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Was it because I didn’t sharpen the blade of the True Silver Sword?

Was it because I forced a change of direction in mid-air, lacking proper footing?

Was the management of Internal energy during the sudden attack insufficient?

Or did I choose the wrong martial arts to use?

No.

It was a martial arts technique I used with all my might for the first time in a long time, without holding back for anyone.

The energy and momentum contained in the swung sword held the power to cut through even the White Lotus Pure Gang like paper.

That was the thought that came to mind when the sword, swung with the determination to cut through, ultimately failed to cut and was instead repelled with great force.

The repulsive force matched the thunderous roar that spread in all directions after the collision.

The feather-light body was being relentlessly pushed away from the point of impact.

‘I have to get back.’

The attacker is still unharmed.

If I am helplessly pushed out of position, the giant brothers might die in the meantime.

I released energy in the opposite direction through not only Yongcheon but also all the blood points in my body.

The burst of energy struck the air, and the body that was being repelled stopped in mid-air.

At the same time, I changed my posture and once again released the power gathered in Yongcheon, flying back to the original campsite.

The giants, who hadn’t even woken up during the spirit attack, were now awake, startled by what could only be described as a sudden bolt from the blue, and were frozen, staring at the attacker.

‘Thank goodness.’

After confirming that the giant brothers were safe, I lightly landed on the ground.

And I looked at the attacker.

“…Eungryong (應龍)?”

The attacker’s appearance was very impressive.

A huge body.

A long, outstretched neck.

Two dignified horns.

Reptilian eyes.

And wings with spread membranes.

Golden scales.

Its appearance seemed similar to the dragons of the Central Plains, but it had no wish-fulfilling orb, no beard, and it had wings.

Like the Eungryong said to have been used by the Yellow Emperor (黃帝) Gongsun Heonwon (公孫軒轅).

Originally, dragons do not have wings, but when an Imoogi (a proto-dragon) lives for a thousand years, it becomes a dragon.

If that dragon lives for another thousand years, wings sprout and it becomes an Eungryong.

Besides, what about its appearance?

Gold was a color that could easily look vulgar if overdone, like nouveau riche.

But the attacker before me, bathed in the morning sunlight, adorned with shining golden scales, and with a dignified physique that was pleasing to the eye, felt like a beautiful and noble creature rather than a vulgar one.

However, unlike its appearance, the energy surrounding it was more like that of a tyrant than an auspicious spirit, violent and overbearing.

‘As expected, it doesn’t seem friendly.’

The Eungryong also seemed to have had its trajectory altered by the Thunderclap Shattering Strike, and instead of crashing into its original target, the campsite, it crashed into the trees next to it, shattering them.

But none of that seemed to have had any particular impact on the Eungryong, as it stood calmly on two feet, examining one of the claws on its front paw as if displeased.

One claw, bigger than my height, had a large crack in it from the collision with the True Silver Sword.

‘That’s a relief. It wasn’t completely ineffective.’

I also looked at the True Silver Sword, which had collided with the Eungryong’s claw.

Surprisingly, despite colliding with such force, the True Silver Sword was intact, not even a chip.

I can keep using it.

I stood in a position to protect the two giant brothers from the attacker, with the warning still coming from my Upper Dantian and a presence so strong it made me feel numb.

The Eungryong, who had been looking at its cracked claw, turned only its eyes towards me.

「The spirits were clamoring about finding the remains of a large monkey, so I came, and there’s an unexpected presence. This isn’t where the little monkeys live. How did you crawl into my garden?」

An arrogant-sounding voice.

Should I really call it a dragon?

It was only speaking, but I could feel the surrounding mana fluctuating.

I looked up at the massive figure, despite the distance, and opened my mouth.

“Who are you? Why are you targeting us?”

For the first time in a long time, I didn’t let my guard down and spoke respectfully to the opponent.

「You are not worthy to know that. My goal is those two big monkey carcasses behind you.」

Then, tilting its head, it looked at its claw and said in a slightly angry voice.

「Come to think of it, that was the case at first, but now it’s hard to forgive you, little monkey, too. You brazenly crawled into my garden and interfered with my affairs, and on top of that, you damaged my body. Die and atone for your sins.」

Murderous intent erupted from the Eungryong.

The mana in the atmosphere pulsed in response.

‘Is it possible to draw in the surrounding energy with just the manifestation of will…? This isn’t good.’

I might have to consider that it has more weapons than just its monstrous body.

I heard thumping sounds from behind me on the left, where Silb was.

I could feel him stepping back in fear, feeling the pressure emanating from the dragon.

It was hard to blame Silb.

The opponent was just too bad.

This fight. There will be more harm than good.

Why this sudden bolt from the blue?

“Keep your distance well around me!”

Too close or too far, and it will be difficult to respond.

And before the giant brothers could answer my words, the Eungryong rushed towards me, leaving a golden afterimage like its body.

‘It’s slower than when it first flew in!’

It was still fast, but it wasn’t a big problem for me.

A claw the size of my body approached, trying to tear me apart like it had split the giants’ spines in two.

A slight breath and relaxation.

Rather than dodging, I threw myself towards the approaching claw.

I smoothly rode the wind pushed out by the front paw, which contained enormous power.

The Eungryong looked surprised to see me, who had avoided its claw and climbed onto its instep.

Namgung Family (南宮家) 섬릉보 (Flashy Steps)

For some reason, the mana in the air did not respond well to my will.

If it was difficult to recover Internal energy during the fight, I had to use the Internal energy I had efficiently.

A portion of the Internal energy that had undergone a property transformation, imbued with the power of lightning, to use the Lightning Flash Sword Thunderclap Shattering Strike.

