Chapter 168
Chapter 168
Kwaaang—!
Puh-ung—!
“Block it!!!”
“Reinforcements are coming!! Just hold out a little longer!!”
The shout rang out loudly, but the others did not hear those hopeful words.
More precisely, it would be more accurate to say they could not hear them at all.
The air trembled and the ground shook from the sounds of weapons colliding with each other. It was a preposterous sight, like a war fought with gunpowder.
The artificial natural disaster created by tens of thousands of people was enough to startle even those deeply immersed in battle from time to time.
Wang Chun-o, a martial artist who had reached the State of the Transformation Realm, calmly assessed the situation around him.
‘We’re being pushed back!’
Even if the defensive line had been hastily constructed, the people fighting here were all individuals who had made quite a name for themselves in the Martial World.
And yet they were being pushed back so helplessly?
On average, whenever one Demonic Practitioner killed two of their allies, their side struggled to kill even one enemy.
Forcing his heavy limbs to move, Wang Chun-o spoke.
“Have all the Common People evacuated?!”
“It seems a few still remain!”
At the reply he received, Wang Chun-o spoke in a voice filled with uncontrollable killing intent.
“What about the reinforcements from the government office?!”
“Those bastards say they’re honoring the non-interference pact between officials and the Martial World!!”
“The Emperor is ruining the country with artistic flair!!”
It was a remark that would not have been strange for him to be beheaded on the spot for insulting the Emperor. Yet at this moment, both allies and enemies alike silently agreed with Wang Chun-o’s words.
Already the casualties among the Common People had exceeded five thousand. If the wounded were included, the number would reach tens of thousands.
And what?
They were upholding the non-interference pact?
“If I survive this war, I’m going to start a rebellion!!”
Consumed by the madness of war, Wang Chun-o did not even realize what he was saying. Fortunately, he was not the only one maddened by the battlefield, so his voice reached no one.
“UAAAAAAAH!!”
With a furious battle cry, Wang Chun-o swung his massive greatsword—large enough to rival the size of a man.
Kang—!
As his greatsword was suddenly deflected, Wang Chun-o lost his balance and fell. He widened his eyes, trying to identify who had knocked his weapon aside.
But before Wang Chun-o could do anything, someone with an overwhelming presence was slowly walking across the battlefield.
It was composure that could never appear in war. As if he had finished a meal and had come out for a casual stroll, the man walked leisurely and grinned.
“Not a bad blade technique.”
The ferocious aura emanating from him felt more savage than that of a beast. Wang Chun-o suddenly felt the strength drain from his entire body.
Even if his body were in perfect condition rather than exhausted, he would not be able to defeat this man.
It was the instinct of prey.
And the despair of a martial artist.
A wall as vast as Mount Tai. There were not many who could present such a towering barrier.
Recalling the titles of the terrifying experts recently produced by the Demonic Cult, Wang Chun-o opened his mouth.
“D-Don’t tell me… one of the Twelve Dem—”
Paang—!
Before his words could finish, a throwing knife shot forth at a terrifying speed and pierced the Demonic Practitioner’s glabella.
No—rather than piercing it, it looked closer to destroying it. The Demonic Practitioner’s corpse collapsed limply.
At that moment, a man wearing a green robe executed hidden weapon techniques while speaking irritably.
“That scared the hell out of me! I thought one of the Twelve Demons really showed up!”
“A-… the Dark Emperor…?”
As Wang Chun-o muttered blankly, Tang Gunhyeon immediately snapped as if he had been waiting.
“Just because someone’s stronger than you doesn’t mean they’re one of the Twelve Demons. Please stop causing confusion on the front line. There’s no way the Twelve Demons would be that weak.”
Wang Chun-o burst into hollow laughter without realizing it.
He had heard that once one reached the State of the Transformation Realm, even those within the same realm could have enormous differences in power.
But he had never imagined the gap would be this large. Watching Tang Gunhyeon display monstrous divine might, Wang Chun-o felt awe rise within him.
