Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 238
Chapter Title: Supreme Flame Descends
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“The lightly wounded over here! Knights, move the critically injured!”
The city was in an uproar.
It was Kador, one of the top three major cities in the Derhan Kingdom excluding the capital, and the heroes had suddenly stormed in.
“The priests of Iair… damn it! Bring treatment potions and bandages! Call the doctors too!”
Someone who had reflexively called for the priests changed his words mid-sentence.
“We’re short on supplies!”
“Damn it all, rip down the curtains if you have to! Request reinforcements from the other cities too!”
Even as a major city, it didn’t have an abundance of medicines and supplies for treating the wounded.
Normally, Iair’s priests were stationed there, so there had been no need to stockpile other medical items.
But with Iair starting a war and recalling all their priests to the homeland, proper treatment was now difficult.
The silver lining was that the number of wounded was less than a hundred.
And among them, the number in critical condition was even fewer.
Of course, that didn’t mean they could let their guard down, so the city’s nobles hurried the soldiers along.
“What a mess.”
Goo Dong-hwan clicked his tongue at the sight of people moving frantically.
“Losing even one would be a huge loss.”
The power of a single hero outweighed that of thousands of soldiers.
That was why they were desperately working to save them.
“Of course, it’s not like our lives are more precious than others’.”
Seo Woo-jin, who said that, turned his gaze to one side.
It was where Kim Da-hye was.
She still hadn’t regained consciousness and lay limp.
‘Haa.’
He let out a sigh.
He understood she had tried to protect the knights, but it would have been better if she’d taken care of her own body a bit more.
Kim Da-hye had no visible external injuries, but she was consuming her life force due to severe mana depletion.
There were a few ways to treat that.
Replenish it with a priest’s holy power, level up, or consume a high-quality mana crystal.
The problem was that none of those options were available right now.
‘Should I fetch a mana crystal?’
He could go to the Empire and ask the emperor or the Magic Duke.
They wouldn’t want to see a hero die either.
If Seo Woo-jin went personally and explained, they’d hand over a mana crystal without issue.
‘Or bringing back an Iair priest wouldn’t be bad either.’
It would be faster than going to the Empire—straight to the Iair forces.
After a moment of deliberation, Seo Woo-jin approached the doctor watching over Kim Da-hye.
“How much longer can she hold out?”
Kim Da-hye was barely hanging on, her life force burning in place of her depleted mana.
If even that ran out, her body might collapse.
Seo Woo-jin asked about the time she had left.
“…At most five hours.”
“Five hours.”
It was far too short.
‘Too tight to make it to the Empire.’
Even using ‘Demon King Transformation’ wouldn’t change that.
By the time he met the emperor or Magic Duke, explained the situation, got a mana crystal, and returned, it would take quite a while.
‘No choice, then?’
Seo Woo-jin decided against the Empire and opted to capture an Iair priest instead.
They were closer, and he didn’t even need to explain—just kidnap one.
“Just hold on a bit.”
Seo Woo-jin stroked the head of the sweating Kim Da-hye once before turning away.
“I’ll be right back.”
“…Where are you going?”
Goo Dong-hwan asked with a grave expression.
Having gone through this incident, he had a clear sense of Seo Woo-jin’s power.
What if something happened while Seo Woo-jin was away?
He worried they couldn’t handle it on their own.
“I’m going to find a way to treat Da-hye and the others.”
“Something like that exists?”
“I’ve got a few ideas.”
Seo Woo-jin gave a small smile in response and started walking.
“You need to hurry back.”
Goo Dong-hwan’s voice came from behind.
“I’ll be back in two hours at the latest. Take good care of Da-hye until then.”
There was no reason to show mercy to Iair after they dared ignore his warning.
He’d smash them, grab a few priests, and come back.
Whether 100,000 or a million.
No one could stop him.
Seo Woo-jin unfurled his black wings and shot into the sky, vanishing in an instant.
* * *
“That’s the place.”
Oyen pointed to the city.
The new supreme commander, Briat, frowned at the sight of it.
“A ‘Black Existence’ appeared in that tiny city?”
“Yes. It was only a matter of minutes, but over a thousand soldiers and dozens of knights lost their lives in that time.”
To be precise, they died after he swung his hand a few times.
But he didn’t bother explaining.
Briat doubted the ‘Black Existence’ itself.
Even if he explained properly, the man wouldn’t believe him.
“A thousand… rumors are always exaggerated, it seems. I heard he killed even the Yeoryong in one strike, but it doesn’t seem that impressive.”
His voice brimmed with confidence.
“If that’s all there is to the ‘Black Existence,’ we can more than handle it. We’ll pass the city and head straight to the Empire.”
He commanded 130,000 troops.
