Everyone is Young Except for Me - Chapter 322

Chapter 322
It really happened in an instant. Beyond the pierced chest, Lucifer’s claws were playing with the tundra dragon’s cold heart. Gradually, the heart became dull and started to slow down. It broke in Lucifer’s grasp. White dust scattered from his fingertips.

The tundra dragon’s eyes slowly lost his vitality. The giant body scattered and disappeared. All that was left in its place was a small egg.

[Youuuuu!]

Santa Claus let out a roar of anger and threw off the red top he was wearing. He revealed a muscular body that wasn’t appropriate for his age. Santa Claus reached out his hand and started to pour out various ice magic toward Lucifer. A blizzard accompanied by sharp ice awls and a violent blizzard struck Lucifer. No, why was he using magic after implying that he was going to fight with his body? Was he joking right now?

[Bah. You dare to fight me when you are weaker than the tundra dragon?]

However, Lucifer created powerful fire in the air with a single gesture and counteracted all of Santa Claus’ attacks.

[What..?!]

I left the flustered Santa Claus behind, using the Wind Flying Kick Technique to run toward Lucifer. Meanwhile, Park Maksun drew triangles and used various spells to block Lucifer. Thick smoke filled the inside of the ice castle. However, Lucifer was once again unstoppable.

“...Dammit.”

“Hey, did that guy eat steel? He’s terrifying.”

I gritted my teeth while Park Maksun clicked her tongue at the sight of Lucifer’s health gauge that wasn’t affected at all.

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ says you aren’t his opponent right now.]

In fact, I knew this as well. To be honest, running away was the correct decision in the current situation. Lucifer’s ability to make his imagination reality was one that even the gods feared. However, I had to grab the egg left by the tundra dragon. Like Phoenix Ignur, the tundra dragon would be reborn from that egg.

Thus, I had to take the egg with me. The problem was that I needed to grab it quickly before Lucifer noticed.

[Hoh. Is this your target?]

“......!”

“......!”

[......!]

The three of us flinched at the same time.

[Huhuhu. I feel like crushing your small hope.]

Lucifer said so and, using the overflowing power of death, seized the tundra dragon’s egg that was trying to flee. Eventually, the egg was held in Lucifer’s hand. Then some force was applied...

“No!”

“T-This...!”

[......!]

Park Maksun and I cried out angrily. Santa Claus quickly used ice magic again to stop it, but he was too late. The tundra dragon’s egg burst in an instant. There was silence inside the ice castle.

[How dare you—!]

Eventually, Santa Claus erupted. He discarded his magic and threw himself directly at Lucifer. Santa Claus exuded a tremendous energy from his entire body and displayed agile movements. He repeatedly appeared and disappeared from Lucifer’s blind spot. The afterimages left behind showed how fast he was. Lucifer’s eyes moved from side to side at high speed. Then Santa Claus aimed for Lucifer’s back.

[Die—!]

Santa Claus’ fist grew huge as it rushed toward Lucifer’s back as if to devour it. The explosion was so huge that the ground inside the ice castle shook. I quickly moved with the wind while pulling out Yeouicho. “Grow, Yeouicho.” 

I jumped onto the clouds in the air and aimed Yeouicho at Lucifer’s head. Additionally, Park Maksun prepared new magic by overlapping two triangles to form a hexagonal star. As the attacks of the three of us were about to reach Lucifer...

[How funny.]

Lucifer flicked his fingers and something appeared. The thing that appeared was a small, black bead. However, enormous magic power and wind emerged from the black bead that sucked everything up. It was as if it was devouring everything in the vicinity.

I could hear Park Maksun’s scream, “W-We can’t let him release this now! This rotten bastard!”

Park Maksun swung at Lucifer’s body with her cane but it couldn’t touch at all. It was a meaningless resistance. Santa Claus and I were barely holding on by hugging a heavy chunk of ice that had fallen nearby. Lucifer threw Park Maksun at us. “Oh my mu! Aaaack—!”

I barely managed to grab Park Maksun’s robe and pulled her to the block of ice. Lucifer let out a low chuckle at the sight. [Huhuhu. I’ll see you again. Of course, that’s if you can survive here. By the way, even immortal humans won’t be able to survive if you enter this. You’ll be lost in the darkness that is forever separate from the world.]

Finally, Lucifer disappeared from view.

”This shit...”

“That is bullshit.”

[Kuock...]

We each swallowed down our anger, but we still had a problem. We stared at the black bead that was sucking everything into it like a vacuum cleaner. Gradually, the surrounding structures were torn off and sucked into that small bead. I didn’t know how long it would last, but if this momentum continued, the entire ice castle might be sucked in. Just then—

“Hold on tightly!”

