Myst, Might, Mayhem Chapter 498
Previously on Myst, Might, Mayhem...
Chapter 498.1 – Side Story 6 Part 4
Flames of the Abyss (4)
‘What just happened?’
Hong Hae-a’s gaze instantly sharpened with intense caution.
While his birth within flames made him immune to heat, the sheer force that erupted when he decapitated the White Ghost King in a single pass had far surpassed his calculations.
Despite reaching the pinnacle of the Samadhi True Fire, taking down a White Ghost King—a supreme entity among the Imaemangyangs—with one blow was no minor feat.
‘This wretch… he is incredibly powerful.’
He had never intended to lower his guard, especially knowing this man had shattered the horn of his father, the Great Strength King.
Yet, the reality of that power exceeded even his highest estimates.
‘At this level, he rivals the greatest ancient immortals. Is he on par with Yang Jian or perhaps that Monkey?’
Being a mere Imaemangyang didn't explain this. This was an adversary who demanded he unleash the full potential of both the Kunlun Mirror and his Samadhi True Fire immortal technique.
As this realization dawned, Hong Hae-a felt a new sensation rising alongside his wariness.
It was a burning competitive drive.
Not since his encounters with that Monkey had anyone forced him into such a state of tension.
‘A battle where the outcome is truly unknown…’
His blood began to boil with fighting spirit.
Swick!
“Mother, back away.”
“My son! You cannot face him alone. He is far beyond our level. Let me help…”
“It is fine. I have yet to reveal my true depth.”
“What are you planning?”
With those words, Hong Hae-a leaned in and whispered to the Iron Fan Immortal.
Her brow furrowed with a strange look before she finally nodded, taking flight toward a section where the thick lava surged upward in a violent reverse flow.
‘They are up to something. I cannot let her escape.’
Swish!
The Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, who had been observing closely, attempted to pursue by masking her presence with one of her tails.
However, grotesque entities suddenly erupted from the lava floor, obstructing her path.
The Golden Nine-Tailed Fox pulled a face of disgust and slight dread at their arrival.
These were the Demon God Generals.
‘The Tower.’
The miniature tower clutched in Hong Hae-a’s hand was radiating a brilliant glow of immortal power.
It seemed it possessed the power to not only imprison but also command the Demon God Generals.
These were no ordinary summons, either. Likely influenced by Hong Hae-a’s Samadhi True Fire, the generals possessed bodies formed of molten lava, radiating lethal heat.
‘Do they adapt based on the master’s immortal power?’
They had become significantly more formidable.
Hong Hae-a gave the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox a mocking smirk and barked an order.
“I will deal with you shortly. For now, try to survive those generals!”
Responding to Hong Hae-a’s killing intent, the generals lunged at her simultaneously, swinging heavy clubs of solidified magma.
Papapapapapapak!
“Tch! How bothersome.”
Confident she was occupied, Hong Hae-a turned his attention back to the approaching Heavenly Demon, spreading his arms and dropping into a peculiar stance.
Then,
Hwarururururuk!
Flames of yellow, blue, snow-white, green, and red ignited around his form.
The presence of these five distinct, mystical fires proved he had attained the ultimate mastery of the Samadhi True Fire.
‘Five Fires as One!’
As Hong Hae-a pressed his palms together in a prayer-like gesture, the floating flames began to converge.
The five elements, usually impossible to reconcile, fused into a single, deep purple blaze.
This was the True Purple Fire, the absolute zenith of the Samadhi True Fire.
Even among ancient immortals, perhaps only three had ever reached this stage, as the Cultivation required was so vast that few dared attempt it.
But for Hong Hae-a, the literal incarnation of fire, no technique was more natural.
Hwarururururuk!
Bathed in the True Purple Fire, Hong Hae-a extended his hands.
“Come!”
The twin wheels of the Kunlun Mirror, which had been spinning wildly in the air, reversed their trajectory and flew toward him.
But their transformation continued.
The wheels contracted in size until they were small enough to be gripped by hand.
This was the true, concentrated form of the legendary Kunlun Mirror.
Chak!
Just as it seemed he would grab them, Hong Hae-a performed a surprising maneuver, leaping onto the two wheels and standing atop them.
‘!?’
Strangely, despite the wheels’ high-speed rotation, he remained balanced on the blades as if surfing them. The weapons seemed to recognize their master, refusing to draw even a drop of blood.
Goooooooooo!
A violent atmospheric pressure began to radiate from him, causing the entire cavern to tremble until the lava churned and splashed against the ceiling.
‘That boy?’
Papapapapapak!
The Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, busy parrying the lava-born Demon God Generals with her tails, felt a surge of genuine shock.
