There Is No World For ■■
Chapter 158: 19530305 (3)

* * *

The strike tore through his flesh, causing blood spatter immediately.

However, the sword narrowly missed the carotid artery. Had it been even a moment later, it would have been a fatal strike.

With his left hand clutching his neck the chicken-head swung his right arm toward the sword that was aimed at his throat once more.

!!

The mana-infused fist and sword collided, sending shockwaves rippling through the space. And instead of withstanding the impact, the chicken-head used the force to leap backward, creating some distance between them.

Thud—landing atop the corpse of a pig-headed figure, the chicken-head glared at Yeomyeong with blazing eyes.

“Who are you? How have you mastered the Flying Kick technique’s ultimate skill? Even Jeon Yongseop, that traitor, never reached the level of Quake Stomp. And yet, you…”

The chicken-head fell silent.

The sound of gunfire and the shockwaves of magic coming from behind were ignored by the calm opponent, whose eyes gleamed like gold, filled with Killing Aura, and in the midst of it all, a palpable sense of fury.

“…You, you’re not someone I can reason with, are you? It seems like I’ll have to extract it directly from your brain—”

Giving no time for additional chatter, Yeomyeong sent a Sword Aura hurtling forward and dashed in using the Flying Kick technique.

The chicken-head grinned as if expecting this. And in the next moment, his body swelled, emitting overwhelming mana.

Transformation?

Unlike the horse-head Yeomyeong had fought back at the academy, this transformation was nearly instantaneous.

His size doubled, and additional arms sprouted from his shoulders in barely a second.

By the time Yeomyeong’s sword drew closer, the transformation was already complete, and the chicken-head’s razor-sharp claws slashed forward.

Clang!

The clash of sword and claw was quickly followed by a swift swing of their arms, their fists colliding with each other. The Surging Wave technique and twisted mana collided, forcing the air to ripple outward.

Using the brief moment of respite as a signal, the two Superhumans began exchanging rapid strikes.

Four arms and two legs—the chicken-head’s sharp talons and claws moved in unison, threatening to tear Yeomyeong apart.

The flurry of attacks was reminiscent of a meat grinder.

With the Surging Wave technique infused in his left hand and Nine Palaces Heaven-Reversing Sword Aura enveloping his right, Yeomyeong pushed through the grinder-like assault.

His sword deflected the claws, and his Hand Blade shattered talons.

The precarious, and thus even more brutal, flurry of attacks didn’t last long. The chicken-headed figure suddenly opened his beak wide and began preparing a crimson beam.

The beam shot forth from his beak just as Yeomyeong’s fist smashed into it.

BOOM!

The chicken-head’s head snapped to the side, and the beam tore through the air harmlessly, but Yeomyeong was unable to press his advantage.

In his effort to counter the beam, the chicken-head had managed to drive his claws deep into Yeomyeong’s side.

The wound was severe enough to bring a normal man to death’s door.

Yet Yeomyeong remained unfazed and thrust his sword at the chicken-head’s neck.

*Cough—*The chicken-head screamed, hurling Yeomyeong away.

The overwhelming force made it near impossible to react, yet Yeomyeong adjusted his stance midair effortlessly, like a dandelion seed caught in a strong wind, and landed lightly with a soft tap.

Stunned, the chicken-head muttered in disbelief.

“Have you abandoned your humanity, too?”

Instead of replying, Yeomyeong unleashed the Mārīcī Divine Arts and Black Wing Flow simultaneously.

The golden, feather-like mana shimmering around him drew a bitter laugh from the chicken-head, who spat blood and spoke.

“So, you’re a monster, huh?”

And before anyone realized it, both their wounds had regenerated and began the second round.

Ten icy spikes formed around Yeomyeong’s head, while the chicken-head condensed four different spells in his four palms.

Frailty. Blindness. Pain. Deceleration.

However, just before the four spells could be completed, Yeomyeong slammed his foot into the ground, sending the icy spikes hurtling forward.

* * *

The ice spikes flying straight at the pinpoint target forced him to leave the spells incomplete.

The moment he manipulated mana to weave a spell into his arm and the air, three ice spikes rained down on the spot where the mana was concentrated.

While ignoring one or two was manageable, the third spike made all the difference.

A quantity that was neither too much nor too little to disrupt the spell.

What should he call this? Experience? Sharpness? No, this wasn’t a matter of such qualities.

This was talent—an innate talent unattainable by most.

How did Korea end up getting a guy like that as an enemy? The chicken-head swallowed the spiraling doubts swirling through his mind as he swung his leg.

Clang!

The shock from deflecting the sword traveled up his talons, giving him a tingling jolt.

However, there was no joy in having blocked the attack. Considering the speed of a Superhuman, a follow-up strike was imminent.

