Chapter 196
Chapter 196
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: From West to East
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“Ho Sanghyeon! You bastard, I knew from the Masquerade that you’d get in my way! You’ve got some real tricks up your sleeve!”
A thunderous roar that echoed through Paju Samneung.
At this volume, people in other places would hear it too.
“No more Duoksini bullshit or whatever! I’m done with these annoying goblin games! Yin-Yang Five Elements, Four Humors medicine—none of that ever suited us anyway!”
“Oh, so the Eastern-style sorcery showdown is over?”
It’s a shame, since sticking to that theme would’ve favored me more.
I’d muttered it softly, but a response came back.
“That’s right! From now on, we’ll clash with pure, primal power! Fight! Eat! Grow stronger! That’s the way of our Gourmet Expedition Squad! I’ll devour every last one of you here!”
With that, Seonbu raised both arms to the sky like a gorilla and opened his mouth wide.
Pzzzt, pzzzzzt—
White sparks leaped from his teeth and throat—rurrrrumble!
Kwaaaaaang!!
A bolt of pure white lightning burst from his maw.
“Ugh, damn it.”
That mana, that light!
It was my [White Lightning] that he’d swallowed.
I hurriedly channeled mana into my Four Symbols True Pole Sword and thrust it forward.
[Lightning Ward]
Pzzzzzzzt! Pachichichiiiik!!
The power of the Lightning Ward imbued in the Four Symbols True Pole Sword scattered the white lightning he’d unleashed.
The deflected bolts scorched surrounding trees and shattered rocks.
I couldn’t hold back and yelled at Seonbu.
“You bastard! Who the hell taught you to spit out what you put in your mouth?”
I considered some more vicious curse, but I didn’t want to sink to Yeom Geumja’s level.
“Krahahahaha! If you’ve got a problem, prepare a gourmet dish I can’t just spit back out!”
“Oh, really? Then I’ll prepare something fun for you.”
As I drew up mana to prepare my next spell, a shout came from even farther east than Seonbu.
“I’ll prepare the next dish myself!”
About 200 meters farther east from where Seonbu stood.
It was the cry of Captain Cheongeum, rampaging in the center of Paju Samneung.
“Out of my way, you Duoksini scum! Don’t you want Golden Vajra Staff cuisine?!”
Bwoooooooong!
A piercing noise that made one’s hairs stand on end.
Captain Cheongeum whirled his Golden Vajra Staff, sending the surrounding Duoksini flying all at once.
“Oh, right! You were here too! Finally, I get to taste the Cheongeum Captain Soup that the Cheongeum Party boasts about!”
“Bahahaha—before you chow down on the nourishing Cheongeum Captain Soup, try some Golden Vajra Staff roast first!”
“Krahahaha! I like the sound of that! Serve it up!”
They seemed to get along weirdly well.
“Wait, something’s off.”
An inexplicable unease bloomed in my chest.
That elephant-headed brute had immense strength, but he was on the same level as the other judges I’d faced before—like Heo Joo or Hwa In.
‘My spells getting eaten gives him a matchup advantage, sure.’
But he didn’t have the skill to withstand a combined assault from Seo Cheonseul and me.
So why was he so damn confident?
Kwaaaang!
“Here I gooooo!”
The moment Captain Cheongeum, wrapped in golden light, kicked off the ground.
Rumble rumble—
Something even farther east than Seo Cheonseul’s position was stirring.
Wait—that’s dangerous!
“Captain Cheongeum. Hold up!”
Damn it, that bastard had been drawing attention on purpose to buy time! They still had unaccounted-for forces.
As I dismantled the spell I’d been preparing to attack Seonbu and started forming one to protect Seo Cheonseul—
[System: Feast’s Sacrifice trait activates.]
[System: Feast’s Sacrifice trait activates.]
[System: Feast’s Sacrifice trait activates.]
[System: Feast’s Sacrifice trait activates.]
[System: Feast’s Sacrifice trait activates.]
[System: Feast’s Sacrifice trait activates.]
[System: Feast’s Sacrifice trait activates.]
