67. Heavenly Edge Sun Moon Map
"What? She's the Jecheon Palace lord?"
"The Jecheon Palace lord collects magic artifacts. She must have had her eye on your black armor, senior."
"Y-you...!"
The Black Armored Ghost's already flushed face turned deathly pale in an instant.
"And yet she comes back acting like nothing happened. How two-faced can you get?"
"What's all this commotion up there!"
Soon after, the Jecheon Palace lord ascended to the second floor.
The Black Armored Ghost immediately pointed his blade at her.
"Jecheon Palace lord! You dared deceive me and try to poison me! You'll pay for that crime with your life!"
"What nonsense is this out of nowhere?"
The Black Armored Ghost was in no state to hold back. I quickly slipped away to a safe spot across the room, ready to watch the fireworks.
I'd pitted the stage's main boss against its hidden boss. Where else could you see a spectacle like this?
"How shameless. Die, Jecheon Palace lord!"
Screeech!
Gong So-hun swung his longsword viciously.
"Palace lord!"
"Hup!"
His blade struck out in a sudden ambush.
Splat!
"Gaaah!"
If her guard warriors hadn't thrown themselves in to protect the Jecheon Palace lord, she surely would have taken a grievous wound.
"Wait! Calm down, Black Armored Ghost. There seems to be some misunderstanding..."
The Jecheon Palace lord gazed at the Black Armored Ghost as he kicked off the ground. Thanks to that, the lower half of her face, hidden beneath her bamboo hat, came into view.
And the mole at the corner of her mouth.
"Shut up and die!"
It was the moment Gong So-hun's longsword, brimming with murderous intent, came slashing down at the Jecheon Palace lord.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, her body vanished like a lie.
Clang!
Gong So-hun's longsword merely cleaved the empty ground.
"I knew it!"
I grinned bitterly at the sight. No matter what the Jecheon Palace lord said now, it wouldn't reach Gong So-hun's ears.
But the Jecheon Palace lord didn't seem inclined to clear up his misunderstanding either. She might even see this as her chance to claim the black armor.
Shuk, shuk, shuk!
She reappeared in midair and hurled three talismans at Gong So-hun.
"Wave!"
She formed hand seals and shouted. The talismans tore apart, sending invisible shockwaves rippling through the hall.
Gong So-hun faltered momentarily under the force.
"Ghost-Slaying Extermination!"
As the Jecheon Palace lord unleashed another incantation, a dozen blue light orbs materialized before her and shot toward Gong So-hun.
"Pathetic tricks!"
Not for nothing was Gong So-hun called a Blade Ghost; he batted away the approaching orbs one by one.
Boom!
Each deflected orb smashed into walls, floor, or ceiling, sending chunks of debris flying through the air.
"It's over."
The Jecheon Palace lord spoke in a cold tone, her long hair spilling out from beneath her bamboo hat.
That was when it happened.
Ting!
"...!"
Gong So-hun's black armor cracked open just like last time, one fragment deflecting a flying dagger that had come from somewhere.
It must have been her finishing blow, as the Jecheon Palace lord bit her lower lip hard.
I steadied my mind and thought.
That guy's black armor is mine.
* * *
The Jecheon Palace lord's flying dagger—no, her hair pin—circled through the air.
Its sharp tip moved freely at her command, clearly a magic artifact itself.
The two were locked in a fierce deadlock, trading blows without quarter.
Her enlightenment must not have been complete yet, making it hard to pierce Gong So-hun's black armor defense.
All the while, the various traps installed in Jecheon Tower activated one after another, gunning for Gong So-hun's life—but all in vain.
But even that was reaching its limit. The black armor fragments were visibly reacting slower than before.
Of course, the Jecheon Palace lord's hair pin was in the same boat.
After twenty minutes of combat, both were showing clear signs of fatigue.
The outer walls of Jecheon Tower had been shattered all the way to the edges, offering glimpses of the outside.
I swallowed hard, watching their brutal clash.
The more I saw, the more convinced I was that sowing discord between them had been the right call.
Taking either one head-on might have cost me my head instead.
I calmed my pounding heart and placed my hand on the Sealed Sword.
This was the perfect opportunity. Time to end it.
Before my precious black armor got destroyed.
"Just die already!"
The enraged Jecheon Palace lord sprang into motion. Seizing the moment, I ambushed Gong So-hun from behind.
Slash!
He instinctively turned, but all he managed was to glare at me wide-eyed.
Thud!
Roll...
His head, severed from his neck, could no longer function.
The Jecheon Palace lord froze for a moment in surprise, then cried out.
"You're... the pilgrim."
With the Black Armored Ghost dead, maybe I could finish her off in her moment of carelessness?
That thought flashed through my mind.
"Perfect timing. I'll kill you and replenish my vital energy with the Soul-Absorbing Great Formation."
The Jecheon Palace lord flung a talisman at me.
"Damn it."
I immediately channeled Zhuque's power.
"Barrier Shield!"
