Possessing Nothing

Chapter 265 – The Spear King (1)

* * *

Ka-bang!

It was black lightning. Baek Sogo heard the thunderclap with her ears as the lightning broke the sound barrier, and watched the eerie black light with her eyes. Baek Sogo immediately raised her foot up and pivoted her weight.

Clang!

A heavy blow shook Baek Sogo’s body. She clenched her teeth and gave strength to support her body that was being pushed back.

The flurry of blows did not stop at all. A series of attacks collided one after another, and Baek Sogo gave up holding on.

She twisted her body in the air and rotated it. Soon after, she kicked the air and flew back.

“Are you with Beyond the Heavens?”

The attacks were followed by the question.

Baek Sogo chewed on her lower lip.

As expected, was this the power of Sima Ryunju?

This was the Sama Order, the place where Sima Ryunju, the Demonic Emperor, reigned.

Baek Sogo had been trying to enter Hadras undercover to meet Lee Sungmin without being caught, but was attacked before they even got into the headquarters.

“I haven’t heard of a warrior like you before. Indeed, it was a story about 100 years ago when all the Transcendent Martial Artists in Eria had been under Beyond the Heavens. In the meantime, that little half-lizard has joined their ranks, so it seems you might just be another warrior I haven’t heard about. Are you here to try and assassinate someone here?”

Baek Sogo listened to Sima Ryunju’s words as she observed him levitating covered with tendrils of black lightning around him. He was wearing a dark red robe, with a strange-looking mask covering his face.

He slowly descended from his spot a few feet in the air. Baek Sogo glared at Sima Ryunju, putting pressure on her throbbing chest with her hands.

“I’m not here to do anything like that.”

Sima Ryunju smiled through the slits of the mask while looking at Baek Sogo.

“If that’s the case, then I might as well be the god of ignorance. If so…I see, did you come here to assassinate my disciple? Did you really believe it would be so easy to kill the Young Leader while the Lord of the Order is still here?”

“………there appears to be some misunderstanding.”

Baek Sogo spoke to Sima Ryunju with a calm voice.

Looking at Sima Ryunju with serene eyes, Sima Ryunju burst into laughter at her.

“Yes, I see that I’ve been mistaken. I don’t know who you are. I didn’t want to kill you with this blow because I was not sure who you were or what had been your intentions coming out here so openly.”

“……I’m Baek Sogo.”

Baek Sogo spoke to Sima Ryunju, keeping vigilant.

At Baek Sogo’s words, Sima Ryunju blinked repeatedly from beyond the mask. Losing himself in thought, Sima Ryunju pondered before speaking a brief few words of surprise.

“Oh my… You must be the Silent Flare, Baek Sogo. I’ve heard of it before.

“The Ghost Spear, Lee Sungmin…… I’m here to meet your disciple.”

“I see, you were a guest. I’m glad I didn’t kill you.”

At Baek Sogo’s words, Sima Ryunju spoke with a big smile.

The words made Baek Sogo’s eyebrows furrow.

‘Good thing he didn’t kill me?’

The first attack, though barely stopping it, was brutal. If additional attacks had continued there, it would have been challenging to flee, let alone stop them.

When Baek Sogo was about to complain, Sima Ryunju simply shook his head.

“Don’t pretend to be unfair. If I tried to kill you sincerely, you would have had a way of getting away without dying.”

Sima Ryunju looked at Baek Sogo’s unusual appearance while saying so. She had white hair, sure. But the thing he truly looked at were her eyes.

Sima Ryunju laughed again.

“So you’ve been through Denir’s trial. How interesting, since this old man has been through that trial and so has my student. But… it seems a bit different. Are you an apostle of Denir?”

“……yes.”

“I don’t know why Denir appointed you his apostle. Either way, you did well not to use your power as an apostle. If you had used it, this old man would have killed you without an ounce of hesitation.”

Sima Ryunju turned away saying so.

“My stupid disciple has not returned yet. If you’re here to meet my disciple, I’ll reserve you a room.”

“……… Are you seriously not doubting me?”

“Is there any reason to doubt that you’re here to meet my disciple?”

Sima Ryunju continued to walk away as he spoke..

“If you don’t like it, I don’t mind letting you turn around and leave. I’m not forcing you to stay or anything.”

Baek Sogo stared at Sima Ryunju, who was acting as if nothing had happened. After a while, she followed Sima Ryunju, who was sauntering away.

* * *

Lee Sungmin covered his face with both hands. Then he slowly resumed his breathing.

