Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 394

Click-clack, click-clack. Slowly, the barrier is restored.

But not completely. The sections that were pierced from direct attacks couldn’t be restored. It seemed like I would have to hammer out some adjustments first.

“Phew, that should do it.”

With Dang Sa-ryeon having left to block the Poison Demon, the first thing Yeon-woo did was patch up the barrier.

In any fight, there are always those who toil in the background so that others can engage freely.

Especially in a martial arts world riddled with magic.

“I wonder if it’ll be alright. Should I go help?”

The hesitation in rushing to help came from the fact that it was Dang Sa-ryeon. If I just went over there to assist, infuriating her with comments like, ‘You said you’d be fine!’ was a real possibility!

Well, getting scolded is certainly better than watching Dang Sa-ryeon get defeated.

It would be better if I stayed over here just in case. Jin Baek-cheon was dealing with the demons coming from another direction, and Jegal Yeon seemed to be facing a similar situation.

That left Dang Jin-ho, who, being a martial artist and loving his daughter, would surely keep himself occupied in a way that wouldn’t disturb her development.

It wouldn’t be fair to criticize that. After all, Yeon-woo is the only one left to help.

Even without Yeon-woo, Dang Jin-ho would undoubtedly show up in time, so she wouldn’t die. Still, it was about being prepared for any eventuality.

“Maybe I should enjoy some battle-watching while dispatching the minions.”

Muttering this, Yeon-woo leisurely crossed through the campsite. The campsite viewed from the sky shone yet appeared deserted.

*

“Whoosh…!”

The meeting of green poison and purple poison produced a sizzling sound as they burned together, melting the ground beneath them.

“Wow, the kid from the Tang family has some impressive poison tricks!”

“I can’t believe I’m being praised by my senior…!”

Dang Sa-ryeon exhaled roughly and fixed her clothes. Though the poison had splattered and corroded her clothing here and there, her body remained unharmed.

Even mixed with magic, the Chaos Manipulation Technique could cleanse any poison.

As long as it was purely a battle of poisons, she could contend with the Poison Demon. However, she couldn’t allow herself to get carried away with that fact.

She was already aware of the relative advantage the Chaos Manipulation Technique possessed over all poisons.

In other words, it was troubling that the Poison Demon had thus far been simply using poison.

That old man seems to be underestimating Dang Sa-ryeon.

‘This is… insulting.’

Trying her hardest to appear composed, the usually proud Dang Sa-ryeon found herself feeling enraged, full of inner curses.

She had a very strong sense of pride and simply couldn’t accept defeat.

Dang Sa-ryeon pulled an amulet from her sleeve.

The Tang family’s vision, of course, revolves around poison. However, the amulet and techniques they employed were also their primary weapon.

The Poison Demon was also an experienced martial artist. Given his deep history, he would definitely have experience against amulets.

Furthermore, throwing the amulet in a frontal assault was almost a guarantee that the Tang family would have no advantage.

Yet, the Tang family’s amulets are not confined to just surprise attacks, surprisingly enough.

She scattered the amulets along with her poison. The sight caught the attention of the Poison Demon.

Releasing poisons potent enough to melt his own toxins, while adding an amulet to the mix—how can that be?

It was an illogical scene that just didn’t make sense.

“What a remarkable poison technique, huh!?”

The Poison Demon exclaimed as he reached out. Until now, he only swung his arm once or twice, but this time he extended his arm forward to block the amulets.

The two poisons met in mid-air, melting each other, while the remaining amulet shot straight toward the Poison Demon.

The Poison Demon’s arm gracefully gathered all the incoming amulets into one place. The rendered amulet fell to the ground with a soft ‘thud.’

A remarkably neat defense. However, Dang Sa-ryeon did not falter; she continued firing amulets.

She felt she would not reach the next realm until she fought to the point of exhausting all her internal energy and toxic power.

The Poison Demon seemed to be researching the Chaos Manipulation Technique. However, it’s unlikely he could glean any meaningful information while in this fray.

For the Poison Demon to understand her continuously shifting toxins with such a paltry means was impossible.

As time passed, one side continued to attack while the other, filled with curiosity, constantly defended; it was more of a one-sided practice session.

Then, a moment came when Dang Sa-ryeon was finally tiring.

No matter how skilled she was, her poisons and stamina weren’t infinite. It was as if she had used up all her amulets; countless needle-like darts littered the area around the Poison Demon.

“Huff, huff….”

“Ha! This is interesting and fun! I’ve never encountered such a confusing poison technique before!! Not even the Poison King’s techniques compare; just who are you really!!? I think I need to take you back to my lab!”

At the Poison Demon’s shout, Dang Sa-ryeon felt chills ripple down her spine.

What kind of fate awaited her if dragged into that old man’s laboratory was all too vivid in her imagination.

That gut-wrenching instinct revived her waning energy.

She was barely hanging on with the initial preparations, yet somehow she found the strength for one last push.

“Whoo…!!”

“Hey! Are you alright?!”

A familiar voice reached her ears as she took a deep breath. It was Choi Yeon-woo.

From a distance, it seemed he was preventing demons from escaping the area but had now extended his reach over to her.

“Help me or don’t! Choose now!”

Dang Sa-ryeon nearly called out for help but bit her teeth and held back her words.

If she pleaded for help now, everything she had painstakingly built up—the preparations and the fight—would be rendered meaningless.

“Just watch from over there!!”

“I got it. Good luck!!”

Choi Yeon-woo casually retreated, as though not really worried.