And as expected, the sword slithered like a serpent, aiming for his lower body this time.

Having anticipated this, the chicken-head opened his beak and fired a curse beam.

KWAAAA! The beam scorched the earth, but Yeomyeong had already repositioned himself at a distance.

“Crazy bastard.”

Out of breath, the chicken-headed figure panted, growling as he glared at his opponent. Though it was unclear when he had taken it, Yeomyeong was now holding his severed claw.

I lost the exchange.

Hiding his unease, the chicken-head scanned his surroundings.

On the far side of the staircase, two wenches and a group of horse-headed figures were locked in fierce combat. It was a close match, even to the casual observer.

Was it because of the hammer-wielding wench’s unexpectedly high skill? Or was it because the supporting fire from the rifles lifted by Telekinesis was threatening?

While those factors did play a part, the biggest problem was the dazzling, multicolored shields that appeared every time the horse-heads cast their magic.

And upon closer inspection, the shields were formed by a tiny ivory rod, darting through the air under Telekinesis control. What in the world was that?

Was it perhaps… a unicorn horn?

A growing sense of unease swelled within the chicken-headed figure at that thought. And right at that moment, Yeomyeong disappeared from his sight.

By the time the chicken-head snapped back to his senses, Yeomyeong’s sword was already inches from his face.

Psssshhh! In his desperation, he conjured a protective barrier, but it was barely enough to delay the strike.

Damn it.

Even as the sword was plunged into his chest, the chicken-head continued to lash out with his legs and arms, striking Yeomyeong with tremendous force.

A blow capable of literally crushing and pulverizing a person struck both of them with full force.

Feathers scattered with a flap, and blood splattered from Yeomyeong’s body.

At this point, most would have retreated to recover, but Yeomyeong pressed forward and closed the gap relentlessly.

The chicken-head had lost an arm, while Yeomyeong’s thigh was punctured, leaving a gaping wound. Yet the distance between them only decreased.

This bastard—is he planning to end it once and for all?

Suppressing the surge of competitive fury, the chicken-headed figure gritted his teeth. Not only was he carrying his own pride, but also the will of His Excellency and the lives of seventy million Koreans on his shoulders.

He clenched his beak and swung his left arm. As if anticipating it, Yeomyeong severed the arm cleanly and aimed for his neck.

However, just before the sword could cut his throat, the chicken-head completed his spell.

“—Corpse Explosion.”

His target: the severed left arm.

Boom! Flesh and bone erupted as a violent blast forced Yeomyeong and the chicken-head apart.

The chicken-head was propelled to where the horse-headed figures were, quickly planting one of his shoulder arms to the ground to steady himself as he got to his feet.

“Arm!”

At his shout, one of the horse-heads severed their own arm and tossed it to him.

He caught the arm and pressed it against the stump where his left arm had been. Sizzle! Smoke rose as the arm fused with his body.

Watching Yeomyeong’s wounds regenerate in a similar manner, the chicken-head frowned.

The hole in Yeomyeong’s thigh was closing faster—his Regeneration ability was clearly superior.

What was he? A beastfolk mixed-blood?

“…Were you sent by the U.S.?”

The golden-eyed opponent remained silent, flicking the blood off his sword before holding the grip with both hands.

A stance often referred to as sword form.

Was he preparing to unleash that devastating Sword Aura from earlier?

Thinking of the Comet Sword, the chicken-head began gathering his own mana in response.

However, the ensuing Sword Aura radiating from Yeomyeong’s blade wasn’t starlight but had a milky-white glow.

What was this?

The sheer concentration of mana within the Sword Aura gave the chicken-headed figure an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.

I have definitely seen that Sword Aura somewhere before…

“…The Incheon Butcher?”

The Sword Aura was identical to the swordsmanship he had displayed when he sought help from the Korean government.

A milky-white Sword Aura that suffocated, oppressed, and stifled from a mere glance.

But how? The Incheon Butcher was supposed to be at the Academy…

And in that instant, a sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.

The series of failures on Earth, the Superhuman who coincidentally interfered with them, the Incheon Butcher, the academy, and… the prized seed stallion the minister bragged about.

“Could it be?”

At that exact moment—whether by chance or inevitable fate—the mask of the hammer-wielding wench fighting the horse-heads cracked, her face partially revealed beneath the crack.

Those all too familiar blue eyes and a rebellious gaze that any Shepherd would recognize.

“The Black Sheep…? Then you are…!”

And just when realization crossed his mind, Yeomyeong’s sword slowly sliced through the air.

* * *

Yeomyeong had never truly comprehended the True Intention of the swordsmanship he had stolen from the Player.

Presently, it was no different from an empty shell, but considering it was stolen swordsmanship and useful enough, he continued using it. That was all.

