Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Chieftain (2)
"Hurry."
Kwang! Kwaaang!
Thunderous roars filled the small island.
The Hundred White Blood Corps and I turned the island's ground upside down.
Shaman stone tablets were buried throughout the island.
We all scattered and dug through the earth, destroying every tablet we found.
'Too slow.'
The Shaman's corpse was on the beach. About 30 minutes had passed since I killed him.
"It's not working yet."
So Iryeon attempted to teleport but failed.
We had gotten close to completion, but there were still obstacles.
The work continued for another 30 minutes.
It was the longest hour of my current life.
'Damn it.'
If there had been an attack, it would have been the end. I had no choice but to judge it that way rationally.
My heart began to pound heavily.
"Cult Leader!"
So Iryeon created a magic circle on the ground. The magic circle was finally complete.
"We're moving!"
Finally, after an hour that felt like a thousand years, we returned to the main base.
Heavenly Demon Cult main base.
Arriving at the teleportation warehouse, I saw a scene no different from usual.
I hurriedly left the warehouse and entered the main house.
"Uram!"
"Oppa!"
My parents were safe.
The weight pressing on my heart melted away like snow.
"Oppa…"
Yuna couldn't continue speaking and pointed toward the main base with her finger.
I immediately left the main house and ran toward the main base.
Up to Lake Park, nothing seemed particularly wrong. But from Lake Park onward, I saw corpses.
Most were corpses of Barbarian Tribe members. And I also saw Yuna's dead pets.
At that sight, my heart felt like it would burst.
'Please be safe.'
I focused on sounds.
Chaeng!
A metallic sound came from the south.
I ran toward the sound. And I saw an unexpected scene.
I saw a man standing with his back to a row of fallen corpses.
The man's body was already drenched in blood.
With torn and gaping wounds, it wouldn't have been strange if he collapsed right then. Yet he stood firmly on both feet.
One old sword.
That was all the man had.
"Sword God!"
At my shout, Sword God turned around.
In front of him was a Barbarian Tribe warrior who had just died.
Total annihilation.
Sword God had single-handedly blocked the Barbarian Tribe's attack.
Upon confirming it was me, Sword God released his sword as if it was finally over.
Chaeng.
The sword that fell to the ground made a light sound.
"I've been waiting."
With those words, Sword God closed his eyes.
I firmly caught his falling body.
I laid Sword God on the conference room table.
Soon after, a woman came running.
The Necromancer who had given up her power for her baby.
She wasn't in normal condition either. At a glance, she had serious wounds all over.
She too had fought to protect the Heavenly Demon Cult's main base.
"What's his condition?"
I asked Jimun Seo-saeng.
"His internal injuries are severe. There's no time."
"Prepare. I'll do it myself."
I needed to treat his internal injuries with internal energy.
I was about to raise his upper body and begin treatment when Jimun Seo-saeng stopped me.
"Protector So and Hundred Tiger Ghost can do it."
"I'll do it myself."
"Protector Cheong and Miss Yuri haven't returned. You can do it after finding them, it won't be too late."
Jimun Seo-saeng made a rational judgment.
"Hundred Tiger Ghost."
"Yes, Cult Leader."
"Keep him alive no matter what."
"Understood."
Hundred Tiger Ghost's internal energy was superior to So Iryeon's.
Hundred Tiger Ghost immediately sat behind Sword God.
After confirming that, I removed my ring and threw it on the floor. The magic circle transported me somewhere.
Black energy covered the entire enclosure.
It was a scene I had seen before.
About 300 warriors, frenzied by the sound of drums, were gathering their strength to push against the shield in the center.
The ice shield in the center.
The Witch and Cheong Ak-sal were inside it.
The warriors pushed against each other with their bodies and shoulders, gathering strength to break the shield.
Cracks began to form in the ice shield, and the black energy from the sky had already penetrated the shield, binding the Witch's body like chains.
'Shield.'
Feeling something strange, I cast a shield.
As expected, the shield didn't form.
At least the Witch's power was so outstanding that she seemed able to cast magic.