Message windows suddenly popped up, blocking my view.
“Damn it, get out of the way!”
This psycho was pulling the same stunt as last time!
Pzzzzzt!
I hurriedly summoned mana to clear the message windows covering my vision, but it was too late.
Groooooar!!!
From the pool of blood the Duoksini had created, a massive tentacle made entirely of blood erupted.
It rose endlessly toward the sky with piercing momentum.
Its form was completely different, but I knew what it was.
“That tentacle from beyond the gate back then!”
Shwaaaaa—
A massive blood-red storm surged in all directions. No—blood-red tentacles surged toward Seo Cheonseul!
I immediately summoned mana to form a spell protecting Seo Cheonseul and blocking the tentacle’s assault—
[Protective Formation]
But I was one step too late.
Kwaaaaaang!
Seo Cheonseul, battered by the massive blood tentacle, flew farther away from me—from west to east.
[You’ve already foreseen all of this, haven’t you? Everything is proceeding according to your foresight.]
Yeah, I foresaw it.
No, I didn’t. No. You did foresee it.
No, I didn’t. Yes, you did.
My vision split into two, three, then four.
Blood! So much blood!
Waitwaitwait.
Just hold on a bit! It’ll go back down!
Murmuring noise filled my head.
Yes. I foresaw it. That’s right! You expected it!
I’d foreseen that at the worst moment, they’d abandon all plans—and start their desperate thrashing with the blood they’d stockpiled.
[Blood—so much blood. And you’ve even foreseen that even more blood will flow here. The blood beast, laden with primal power and terror, has opened its eyes. The blood, twisted together into life, this starving beast begins to move.]
But I’d ignored that foresight.
Because I’d thought of too much blood. Due to my hemophobia, I’d unconsciously chosen to avert my eyes from that horrific scene and what would follow.
[The madness latent in your psyche manifests, twisting your mind. Delirium incoming.]
[Mind Resistance check… Success!]
Craaaack—
My fractured vision forcibly realigned.
“I did it.”
The other personalities in my psyche, who’d sided with me, had suppressed ‘that guy’ lost in frenzy.
In exchange, all the madness and shock I should’ve taken now fell on ‘him.’
Regardless of my intent, my mouth moved on its own.
“I told you not to let this night pass, but things just got worse. Move fast!”
“Kill that elephant head!”
“No, take out that massive tentacle first!”
Each personality spoke through my mouth.
Shaking my head and muttering to myself like this—I’d really go mad.
I forcibly seized control of my body and said,
“No one touch my mouth! I’ve got something else to do first!”
My chaotic mind unified.
Right—there was a more urgent problem to solve first.
Shwaaaaa!
The bright red tentacle surged up again.
It rushed toward Seo Cheonseul, who’d flown and crashed into the ground.
Kwaaaaaang!
A tentacle of blood. Every impact sent massive sprays of blood gushing in all directions.
And Seo Cheonseul, at the center of that blood spray—
“Let’s stop the ridiculous situation of Captain Cheongeum turning into a Duoksini first!”
I formed a magic circle using the Four Symbols True Pole Sword in one hand.
Wooooooong….
The sword trembled along its blade, emitting an eerie sound, then spat lightning toward the east.
Rumble! Kwaaaang! Kwaaaang!
Even if I left, the Four Symbols True Pole Sword had to hold down the fort here.
“Achilles! You guard this area too!”
Kikikikik!
“Yeah, go!”
[Fox’s Cunning]
[Swan’s Dance]
[Protective Formation]
I buffed myself with spells and leaped from the summit of Gongneung Mountain.
[L-Grade Apparel ‘Night Mantle Wingrobe’ unique function, ‘Heavenly Demon’s Wings’ activates.
// Heavenly Demon’s Wings: Automatically casts ‘Flight’ spell.]
Whooooosh!
Cutting through the heavy air tangled with blood foam, I flew from west to east.
“Ho Sanghyeon! You’re playing with me!”
Roooar!
Pitch-black hellfire came flying.
