Book 24 Chapter 18

Shedding the Chains

―The Pulled-Out Nails

“……”

Chilsangheun, who had gotten up from the floor, didn't say a word. Even though he was covered in dust here and there, he didn't even think of brushing it off.

“Now, surrender……”

Yeonbi stopped speaking. It was because of the unusual aura emanating from Chilsangheun's entire body. That was clearly a fighting spirit, and a very powerful one at that. It was an aura that would never come from someone about to surrender. That fiery fighting spirit was powerful, something he had never seen from him before. Beyond that aura, he felt a new resolve. He was about to do something.

Clang! Clang!

Crash!

The chains binding the coffin made a loud noise and fell to the floor. Judging by the sound of them hitting the ground, they weren't light. As all the binding chains were released, the coffin strapped to his back fell to the ground with a thud.

Chilsangheun, who had freed himself from the chains that had bound him, began to loosen up by twisting his head left and right and swinging his arms. He was doing so to relieve the stiffness in his muscles.

“That sounds quite heavy.”

“It weighs about two hundred pounds.”

“That must have been very heavy?”

“Thanks to that, I feel like I can fly now.”

He brought the coffin in front of him. The coffin was studded with large nails in several places. Just then, the coffin trembled, and the nails began to come out on their own. Soon, all of them were pulled out and fell to the floor with a clatter.

“I am here. I am not running away anywhere now. So, I will show you what I have obtained to cut off my past.”

Screech!

Finally, the rusted nails that had been embedded for a long time came out, and the old hinges shrieked as the lid opened with a creak. The air that had been decaying for nine years inside the coffin met the new breeze and gasped. Two swords, which had been suffocating in the damp, old air, finally let out a cry of joy and revealed themselves. Nine years had passed, and though they had been neglected without any maintenance, the two blades had not a single speck of rust and still retained their former brilliance. As Chilsangheun gazed at the pair of twin swords, suppressed memories and recollections rushed through his eyes like a powerful stream of water.

“As expected, those two twin swords must have been your past that you had to bury with nails.”

Yeonbi said in a curious tone.

“You opened something you shouldn't have opened. You will pay the price.”

“With what?”

“With your death!”

He picked up the pair of twin swords. An incomparable aura emanated from the two swords, unlike anything before.

‘Is this person the same Chilsangheun as before?’

From the moment he held those twin swords, he seemed to have transformed into a completely different person. This must be what it means for one's presence to change.

Swish!

Chilsangheun's figure vanished from the center of the arena. It was so fast that it felt that way.

His attack, now free from the chains, had a power that was incomparable to before.

CRASH!

The twin swords, appearing suddenly, struck the blade of Hyuncheon Eurim's spear. Each blow was so fierce that it shook the interior. It felt as if he were wielding a giant, thousand-pound mace, not a sword.