Chapter 192: My goodness. The sea, the sea! (18)

'Seriously, this hurts so much.

It feels like my head is going to crack open.'

"Ugh!"

He didn't want to groan but he couldn't help it.

Tears were also dripping out of his eyes.

'What is going on?

What is happening in my body right now?'

It was difficult for Cale to assess the situation. That was how serious and intense the pain was for him.

It made him recall the first time he used 'instant' as Kim Rok Soo.

'No.'

It was different from that.

Unlike instant where he had injuries all over his body, this did not feel like that. However, the intensity of the pain was the strongest.

'…That's wrong.'

It wasn't that the pain was the strongest.

'I can't bear it.'

He had nothing to compare it against, but this was a pain that could not be tolerated. It was difficult to endure.

Why was it like this?

"Ugh."

'I don't know.

I can't even think.'

"Young master-nim!"

"Cale-nim!"

He could hear voices around him but couldn't tell what they were saying.

– Cale! Should I stop?

He shook his head.

He had to persist.

He had no idea why he was under such intense pain. However, everything was over if he stopped like this.

Baaaaaaaaaang—–

Baaaaaang-

He couldn't even hear the explosion very well so he was unable to assess the situation.

He was doing his best to keep his eyes open, but his tears were preventing him from seeing clearly.

However, he could feel that his aura had not been defeated, that the Sky Eating Water was still, despite barely, managing to stop the tsunami.

How could he stop?

There were only four minutes left.

'No. It should be three minutes? Maybe two minutes left now?'

It was difficult to fathom the flow of time as well.

A terrible headache was attacking him every second or every few seconds, making it feel as if time was moving extremely slowly. The intensity of the headaches were also getting stronger.

'Fuck!'

It was driving him crazy.

Cale just clenched his eyes shut.

'Let's just endure it.

Aren't I pretty good at that?

I'll get used to the pain if I keep enduring it.

That's how all things work.'

Cale put as much strength into his shaking body and persisted.

– I, it's not your limit yet!

The Vitality of the Heart. He listened to the crybaby's anxious voice and…

– Something is weird! Why are you not reaching your limit? It feels like your body is slowly overflowing with strength?

– Hey youngest! Are you sure you are analyzing it properly?

– I, I am! Hyung-nim, I'm certain that I am looking at it properly!

– Then why is it like this? It doesn't feel like his plate is about to break! I'm going crazy!

The cheapskate and the crybaby were loudly chatting.

He already had a headache but this annoyed Cale even more, making him make a comment.

No, he barely managed to get it out.

His voice was shaking.

"….Shut… up..."

The cheapskate and crybaby finally became quiet. Instead, the Sky Eating Water started speaking in a slightly solemn voice.

– Cale. Let's not increase the amount of strength for now. Let's stop here. We can hold on at this level.

It was nice to hear.

He was in so much pain that it wasn't nice at all, but…

– I'm sure you're in a ton of pain. But let's just hold on for a little bit. We can't crumble right now.

'Yeah.

Let's persist.'

Cale held on.

That was why he didn't know.

He had no idea how chaotic things were around him.

Beacrox, who had supported Cale when he first curled forward, blanked out after seeing Cale shaking and crying in pain.

No thoughts were on his mind.

He then raised his head.

He could see a stiff Choi Han. The two of them made eye contact and Beacrox finally looked down again.

"Young master-nim!"

Choi Han came over and crouched down as he shouted.

"Cale-nim!"

Choi Han was so flustered that he had even forgotten to call him Kim Hae-il. Beacrox was not in the right state of mind to fix it either.

It could not be helped.

There had been many situations where Cale looked terrible and in a lot of pain. However, he always said that he was fine.

They couldn't believe it wholeheartedly, but at least it relieved them a bit.

Cale had looked completely firm whenever he said that.

Of course, he looked to be in pain a few times, but that was only for an instant. He would always return to his usual self and show his indestructible self.

"Why-"

So why was it that he looked like this right now?

Choi Han could not understand it. On the other hand, he could actually understand a part of it.

'There's no way it wouldn't hurt!'

He was fighting against nature by himself.

"Ugh."

Cale must be in a lot of pain as he could not hold back his groaning. Choi Han could see Cale biting down on his lips to not scream.

'What do I do?

What should I do?

What am I supposed to do?'

The surrounding area became rowdy.

There were martial artists shouting in shock and approaching them.

It was at that moment.

"….Shut… up..."

The surrounding became quiet after hearing Cale's faint voice.

Nobody dared to say anything.

Chief Advisor Zhuge Mi Ryeo not only closed her mouth, she bit down on her lips.

'If you think about it, he-'

Despite coughing up blood and suffering in pain…

This person had done a lot of things until now.

The way he coughed up blood undoing the seals on his body and the reports she received about how he had bled to purify the Heavenly Demon…

The person who had looked dignified even during those times was in so much pain.