The explosive light orbs I'd seen used on the Black Armored Ghost hurtled toward me.
Boom!
The barrier shimmered, growing thinner with each one it blocked.
The Jecheon Palace lord sneered.
"Ho. That's another fine protective artifact. Then how about this!"
Water Sphere Shatter
Moisture in the air gathered into twelve water orbs.
I could tell right away they were packed with compressed, high-density water, so I folded my wings to shield my body.
Splash!
The impact on my wings was heavy. Each orb pushed me back a little.
Was this the might of a sorcery master?
But the Jecheon Palace lord's assault didn't end there.
"Because of you, Jecheon Tower's going up in flames."
Nine Heavens Downpour
Pour!
As she chanted, a torrential rain suddenly poured down inside the hall.
Maybe she'd sensed my fire affinity. Or perhaps she'd coincidentally mastered a rain spell.
Either way, the raindrops evaporated like magic whenever they neared me, so it was pointless... or so I thought.
Splash!
With a gesture from the Jecheon Palace lord, the puddles swelled rapidly.
Like a burst dam, a massive flood surged forth.
Thankfully, she didn't deploy the hair pin—probably worried about melting her blade.
Having to fend that off too would have been a real pain, especially with the low ceiling restricting my flight.
No choice now. I'd have to pour in all the divine power I'd gathered.
"Zhuque. Let's merge after summoning!"
-Got it, master.
Sparrow-sized, it appeared and flew into my chest.
-Piiieek!
Whoosh!
"...What power is this?"
The Jecheon Palace lord's eyes flashed for a split second.
The air grew scorching hot.
Bubble bubble.
The water sea she'd created boiled into hot steam.
A little extra heat might be nothing, but this humidity—who'd suffer more?
"Not bad thinking."
The Jecheon Palace lord conjured a small cloud above her head, raining down cold water on herself.
At the same time, twenty water spears rose from the flood, aiming at me.
"These won't be as easy as those water orbs."
"Shut up."
"Hmph."
I expanded flames across my body and charged at the Jecheon Palace lord.
* * *
"Haa... haa..."
I clutched my knees, gasping for breath.
Crackle! Pop! Pop!
Jecheon Tower's timbers blazed, embers popping everywhere.
I'd scraped together nearly every last drop of divine power.
The magic scrolls Robert gave me were mostly spent too.
Without them, I'd be the dead one.
Next to the Jecheon Palace lord lay Go Seong's corpse.
His mid-battle intrusion had made things tougher.
Who'd have thought he was her guard.
Probably ordered to cozy up to the Black Armored Ghost for surveillance.
No point dwelling on it now. All three were dead.
17th Branch shareholders let out the breath they've been holding.
They are satisfied with Kim Jeongha employee's resolve.
I quickly scanned the surroundings.
Anyone nearby had either been caught in the aftermath and died or fled long ago.
I promptly stored the Jecheon Palace lord and Gong So-hun's corpses in the mirror.
Oh, and the hair pin too.
* * *
I'd moved to a spot out of foot traffic.
After swallowing Nam Bi's spirit pill and meditating briefly to recover energy and stamina, I pulled out the Jecheon Palace lord's corpse and hair pin from the mirror.
The hair pin had a button at the tip; pressing it detached the cover.
Click.
Gong So-hun had found this hair pin a nuisance throughout the fight.
Without his black armor, the match might have ended quickly.
"Artifact check."
◈ A flying dagger controllable at will using qi.
◈ Can disguise as a hair pin.
"Oh ho."
The Jecheon Palace lord had already demonstrated how to use it.
I infused qi into the Imperial Qi Flying Dagger, and it floated lightly above my hand.
But it soon dropped.
Looks like I'd need practice to handle it properly.
Next, I rummaged through the Jecheon Palace lord's corpse.
Nothing. I clicked my tongue.
"Tch."
Just the Imperial Qi Flying Dagger?
Then I sensed an unusual aura emanating from her clothes.
"What's this?"
From the spot I'd slashed open, vital energy was leaking bit by bit.
I stripped off her outer robe and checked its info.
◈ Hides your presence when worn.
◈ Temporarily conceals your body.
◈ Currently losing vital energy.
"So that's it."
Now I understood why I hadn't sensed anything from the Jecheon Palace lord.
The robe itself was a magic artifact—with stealth functions to boot.
Big scores with the Imperial Qi Flying Dagger and Concealing Robe.
Worth the main stage boss kill.
Nothing else worthwhile.
Next, I pulled out Gong So-hun's corpse and his longsword.
"The longsword's just a sword."
Fine craftsmanship, but nothing special.
The real prize was this black armor.
"Artifact check."
◈ Armor divided into ten pieces that automatically defend against enemy attacks.
I nodded in satisfaction.
"Perfect."
But there were a few issues.
First, the Concealing Robe was damaged. Left as is, it'd lose its artifact functions.
Second, both the Concealing Robe and Ten-Piece Black Armor were too conspicuous.
The Ten-Piece Black Armor could wait for combat use.
