Murim Login - Chapter 477

Swi-swi-swish!

Front, back, left, and right.

The moment the mutated Water Dragon noticed four figures surrounding it from all directions, its lone remaining eye widened.

– “Krrrk!”

When did this happen?

Even though the Water Dragon was in a [Berserk] state, it could sense that the situation was not unfolding in its favor.

However, its reason, dulled by rage, and the overwhelming power dwelling in its massive and majestic body led this grotesque and terrifying beast to underestimate its opponents.

And then, the voice of someone shouting shattered the last thread of reason it had been precariously holding on to.

“Even if everyone curses you, I believe you’re a good guy. Because you have no ‘rough edges.'”

– “Grmm…?”

The Water Dragon’s pupil, comparable in size to a grown man’s body, glinted ominously. What that small, insignificant human had said didn’t matter.

What mattered was that this was the human who had plucked out every single one of the whiskers it had cherished for centuries—a source of pride, weapon, and a companion to its soul.

Kill. That damned human must die, no matter what.

With deadly intent, its massive tail swung, shattering everything in its path. At the end of its trajectory stood a man, the corner of his lips curling upward.

“You fell for it, you bastard.”

What?

The mutated Water Dragon felt an icy chill rush over its entire body in an instant. But it was already too late.

Retracting the tail, imbued with immense power and speed, was as impossible as recalling an arrow already loosed.

‘Whooong! Boom!’

The violently swung tail crushed everything in its path. The precariously standing cliff collapsed entirely, the roaring noise swallowing all other sounds.

However, what awaited the mutated Water Dragon was not the exhilarating satisfaction of crushing its enemy but the searing pain of burning agony.

‘Fwoosh, thwack!’

No, it wasn’t an illusion.

The next moment, the Water Dragon could clearly see it.

Through the dissipating storm and dust, there it was—a blue-white flame-imbued spear piercing cleanly through its majestic, enormous tail.

And holding that spear was that cursed human, grinning wickedly.

“Got you.”

—

My mother was lenient when it came to raising her children.

She didn’t think studying was the only path to success. Even when I hit the jackpot in high school by scoring seventh grade in all subjects—like a slot machine—her reprimand was brief.

“Impressive, my son…”

Well, thinking about it now, she might have already half-given up on me.

Still, even such a mother encouraged me to read as a child.

When I was in elementary school, I used to fold paper planes out of my English workbooks. She handed me a book to distract me.

The title of that book?

Oh, right. ‘Gulliver’s Travels.’

Even though I wasn’t cut out for studying, I enjoyed novels like that. Sometimes, I’d even try reenacting scenes from those stories with Hayeon.

For instance, the part where the tiny people tied Gulliver down with ropes.

“Mom, look! I caught Hayeon! She’s all calm now!”

“Waaah! Mom, heeelp!”

“No, Hayeon! My daughter!”

Of course, the results of my curiosity weren’t great.

When my mother saw my little sister tied up tightly with duct tape instead of ropes, she screamed. Then, she spanked my calves with a back scratcher, but I didn’t shed a single tear—because I was determined, even as a child.

I just reflected on my carelessness.

“Next time, I’ll tape her mouth so she can’t scream.”

Ah, what fond memories.

That wicked elementary schooler who once tied up his younger sister with duct tape is long gone, but the memory of that day remains vivid.

Along with my childhood dream of tying up Gulliver like in the novel.

And now, here I am, reliving that dream.

As I recalled my long-lost innocence, I opened my mouth.

“Got you.”

It was a crueler method than how the tiny people tied up Gulliver, but it was undeniably effective.

I had anticipated the dragon’s tail attack. Before the massive, hideous thing could crush my body, I dodged and plunged my spear with all my strength.

This weapon, called ‘White Flame,’ became a giant nail, piercing both the monster’s tail and the ground below.

Ah, a hammer?

Of course, my fist was the hammer. And I still had plenty of nails left in my inventory.

“[Inventory open, summon.]”

It was instantaneous.

Summoning five more spears like lightning, I drove them into the beast’s tail. Instead of a hammer, I used my fist to drive them in further.

‘Bang! Bang! Boom!’

Fixation complete.

As I pounded the end of one spear shaft, its blade embedded deeply into the ground, sending vibrations through the air.

“Jin Yeon-ah, are you watching?”

As I watched the sight before me, my body trembled with exhilaration. The mutated Water Dragon howled in agony.

– “Gwoooargh!”

But I felt its scream was premature.

Because at this moment, three individuals who had been waiting for their chance were about to unleash their full power.

One of them, moving the fastest, swung their blade toward the beast’s midsection.

‘Swish!’

With ghost-like movements, faster than even my eyes could fully track, a dazzling flash of light shot out from a faint shadow.

Even the hardened scales strengthened by [Berserk], the tough flesh and bones like iron, couldn’t withstand it.

After all, this was the Killing Star’s blade.

‘Slash!’

Even amidst the chaos, the sound of slicing flesh was clear in my ears.

With one swift and concise strike, Moon Kyung dealt a significant blow, leaving behind a vivid afterimage. Blood gushed forth like a waterfall, and the beast’s anguished scream echoed.

