Chapter 54 – Kim Cheoljung

The Seven-Star Spirit that Kim Cheoljung had contracted was King Munmu, the 30th king of Silla who achieved the unification of the Three Kingdoms of the Korean Peninsula.

However, the King Munmu that Kim Cheoljung summoned had taken the form of a sea dragon, not a human form.

This was because he had unleashed his Sixth Awakening Skill, 《Nation-Protecting Great Dragon Fire》, derived from the records stating that King Munmu transformed into a nation-protecting great dragon after his death.

Kururururung!

A sound like thunder rumbled forth just from him exhaling.

Jeon Woochi, summoned by Jin Yuseong, countered by unleashing his Shapeshifting Art, transforming into a dragon.

The dragon Jeon Woochi transformed into and the opponent’s dragon tangled and fought.

Tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu!

Lightning crackled forth each time the dragons’ scales clashed.

Originally, based solely on the Feats Kim Cheoljung had achieved up to reaching 4-Star, contracting such a powerful Spirit would have been extremely difficult.

After all, the Spirit contracted by an Awakened is usually a being similar to the Contractor.

‘This is truly a pearl necklace on a pig’s neck.’

Jin Yuseong inwardly recited with a sneer.

There was only one reason Kim Cheoljung could contract King Munmu.

Bloodline.

Being a descendant of the Gyeongju Kim clan, one of the three great royal surnames of the Silla dynasty.

Besides Kim Cheoljung, quite a few among the Gyeongju Kim clan of the Korean Peninsula had become Seven-Star Contractors by contracting King Munmu.

‘But thanks to that, I also know King Munmu well.’

As King Munmu was the Spirit most commonly contracted by Koreans, his Awakening Skills were well-known.

Recalling that, Jin Yuseong thought he understood why Kim Cheoljung had picked a fight with him.

‘He was targeting me from the start, wasn’t he?’

It was probably preparation to enhance the power of King Munmu’s second Legendary Skill, <Dawn in My Hands>.

This skill, meaning “Your life is in my hands,” originated from an Awakening Skill derived from an episode when Kim Beopmin, as Crown Prince, participated in the war to subjugate Baekje.

Immediately after the fall of Sabi Fortress, the capital of Baekje, Crown Prince Kim Beopmin personally rebuked Buyeo Yung, the son of King Uija and the last Crown Prince of Baekje.

“Long ago, your father unjustly killed my younger sister and buried her in prison. Because of that, my heart ached and I suffered for twenty years. Today, your life is in my hands!”

The record of personally repaying a twenty-year grudge directly transformed, blessed by the Sun Constellation, into an Awakening Skill that deals damage ignoring defense proportional to the magnitude of the grudge.

This, in turn, materialized as a Legendary Skill, becoming the primary skill used by King Munmu’s Contractors.

‘The grudge referred to in Dawn in My Hands is the sum of the hatred the user and the target feel towards each other.’

It meant that damage equivalent to the sum of Kim Cheoljung’s hatred for Jin Yuseong and, conversely, Jin Yuseong’s hatred for Kim Cheoljung could strike at any time.

Sure enough.

“Your life is in my hands!”

Right after Kim Cheoljung, who had charged, shouted.

Smeul-smeul.

A thick, blood-red mist-like energy seeped out from the bodies of Kim Cheoljung and Jin Yuseong, coalesced into a grip.

It flew over and seized Jin Yuseong.

Kwajik!

Knowing he couldn’t block it anyway, he took the hit.

Fortunately, the grudge between him and Kim Cheoljung wasn’t that great yet, so it was bearable.

And immediately after the grip disappeared, he unleashed a shadow clone to transfer the damage.

‘Black Shadow Clone.’

Poohwak.

Jin Yuseong’s figure disappeared, turning into a shadow.

His main body reappeared on a shadow a short distance away.

If the timing of transferring the damage had been just a bit earlier, Dawn in My Hands would have followed and continued attacking the main body even after the transfer.

