Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Chieftain (4)
The moment the shaman's head exploded, a brief silence fell.
I used that gap to break Taduka's chains.
As I was about to break the other warriors' chains, an Eta tribe warrior who had regained his senses swung an iron club at me.
Chwit!
I lunged forward and slashed his throat. Then I leapt high and drove down a Falling Dragon Fist.
Five men fell to the Falling Dragon Fist that landed precisely above the warriors' heads.
As the battle began, the hundred warriors of the Eta tribe charged forward with savage cries.
"Take your tribesmen and get out of here."
I gave Taduka brief instructions and immediately charged at the Eta tribe warriors.
They possessed such strong external energy that half-hearted attacks were useless. So I infused all my attacks with powerful internal energy.
It took less than a minute for twenty men to fall.
But that's when the problem started.
As their vigilance increased, drum sounds came from somewhere. The warriors raised their momentum with a battle cry.
It wasn't just momentum. The force they struck with increased absurdly.
They even crossed their arms to block the falling Falling Dragon Fist and attempted counterattacks.
"Why are there so many like So Iryeon?"
They were definitely weaker than So Iryeon, but the feeling was similar.
While I was engaged in battle, Taduka took his subordinates near the fence and freed them all from their chains.
'That's one thing done.'
I considered the first objective successful.
But I was mistaken.
Taduka and his subordinates picked up weapons that had fallen on the ground and went on the offensive.
'Those idiots!'
They chose counterattack over escape.
Taduka and the Urak tribesmen instantly entered the battlefield, which made me even busier.
But there was an advantage too.
Kwang! Kwang!
I struck down two Eta tribe warriors who were targeting Taduka from behind. Then I attacked those facing his tribe in turn.
Because I constantly moved while deploying Lightness Skills, the warriors couldn't catch me.
So they threw chains with iron balls attached at me.
Sensing danger, I lifted my foot to dodge, then moved to another area and struck down another man targeting Taduka.
'Damn it.'
There was a limit after all.
An Urak tribesman fell after being hit by an axe. With the axe embedded from shoulder to heart, there was no chance of survival.
The melee became an opportunity for me, but the problem was the Urak tribesmen's combat style.
They somehow held onto opponents to give me openings. They had realized this was the fastest method.
In that process, ten more Urak tribesmen died.
There was no time to do anything.
"Taduka! Fall back!"
"A warrior dies on the battlefield!"
No matter how much I shouted, it was useless.
Fifty warriors remained.
Kwang!
This time an iron mace struck my back.
I avoided internal injury with my protective energy, but pushed by tremendous force, I only stopped after hitting the fence.
"Come at me!"
He was a man much larger than the others.
'The chieftain.'
As if he had just arrived from outside, he wore different clothes from the warriors.
He tore off his cumbersome clothes and swung his iron mace again. An Urak tribesman fell to his mace.
"Nothing but a big brute."
I drew his attention with a Wind Dragon Palm.
Despite the powerful energy wave, his feet didn't leave the ground.
'Quickly.'
Nothing good would come from dragging this out.
I too charged straight at the chieftain without protecting my body.
The chieftain swung his iron mace, and I created a Strong Fist.
Strong Fist Phantom Strike.
Chaeng!
One Strong Fist deflected the iron mace, and two energy waves approaching from different trajectories pierced through both the chieftain's shoulders.
Riding that momentum, I stepped on his knee and leapt up.
Falling Dragon Fist Phantom Strike.
Falling Dragon Fists struck his head and both shoulders that were already wounded.
Kukoong!
The chieftain's body scattered into blood mist.
I landed on the ground and unleashed Heavenly Demon Divine Art to its maximum.
Absorbing Strike.
The twenty warriors nearby were pulled toward me.
'Heavenly Dragon Force!'
An explosion from internal energy collision.
The ones pulled in disappeared within the explosion.
"Phew, I keep pushing myself too hard."
