The Terminally Ill Young Master is the Mad Dog of the Underworld
Chapter 254

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Chapter 254: Why Are You Coming Out Here?

My heart is pounding.

My heart feels suffocated.

Meeting my mortal enemy from a past life fills me with excitement, yet I can't help but feel overwhelming pressure and fear in the face of such a dominant opponent.

'It's been a long time.'

This is proof that I'm truly alive.

But that's not all.

The 7th tier realm, the martial arts he uses, even his offensive and defensive techniques.

Everything about Schelde reminded me of Ivan from the past.

'So this is also a battle to surpass my past self.'

If I can defeat a man with similar skills to Ivan from back then, I can finally say I've surpassed the Karzan of the past.

"Excellent, Schelde."

I said.

"In this spiral of killing and being killed, let's have a life-and-death duel with no retreat."

Then Schelde raised his sword high.

"A life-and-death duel? What arrogant nonsense you spout."

Sssshhhiiiiing!

A massive slash came flying that chilled me to the bone.

I didn't even dare try to block it, instead bending backward at the waist to dodge.

Swish!

The slash only cut a few strands of my hair as it passed by, but...

Crrrrrrrack!

The sight of the rocky mountain struck by that slash splitting in two was beyond absurd, it was grotesque.

"Good heavens, some of my beautiful hair got cut."

I spoke as if relaxed, but inwardly I was relieved.

'Shit, that was close.'

He hadn't even used a special technique, just put a bit of force into it, and achieved this level of slash?

'He's been holding back his strength until now.'

Once again, this was the power possessed by a 7th tier martial artist.

'It's a completely different world from the 6th tier.'

The condition for 6th tier is being able to use aurablade through perfect unity of mana and will.

'Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique is a martial study that specializes in that aura blade.'

On the other hand, the condition for 7th tier is unity of mind and sword.

'It's the realm where sword intent is contained in every movement of wielding and thrusting a weapon, where thought, body, and sword move as if woven into one.'

They even say that upon reaching the 8th tier, one can wield a sword honed in mental imagery to deliver sword strikes sharper than any famous blade, but I've never seen this myself, so I can't tell if it's true or false.

Clang! Claaang!

Every time I blocked Schelde's attacks, my body was pushed backward.

To avoid being knocked away pathetically, I had to push my body, enhanced by Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique, to its absolute limit.

But it wasn't enough.

'This isn't about sword talent or experience.'

Schelde didn't actively use demonic arts abilities like Huten.

He even showed no constraint to the forms and styles of swordsmanship he had practiced and developed throughout his life, unlike before.

'He fires slashes, shoots out sword energy, and freely combines heavy sword, swift sword, and flexible sword techniques.'

This meant he hadn't learned just one or two martial arts.

But there was no need to be newly amazed by that vastness.

'Their roots are the destroyed ancient royal family.'

On those ancient roots, the vengeful spirits living for revenge would have chaotically extended the branches of martial studies they collected and developed.

For instance...

"Karzan, did you notice by any chance?"

Asked Schelde, who had grabbed my sword blade with his bare hand.

"This is..."

I frowned.

Through the sword blade caught by Schelde, a foreign mana was flowing in, feeling like sharp sand flowing through my blood vessels instead of blood.

"...Poison arts?"

"It's different from such low-grade martial studies."

Schelde grinned wickedly.

"This is a type of mana that 'devours the opponent's internal mana.'"

"Absurd."

Coincidentally, it reminded me of 'erosion,' one of the abilities of dark mana.

'Well, considering what they've done behind the scenes of history all this time, and their obsession...'

It wouldn't be strange if they had stolen the martial arts of the legendary gladiator Eldarkion Eisenach.

He was someone who brought great humiliation to the Empire in an era even before the hero Oswin.

"It will become increasingly difficult to exchange offense and defense."

Schelde said.

"Your swordsmanship is quite impressive, but in this absurd situation where you accumulate losses even when fighting to a draw, how long can you endure?"

"...So strong yet you use such underhanded methods."

I ground my teeth like someone in a predicament.

"Of course. Did you think I'd be foolish enough to let my guard down?"

"Damn it."

"Haha, your eyes have become gentler."

Schelde laughed heartily.

"Disappointing, Karzan. You said we'd have a life-and-death duel, yet you show such a weak appearance."

I ground my teeth and bit down on my molars.

Because there was something I didn't want to be discovered.

'My dantian is filling up?'

Surprisingly, the dark mana was greedily devouring the poison mana that Schelde was injecting.

'Ridiculous.'

If I had to express my current state in one word...

Immunity to all poisons?

"Ugh!"

I used all my acting skills to shake off the sword blade and create distance.

"Complete defeat."

I spoke with thoughts opposite to my words, like a man with two selves.

'Good, you stupid bastard.'

Should I suck a bit more like this?

***

My internal mana was on the verge of running out anyway.

I continued to allow Schelde's attacks.

'Wow, crazy bastard.'

Every exchange felt like someone was directly injecting potion into my body.

'What tremendous internal mana. That stingy bastard Dark King must have fed him a lot of good stuff.'

Why didn't he give me any of that? The bastard.

"Kahahaha! Is this your limit, Karzan! The work raised by Venion is nothing special either."

Schelde's mad laughter deepened.

The crazy bastard is even putting internal mana into his laughter.

Anyway, since the audience was so entertained, I too burned my actor's spirit and rambled like this:

"Ugh, is this my limit?"

I deliberately bit my cheek slightly and spat out bloody saliva.

"Ptui!"

Then Schelde pointed at me and laughed.

