The reasoning was spot on.

I heard the rest of the information from the branch manager and then stood up from my seat.

A wanted man is suspicious. But if he had been hiding for over ten days, he would be out of his mind with anxiety by now. I had to hurry, as I didn’t know when he would leave.

‘And he’s alone.’

According to the Haomun’s information, he had appeared briefly in a remote market in disguise until this morning.

Now that I had found his hiding place, all that was left was the hunt.

We immediately headed to the outskirts of Gangju, following the guidance of the Haomun.

After passing through a triangular trade zone with the Yangtze River on one side, and walking along a mountain range overlooking a fertile plain, we soon reached a rugged mountainous area.

‘Is this it?’

The tracker assigned by the Haomun stopped in his tracks. He pointed to a thatched house hidden on the mid-slope behind the mountain and then quietly disappeared.

Although Seo Muk-ho had erased his tracks, it didn’t work on a professional tracker.

I looked at the place where the enemy was. At a glance, it was a shabby house that looked like a ruin, but its gloomy atmosphere was different.

First, I set up a large formation around the area, within a range where the opponent could not detect it.

It was an illusionary formation and a trap formation to hold him back in case he tried to escape.

I wanted to pressure the opponent with the formation itself, but it was impossible to catch a master who had reached the extreme of the peak level with just a small-to-medium-sized formation.

‘I’ll have to be satisfied with this.’

Finally, after finishing the formation setup, I stared beyond the bushes.

Now, all that was left was when to attack. The first move was always important. But the problem was that the opponent was at the level of ascension.

A surprise attack had to be stealthy and fatal, but a novice was likely to be discovered the moment they entered the master’s territory.

The enemy was in an old thatched house, but it was a situation where I would be discovered if I got close.

‘Then there is a way.’

After explaining the plan to the two, I raised my mana. The mana of the third circle vibrated and manifested as magic at my fingertips.

Whoosh-

A gale raged around. At the optimal moment when the various turbulences met in one place, I flicked my finger.

Fwoosh!

At the same time, a huge flame soared, riding the wind. The karma fire instantly swallowed the thatched house.

The enemy would have no choice but to come out. Because one of the weaknesses of the Blood Cult was precisely fire.

The shabby thatched house burned up in an instant, and soon, something jumped out from inside.

It was a middle-aged man with rough, disheveled hair, Seo Muk-ho.

Swish-!

As if waiting for this, Namgung Bihwa’s fast sword was shot.

At the same time, as if they had matched their moves, Baek Hasin struck down with the form of the Heavenly Demon Sword Art.

A joint attack by peak-level masters. The moment Seo Muk-ho’s neck, who was in a defenseless state, was about to be blown off and his whole body was about to be cut in two, ten rough, red sword marks soared at a bizarre angle and deflected the swords.

Kagagagang!

‘Claw Art !’

It was a martial art that used the Twin Flying Claws, which strengthened the nails by cladding them in internal energy, or attacked by fixing several blades to a glove.

Usually, its attack range was short, and it was difficult to concentrate all its power, so it was a martial art that was not used much other than by assassins, but it was different when used by a master who had reached the extreme of the peak level.

The martial art that Seo Muk-ho was using was the Blood Mad Claw Hand, the claw art of the Blood Cult.

The power of the Blood Mad Claw Hand, which was unfolded in the hands of a master who had reached the extreme, was distant.

Every time several blades flashed, the bluish fast sword was deflected, and the blackish hegemonic sword was pushed back. A scene created by the absolute difference in realm.

Both Namgung Bihwa and Baek Hasin were unable to push him back after the first surprise attack.

On the contrary, after almost being hit several times by the sharp irregularity that was unique to the claw art, they soon had to keep their distance and be on guard.

‘If you just enter the range, the sword qi stretches out as if it’s snatching you.’

When you get close, several blades bite and pull the sword like the mouth of a beast.

If you get dragged in that state, that’s the end of it.

If it weren’t for the thrilling joint attack and the assistance of the flame bullets that flew in at the right time, Baek Hasin, whose realm was low, would have been slaughtered by now.

Since the amount of internal energy the opponent had was considerable, it was also difficult to press him down.

On top of that, the irregularity that was unique to the claw art, and the fast offensive and area attacks continued to be tricky.

But that was all. The fact that he was still alone did not change.

‘No matter how fierce a wolf is, it will eventually be taken down by a group of hunters.’

Don’t give the enemy distance and chip away at them from a long range. Maintain a range where the sword can barely reach and attack jointly to wear down more of their stamina.