He was wearing the Ghost Mask received from his master, Sima Ryunju. This was a mask created by Oslo, the Queen of Fairies. This mask was designed with the power to draw out the Draconic Energy from Lee Sungmin’s Dragon Heart as much as possible, while suppressing his internal energy to a certain degree.

Even after a year of living in the Forest of the Fairies, Lee Sungmin continued to keep wearing the mask.

‘If I forget to continue my breathing technique, it could get dangerous.’

Lee Sungmin had never forgotten what had happened in the City of Endless Night. There was no way he could forget. Heoju also helped him regain his sanity every time he forgot to maintain his breathing.

Lee Sungmin’s body had already mutated his body into that of a monster, although it was supposed to be stabilized to a certain extent now.

He had wiped out the spirit of the monster, who turned on his own humanity, and had run wild when it took over his body in the City of Endless Night. But in his mental world, Lee Sungmin had locked it back up and eradicated it.

If he had not regained his sanity on that day, he would have turned completely into something unimaginable.

A human spirit and dantian, the heart of a mutated Dragon, and the body of a monster. If the theory that the Blue Tower Master had spoken of became true, then if Lee Sungmin overused any of the powers within one category, the balance would break and the monstrous entity within his mental world could come back.

The Ghost Mask that Sima Ryunju had gifted him served as a way to balance these powers of sorts. A buffer that would suppress his internal energy and draw out the Draconic magical energy instead.

By significantly reducing the possibility of overuse in one category of power, Lee Sungmin was given a lot of room for improvement and stability.

‘It’s been hard to wear it even though I wanted to.’

It was also thanks to Lee Sungmin using this mask while moving around a lot, and it had gained limelight after many people in Hadras had thought it to be themed after his martial nickname as the Ghost Spear. Due to the notoriety he was receiving, it was now a symbol of sorts, and he couldn’t wear it publicly anymore.

The only times he would wear it were when he was meditating in his room, or sleeping.

But it was okay now that he returned to Hadras, since he knew this was now a place in Eria he would never have to worry about safety in.

Although he had encountered Geom-Seong’s incarnation, he was alright and was relieved to finally be back where his master was.

[How long are you going to stay complacent like this?]

Heoju asked Lee Sungmin in an expectant tone. Lee Sungmin sighed and raised himself up from the bonfire.

[You know that other child with the spear is coming for you, he wants to fight you and as he is right now, he will defeat you if you stay complacent.]

“I’m not the kind of person to be ignorant of one’s power.”

[The Spear King will be different from An Zun.]

Heoju replied to Lee Sungmin’s murmur

[You were able to knock down An Zun so easily because he was a terrible matchup against you. But the Spear King is a different story. Of course, he isn’t comparable to this old man huhu! But regardless, he is a Transcendent that is quite a few steps ahead of An Zun.]

“Good for you.”

Lee Sungmin grumbled at Heoju’s incessant boasts.

[Anyway. If you fight with the Spear King, you have no choice but to rely on your wits if you want to win as you are right now.]

“I know.”

Lee Sungmin muttered and took off his mask. There was a blatantly strong presence not far away from his location.

It was a presence he had already felt once. The Spear King. Lee Sungmin clicked his tongue.

“It seems like I really am unlucky these days. Why of all times do I have to encounter the Spear King before even getting back to Hadras.”

[It was none other than you who promised to fight him later though.]

“I didn’t know it would be so soon.”

[It seems like you’re still rather calm though. Is it because you’ve become accustomed to only traveling alone with me?]

“What does it matter?”

[I think you feel better since you don’t seem as depressed anymore. But, that cuteness from you has disappeared.]

“I don’t think I’ve ever been cute.”

[You’ve been talking back more often now you rotten bastard, of course you aren’t!]

Although he cursed at Lee Sungmin, Lee Sungmin knew that Heoju wasn’t actually feeling unpleasant.

Lee Sungmin smirked. He also was aware that his personality was changing quite a bit now.

It was especially after he spent that year in the Forest of Fairies with Sima Ryunju, Wijihoyeon and the countless, chatty fairies.

They definitely reminded him of little children, and Lee Sungmin even became quite fond of their silly pranks.

‘Fuck.’

The image of Rubia and the Crazy Heavenly Demon immediately popped up inside Lee Sungmin’s head, and he cursed himself, trying to avoid the images from surfacing.

[Don’t beat yourself up over it so much.]

Heoju clicked his tongue. Sometimes Lee Sungmin had a mental fortitude that was like an impenetrable wall, yet sometimes it was also as soft as tofu.

