Chapter 152. < Soaring. (1) >

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Translators: thursdays, Seven Editor: Yahiko

The ties between people are strange.

For example, you make a friend and later find out that hes the grandson of the old man who owns the supermarket in your neighborhooda small connection.

Or the Hunter youve admired for 10 years turns out to be an insane psychopath, he kills you, then you kill him, and now, your fates are connectedsomething like that

No, lets stop there. That case is too specific.

Anyway, the essence of what Im saying is simple. The ties between people are really indiscernible. Id met many weird and mysterious people thus far, but the peculiarities of human connections continued to awe me.

-Hey, Kim Gongja. Its been a while since Ive seen you, but you look great!

Specifically, I was awed by the person I was on a video call with.

-Somehow, you look more handsome than you did when we were young. Your face looks really smooth. Im so jealous! You know, maybe I should have just followed you to the Tower when we left the orphanage. Kim Gongja, over here? The air is bad, and the people are bad. Its no place to live.

A man my age was chattering nonstop.

He wore a tidy suit.

I chanted the name of the man whose hair was parted 9:1.

Kim Hanbija

-No, no. Im Kim Hanbi now, okay? I changed my name.

I heard from the director that youre wearing the badge of the National a.s.sembly. Congrats, bud.

This guy was probably the most successful among our age group in the orphanage since he was a representative in the National a.s.sembly.

The Director always used to say that it would be good to get lucky and climb to a higher position, but it wasnt easy for young people like us to climb up.

-Aye. Gonja, I feel like Im just the tail of a snake compared to you. Havent you seen the internet? Youre so popular. Youve contributed a lot to raising our countrys prestige.

Sorry. Ive been cut off from the internet these past few days, so I didnt know.

-Huh, really? Thats surprising. Anyways, bud. Do me a favor.

Kim Hanbija smiled softly.

-Im running for my const.i.tuency in the next general election. Unfortunately, since Im young and fresh, I dont really have anything to appeal to the people. So what Im saying is, would it be okay for me to promote that Kim Gonja and I were best friends back in the orphanage?

No, you cant

I nodded my head.

Good luck, Councillor. Do good politics. Politics that puts the people first. I ask that you uphold clean and honest politics.

-Huh? Ah. Hey! Hey!

Hanbijas expression became desperate.

-Gongja! Please help me! I need your help! Im sorry I didnt contact you till now! I shouldve known that youd make it that far in the Tower! O-, one picture! Ill make a poster! Please help me wear the a.s.sembly Member badge one more time

Click.

I hung up the phone without any hesitation. The last image that was displayed on the screen was that of my childhood friend crying and begging. When I saw it, a thought came to my mind.

I became successful in the Tower.

A childhood friend who had never contacted me before had called me. I couldnt believe that Id received such a pitiful request from a member of the National a.s.sembly. This was something that I couldnt have even dreamed of before I regressed 4,000 times.

Brrrr-

As soon as I hung up, my phone rang again. It was Hanbija. I became a bit annoyed.

h.e.l.lo.

-Gongja, Im sorry. I was just thinking about the way we used to play together when we were young.

This guy.

He really had become a politician, hadnt he?

This shamelessness was truly something to behold.

-Im sure youre busy, but could you just listen to what I have to say for a moment?

I dont think I need to hear any more.

-Gongja. I know that nationality has very little meaning in the Tower. But were both still Korean. This could be considered a personal connection. Right now, there are a lot of people who favor the National a.s.sembly, the party, and you, Gongja.

I will not be a pushover just to enjoy some favor.

-Tell us what you want

Uh, clean politics? Id like you to work towards the peace of mankind.

-Not the impossible. You idiot!

Indeed. It was impossible.

If it was impossible, then there was nothing I could do about it.

Oh, right.

At that moment, an idea popped into my head.

Theres something Id like to ask.

-As expected! Theres no way that you wouldnt want anything at all. What is it? You can tell me anything. The party is willing to do whatever it can. I even received a blank check before calling you.