Seo Muk-ho, who had noticed this, tried to create a gap and rush in, but since Namgung Bihwa, who was at least at the proficient level of the peak, was holding her ground in the center and keeping her distance, it was not easy.

And most of all, the support attack from my side was quite effective.

Kwaang-!

A flame bullet exploded at Seo Muk-ho’s feet again. The disadvantage of the claw art was its relatively short range. In a standing position, it was difficult for the blades to protect up to the ankles.

Especially in a situation where the blade was coming in, aiming for the upper body.

If Namgung Bihwa and Baek Hasin aimed for the upper and middle sections, I would strike the feet.

Because of this, Seo Muk-ho’s movement became even slower. There was a way to endure the flame bullet by cladding himself in internal energy, but that was only once or twice. It was a flame bullet that could even pierce the protective qi of Mo Yonghan, who was famous for being tough.

Having reached the third circle, it was stronger than at that time, and since several shots were exploding at the same time, he couldn’t help but pay attention. With every step that the compressed flame exploded, it would feel like stepping on an ankle mine.

As the battle continued, the shock accumulated.

‘The enemy is also gradually slowing down.’

Usually, for the claw art, it was essential to secure the mobility to dig in in an instant to compensate for the short attack range. But tying up the legs was eventually the same as responding with a half-baked martial art.

In the end, Seo Muk-ho, who couldn’t hold on, lowered his stance further to respond to the flame bullet. It was a form where he had bent his knees more and spread his legs.

‘It’s not a bad strategy.’

I gathered my mana, looking at Seo Muk-ho, who was deflecting the flame bullets and sword strikes more skillfully than before.

Lowering your stance and bringing your center of gravity closer to the ground meant that you were weak to attacks that came down from above.

While Seo Muk-ho was momentarily faltering from the aftermath of the flame bullet, a blackish energy cut through the air.

Clang!

Baek Hasin’s hegemonic sword was the first to bear down on Seo Muk-ho’s twin flying claws. He had been forced to raise his arm by force to block Namgung Bihwa’s frontal thrust, and that opening cost him.

‘Now!’

I shot the spear of flame lightning that I had saved for this moment into Seo Muk-ho’s open abdomen, and the guy, with his eyes wide open, let out a dry cough.

“Keuk!”

Not missing that opportunity, Namgung Bihwa launched a series of attacks. As Seo Muk-ho began to be pushed back by the rushing sword strikes, Baek Hasin followed the opponent and swung his sword up.

Clang!

The twin flying claws, which were sent flying over his head by the impact that was applied in an unstable posture.

Namgung Bihwa’s sword rushed into the enemy’s open chest.

Swish-!

A drop of blood splattered in the air. But it was shallow.

At the moment of being cut, Seo Muk-ho had concentrated his internal energy on his leg strength and had quickly kicked back. Their distance gradually widened.

A fight with a master of a high realm was difficult for this reason.

Because if things went wrong, they could break through the encirclement and escape. It wasn’t for nothing that they made things like the Eighteen Arhat Formation.

But there was something he had overlooked.

Crackle-

Precisely the existence of magic.

The Daoist Scholar’s Fan was now in my hand. As the mana in my body was drained, a blue lightning sphere formed at the tip of the fan ribs.

Perhaps because it was made from the bones of a divine beast, its mana sensitivity was enormous. The pure mana was further condensed.

And so, the sphere was forged even more sharply and became a point, and the arrow of lightning grew in size, eating up the mana.

Finally, I aimed the Daoist Scholar’s Fan at the rapidly receding Seo Muk-ho.

“Try to run away from lightning too.”

Pachat!

A brilliant light filled my vision. And with that, the ultra-high pressure heat that had been compressed until now exploded, creating a flash.

Lightning Kill.

And soon, a magic that seemed to have implemented a natural disaster on a small scale was shot.

Light burst out.

Kwaaaaaaang!

A deafening roar followed.

‘It’s strong, but its efficiency is not good.’

I clicked my tongue, feeling my almost empty mana tank.

It was certain that the higher the power of magic, the more its mana consumption tended to increase exponentially.

Even if I had reached the third circle, I was now just on the verge of being an intermediate mage. Although I was somehow pulling out the maximum efficiency that surpassed the circle level with the mana sensitivity of [Absolute Magic], there was a limit to the absolute amount of mana.

Crackle-

When the aftermath of the lightning subsided, Seo Muk-ho, who was staggering in the place where the ground had been blackened, revealed his teeth.

It was clear that he had been electrocuted, as his two legs were trembling finely.

Now was the chance.

Namgung Bihwa and Baek Hasin rushed at the guy from both sides at the same time.