It was a terribly painful memory for Lee Sungmin, and Heoju could see what was happening deep within his consciousness.

He had experienced it several times already, and each time, Heoju was growing wary of the deep dark black spots that started to spread in the darkest corners of Lee Sungmin’s mind.

Whenever Lee Sungmin recalled that memory, Heoju could feel it and even hear it sometimes. Deep inside Lee Sungmin’s darkest corners of his conscience, there was a gruesome aura of murder and resentment. And sometimes, Heoju heard the sounds of what seemed to be a monster gnashing its teeth.

It was the sound of the singularity growling, biding its time to make a reappearance when Lee Sungmin was weak.

[Even if you draw too much attention for that little guy in the back, this old man will take care of him so don’t worry about it too much.]

“I know.”

Lee Sungmin reached for the lowered spear, saying so. The spear popped up and was in Lee Sungmin’s hands. He stomped out the bonfire and looked where the Spear King was approaching from.

“That’s why I’m going to him. Without running away.”

[Say what you really mean. You’re just too afraid to run away]

“So it is.”

Lee Sungmin laughed bitterly.

The place that Kang Seok chose was an open and deserted plain, which was quite far from the gate of Hadras. There were no villages or pathways or civilians nearby. Lee Sungmin and Kang Seok were both in great condition, had good meals, adequate sleep, and now Lee Sungmin had a much better spear and armor.

In fact, Kang Seok had chosen this place with great consideration. However, if there was only one flaw with it, it was that it was somewhat close to the Headquarters of the Sama Order.

‘Maybe the disturbance will notify Sima Ryunju.’

On the contrary, Kang Seok was excited at the thought of fighting Sima Ryunju as well.

The Spear King, Kang Seok, took out the spear behind his back and twirled it into a stance. He had fought many Transcendent warriors in his life.

And yet, there was only one loss that he had in his many fights. He had lost to Musin, tied with Wolhu, and won the rest. He was not sure what the outcome of this fight would be with a fellow spearmaster and the thought excited him.

“I thought he was coming.”

Kang Seok muttered while he waited for Lee Sungmin to appear, since he was sure Lee Sungmin had felt his presence.

Whoosh-

Lee Sungmin appeared before Kang Seok a few meters away, covered in sparks of black electricity. Kang Seok studied Lee Sungmin and smiled deeply.

“I thought I’d wait for you to come, but come to think of it, you wouldn’t know where I am.”

“So you came all the way here?”

“We put the fight behind us because the circumstances were unfavorable in the North. But I don’t think that’s the case today. I’m in my best condition. There’s nothing urgent after this for me to do. Fighting with you is everything I’ve been wanting to do.”

“You realize it’s rather close to the Sama Order? Do you not worry about my master Sima Ryunju coming here?”

“Yes, I understand that…. Hahaha!”

When Lee Sungmin spoke, Kang Seok laughed and nodded his head as he continued to speak.

“I’ve heard that you killed An Zun. How was the fight against him?”

“He was strong.”

“You don’t need to be polite to the dead in front of me. He’s dead anyway. No matter what you say, I won’t judge you for it!”

“He was strong.”

“He must have been weaker than you though.”

Kang Seok laughed at Lee Sungmin’s answer.

“And yes, he was weaker than me.”

Foput!

Two daggers flew up from their sheaths on Kang Seok’s back

The Spear King caught the two curved daggers with the ends of his spear. The two daggers connected to the speartip, giving them a curved look on both ends of the spear, which was something Lee Sungmin had never done with his spear.

“That’s a fine spear. And excellent armor for that matter. I can already guess how An Zun died. Hidden weapons are fast and require stealth. It’s deadly, but lacks power. I can already assume that his hidden weapons could not pierce that armor you have.”

“That’s right.”

“Just keep in mind that my spear is much faster and much more powerful than An Zun’s hidden weapons, meaning no matter how tough your armor may be, it will still be difficult to stop it blindly.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“If you rely on it too much and get nervous in some way, you’ll be killed immediately.”

Kang Seok strode forwards as he spoke.

“It’s been a long time since I fought with a fellow spearmaster. It’s also been too long since there has been a strong spearmaster like yourself as well. As that is the case, I plan on enjoying this fight for as long and as much as I can.”

The fighting spirit of Kang Seok started to rise, as his internal energy started to pulsate out of his body in great waves of strength.

“Think of it as a game rather than a fight to kill each other.”

Kang Seok, the Spear King, spoke with a voice full of mirth.

Chapter 265 – Fin