Chapter 317: Reconnaissance (3) |
A brutal sound echoed through the air as massive, bulging muscles shifted and flexed.
Crack— Crackle!
Savage tattoos, covering the monstrous, almost inhuman body, writhed like living creatures, and a heavy aura, as if the gravity itself had intensified, filled the surroundings.
“The air here is… different! Hmm, not bad! Khahaha!”
The muscle-bound monstrosity, Harley, the barbarian warrior from another world, stretched his limbs and then burst into laughter.
Flutter—
Caw— Caw—
His thunderous laughter sent flocks of birds scattering in all directions, but he didn't even notice.
He glanced around, then began to walk, his footsteps heavy and deliberate.
Even excluding Harris, there were other candidates.
Heinrich, whose personality was a poor fit, and Hans and Heinz the Second, who weren’t bad choices.
‘But they’re not suitable for this task. I’ll need them for something else later.’
Like dealing with the Demonic Cult and the Blood Cult, the evil factions he had learned about while gathering information on Ganghwange.
They were similar to the dark mages and vampires of Auterica, so he had to be cautious when dealing with them.
‘I can’t risk alerting them prematurely. They thrive in chaos, and I don’t know how far their influence extends.’
In that sense, Harley, the specialist in destruction and mayhem, the walking tank of devastation, was a valuable asset.
And as long as he didn't use his transformation ability, he just looked like a martial artist who had trained his external skills to the extreme, which was a bonus.
‘Hmm, is his outfit a bit too… conspicuous?’
Harley glanced down at his own body.
His bare chest, covered in muscles and tattoos, his leather pants, and his bare feet…
“Hmm.”
He scratched the back of his head, his fingers brushing against the beast hide he wore like a helmet.
It was definitely an unusual attire in this world…
“…Whatever!”
But what could he do?
It had been the same in Auterica.
At first, many had looked down on him, but now, no one dared to disrespect him.
The forced etiquette training had been effective.
Then he just had to do the same here in Ganghwange.
He could even start a new fashion trend!
‘The true warrior’s attire!’
And there was one thing he had to do first.
Harley’s steps grew longer, his massive body accelerating.
Rumble—
The ground trembled with each step, the tremors intensifying.
And then, his body blurred, a gust of wind in his wake, as he shot forward.
His movements didn't resemble any known martial arts technique, no fancy footwork or gravity-defying leaps…
“Khaha! Time to spread the Harley style!”
…But he didn’t need such trivial skills.
He was a force of nature, an anomaly, a being of pure, unadulterated power.
And so, the predator, unleashed upon this world, began his hunt.
And the results were immediate.
___________________
Clatter— Clatter— Rumble—
The sounds of horses’ hooves and rolling carriages echoed through the mountains.
A group of people, traveling in an orderly formation along a barely discernible path, their movements calm and peaceful.
A tranquil mountain road, undisturbed by any conflict.
“This is strange.”
One of them, a Zhuge Clan warrior, his eyes sharp and alert, muttered softly.
He kept one hand on the hilt of his sword, his face tense.
“Why is it so quiet? Just a few days ago, they were attacking us relentlessly… and now, this sudden silence… It feels like something’s about to happen…”
“Hey! Watch your mouth! Words have power!”
“I’m just saying we should be prepared…”
“Just shut up!”
He closed his mouth, silenced by his companion’s rebuke and the sharp glares of the others.
He realized that they were all just as tense as he was.
Clatter— Clatter—
The Zhuge Clan elites continued their journey in silence, the air thick with unspoken tension.
Just two days ago, they had been constantly ambushed, barely having time to breathe… and now, the large-scale attacks had stopped completely, without any warning.
There were still occasional skirmishes with smaller groups, but the relentless assaults that had kept them on edge were gone.
It was an unsettling calm, a foreboding silence.
And as they braced themselves for the inevitable,
“Huu…”
Hugo, oblivious to their anxiety, sat inside a carriage, his eyes closed, his mind at peace.
‘Finally, some quiet. I should have done this sooner.’
He was relaxed because he was the reason for the current peace.
If those annoying pests kept bothering them, he would just have to make sure they couldn’t even approach in the first place.
While Harley cleared the path, eliminating any potential threats, he had been able to focus on his training, completely immersed in his own world.
‘I already know the method.’
He focused his mind, and time seemed to slow down around him.
His senses sharpened, he could feel every hair on his skin, and the flow of Ki became clear and distinct.
‘Come here.’
The ambient energy, unlike the Ki he absorbed through his breath, remained unresponsive, clinging to the surface of his skin, but he didn’t give up.
He had raised several transcendent beings. He was confident he could overcome this minor obstacle.
‘Come.’
The energy he was trying to manipulate, the laws governing this world, the environment, his body… everything was different, but…
With the right catalyst…
His mind, already elevated to a higher plane, was ready to absorb it.
Twitch—
A faint reaction as a strand of Ki brushed against a hair on his skin.
The carriage continued to rumble and shake, but it couldn’t break his concentration.
‘Come.’
He had skipped meals, meditating and training non-stop, having secured permission from his companions.