The tide of the battle had completely turned.

“…You bastards!”

In an instant, a vein popped on Seo Muk-ho’s forehead.

And a qi wave of considerable density burst out. I knew that ominous momentum.

Berserk.

‘It’s dangerous.’

“I’ll kill you…!”

Seo Muk-ho’s low muttering voice now resembled that of an old woman.

“Defensive formation!”

I shouted, gathering my mana.

The most dangerous stage when facing a blood fiend was right now. From now on, we had to fight a defensive battle.

Seo Muk-ho, whose two eyes were stained red, lost his reason and rushed in.

The two people who stood, crossing their swords in front. Soon, ten red waves poured out in an X-shape.

Kwaaaang!

Even though the two of them had blocked it, the ground they had stepped on was dug up and they were pushed back by the tremendous power.

Tremendous strength. But it wouldn’t last long.

It was just a short awakening that had momentarily made the blood go berserk.

When this was over, he would rapidly lose his energy and become weak. From the point of view of having used berserk, the option of escaping was gone. From now on, it was a battle of endurance.

I squeezed out my remaining mana and scattered flame bullets to block the guy’s charge.

Kwagwagang!

But it only made the guy’s qi wave, which was already faintly clad in blood qi, waver for a moment, and it didn’t go through.

‘I need to increase the firepower…’

At that moment, I felt a chilling premonition from the front.

The enemy’s pupils, which had begun to turn red from dozens of meters away, were staring this way.

‘Damn it!’

In the blink of an eye, his figure blurred. He had taken advantage of the gap where the encirclement of the front line had thinned and had rushed towards this side.

Although the two people had tried to block him belatedly, the opponent had already approached to within a dozen meters of the front.

The shield that had been hastily erected was shattered in one blow by the guy’s hand gesture.

My mana was also running low. I had no choice but to draw my sword.

“Kehahat!”

Seo Muk-ho, who was rushing in, bursting into a mad laugh as if he found that sight ridiculous.

The old man’s face, which was wrinkling with every second, was bizarre.

Undeterred by this, I unfolded the forms of the Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword. Seo Muk-ho, who saw that, aimed his twin flying claws along the tip of my sword. At that moment.

Flash!

An intense light filled my vision.

It was a flash magic that had been exploded by gathering the remaining mana.

“Kuaaaak!”

The characteristic of the Blood Cult was that they had rapidly increased their skills in a strange way. Because of that, if they used their power excessively, it was easy for some part of their body, such as their internal organs, to go bad, and their eyesight was especially so.

The fact that the blood did not spread properly during berserk, and that the small blood vessels in the eyes were filled to the brim, was a side effect that appeared because they had made their energy go berserk before the energy veins that were suitable for a sensitive organ were established.

Since they couldn’t control it, their pupils opened, and they turned into madmen.

In such a situation, since they had received a high-density light at the level of a laser, their eyesight had no choice but to go blind.

No matter how much they protected it with their internal energy, they would at least be unable to see for a short time.

“You bastard!!”

Seo Muk-ho belatedly tried to grasp my location with his qi sense. But just like when I had faced Baek Cheong, it was a situation where I had scattered a thick qi wave of flames around me.

It was difficult for him to accurately detect me in his forcibly berserk state.

The guy swung his rake wildly towards the front. But I had already moved away from that spot long ago.

Instead, the two people who had rushed in struck with their swords.

Although the enemy had sensed the killing intent and had blocked it, he could not completely block the joint attack in a state where his vision was also blocked.

Swish-!

Finally, the opponent’s wrist was sent flying by Namgung Bihwa’s fast sword. As the twin flying claws, which had been cladding the unstable sword qi in Baek Hasin’s even darker black sword, were broken, and one of his legs was also cut off, Seo Muk-ho’s figure tilted.

‘Now!’

I immediately rushed at the guy. And I pierced Seo Muk-ho’s abdomen with my sword, which was imbued with mana.

“Keuk!”

But it didn’t end there.

Woooong-

I created a specific detailed qi wave for berserk as written in the Blood River Art. Then, even though it was a small energy, the opponent’s inside began to churn.

I had imbued my sword with qi and had made it resonate with the opponent’s blood vessels.

“Keuleok!”

As a result, qi burst out from Seo Muk-ho’s entire body, and blood gushed out from all the holes in his body.

‘It works.’

I drew my sword, looking at the collapsing Seo Muk-ho.

The Great Blood Art, which was discovered by reverse-analyzing the Blood River Art.

What I had found out was a way to forcibly make a Blood Cult member go berserk.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep