Chapter 1024: What Did You Just Say? (Part 9)

"Stop him!"

As soon as Danjagang started charging, cries of terror erupted from the Black Ghost Castle elites.

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold was someone whose life had to be protected at all costs. The thoughts that had been ingrained in their minds over many years compelled them to step forward and protect him.

However, taking action wasn't as easy as speaking the words.

Eyes filled with madness.

An eerie aura enveloping Danjagang.

It was as if the spirits of the dead, those killed by Danjagang, were hovering around him. This chilling and destructive sight had gripped their ankles.

Their rationality telling them to fight and their instinct to survive were constantly at odds.

At that moment, the elites of the Black Ghost Castle proved their worth. Those who overcame their primal fear now sprang forward to block the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold.

But choosing what is right doesn't always lead to the right outcome.

Kwaah!

Danjagang's swinging hand blocked the path and smashed the head of the one in front of him.

Kwaahh!

With an enormous sound, the shattered skull exploded in all directions as if on cue.

These were nothing more than tiny bone fragments the size of a finger, but the power within them broke his powerful defense like a delicate bamboo curtain. Furthermore, the bone fragments tore through the bodies of fragile people.

"Kraaaak!"

Though there was only a small hole in his chest, the injury from the charge was severe enough to keep anyone alive.

Danjagang had thoroughly avenged those who had acted recklessly.

Sweeeeesh!

Danjagang's hands spat out the black magic blades, which cut down the charging warriors. Those who had turned into pieces were scattered in all directions, and a thick mist of blood rose around them.

The magic emanating from him tore through the atmosphere and entwined around him. Before his overwhelming presence, even the Black Ghost Castle, which had struck terror into Gangnam, was powerless.

And at that moment, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's foot slammed the ground, but not in front of him—rather, behind him.

"Stop him!"

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's shout echoed loudly.

There was only one imaginable worst-case scenario: him dying here. Given the nature of the Evil Sect, losing your head meant complete ruin. If he died, the Black Ghost Castle would instantly fall apart, and that had to be avoided at all costs.

Having completed his calculations, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold used all his strength to withdraw from the situation.

No matter how disgraceful it may be, he had to survive here. Only then could he make the world aware of the existence of this mad monster.

But Danjagang was not merciful enough to let his prey escape as it pleased.

Pwaaaah!

The ones who had stood in the way of the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold were crushed and scattered. Danjagang broke, trampled, and pierced them, heading straight for the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold like a black arrow.

"Kuk!" A beam of light spewed from the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's waist.

Ghost King Manifestation (鬼王現身)!

The one he was boasting about, the sword dance that could overshadow the world, sliced through the air. A flawless swordsmanship devoid of any waste. How many had vanished by becoming a handful of floating spirits due to this deadly dance?

But.

Kaga-gang!

The sword strike launched by the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold clashed with Danjagang's hand and was completely deflected. The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold unconsciously widened his eyes.

'My sword with his bare hands?'

Kkaaaah!

At that moment, the tip of Danjagang's hand, raised it like an Asura's (鬼王) fingernail, descended upon the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's head. The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, who dared not block the attack, instinctively rolled to the side, slamming his body into the ground.

Kwaaaah!

On the ground where the tip of Danjagang's magic fell, a huge scar, as if a monstrous beast had clawed through, was carved. It was an unbelievable sight.

"You filthy unbeliever!"

Danjagang reared back his head like a wild beast.

Sweat began to cover the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's entire body.

How could this be?

The one who was currently overwhelming this place was undoubtedly Danjagang. Even Black Ghost Castle was unable to prevent him. Yet, why was the attacker writhing and raging like a wounded beast?

"You!"

Danjagang's hands began to turn reddish.

"I won't kill you easily!"

Fury swirled in his eyes like lava. Danjagang roared as if unable to control his anger. Blood vessels and tendons on his entire face began to bulge and twitch.

"How dare you foolishly insult the Lord?"

Kwaaah!

Danjagang, who pounded the ground with tremendous force, charged once again towards the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold.

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold evaded the attack quickly, just as before.

Kwaaah!

The ground where Danjagang's fist landed was crushed like tofu. And it exploded and shot upward, as if a cannonball had been dropped into water.

Paaah!

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold leaped to evade Danjagang's attack, then suddenly flipped his body and unleashed three swords toward Danjagang. Three beams of swordlight, sharper than the term "sharp" could describe, flew at the speed of light.

Under normal circumstances, one would either evade or block the attack. However, Danjagang did neither. Instead, he rushed toward the sword beams, wrapping his entire body in magic.

"What?"

Kwaah!

The emitted black magic repelled the three sword beams. The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold reflexively slammed into the ground and rolled backward. It was impossible to continue avoiding attacks perfectly.

Kwaddduk!

Danjagang's hand, swinging like the forepaw of a beast, passed over the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold. A piece of flesh was torn from his chest, and blood gushed from the wound.

"Where are you running, you little rat!"

Danjagang pursued the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, his appearance resembling a predator overwhelming its prey. The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, who had been evading, clenched his sword.

