Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Though Yeom Baek had appeared abruptly, the Corpse-Blood Demon was not flustered in the slightest.

‘Tsk. This has become troublesome.’

He smacked his lips as he watched Dokgo Jin quickly retreat.

‘I’ll play with you again after I tear that big brute apart.’

Yeom Baek’s brow furrowed at the Corpse-Blood Demon’s disregard.

“Where are you looking with me right in front of you, Corpse-Blood Demon?”

“Ah, my. I forgot my opponent had changed.”

The Corpse-Blood Demon slowly turned his head and gave a sinister smile.

“Fine. I will deal with you first.”

“You seem very relaxed.”

“Of course. Should I be nervous when I am facing a mere bastard like you?”

At his provocation, Yeom Baek’s expression hardened. Any further verbal sparring was meaningless.

“I’ll make you regret it!”

VWOOOM—!

Blue Fighting Spirit erupted from Yeom Baek’s entire body.

He thrust the heavy Iron Spear in his hand like a bolt of lightning.

KABOOM!

With an explosive sound that tore through the air, the spearhead rushed toward the Corpse-Blood Demon’s chest.

It was not a simple thrust. It was a blow loaded with overwhelming force, enough to grind even a boulder to powder.

However.

SKREEEEECH!

A bizarre metallic sound rang out, and Yeom Baek’s spear stopped in midair.

With a thunderous blast, the Corpse-Blood Demon’s form was pushed sliding backward, but that was all.

A curtain of red-tinged Strong Qi had formed in front of the Corpse-Blood Demon’s chest.

Yeom Baek’s strike had failed to pierce that solid blood-red wall.

Yeom Baek’s face hardened slightly.

‘So this much cannot even damage him.’

“Surely that was not your full strength? If the famed Mountain-Breaking Spear’s skill amounts to only this much, I am disappointed.”

“Hmph.”

With Yeom Baek’s snort, the heavy Iron Spear in his hand began to dance through the air.

“Haaap!”

As Yeom Baek thrust his spear with a shout, Fighting Spirit bursting from the spearhead swirled like a storm.

SWISH—!

The Iron Spear, carrying an overwhelming pressure that seemed capable of crushing space itself, came crashing down over the Corpse-Blood Demon’s head.

It was not a single blow.

Countless spear shadows were pouring down at once.

“This is worth using.”

The Corpse-Blood Demon flashed his red eyes and swung his bare hands like a windmill.

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!

Sparks flew in every direction with fierce metallic sounds.

Amazingly, the Corpse-Blood Demon was deflecting the heavy Iron Spear’s offensive, wrapped in Strong Qi, using only the nails on both his hands.

It was the bizarre sight of a human body repelling steel.

Yeom Baek’s gaze sank heavily.

“…….”

With the Iron Soul Unit members in danger, he had no leisure to gauge his opponent’s ability.

‘With everything I have.’

WHOOOOM—

As the immense inner arts drawn up from Yeom Baek’s qi center flowed into the spear shaft, the blue Spear Strong Qi gradually turned a noble, weighty purple.

Purple Firmament Boundless Spear, Second Form.

Purple Lightning Pierces the Sun.

FWOOOOSH!

Yeom Baek’s Iron Spear shot forward like lightning piercing the sun.

Centered on the spearhead, swirling purple Strong Qi raged savagely, as if it would grind away everything it touched.

KABOOOOOM!

The air screamed as the overwhelming spear strike flew in. However, the Corpse-Blood Demon curled up the corners of his mouth.

‘So this is the Purple Firmament Boundless Spear. Its power, at least, is worth something.’

He saw through the movement of the Iron Spear.

Instead of clashing with it head-on, the Corpse-Blood Demon rode the flow of that rough purple storm and slipped in like a ghost.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

Strong Qi scraped against Strong Qi, producing a rough explosive sound.

The red Blood-Yin Strong Qi flowing from the Corpse-Blood Demon’s fingertips coiled around the spear shaft and slid inward as if it were alive, instantly aiming for Yeom Baek’s nape.

“……!”

At that chilling sensation, Yeom Baek hurriedly withdrew his spear and struck away the bastard’s wrist with the butt end of the shaft.

CLAAAANG—!

‘Ngh!’

He had blocked it, but a recoil that felt as if it would tear his grip apart ran through his hand.

Cold sweat seeped into the palm gripping his spear tightly.

‘He is strong. As expected of the Corpse-Blood Demon.’

He had no choice but to admit it.

The Corpse-Blood Demon was half a move, no, clearly a full move above him.

Each time he swung his spear, it went ever so slightly off target, and each time he blocked, a shock that seemed to shave his bones ran through him.

