Variable

‘Not too late.’

Yuseong let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the swords moving according to his will.

He had been observing since the moment he entered the fight, but analysis was delayed because the martial arts were being displayed in such complex combinations at an extremely high level.

Though he failed to analyze the sword techniques, fist techniques, palm techniques, and mental techniques, fortunately he barely succeeded in analyzing the sword-controlling technique that was the common principle behind moving the twelve swords, thanks to having many samples.

“How dare you take my swords!”

Though he had bought some time, Bruce was still going strong.

Yuseong considered returning to Dragonia but changed his mind.

Looking at Bruce’s condition, this wasn’t something that would be resolved by briefly avoiding him.

In the worst case, he might take people hostage to draw Yuseong out.

Yuseong moved one sword beneath his feet, stepped on it, and awakened the power of the crest.

“Eek!”

Bruce strained with all his might to regain control of the flying swords, but the swords connected to Yuseong’s spirit didn’t budge an inch.

Yuseong’s mental power and willpower, tempered by the thoughts of the Outer God, had reached a realm that easily transcended Bruce’s.

Unless he had been on guard in advance, regaining control that had already been taken was impossible even with Bruce’s power.

Woong!

“Even the Flying Sword Formation?”

Seeing the red martial energy rising from the swords, Bruce bit his lip.

Though it was just a series of simple stabbing and slashing movements that could hardly be called sword techniques, the sword paths moved so cunningly as if reading his movements, and with the addition of martial energy containing the aura of extreme defeat, it was quite troublesome to deal with.

‘If he can use flying swords and the Flying Sword Formation, why didn’t he use them from the start? Could it be…’

Bruce’s face was filled with shock as he suddenly thought of a possibility.

If his thoughts were correct, he absolutely couldn’t let Yuseong leave here alive.

As Bruce swung his arm, dozens of swords shot out from his sleeve and began gliding through the air.

Though operating this many flying swords simultaneously was quite burdensome, now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.

Clang clang clang!

As dozens of swords collided, powerful shockwaves and fragments of martial energy swept through the surroundings.

Bruce charged straight through that space of death with protective martial energy wrapped around him, heading toward the defenseless Yuseong.

Yuseong tried to block by sending even the sword he was riding on, but Bruce snatched the handle with his hand wrapped in martial energy and swung it.

The crescent-shaped martial energy shot from the sword flew to cut Yuseong in half.

However, Bruce’s finishing blow disappeared after being blocked by a barrier that suddenly appeared.

Discovering Yuseong who had fallen onto Dragonia that had appeared below at some point, Bruce snorted derisively.

“Is hiding inside that all you could think of? Do you think this toy can protect you?”

A dark martial energy orb created at the sword’s tip advanced toward Dragonia’s barrier.

Though the orb didn’t last long before disappearing, it left a visibly noticeable wound on the barrier.

“…Even Kasim couldn’t pierce it.”

“You’ll be disappointed if you think I’m on the same level as Kasim just because we’re both Three Strong.”

Boom boom boom!

The swords that had been fighting in a tangled mess gathered around Bruce and began bombarding with martial energy orbs.

Though the barrier shook precariously, instead of hiding in the dimensional gap, Yuseong turned his head to stare at the pyramid in Dragonia’s center.

‘Not D-rank but E-rank. Given the time since starting the quest and Alice’s abilities, she must have cleared it by now. If only the time ratio isn’t different…’

As if his desperate prayer was answered.

A familiar figure appeared above the pyramid.

Alice, who had been looking around as if unable to grasp the situation, spotted Yuseong and widened her eyes.

“Mr. Yuseong!”

“Urgh…”

Even opening his mouth was difficult.

Though he didn’t know what skill he had been hit with, his body was rapidly racing toward death.

Yuseong pointed at Bruce with a trembling hand and made a throat-slitting gesture with his thumb.

“You are…”

“Die!”

Leaving behind Alice who was unleashing a barrage of steel feathers and Bruce who was blocking the attacks by manipulating dozens of swords, Yuseong who had been walking collapsed to the ground while violently coughing up blood after just a few steps.

“Cough, cough!”

He didn’t even have the strength left to enter the building right in front of him.

After coughing up more than a bowlful of blood, Yuseong took out a potion from his subspace and drank it.

But even after drinking a high-grade potion, his vision grew increasingly blurry and his senses dulled.

Feeling the fear that he might really die at this rate, Yuseong reached into his subspace again and took out a potion containing liquid that shimmered in five colors.

An elixir obtained from clearing [The Hero Who Couldn’t Become a Hero] quest.

Though it was a legendary mystic pill that could even revive the dead, this wasn’t the time to be stingy.

Yuseong mustered his last strength to open the glass bottle’s cap, poured the contents into his mouth, and closed his eyes.

* * *

Bruce charging forward with twelve swords wrapped in martial energy of various colors at the forefront.

And Han Yuseong dodging attacks and counterattacking with movements as if possessed.

Their movements were so fast that the video seemed to skip like someone had pressed the fast-forward button.

The violently shaking hologram video ended with Yuseong becoming a dot disappearing beyond the sky and Bruce firing a dark beam.