– “Kuoooorgh!”

Though its body wasn’t completely severed, nearly a fifth of its mass had been cut away in one strike.

Still, the Water Dragon needed to know one thing—this wasn’t over yet.

“There are still two more attacks left.”

Before I even finished my sentence, a violet energy, reminiscent of the setting sun, pierced through the darkness.

‘Swi-swi-swish!’

Amidst the raging storm, dozens of crimson plum blossoms came into view. It wasn’t an illusion.

This was the essence of the Mount Hua Sect—’Purple Mist Divine Art.’

The path drawn by this violet energy was unmistakable.

‘Plum Blossom Sword Technique.’

If Moon Kyung’s sword was a guillotine that cut with one strike, Cheongpung’s sword technique was a dagger that slashed dozens of times, carving deep wounds.

And at this moment, those daggers, in the form of plum blossoms, pierced through the fissures in the dragon’s wounds.

Bringing down a massive opponent was simpler than expected.

Either land one overwhelming strike they can’t endure, or keep striking the same spot repeatedly, making it unbearably painful.

Before the Water Dragon could even let out another wail, the last of the three attacks arrived.

“Die, you wretched beast!”

Accompanied by an unrestrained curse, a streak of flame cut through the battlefield.

‘The Fire King.’

This infamous warrior of Mount Gu, a legend of the Great Demonic War, wielded unmatched destructive power with his fiery martial arts.

Even just watching him was enough to ignite passion and heat.

“Ah, screw it. Let’s go all out. I’ve already come this far.”

With blood boiling, I shouted with all my might.

“Go, Fire King! ‘Flame Extinguishing Divine Fist!'”

“You damn brat—!”

The roar of someone’s curse was drowned out by the deafening explosion that followed.

‘Boom! Crackle!’

Flames erupted from his fist, evaporating all moisture as they surged forward.

The scorching fire tore through the wounds already inflicted by the earlier attacks, burning and consuming everything.

– “Kyaaaaaah!”

I’d heard before that the most painful death was by fire.

Anyone witnessing this scene would wholeheartedly agree.

The heat and the stench of burning flesh filled the air, resembling the depths of hell.

The massive beast, engulfed in flames, writhed in agony.

-…?

The inhuman scream shook the earth, causing the waters of Dongting Lake to surge outward.

Its thrashing was so intense that even I, holding onto the spears with all my might, could no longer withstand it.

‘Clatter.’

When Gulliver came to and untied the ropes binding him, what thoughts might have run through the minds of the tiny people staring up at the giant as he rose?

I can’t say for sure, but at least I didn’t feel shocked or flustered.

“Well, well.”

It didn’t matter; nothing would change now.

The three top-tier experts—no, the ultimate sharpshooters—had perfectly carried out my instructions, and the mutated Water Dragon had sustained devastating injuries. Even if it pulled out the spears embedded in its tail and began charging a Water Breath attack, it wouldn’t change a thing.

‘Ssssiiick, tak!’

‘Void Grasp.’

The ‘White Flame’ spear, which had been knocked into the air by the dragon’s thrashing, was drawn into my grasp like the others.

Lifting the spear, its blade dripping with dark, bluish blood, I pointed it at the beast.

“From now on… I’m cutting everything down.”

My voice spilled out between my lips, searing hot like magma. The three warriors, waiting for my signal like unleashed beasts, sprang into action.

‘Pop-pop!’

Jeok Cheon-Gang, Moon Kyung, Cheongpung, and myself.

The first and strongest raid team Murim had ever seen charged at the colossal, writhing monster.

‘Swooosh!’

The four of us moved in different directions, each wielding unprecedented strength in our attacks.

‘Shwish-shwish-shwish! Thud!’
‘Flare, boom!’

North, south, east, west. Above, below, left, right.

There was no escape, no direction the beast could flee to. We were everywhere and nowhere.

The mutated Water Dragon, a creature that had swollen its body over centuries, found its greatest strength turning into its biggest weakness in this moment.

– “Kroaaaaarrr!”

There’s no unbreakable shield, no impenetrable door.

In what could hardly even be called an instant, the monster’s massive body was shredded by dozens of strikes, leaving it in utter ruin.

Its dangerously beautiful jet-black scales shattered into fragments. Its flesh and bones, too tough for ordinary weapons to even scratch, had long been sliced and crushed to pieces.

‘Crack! Splatter!’

Blackish-blue blood gushed from its wounds, staining the earth.

By now, even the ceaseless thunder and lightning, the storm-like rain and wind, were subsiding.

And so, too, was one creature’s life.

‘Slash!’

– “Krrrk…?”

Pain struck again.

The struggling Water Dragon’s pupil caught sight of someone—a familiar face.

A young human.

Its mortal enemy. The one it had to kill at all costs!

– “Grrrroooooar!”

And at that moment, the mere presence of Jin Taekyung drew forth the monster’s final reserves of strength.

‘Goooooooong!’

Its last, desperate strike. What some might call a Water Breath—the massive orb of water formed almost instantly, just before completion.

The young human vanished from its sight.

In the next instant, the mutated Water Dragon heard a calm voice close by.

“You’ve done enough.”

‘Thwack!’