My internal energy was nearly depleted. But the enemy's numbers had also been reduced to thirty.
Even after losing their chieftain, the remaining thirty still didn't retreat.
But from that point on, there was no great danger.
I faced them with Strong Fists using footwork techniques, then seized opportunities to break their necks with Golden Sand Hands using Fire Dragon Hands.
Time stretched long, but I reduced their numbers one by one, and eventually the warriors were completely annihilated.
"Ha, ha."
My internal energy hit rock bottom again.
'I should probably restart internal energy training.'
Phantom Strike still takes too much out of me. But in urgent situations, I had no choice but to use it.
Koong!
While I was catching my breath, something fell behind me.
It was Taduka.
His body covered in wounds, he had endured until now but had finally reached his limit.
"Move quickly if you want to save your chieftain."
Including Taduka, fourteen tribesmen survived.
I took them outside the fence and stood on the magic circle I had used to travel.
That's how I went with them to the Heavenly Demon Cult.
***
There had been attacks on eleven locations total.
"Ten are dead, and one failed."
"The one who failed got away safely, right?"
"That's correct."
We killed ten shamans without any casualties on our side.
This was a sufficiently satisfactory result.
Four shamans now remained.
"And two tribes were completely annihilated."
"I did one, and was the other the Witch?"
"That's correct."
Jimun Seo-saeng had a displeased expression.
"That happened because I tried to save those guys. You understand my actions, honestly."
"That's correct."
"Then go tell the Witch your complaints."
"I'm not yet at the stage where I can say such things to Lady Yuri."
"But isn't it too much to only say it to me?"
"Aren't you my younger brother?"
He seemed truly heated.
Jimun Seo-saeng had told us to just deal with the shamans and leave.
I at least had the justification of saving Taduka and his tribesmen, but the Witch didn't even have that. She boldly crossed the fence and massacred seventy tribesmen.
Not satisfied with that, she even tried to go to other areas, which Jimun Seo-saeng barely managed to dissuade her from.
"I understand that feeling. So don't add me to your nagging list."
Fortunately, Jimun Seo-saeng caught his breath and suppressed his anger.
"In any case, the savage tribes have lost great strength."
"Now we need to finish it."
"What method will you use?"
"What are the options?"
"There are three."
Jimun Seo-saeng spoke in a sharper tone than usual.
"First, the Cult Leader's method. Just go head-on and fight. Second, Lady Yuri's method. Also go head-on and fight. Third, my method. Analyze and investigate, then fight using methods with minimal friendly casualties and high win probability."
He waited for my answer with sharp eyes. It was a way of pressuring me to listen.
"The third one looks good?"
"You thought well."
Fortunately, we reached an agreement.
"Four shamans remain. I'm curious about the tribes' movements?"
"Most likely they'll consolidate around the surviving shamans."
"Then won't it become the same as before?"
"Cracks will form. Each tribe worshipped different gods. It will be difficult for them to truly follow another tribe's shaman."
"Will the shamanic power weaken too?"
"I can't know that precisely either."
I suddenly became curious.
"What would Jimun Seo-saeng have done if he were a surviving shaman?"
"If it were me, I would consolidate the tribes with surviving shamans and hide the tribes that lost their shamans. While hiding, the warriors would cultivate a desire for revenge, which I would utilize in an all-out war."
It was a method of solving problems that could arise from different gods with a desire for revenge.
If not multiple times, in a single battle with a clear enemy, they would display ferocity.
"The shamans wouldn't think the same way as you, would they?"
"They might."
"Since their guard is heightened, we'll have to watch. In any case, we need to definitively settle things with the savage tribes at this opportunity."
They were too powerful a group to end things at an appropriate point. Since we've started, we must absolutely reach a conclusion.
"The savage tribesmen will likely be healed soon. But what do you plan to do?"
"We need to make them our allies."
"It won't be easy. Their way of living is too different."
"I'm better at this kind of thing. Guys who live and die by the blade have surprisingly simple sides."