It was understandable. With the True Purple Fire unleashed and the Kunlun Mirror in its true state, Hong Hae-a’s Qi had reached a level that dwarfed his previous strength.
It was no stretch to say he had surpassed the prime of the Great Strength King, who was once the most physically dominant of the Six Demons.
‘He has grown terrifyingly strong during his absence.’
Had he appeared a year ago alongside his father's resurrection, the consequences would have been dire.
However, it was a matter of tragic timing.
‘You picked the wrong era.’
If not for the existence of one specific man, no one in the mortal realm could have stood against him. His greatest error was showing himself on this particular day.
He simply hadn't grasped that reality yet.
“Let us see if you can truly fight.”
Pachak! Chwararararararara!
Hong Hae-a kicked off with the Kunlun Mirror, sending a shockwave through the earth. A massive wave of lava rose behind him, following his lead like a sentient ocean as it surged toward the Heavenly Demon with apocalyptic force.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwakwa!
“If you truly possess the strength of that Monkey, then show me something impressive. Surely you can handle a simple strike like this?”
The Heavenly Demon, however, remained motionless, hands still clasped behind his back.
‘…He isn't even going to defend?’
In that split second,
Jeobuk—
The Heavenly Demon took a single step forward, his right foot planting firmly on the stone floor.
Jjeojeojeojeojeojeojeojeojeok!
Massive fissures spider-webbed across the ground.
Chwachwachwachwachwachwachwachwachwachwachwachwa!
The shattered remnants of the floor levitated, each fragment sharpening into the likeness of a blade. They tore through the air, piercing the incoming lava wave like a volley of arrows.
Papapapapapapapapapapapapapang!
‘What is this?’
It was a method Hong Hae-a had never witnessed. Immortals who mastered high-level techniques never fought this way.
This man hadn't reached the peak through immortal arts, but through the absolute limit of martial arts.
To turn simple debris into sword energy sharp enough to shred molten lava was unheard of.
It was a combat philosophy entirely foreign to the ancient immortals.
Ssssssssssss!
The stone "swords" that had bypassed the lava now swarmed toward Hong Hae-a.
Thrusting his feet forward, Hong Hae-a caused the Kunlun Mirror to spin violently, generating a protective ring of purple fire through sheer friction.
Chwarurururururururuk!
The True Purple Fire was a flame of absolute destruction.
The stone fragments were instantly vaporized upon contact with the rotating vortex.
Once the projectiles were cleared, Hong Hae-a grabbed his own wrist to steady his aim and pointed his palm directly at the Heavenly Demon.
‘True Purple Fire, Technique of the Five Fire Dragons!’
Hwarurururu! Kwoeoeoeoeoeoeoe!
Five colossal dragons of violet flame erupted from his hand. They were not merely constructs; they possessed a terrifying vitality and let out roars that shook the very foundation of the abyss.
“Incinerate him!”
At his command, the five dragons converged on the Heavenly Demon.
The spectacle of five fire dragons soaring through the subterranean cave was awe-inspiring. Their passage caused the cavern to groan, and the ceiling began to drip as the rock turned to liquid heat.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaa!
‘Huh?’
Even the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox, despite her faith in the Heavenly Demon, gasped at the overwhelming display of power. It seemed impossible to withstand.
But then, the Heavenly Demon finally brought his hands forward, making a grasping motion in the empty air.
Then,
Wuuuuung!
A blade made of pure, formless Qi manifested in his grip.
Holding the formless sword, the Heavenly Demon adjusted his stance as if he were mid-swing.
‘!?’
Hong Hae-a was baffled. The dragons hadn't even reached him yet, but his opponent was acting as if the strike was already finished.
What was he doing? That posture looked like a completed follow-through…
Suddenly,
Chwaaaaaaaaaaaaak!
The space between the fire dragons buckled and rippled. Then, the entire world seemed to split in two as if reality itself had been severed. The roaring dragons were instantly bisected, their massive forms falling apart in mid-air.
Hong Hae-a’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
Years ago, before he had even mastered the Samadhi True Fire, he had used two fire dragons and 108 fire tigers to torment the Monkey within the flames of Fire Mountain. Yet now, this man had neutralized five far superior dragons with a casual flick of his wrist.
Stunned for a heartbeat that his greatest move had failed, Hong Hae-a desperately crossed the Kunlun Mirror blades at his feet and then kicked outward.
Then,
Chwaaaaaaaa!
The flaming Kunlun Mirror multiplied into a thousand shimmering copies, surrounding the area in a lethal formation.
‘Kunlun Mirror Thousand Wheel Strike!’