Amid that split-second exchange, a question flashed through Yeom Baek’s mind.

His gaze turned, for the briefest instant, toward Dokgo Jin, who was protecting the unit members in the rear.

‘How on earth did you hold out?’

This was an opponent Yeom Baek himself could barely face evenly only by using his full strength.

Against such a monster, Dokgo Jin had endured alone.

He did not know how long it had been, but judging by the condition of the other unit members, it could not have been a short time.

‘Dokgo Jin, just what are you…….’

SWISH!

His thoughts could not continue. The Corpse-Blood Demon’s nails grazed Yeom Baek’s cheek as they passed.

SPATTER!

Drops of blood flew.

“Do not look away, Yeom Baek!”

As if he had seized the advantage, the Corpse-Blood Demon unleashed a fierce assault.

SWISH-SWISH-SWISH-SWISH—!

Dozens of Blood Claw strands shot from the Corpse-Blood Demon’s fingertips and closed in on Yeom Baek from front, back, left, and right like a red net.

Technical refinement, speed, unpredictability.

In every aspect, the Corpse-Blood Demon was superior.

An ordinary martial artist would have shrunk back, retreated, and had his head sent flying.

But Yeom Baek was different.

VWOOOM—!

Purple waves of qi blazed up from his entire body like flames.

What his martial arts lacked could be overcome with spirit and momentum.

That was the martial way of Yeom Baek, Captain of the Iron Soul Unit.

“I am the Captain of the Iron Soul Unit.”

Instead of retreating, Yeom Baek took one great step into the storm of Blood Claws and spun his spear like a windmill.

Purple Firmament Boundless Spear, Third Form.

Boundless Revolving Wheel.

CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!

The Iron Spear spinning at high speed became an enormous purple shield and deflected every wave of the Corpse-Blood Demon’s assault.

“……!”

At the unexpected resistance, the Corpse-Blood Demon’s offensive faltered for a mere instant, and Yeom Baek did not miss that opening.

Purple Firmament Boundless Spear, Fourth Form.

Purple Firmament Presses Down.

Yeom Baek’s Iron Spear drew a great arc and came crashing down toward the crown of the Corpse-Blood Demon’s head.

It carried an overwhelming pressure, as if an immense night sky had been torn down and was pressing over him.

It was a bold strike of mutual destruction, launched at the risk of exposing his own opening.

‘This brainless bastard……!’

Pressed down by that tremendous force, the Corpse-Blood Demon had no choice but to stop attacking and defend.

KABOOOOOOM!

A thunderous roar like a massive drum bursting shook the battlefield.

Red Strong Qi and purple Strong Qi collided head-on, and a huge pillar of dust shot upward.

“Ghk!”

In the aftermath of the collision, the Corpse-Blood Demon’s feet carved deep into the ground as he was pushed backward.

‘Now!’

Swallowing the pain of his qi and blood flowing backward, Yeom Baek rushed toward the staggering Corpse-Blood Demon like an enraged boar.

“Haaap!”

SWISH-SWISH-SWISH-SWISH!

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

A continuous chain of attacks, fierce enough to bend the spear shaft, drove the Corpse-Blood Demon back.

“……!”

The Corpse-Blood Demon barely defended with Blood-Yin Strong Qi, but he was forced back again and again.

Shockwaves bursting from the aftermath of their clashes shattered rocks and crushed the earth.

The Corpse-Blood Demon seemed to have been pressed onto the defensive by Yeom Baek’s explosive offensive.

‘Just a little more!’

Yeom Baek’s eyes were bloodshot.

His breathing gradually grew ragged and the flow of his inner arts became unstable, but he could not stop.

‘Fall, Corpse-Blood Demon!’

The moment Yeom Baek raised his spear high to deliver the decisive blow.

The corners of the Corpse-Blood Demon’s mouth, which had been wearing a flustered expression as he was driven onto the defensive, split grotesquely.

“You fell for it.”

In that brief instant, the Corpse-Blood Demon’s form went limp and boneless like a mollusk, then slipped inside the reach of Yeom Baek’s spear.

“……!”

SWISH!

Yeom Baek’s spear, loaded with all that force, cut through empty air, and his completely open abdomen was left defenseless.

‘Damn it!’

All Yeom Baek could do was twist his body as far as possible to minimize the damage.

SLASH!

SPURT!

Yeom Baek’s side split open, and blood sprayed out.

“Ngh!”

A groan escaped Yeom Baek’s mouth along with a burning pain.

Even then, he quickly retreated while pressing his acupoints to stop the bleeding.

The Corpse-Blood Demon licked the blood on his nails with a regretful look.

“I wanted to make a large hole in your side, but to think all I managed was a graze. Regrettable.”

