Possessing Nothing Novel (쥐뿔도 없는 회귀)

Chapter 126 - Gwangcheonma (2)

He wasn't surprised at Aine using Defense Aura. Lee Sungmin did not know what exactly the black heart was capable of, but he knew that Aine was using the moves from the Hundred Step Manual. At the same time, he remembered Xeon, whom she killed and pulled out his heart.

Aine had been difficult to fight at that time, but now it was even harder. Aine was a strong opponent five years ago but was still immature in many ways. There was a strong feeling of her being unfamiliar with fighting.

But not now. Aine's attacks and body movements were seamless and seemed impossible to do with a human body. The tentacles and blades protruding from her body could twist at angles that limbs could not replicate. It was truly monstrous.

They clashed again. Their inner forces collided with each other and scattered away. Aine launched another attack without stepping back. Dozens of tentacles bursting out from behind her back hit Lee Sungmin. Lee Sungmin rotated the spear in his hands, and Nine Dragons Spirit burst forth. The spear made of Orichalcum was far more powerful and fierce than ever before, and it struck Aine with Nine Dragons.

Aine's hands wriggled. She increased the size of her hand to inhuman proportions and attacked with her inner force.

Kkwaaang!

The Nine Dragons exploded in Aine's hand. Her right arm was torn apart and flung away, but Aine didn't even scream. She stabbed forth using her left arm instead of her right arm. The stabbing hand took the form of a large awl. Lee Sungmin recovered the spear he had shot at her and immediately threw it at her. Lee Sungmin's spear attack and Aine's fist collided.

Ppadeudeudeuk!

Their respective inner forces collided with one another. Lee Sungmin moved forward, overcoming the immense pressure with his whole body.

One step, two steps. The Two-step Calamitous End unfolded itself with an explosion of inner force aura over his entire body, creating a storm. He tried to use his inner force aura to crush Aine's whole body.

There, Aine's simple and efficient movement took shape. She had learned and perfected his footwork completely.

Pavavak!

Aine's body left behind dozens of afterimages and escaped Lee Sungmin's Two-step Calamitous End before the scattered afterimages united again. She burst out in joyous laughter.

Aine's tentacles came forth like dozens of knives and spears. The wide variety of blades were also as sharp as they looked. Lee Sungmin transferred inner force into his palms and performed the Nine Dragons Spirit technique once again. His Dantian overflowed with inner force, and the spear made of Orichalcum made it possible to amplify that force even more.

The biggest difference between Lee Sungmin and Aine was their bodies. Even though Aine's body was destroyed, she could repeatedly regenerate it without any difficulty – but Lee Sungmin couldn't do that. Even if Aine's arm was ripped off, it would regenerate again, but once his arm was ripped off, that would truly be his end.

That's why there was a difference in their boldness. Lee Sungmin moved in such a way that serious injuries could be avoided, but Aine did not have any such considerations. She did not hold back in anticipation of fatal injuries. Aine jumped into the Nine Dragons Spirit attack without any hesitation.

Kwkwkwkwa!

The Nine Dragons Spirits swept through the snowfield and swallowed up Aine's body.

All she had to do was protect her heart.

Aine had learned a lot during the five years. She couldn't use magic, but she had learnt a lot of martial arts. In fact, her growth was not the kind meant for learning, rather it was for predation. Besides that growth, Aine had learned other things too.