Chapter 26 of 100

Chapter 26

8 min read2,063 words

Chapter 25. Commander of the Seven Dragons, Goyuel (2) <Dull Mountain>

Seohui [Low-Rank Squad Leader]

Health 4(↓1)(↓1)(↓1)(↓1)/7,708

Seohui was feeling exhilaration.

Despite the intense pain, despite death looming before him, his mind became even clearer.

‘Finally…… I figured it out!’

The method to use the Great Breakthrough Sword.

It was the movement of the head.

Goyuel, while holding and shaking his own hair, had demonstrated it.

“What is this……”

Far away, Goyuel was clutching his abdomen.

Though his expression was one of agony, in truth, he was lucky to be alive.

Having used up his health to move the sword, he couldn’t fully unleash the sword qi.

Come to think of it, he had also been dodging the falling excrement from the enemy in the toilet……

“Hahaha! Cough…… Cough. Haha.”

Seohui couldn’t stop laughing even as his flesh was being torn apart.

How much had he struggled to discover the method of using this power?

He had finally grasped the sand slipping through his fingers.

“You should have…… been more careful.”

Seohui sneered, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

“This scum dares……”

“You won’t be able to escape from here now. With your body in such a state, the others won’t let you off. Haha.”

“This little brat!”

Goyuel hastily readjusted his greatsword.

Seohui’s vision was gradually fading.

Thud.

His hand went limp, and he dropped the sword he had been holding.

‘Now, really……’

Is there any other way?

No. He didn’t have the strength to fight back, let alone pick it up again.

But why.

Why is this appearing before my eyes?

[Golden Opportunity! You have discovered a weakness in Goyuel. How will you respond?]

▶ Attack.

▷ Use a martial art.

▷ Use an item.

▷ Approach the opponent.

‘Huh. Indeed.’

In a situation where death was certain.

Why is this appearing before my eyes when I don’t even have a weapon?

‘No weapon…… Wait!’

A sudden idea flashed through Seohui’s mind.

He quickly chose the third option, ‘Use an item.’

[What item will you use?]

▷ Healing

▶ Equipment

Seohui chose equipment and selected the auxiliary weapon, the Thunderbolt Grenade.

‘Let’s try it!’

Despite having lost too much blood to survive, his eyes sparkled.

He didn’t feel the least bit regretful about using the Thunderbolt Grenade.

He just regretted not seeing the face of the guy who was about to join him on the path to the afterlife.

Actually, in the future, when he obtained a similar item.

He had most wanted to experience what would happen when using such an item.

[Will you use the Thunderbolt Grenade? Accept/Decline]

Determined, Seohui chose the Thunderbolt Grenade.

Swoosh—

And in a moment, he threw the Thunderbolt Grenade at him, against his will.

He crouched beside a protruding rock.

Boom!

Through his fading vision, he saw a ring of fire spreading in all directions.

-Whoosh! Boom!

Was this the result of using the Extreme Flame martial art?

The ring of fire, spreading like strange patterns, turned the surroundings into a fiery hell.

The shockwave was so intense it deafened his ears.

The power of the explosion was so great it could shake the earth.

“Gaaaah!”

In the midst of it, a man screamed in pain and was thrown into the air by the wind pressure.

And with a thud, he landed nearby.

Seohui looked at him with a dazed expression.

[Critical Hit! You dealt 3,170 critical damage to Goyuel.]

Health 0(↓3,170)/25,000

Goyuel was dead.

The power of the Thunderbolt Grenade was so strong that his body was torn to shreds.

His corpse was severely damaged, with his torso and limbs separated.

“I survived……”

Seohui looked at the health values of Goyuel and himself with disbelief.

If the power of the Thunderbolt Grenade was this strong, he should have died from the close-range explosion.

But he felt no pain.

The Thunderbolt Grenade had protected him while destroying everything around.

Health 2(↓1)(↓1)/7,708

“Oh, I need to recover it!”

Seohui’s eyes sparkled.

He was going to die soon anyway, but there was still something he needed to do.