However, for some reason, as the fight against the chicken-headed figure progressed, his swordsmanship began to absorb his other martial arts, gradually taking shape.

It was as if water was slowly filling an empty cup.

Of course, the cup wasn’t full yet. The True Intention was yet to reveal itself, as if it wasn’t time for it to appear.

So, what he wielded through his sword was only a small realization.

Whoosh—

The milky-white Sword Aura sliced through the air.

Red lines began to appear on the shepherds’ bodies. One on an arm, another on a waist, yet another on a neck.

“Damn—”

As one of the horse-headed figures was about to say something, dark red blood gushed from the lines.

The sword slashes had surpassed their Regeneration abilities.

Two of the horse-heads died instantly, and even the chicken-head, who had been on almost equal footing with Yeomyeong, had his waist split open, his intestines spilling out.

“Keugh, cough!”

All battles ceased for a moment. Even Neti and Seti stopped fighting and simply watched in silence, observing the scene Yeomyeong had created.

However, Yeomyeong himself neither celebrated nor marveled at it. His body felt drained, as if suppressing the boiling mana within him was more exhausting than the battle itself.

I can’t afford to use this carelessly.

After a brief moment, as his mana returned to a stable state, Yeomyeong relaxed his sword and took a step forward. The shepherds, now incapacitated, couldn’t prepare any counterattacks nor attempt to escape.

They could only glare at him with twisted, grotesque expressions.

“I-I remember now… Ch-Cheon Yeomyeong. S-so you’ve been deceiving us all along…”

Yeomyeong didn’t respond, and there was no benefit in conversing with them.

Deception and manipulation—that was the specialty of the Korean government after all, wasn’t it?

“Ha, haha… I don’t know how you got here, but you’ve made a mistake. The moment His Excellency learns of you, you will…!”

“And what will you inform him about? You’re all going to die here.”

Seti interrupted the chicken-head’s words.

Even though only two horse-heads remained, and the chicken-head was regenerating in real time, Seti was certain of their victory.

“Black Sheep… You foolish livestock. You’ve always been rebellious. That day, I should have used you instead of the White Sheep…”

“…”

A trivial provocation. Yeomyeong, right before their faces, paid it no mind and raised his sword.

Still struggling to heal his wounds, the chicken-head seemed prepared to be cleaved in half. However…

“Long live the Republic of Korea!”

One of the horse-heads, whom they had assumed to be dead, suddenly stabbed his own throat.

Self-destruction? No, it wasn’t.

Blood spurted from the severed horse-head’s neck and flew through the air to form a translucent, red protective shield between Yeomyeong and the shepherds.

Szzzzzt—!!

When Yeomyeong’s sword struck the shield in the next moment, it trembled violently as it absorbed both the impact and the mana.

It felt like he had struck the scales of a dragon—tough and resilient.

“What a pathetic move.”

Yeomyeong frowned. The shield posed no threat; given time, he could shatter it easily. However, the real issue was the time it would take.

And, as expected, the chicken-head didn’t waste that time. Still enclosed by the shield, he swung his hand towards the remaining horse-heads.

“A strong and prosperous country is always built on the blood of patriots.”

At those words, the horse-heads obediently thrust their necks forward; dark red blood splattering as their heads were severed, and the blood mingled in the air once again, forming a spell.

Zzzzzz—

A small hole, just big enough for a person to pass through it.

Though the magic seemed quite unimpressive, considering it was made by sacrificing two horse-heads, Yeomyeong clenched his teeth.

Even without anyone telling him, he immediately understood that this hole was akin to spatial or dimensional magic.

“So you’re trying to flee now? Don’t run, you bastard!”

Neti fired an anti-tank rocket, but even that was absorbed by the protective shield.

The chicken-headed figure glanced back and forth between the hole and the shield, then sneered while opening his beak.

“Cheon Yeomyeong… sacrificial lambs… all of you… will pay the price.”

Even as the chicken-head spoke, Yeomyeong continued to strike against the shield. Seti’s hammer soon followed, and though the shield began to crack, it held firm.

Should I let it go?

Yeomyeong thought anxiously.

If he let the chicken-head escape now, Seti’s sisters and everyone else at the academy would undoubtedly be in danger.

The Saintess, Corvus, and… Soe Miri.

But for some reason, when he thought of Soe Miri…

The words she had spoken when they were attending the special class echoed in his mind.

『You’ve been hit with plenty of other spells, right?』

Spells he had been hit with?

Yes, he understood what spells he had been hit by—and how to use them. This was the result of the fusion of the talents given by Seti and his own.

And the magic he had experienced most often was…

“…Corpse Explosion.”

The moment Yeomyeong’s eyes turned red, the bodies of the fallen horse-heads around the chicken-head began to swell.