Chapter 59

Chapter 59. Nine-Tattooed Dragon (2)

A Constellation Skill that descends the Constellation into the Contractor's body...

I stared at the observation screen.

The A-rank Constellation "Hero of Nine Dragons"...

Nine-Tattooed Dragon Shi Jin of Liangshan...

Had descended into the body of his Contractor, Han Sewon.

Unlike my [Avatar Descent], which sends down an avatar...

This was closer to possession.

But the consciousness currently controlling Han Sewon's body...

Was Shi Jin himself.

[Demonic Star Descent], wasn't it?

I wasn't especially surprised to see Shi Jin appear personally.

I had already expected him to use the Constellation Skill [Demonic Star Descent].

Li Kui told me about it.

The B-rank Constellation "Murderer with Two Axes"...

Black Whirlwind Li Kui of Liangshan...

Had told me about Shi Jin.

According to Li Kui...

Every Constellation originating from the 108 heroes of Liangshan possessed a Constellation Skill called [Demonic Star Descent].

It likely came from the legend that they were born carrying the energy of 108 demonic stars.

When [Demonic Star Descent] was used only partially...

A Contractor could imitate the martial prowess of those heroes.

Their personality would also be affected to some extent, just like Lee Sion.

But when the ability was pushed to its limit...

The Contractor could lose control of the body entirely.

Just like Han Sewon now.

Shi Jin is different from Jason, whom Kang Yujin fought before.

Of course...

He was borrowing Han Sewon's body.

So he couldn't reproduce the full power of his true Constellation body.

Still...

Han Sewon ranked second in the Hwaseong Sect.

His physical specifications should already be excellent.

That meant Shi Jin could display a great deal of his martial skill.

A being on a completely different level from the Contractors Kang Yujin had fought so far...

A legendary hero...

Was now standing before him as an enemy.

"Ugh..."

While Kang Yujin faced Shi Jin...

Lee Sion forced herself up.

"You bastard...!"

"Lee Sion."

Kang Yujin spoke immediately.

"Stop."

"Don't stop me!"

Lee Sion grabbed her axe and charged Shi Jin again.

Shi Jin casually avoided her attack.

"Using martial arts through a Skill means forcibly drawing out the qi inside your own body."

He dodged Lee Sion's consecutive attacks with relaxed movements.

"An experienced martial artist who has accumulated internal energy over many years can sustain it."

"But if an inexperienced youngster uses martial arts that way..."

"Your stamina will run out quickly."

"Ugh!"

Shi Jin lightly swung the sword he had picked up.

Lee Sion's axe flew from her hands.

Then...

Shi Jin's kick struck her torso perfectly.

"Urgh!"

Lee Sion spat blood and crashed into the display cabinet again.

Shi Jin looked at her coldly.

"You haven't even noticed that your stamina is exhausted."

"Still inexperienced."

"Or perhaps..."

"You simply resemble your Constellation."

Kang Yujin understood what Shi Jin meant.

He had already noticed that Lee Sion's movements were much slower than before.

So this is the weakness of martial arts-type Skills.

If martial arts had no disadvantages...

Then everyone would simply learn martial arts Skills.

After all...

They allowed even people without huge muscles to produce tremendous force.

But as Lee Sion demonstrated...

Because they used the practitioner's own energy to amplify power...

Using them too long actually drained the body.

"Your explosive power ranks first in the Hwaseong Sect."

Shi Jin continued.

"But this is why your official rank is only fourth."

"You should've trained more and built greater stamina."

Lee Sion had displayed power almost comparable to Kang Yujin's modified body despite her small frame.

That power...

Came at the price of rapid energy consumption.

"Now then..."

Shi Jin confirmed that Lee Sion could no longer rise.

Then he turned toward Kang Yujin.

"It looks like we won't be interrupted anymore."

He raised his sword.

"Let's begin."

"I'll take your head and end the recent chaos."

"That's funny."

Kang Yujin tightened his grip on the iron mace.

"You're the one who caused this chaos."

"You pushed Jegal Geum."

"You made Han Sewon rebel."

"All of it was you."

"..."

"What you just said..."

Kang Yujin stared directly at the legendary hero.

"That's my line."

"I'll defeat you and end the chaos here."

"Arrogant brat."

Shi Jin moved.

"It's finally starting!"

"I can't believe Kang Yujin is fighting a Constellation!"

"He fought Jason before."

"Did you forget?"

"Jason wasn't a hero known for combat strength!"

"Shi Jin was famous for his martial arts!"

"But Shi Jin himself hasn't descended in his real body."

