Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad
Chapter 148

Korkan couldn’t believe his ears.

What did those apostates just say?

Trash? Criminal?

More than anger, he felt dumbfounded.

“After betraying the Deusis faith and the Holy Empire of Gatren, and even turning your back on humanity, who are you, the worst waste, to speak such words?”

“Waste is a harsh word. That fellow won’t be easy to rehabilitate.”

Choi Hyun-seok shook his head with a sigh.

His feigned innocence was disgusting just to watch.

However, instead of getting angry, Korkan laughed.

“Kahaha! How interesting. This is amusing! Watching you run your mouth without knowing your place. I’m looking forward to what’s coming!”

What kind of confidence was this?

Although Korkan was alone, he absolutely could not lose.

‘The Empire’s intelligence department has already analyzed all of Choi Hyun-seok’s capabilities.’

Recently, two heroes of the Holy Empire died.

Byron Hane and Worsten Gesred.

They were heroes who died in the operation to capture the Red Nightmare Reidrun.

The Holy Empire of Gatren thoroughly analyzed the failure to prevent it from happening again.

‘The failure of that battle was due to not properly understanding Red Nightmare Reidrun’s combat power.’

The Empire had dispatched sufficient forces.

The problem was that Reidrun’s abilities were far beyond expectations.

While Choi Hyun-seok’s subsequent appearance was certainly a factor in the failure, they had deployed forces accounting for such contingencies.

If they had properly analyzed Reidrun’s combat power, there would have been no way to fail.

Anyway, the important thing was that Choi Hyun-seok’s capabilities had also been completely analyzed in that battle.

‘Choi Hyun-seok’s analyzed combat power is equivalent to a Knight Commander of a mid-sized territory. Even considering abnormal growth rates, it hasn’t been a month yet, so there’s no possibility of me losing.’

A Knight Commander of a mid-sized territory isn’t weak.

It’s certain that they’re skilled enough to be respected and live well wherever they go.

However, they were no match for Korkan.

Korkan possessed power worthy of being called a semi-hero.

A powerful being who might become a hero within a few years.

It wasn’t a position that could be challenged by a mere Knight Commander.

‘There was a giant magical beast in that battle, but I don’t see it now. Abelson wasn’t a combat factor to begin with, so there are no variables.’

Perfect.

At this rate, he could subdue those apostates without much difficulty.

Just as he was thinking this, Choi Hyun-seok’s voice was heard.

“Hmm, the combat power of 97,000. This won’t be particularly difficult.”

Choi Hyun-seok seemed to be doing his own power analysis.

Hearing the word combat power, Korkan pretended to know about it.

“Combat power? Are you talking about the numbers that heroes see?”

“Oh? You knew about that?”

Choi Hyun-seok looked a bit surprised.

He is the first non-hero had met who knew about combat power numbers.

“How high is a number like 97,000?”

Korkan asked.

Since he didn’t know the details about combat power either, he was curious about his own level.

Truthfully, he was also looking forward to the response.

What kind of reaction would that guy show?

However, the answer he heard was completely unexpected.

“It’s trash.”

“What…?”

“By my standards, you shouldn’t walk around acting tough if you’re below 150,000. Yet here you are, holding your head high when you’re not even at 100,000?”

Korkan didn’t exactly understand what Choi Hyun-seok was talking about.

However, he could tell that he was being looked down upon.

“Hurry up and call your friends or subordinates. Catching just you won’t give me much experience.”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

Korkan shouted.

“I can’t stand listening to this anymore. I’ll sew that loose mouth of yours shut right now!”

Korkan kicked off the ground and charged.

‘Arrogant bastard. I’ll show you what class difference means.’

Korkan is a hound.

The Holy Empire’s hounds were created to check other humans rather than demons.

Therefore, they receive completely different training from regular knights.

Most of their training consists of combat against humans.

The training process includes underhanded and cruel techniques that knights couldn’t imagine.

They don’t discriminate in means and methods to achieve their goals.

Korkan considered an elite even within such an organization, couldn’t help but be strong.

Strong enough to potentially defeat even decent heroes if conditions and situations aligned.

‘Let’s start light.’

Korkan’s magical power activated.

Gatren Holy Swordsmanship

Form 1 – Divine Status

For a moment, Korkan’s body seemed to stretch as he accelerated.

Simultaneously, his sword struck down diagonally with force.

‘Oh? He dodged?’

