Sabikang took a few steps before abruptly stopping and turning back to the beggar.
The beggar flinched, instinctively stepping back.
“Do you know where the Ilseong Sword Sect is?”
The beggar nodded again, pointing in a direction with a trembling finger.
In the next instant—
Whoosh!
Sabikang vanished from sight, reappearing in the sky. He surveyed the area before gracefully landing back on the ground.
He tossed a casual remark to the still-dazed beggar.
“You were wrong.”
“What? Pardon?”
“It’s not that way, it’s this way.”
Sabikang pointed in a slightly different direction, and the beggar immediately prostrated himself, bowing his head to the ground.
“Please, spare me! I’m terrible with directions… I didn’t mean to deceive you! Have mercy…”
The beggar squeezed his eyes shut, trembling on the ground.
How long did he stay like that, quivering in fear?
When he finally dared to look up, Sabikang was gone.
The beggar let out a sigh of relief, muttering to himself.
“Why ask if you were going to check anyway?”
Danlichu scanned his surroundings with unsteady eyes.
“Ugh… Master, you must flee…!”
“That one… is a monster… Ugh…!”
“It’s dangerous… Please…!”
His subordinates, gravely injured, strained to speak with their last breaths. The last one to speak finally collapsed, eyes wide open.
Danlichu closed the man’s eyes gently.
“You’ve done well, protecting your useless master.”
His eyes grew moist.
Danlichu slowly rose and faced Helmut.
Indeed, the opponent was terrifyingly skilled.
As Helmut exuded a murderous aura, hidden guards sprang from their hiding places, attacking him all at once.
Not only that, but the nearby Shadow Squad also charged at Helmut.
The result was devastating.
Helmut swung his sword with an unchanging expression, and the warriors fell like moths to a flame.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Danlichu moved slowly to the side, gripping his sword hilt tightly.
‘No openings at all.’
The Meteor Sword Technique requires exploiting a momentary gap for a swift attack.
Yet, no such gap appeared in his opponent.
This was a first.
Every living being has a weakness.
It’s just that sometimes one’s skills aren’t enough to exploit it.
But…
‘I’ve never seen someone with no openings at all. Or have I?’
Regardless, Danlichu couldn’t help but be impressed.
Just standing there, moving sideways, and yet no openings to be found.
He felt like he’d experienced this before…
‘When was it?’
As he racked his brain,
Thud!
Helmut launched himself at Danlichu.
“Gah!”
Danlichu swallowed hard, quickly drawing his sword.
Clang!
The two swords clashed, and they both stepped back.
Danlichu didn’t miss the fleeting moment.
The best opening is always right after an opponent’s attack!
Click, tap!
He sheathed his sword and dashed forward.
And drew again!
Clang!
Whoosh!
A deep blue flash shot toward Helmut’s neck.
It was as fast and powerful as a meteor.
But Helmut merely twisted his body with a faint smile.
Swish!
Danlichu’s sword missed by a wide margin.
‘By this much…?’
As Danlichu’s eyes widened,
Whoosh, bam!
Helmut’s fist slammed into Danlichu’s shoulder.
“Aaargh!”
Danlichu screamed, flying back and crashing through a wall.
“Cough, hack!”
He coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Though hit in the shoulder, it felt like his insides were twisted.
Helmut tilted his head, a cracking sound echoing.
“Still weak.”
“Shut up…”
Danlichu slowly stood up.
His internal injuries were worse than he thought; his legs trembled pitifully.
Helmut looked at Danlichu’s shaking legs with sunken eyes.
“You’re trembling.”
“Quiet… It’s not fear, it’s rage. Rage that I can’t kill scum like you…!”
“Hmm. At least you know.”
”…?”
“That you can’t defeat me.”
“Heh. I may be stubborn, but I admit what I must. You’re definitely stronger than me.”
“Then why fight?”
“I told you, I can’t explain such noble spirit to trash like you.”
Helmut chuckled.
“I think I get it now.”
“What?”
“You humans are weak. You set up reasons because you know you’ll die in despair. At least with a reason, you can console yourselves in death.”
“What? Ha, hahaha!”
Danlichu burst into laughter, and Helmut frowned.
“Why laugh?”
“Because you speak as if you’ve had some grand revelation, but it’s less than a pile of dung. Hahaha!”
“Full of bravado, I see.”
“Shut up! Now let me ask you something.”
”…?”
“Why didn’t you attack us all at once? If you’d come at us together, we’d be wiped out by now.”
Helmut shrugged indifferently.
“Isn’t the reason simple?”
“Simple?”
“Why do children tear off dragonfly wings? Crushing them at once would be easier.”
”…!”
“The same reason. It’s just more fun this way. It’s a shame to end it all at once.”
Danlichu felt a chill run down his spine.
Not because of Helmut’s words, but because he said them with such a nonchalant expression.
Helmut fixed his gray eyes on Danlichu again.
“Understand? I just thought I’d toy with you before killing you. No reason. It’s just less fun to kill you too easily.”
“You bastard!”
In a flash, Danlichu lunged forward, sword gleaming.