"So we still don't know what will happen."

"This is hard to predict!"

Geumgak stared at the chat.

It really is hard to predict.

If the A-rank Constellation Shi Jin had appeared in his real body...

Kang Yujin's defeat would be certain.

But Shi Jin was currently borrowing Han Sewon's body.

Han Sewon was the second-ranked fighter in the Hwaseong Sect and possessed excellent physical abilities.

Even so...

There had to be limitations.

His basic abilities were probably enhanced by the possession.

But by how much?

Kang Yujin had a chance.

The problem was...

Nobody knew how large that chance was.

Either way...

I hope he wins.

All Geumgak could do now was send encouragement and donations.

He was about to sponsor around five hundred thousand Coins.

Then...

"...!"

Shi Jin's blade cut deeply into Kang Yujin's right shoulder.

Blood sprayed.

Kang Yujin grabbed the wound and dropped to one knee.

"Inexperienced."

Shi Jin's voice came from above Kang Yujin, who knelt with blood running down his body.

"You possess excellent strength."

"And your reflexes seem good."

"But that's all."

"..."

"You seem to have learned some technique."

"But using it half-heartedly is actually making things worse."

Shi Jin looked down at him.

"I can see through all of it."

Kang Yujin felt he had a point.

Shi Jin seemed to predict every movement Kang Yujin made.

To a true martial arts master...

Kang Yujin's rough techniques were apparently completely transparent.

Should I go back to fighting recklessly like before?

In the past...

Kang Yujin had known no technique at all.

He had simply fought on instinct.

Perhaps it would be better to abandon technique and return to pure instinct.

No.

He immediately rejected the thought.

If he rushed in recklessly...

Shi Jin might exploit even greater weaknesses.

Perhaps that was exactly what Shi Jin wanted.

"..."

Kang Yujin bit his lip and lifted the mace with his left hand.

His right shoulder was injured.

He probably couldn't swing properly with that arm.

"You still haven't lost your fighting spirit."

Shi Jin spoke coldly.

"Good."

"I'll entertain you a little longer."

"Ugh...!"

Kang Yujin swung the mace.

Shi Jin dodged easily.

At the same time...

He continued cutting Kang Yujin with his sword.

As time passed...

More wounds appeared across Kang Yujin's body.

Shi Jin remained completely unharmed.

"Kang Yujin."

Shi Jin spoke while fighting.

"A being like you will interfere with the Scenario that is about to unfold."

"Interfere?"

"I analyzed the current balance among the Eight Guardians of the Capital Region."

"And I built my future plans around it."

Shi Jin's eyes narrowed.

"If an unpredictable variable like you enters..."

"My plan falls apart."

"So I'm removing you."

"Didn't you order Jegal Geum to recruit me originally?"

"That was the initial plan."

"At the time..."

"I didn't understand just how uncontrollable you were."

Shi Jin's expression hardened.

"You are like a lawless brute no one can control."

"Give me a break!"

Kang Yujin swung the mace in a wide arc.

It was difficult for Shi Jin to avoid.

If he dodged...

His stance would break and create an opening.

But Shi Jin did not force himself to evade.

He lightly moved his sword...

And redirected the mace's path.

"You were a bandit hero leading rough people while alive, weren't you?"

Kang Yujin asked.

"There should've been plenty of people like me around you."

"You were probably the same."

"I won't deny it."

Shi Jin swung his sword again.

But the attack lacked precision.

The blade had bent slightly while redirecting the mace.

"But that's a foolish point."

Shi Jin continued.

"I am now living a new life as a Constellation."

"Who I was then and who I am now are different."

"Garbage."

"What?"

Kang Yujin shot back coldly.

"You sure gave a grand introduction for someone claiming his past life doesn't matter."

"You proudly introduced yourself as Nine-Tattooed Dragon Shi Jin of the Heavenly Subtle Star."

"That..."

"Don't use becoming a Constellation as an excuse."

Shi Jin fell silent.

Kang Yujin continued.

"You make half-baked schemes."

"You treat countless people like pieces on a board."

Kang Yujin's eyes sharpened.

"You didn't become something greater than your old self."

"You just stopped being a proud hero and turned into a petty little villain."

"..."

Shi Jin's expression twisted.

"You call me a petty villain?"

"Yeah."

"When I read Water Margin as a kid..."

"You were a hero."

"Not some small-time villain like this."

"You insolent bastard...!"

Shi Jin threw away the bent sword.

Then he picked up another weapon lying among the debris.

"You clearly don't value your life!"

"I'll face you with the weapon I truly used..."