But after directly taking the hit from Dawn in My Hands, the damage was greater than expected.

‘Troublesome.’

If the damage was this much from a grudge born from mere provocation, if he attacked Kim Cheoljung and the grudge accumulated further, the damage would amplify to a level that could absolutely not be ignored.

Even if not fatal, just being near death would be dangerous against a Contractor of King Munmu.

King Munmu’s Third Awakening Skill, 《Momentary Death Sentence》, was an ability to instantly kill a near-death enemy.

It was an Awakening Skill derived from Silla’s history of dealing the final blow to Goguryeo, which was already almost ruined.

“You can withstand this much? As expected, you’re not just Jin Taeseong’s son for nothing.”

Kim Cheoljung provoked him by mentioning his father’s name.

Seemed he wanted to increase the grudge between them.

Jin Yuseong gritted his teeth at that.

Truthfully, he wasn’t in a position to criticize the other for merely inheriting a bloodline either.

The talent of second-generation Awakened born among first-generation Awakened is usually superior to the previous generation.

The reason Jin Yuseong was born with a Seven-Star Vessel was largely due to being the son of Jin Taeseong, a first-generation Highest-Rank Awakener.

“I can tell just by looking at your eyes. You think I’m just some guy lucky enough to contract King Munmu because I’m a Kim? Don’t look down on me. Both you and I are relying on our bloodlines, aren’t we?”

“…….”

Even knowing the other’s intention, being hit on a sore spot was unavoidably irritating.

Simultaneously, he tried his best to maintain composure and not let his guard down.

If the grudge grew larger here, he would have to use Black Shadow Clone twice by transferring damage once more in the middle.

Managing stamina became even more important.

‘Without Yu Sehee’s lantern or Park Seongcheol’s buff Aura, spamming Awakening Skills like during party hunts is impossible.’

Even if he only used Black Shadow Clone, at most five times.

Fortunately, the first time an Awakening Skill is used in a single battle, it mostly consumes pre-stored Starlight, so the stamina consumption isn’t huge.

The problem was from the second time onward.

‘At my current 2-Star level, I can’t use Jeon Woochi’s Fifth Awakening Skill twice.’

Checking the remaining Awakening Skill charges:

Hidden Blade: 1 use.

Assassination Directive: 1 use.

Earth Shrinking Path: 1 use.

Clone Path: 1 use.

Soul Return Path: 1 use.

Even the Fourth Awakening Skill, Clone Path, would consume stamina and Starlight equivalent to using Black Shadow Clone three times if attempted for a second use.

Then, using Black Shadow Clone, which is similar but has lower consumption, would be more efficient.

Similarly, there was no need to use Hidden Blade or Assassination Directive more than once either.

Jeon Woochi’s First and Second Awakening Skills, materialized as Legendary Skills, would be far more efficient than other Awakening Skills.

‘Moreover, defeating Kim Cheoljung doesn’t mean passing the Preliminaries, so I can’t use all my Awakening Skills either.’

He also intended to conserve them, as Legendary Skills from Legendary Equipment have a non-trivial cooldown before reuse.

Therefore, for this battle, he planned to continue fighting mainly using existing skills and the Black Shadow Envoy gauntlet.

At that moment, the Rare Skill <Danger Detection>, which had evolved through Synergy’s same-type integration, activated.

Hwaaak-

His vision turned red, and the crisis stemming from the action Kim Cheoljung would take a few seconds later unfolded in his mind.

Thanks to that, he could grasp the opponent’s intention one step ahead and first unleash the Legendary Skill <Guardian Lord Power>.

Pat.

Jeon Woochi’s first Legendary Skill, summoning the Spirit Treasure Fox Orb, which converts inner Starlight into Taoist power.

Similarly, Kim Cheoljung also summoned King Munmu’s flute-type Spirit Treasure, Manpasikjeok.

Just as seen through Danger Detection.