Someone placed a hand on my shoulder. Then I fell into the ground and disappeared.

* * *

At the East Continent, the entrance of Murim...

“Welcome. You’ve worked hard coming here,” Namgung Yun, the leader of Murim, greeted the Sword Sage and his group in a polite manner.

Park Muyeol and Michael placed their palm over their fist and Namgung Yun smiled at them. “You are familiar with the East Continent’s practices.”

“Um, you can say that. Hahaha.” Park Muyeol said with a laugh.

Inumusiki introduced them, pointing to the group one by one.

[Yes, this is Camille, a constellation like me. She is a member of the Seven Chivalrous Stars.]

[It is nice to meet you.]

“Thank you for coming all this way.”

[This is Park Muyeol. He isn’t a constellation, but he has great strength.]

Park Muyeol made eye contact with Namgung Yun and gave a small nod.

[Then this is...]

He seemed to be conscious of the surrounding gazes. Inumusiki paused for a moment as he glanced at the people behind Namgung Yun.

However, he didn’t want to hide it because it was something they would find out eventually.

[My new disciple.]

“......!”

All the sect leaders behind Namgung Yun started murmuring.

“The Sword Sage’s disciple?”

“Huhu. Someone who has rejected a disciple all his life...”

“Did the sun rise in the west today?”

However, Namgung Yun didn’t seem concerned as he spoke to Michael, “I greet the Sword Sage’s disciple.”

“I am Michael. I just recently received a sword technique from Master.”

Michael abruptly became the Sword Sage’s disciple, but he acknowledged it himself. His swordsmanship that had advanced in the previous fight due to Inumusiki made him able to accept it. It was why Michael decided to sincerely accept Inumusiki as his teacher. Inumusiki recognized the anguish deep in his heart and told him that he would only see a new sword path if he put down all his greed and obsession. The result could be confirmed from the fight that happened just now. Indeed, the end of the path was only the sword. Michael thought he had a bit more understanding about the sword. 

It happened at this time...

[The potential of becoming a Sword Sage has arisen in you.]

[If you become a Sword Sage, then you will be able to create your own mental image.]

[The moment the mental image is realized, you will reach the level of a Sword Sage.]

‘Mental image?’

Michael’s eyes slightly widened.

The system in front of him was talking about a new level for Michael to aim for.

Meanwhile, Namgung Yun continued speaking without any surprise, “First of all, let’s eat inside.”

* * *

Inside the Murim strategy room...

The Murim League meeting resumed with the addition of Inumusiki’s group. As expected, it was Namgung Yun who led the meeting.

“Now that the people we have been waiting for have come, let’s all discuss it. What should we do with the zombies outside?”

Namgung Yun opened up the meeting and the heads of each sect spoke as if they had been waiting. The first one to open his mouth was Explosive Plum Sword, who had previously been scolded by Namgung Yun, “Of course, we have to wipe them all out!”

“Huhu. Hey, Explosive Plum Sword, don’t you think you are too radical?”

“What did you say? Are the shamans afraid of zombies? Is it like this?”

“Um! You dare to badmouth our shamans! Have you forgotten how the Tai Chi daoist immortal died?!”

Once again, the meeting became an argument like last time. The hardliners wanted to go and wipe out all the zombies while the moderates wanted to minimize sacrifices as much as possible and suggested looking for other ways. It was Camille who mediated between them.

[I have a plan.]

All eyes fell on her.

“What is your method?” Namgung Yun asked her in a calm tone. 

Camille briefly closed her eyes, organized her thoughts and slowly opened her mouth, [In fact, I’ve seen the zombies before. It goes without saying that the corpses are ferocious.]

“Do you see? As expected, the zombies have to be wiped out!”

[However, I’ve also seen people who have become zombies without receiving a big injury. In other words, they aren’t corpses. They are still alive. They are just infected with something.]

“Cough. Cough. So what does the colleague of the Sword Sage want to do?” The Tai Chi daoist immortal was the head of the independent party. The elder who was temporarily in charge after his death asked Camille.

He didn’t forget to glance at Explosive Plum Sword with a look of complaint. Explosive Plum Sword’s face turned red with anger. However, Camille seemed unconcerned.

[Give me two days. I will make an antidote.]

Everyone frowned thoughtfully at Camille’s words.

Namgung Yun told her, “As you’ve experienced before, the number of zombies is increasing. Currently, most of the troops defending Murim are finding it hard to defend so they are focused on building strong walls. It will probably be hard to give you that much time. It is a bit better now that the Sword Sage’s group is here, but to be honest, it is still a difficult situation.”

Namgung Yun calmly and honestly described the current situation.

Just then, Michael came forward. “Then we will call for more reinforcements.”

“Reinforcements?”

“They are people who are the most suitable.”