Chapter 213. Nine in the Fifth Place (9)
The Ninety-Third Mu Heon was well aware that he could lose his life in a split second without even realizing it if Ma-Ra were to approach him while under stealth.
Swish.
Ma-Ra had no choice but to reappear.
Because of the Ninety-Third Mu Heon’s repeated shouts, everyone around them had already stopped fighting to look over.
If Woo-Moon were to lay down his arms because of Yeo-Seol, they would have no choice but to do the same.
It wasn't that they were afraid of their enemy; it was Woo-Moon that they were fearful of. If Woo-Moon was forced to turn against his allies in order to save Yeo-Seol's life, none of them would be able to resist.
On the other hand, the only person who could resist him, Si-Hyeon, looked at him as if there was no problem.
Then, Woo-Moon shook his head.
"No, I won't throw away my sword. And Yeo-Seol won't die by your hand, either."
"What did you say? Do you really think I won't do it? Hehe, it's not like I have a future anyway. Even if I die, I'll definitely kill this bitch first! Do you really not believe me?"
As he said that, the Ninety-Third Mu Heon tried to tighten his grip again.
Squelch!
“Huh?”
The arm holding Yeo-Seol’s neck had exploded. It was unbelievable.
It was so absurd, in fact, that the Ninety-Third Mu Heon didn't even feel any pain and just looked down dumbfounded.
"Aren't you looking down on a Paragon a little too much?"
Woo-Moon looked at the Ninety-Third Mu Heon's stomach this time.
Squlech!
The man’s digestive system was pulverized, just like that.
With this blow, half of the qi Woo-Moon had built up in his dantian was consumed.
The Ninety-Third Mu Heon let out a hollow laugh.
"T... the Sword Heart? Ha... haha... of course."
Just as the Ninety-Third Mu Heon thought, Woo-Moon had no way of reaching him before he crushed Yeo-Seol’s spine. Not even a Paragon was that fast. However, the Sword Heart was not just fast; it was entirely beyond the notion of speed.
The moment the user thought about attacking, it happened. Simple as that. And since it functioned by manipulating space, there was no way for anyone to defend against it unless they were also a Paragon.
Thus, the Ninety-Third Mu Heon didn't even know he had been attacked until it was already done. How could he possibly have dodged?
“Do you understand now? To think you’d dare to take a hostage in front of me with your meager skills....”
As soon as she was released, Yeo-Seol ran and clung to Woo-Moon.
“Were you scared?”
“Not at all! How could I be scared when I have you, Gege? Hehe.”
Right as Woo-Moon smiled in return, something no one could have expected happened.
“Saber King!”
Someone called out to the Saber King as a dagger hanging from a white string flew toward him.
“You dare!”
Only subduing the Saber King and not killing him had been a mistake. The moment the Saber King caught the flying dagger, the one who had thrown it pulled hard on the string, and the Saber King flew at him faster than the eye could see.
“We will meet again, Song Woo-Moon!”
“Forgetful King!”
The one who saved Saber King was none other than the Forgetful King.
Absolutely shocked, Si-Hyeon and Wo-Moon both tried to finish off the Saber King by using their Sword Hearts. However, the Forgetful King stood in front of the Saber King and used his own body to block their attacks.
In spite of what had transpired earlier between Woo-Moon and the Sword King, killing a Paragon using the Sword Heart was just a pipe dream.
Maybe it could finish off a Paragon if they were already heavily injured, or if it took advantage of a momentary lapse in attention like it happened with the Sword King, but otherwise, any Paragon could easily block the technique with one of their own.
The Forgetful King had almost killed both Woo-Moon and Si-Hyeon before. No, Si-Hyeon had actually died at his hands and had only been revived thanks to Light Sword's sacrifice.
That was why Woo-Moon almost gnashed his teeth to pieces in rage as soon as he saw the Forgetful King. However, he had no choice but to give up chasing him.
Assuming that the battle had ended, Woo-Moon had used the Sword Heart twice on the Ninety-Third Mu Heon. Now, he only had a fourth of his qi left.
It would be difficult to chase the Forgetful King until the end with what he had left, and if the Forgetful King were to turn around and fight, Woo-Moon knew he would inevitably lose.