It was a legendary treasure with tales of being gifted by King Munmu to his son, King Sinmun.

-Piriririri.

The peaceful melody flowing out as Kim Cheoljung put the flute to his lips and blew.

True to its name meaning ‘flute that pacifies all the waves of the world,’ its effect was simple.

Sealing of Starlight.

‘The flow of Starlight has stopped.’

Precisely, the movement of Starlight received through the Constellation’s Blessing stopped.

He couldn’t use Awakening Skills, excluding skills.

Simultaneously, his fighting spirit subsided.

He just wanted to lie down and sleep.

“Don’t fall asleep! Fight!”

Awakening himself with <Order>, he resisted Manpasikjeok’s influence as much as possible.

But in the brief moment he hesitated, intoxicated by the melody, Kim Cheoljung had already begun his next attack.

Even though he had removed Manpasikjeok from his lips, the flute alone spewed forth melody amidst.

Hwarang First Awakening Skill 《Selective Slaughter》.

Kim Cheoljung was unleashing the Awakening Skill of the 3-Star Hwarang Spirit he had contracted.

The prohibition on using Awakening Skills applied only to Jin Yuseong; Kim Cheoljung was unaffected by Manpasikjeok.

Chwaaaak!

The sword Kim Cheoljung swung approached, shimmering like a heat haze.

The effect of Selective Slaughter is the selection of the target to be cut.

It passes through targets not intended to be cut, and cuts only the targets intended to be cut.

Thanks to that, like Dawn in My Hands, it enabled attacks that ignored defense.

‘But unlike Dawn in My Hands, which is a Certain Hit, you can just avoid it.’

Whoosh!

Jin Yuseong’s body, about to be cut by Kim Cheoljung’s sword, was forcibly pulled backward as if by something, flying rapidly away.

The blade that sliced through empty air.

Strands of Black Shadow Envoy flowing from the gauntlet were attached all over Jin Yuseong’s body.

As if he himself had become a puppet.

Kkadak- kkadak- giririk.

The combination of <Black Shadow Manipulation Art> and <Black Shadow Envoy> ventured into the realm of <Puppetry Art>.

Due to the Black Shadow Envoy strands hooked onto pulley-like mechanisms placed around him via Black Shadow Manipulation Art, even the slightest twitch of Jin Yuseong’s fingers caused his body to perform rapid movements.

Pabat- pabat- paaah!

The forced movement, filled with rapid acceleration and sudden stops, would normally place a burden on a living body, but Jin Yuseong’s body was fine.

Because with each movement, he melted into the shadow wrapped around his body using the <Stealth> skill, barely feeling any inertia.

It was an Art made possible because his understanding of the shadow attribute had increased thanks to transforming into a shadow during the transformation showdown with Kang Taepung last time.

‘This feeling… it’s familiar somehow?’

It was similar to when he used <Wind Penetration>.

The differences were that he transformed into shadow, not wind, and the penetration rate was much lower?

‘If Stealth continues to evolve, it might reach the level of Wind Penetration.’

Storing away that realization, he circled around Kim Cheoljung.

Sak! Sak!

Narrowly avoiding the sword wrapped in Selective Slaughter.

It should have been irritating for Kim Cheoljung, with Jin Yuseong just out of reach, but Kim Cheoljung seemed somewhat at ease.

‘……!’

Something was off.

Suddenly, King Munmu’s Fourth Awakening Skill came to mind.

《Sound Wave Blade》.

It was a top-secret known to very few, but as the administrator of the Dark Web, he knew the ability of Sound Wave Blade.

Derived from the history of employing a two-faced strategy against the Tang Dynasty, which revealed ambitions towards the Korean Peninsula, it transformed into an Awakening Skill that delivers imperceptibly stealthy attacks to the enemy.

‘They said by the time you perceive the damage, it’s already after receiving an irreversible wound.’

If he were wounded by Sound Wave Blade without knowing it and then took Dawn in My Hands, the likelihood of falling into a near-death state was high.