At my words, Jimun Seo-saeng tried to say something but stopped.
Seeing his eyes, I quickly asked.
"What were you going to say?"
"Nothing."
"You were going to insult me, weren't you?"
"Not quite an insult."
I let it go.
It was true that too much work had been given to Jimun Seo-saeng recently.
"Don't you have someone trustworthy in Jung Cheon? Distribute the work a bit. As much as possible, keep your hands off and just focus on Heavenly Demon Cult matters."
It was something I had wanted to say for a long time. I just hadn't because I knew it couldn't be done.
"I'm preparing. If we get through this year well, I think I'll be able to delegate."
"Alright. Until then, I'll try to stay quiet."
I patted his shoulder and went to where Taduka and his tribesmen were receiving treatment.
They were being treated in the gymnasium.
Treatment for external wounds had already finished, and broken parts were in casts.
Since they were bodies so robust, no other treatment seemed necessary.
With just time, they would return to normal.
By the warriors' side, Ure was diligently nursing.
The warriors didn't refuse Ure's kindness. Because they felt similar emotions.
'This works well.'
Placing Ure was my intention.
Rather than me explaining, it was better for Ure to naturally tell them about the Heavenly Demon Cult.
I raised my hand to Ure and stood before Taduka.
"What a sight. That's why you should listen to me."
We weren't close enough to exchange affectionate words with each other.
"I'm grateful you saved my tribesmen."
Taduka raised his aching body and bowed his head.
The other warriors also rose the same way and slightly bowed their heads.
These were straightforward and simple people in everything. That's why I liked them.
"Get treated first."
After confirming there were no problems, I turned to leave when Taduka called me.
"Is there something you want from us?"
He asked directly, as expected.
"Nothing. Just relax and stay a while."
Taduka had an expression that said he didn't understand.
"In life, there are bound to be a few people you like for no reason. Ure joining the Heavenly Demon Cult was also that kind of connection. As you know, that guy came to plant a flag in the Heavenly Demon Cult. Now he's part of our family."
At my words, Ure smiled.
The other warriors also looked at Ure and smiled.
"Same goes for you guys. Since I like you for now, relax without burden while you're here. I won't force anything."
I left those words and turned around.
It was something that needed time anyway.
***
Good news and bad news came simultaneously.
There were two pieces of good news.
Egypt showed a response to Jimun Seo-saeng's political pressure, and Ehwa Palace rejected the Barbarian tribes' alliance proposal.
"Why did Ehwa Palace?"
"They also have no leeway. Because they're in a delicate relationship with the Beggar's Sect. In that situation, they can't become official enemies with us."
The bad news was the savage tribes' response.
"They're moving toward the situation we were concerned about."
The four tribes with surviving shamans relocated. They used separate fences but were positioned almost like neighbors.
And the savage tribes that lost their shamans scattered throughout Africa.
"It seems they'll specially organize and operate elites from each tribe."
There was one additional change.
They formed a special warrior corps of one hundred by selecting the strongest warriors from all tribes.
"So they solved it with honor."
By creating a group that elevated warrior honor, they made forces separate from inter-tribal disputes.
"That's clever."
"The response is excellent."
"So what do we do now?"
"We use their mistakes."
"Were there mistakes?"
In my judgment, the shamans not only executed what Jimun Seo-saeng had mentioned but even organized elites. But Jimun Seo-saeng's expression said otherwise.
"The mistake was not hiding the tribes that scattered."
In words, it was only one word of difference. But practically, much was different.
"The shamans not hiding them but organizing elites has one reason."
I also realized something.
"Since they can't manage them, they extracted only the elites and abandoned the rest."
They chose concentration of power over chaos.
"An excellent choice, but it will be an opportunity for us."
Jimun Seo-saeng had his usual expression.
"You can smile."
"May I? You criticized me last time."
Only then did Jimun Seo-saeng smile cruelly.