Something very important.

“Please, just give me something……”

Already collapsed on the ground, unable to sit up, Seohui crawled forward in a prone position.

To find Goyuel, who had fallen nearby.

‘Oh, no……’

Health 1(↓1)/7,708

Oh, with his health at its last, he was still one step away from Goyuel.

If he died like this……

The Thunderbolt Grenade would be too precious to waste.

Just then, something flashed through his mind.

‘Right! The Yang Noodles!’

The leftovers from one bite.

They were in the item box, weren’t they?

[Do you want to open the item box?]

‘Quickly……’

[Do you want to use the Yang Noodles?]

Without the strength to take them out, he used them directly.

[Health has been restored.]

Health 3(↑2)/7,708

“A little more……”

It was a tiny amount of strength, but it was invaluable to Seohui, who was crawling with clenched teeth.

Health 1(↓1)(↓1)/7,708

When his health dropped to ‘1’.

[You have obtained 5 Golden Wound Plasters.]

[You have obtained 1 Wu Ling Dao.]

[You have obtained 1 Thousand-Year Yin Bai Shi.]

[You have obtained 1 Blood Ice Stone Moss.]

[You have obtained 1 Advanced Short Armor.]

[You have obtained 1 Wu Guan Dao Entrance Exam Guide.]

[You have obtained 1 Wu Guan Dao Exam Schedule.]

‘Fortunately…… Ugh……’

The text appeared before his eyes as he searched through Goyuel’s body.

Seohui quickly put them into the item box without looking back.

Just as he was about to put everything in.

‘Ah! The Single Shadow Sword.’

Realizing he still had the sword in his hand, he tried to put it in the item box, but it was too late.

[This is your last life.]

The familiar text appeared before his eyes.

With a warning sound.

▶ Start from the beginning.

▷ Continue from here.

▷ Load a saved point.

The expected text appeared.

[To which point do you want to rewind time?]

He chose.

▶ Year 95, Chapter 2. The Three Lives Gonma Offers]

[Empty save slot]

The beginning of the last remaining life, with no more lives left.

* * *

The surroundings brightened with Gonma’s voice.

[Choose one of the three.]

Now, it was familiar.

His face, his expression, and the text he presented.

▶ Become Gonma’s core warrior.

▷ Become Gonma’s bodyguard.

▷ Become Gonma’s secret agent.

[You have chosen ‘Become Gonma’s core warrior’.]

“That’s good.”

Gonma nodded.

Then, pointing to the book, he said.

“However, there are only six days left until the Wu Guan Dao entrance. I’ll tell the official on the first floor to let you wait in the Thousand Days Hall basement. You can take anything useful from there.”

His gestures and tone were the same as before.

Mentioning the book, Samsoo Won Gyosul, was also the same.

“One thing. I have something to say.”

As Gonma turned around, Seohui quickly called out to him.

Gonma looked down at him.

Up close, it felt like his eyes were shooting out a piercing light.

“I have some information I learned by chance. However, it’s difficult to mention……”

“You’re already in the same boat. Don’t hesitate to speak.”

“Yes.”

Seohui took a deep breath.

It was a gamble, but he needed to clarify it here.

“What if, for example, I discover a spy sent by another disciple to monitor Lord Gonma, what should I do?

“A spy……”

Gonma’s reaction to the word ‘spy’ was surprisingly calm.

Seohui was surprised.

Gonma, who had mentioned a spy that could threaten him, was so calm.

“Well, it’s natural. Anyone who becomes a disciple of the Heavenly Demon gets involved in events they didn’t want to. I’ve been like that since I became a disciple.”

“Oh……”

Gonma, the fourth disciple.

A martial artist ranked within the top 100 in the Demon Sect but had not shown much influence or distinction.

But through this conversation, Seohui understood.

He had been surviving by overcoming unimaginable power struggles.

“Your name is Seohui, right?”

“Yes, the fourth disciple.”

“If you discover any clues about the spy on your way to Wu Guan Dao, come to me immediately. I’ll be at the Yuwon Palace by then. Of course.”

