Star Instructor, Master Baek-Chapter 467: On His Heart

Baek Suryong surveyed the ruined field, his expression dark. The Phantom King lay torn in half. Blue-Eyed Freak was lying on the ground, vomiting blood. The Viridian Scholar slumped unconscious against a tree, his face pale and his shoulder shattered.
The world was drenched in vivid crimson, just like the world praised by the Blood Cult.
And all of it was created by the apostle who was once his student.
"This probably barely scratches the surface of what you've done, huh?"
The Fourth Apostle continued to fight relentlessly. His body bled from countless wounds, yet still he drove the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom back with terrifying ferocity.
BOOOOM!
She barely avoided his next strike and leaped away.
"Crazy..." she muttered, a chill running down her spine.
Only she and Baek Suryong were still able to fight. They were both members of the Ten Supremes, revered by the murim, yet all that felt meaningless before the Fourth Apostle.
I expected him to be strong, but this is nuts...
If she wasn't one of the fastest among the Ten Supremes, or if the Viridian Scholar and Blue Eyed Freak had not worn the Fourth Apostle out, she would already have been crushed.
She glanced toward the Black Snake Alliance Chairman.
Fuck... He's fighting something like that all by himself?
Before she knew it, the two bladesmen had taken their duel far away. Off in the distance, black and red energy waves collided like wild beasts fighting to the death.
She bit her lip at the destructive sight.
"...Don't you dare die on me, idiot."
If she were alone, she would have fled long ago. She was not someone who clung to pride.
However, if she backed off now, the monster in front of her might charge toward the Black Snake Alliance Chairman. She had to hold him back here no matter what it took.
CREAK...
She drew her bowstring, closed one eye, and aimed at the Fourth Apostle below her.
"As for you... hurry up and just die already!"
BOOM!
The Fourth Apostle shot upward, crushing the ground, and approached the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom so quickly that he appeared blurry. Even so, her sharp eyes tracked him. She had been waiting for him.
SWISH!
Blood sprayed everywhere like a fountain as her arrow grazed the Fourth Apostle's shoulder, piercing through his defensive qi.
He has definitely weakened.
Unfortunately, as the price of that shot, she had left herself exposed to danger.
RUMBLE!
A swirling mass of deadly energy formed around the Fourth Apostle's fist.
The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom knew that even a graze would end her at close range. Still, she ignored the danger and nocked another arrow. She could see someone rushing in from the apostle's flank.
Maeng Ryonghwi.
He was a very suspicious man. She hesitated to trust him, but she trusted the Black Snake Alliance Chairman's judgment and her own instincts.
Thankfully, both of them were correct about the man.
CLANG!
The Divine Azure Dragon Sword blocked the blow meant for her.
Baek Suryong grimaced at the pain shooting up his arm to his shoulder, but clenched his teeth and parried the blow aside.
Meanwhile, the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom fired again, sending the Fourth Apostle retreating back to the ground.
THUD!
"......" His eyebrow twitched, and his mouth tightened with displeasure.
"Hoo..." The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom landed beside Baek Suryong, exhausted. "I guess that monster is human after all."
"......" The Fourth Apostle stayed silent.
The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom clicked her tongue. "He's tired too. We can do this if you pull yourself together."
"...I'm already doing my best," Baek Suryong grumbled.
The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom snorted. "Don't make me laugh. You're not this weak."
As one of the Ten Supremes, she could notice details that others missed. Despite looking battered and strained beyond his limits, she could tell that Baek Suryong hadn't given it his all.
She continued, "The Chairman never told me who you were, but I had my suspicions, and... I guess I was right, huh?"
The cloth wrapped around Baek Suryong's sword had been torn away, and through the gaps in the broken scabbard, she could see the gleaming Azure Dragon Sword.
Naturally, she recognized the young hero who had shaken the Blood Cult time and time again.
"Since you killed so many demonic cultists, I assumed you had a deep grudge against them. I didn't know you could use the same martial arts, though. I happened to overhear Blue Eyed Freak's story, but were you in a similar situation?"
"...You could say that." Baek Suryong smiled bitterly. Blue Eyed Freak's past and Number 27's pasts were indeed very similar. They were both children who were kidnapped by the Blood Cult and forced to learn demonic arts.
"......" The Fourth Apostle listened to their conversation quietly.
"If that's the case, then..." The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom tilted her head in confusion. For some reason, Baek Suryong's attitude toward the apostle was nothing like Blue Eyed Freak's. "...Why are you hesitating? He's your enemy."
Baek Suryong shrugged. "I didn't hesitate, I just needed to warm up a bit."
"...Men who play dumb at times like this are usually unpopular."
"You have simple taste in men, eh?"
"...Shut up. If you hesitate any longer, we're going to die. Snap out of it."
Baek Suryong nodded and stepped forward. He recalled what the Black Snake Alliance Chairman had told him.