Perhaps it was because someone so reliable was watching her from behind, Dang Sa-ryeon’s trembling hands began to steady.

If that was the case, then she had to show it. Show that she was someone they could trust and rely on. Not quite a Demon King, but definitely competent enough to handle a subordinate.

‘I will break through my limits here.’

Simultaneously, Dang Sa-ryeon pulled a silver dart from her robe.

In an instant, she raised the green toxin-soaked dart overhead and began unleashing her internal energy.

With a rustle, the darts littered across the ground began to quiver.

*

“Poison King, could that be….”

“You must have heard the name. It belongs to Tang family’s secret technique called ‘Myriad Heavens Poison Cloud’.”

I had heard of it. Of course, I’d never seen it in action. If I had, it would be quite a miracle if I had survived!

The belief in the Tang family was that no one should survive after witnessing the Myriad Heavens Poison Cloud.

“…Um, is it okay to watch this?”

“Haha, if your chest suddenly begins to hurt later, just know it’s us.”

Since he was laughing, it had to be a joke… right? Well, considering I had already said I’d watch, there was no turning back, and thus Yeon-woo watched Dang Sa-ryeon with a heart nearly bleeding.

The silver dart in Dang Sa-ryeon’s hands was the catalyst, making the countless darts scattered across the ground quiver.

The reason was simple. They were connected by very thin threads of poison. One might call it a kind of signal amplifier.

I didn’t know the exact principle, but it was clear that the dart she had drawn last played that role.

As Yeon-woo’s face scrunched in curiosity, Dang Jin-ho stroked his beard and spoke up.

“All of the Tang family’s amulets are crafted by master artisans. Each and every one, custom-made. The first dart created is that one.”

“…Is it really okay to hear this?”

“It doesn’t matter. How many artisans are capable of making hundreds or even thousands of identical amulets? Not even a master swordsman would be able to do that.”

That’s more about a man who’s obsessed with swords than anything else…

He might not be able to do it simply because he never intends to.

“How much can this unfitting technique be unraveled? Just because she’s my daughter doesn’t mean she should be acting like this.”

It was absurd that a technique so inadequate for her level one could not use properly, while still being on the cusp of mastery.

At least one could use the Emperor’s Sword Form, unlike the Myriad Heavens Poison Cloud, which lacked even a single properly aligned technique.

That’s why the kids are getting twisted up, I swear. Silently watching this horrifying legacy of the Tang family, Yeon-woo took in the spectacle.

No matter how much of a Poison Demon one is, seeing the Myriad Heavens Poison Cloud for the first time must be something extraordinary.

The darts began to float in the air, much like a living sword, astonishing the Poison Demon, who could not hide his look of surprise.

Clearly, this was not a technique meant for someone at the expert level.

The floating darts all aimed their sharp points at the Poison Demon.

It was like an iron maiden, a reverse hedgehog…you could call it that kind of spectacle.

Even someone of Yeon-woo’s caliber would have to exhaust every bit of mana in their heart and aura to recreate something like that.

That is precisely why it is a technique. To invoke the same phenomenon, it requires precise movements and a complex formation—hence reducing the consumption of energy while amplifying its power.

“Cough, cough, is this what they call the Myriad Heavens Poison Cloud!?”

For a moment, the Poison Demon seemed overwhelmed but quickly regained his composure and scattered poison all around.

In the end, they were just darts. Surely, there was no way those little things could withstand his toxins—he unleashed a fog of poison that engulfed the area.

…However, the floating darts showed no change. They remained steady, akin to stars in the sky, as though gazing upon a planetarium.

“What…!?”

“What, you thought you were the only one interpreting the enemy’s poison?”

Muttering softly, Dang Sa-ryeon commanded the darts as if she were a conductor leading an orchestra. Instantly, hundreds of darts surged toward the Poison Demon.

Startled, the Poison Demon slid between the darts. Cold sweat trickled down his wrinkled brow, yet he managed to escape.

Yet, witnessing this, Dang Sa-ryeon calmly spoke again.

“The Tang family doesn’t miss their enemies.”

The darts that had zoomed toward where the Poison Demon had been all suddenly changed direction, charging back after him once more.

Yeon-woo witnessed an unexplainable phenomenon. Could someone execute such a large-scale technique at this level of internal energy?

“She’s overextending herself. To ensure she can finish off the Poison Demon.”

“…Is that so.”

Dang Sa-ryeon’s body wasn’t in perfect condition either. It was hard to see clearly, but veins were visibly bulging all over her.

She seemed to be scraping the bottom of her strength reserves while heavily using her internal energy.

“Wh-What are you doing!? Hurry up and stop them!!”

The desperate cries of the Poison Demon urged the demons waiting outside the barrier to rush in.

The demons, rushing in as if willing to take the Myriad Heavens Poison Cloud head-on, were avoidably evaded by the darts, which moved like butterflies.

As long as the caster was in control, the darts slicing through the air would not stop. Realizing that, the demons launched themselves at Dang Sa-ryeon.

“It seems my turn has finally come, Poison King.”

“Haha, and since I seem to have promised merely to watch, I can’t say a thing.”

Muttering this, the Poison King stood before Dang Sa-ryeon. His vow not to let anything pass through him had become poison spilling out around him.

The chase ended in a matter of moments, leaving behind what could only be imagined as a scene no human could survive.

The final image was of the Poison King holding the crumpled Dang Sa-ryeon in his arms.

All that was left was a simple bit of follow-up cleanup.

(Continued in the next episode)