Fast.
The throwing knives shot out at a speed barely visible to the eye. The Demonic Practitioners did not even realize what had struck them.
They simply looked toward the place where pain suddenly erupted, only to find needles embedded there and poison already seeping into their bodies.
Tang Gunhyeon was not even launching his hidden weapons at full power, conserving stamina. Yet even that alone greatly aided their allies.
No matter how fierce a Demonic Practitioner might be, anyone would panic if a needle suddenly lodged in their eye.
Those who did not miss that fleeting opening thrust their weapons into the Demonic Practitioners’ throats.
With Tang Gunhyeon’s assistance, dozens of Demonic Practitioners lost their lives within a fleeting instant.
Only after seeing the Demonic Practitioners collapsing did Wang Chun-o regain his senses. Gripping his blade tightly, he shouted.
“Reinforcements have arrived! The Dark Emperor is with us!”
“WOOOAAAHHH!!”
The absent-minded fool who usually wandered around seemed to have vanished. In his place stood a martial artist worthy of the title King of Hidden Weapons, instantly dominating the battlefield.
At that moment, dozens of Demonic Practitioners rushed toward Tang Gunhyeon from behind.
Instinctively sensing a threat to their lives, they charged forward with the sole intention of killing him—even willing to sacrifice an arm or a leg in the process.
Slash!
Then, sword energy the color of dark crimson—resembling blood—shot out like a flash of lightning.
The crimson sword energy that flew like light butchered the bodies of the Demonic Practitioners.
Dozens of Demonic Practitioners were sliced apart. Their bodies were cut into pieces so finely it was not an exaggeration to say they had been minced.
It was such a grotesque sight that it could induce vomiting.
Yet the one responsible for creating that scene spoke as if nothing had happened.
“Good thing there are only weak ones here.”
Step. Step.
Amidst the battlefield littered with corpses, where blood and entrails rained down like a storm, a witch stood there and looked around with cold eyes.
Her composure was unbelievable for someone standing in the middle of a battlefield. Wang Chun-o could only stare blankly with his mouth open.
Even as her clothes became soaked with blood, Kang Chowon spoke without the slightest agitation.
“Five hundred troops will arrive here within half a quarter-hour. Until then, we’ll move for a bit.”
At Kang Chowon’s calm tone, Wang Chun-o groaned.
“…Blood Sword Ghost.”
Two tigers had taken up their weapons to slaughter rabbits.
“Then let’s finish this quickly.”
The moment Kang Chowon declared it, she charged straight into the middle of the enemy.
On that day, the legend of Kang Chowon was born.
“Damn it, he’s badly injured!”
Hyeon-gang was personally showing people why he was called the Divine Physician.
“Next!”
“T-This one!”
“What? Anyone can see the one over there is in worse condition!”
When Hyeon-gang spoke harshly, a senior physician assisting him spoke up.
“This person is the son of the prestigious Iron Flame Clan—”
“Drag that bastard out. I don’t have time to listen to that nonsense.”
At Hyeon-gang’s terrifying tone, the soldiers of the Murim Alliance could not even protest as they immediately dragged the senior physician away.
Hyeon-gang approached the patient and examined the wound. Frowning, he called for his disciple.
“Pyeong-ah! Come assist me!”
“Yes, Master!”
A young man who looked barely of coming-of-age age sat opposite Hyeon-gang.
“Pyeong-ah, concentrate from now on. For me this is treatment, but for you it is learning.”
“I understand.”
At the same time, Hyeon-gang began treatment while Jo Pyeong assisted him and absorbed knowledge into his mind as the disciple of the Divine Physician.
That day, the Divine Physician and his disciple saved one hundred people and failed to save three hundred.
After finishing all treatment and resting his eyes for about a quarter-hour, Hyeon-gang lifted his heavy eyelids upon hearing a familiar voice.