The sword failed to cut Choi Hyun-seok’s body.

It merely grazed his clothes.

Even though it was a straightforward attack from the front, it was quite impressive that he dodged such speed.

“Let’s see how far you can keep up…”

At that moment, a fist flew into Korkan’s face.

Kwajik-!

Unable to dodge the unexpectedly timed punch, his head rang even though he turned his head to deflect the impact.

“Ptui!”

When he spat, red blood mixed with his saliva.

Korkan smiled fiercely.

“Not bad.”

“You too. You’re the best among the humans I’ve met recently.”

“Don’t get too cocky just because you landed one hit. I was just careless.”

“Yeah, yeah. Stop fighting with your mouth and come at me.”

Choi Hyun-seok wiggled his fingers.

It was an obvious provocation.

Previously, he might have fallen for it, but not now.

After their first clash, he noticed something wasn’t right about Choi Hyun-seok’s movements.

Korkan’s mind was ice cold.

“Heup!”

With a battle cry, his sword flew.

The sword barely cut through the air.

Taking advantage of that gap, a fist flew in.

He blocked the punch with one arm while simultaneously launching a kick.

A gleam appeared in Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes as he blocked Korkan’s foot.

This was the first time an opponent wielding a sword had attacked with something other than their blade.

Bwoong!

The sword flew again.

Choi Hyun-seok grabbed the sword with his magic-coated hand.

Korkan didn’t try to retrieve the sword and instead let it go.

In that position, he lowered his upper body.

Sairend Fighting Technique

Form 5 – Persistent Death

The Sairend Fighting Technique was a fighting technique used by the Sairend tribe, who were enemies of the Holy Empire long ago.

It is said that the Holy Empire, sensing the danger of this technique at the time, thoroughly crushed them and cut off the lineage of the technique.

First, that was just a publicly known fact.

The truth was different.

The Empire, having understood the effectiveness of fighting techniques, was secretly teaching them to be passed down within the Hunters.

Tudududududu!

Korkan began throwing punches at an incredible speed.

A path difficult for the opponent to block.

It was a lethal attack designed to target only vital points.

Choi Hyun-seok frowned and tried to retreat, but Korkan grabbed his arm.

“There’s no escape!”

Korkan’s magical power surges once again.

Sairend Fighting Technique

Form 3 – Death Reversal

He grabbed Choi Hyun-seok’s arm and body, hooked his leg, and slammed him down.

Because it was a powerful movement using martial techniques, Choi Hyun-seok couldn’t resist and was driven into the ground.

Kwang!

As he roughly collided with the ground, the sword Choi Hyun-seok was holding flew into the air.

Korkan kicked sand into his face while simultaneously picking up the sword.

Gatren Holy Swordsmanship

Form 5 – Divine Judgment

The sword, held in a reverse grip, plunges vertically.

Even with sand blocking his vision, Choi Hyun-seok twisted his body to dodge.

Kwajik, Kwaaa!

The ground where the sword struck exploded in a cross shape.

Unable to avoid the aftershock, Choi Hyun-seok was thrown far away.

“Puha! This guy is vicious.”

“Still pretending to be composed!”

Korkan quickly closed the distance.

He couldn’t give him time to recover.

He intended to end it by pressing the attack.

Gatren Holy Swordsmanship

Form 6 – Fanatic’s Punishment

The fastest and most spectacular fighting technique in Gatren Holy Swordsmanship.

This technique that pressures the opponent can chain together sword strikes from a minimum of five times to dozens of times depending on proficiency.

How many consecutive sword strikes one could perform was considered the measure of overall proficiency in ‘Gatren Holy Swordsmanship’, making it a representative technique.

Kwaaah!

Magical power surged from Korkan’s body, and the sword bombardment began.

More than 5 sword strikes per second.

The sword strikes, too fast to follow with the eyes, persistently chased Choi Hyun-seok.

Wheek! Tak! Chaeng!

Choi Hyun-seok’s eyes lowered.

He carefully observed the sword’s movements with intense concentration.

Dodge, block, dodge again.

These sequences repeated at tremendous speed.

Their speed increased to the point where afterimages formed between them.

‘This bastard…’

Korkan bit his lip tightly.

His pupils were trembling slightly.

‘Is he dodging everything…?’

He’s not even counterattacking.

Choi Hyun-seok focused solely on defense, just dodging and blocking the sword.

‘Let’s see how long you can keep up!’

Korkan’s movements became even faster.