How reliable.

I smiled slightly.

Do you happen to know anyone named Hw.a.n.g Eunseo?

Confucius said human relations.h.i.+ps are very strange.

Sometimes, the person who was thought to be dead could get their revenge.

2.

Well, thats what happened.

It was a natural and reasonable process.

After hearing my story, the Sword Saint nodded.

I also received a lot of similar requests when I was ranked number one. Politicians, businessmen, and even people from my family contacted me hundreds and thousands of times.

Heh. Even the Swedes are like that?

Regardless of where they live, people are all the same.

Clang!

The Sword Saints sword clashed with mine. We were having a leisurely conversation, but our hands and feet were busy. We were fighting to improve each others skills.

I was also listening to advice on living in the world.

You have authority now. And a very special authority at that. After all, you gained this authority through your achievements and skills instead of political tactics or machinations, didnt you? The outside world adores you. The hunters in the Tower admire you.

Youre painting too much gold on my face. Old man.

The more I say it, the more careful youll be. Kid.

The Sword Saint swung his sword. Shriek! The sharp sword strike was aimed at my wrist. I raised my blade at an angle, allowing the sword to glance off of it.

This was an attack that my eyes would not have been able to follow in the past.

Am I not being careful already?

But now, I was able to chat like this while we exchanged blows back and forth. At times, I was even able to counter. Whoos.h.!.+ I released Aura from my blade and caught the Sword Saints sword.

Mm.

The Sword Saint furrowed his eyebrows.

Your usage of Aura is outstanding.

I heard that Im more talented in Aura than in swordsmans.h.i.+p.

I dont know where you heard that, but its true. Aura is mental. Its power is entirely dependent on how intense your mind image is, and its strength can vary greatly. What were you just thinking about?

A house, filled with flames.

Trapped there was a group of children with their hands and feet bound. No matter how hard they struggled, they could not free themselves from their bindings.

It hurts.

Please forgive me.

I moved my Aura while thinking about the hands and feet of the children that were bound by the restraints. Shackles and chains. Writhing and struggling. With my Aura driven by that image, the Sword Saints sword was firmly held in place.

Nothing much.

I smiled.

Its a trade secret. So I cant just reveal it to you for free.

The Sword Saints blue eyes flickered slightly.

There is something that I deeply lament. Like conceding the [Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon] to the Chen Mu-Mun Guild. Maybe I shouldve done more, even if it meant using force.

Youre starting to regret things that happened in the past? You must be really tired.

Cheeky brat!

The Sword Saint smiled.

I have no intention of conceding the number 1 rank!

Blue Aura exploded from the Sword Saints sword. Bang! The pressure spread out as if a pocket of compressed air had exploded. I quickly used my Aura to suppress the explosion.

Haha!

A youthful laugh escaped the old mans mouth.

Good!

The Sword Saint didnt stop with the explosion. Whoos.h.!.+ Whoos.h.!.+ Like a typhoon, the Sword Saint continued to unleash his blue aura. I stepped back, carefully cutting down the sword strikes hurtling towards me one after the other.

So this is the joy that comes from finding a rival!

The Sword Saint was visibly delighted.

I didnt think youd grow this much when we raced through the Aegim Empire together! It really is impossible to judge a book by its cover. Im so glad that a young man like you appeared!

The wind blades surged like a storm. By the time I cut one down, another took its place. Clang! I was somehow able to use my sword and my Aura to block it, but my movements were starting to become sloppier.

Arent you enjoying yourself too much?

This is fun! The Chen Mu-Mun Guild is improving day by day, and your skills are also increasing at an alarming rate! I feel like this life is truly worth living!

The old mans laughter echoed across the field.

They were on the first floor of the tower, in an empty lot outside of the City of Ascension, Babylon. Many hunters had come to watch their spar. These hunters watched with their eyes wide open, recorded, and even wrote notes in their little notebooks.

Amazing.

Is such a fight possible after one masters Aura?