Clang!
Whoosh!
His sword aimed straight for Helmut’s heart.
But once again, it sliced through nothing but air.
Whoosh!
Nothing caught on his blade.
Instead,
Crunch!
“Ugh!”
Helmut, now behind him, gripped Danlichu’s neck.
He tried to summon his protective energy, but Helmut’s power disrupted his internal flow completely.
‘I’m going to die here!’
Danlichu sensed the end of his life.
He had fought with all he had.
If he hadn’t let Helmut’s words provoke him, he might have lasted a bit longer.
But…
‘Yeah, with my temperament, that would’ve been hard.’
Considering that, it was a relief his son took after his mother.
‘Jung-ah, your father has no regrets! Avenge me!’
Helmut spoke in a low, calm voice.
“Are you afraid?”
“Not at all. Just regretful I couldn’t kill you.”
“Then you dreamed an impossible dream.”
“Humans don’t only dream achievable dreams. And as long as we dream, sometimes they come true.”
“Weak and yet so arrogant. I’m bored now, so I’ll end this.”
“You bastard…! My son will… avenge me…”
“You have a son?”
“Yes! Stronger and better than me! He will… ugh!”
“Thanks for telling me. I’ll make sure to tell him your story. It might be interesting.”
As Helmut prepared to tighten his grip,
”…!”
A chilling sensation made Helmut flinch, and he slowly turned his head.
To his surprise, a man stood behind him.
A man holding a sword radiating immense power, casually tapping his neck.
“A human…?”
Helmut narrowed his eyes, glaring at the man.
“Indeed, weak. Killing you outright would be dull.”
The man spoke nonchalantly.
It was Sabikang.
As Helmut tried to exert force again,
”…!”
A fierce killing intent shot from behind!
Helmut found himself unable to move, as if bound by chains.
His expression hardened.
Sabikang’s voice struck his back.
“Go ahead, move a finger. You’ll have quite the experience.”
“Arrogant…!”
“Watch your mouth, Helmut.”
”…!”
Thud!
Helmut involuntarily released his grip.
“Cough, cough! Gasp, gasp…! Lord of the Demon Palace!”
Danlichu, collapsed on the ground, clutched his neck, barely managing to speak.
He looked back and forth between Helmut and Sabikang with wide, startled eyes.
Just moments ago, hadn’t Sabi Kang called out this man’s name?
Did that mean they weren’t strangers?
More importantly, how on earth did the Lord of the Demonic Palace appear here at this hour?
Even at the fastest, the urgent message he sent would only be reaching its destinations around now.
That meant she had moved here the moment she received it…
“How on earth…?”
But Helmut was even more shocked than Dan Lichu.
He couldn’t believe what he had just heard from Sabi Kang.
“What did you just say?”
“Helmut de Zailin. Is it really so surprising that I know such a trivial name?”
Helmut’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“How dare someone like you utter my name…!”
In a flash, Helmut appeared behind Sabi Kang.
Yet Sabi Kang didn’t even turn around.
Swoosh!
Just as Helmut’s sword was about to slice into the back of Sabi Kang’s neck,
Clang!
The sword was deflected by Vertas, which had left Sabi Kang’s hand.
“Ugh!”
Helmut grimaced, spinning around to slash at Sabi Kang’s side.
Sabi Kang twirled gracefully, reaching out with his hand.
Snap!
Helmut’s eyes widened in disbelief.
‘How is this possible…!’
Incredibly, Sabi Kang had caught Helmut’s blade between his fingers.
This was impossible.
The opponent was human!
No, even if he were a demon, it wouldn’t make sense!
There were few demons with combat skills surpassing his own.
And yet…!
“Who on earth are you…?”
“Helmut. You may not remember, but I am your master. Kneel before me.”
“What nonsense is this!”
Helmut shouted, trying to pull his sword free.
In truth, it was more like Sabi Kang had let go, causing Helmut to stagger backward, off balance.
Bang!
Helmut launched himself forward again like a comet.
“Die, you insolent human!”
Swoosh!
A crimson aura surged toward Sabi Kang.
This time, surely, the opponent wouldn’t be able to stop him.
‘This is the end!’
Helmut’s lips curled into a triumphant smile.
But then…
Snap!
The blade was caught between Sabi Kang’s index and middle fingers.
Helmut was stunned.
This couldn’t be happening.
This time, it was Sabi Kang’s lips that curled into a smirk.
“Maybe against other demons, but you will never defeat me.”
“This can’t be…!”
Helmut gritted his teeth, trying to wrench his sword free, but it wouldn’t budge.
It was like a child struggling against an adult.
How could this be?
No matter how strong a human, this was impossible.
No, even a demon couldn’t do this.
“I didn’t want our reunion to be like this, but it can’t be helped.”
In the next moment, Sabi Kang swung the sword, still caught between his fingers.
Whoosh!
Crash!
Helmut was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through a wall.
Dan Lichu watched, mouth agape.
Yes, now he remembered.
The opponent he had once met, who had no openings.
It was Sabi Kang.