“……”

“Bringing the spy back would be even better.”

Yuwon Palace was a resting place for Heavenly Demon disciples.

Ordinary martial artists within the sect could not approach it, and those who did without reason were said to be killed instantly.

“I understand.”

Seohui bowed.

Bringing the spy back would be even better……

* * *

As soon as Seohui entered the Thousand Days Hall basement, he analyzed the item box.

To confirm what items he had obtained from Goyuel after using the Thunderbolt Grenade.

[Wu Ling Dao]

Description: Goyuel’s exclusive weapon. The blade is 3.7 feet long.

[Advanced Short Armor]

Description: A cherished item of Su Lek, the leader of Taehyeon Jok. It has saved his life many times.

Effect: Can block some attacks without damage.

[Blood Ice Stone Moss]

Description: Moss that grows on a Blood Ice Stone over a thousand years old.

Effect: Appropriately increases health and inner energy.

[Thousand-Year Yin Bai Shi]

Description: The fruit of a self-sustaining herb that has survived in the underground shade for over a thousand years. It contains a mix of various energies.

Effect: Increases health and inner energy by over 3,000.

‘One, I got a good catch.’

Seohui marveled at the Thousand-Year Yin Bai Shi.

With this level of effect, it was one of the treasures in Wu Guan Dao.

Seohui looked at his stats.

Seohui [Low-Rank Squad Leader]

Health 118/120

Inner Energy 250/250

All his abilities had been restored to the state they were in when he saved.

A small amount, but.

A tremendous change was about to happen soon.

“I need to capture the spy Geun.”

Seohui mentioned the spy to Gonma before parting ways to avoid going to Wu Guan Dao.

It was time to think of a detour.

There were still attractive treasures left, but with the abilities of the beings of the dawn known, it was too dangerous a path.

[Do you want to use the Blood Ice Stone Moss?]

[Do you want to use the Thousand-Year Yin Bai Shi?]

Unfortunately, the elixirs he had consumed in his previous life were useless after death.

First, he ate all the elixirs he had obtained from Goyuel and saved just before death.

Health 938(↑820)/940

Inner Energy 790(↑540)/790

Health 4,023(↑3085)/4,025

Inner Energy 3,889(↑3099)/3,889

Then, he turned his attention to other elixirs.

The best reward after completing the mission.

[Do you want to use the Thousand Dragon Pill?]

Accepting, the numbers changed immediately.

Seohui [Low-Rank Squad Leader]

Health 20,558(↑16,535)/20,560

Inner Energy 21,680(↑17,791)/21,680

“Wow, incredible……”

Seohui felt as if he had transcended his physical limits, seeing numbers he had never seen before.

Dozens of meridians in his body spontaneously connected.

The power generated by this phenomenon surged through his dantian with incredible force.

“I can hear footsteps.”

Tap tap tap.

From above the ceiling.

The sound of someone walking. The sound of picking up objects.

Even the sound of someone coughing could be heard.

A special ability that came with it.

[Passive Skill] Mind Reading

Impersonation ▶ Beginner Level

“Right, I had this too.”

The ability to read others’ conditions.

A fortuitous skill that had been a great help in survival.

“Now, martial arts.”

Recalling the martial arts he had learned through several reincarnations.

The text appeared immediately.

“Finally……”

Seohui held the sword in his left hand.

The usage method he had discovered in his previous life.

He intended to use his ultimate ability.

“Move your head down and then back……”

After moving his head in the shape of the direction, he immediately moved the sword.

[You have activated the Great Breakthrough Sword.]

“Gah!”

Boom.

The energy particles, spreading like fireflies, gathered at the tip of the sword, condensed, and extended, causing a powerful explosion.

The energy penetrated the wall endlessly.

The power of the qi emitted was drastically different from other martial arts.

“I swear. This life……”

Seohui’s eyes sparkled.

A change that naturally occurred when all his abilities surpassed a certain level.

“Will be completely different.”