended, the spearhead slipped precisely between its bones.

CRUNCH!

Skin and flesh tougher than the hide of a large monster like an ogre were no use this time.

White Flame’s Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron spearhead punched through its target and drove deep into the ground. Leaving the monster thrashing like a fish on a harpoon, Jin Taekyung pushed off the ground again.

And used the ability granted to him alone.

Inventory open. Summon. Summon. Summon.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A dozen or so daggers streaked through the air like beams of light.

The only Named Monster still on its feet swung a sword brimming with magical power and knocked every dagger aside.

By then, it was too late.

Slip.

Moving with the subtle principles of Ghost Illusory Slaughter Step, Jin Taekyung slipped deep inside its reach and swung the last dagger, the one he’d kept in his hand.

He spoke quietly.

“You’re damn tough, but…”

Slash!

“That doesn’t mean you’re strong.”

THUD.

The towering figure, well over two meters¹ tall, crumpled to the ground.

And at that moment—

Rumble.

A vast tremor shook space itself, and a dazzling flash spread above everyone’s heads.

Maybe it was thanks to the enlightenment I’d gained during the past few months in Murim.

I felt a strange sense of familiarity before anyone else did. At the same time, I sensed an immense aura suddenly looming high overhead.

Shit, again?

Naturally, my first thought was that another unexpected enemy had arrived.

Another powerful being like the mysterious Named Monsters I’d brought down, and the ones the Skeleton King was still fighting.

Maybe that was why everyone on the ground froze as the tremendous rumbling shook the sky.

But why?

A terrible possibility had flashed through my mind like lightning, yet the red warning light my instincts always set off remained quiet, even as the flash swallowed the sky.

No. The larger that flash grew, the calmer I felt.

The Skeleton King, who had just taken down his second Named Monster and was locked in a desperate fight with the last one, didn’t seem to feel the same way.

“Uh? Uh, hey!”

His pupils were shaking like an earthquake measuring 8.0, tsunami included.

He glanced up at the sky with a look that said, What the hell is that? Then he shouted at me, standing stock-still.

“What are you doing? Quit gawking and do something!”

“Okay.”

I obediently raised both hands and waved.

At the sky.

“What are you doing, you bastard?!”

“Saying hello.”

“…What?”

My helpful explanation didn’t seem to clear things up. I grinned at him.

“Someone came a long way to get here. I should at least say hello.”

“What the hell are you—!”

The Skeleton King could hold it in no longer. He burst out in anger—

At that very moment—

FLASH!

The light gathering in the sky exploded.

Within the blinding flash that spread in every direction, a different, destructive energy suddenly surged.

WHOOOOOSH!

I opened my arms wider still.

Toward the countless streaks of light pouring down like lightning, like arrows, with a fierce whistle—aimed only at the monsters.

Toward the one who had brought all this about.

My friend, and a great Grand Mage.