He seemed to think that was enough not just to fight the ‘Black Existence,’ but to kill it.
‘Arrogance.’
Oyen sighed inwardly.
At this rate, they really might encounter him again.
And then a hellish nightmare would unfold.
Oyen took a deep breath and spoke to Briat.
“Could you reconsider the advance?”
“…That again?”
“The ‘Black Existence’ is not to be underestimated. If he truly turns against us, no amount of soldiers can stop him.”
It was an argument he had made several times already.
And Briat dismissed Oyen’s words once more.
“With the Lord God’s blessing upon us, no mere Demon King follower can block our path. We must advance against the enemy with faith alone.”
The Lord God’s blessing.
It was the Holy King’s benediction for those marching to war.
A top-tier holy spell that boosted morale and physical abilities.
The increase wasn’t massive, but with tens of thousands of soldiers, the overall power surge was indescribable.
“Did we not have the Lord God’s blessing too?”
But the first wave had received that blessing as well.
Yet they couldn’t even fight back.
No, more accurately, they hadn’t even thought to resist.
That was how overwhelming the ‘Black Existence’ was.
“Enough of that. I don’t want to hear it anymore. If you persist, I’ll charge you with insubordination.”
Faced with Briat’s threatening warning, Oyen had no choice but to shut his mouth.
‘What now?’
As the city drew closer, his anxiety began to surge.
A fear that the ‘Black Existence’ might appear at any moment…
“Something’s approaching!”
“Battle stations!”
“Archers, ready your arrows!”
Something was closing in fast.
No, before the sentries’ warning cries even finished.
The black thing was already right in front of them.
“Ah, ah—”
The ‘Black Existence.’
Oyen, spotting him, let out a lament.
‘So it’s come to this.’
He had tried to persuade Briat to halt the advance somehow, but it was too late.
With the ‘Black Existence’ here, only merciless slaughter remained.
‘I need to step forward.’
Dialogue first.
He had to talk the ‘Black Existence’ down, calm his rage, and avert disaster.
If that failed, he’d buy time by engaging him at the forefront.
To save as many soldiers as possible!
As Oyen moved toward the ‘Black Existence’ with that thought.
“Is that the rumored guy?”
Briat beside him spoke with curiosity.
“Not much to look at. I thought it was some monster.”
He didn’t sense the terrifying aura emanating from the ‘Black Existence’ at all.
The others were the same.
Just a strangely shaped monster.
That’s all they saw.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t be burning with fighting spirit like that.
Only Oyen was overwhelmed by the aura, his body tingling.
“I’ll go first.”
Fearing Briat might do something foolish, Oyen hurried forward.
But Briat’s order came a beat faster.
“Seize him and make him kneel before me!”
“No!”
Oyen shouted too late, but the holy knights ignored him upon hearing the command.
“Charge!”
“Grab him!”
“Loose arrows!”
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew—!
In an instant, thousands of arrows left bows and rained toward Seo Woo-jin.
Holy knights and soldiers followed right behind.
Oyen squeezed his eyes shut.
He couldn’t bear to watch what would happen next.
And moments later.
True terror descended upon them.
* * *
‘That them?’
In ‘Demon King Transformation,’ Seo Woo-jin arrived near the Iair army’s position in a flash.
‘A lot of them.’
There had been many Ancient Orcs, but the Iair army numbered nearly five times that.
Pitch black was the perfect description.
But Seo Woo-jin’s eyes, looking down on them, were ice cold.
130,000 or 1.3 million—it made no difference; they posed no threat.
‘No time.’
Seo Woo-jin dove toward them without hesitation.
They weren’t lax on vigilance; he was spotted immediately.
The Iair army sprang into action.
‘Elites.’
They formed ranks in seconds, directing battle intent at Seo Woo-jin.
Tap—
Landing before them, Seo Woo-jin extended his senses.
Not holy knights or regular knights—he sought the priests.
‘There.’
He found them quickly.
Their holy power was impossible to miss.
‘While they’re confused, snag one and head back. Punishment can wait until Da-hye and the others recover…’
Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew-pew—!
Arrows flew.
Seo Woo-jin let out a hollow laugh.
‘Didn’t they hear?’
If they knew what he’d done in that city right there, they wouldn’t attack so rashly.
‘Or they heard and ignored it.’
The latter seemed more likely.
“Crazy bastards.”
Seo Woo-jin changed his mind.
‘Still over four hours left.’
Plenty of time.
Seo Woo-jin drew upon his Chaos Energy.
“I was planning to just pass by at first.”
He spoke to them in a chilling voice.
“But you brought this on yourselves—so don’t regret it.”
‘Supreme Flame.’
The utmost supreme flames descended upon the world.