The closing distance felt like the dwindling time left in my life.

Maybe it was the focus, but everything slowed down. Once they closed the distance, they'd have to stab me directly with their blades—they couldn’t use their full techniques without risking their own allies.

This was a strategy that used my life as collateral.

After all, half the energy of the Heavenly Pearl was extreme yin energy. If the cold of the Moonlight Cold Heart Technique wasn’t enough, I planned to forcibly unleash that extreme yin and freeze the blood flowing from my body in every direction.

“Kill him!”

At someone’s shout, I leapt into the air at a low arc. My body’s senses predicted how many weapons would pierce me...

What came to mind was a hedgehog.

I imagined my body full of holes, then unleashed all the extreme yin energy of Hyunwol Ice Arts in one explosive spin. I deliberately clamped my palms together—sealing the most efficient outlet for force—and discharged the cold as if emitting a full-body blast of ki.

Swoooooooosh...

A refreshing wave of ki burst out so powerfully it made my hair fly. I landed once, then somersaulted back into the air to fire another wave of cold energy, then fell quietly back down.

In the sudden stillness, pale breath escaped my mouth.

“Haa.”

I paused my breath, scanning my surroundings. Everyone was frozen in place with their swords and sabers extended. Half of them had thrust their weapons forward toward my initial position; the ones further out were frozen while staring into the air.

I stood amid the frozen maze of bodies, watching the true-named Scholar at a distance.

“......”

He had been standing in the rear, and had easily deflected the waves of extreme yin with his twin palms, widening the gap between us.

But of course, he couldn’t see. He furrowed his brow and strained his ears.

He finally spoke.

“Why is no one speaking?”

I narrowed my eyes and kept watching.

“.......”