In that case, how much pain must he be in?

Zhuge Mi Ryeo's whole body was feeling intense tingling from an emotion that was beyond admiration.

'How should I describe this emotion?

Respect?

Loyalty?

Swayed by his actions?

Thrilled?'

No.

Nothing could express the emotion she was feeling right now.

Kim Hae-il.

He was fighting against nature right now and enduring the pain.

The emotion that someone could feel while looking at a person like this…

'Yes.'

Zhuge Mi Ryeo had to accept it.

'I want to worship him.'

Beyond praising him, she wanted to bow down toward him.

In order to protect Hainan island and the inland coast…

Zhuge Mi Ryeo's eyes blurred while looking at the person who was sacrificing himself to protect this land and its people.

She didn't even think about wiping the tears off her face.

This feeling of gratitude…

This feeling of respect…

How else could she describe such intense emotions?

She simply clasped her hands together.

She prayed.

She prayed that everything young master Kim Hae-il wanted would come to fruition.

That was all she could do.

Once a moment of silence filled the area, Choi Han quietly heard someone who had not said anything until now speak.

"Look at the sea."

Team leader. It was Sui Khan.

Choi Han subconsciously looked toward the sea after hearing that.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang-

He once again heard the loud noise he had forgotten about.

And-

Shaaaaaaaaaaa-

He also heard the sound of Cale's rain again.

The sea and Cale…

The respective tsunamis created by nature and by a human were at a standstill with neither side being pushed back.

Choi Han could see that Cale had both arms extended toward the sea despite leaning on Beacrox.

He had not pulled back his power despite his whole body shaking.

Cale's will, his desire to push forward-

'I can't make him stop.'

Choi Han, who had just found out what it means to walk his own path, could not stop Cale.

The team leader should already know that as well. That was why he was just silently watching.

Choi Han pretended not to see the usually tired face of the team leader, the face that looked relaxed even during battles looking as scary as a yakṣa.

Choi Han flinched at that moment.

'Hmm?'

He looked back at Cale.

Something was weird.

He felt as if some mysterious thing that he could not identify was gathering around Cale.

This intangible aura was flowing into Cale.

Chhhhhhhhh-

He finally realized that there was a burning sound at Cale's clavicle.

Choi Han, who could not touch Cale and could only watch him curled up in pain, turned his gaze after sensing someone approaching them.

The person who had been further behind than the silent martial artists…

The Heavenly Demon approached them.

His face was full of shock and confusion.

"…The lid to Kim Hae-il's head is open right now?"

'What?'

Choi Han's eyes opened wide while the team leader immediately looked toward the Heavenly Demon.

The team leader asked a question as the Heavenly Demon flinched after seeing the expression on the team leader's face.

"What do you mean by that?"

No emotion could be felt in his voice.

"Explain."

His tone was extremely commanding as well. However, there was nobody to complain about that.

The Heavenly Demon received everyone's gazes as he explained.

"Can't you feel the aura being sucked into Kim Hae-il right now?"

Choi Han immediately answered.

"I feel it."

The team leader nodded his head as well.

Only the two of them had noticed it. Beacrox slightly scowled but nobody noticed.

"The aura of nature around here is being sucked into Kim Hae-il's Bai Hui Point."

The Bai Hui Point.

In the Martial Arts world, of the hundreds of meridians in the body, a hundred different kis were said to flow through the Bai Hui Point.

The location of it was the spot closest to the sky when a person was standing up. It was the head.

According to legends, the Martial Arts world believed that a person whose Bai Hui Point opens completely will become an immortal and rise up into the heavens.

However, this was seen as a baseless rumor.

People had not become immortals despite their Bai Hui Point opening.

"The Bai Hui Point is completely open toward the outside right now."

That meant that his head was open and sucking in all sorts of auras from around him.

"I don't know how something like this is possible, but-"

What was happening to Kim Hae-il right now was not using mental arts to build his internal ki. A ton of aura was moving quickly only into his Bai Hui Point.

It was the aura of nature that had not gone through any sort of processing.

The Heavenly Demon hesitated before explaining more.

"…If he keeps sucking it in like this-"

A big accident might happen.

Of course, unlike a little earlier when Cale had been sucking in more and more aura, he was now only sucking in a set amount.

That amount was extremely large as well.

It was so much that most martial artists would not be able to handle it.

'Ki Deviation. No, his body will probably explode.'

He couldn't say that out loud.

He felt as if everybody would understand what he was trying to say, but they also could not tell Kim Hae-il to stop.

Just a bit.

If he resisted just a little longer…

Everything will be resolved.

The Heavenly Demon subconsciously prayed.

He prayed that this moment would safely pass.

'Ha.'

The Heavenly Demon was shocked at himself.