The Concealing Robe was a common outer garment here, wrapping the body and tied at the waist with a sash.
Problem: it was women's wear. She'd been using it.
The Imperial Qi Flying Dagger could just go in my pocket.
For now, stash the Concealing Robe in the mirror. Time stops inside, so it'd at least halt the vital energy loss.
The third issue: no half of the painting.
But that resolved easier than expected.
I went to where Sasaki Kasumi had teleported, and she told me.
"The painting? I've seen it. She pulled it out all the time."
Kasumi had infiltrated Jecheon Palace disguised as a pilgrim before her fake job at Jecheon Tower.
"Remember where she kept it?"
"Probably in the inner quarters' safe."
"Got it. Thanks, Kasumi."
As I turned to head to Jecheon Palace, Kasumi grabbed me.
"Kim Jeongha."
"Yeah?"
She hesitated, then slyly pulled a liquor bottle from her bosom.
"If you're really grateful, how about one more bottle for me?"
"One more?"
"Century Marriage Brew."
"Why?"
"Well... there's someone I want to share it with. Or might be."
"Later. Got urgent business now."
"For real? You have to give it."
"Uh... sure."
"Promise. Promise! Don't forget."
"I said I got it."
Kasumi turned away, clenching her fists tightly.
Then she stomped her feet in place like a kid.
"..."
Truth be told, there was no Century Marriage Brew. Just booze borrowed from a subordinate.
But seeing her crave it, she thought it was some rare vintage.
Too late to correct her now. Let her drink the skull water; it'd taste sweet anyway.
* * *
The 18th Branch shareholders must have wanted to stall until their employees arrived.
Whatever. I had my job to do.
Clang!
Ting!
"...I-is this...?"
"Black Armored Ghost!"
The Ten-Piece Black Armor split apart, deflecting blades from Jecheon Palace warriors attacking from all sides.
"Heh heh heh."
It even blocked unexpected strikes I missed.
No artifact more reliable.
Slash, spurt, splash!
"Kahak!"
I dispatched the charging foes one by one, heading for the inner quarters.
I wanted to borrow Zhuque's power and burn them all at once.
But Jecheon Palace might become mine, so better preserve it if possible.
18th Branch shareholders shake their heads and lament.
They condemn Kim Jeongha employee for leaving nothing for 18th Branch employees.
"Black Armored Ghost! You've really started a war! I'll handle you—Jecheon Swiftblade Yongchung—"
Pfuk.
"Guhk..."
A hair pin pierced Yongchung's throat from behind.
"Watch your blind spots too."
If you can't be careful, get black armor like me.
Pity, but Jecheon Palace disciples didn't seem to have artifacts.
Ting!
With Yongchung dead, five nearby dropped their weapons.
He must have been one of the stronger ones.
"P-please spare us, great one."
I nodded at the ones kneeling, foreheads to the ground.
"Got useful info? Spill."
"What kind of...?"
"Secret manuals, spells the palace lord used, artifact storeroom."
"Uh... well..."
No one knew.
"Guess I'll find it myself."
"Eek! W-wait...!"
Slash!
By the time I reached the inner quarters, no more attackers came.
Whoosh!
I spread Zhuque's wings and rose into the air for a full view of Jecheon Palace.
This exhausted the last of my divine power.
Replenishing it'd take days of Thunder Cloud Heart Knot meditation.
But I wanted no loose ends.
Corpses of Jecheon Palace disciples littered the grounds, their swords scattered around.
Jecheon Palace was no more—destroyed.
'City Ruled by the Sorcery Master' has been cleared.
"Hm."
I descended and strolled into the inner quarters.
Checking Kasumi's directions closely, I easily found the hidden safe.
As I gripped my sword to force it open, a small hole caught my eye.
Clearly not a standard keyhole.
On a hunch, I pressed the closed Imperial Qi Flying Dagger against it.
It fit perfectly.
Click.
"As expected."
The safe opened to reveal bundles of documents and a faintly glowing painting.
As predicted, deeds to land, buildings, and the Jecheon Palace lord's assets.
I'd become a real estate tycoon for this stage.
'City Ruled by the Sorcery Master' has become Kim Jeongha employee's private property.
This area is now a safe zone under 17th Branch Safety Planning Department.
Same message as when I took Fairy Village.
When Cherubim the manager first reported Fairy Village docs upstairs, I gained ownership of the safe zone.
18th Branch shareholders would be clutching their stomachs in tears.
But I did their employees' job for them.
So of course I take the rewards.
They should thank me.
"Stash these inside first."
I put the documents in the mirror and pulled out my half of the painting.
I aligned it with the moon-depicting half from the safe.
Heavenly Edge and Sun Moon Chart.
"Heavenly Edge Sun Moon Map..."
Muttering that, the torn edges began glowing white.
Shaaa!
The blinding light faded, revealing a complete painting.
Sangjo Pyoguk and Jecheon Palace had fought over this for years.
Must be the stage's main reward.
I rubbed my hands and checked its info.
"Artifact check."