Among the great artifacts, the Kunlun Mirror was renowned for its sheer lethality. He would give his foe no room to breathe, crushing him from every angle simultaneously—
‘!?’
In the blink of an eye, the man was gone.
He hadn't blinked. He hadn't looked away. How could he vanish?
“Where are you aiming?”
Hmchit!
The voice came from directly behind him. Startled, Hong Hae-a spun his body, whipping the True Purple Fire into a defensive cyclone.
‘True Purple Fire, Technique of the Heaven-Turning Fire!’
Hwarurururururuk!
The violet flames spiraled into a massive pillar that pierced through the cavern ceiling, melting everything in its path.
‘I must create distance.’
Engaging a master of martial arts at close range was suicide. He thought the inferno would push the man back, but—
Chok!
The fire pillar was sliced clean down the middle. Through the parting flames, a dark silhouette emerged.
Like a bolt of black lightning, a fist slammed into Hong Hae-a’s solar plexus.
Tteok!
Keup—
Hong Hae-a doubled over, his body contorting from the impact. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he lashed out with a kick, aiming the Kunlun Mirror’s blade at the Heavenly Demon’s neck.
However,
Chwaaaaaaaa!
The Kunlun Mirror struck the formless sword. Sparks showered the air as the blade failed to draw closer, held back by an immovable force.
‘In that case!’
Hong Hae-a flooded the mirror with immortal power, forcing it to spin with even greater ferocity.
At maximum velocity, the Kunlun Mirror’s cutting edge could shred almost any defense.
Chaechaechaechaechaechaechaeng!
Under the increased pressure, the Heavenly Demon’s formless sword began to flicker and fray.
‘I have him! Now!’
Hong Hae-a twisted his hips, bringing the other mirror on his second foot around to grind into the Heavenly Demon’s midsection.
But—
Chaeaaaaaang!
Hong Hae-a’s face twisted in shock.
The man had moved his hand in a subtle, circular motion, creating a ripple in the air that sent the Kunlun Mirror flying backward. The force of the deflection was so violent it threw Hong Hae-a off balance.
In that moment of vulnerability,
Puk! Wudeudeudeuk!
The Heavenly Demon’s fist connected with Hong Hae-a’s ribs. The sickening crunch of breaking bone echoed through the cave.
Kkeuup!
‘This… this monster… is he truly mortal?’
The agony radiating from his shattered ribs was paralyzing. But the assault didn't stop there.
“This is only the beginning. It would be a pity if you collapsed so soon.”
“You… you bastard… my body…”
Tteok!
A brutal kick caught him in the throat.
His scream died in his windpipe as his neck snapped to the side. Hong Hae-a was sent hurtling across the cavern floor before plunging into the boiling lava.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!
Chiiiiiiii!
‘Keueueuuk.’
The heat of the magma didn't hurt him, but the Heavenly Demon’s strikes had. His neck was twisted, and his mind was reeling from a severe concussion. It was a struggle just to remain conscious.
He had prided himself on his endurance, but these blows were on a level he couldn't comprehend.
‘Heueu… I have to recover.’
The only silver lining was the lava. Heat was his sanctuary and his source of power.
Hong Hae-a dove deeper into the molten depths, where the temperature reached impossible levels.
Pssssss!
The intense thermal energy began to dull the sharp edges of his pain.
‘Huu… huu…’
No matter how strong the man was, he couldn't follow him into a lake of fire that would melt anything. At this depth, he was safe—
Chwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Suddenly, the impossible happened again.
The lava parted. Like the parting of a great sea, the molten rock was pushed aside, exposing the cavern floor.
What kind of being was this?
He didn't need to enter the lava; he simply commanded it to move. Hong Hae-a was speechless at the sheer absurdity of the feat.
Standing in the dry path he had created, the Heavenly Demon leveled his formless sword at him.
“Shall we start by taking your arms?”
Eudeuk!
He was speaking of dismemberment as if it were a simple chore. To be threatened so casually was the ultimate insult.
‘…I have no choice.’
Realizing he was facing a true monster, Hong Hae-a made a desperate gamble.
Though he hadn't fully mastered it, he had to use his newest, most dangerous power if he hoped to survive.
Ttak!
Hong Hae-a stood up on the dry floor, his voice low and ominous.
“It is not over. I will show you the true, bottomless horror of the abyss.”
He brought his hands together and then slowly pulled them apart.
Pachik! Pachik!
Purple electricity crackled between his palms as space itself began to warp. Finally, a flickering black flame ignited.
Hwarurururuk!
The void-black fire rapidly expanded until it was the size of a human head.