Chapter 222
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 222.
Swordsmen appeared from all directions.
They surrounded the Jiangshi that had been sweeping across the land. But their numbers were hopelessly insufficient compared to the enemy.
At best, four or five hundred.
The lack of numbers made it impossible to form a proper encirclement, and even that was full of holes.
‘Meanwhile, the enemy’s numbers…’
The number of Jiangshi was vast.
Easily over a thousand, perhaps even more than three thousand.
The Blood Jiangshi were fewer in comparison.
Roughly three hundred. But considering their strength, that was already a formidable number.
And the biggest problem was that woman.
—Ha…
The Blood Demon.
At first, even the Blood Demon was flustered, but after glancing around, she quickly regained her composure.
Compared to her side, which numbered in the thousands, the enemy was merely a few hundred. The numerical difference was overwhelmingly in her favor.
—Do you really think… you can stop us… with just this many?
Not that the Jiangshi were inferior in quality either.
Even the Blood Cult’s ordinary Jiangshi were monsters rated B+ or A-grade.
—How laughable.
The Blood Demon sneered.
She couldn’t help it. These fools, vastly outnumbered, had boldly revealed themselves.
—Kyaaaaah!
—Haaa!
The Jiangshi, on the other hand, were delighted.
The situation had been strangely devoid of humans, leaving them starving.
Now, prey had come to them on its own—how could they not rejoice?
“…….”
Amidst this, Yoo Baek-jun stepped forward alone. Not moving with the swordsmen, but entirely by himself.
—Are you trying to… commit suicide?
The Blood Demon raised her hand.
A signal of sorts. The Jiangshi filling the surroundings all charged at Yoo Baek-jun at once.
—Kyaaaaah!
Their numbers were far too many.
Even for Yoo Baek-jun, facing that many would not be easy.
Moreover, from the Blood Demon’s perspective, it didn’t matter if all those Jiangshi died.
—Let’s see what you’ve got.
The Jiangshi swarmed in.
Yoo Baek-jun raised his sword high.
‘Suicide… Not entirely wrong.’
This was a last stand.
The barrier of Jiangshi blocking the way also prevented the swordsmen from advancing.
An act only possible with absolute confidence in one’s martial prowess.
And of course, Yoo Baek-jun was overflowing with confidence.
“Huuup!”
Magic erupted from the tip of his sword.
Yoo Baek-jun drove his sword into the ground with all his might.
A deafening roar followed, and an earthquake struck, engulfing the Jiangshi.
—Gruuuuh!
Yoo Baek-jun retrieved the Thunder Spear from subspace and immediately shot it into the sky.
Meteor Shower.
Spears raining down like meteors crushed the fallen Jiangshi.
—Keep… going.
But there were still many Jiangshi left.
Following the Blood Demon’s command, Jiangshi rushed in from all sides.
Yoo Baek-jun stomped the ground, unleashing Thunderstomp kick.
Lightning scattered in all directions, momentarily halting the Jiangshi advance.
—Kaaah!
Then, he pulled his right arm back and swung his sword forward.
A sword aura shot out in a straight line.
The aura split mid-flight, dividing into countless smaller auras that rained down on the enemy.
Followed by Frozen Shattering Kick.
‘Without pause.’
Yoo Baek-jun, now deep in enemy lines, unleashed Plum Blossom Fragrance.
Blades as sharp as flower petals scattered in all directions, butchering the nearby Jiangshi.
—Hoh…
“What, never seen this before?”
The Blood Demon let out a small gasp of admiration.
The harmonious use of various weapon techniques was impressive even to her, an enemy.
Hundreds of Jiangshi had already fallen to Yoo Baek-jun’s hands.
But that was all.
—Not bad… However…
The Blood Demon raised her hand again.
Then, from the wide open space behind her, a red light erupted.
The very spot where the shrine had stood.
Kuuuung!
Once more, the shrine’s doors opened.
From within, another flood of Jiangshi poured out.
As many as Yoo Baek-jun had killed—no, far more.
—How long… can you hold out?
The reason this gate was S-rank.
The biggest reason was right there.
Overwhelming numbers.
The Blood Cult’s Jiangshi, prepared over long years, were endless.
A situation that would make anyone despair under normal circumstances.
“…….”
But Yoo Baek-jun’s eyes gleamed. As if this was exactly what he had wanted.
Before the Blood Demon could even sense the strangeness—
Yoo Baek-jun unleashed his power.
The power of the Successor of the Death King.
Fwaaaah!
An immense death energy spread from him, seeping into the bodies of the surrounding Jiangshi.
And then—
—Kuh?! Keuuh!
—Kyaaaaah!
An anomaly occurred among them.
The Jiangshi at the front suddenly turned around and began attacking those behind them.
—What is… this?!
The attacked Jiangshi immediately retaliated.
The flustered Blood Demon commanded the rogue Jiangshi to stop.
But there was no response.
—What have you… done?!
“Noel!”
Yoo Baek-jun used Grandal’s Option to summon those waiting in the distance.
Noel and the Necromancers.
“Everyone, proceed as planned.”
“Yes.”
They raised their staffs high.
From their tips, immense death energy shot toward the corpses littered across the battlefield.
And moments later—
Kwaaaabooom!
—Gruuuh?!
A massive explosion erupted.
The already fallen Jiangshi exploded, dealing heavy damage all around.
The Necromancers’ spell—Corpse Explosion.
—You… bastards!
The Necromancers continued, summoning undead one after another.
The Jiangshi under Yoo Baek-jun’s control and the Necromancers’ undead began clashing with the enemy Jiangshi.
