Chapter 445

Chapter 445
## Chapter 445

Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero (3)

The engagement dragged out a bit further after Mok In-gwang threw himself into the fray.

Because of this, Ha Seung-hoon managed to gain additional practical experience in combat against a terrifyingly powerful adversary, though it unfortunately did not last very long past that point.

“Damn it! That miserable old bastard…”

“Tsk, tsk. My instruction was always for you to control your respiration. You allow yourself to be consumed by your fury rather than obeying, and this state is the consequence. A weakling with a human frame—how many years must pass before you are of any use if you remain this thick-headed?”

“To weigh my mortal form against a yokai’s… No, putting that aside, how can you speak to your own apprentice in such a manner when my body is completely shattered… Argh!”

“Look at that—your breathing pattern has fallen apart yet again. If you would simply follow your instructor’s guidance precisely, a minor wound like that would vanish in an instant. Though your lineage has degraded over the ages, the blood of a yokai undeniably courses through your form.”

“Damn you… You filthy hound. One day, I will absolutely…”

“Ha! Observe. What did I declare to you? With a recuperative speed like yours, you will be back on your feet before long.”

Mok In-gwang was sprawled out across the earth, twitching like a discarded puppet—his limbs bent at unnatural angles, internal organs ruptured, and crimson fluid streaming from his nose and mouth. There was not a single uninjured patch of flesh on his frame.

Ha Seung-hoon observed the elderly figure standing ahead—one hand tucked behind his spine while pulling at his chin beard—as his gaze focused intently.

‘Raksha King, one of the elite leaders within Geum-o-do. He is the central pillar of the coalition composed of yokai apart from the dragons, correct? I previously shared pleasantries with Horus… ‘

However, Horus’s relationships were heavily skewed toward the dragon kind, meaning they had never truly conversed in private.

After all, even if he only held the title of the Imperial Dragon in name, he was forced to remain at the heart of the dragon-aligned group.

Naturally, having endured severe hardships alongside one another, the different factions did not engage in open warfare. Even so, within the same social circle, smaller groups naturally form between intimate companions and mere acquaintances.

Furthermore, the Raksha King had chosen not to participate in the ultimate conflict to safeguard the leaderless Geum-o-do.

“Grrr—grr! Curse it, why…!”

Just then, a ragged, heavy gasping from nearby pulled his attention away.

A colossal beast lay there, writhing in a state that was no better than Mok In-gwang’s. The cataclysmic fury it had displayed moments before had completely vanished.

“Raksha King! Your place was supposed to be within the spirit world—for what reason are you here? How did you arrive at such immense speed?!”

“Heh, consider it a stroke of good fortune. Though even in my absence, breaking free from the grasp of Geum-o-do would have been no simple feat for you.”

“Do not mock me! Had I possessed merely a fraction more might, had I been granted a minor extension of time to consume that dragon child and expand my power, I surely would have…”

“Entertain whatever delusions you please. You shall have a full ten centuries confined within the Penitence Cave to reflect upon them in isolation.”

“Kuh, no. It cannot terminate in this manner!”

Do-ol lashed out frantically, desperate to flee.

He contorted his sluggishly mending form in every possible direction.

Yet his struggles crumbled into insignificance the moment the elderly man unsealed the container hanging from his waist.

“Uwaaaah—nooo—!”

As if drawn toward a cosmic void, the creature’s immense body elongated and narrowed, pulled directly into the vessel.

The horrifying shriek, similarly stretched thin, only ceased when the cap clicked back into place.

‘…Remarkable.’

Ha Seung-hoon silently marveled as he observed the Raksha King calmly refastening the sealed container to his belt.

Precisely when he assumed the situation had reached its absolute conclusion, this individual intervened and altered the course of events in a single breath.

Even when measured against a fellow great yokai, the disparity in their capabilities was glaringly obvious.

‘Well, he belongs to the topmost authority, so his strength is a given. Deploying Mok In-gwang ahead of time was likely meant as a form of discipline.’

His attention reverted to the man who was still swearing and convulsing upon the soil.

He could perceive it instantly.

The frantic energy endlessly coursing through that near-fatal form was not merely mending the injuries—it was reforging the flesh to be far more resilient than before.

‘It bears a resemblance to Hari’s technique. Though because the underlying foundations differ so greatly, the effectiveness cannot be compared.’

Furthermore, for an individual possessing merely a vestige of yokai ancestry—someone who was fundamentally human—to survive a direct engagement with an undeniably superior great yokai must have sharpened his mental fortitude immensely, even if the internal fury made structured thought difficult.

And that development would provide the vital bedrock for him to eventually shatter the barrier of transcendence.

‘Naturally, I have also advanced through this clash.’