'She can't hold out like that.'
The Witch's expression beyond the ice showed no change, but it was clear she was using all her strength.
The black energy binding her was gradually consuming her.
'Shamans.'
About 10 Shamans positioned themselves in ten directions, manipulating the black energy.
Each time they floated in the air and controlled the energy, the warriors screamed in response.
The Witch appeared unable to move.
'It'll break soon.'
Tung.
I kicked off the ground and leaped in.
I stepped on the shoulders of the warriors forming a long line and approached the ice shield.
When I almost reached the shield, my eyes met the Witch's.
And the ice shield broke.
I leaped right over the Witch and struck Falling Dragon Fist at the warriors rushing in.
Falling Dragon Fist Phantom Strike.
Four streams of Falling Dragon Fist fell over the warriors' heads.
I blocked their approach and landed beside the Witch.
I tried to grab the Witch's and Cheong Ak-sal's hands to escape, but the black energy wouldn't let go.
It wasn't energy that could be grasped by hand.
"Just deal with those staffs."
The Witch pointed to the staffs above. Three staffs were clumped together, spreading black energy.
There was no time to hesitate.
The warriors were charging again.
I jumped into the air with all my strength.
'Hold on.'
My internal energy had already been significantly depleted by the Phantom Strike, but there was no time to hesitate.
Strong Fist Phantom Strike.
I struck Strong Fist at the three staffs. Then I squeezed out all my remaining internal energy and unleashed Falling Dragon Fist.
With a feeling of my dantian emptying completely, the three staffs tore apart.
Instantly, the black energy covering the enclosure disappeared.
Below my falling body, the warriors had already covered the Witch.
'Am I too late?'
Jjeojjeok!
An ice pillar shot up.
The moment the warriors were pushed back by the ice pillar, I fell beside the Witch.
"We need to get out of here."
I grabbed the Witch's and Cheong Ak-sal's waists on both sides. Then I squeezed my empty dantian and unleashed Dragon Spring.
Three leaps were needed.
The moment we escaped the enclosure, a sharp energy wave flew from behind.
It was a staff.
The end of the staff transformed into the shape of a venomous snake.
I couldn't avoid it.
Kwak!
The snake bit my shoulder.
I felt intense pain but endured it and crossed the enclosure.
"You did well."
I lost my balance, but just before falling, a strong wind blew and lifted my body.
'Tch.'
I reached out and pulled out the staff.
It had strong toxicity, as it gave off a fishy smell.
"Cheong Ak-sal."
"I'm sorry. I'm fine."
Fortunately, no one was injured.
"Don't move."
The Witch froze the wound where the staff had bitten. With my resistance, it wasn't a wound that would cause serious harm anyway.
"Just watch."
The Witch who escaped the enclosure flew up with a cold expression.
We had come to an area where magic was possible.
A snowstorm raged above the enclosure and dark clouds gathered. That's when the warriors burst outside.
A green mist formed above them, blocking the snowstorm and lightning.
The Shamans lined up to protect the warriors.
"We need to go back first."
"We can't just leave after getting treated like this."
"The Heavenly Demon Cult's main base was attacked. Sword God blocked it, but they might come again."
The Witch stopped her magic and descended.
'I need to go to Sword God.'
His condition was critical. If things went wrong, I might have to step in.
I wanted revenge too, but there are priorities.
"Hmph!"
The Witch suppressed her anger and unfolded a magic circle.
We returned to the Heavenly Demon Cult's main base like that.
Sword God was still in a dangerous state.
Internal injuries were a problem, but external injuries were serious too. Many bones were broken, and there were traces of bleeding all over his skin.
As soon as we appeared, Jimun Seo-saeng immediately looked at the Witch.
The Witch went before Sword God and created a magic circle.
But Sword God's wife blocked the way.
"I can't entrust my husband to you."
"Then should I just let him die like this?"
In my urgency, I intervened.
"We save Sword God first. Any problem with that?"
I said while glaring at Sword God's wife.
She reluctantly stepped back.