After roughly tidying his messy hair and stepping outside the tent, Hyeon-gang unconsciously sighed.
The deep fatigue in that sigh revealed his state of mind. He asked Kang Chowon, who had just returned from battle:
“Are you injured anywhere?”
“None of the reinforcements are seriously wounded. Most cases can be handled by the intermediate physicians. Actually, I was about to call you soon.”
At Kang Chowon’s words, Hyeon-gang rubbed his eyes.
“The ones who were already fighting?”
“Yes. Now the reinforcements will wait for another wave of reinforcements. Then the new ones will replace them, and in the meantime you’ll treat those who used to be the reinforcements.”
“Thanks for the damned reality check.”
With a light curse, Hyeon-gang tried to head back into the operating area.
Even if someone was destined to die tomorrow, shouldn’t they still be saved today?
Having lightened his heart despite the heavy responsibility, Hyeon-gang called for his disciple Jo Pyeong.
“Captain! The Demonic Cult has retreated!”
“What?”
Everyone focused on the soldier who spoke. Though he might have felt pressured by the countless gazes, the soldier calmly shouted again.
“The Demonic Cult has retreated!”
The announcement created a massive ripple.
Realizing the reason behind the Demonic Cult’s retreat, Hyeon-gang sighed.
“So it ended up becoming a war of attrition…”
As if responding to his words, Kang Chowon muttered quietly.
“The Young Master is going to have a hard time.”
Just as Kang Chowon said, Youngho, who had prepared to support any battlefield at any time, was currently groaning at headquarters.
His head felt like it was splitting from the headache.
Pressing his temples with his fingers, Youngho let out yet another sigh.
“I was too complacent. It seems I underestimated the Demon Brain.”
It was not complacency.
Youngho had chosen the best move available—it simply had not been perfect.
And because strategists always pursued perfection, Zhuge Lianhua and Myeongnyang could not even raise their heads.
“Sword Exalted, I’m sorry. We’ll have to revise the plan entirely.”
“We’ll have to. First, send letters telling the soldiers who were about to strike the Demonic Cult’s supply lines to withdraw.”
Youngho finished writing the letter he had been working on and placed it inside the bundle firmly tied to Seonpung’s body.
After tightly securing the bundle so the contents would not spill out, Youngho spoke to Seonpung.
“The location is the place I mentioned before. Just in case, smell this and remember it.”
Youngho held a piece of clothing he had received from Namgung Cheon to Seonpung’s nose.
After Seonpung nodded slightly to show he remembered the scent, Youngho gently scratched under his chin.
“I’m counting on you.”
Seonpung kicked off the ground and headed toward the front lines.
Watching him for a moment, Youngho spoke.
“That Demon Brain bastard is really good at responding. It can’t be easy to make decisions like that…”
It was decisiveness so remarkable that it evoked admiration—almost reverence.
Youngho then asked Muyeon, who stood beside him:
“How are we dealing with the Demonic Cult’s Heretical Arts?”
“Fortunately, thanks to cooperation from the Zhuge Clan, we’ve managed to block them using formations. Since Taoist internal energy is required, we’re also receiving help from the Wudang Sect.”
“You’re doing well.”
“But it will probably be difficult to block them on the front lines.”
“We’ve just been seeing geniuses of Heretical Arts until now. Normally even ordinary martial artists can break them. They don’t need to reach the Master Level.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yeah. Those guys are monsters who could be called the Cheonung of the Heretical Arts world.”
“…That’s a relief.”
“Right. Most Heretical Arts require a price anyway. You probably won’t see anyone using extremely powerful ones anymore. Something like All Phenomena of the Myriad World probably won’t appear again either. While investigating, we learned that to use it, it doesn’t just take the pain of losing Innate True Qi—you actually have to sacrifice it as an offering.”
Watching Myeongnyang and Zhuge Lianhua rapidly revising their strategies, Youngho said:
“For now, we’ll need to pay a little more attention to those people called the Twelve Demons.”