Ha Seung-hoon exhaled a quiet, deep breath and inspected his inner state.

—

### ⚔ STATUS ⚔

* **Entity Name:** Ha Seung-hoon
* **Common Traits:** 「Mind Hub」, 「Persona」, 「Great Spirit」, 「Insight」, 「Xenoglossy」, 「Subspace Storage」, 「Limit Break」, 「Mimicry」
* **Entity Traits:** 「Spirit Body」, 「Heavenly Dragon Divine Art」, 「All Streams Return to the Sea」, 「Martial Extreme」, 「Versatile」, 「Comprehensive Medical Theory」, 「Field Cooking」, 「Array Compendium」, 「Gathering」
* **Special Notes:** Due to extended psychological adaptations, the entity designation has shifted from ‘Hugo’ to ‘Ha Seung-hoon’. 「Martial Extreme」 enables seamless blending of conflicting combat doctrines. Every action experiences heightened advancement multipliers courtesy of the 「Growth Potion」 and the Dragon God’s benediction.

—

Among the diverse attributes he had accumulated throughout his journey across the combat realm, the freshly acquired capability labeled 「Martial Extreme」 caught his eye above all else.

He could sense its nature intuitively.

The instant he achieved complete mastery over this trait would coincide with his shattering of the transcendent barrier.

‘It is a pity not to force the breakthrough this very moment, but such is the reality of things.’

This clash had provided substantial rewards.

In the initial stages, he had barely preserved his existence by exhausting every resource at his disposal. Yet by the final phases, he was capable of reasonably enduring strikes laced with the great yokai’s dense spiritual essence.

To anticipate reaching the transcendent domain from a single engagement would be pure avarice.

Having gathered every prerequisite to ascend at any chosen moment already went beyond what he had anticipated.

This reality emphasized the profound impact of the ‘Black Dragon Secret Letter’.

“Young Master Ha!”

While he was sorting through these reflections—

A sudden fragrance of fresh blossoms swept across his senses, immediately followed by a gentle, slender form burying itself directly against his chest.

“You are unharmed! Oh, praises be! I never should have placed you in harm’s way once more on my account…!”

Before he could offer a word, a petite woman threw herself completely into his arms, gazing up with moisture gathering in her eyes.

She had endured such intense psychological strain that despite the brevity of the skirmish, her limbs continued to shudder slightly.

‘No, perhaps too many crises unfolded within that brief window.’

Ha Seung-hoon offered a faint, self-deprecating grin and nudged her shoulder comfortingly.

“Did I not assure you that I would be perfectly fine? With the dragon child seized from their very doorstep, there was no scenario where Geum-o-do would remain passive. My sole responsibility was to delay the enemy until the arrival of the relief forces.”

“But… even if that is true, your injuries are so severe…!”

Her expression collapsed once more as her hands gently traced his broken form, channeling the sacred vitality of the Dragon God into his flesh.

The innate recovery of his 「Spirit Body」 had already mended the majority of the deep gashes, but the shredded fabric and crimson smears presented a striking testament to the severity of the conflict.

“…I am indebted to you once more.”

She murmured in a quiet tone, staring at the remnants of the brutal trial.

It had occurred in the past, and now it had repeated—captured purely because of her status as the ‘dragon child’, only to be liberated by his hand. The weight of appreciation felt immense.

She likely would not even draw breath at this moment if not for his intervention.

“Young Master Ha, I…”

Pressing her teeth against her lower lip, she turned her tear-brightened gaze toward him.

His skin was coated in perspiration and dust, yet she remained oblivious to it.

*Thump—thump—*

The rapid hammering of her heart resonated clearly within her ears.

Becoming suddenly conscious of the rhythm, a deep crimson warmth bloomed across her face.

And as she inhaled deeply to speak further—

“Hey there, Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero. It is time for our departure. Oh! And the Master desires a brief conversation with you.”

Mok In-gwang, who was now capable of keeping himself upright to some degree, shuffled over and dropped a hand onto Ha Seung-hoon’s shoulder.

Having faced a formidable adversary as allies, his demeanor had grown significantly more familiar—whether born from shared struggle or appreciation for the man’s capabilities.

“And as for you, lady of the Jeon Je-ga. Considering the events that transpired at the Mo-san Sect as well, the Master is extending an invitation for you to proceed directly to Geum-o-do’s principal base within the spirit world. Your entire party is included.”

The spirit world existed as the reverse face of this mundane reality, meaning the specific point of transition held little consequence, but utilizing the established pathway at the Mo-san Sect offered the smoothest journey.

Signaling that this was an exceptional privilege, he grinned broadly.