We moved Sword God to the Witch's ice bed and continued treatment.
"Just hold on for 6 hours."
I went to the Ice Castle and focused on recovering my internal energy. In 6 hours, I could step in for treatment.
Treatment proceeded as scheduled.
With the ice bed's help, Hundred Tiger Ghost held on for 6 hours, and after that, I took over.
For 24 hours, I continued treatment without moving.
"Huuu."
Finally, Sword God exhaled a long breath. He had overcome the crisis.
His breathing stabilized, and color began to return to his complexion.
Jimun Seo-saeng now began full-scale treatment of external injuries.
With the ice bed's effect, none of the wounds had worsened.
Sword God gradually regained stability.
After 48 hours, Sword God began circulating his internal energy on his own. Only then did I withdraw my hands and step back.
"You've worked hard."
Jimun Seo-saeng, who was giving thanks, wasn't in normal condition either.
There were so many injuries that he had performed surgery-like treatments in five places.
"I'm counting on you."
I said that and was about to leave the research lab when someone bowed before me.
It was Sword God's wife.
She too had received various treatments from Jimun Seo-saeng. Fortunately, her wounds were healing.
I also greeted her.
"Thank you for protecting the Heavenly Demon Cult family."
"When the treatment is finished, please don't let that person remain a guest."
"What do you mean?"
"He's been longing for the Heavenly Demon Cult. He couldn't come only because of me. Even while being happy here, he couldn't approach you all. Even when I said it was okay now, he said he wanted to keep his vow."
I looked at Sword God, who was circulating his internal energy.
"He's so stubborn anyway."
That's the kind of man Sword God is.
When talking with him, I often think So Iryeon is better.
"I'm happy. I hope that person is happy too."
"He'll be happy too. It's just that the happiness he doesn't have seems bigger."
"Is that so?"
"Sword God must make the choice himself."
This part is unavoidable.
I greeted his wife once more and left the research lab.
Sword God came out of the research lab after a week.
He had bandages on his legs and shoulders, but they were all wounds that would recover.
He came to find me at my quarters. The other Protectors were also there.
"Thank you."
"I should be thanking you. You protected the main base."
In that state, Sword God said nothing. I had nothing to say either.
A long silence continued.
Eventually, So Iryeon couldn't stand it and spoke.
"Are you two dating?"
"What?"
"If you have something to say, say it. You both seem to have something to say to each other, so don't just stand there frustratingly."
"You get uselessly smart sometimes, you know."
"It's the power of reincarnation."
Thanks to So Iryeon, the frustrating atmosphere was relieved.
But Sword God's eyes looking at us were different.
Eyes full of longing.
There's only one thing I can say to him.
"You have the right to sit here."
Sword God's eyes wavered. But he soon bowed his head.
'As expected.'
It's the result I anticipated.
In his previous life, he spent his entire life with the Heavenly Demon Cult based on one promise. He's not someone who would abandon his beliefs for personal greed.
'That's Sword God.'
Eventually, Sword God turned around.
But the door to the quarters opened.
"Helen."
I heard Sword God's wife's name for the first time now.
Helen.
She opened the door to the quarters and entered. She was holding a child.
"The vow you made was to live an ordinary life with our child. But that vow has already been broken. It's not your fault. The invaders broke that vow."
"Helen…"
"Living an ordinary life is already impossible. I'll regain my power too. This attack taught me. To protect our child, there's no choice now but to become strong."
Her words were true.
I quietly watched their conversation.
But Helen passed Sword God and came before me.
"Do I qualify to enter the Heavenly Demon Cult? I want to join for myself and our child."
I couldn't easily permit it.
But Sword God resolved this situation.
"Helen, you shouldn't enter the Heavenly Demon Cult."
"Why not?"
"The Cult Leader uses his subordinates carelessly. I don't want to see that."
He's speaking seriously, which makes me unnecessarily angry.
But in the next moment, Sword God stepped before Helen. And he knelt before me.
"I pay my respects to the Cult Leader."
It took such a long time to hear these words.