“Tsk. Should have listened when I was being nice.”

Changwei ended the video.

Though he wasn’t sure what Yuseong had been counting on to act so arrogantly, now he would pay dearly for it.

Changwei lifted one corner of his mouth imagining Yuseong regretting his arrogance and begging just to spare his life, but soon burst into laughter.

‘The one I thought would become an enemy became an ally, and the one I thought would become an ally became an enemy. It’s still funny thinking about it.’

When establishing a new country, Changwei had expected Bruce to be the user who would oppose most fiercely, and conversely Han Yuseong to be the user who would join most readily.

He thought that the arrogant Bruce would never willingly come under him, and that a mere rookie like Han Yuseong would never dare refuse his offer.

However, reality was the complete opposite.

Bruce, whom he hadn’t even contacted, came on his own saying he had seen a horrible future and wanted to join, while Han Yuseong, whom he finally connected with after waiting a week, ignored him.

“That flying fortress he has is a bit of a shame…”

Changwei, who had been considering contacting Bruce even now to tell him to at least leave Yuseong alive, shook his head.

The killing intent Bruce had shown while bringing up Han Yuseong still gave him goosebumps just thinking about it.

If he had accepted the offer, Changwei could have subtly mediated between the two, but the guy had kicked away his own path to survival.

‘Regrettable but I’ll have to give up.’

The flying fortress Han Yuseong possessed was Vimana’s only competitor.

If left intact, it could become a dangerous element with The Unchosen people gathering around Han Yuseong in the new era.

If he couldn’t have it himself, the best choice was to destroy it so no one could have it.

‘Though it’s not much of a consolation, I’ll have to be satisfied with bringing Bruce to our side.’

After clicking his tongue briefly, Changwei clapped lightly and androids began bringing in dishes as the door opened.

It was a modest feast to celebrate Bruce’s return after dealing with Han Yuseong.

“…He’s too late.”

When Bruce still hadn’t arrived after quite some time, Changwei narrowed his eyes.

Though he knew Yuseong’s skills were extraordinary through his previous record and videos, the opponent was still Bruce.

Even against Three Intermediates, he should have finished and returned by now – something felt off.

‘Wait, surely another user hasn’t interfered? Though Kang Changseok is a coward, that Kasim guy might…’

Flash!

Changwei, who had been anxiously considering whether to send another user, breathed a sigh of relief seeing the magic formation engraved in the center of the room glowing.

However, that relief didn’t last long.

The thick scent of blood stinging his nose and faint groans.

When the light faded, Bruce’s appearance was a miserable sight unbefitting the title of MartialGod.

His right arm hung limply, and he was covered in blood from large and small wounds all over his body as he staggered – Changwei, who had been blankly staring at Bruce, belatedly came to his senses.

“Wh-what’s with that state? Don’t tell me you lost?!”

“…”

“Say something! Why are you so injured? What happened to that Han Yuseong guy?”

“…Move.”

Bruce violently shoved Changwei aside and left the room without looking back.

Changwei, who had been alternately staring at the door Bruce left through and the blood fallen on the floor, barely grasped the situation and muttered.

“Bruce lost?”

The undisputed strongest user MartialGod Bruce had been defeated by Han Yuseong who had barely been a user for over a year.

This was completely unexpected.

Though he hurriedly took out his smartphone to search and find out exactly what had happened, all he discovered was that a flying fortress had appeared in the sky above Seoul.

‘Did he get hit by the flying fortress’s bombardment?’

No.

The wounds on Bruce’s body weren’t that kind of injury but wounds from being cut and stabbed by something.

“…”

Changwei fell into thought while tapping the table with his fingertips.

It was hard to believe Han Yuseong had won against Bruce in a one-on-one fight.

He might have received help from the flying fortress or another user might have joined Yuseong’s side, but such things weren’t important.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, Bruce’s strength was real.

That strength was at a level that couldn’t be matched even if all the users on their side joined forces.

The fact that such a Bruce had been defeated meant their opponent’s forces were far stronger than expected.

‘Lucifer hasn’t fully recovered yet.’

Even in an incomplete state, a transcendent being was still a transcendent being.

He had started things thinking Lucifer’s power could overwhelm any ordinary enemies like monsters, the unchosen humans, or users, but seeing Bruce’s appearance just now changed his mind.

Though he thought it impossible, if by one in a thousand, one in ten thousand chance they attacked this side and Lucifer was defeated in the process?

After pondering deeply for a while, Changwei took out his smartphone and called somewhere.

-What is it.

“Can we move up the recovery timing?”

-As I’ve said several times, it’s difficult to recover any faster than this. To shorten the time further from here would require accepting terrible inefficiency.

“A variable has emerged. I don’t care about inefficiency or whatever, just shorten the recovery time as much as possible.”

-Hmm, I’m asking just in case, but you haven’t forgotten what that terrible inefficiency is, right?

“I don’t care how many die, just do as I say!”

-…My, what an extraordinary person in many ways. Fine. I’ll try to do something within a week somehow.

Click.

“We’ll have to move up the plan.”

After ending the call, Changwei immediately began calling users, prestigious ability users, and high-ranking social figures.

His eyes were glowing dangerously.