“Consider yourselves fortunate. I feel a touch of envy. It required quite some time for me to obtain authorization myself. The Master must view your group with immense favor.”

“It is an honor. But are you truly fit? You ought to experience more recovery…”

“Heh, a trifling matter. I am perfectly fine, perfectly fine.”

Mok In-gwang waved off Ha Seung-hoon’s expressions of concern with a smirk.

“………”

In the meantime, Jeon Je-ga Hye-mi directed a piercing stare toward him, her eyelids narrowing at the individual who had shattered the delicate atmosphere.

Perceptive as she was, a single glance toward the chuckling elder observing from a distance and the grinning apprentice revealed the entire situation to her.

Her mouth twitched momentarily before shaping into a dazzling, warm expression as she moved closer.

“Mok Swordmaster, you appear to remain in great distress. Permit me to evaluate your condition. The draconic disciplines possess restorative attributes as well.”

“…Hm? Well, very well, that is acceptable to me.”

“Witnessing you suffer after arriving to assist us fills me with sorrow. Come forward, step this way.”

“Very well, let us observe what you… Grk!”

Her sacred energy flooded into his form, forcing his recuperative faculties to activate at a rate dozens of times greater than normal.

His muscular structures visibly spasmed across his entire frame.

Under ordinary circumstances, an element to dull the sensation would accompany the treatment—however.

“Oh, bypassing stabilization to achieve maximum speed results in a degree of agony as a consequence… Yet a renowned warrior such as yourself will surely pay it no mind, correct? Unleishing full intensity immediately?”

“Urgh—you treacherous…”

Barely managing to remain standing on his broken skeleton, he dropped like a creature struck mid-flight, trembling violently from head to toe.

Yet the outcome could not be disputed.

His largely mortal flesh—harboring merely a trace of yokai ancestry—began reassembling itself at an unnatural pace.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I commanded you to remain stationary. When do you intend to correct that volatile disposition?”

The distant Raksha King sighed quietly under his breath, stroking his thick beard.

He glared down at his miserable apprentice, who had ultimately begun frothing at the lips before losing consciousness entirely.

“Hm, regardless, mending at this velocity implies we can return to our exercises immediately. There is no cause to lessen the intensity. Kahahaha!”

Gratified by this conclusion, he gave a firm nod accompanied by a wide grin.

As a matter of fact—

The raksha, one of the yokai groups allied with Geum-o-do, had historically been referred to as ‘corrupted spirits’—entities not particularly celebrated for their gentle temperaments.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Apprehending and confining Do-ol did not signify that the catastrophe was entirely settled.

It became apparent to them that the creature’s rampage had generated an immense amount of labor for Geum-o-do as well.

‘Reflecting upon the matter, this was never exclusively a mortal dilemma from its inception.’

Reestablishing harmony was a massive undertaking for all involved.

With the restructuring of the world only just commencing, they required measures to forestall any additional complications.

‘Horus commands immense authority within Geum-o-do. We can leverage that influence to keep the yokai under control to some degree.’

The majority of the remaining yokai fell under the jurisdiction of the largest coalition, Geum-o-do, but that arrangement would not endure indefinitely.

A great number had aligned themselves purely out of a requirement for preservation, precisely like Do-ol.

Now that the Demon Cult had been wiped out and security was reestablished, those who no longer required protection would choose to act according to their own desires before long.

‘The state of affairs remains incredibly delicate. Should a major conflict ignite at this juncture… ‘

They had implemented strategies to reduce friction to a minimum, yet no plan was flawless.

A minor dispute sparking a renewed conflict would expand beyond anyone’s ability to govern.

‘I cannot allow that to transpire. I already possess sufficient burdens regarding what lies ahead.’

The narrative arc concerning the Greater Spirit World was drawing to a close following the primary developments.

Spiritual providence was continuously accumulating from bringing order to the realm—there was zero inclination to invite disruption now.

Consequentially, Horus sought the assistance of the remaining Five Dragons to preserve tranquility, restructuring the framework to place constraints upon rogue yokai.

He found himself too occupied to even appear for the arrival of Ha Seung-hoon’s companions at Geum-o-do.

He was observing the events in real-time through the vision of one of the members regardless.

—

### ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙

Particular parameters have been satisfied. The benefit 「Imperial Dragon’s Orb」 commences its response.

—

As a result, he could not help but feel caught off guard by the abrupt manifestation of the alert.

“Huh? Without any warning?”

On a specific day, when the incarnation Ha Seung-hoon, the dragon child Jeon Je-ga Hye-mi, and their associates paid a visit to Geum-o-do.

The unique benefit he had dismissed from his thoughts after securing the ‘Final Imperial Dragon’ feat—uncertain of how it functioned—at last revealed its utility.