He had never prayed to anything or anyone since he made up his mind to become the Heavenly Demon and especially not since becoming the Heavenly Demon.

He was the sky of the Demon Cult.

However, he was subconsciously praying toward a mysterious existence right now.

But maybe that could not be helped.

'I want to see it.'

The sight of a person surviving against nature.

That person surviving until the end.

He wanted to see it.

Even if humans were like ants in front of nature…

That they were not low in value…

He wanted to feel it.

'How much time is left?'

He didn't realize that he was anxious and paying attention to the time.

Boom-

It was at that moment.

Boom-

A loud rumbling came from the ground.

The spot of the shaking…

The Heavenly Demon turned his head.

Stairway to Heaven.

The moment he looked in that direction…

Boom.

The ground shook strongly again.

"Ah."

He then saw it.

Boom!

There was a loud noise before a purple aura shot up toward the sky.

"Hae-il-nim!"

He heard Choi Han's shout.

The Heavenly Demon turned his head.

The tsunami trying to reach the island became even larger.

"Ah."

He gasped.

He realized something.

'This is its last attack.'

The avarice of the sea was flailing for the last time.

The flailing was strong.

Ruuuumble-

The black sky roared and the tsunami became even larger.

Cale's shaking became even worse.

His face turned completely white before it started turning blue.

Baaaaang!

He heard something bursting in the other direction.

The Heavenly Demon turned his head.

The purple aura shooting up into the sky exploded.

They disappeared without even leaving any ashes.

The moment he saw that…

He heard another loud noise. He turned his head.

"Ah."

The tsunami aiming for the island exploded.

No, the large water wall crumbled into pieces.

That was amazing as well.

It looked as if it would sweep everything away.

Watching this wall of water crumble down was extremely beautiful yet painful.

However, the Heavenly Demon could see all of it.

Not even a drop of water landed on him.

"Ugh!"

It was thanks to a teary and groaning person.

Kim Hae-il. He looked extremely unsightly now. Cale's usually firm back was curled forward and he was unable to control his legs.

He also had tears, snot, and spit.

Furthermore, his eyes that he had struggled to open were unable to open again and he was continuously groaning.

But still…

Even while doing that…

His tsunami was blocking the bursting wall.

The Heavenly Demon could not figure out the answer filling his heart and could only say one thing out loud.

"This is driving me nuts."

His whole body was tingling.

It could not be helped.

Rumble...

The rumbling in the sky was stopping.

Shaaaaaaaaaaa-

The sound of rain was getting quieter.

And then, in the end…

"Haaa..."

Kim Hae-il had stopped the tsunami.

He had persisted against the sea, against nature.

The night sky that had been covered by black clouds was slowly revealing itself.

The sea was calming down.

The sea was dark under the starlight and moonlight, but it was sparkling.

The Heavenly Demon frowned.

He could see Kim Hae-il's wall that was still standing firm.

No, this was not just a wall.

This was a castle wall.

The walls that people created to protect their territory from everything outside resembled this wall created by Kim Hae-il.

Shaaaaaaa—

There was a gust of wind.

"Ah."

The castle wall that had not submitted in front of nature slowly started breaking down.

The water wall Kim Hae-il had created did not return to the sea.

The water shot up into the sky.

The large wall turned into small water drops and let the wind take it.

Plop. Plop.

They then fell back to the ground one after the other.

On top of trees, boulders, grass…

The water drops even fell on the Heavenly Demon.

He wiped the water drop dripping down his cheek with his hand.

He then looked down.

The Heavenly Demon lowered his head toward the person standing at the lowest spot of everybody gathered here right now.

"Huff. Huff."

Cale was heavily breathing and barely managed to say something.

"…I made it."

'My head doesn't hurt at all now!

I feel relieved!'

– Your plate and your body is fine!

– Woo, we endured it!

'Wow, how is it possible that it doesn't hurt at all now?'

Cale was amazed.

The pain completely disappeared the moment he stopped using the Sky Eating Water.

It had hurt like hell but at least he didn't cough up blood or faint.

He could head over to Raon looking totally fine.

A smile subconsciously appeared on his face.

He then noticed the other people.

'…What the hell?'

Drip.

The Heavenly Demon let out a single tear.

Cale felt as if he saw something he should not see.

The Heavenly Demon didn't care and spoke to Cale. His voice sounded strained.

"Yes. We survived. We survived in the end."

Sooob.

Zhuge Mi Ryeo was crying while covering her face with her sleeve.

Sima Pyeong kept looking up at the sky and sniffling.

'…What the hell? Why is the mood like this?'

Cale got scared looking at the reaction of the martial artists.

For some reason, he didn't have the courage to look at Choi Han, Beacrox, and the team leader.

His shoulders slightly curled forward.

—

Translator's Comments

We are suvivors! We're not gon give up!

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]