—Blood Jiangshi!
The Blood Demon called the Blood Jiangshi guarding her.
Monsters clad in different attire and movements compared to ordinary Jiangshi.
—Kill them… now!
The Blood Demon commanded.
The Blood Jiangshi lunged forward.
Their speed was incomparable to ordinary Jiangshi.
They moved to kill Yoo Baek-jun and the Necromancers.
‘I’ve been waiting for this.’
The overwhelming numbers of Jiangshi were troublesome, but the Blood Jiangshi were even worse.
To close this gate, the Successor of the Blood Demon had to be dealt with.
The problem was that the Blood Jiangshi never left the Blood Demon’s side.
‘Now, they’ve moved.’
Perhaps in desperation, the Blood Demon sent out all but a few Blood Jiangshi to attack.
This was the chance.
“Han Seong-ah!”
“Yes!”
Yoo Baek-jun shouted loudly.
The swordsmen stationed near the barrier had already gathered beside him.
They stared grimly at the charging Blood Jiangshi.
“Form the formation!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the swordsmen scattered.
Centered around Han Seong-ah, they arranged themselves in a specific pattern. Moving in a pre-learned sequence, their swords clashed against each other.
By then, the Jiangshi were upon them.
“Linked Martial Formation!”
As if waiting for the Jiangshi to approach, the swordsmen released their magic.
The intertwined magic amplified each other.
When it reached its peak—
—Gruuh?
A thick fog enveloped the area.
So dense that not even an inch ahead was visible, the mist hid the swordsmen.
The Blood Jiangshi hesitated but charged in regardless.
Along with the surrounding Jiangshi, they entered the fog.
Chaaeng!
A flash of light erupted.
The Jiangshi inside the fog froze mid-motion—then, moments later—
Thud! Thud!
Their bodies were torn apart, scattering across the ground.
The ordinary Jiangshi were completely slaughtered, and an inexplicable onslaught followed against the Blood Jiangshi.
—……!
The Blood Jiangshi had bodies harder than steel.
Unlike the stiff movements of ordinary Jiangshi, they moved vividly, like living humans.
Though they couldn’t wield martial arts, their bodies remembered combat techniques.
But even they—
—Kyaaaaah!
Couldn’t withstand hundreds of blades attacking from all directions.
The first Blood Jiangshi lost their arms. The next strikes severed their legs.
Limbless, they crawled on the ground, bleeding.
—Kuh?! Gruh…!
The remaining Blood Jiangshi sensed danger and tried to retreat.
But before they could, the mist shifted—and swallowed them whole.
—……!
In an instant, their vision was filled with fog.
Only then did they realize.
What had slaughtered the Jiangshi.
—Kyaaaah!
Hundreds of swords floating in the dense mist.
That was it.
The swords aimed at the Blood Jiangshi—
Swaaah!
—Kyaaaah!
—and mercilessly attacked.
Bladeless, the hundreds of swords unleashed countless slashes.
Everything they touched was sliced apart, butchering the Jiangshi.
Squelch!
—Kyaaaah!
“You will lose your way in this mist… and die wandering.”
Han Seong-ah, the core of the formation, declared.
And so, all the Blood Jiangshi sent by the Blood Demon were trapped in the mist.
‘The effect is certain.’
Yoo Baek-jun had generously shared the Martial God’s techniques from the tower with the swordsmen.
Among them was this formation.
A group skill—one requiring coordination. The Linked Martial Formation.
Kang! Clang!
Once formed, it created a mist that concealed their presence and amplified the abilities of those inside.
Speed and power were doubled.
—Kyaaaah!
Immense speed, overwhelming power.
The already formidable swordsmen of the Sword Saint lineage, further enhanced by the formation.
Though each Blood Jiangshi was a monster rated A+ or S-grade, this was enough to face them.
—What in the world… is happening?!
“Yeah, I knew you’d say that.”
—What…?!
The same old line.
Yoo Baek-jun stomped the ground.
Kwaaaang!
Flash Step.
He shot forward at blinding speed, shockwaves erupting with each step.
Jiangshi blocking his path were sent flying.
—Stop him!
The remaining Blood Jiangshi guarding the Blood Demon stepped forward.
Yoo Baek-jun threw his sword ahead.
‘Flying Sword Barrage.’
The magic-infused sword split into dozens, encircling the Blood Jiangshi like a net.
The trapped Blood Jiangshi froze momentarily—then the surrounding blades shredded them.
“Hup!”
Their movements were sealed.
Yoo Baek-jun abandoned his sword and charged at the Blood Demon.
She sneered at him.
—Fool! Do you really think you can fight… without any weapons?!
The Blood Demon gripped her blade, mocking him.
She believed his feet were the real threat.
“Who said I’m unarmed?”
But she was wrong.
Yoo Baek-jun smirked back, spreading his palms.
A chilling cold gathered in his hands—then Frozen Soul Palm shot forth.
—Gruuuh?!
Caught completely off guard, the Blood Demon barely blocked in shock.
How was he using a forbidden technique sealed far away?!
Whooosh!
An intense cold erupted from Yoo Baek-jun’s body.
Frozen Soul Palm and the Cold aura engulfed the Blood Demon, slowing her movements despite her strength.
He didn’t miss the opening.
—Kuh… Haaah!
The distance closed in an instant.
Yoo Baek-jun pulled his fist back.
“Let’s start with this.”
Their eyes met.
Before she could speak—
BOOM!
Heavenly Destruction fist slammed into her.