“…….”

“Well, it is not fatal, but I will be satisfied with this much for now.”

As the Corpse-Blood Demon said, it was not a fatal wound, but that did not mean it was a light one either.

Of course, Yeom Baek could ignore a wound of this degree and keep moving, but the problem was the ‘Corpse Poison’ that had entered his body through the Corpse-Blood Demon’s nails.

The moment the wound opened, he noticed the poison and immediately suppressed it with his inner arts, but the skin around the wound had already died black.

This was the power of the ‘Black-Rot Corpse Poison Art’ that the Corpse-Blood Demon had cultivated alongside the Blood-Yin Rigid Body Art.

RIIIIP!

Yeom Baek tore a long strip from his sleeve and tightly bound the wound.

The Corpse-Blood Demon watched him as if amused.

“That will only delay the poisoning a little.”

“…….”

“What do you think? It seems I now have the clear advantage.”

Yeom Baek answered calmly.

“If you think a scratch like this will threaten me, you are mistaken.”

In truth, neither his bearing nor his spirit had diminished in the slightest.

“Heh heh heh heh. As expected, you are a splendid man, Yeom Baek.”

“…….”

Yeom Baek’s gaze turned toward the Iron Soul Unit members, who were protecting Yong Chae-rin against the Blood Mist Corps in a desperate struggle.

They had been on the verge of collapse, but thanks to Dokgo Jin’s valiant efforts and the belated arrival of other Iron Soul Unit members, they were barely holding out.

Even so, there were now only just over twenty of them, and the reinforcements who had joined them were also extremely exhausted.

It was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed by the Blood Mist Corps.

Yeom Baek gritted his teeth.

‘I have to bring down the Corpse-Blood Demon as quickly as possible.’

If necessary, he was prepared to bring down the Corpse-Blood Demon even at the cost of his own life.

Meanwhile, Dokgo Jin, who had gained a little breathing room thanks to the arrival of the other unit members, kept watching the duel between Yeom Baek and the Corpse-Blood Demon.

‘……This will not be easy.’

Yeom Baek’s momentum was astonishing, but spirit alone could not bridge the gap in martial arts.

‘The Captain will not be defeated easily, but if he loses, the situation will become even more difficult.’

Cold as it sounded, they had to achieve at least mutual injury to avoid the worst-case scenario.

‘If I joined forces with the Captain instead…….’

But that, too, was not easy.

It was true that the formation had strengthened when the other unit members joined, but they were also exhausted.

In the meantime, eight unit members had already suffered critical injuries and taken refuge inside the circular formation.

Thanks to Han Seo-ryeong’s swift treatment now that she could move, they had not lost their lives, but the formation was slowly collapsing.

If Dokgo Jin suddenly left his position, there was a high chance it would collapse in an instant.

‘This is troublesome in many ways.’

For now, Yeom Baek was holding on, but if the situation looked dangerous, Dokgo Jin would have to step in even if it meant accepting some sacrifices.

‘Captain, show the strength worthy of the Captain of the Iron Soul Unit.’

Just as Yeom Baek, dragging his poisoned body, was about to clash with the Corpse-Blood Demon once more.

Dokgo Jin’s brow sharply narrowed as he sensed something.

“……!”

He instinctively turned his head and stared beyond the forest.

An ominous energy that tore through the air was rushing toward them at terrifying speed.

SHRIEEEEEK!

A hair-raising sound of air being split, like a massive dragon screaming, swept over the battlefield.

At that moment, a shiver ran down the Corpse-Blood Demon’s spine.

“……!”

It was not mere killing intent. It was an overwhelming premonition of ‘death’ that seemed capable of blowing his head clean off.

The Corpse-Blood Demon forcibly twisted the momentum of his attack, rolled across the ground, and desperately threw himself aside.

KABOOOOM!

With a thunderous roar as if heaven and earth had split open, the place where the Corpse-Blood Demon had stood a moment ago exploded.

When the thick dust cleared, what appeared was a huge crater and an object lodged deep in its center.

Amazingly, it was a single ordinary arrow.

However, what made it unusual was the scarlet fletching attached to its tail, as if flames were burning there.

Yeom Baek’s eyes widened of their own accord.

“That is…… the Vermilion Bird Arrow?!”

The Corpse-Blood Demon’s face turned deathly pale when he heard Yeom Baek’s shocked cry.

‘The Vermilion Bird Arrow?’

Under heaven, only one master used the Vermilion Bird Arrow.

One of the Five Pillars of the Northern Heaven Alliance, the red calamity who set battlefields aflame.

‘Could it be…… the Vermilion Bird Flag Master has come here?!’