Even though Si-Hyeon was with him, there was no way for him to know whether there was another Paragon of Martial Heaven waiting in the direction the Forgetful King was fleeing.
So he had no choice but to give up.
"I'll definitely kill you and the Saber King someday, Forgetful King."
The more regrets one had, the more it hurt. While it was heartbreaking to lose the Saber King, he couldn't allow himself to think about it for too long.
Woo-Moon glanced at So Geom-Rak.
The young man looked blank as if surprised by the unexpected situation. As he realized how things were going, he shook his head with a bitter expression.
Since it was clear that he had already given up on fighting, Woo-Moon told the others not to kill him.
Then, he walked toward the Ninety-Third Mu Heon.
“Senior brother, he's learned the Immortal Heavenly Demon Divine Art. I can sense a familiar energy flowing out of him," Si-Hyeon said from behind him.
Hearing the words “Immortal Heavenly Demon Divine Art,” Woo-Moon understood how the Ninety-Third Mu Heon had survived back then.
“So you only pretended to be dead back then. Using the Corpse Impression Art to trick us.”
“Hehe... idiotic brat.”
The Ninety-Third Mu Heon glared at Woo-Moon and laughed.
“Because of you, the Baek Family went through a civil war. So many of us died. Still, I'll have to thank you.”
Everyone was puzzled when Woo-Moon thanked him.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to kill you twice. This time... I'll definitely kill you.”
“Kehehehehe!”
As if he had gone insane, the Ninety-Third Mu Heon's eyes rolled back, and he let out a loud cackle.
“It seems you want to try to escape from the reality that's coming. But no worries, no worries. Insanity will not prevent you from feeling every single bit of what’s coming.”
Woo-Moon placed his palm on the Ninety-Third Mu Heon's abdomen and injected qi into his body.
The man’s entire body suddenly turned red.
“Haha... ke... ke-cough, cough! AGHK!!!!”
The Ninety-Third Mu Heon’s mad laughter turned into a scream of pain. His eyes, which had been rolled back like a crazy person’s, returned to normal, glowing with pain and fear.
“J-just.... AGH!!! J-J-J-JUST KILL ME! AGHHHH!”
“Martial Heaven... Only a devil would do something like this, but if I have to be a devil to deal with you, then so be it,” Woo-Moon said coldly.
The Ninety-Third Mu Heon's internal organs were being cooked from the inside. Smoke and steam flowed out of his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes.
Soon after, his entire body was engulfed in flames from within, and he turned into a handful of ash and disappeared.
“Ugh...”
The Justice Coalition and North Sea Ice Palace's warriors, who had been watching, looked at the Ninety-Third Mu Heon’s corpse with horrified expressions. Then, some of them looked at Woo-Moon in fear.
At this time, Ah Hee succeeded in turning her opponent into a block of ice and smashed him into pieces.
Woo-Moon turned to her.
"Do you mind if I handle things?"
Everyone was puzzled by his sudden question.
However, Ah Hee nodded as if she understood him perfectly.
"Yes. But... Please hold back."
Woo-Moon bowed his head to express his gratitude for the consideration and walked toward the North Sea Ice Palace’s warriors.
The Snow Flowers and their husbands, with whom he had previously competed in the Marriage of the Snow Flowers, were also present.
All of them, including Yu Cho, avoided Woo-Moon's gaze. They couldn't act out like they had before.
It was only natural.
Woo-Moon was already a master of extreme strength with whom they could never compare.
“Ten Swords of the North Sea," he said in a low voice. Anyone who heard it could tell that Woo-Moon was angry.
When he called to the Ten Swords of the North Sea, many of the onlookers realized why Woo-Moon had asked Ah Hee that question and why he was acting like this now.
The eldest of the Ten Swords of the North Sea, Gi Pa-Hu, answered with a calm expression, “What is it, Young Master Song?”
“What is it? Did you just ask what is it?”
Woo-Moon glared at each of the Ten Swords of the North Sea with a cold expression.
He let some of his mighty aura leak—the aura of the strongest. The moment he did so, all of the Ten Swords of the North Sea found themselves unable to bear that pressure and averted their gaze. To them, Woo-Moon seemed no different from a mighty titan looking down at them from heaven.