It was the spell I’d cast last time that Seonbu had swallowed.
“You snot-nosed brat who learned manners through your nostrils! If you put it in your mouth, swallow it all the way!”
I swung my hand, forming massive blue magic circles everywhere.
[Ocean Cataclysm]
Fwoooooosh!!!
The brilliantly glowing blue magic circles exploded, sending a colossal wave crashing toward where Seonbu stood in the east.
Shwaaa!
“This is nothing!”
Whoooosh!
“Oh, eating that too?”
Elemental spells won’t work. I needed curses and necromancy.
[Grasp of the Departed]
[Melting Floor]
Groooooowl—
The ground around Seonbu turned into sticky mud and began sinking. Hundreds of ghostly hands rose from the floor, dragging at him.
“Grrrh! Okay, this I can’t eat!”
As he struggled to escape the mud, I accelerated toward the massive tentacle pounding Seo Cheonseul.
“Cut it out, you overgrown leech bastard!”
[Binding Chains]
[Blades of Frost]
Glowing magical chains wrapped around it, and ice blades slashed wounds into its body, freezing them solid.
Crack crack crack! The tentacle’s movements slowed.
Rumble—rumble!
[White Lightning]
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
White lightning bleached the surroundings.
I felt its power weaken. I grabbed the chains binding its body and yanked back.
‘But this won’t kill it, huh?’
Not until I fully repaired the ley lines around here. And before that, I needed to secure Seo Cheonseul.
“Ugh—”
Seo Cheonseul lay embedded in the center of a massive crater from the tentacle’s attacks.
Blood scent spreading everywhere, blood pooling on the ground.
A splitting headache hit as a message appeared.
[The madness latent in your psyche manifests, twisting your mind. Delirium incoming.]
Ugh—get lost!
[Mind Resistance check… Success!]
“Haa—”
Third time tonight already.
How many more could I take?
I steadied my mind and approached Seo Cheonseul.
“More intact than—”
Expected?
Seo Cheonseul was just sprawled in the dirt and blood. His limbs were fine, and his expression calmer than anticipated.
With a dazed look, he stared up at the sky—at the full moon hanging there.
His mouth opened, and an ominous word leaked out.
“Blood—”
“Captain Cheongeum?”
“This taste—it’s, like—so, so—better than—”
Seo Cheonseul mumbled strange words, on the verge of delirium.
“So—like—better than—huh, a bit warmed up. I can kinda get what these Duoksini are chasing after. Just this little taste is this good—makes me wonder what it’d feel like to really drink it. Ah, I wonder. I wonder. I wonder. I wonder.”
Half his face hidden by the mask twisted grotesquely. A smile? Sorrow? Or just smacking his lips.
If he stayed like this, I might witness Captain Cheongeum turning Duoksini mad.
I’d brought the Four Symbols True Pole Sword—that would’ve been perfect, but it had to stay on the western side of Paju Samneung.
Instead, I raised the Butcher’s Hook and aimed at Seo Cheonseul.
“Kim Sebang, Kim Sebang, Kim Sebang, Kim Sebang. What’s wrong? Why point that vicious thing at me? Kim Sebang? What’re you thinking right now? Do I look a bit dangerous? Has my mind snapped? Kim Sebang, Kim Sebang, Kim Sebang. You think that puny hook can take me on?”
Seo Cheonseul tossed aside the mask covering his face and tried to rise.
He hadn’t fully turned Duoksini yet. Just delirious.
Not too late. I could snap him out of it quick.
I took off my Night Mantle Robe and threw it over Seo Cheonseul.
“This is—Kim Sebang, this is—like—this is—”
“Sleep it off, Captain Cheongeum.”
“Ah, yes. I’ll sleep. It’s all a horrific nightmare. By sleeping, I return to the true reality prepared for me.”
Seo Cheonseul pulled the Night Mantle Robe over him like a blanket and fell asleep.
Shwaaaaa!
“Starting to recover?”
The massive blood tentacle began to rise again.
I turned my head from east to west, gazing at my enemy—the monster I had to defeat tonight.