"Haha, you can no longer hide your internal injuries."

"Huu."

I exhaled.

'...The power of Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique is growing stronger.'

My body pushed to its limits, seven organs completely filled with mana.

Adding to that the resolve of one facing a life-and-death duel, plus the enormous internal mana absorbed from Schelde...

The vessel that seemed about to shatter was healing and becoming solid again.

'Without dark mana, I would have died long ago from internal mana depletion.'

"This is the end, Karzan. First, I'll cut off your limbs and make you crawl on the ground like a worm."

Schelde brought his sword down at me.

Kaaaang!

I casually blocked it with my fist.

"!!??"

Looking at the shocked Schelde, I expressed my gratitude.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, my internal mana has deepened."

"No, what is this..."

Looking down at my fist, I realized that Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique had finally reached the 4th level.

'Aura blade powerful enough to deflect even the sword energy wielded by a 7th tier swordsman.'

It was a completely different level of strength from when I wavered between 1st and 2nd levels.

"You bastard, did you deceive me?"

"You seem quite surprised, Schelde."

I attacked Schelde with a sword imbued with the 4th level power of Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique.

"!"

Then Schelde retreated without even crossing swords.

"Why are you retreating?"

"...Do you plan to die together?"

Just as Schelde said.

I attacked Schelde with a mutual destruction technique, 'prepared to be cut by the sword.' It's not that I've gone crazy and want to commit suicide.

What was the reason Karzan could always kill his enemies in life-and-death duels?

It's actually nothing special.

'If I push forward with attacks prepared to die, the opponent has no choice but to prioritize defense.'

Unless cornered, no one wants to die in mutual destruction.

"Why? Why are you retreating!"

Moreover, from Schelde's perspective, I was someone who had suddenly recovered strength and displayed protective technique that could deflect his sword.

Naturally, he could foresee his sword being blocked while his body gets butchered by mine.

'This feels like using mutual destruction techniques while being the only one wearing thick armor and pushing forward like a knight.'

"Hahahaha."

I laughed as if I'd lost my mind.

"Pathetic, Schelde. To retreat in fear of a weaker man's sword."

"...!"

"Your expression looks quite pleasant."

I looked into Schelde's eyes.

"That is fear."

I said, looking at Schelde whose spirit was completely broken.

"I'll put the power you injected to good use."

"What insane martial art did you learn? No, does such a martial art even exist in the first place?"

"Haha."

I was certain.

Even they didn't know about the 'dark mana' used by Eldarkion Eisenach long ago and its abilities.

'That ignorance becomes a gap I can exploit.'

"Who knows? If you're curious, figure it out."

I tried to wrap the poison mana Schelde had injected around my left hand, and the internal mana of Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique that had digested it around my right hand.

'Huh? Something's strange.'

The feeling of 'drawing out something wrong' lasted only briefly.

Crackle crackle crackle!

An aura black as night rose from one hand, while an aura bright as the sun surged from the other.

'Shit, what is this?'

Though confused, I soon realized what these powers were.

"...Dark Soul Mana and Brilliant Spirit Mana?"

The second level of Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique that Venion had mentioned.

In other words, it was definitely the realm of 'separately drawing out Dark Soul Mana and Brilliant Spirit Mana.'

'Ridiculous.'

Not only had I jumped from 2nd to 4th level in an instant, I'd reached 5th level again.

"Got stronger again, damn it."

I laughed like a villain, intoxicated by my own strength.

"Hehehehehe."

The power of Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique entering the second level was on a completely different dimension from before.

"Regrettable. As the price for losing the life-and-death duel, offer your life, Schelde."

I combined the pulsating Dark Soul Mana and Brilliant Spirit Mana.

'Holy shit.'

When these opposing forces that seemed impossible to hold for even a moment met, I felt the signs of a massive explosion.

Crackle crackle crackle crackle!

'It can't explode here, you crazy bastard!'

I quickly brought my palms forward and tried to shoot that explosive force at Schelde.

'Suddenly using an ultimate technique. This power is completely uncontrollable.'

The name of this ultimate technique that extracts several times more tremendous power by clashing Dark Soul Mana and Brilliant Spirit Mana is...

"Profound Radiant Heaven Rend."

Then, like raindrops falling on water, countless mana waves exploded in chain reactions in mid-air, presenting Schelde with omnidirectional explosions.

Kuaaaaaaaaaang!

His hastily deployed defensive technique shattered, even his protective arts were destroyed, and Schelde fell to his knees.

"Wow..."

I was amazed.

"You survived that? Amazing. I'll praise you."

However, Schelde was already in a severely wounded state, nearly incapacitated.

'Ah, I'm dizzy.'

I too felt my dantian and seven organs become empty as if drained in an instant.

'A technique that requires tremendous power matching its insane destructive force.'

But this must be why Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique is called the one of the strongest techniques.

'Even a 7th tier master reduced to this state in one blow.'

I slowly walked toward Schelde, who was groaning with both internal and external injuries.

"If we agreed to a life-and-death duel, someone must definitely die, Schelde."

"...!"

Just as I was struggling to infuse my sword with what little true mana remained to take Schelde's life.

"Stop."

I heard the voice of someone I knew but hadn't met for a long time.

"L-Lord Ivan?"

Schelde muttered in disbelief.

'What?'

Turning around, I had to show exactly the same reaction as Schelde.

"Wow, shit."

There stood my old friend with a familiar face, looking considerably older than I remembered.

"Karzan. That's enough."

Looking at Ivan's face, I asked:

"Why are you coming out here?"

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]