I can’t keep it inside me, so I have to use it efficiently.

Namgung Family (南宮家) 변형섬전검뢰식 (Transformed Lightning Flash Sword Thunder Strike)

풍랑뢰벽 (Wind and Wave Thunder Wall)

Becoming a rough and destructive light, it raced along the dragon’s body.

Hundreds of slashes in an instant, like a lightning storm, with the racing line as the axis.

‘It’s hard!’

But it only scratched the scales, leaving small scars, and couldn’t cut through.

Each time I slashed, the hand gripping the sword tingled due to the strong repulsive force.

My brow furrowed at the disappointing result.

The Sword Clan.

It’s a sword that contains the same thunderous energy as the Namgung Family’s Heavenly Thunder Energy (天雷氣), which is known in Gangho for its cutting power and sharpness.

「Krah—-!」

When I reached the vicinity of its neck, I was thrown off by the dragon’s violent shaking and lightly landed on a branch of a tall tree nearby.

I lightly brought the True Silver Sword to the falling leaves, which had lost their strength due to the dragon’s cry.

The leaves split in two just by passing by.

‘The energy was used normally.’

The fact that the Thunderclap Shattering Strike couldn’t cut through was not a coincidence.

Besides, that characteristic of strongly repelling wherever I cut.

‘It’s protecting its body with a principle similar to a protective aura.’

And it’s doing it as naturally as breathing.

‘I don’t think I could deploy the Living Spirit Armor (生靈鬪甲) as naturally as that, even if I tried.’

The trees that had been standing until just now were literally blown away by the tail that the dragon swung.

The surrounding spirits screamed and scattered.

「You bug-like bastard!」

‘Anyway, I can’t just cut it.’

It was on a different level from the opponents I had met so far.

There was no one who had not awakened their energy, or who could use it so perfectly for both offense and defense, even if they could use it.

‘It’s frustrating, but in terms of energy manipulation alone, it’s above me.’

As befitting a creature in the form of a dragon, considered the best of the spiritual beings, the mana in the atmosphere was biased towards that dragon, as if it were loved by nature.

‘It’s the first time since I was born as a High Elf that I’ve been outmatched in terms of energy sensitivity and control.’

It makes not only its own energy but even the energy of the surrounding nature follow its emotions.

Isn’t that a legendary realm?

Even so, was it because of its overwhelming ability?

The way it handled its body was clumsy.

‘It wouldn’t be good to go for a long-term battle.’

Even so, if I continue like this, I’ll be the one who gets tired.

If I allow a direct hit from that ominous claw, there’s no guarantee I won’t end up like the giants who died earlier.

A bitter smile came to my face.

Looking at the people I’ve fought with so far, including the brothers, they were only at the peak, at best, by Central Plains standards.

But the dragon with murderous intent in front of me, if judged by Central Plains standards… wasn’t it the Profound Realm, which less than 100 people in the history of the Murim had reached?

If I were the protagonist in a common martial arts novel that was common in the streets, I would want to argue that I had made a mistake in the order of the enemies to confront.

‘The order is wrong!’

Araya Consciousness (阿賴耶識)

Eye Technique (眼法) 심극만상 (Discern All Phenomena)

「Hmm-?!」

I ran towards the dragon, who stopped moving for a moment, uttering a question.

Eye Technique Discern All Phenomena. As energy gathered in my eyes according to the mantra of discerning all phenomena, my vision changed.

‘…It’s tiring.’

A storm of enormous information raged in the changed vision.

The flows of energy in lines stretching out and scattering in all directions.

The golden Eungryong, pregnant with enormous energy.

The giants’ land, with a dense distribution of mana that interfered with energy sensing.

Moreover, the surrounding environment was changing rapidly due to the aftermath of each collision with the dragon, so I was getting dizzy.

‘But I can see it.’

The True Silver Sword, imbued with the last of the thunderous energy, was swung towards the golden scales.

「Kuaaaaak!」

The dragon, who had ignored the sword that had failed to pierce its scales during several collisions and focused only on attacking, let out a painful scream.

The sword, swung after observing the flow of energy with Discern All Phenomena, cracked the scales that had been protecting the dragon like an iron wall until now and caused blood to pour out from there.

Was it unfamiliar with pain?

It felt like it was more shocked by the fact that its scales had been cut off than by the pain itself.

「…You…」

For a moment, I felt that the emotion in the dragon’s eyes was not anger, but curiosity.

“So you weren’t invincible!”

The emotion that had been present for a moment disappeared at my playful cry, and it let out a cry full of anger.

「You bug-like monkey! Don’t be arrogant just because you knocked off a few scales!」

Indeed.

I don’t intend to consider it a victory just because I scraped off a few of your scales.

Now that I know the attack works, I need to move decisively.

It’s time for me to give it my all too.

Peng Family (彭家) 변형염왕도룡식 (Transformed Underworld King Dragon Slayer Style)

염화도인 (Flame Blade)

This time, instead of thunderous energy like Heavenly Thunder Energy, Underworld King Energy (炎王氣) containing the ideology of slaying a dragon surged on the True Silver Sword.

I use a sword (劍) instead of a saber (刀), but I compensate for the lacking parts with my senses as needed.

My hair fluttered in the swirling energy.

「A monkey daring to have such presumptuous thoughts!」

The omnipotent dragon, who can even control the surrounding mana, sensitively read the meaning of the ideology contained in my sword and energy.

I jumped towards the dragon, who was rushing in furiously.

Peng Family (彭家) 변형염왕도룡식 (Transformed Underworld King Dragon Slayer Style)

참살도룡 (Tragic Dragon Slaughter)

I swung the True Silver Sword, blazing with flames, to collide head-on with the dragon’s attack.