Then, he would become prey for Momentary Death Sentence, awaiting only the outcome of instant death.

‘I can’t know whether I’ve been hit by Sound Wave Blade now or not… but if I stay still like this, that’s how it will end.’

That’s why Danger Detection had activated earlier.

Clenching the Fox Orb tightly, he moved his Taoist power.

Uuung!

He unleashed the Legendary Skill <Disguise Unraveling>.

Pung.

The Taoist power contained in the Fox Orb moved according to a set pattern, manifesting the transformative function.

The target of the Shapeshifting Art was not himself, but the shadow he manipulated.

He threw the shadow disguised as a hidden blade using the <Flash Shadow> skill.

Sswaeaeaek!

Implementing the sealed Hidden Blade in a way other than an Awakening Skill.

Pababababat!

Over a dozen black rays of light targeting Kim Cheoljung!

At that moment, the Proficiency of his First Awakening Skill, Hidden Blade, obtained at the moment of his 1-Star Awakening, increased dramatically.

But Jin Yuseong focused on controlling the hidden blades more than on the realization.

“Keuhk!”

Because the Black Shadow Envoy was connected to the hidden blades, he could twist their trajectories into paths the opponent couldn’t deflect, hitting the opponent.

Blood and a groan burst from Kim Cheoljung’s mouth.

Wounds, not small ones, pierced his limbs and torso.

If not for the Hwarang’s Second Awakening Skill, No Retreat in Battle, it wouldn’t be strange for him to be eliminated immediately.

“Do you think I’ll lose like this?!”

Similar to No Retreat in Battle, the Third Awakening Skill of Pheidippides contracted by Lee Hanseong, it was a combat-sustaining Awakening Skill that prevents falling as long as the battle isn’t over.

However, unlike Pheidippides’ No Retreat in Battle, a Third Awakening Skill, the Hwarang’s No Retreat in Battle is a Second Awakening Skill, so its duration is shorter.

As if trying to defeat Jin Yuseong before No Retreat in Battle ended, Kim Cheoljung unleashed the last Awakening Skill he could use.

King Munmu Fifth Awakening Skill 《Three Extremes Achieving Origin》!

Since his Synchronization Rate with King Munmu was still only in the 20% range, the highest Awakening Skill of King Munmu Kim Cheoljung could use was the Fifth.

Uuung!

An illusory form of the Three Taiji appeared before Kim Cheoljung’s lower Dantian.

One, Kim Cheoljung’s own power in blue; another, Jin Yuseong’s remaining Black Shadow within his body in red; the last, the power of nature filling heaven and earth in yellow—three types of energy were mixing into one.

Kuguguguguguu!!

Tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu!!

Papapapapapa!!

The Unification of unstable energy that seemed ready to explode at any moment.

But he had an intuition that the destructive power created by such instability itself could not be ignored.

‘Dangerous!’

<Danger Detection> repeatedly sounded alarms in his mind.

And immediately after.

Flash!

As the illusory form of the Three Taiji condensed into a single point, the immense power of Three Extremes Achieving Origin imbued Kim Cheoljung’s body.

Chiiii-!

The holes pierced all over his body healed instantly.

The remaining power all rushed into the Manpasikjeok he was holding.

With eyes blazing brightly, Kim Cheoljung recited the activation phrase for Manpasikjeok.

“Lull to sleep, Manmanpapa Sikjeok.”

Soon, the flute’s form became even clearer and more antiquated.

Piririririri!!

A more majestic and powerful melody of peace, compared to before, flowed from Manpasikjeok—no, Manmanpapa Sikjeok.

The Grade of the Treasure Vessel, which was Legendary Grade, had now soared to Mythical Grade.

It was clearly the Divine Artifact Awakening of a Spirit Treasure, said to be unlocked by only a few Spirits.

Seeing that, Jin Yuseong could no longer think of holding back his power.