"This Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade!"

It was a long-handled weapon shaped somewhat like a spear, with a blade divided into three points.

The moment Shi Jin gripped it...

His movements became much more powerful and aggressive.

"You know nothing!"

Whether because he was drawing more heavily on his Constellation power or not...

Even direct clashes against Kang Yujin's mace no longer pushed him back.

"You're just an animal charging ahead without thinking!"

"Don't speak as though you understand anything!"

"You think you understand?"

"Of course!"

Shi Jin roared.

"I will lead this Hwaseong Sect and seize supremacy over the world!"

"No one will stop me!"

"This time..."

"No one will!"

Shi Jin swung the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade.

"Shi Jin."

Kang Yujin avoided the attack.

Then he stared directly at the Constellation.

"Tell me something."

"Are you trying to build another Liangshan in this world?"

"...!"

Shi Jin's movement broke.

It wasn't only because Kang Yujin's words caught him off guard.

Shi Jin had stepped onto...

Broken artifacts scattered across the floor.

"Ugh...!"

Exactly.

Kang Yujin had been swinging the mace in huge arcs for a reason.

Even while being cut by Shi Jin...

He had continued making unnecessarily large swings.

The result...

Was that nearby display cabinets had been smashed apart.

Jegal Geum's collected artifacts were shattered and scattered across the floor.

The Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade Shi Jin had just picked up...

Had been one of them.

With this much debris everywhere...

I figured eventually he'd step wrong.

After fighting Sama Yun...

Kang Yujin had realized how important footwork was.

So he had also watched Shi Jin's lower-body movement.

Perhaps because Han Sewon's body had limitations...

Shi Jin's steps had seemed slightly unstable.

That was why Kang Yujin had created this situation.

I'll finish it here.

Kang Yujin had already thrown away the mace.

He had never expected to land a decisive blow on Shi Jin with that weapon anyway.

Zhenjiao...!

He slammed his foot into the floor.

The shock delayed Shi Jin from correcting his stance, even if only for an instant.

Then...

Kang Yujin drove a full-force punch directly into Shi Jin's chest.

BOOM!

The blow landed perfectly.

A fist powered by Zhenjiao...

And maximized through [Fa Jin]...

Smashed straight into Shi Jin's chest.

Bright red blood burst from Shi Jin's mouth.

But...

"You underestimated me, Kang Yujin."

Even though the attack landed perfectly...

Even though he was coughing blood...

Shi Jin remained standing.

Was it his mental strength?

Or the power of a Constellation?

Han Sewon's body had clearly suffered a fatal blow.

And yet...

Shi Jin still swung his arm with terrifying force.

Pshk!

The Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade stabbed into Kang Yujin's left shoulder.

"I am Nine-Tattooed Dragon Shi Jin."

"A hero whose name was recorded in the history of the Fantasy Realm."

Shi Jin smiled through the blood.

"I won't fall so easily to a brat like you."

"Ugh...!"

"Either way..."

Shi Jin raised the weapon again.

"This is the end, Kang Yujin."

He seemed ready to take Kang Yujin's head this time.

But...

"You're the one who's finished, Shi Jin!"

Someone charged from behind him.

"...?!"

Shi Jin spun around in shock.

Lee Sion...

Who should have been unconscious from Shi Jin's attack...

Was charging with an axe.

But this time...

Her face was flushed red.

Her expression was vicious.

"No way...!"

Shi Jin screamed.

"Li Kui, you bastard?!"

"Did you think you're the only one who can descend your existence to Earth?"

The Constellation borrowing Lee Sion's body roared.

"I'm from Liangshan too!"

Lee Sion...

No.

The Constellation controlling her body...

Swung the axe with overwhelming force.

"Urgh!"

Shi Jin barely blocked the attack.

Lee Sion's body had already reached its limit...

So the strike was not perfect.

But blocking the huge axe forced Shi Jin to lose his grip on the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade.

Kang Yujin did not miss the opening.

"...!"

Both his right shoulder and left shoulder were injured.

Even if he tried to throw a punch...

He couldn't generate proper force.

But...

[Current Pseudo Manifestation of Constellation Armament '***' is active.]

[You can ignore physical and mental damage and move through willpower alone.]

[Please struggle until the very end.]

Once again...

Kang Yujin used Zhenjiao with everything he had.

Then he drove his fist into Shi Jin's chest.

He felt ribs shatter.

More blood erupted from Shi Jin's mouth.

That was the moment...

The legendary hero of the Fantasy Realm...

Nine-Tattooed Dragon Shi Jin...

Was defeated.