Woo-Moon looked back at Gi Pa-Hu.
“What is the mission of the Ten Swords of the North Sea?”
Gi Pa-Hu tried to resist Woo-Moon’s pressure while avoiding his question.
“W... what mission... are you... referring to?”
“The mission you’re on right now. The last order that was given to you by the North Sea Ice Palace Master—what is it?”
Gi Pa-Hu tried to act calm, but his face was soaked with sweat. It was too hard to overcome Woo-Moon’s gaze and aura.
Regardless, he had to answer.
“... To... protect... the Little Palace Master...”
Woo-Moon took a step closer to Gi Pa-Hu, and the pressure the man felt instantly doubled.
“And?”
“Ugh. Even... even if you're... the Little Palace... Master's betrothed... you can't... treat me like this...”
“Shut your mouth. And?”
“Please stop, Young Master Song. You're an outsider, so please don’t take things too far,” said Oh Mu-Baek, the Fourth Sword.
He was only able to speak because Woo-Moon had relieved the pressure on the other Swords slightly.
“I wasn't talking to you.”
Crack!
Woo-Moon slapped Oh Mu-Baek across the face.
Blood flowed out of Oh Mu-Baek’s mouth, his cheek split, and his teeth shattered.
“Young Master Song! What do you think you're doing right now? Are you looking down on the North Sea Ice Palace?” an elder of the North Sea Ice Palace protested.
“I wasn't talking to you, either. Just open your mouth again, old fart. See if I don't slap you as well.”
Bloodlust blazed from Woo-Moon's eyes.
For a single second, he released his Paragon aura without holding back.
“Ugh!”
Everyone's chests tightened and they became dizzy.
Whether it was the elder who had just spoken or everyone else watching what was going on—everyone turned pale.
“Answer my question. What were you doing, Ten Swords of the North Sea?”
Woo-Moon looked at Gi Pa-Hu again.
Gi Pa-Hu gritted his teeth in humiliation and shame.
“We were assisting the Palace Master and fighting the enemy.”
“Did my mother-in-law order you to do so?”
“... No.”
The moment Gi Pa-Hu answered, Woo-Moon split into ten figures and slapped all Ten Swords of the North Sea before merging back into one body.
Crack!
Rather than echoing ten times over, the slaps superimposed into one loud crack.
Then, not only the Ten Swords of the North Sea but all of the members of the North Sea Ice Palace's eyes filled with shame and gleamed with resentment.
They all considered this an insult to the Palace, especially in front of so many people.
Yeo-Seol, who had been fidgeting since earlier, grabbed Woo-Moon’s arm.
“T-that's enough, Gege. I'm okay.”
However, Woo-Moon didn't listen. He simply patted her head, signaling her to be patient, then continued his questioning, exuding even more Paragon aura.
“What, do you feel offended? Do you think I'm bringing shame upon the honor of the North Sea Ice Palace?”
Gi Pa-Hu glared at Woo-Moon, spitting blood and white teeth mixed with his saliva.
“None of the warriors of the North Sea Ice Palace will forget what you've done today, Young Master Song.”
Woo-Moon nodded.
“Good. Don't forget. Don't forget the fact that not a single one of you protected your Little Palace Master. Don’t forget that you failed to carry out a direct order from the Palace Master, allowing her daughter to become a hostage for the enemy. Absolutely, don't forget this,” Woo-Moon coldly sneered.
The moment they processed what he had just said, the faces of the North Sea Ice Palace members turned crimson.
The Ten Swords of the North Sea were no different.
‘H-he's right. It truly is shameful...’
There had been no lack of complaints about the Palace Master within the North Sea Ice Palace. Many of them were dissatisfied that their Palace Master, whom they had thought of as a virgin, had given birth to and raised an illegitimate child. On top of that, she had even appointed that illegitimate child as the Little Palace Master!
However, the Palace Master was an Absolute Master. None of them could ever say anything harsh about her.
Furthermore, after the rebellion, Ah Hee took advantage of the instability to further solidify her power.
They had to suppress their dissatisfaction, yet after holding back for so long, that dissatisfaction was now being revealed.