That shouldnt be the case! The Aura being displayed by these two.

As expected, the Sword Saint is still superior to the Death King.

Mm.

Thats the popular opinion, isnt it?

The spirit of victory boiled in his heart.

Good. Ill show you.

I still considered myself to be weaker than the Sword Saint. But what I thought was different from what other people thought. Very different.

Sword Saint old man.

What is it?!

Personally, I dont like showing off unfinished moves. I feel its not considerate to my opponent.

Taht! I cut one of the wind blades unleashed by the Sword Saint before stepping back, widening the distance between us.

However, you and I arent ordinary rivals, old man.

Hoh?

Instead of chasing or pressuring me, the Sword Saint simply lowered his blade. It seemed that he was interested in what I had to say.

Im not sure I understand, Death King. Do we have some kind of special connection?

Thats right.

I smiled.

Arent we both disciples of the same sect?

The old mans expression became stiff.

He knew that I was not talking about the Demonic Cult. I was talking about the Sword Emperor, Bae Hu-reyong.

Just like me, Bae Hu-ryeong was also attached to the Sword Saint.

In the [Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon], Bae Hu-ryeong acted against my master.

The scene of Bae Hu-ryeong and my master performing the battle of wits had been broadcasted in the tower. Since it was aired, every hunter in the tower could watch it to their hearts content, and naturally, this meant the Sword Saint could as well.

It was impossible for him to not recognize him.

Most hunters might not have understood what they witnessed that day.

However, even if no one else knew, the Bae Hu-ryeong who was with the Sword Saint would know.

Its natural.

Because it was a martial art that he himself had created.

How could he not recognize it?

We both have the same Bae Hu-ryeong.

Now, we were both aware of [My Bae Hu-ryeong] and [The Sword Saints Bae Hu-ryeong].

He had definitely realised the others existence.

And yet, the Sword Saint old man didnt ask me anything He must have been waiting for me to mention it first. He really is considerate.

However, he probably couldnt have imagined that I would bring it up at a time like this. He probably thought I would confess while we were talking in a private place.

This was proven by the fact that the Sword Saint appeared shocked and began to look around at our surroundings.

No. Young man. Death King. If you say that here!

Are you shocked?

I smiled broadly.

Thats good! Old man! Please become even more shocked!

Wh-, what are you?

This is my unfinished move! Please accept it!

I pounced towards the old man.

Thats right.

I only brought Bae Hu-ryeong up to catch the old man by surprise.

-Wow. You cheap b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Its fine if you do whatever you can in a fight, but this

Despite his words, Bae Hu-ryeong, who appeared behind me, spoke in a tone that seemed to be filled with admiration. So with this praise coming from behind, I lifted up the Holy Sword and swung it down.

The image I should think of is the fire from the house.

The fire that burned there.

The suffocating smoke.

Aura exploded from my body. Reddish tentacles seemed to swarm from every direction. My Aura engulfed the small field like a raging fire, suffocating all living beings within it.

The empty lot soon became a fiery h.e.l.l.

!

The Sword Saint finally reacted then. He hurriedly roused his blue Aura to counter mine.

Unfortunately for him, I wasnt done yet.

I dont want to die.

Resentment.

So hungry.

Craving.

I want to live

Hope.

I compressed these emotions into my Aura.

Every single strand of Aura carried the voice of a different child. Thus, they each burned in different paths with different intensities.

The flames became a living ent.i.ty that attacked the Sword Saint.

Hmm?!

The Sword Saint hurriedly blocked the flames. Left, right, front, and back, he had to cut flames coming from every direction.

Naturally, the Sword Saint couldnt help but leave an opening when dealing with such an attack.

And I charged at that opening like an animal.

Infernal HeavensReformation.

First Formula.

The Burning Young Sword.

I decided to make itmy own Infernal Heaven.

The old mans eyes widened as he saw this move.

Im sorry. I win this fight!

I fiercely slammed my sword towards the Sword Saints head.