> "I don't know why you're doubting yourself like this, but you won't be able to cut anything properly in your current state."
At that time, he had agonized over the fact that he might soon meet his former trainees, who had become apostles.
Why do I keep hesitating?
He lowered his head. In a fight like this, hesitation was a shackle. Because of it, he failed to stop his junior brother's arm from breaking. Because of it, he watched his allies scream as their blood spilled all over the ground.
This was payback for the mistakes he had made in his previous life.
Just then, the Fourth Apostle began his slow advance. The tension in the air reached a fever pitch.
Baek Suryong finally acknowledged his former student properly. "Let's... stop now."
In response, however, the Fourth Apostle stomped hard on the ground and closed the distance.
WHOOOOSH!
A large fist hurtled straight at Baek Suryong with the speed and power of a divine weapon, grazing his cheek and whipping his hair in every direction.
WHIRL!
Baek Suryong pivoted on one foot to dodge, then knocked the Fourth Apostle's fist upward with the Divine Azure Dragon Sword before delivering a slash across his waist.
CRACK!
Sparks burst from collision between sword and defensive qi.
"......" The Fourth Apostle's eyes widened faintly.
Baek Suryong could see surprise, admiration, and a flicker of anger reflected in those eyes. "You still haven't kicked that bad habit of twitching your eyebrow whenever you're frustrated," he muttered.
"......"
Baek Suryong brushed past the Fourth Apostle, who spun around and delivered a hand blade strike aimed at his heart.
SWISH!
Baek Suryong let the attack slip through the gap between his armpit and waist, clamped down, grabbed the trapped arm, and twisted.
CRACK...!
He nearly succeeded at dislocating the joint, but the Fourth Apostle's ridiculously strong muscles tightened, preventing severe injury. He raised his arm, lifting Baek Suryong clear off the ground, and slammed down.
BOOOOM!
Baek Suryong released the Fourth Apostle just before impact and leaped back.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Immediately, an arrow barrage poured down from above. An enormous cloud of dust engulfed them.
Moments later, the Fourth Apostle walked out, brushing away the layer of dust that had settled on him.
"Ptui!" Spitting blood to the side, he thumped his fists together like a gorilla.
BANG!
A shockwave burst outward, deflecting the arrows. Then, with a flick of his hand, he sent them flying back at his attacker.
"...How dare you!"
Rage flashed in the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom's eyes, but she quickly grabbed the arrows with telekinesis, letting them hover around her. She nocked a few arrows and fired the rest like hidden weapons.
"Ugh..." Baek Suryong groaned, but he charged again, ignoring the pain that radiated through his bones with every clash.
The ground split open beneath their feet, and everything became a blur.
SPLURT!
Blood burst from the Fourth Apostle's hand.
THUD!
Baek Suryong was sent flying from a punch and coughed violently.
Blood smeared both warriors' bodies, and their clothes were nearly shredded. Still, neither backed down.
The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom lowered her bow without realizing it. The fight had reached a point where any interference would be dangerous.
BOOOOM!
A heavy blow forced Baek Suryong and the Fourth Apostle apart, giving them both time for a quick breather.
"...Soul Hunting Bow Phantom," Baek Suryong gasped, wiping blood from his lips.
The Fourth Apostle immediately glared daggers at him, but he needed time to stem the bleeding from his countless wounds.
"Speak." The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom sighed. Somehow, she had a feeling she already knew what he would ask.
As expected, Baek Suryong said, "Leave this place to me. Take the wounded and retreat somewhere safe."
He glanced toward the Viridian Scholar and Blue Eyed Freak. Even after moving them earlier, their safety was not guaranteed if the fight intensified.
"Please, I beg of you."
The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded. Nevertheless, Baek Suryong's expression resembled a final farewell, and she had seen someone else make that exact same expression ten years ago.
"...Men, seriously."
After a moment, she turned away. Part of it was because of his request, and another part was concern for the Black Snake Alliance Chairman.
"Don't die. The Chairman took a liking to you."
She carried the unconscious pair away. As they passed, the Fourth Apostle did not look at them.
""......""
Now, only two battered men remained.
"...Will you give me a chance to explain?" Baek Suryong choked.
The Fourth Apostle shook his head.
Baek Suryong nodded. "Understood. I'll beat you down and then explain."
RUMBLE!
His pupils glowed crimson, while his hair reddened and whipped about despite the lack of wind. The demonic qi of the Heaven Defying Divine Art surged like a storm.
"......" The Fourth Apostle did not look surprised, as if he had expected this.
VROOOOM!
Energy rippled from his body as well.
[This is...!] The Divine Azure Dragon Sword vibrated with shock.
Baek Suryong asked, [What's wrong?]
[I sense the Blood Demon's energy inside him.]
Baek Suryong froze. "...What?"
[The Blood Demon's sorcery! It's engraved on his heart!]