Shwaaaaaa!

The wind swirled from the swinging sword.

31 strikes. 32 strikes. 33 strikes.

Over thirty sword strikes were chained together in just a few seconds.

Choi Hyun-seok avoided all attacks from where he stood.

At first, the sword grazed Choi Hyun-seok, but now it couldn’t even cut his clothes.

‘Something’s wrong… This can’t be!’

The trembling in his pupils intensified.

The sword tip wavered along with it.

However, he didn’t stop attacking.

47 strikes. 48 strikes. 49 strikes.

He was almost at his limit.

The maximum number of strikes Korkan could swing was 55.

He had expected Choi Hyun-seok to die before reaching this point, but the reality was completely different.

Tuk.

Choi Hyun-seok blocked Korkan’s attack.

He caught the wrist before the sword could be swung.

Korkan’s eyes widened, and Choi Hyun-seok grinned.

“Is this all? That’s disappointing.”

“D-Don’t say such ridiculous things!”

Korkan was shaking.

And for good reason – it had been over 50 sword strikes.

Terrifyingly fast sword strikes that had flown in just a few seconds.

They weren’t just random swings either.

They followed the optimal path created through modifications and improvements over the empire’s long history.

There was no room for doubt, as this was the Gatren Holy Swordsmanship, evaluated as one of the most versatile and refined martial techniques.

Yet he couldn’t even graze him.

Something was wrong here.

“Now that I see it, you’re completely focused on grip techniques.”

“G-Grip techniques…!?”

Korkan ground his molars.

“Stop messing around! This is just the beginning!”

Korkan’s magical power begins to boil again.

Gatren Holy Swordsmanship

Form 4 – Holy Steps

His body glowed white as afterimages spread in all directions.

Countless afterimages circled around Choi Hyun-seok, disorienting his vision.

Gatren Holy Swordsmanship

Form 3 – Wave of Light

The afterimages swung their swords simultaneously.

A horizontal slash cutting widely to the side.

It was an area-of-effect fighting technique attacking all directions.

“If it’s horizontal no matter where it comes from, there’s no point in fakes.”

Choi Hyun-seok avoided it by flipping his body upside down as if performing an acrobatic feat.

Korkan didn’t stop.

Gatren Holy Swordsmanship

Form 2 – Sacred Ascension

Having approached suddenly, he strongly struck upward with his sword from below.

Strong magical power shot along the path.

Choi Hyun-seok avoided it by spinning while still inverted.

Gatren Holy Swordsmanship

Form 1 – Divine Status

The fighting technique Divine Status used at the beginning.

It’s a technique that rushes in instantly and strikes down the enemy.

This time, unlike before, the attack came from behind Choi Hyun-seok rather than head-on.

“Die!”

Choi Hyun-seok quickly twisted his body to avoid it.

The sword grazed his skin, but that’s all it did – just grazed.

It was far from a fatal wound.

“As I thought, just grip techniques.”

“Y-You, until the end…!”

Korkan glared at Choi Hyun-seok as if he wanted to kill him.

Though he wanted to tear him apart right now, he couldn’t.

‘M-My magical power…’

How many fighting techniques had he used in such a short time?

His magical power was already less than half remaining.

Fatigue was setting in from expending so much power in such a short time.

His mental state was already shaken because his attacks couldn’t reach Choi Hyun-seok no matter what he tried.

“Hey.”

At that moment, Choi Hyun-seok spoke.

“Since I got to see various things, I’ll show you something good in return.”

“What…?”

“A real fighting technique learned from a real master.”

Choi Hyun-seok grinned as he took his stance.

Korkan’s brow furrowed deeply.

‘That’s… Demonic energy!’

Choi Hyun-seok is a demonic energy user.

He had forgotten because, throughout the battle, he hadn’t properly used even magical power, let alone demonic energy.

“Listen well.”

“…”

“The real thing is strong.”

The demonic energy that had been boiling inside Choi Hyun-seok exploded in an instant.

Like a spring that had been pulled to its limit suddenly releasing.

Choi Hyun-seok’s fist shot out like a light.

Reidrun-style Fighting Technique

Form 1 – First Battle Kill

A storm of demonic energy flies forth.

It can’t be avoided or blocked.

Korkan didn’t move.

No, he couldn’t move.

No matter what he tried, there was no way he could avoid that massive storm.

‘This is like… A nightmare…’

It was an utterly terrible nightmare.

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