At that moment, the deadly dance of the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold, the 12th style of the Ghost King, Geobcheon (鬼王劫天), erupted with even greater intensity.

Kwak! Kwagagagak!

The magic wrapped around Danjagang clashed fiercely with his sword aura in mid-air.

"Uuuaaaahhh!"

A monstrous, almost unbelievable scream erupted from the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's mouth as the ultramarine sword aura ripped apart Danjagang's magic.

Pah-aht! Pah-aht!

Instantly, a scarlet bloodline was etched across Danjagang's body horizontally.

"No...ooooh!"

Consecutively, the unleashed first strike of the Ghost King's Guiban (鬼王貫日) sword, Geobgwanil, pierced through the gap torn by the magic, like an island hidden in the sea of swordlight.

Kwadddudduk!

"...."

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's eyes trembled for a moment. His sword, enveloped in a deep blue radiance, was firmly embedded in the center of Danjagang's chest.

"What...?"

It was an accomplishment that even he could hardly believe.

As a result, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold was suddenly overwhelmed by fear.

"Is this a trap...?"

Kwaduk!

At that moment, Danjagang grabbed the sword impaled in his chest with his bare hand.

"Little rat."

The Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold instinctively let go of the sword and tried to leap backward. However, before his body could fully escape, Danjagang seized his arm.

"Uuaaaahhhh!"

An agonizing scream erupted from the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's mouth as Danjagang's sharp claws pierced through his flesh and embedded into his bones. It felt as though his entire arm was burning, and his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably, as if he had been caught in a raging fire.

But more despairing than the immense pain was the sight before him. The sword impaled in Danjagang's chest began to pull itself out as if it had a will of its own.

"I... uuugh...."

As the excruciating pain filled his body, the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's eyes widened. Red flesh rapidly filled the hole that had been punctured through Danjagang's chest.

Danjagang spoke with a dark voice.

"I will keep you alive. You are not allowed a comfortable death but…This body will be useless."

In an instant, a throbbing pain engulfed the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's arm to the point where he could hardly bear it. His once-mighty muscles began to wither and twist, like deadwood.

"Kuuaaahhh!"

A desperate scream, beyond words, burst from the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold's gaping mouth.

But at that moment, the members of Black Ghost Castle's elite forces who had finally caught up with the two of them rushed toward Danjagang, shouting in horror.

"Protect our Lord!"

"Die, you monster!"

Their bloodshot eyes were filled with terror as they recklessly charged at Danjagang's back, disregarding their own lives. Their reasons were simple. When the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold died, their families would die as well. They had no choice.

Kagaang!

As his lower body was sent flying, Danjagang's swinging sword pierced through his shoulder, and the figure with a single arm left reached out to grab Danjagang's leg and collapsed.

"Ah!"

Eventually, Danjagang turned his gaze while emanating bloodlust from his eyes.

"These filthy heretics!"

Simultaneously, dozens of obsidian magic blades burst forth.

"Die, every last one of you!"

Kwaaaah!

Blades, larger than a human torso, violently whirled and struck down those who rushed towards him. The human bodies and the whirlwind merged together, creating a horrifying scene that should never exist in the world.

Kwaaaah!

The storm of obsidian magic swept forward and kept sweeping. Then, in an instant, as if everything had been washed away as if it were an illusion, it disappeared.

The world was engulfed in silence. Only the blood-soaked ground testified that everything that happened here was undeniably real.

Danjagang, still with an unsettled look on his face, slowly lowered his gaze and examined what he held in his hand.

What was left in his hand was an arm that was withered like deadwood from the shoulder down. Danjagang's lips curled into a faint smile. He tossed the severed arm to the ground and mumbled.

"A quick thinker."

The reason why the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold managed to cut off his own arm and escape was because Danjagang had momentarily lost his composure.

Normally, someone like him would not have allowed his prey to escape once it was in his hand, but by pushing his magic to the limit, he temporarily lost his rationality. It was an inevitable side effect he had to bear.

However, even from his point of view as a master, it was an unbelievable sight that a man who had cut off his own arm and abandoned all his subordinates would escape.

"Such men as these..."

Danjagang bit his lip until blood oozed out.

However, he soon shook off the deepening suspicion, raised his head, and muttered out of habit.

"The Second Coming of the Heavenly Demon, Manma Angbok."

He will come.

He will definitely come.

The great one will come and, ultimately, bestow his name upon him.

Only then will Danjagang find the meaning of his existence.

"The Second Coming of the Heavenly Demon, Manma Angbok."

And thus, he will renounce all the delusions within himself.

"Atone for your sins."

"Yes! My Lord!"

A practitioner answered his call and appeared before him.

"...Kill more of them. Inflict more suffering upon them. Let the entire world groan in despair and agony."

"Yes! My Lord!"

Danjagang gazed at the blood-soaked earth.

"Can you hear us, Heavenly Demon? Our lamentations."

It was a long time before he slowly turned around.

In the place where they had departed, only the twisted arm of the Great Master of Ten Thousand Gold was left lying motionless.