And after what felt like an eternity,
The elusive enlightenment, which had been teasing him, finally began to coalesce, coming within his reach.
He recalled the sensation Harris had experienced when transcending through martial arts and grasped it firmly.
‘…There you are.’
And finally—.
《The individual meets the conditions and gains enlightenment. The skills “Circulation of Energy”, “Underwater Breathing”, “Clear Mind”, and “Tough” have merged and evolved into the special skill “Heavenly Ki Body”.》
…A sense of liberation washed over him, as if shackles had been broken, and he could feel the world’s energy flowing freely through his body.
A strange and wondrous sensation as his very being transformed, his muscles and bones reshaping themselves, adapting to the unfamiliar power.
He opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“This is…”
____________________
“—Exhilarating! Hahaha!”
Rumble—
A building, one of the tallest in the sprawling estate, crumbled, accompanied by a boisterous laugh that echoed through the air.
A cloud of dust and debris rose into the sky, but no one paid any attention.
It wasn't even worth mentioning, considering the state of the estate. There was barely anything left intact.
Including the people.
“Ugh… You monster…!”
A middle-aged man, his bones shattered, lay on the ground, coughing up blood.
Blood gushed from his mouth like a waterfall, but that was the least of his worries.
He turned his head, his vision blurry, surveying the scene around him.
Dozens of figures lay motionless, their bodies covered in blood.
They were the elites of the Shura Sect, including the Second Elder, his second-in-command. They weren’t supposed to end up like this, sprawled out on the ground like broken dolls.
“Ugh… You… Why…!”
His vision blurred with tears of blood as he glared at the culprit.
He couldn’t see clearly, but it wasn't difficult to identify his attacker.
That massive, monstrous figure was hard to forget.
‘At least peak master-level… No, he’s definitely a Mysterious Realm expert. But someone with such a distinctive appearance shouldn’t be unknown…’
Their combined attacks, amplified by their formation, had been useless.
The marks left by his and the Second Elder’s attacks had vanished in an instant, and the weaker attacks hadn't even connected.
It was the legendary Diamond Body, an almost mythical level of physical resilience, achievable only by those who had mastered external martial arts.
And his punches… the sheer force of each blow was enough to create craters in the ground.
It wasn't surprising that they had been defeated so easily.
“Ugh… You… Who are you?! What grudge do you have against us?!”
He roared, his voice filled with rage and resentment.
He should have been dead already, but his life force, strengthened through years of cultivation, stubbornly clung to his broken body.
It wouldn't last long, though.
“Huh? What’s this? ‘Pot calling the kettle black’? You don’t even remember what you did. Tsk, tsk.”
“P-pot… calling…?”
“Ah? Wasn’t that a saying in this world? Whatever! Forget it! Khahaha!”
He had been laughing and attacking relentlessly throughout the battle, and now, after it was all over, he was making jokes?
The Shura Sect Leader closed his eyes, struggling to control his breathing, and then glared at him again.
He understood the meaning of his words.
That he had attacked them out of a sense of justice, unable to tolerate their evil deeds.
“…So, you didn’t like what we were doing? But do you even realize that your actions are no different…?”
“Look, I don’t care about your moral arguments. I’ll do whatever I want.”
“…Ugh! Who… Who are you?! Reveal yourself! You’re not going to hide your identity at this point, are you?!”
His blood pressure spiked at the casual dismissal, and he coughed up another mouthful of blood, demanding his attacker’s identity.
He had to at least know who had destroyed his sect, even if he died.
Perhaps moved by his desperation, the giant finally answered.
“Well, it doesn’t really matter… Call me… Mad Demon!”
It sounded more like a taunt than an answer.
And it didn't satisfy the Shura Sect Leader.
“…Mad Demon? Mad Demon? Don’t be ridiculous! Do you think I don’t know what he looks like?! Are you mocking me?!”
The title ‘Mad Demon’ was already taken.
And by someone who was still actively operating and making a name for himself.
He assumed his attacker was playing with him, and he coughed up another mouthful of blood, his anger boiling over.
“Oh, really? Someone’s already using that name?”
But Harley just shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.
He clicked his tongue, a disappointed expression on his face.
“I’ll have to talk to him, then. Tell him to use a different name. It’s mine now. And if he doesn’t listen… I’ll just have to break his neck.”
He muttered nonchalantly, his words chillingly casual.
“…Wh-what…!”
“You talk too much. I’ve entertained you long enough. My time is valuable!”
“…Valuable?”
The Shura Sect Leader frowned, confused by his sudden change in topic.
What did he mean…
“Well, it might be a bit difficult to get it out now, but I’m sure the important stuff is in the vault. I don’t have time to collect all the trinkets.”
“…Wait…!”
“Goodbye, friend. Try to be a better person in your next life.”
“You’re the one…!”
Crack!
And with that, the rambling stopped.
Harley hummed a cheerful tune as he began rummaging through the rubble.
The debris, floating and shifting under his control thanks to 「Gem Eye: Coercion」, was a spectacular sight… but there was no one left to witness it.
“Oh! Found it! This is quite a haul!”
The surviving members of the Shura Sect, along with the ordinary civilians, had long since fled.