Chapter 313
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 313.
The eight airships that appeared over the floating island completely turned the tide of the battle.
Even a single airship possessed immense power, let alone eight.
—H-how do we even deal with that……?
The enemies instantly lost their will to fight.
The charging members of the Black Shadow instinctively stepped back.
The airships advanced and arrived at their pre-designated positions.
—Their firepower is insane. Yoo Baek-jun, where the hell did you even get these?
—Every time they move, the magic stones… Even when firing the cannons… Ugh, ughhh.
—Hahang! This is awesome! I love it!
—…….
Onboard were the Grandmasters and the swordsmen of the Sword Saint Family, along with the guild members Yoo Baek-jun had been building connections with.
The Crimson Crusade, Ryu Il-woo, the Peng Family led by Peng So-young, Yoon Song-ha’s White Wolf, and, surprisingly, Seolhae.
“Family head, are you sure about this? Entrusting an airship to Seolhae……”
“You think they might betray us?”
“Yes, I’m worried.”
Han Seong-ah seemed uneasy about handing over such a powerful weapon as the airship to Seolhae—specifically, to Yoo Chae-jeong.
But it would be fine.
“If they were going to betray us, they would’ve done it long ago. Besides, I doubt they’d even think of it now.”
“You think so?”
His words proved true.
Yoo Chae-jeong, after witnessing the airship’s power, was utterly overwhelmed.
“You made nine of these things? I’m speechless.”
She felt an inexplicable energy flowing through her body—an effect of the airship’s device that amplified hunters’ power.
A weapon with absurd firepower and buff capabilities on top of that?
“Huu……”
Yoo Chae-jeong shook her head.
She couldn’t think of any way to oppose the current Sword Saint family.
“Is there really no way to resist?”
“The other airships have signaled that they’re ready.”
“Right……”
Yoo Chae-jeong waved her hand.
“Descend.”
Exactly as she commanded, hunters leaped from each airship.
They joined forces with the hunters on the ground, reforming the collapsed battle lines to face the monsters.
“Swordsmen, remember! Our job is to draw the enemies’ attention!”
An armed figure landed on the ground, cutting down foes as they advanced, followed by the swordsmen behind them.
“Fight hard and make sure every enemy on that land comes for us!”
“Yes!”
“Archers! Raise your bows!”
Baek Jun-kyung, who remained on the airship, shouted, and the disciples beside him lifted their bows in unison.
Creak—the sound of drawn bowstrings.
“Support our allies! Barrage fire!”
A volley of arrows rained down.
The magic-infused arrows split into countless projectiles, blanketing the enemies.
Baek Jun-kyung and the archers didn’t stop there, continuing to snipe the enemies.
‘The Sword Saint family uses bows?’
‘Weren’t they just swordsmen?’
The onlookers were stunned.
The Sword Saint family, once solely focused on swordsmanship, had changed after Yoo Baek-jun became the Family head.
Now, they complemented each other with spearmanship, archery, and various martial arts.
“Jeon Soo-yeon! The Family head said we’re in charge here.”
“Blood Rin!”
The swordsmen tried to stop Blood Rin, who was fighting monsters in the rear.
But she ignored them, continuing to slaughter the monsters.
“Blood Rin! Let’s leave this to the others and move forward!”
“…Huh?”
Only when Jeon Soo-yeon shouted right next to her did Blood Rin finally turn her head.
“Let’s go! We can’t waste time here. We have something else to do……”
“Debt… need to repay more?”
“Yes, yes! So let’s go!”
Jeon Soo-yeon made a tearful face as she dragged Blood Rin forward.
‘Family head! This person is weird! Why do I have to handle her?!’
She was the one who had chased after Blood Rin, who had returned to the wild to live like a feral horse, and helped her come here.
The only saving grace was that Blood Rin somewhat listened to her.
Maybe it was because they’d spent so much time together—who knew?
Kwaaaang!
Blood Rin arrived at the Dragon’s Land and advanced with the others.
—Defiling sacred ground!
The dragonkin roared in fury.
They had to eliminate those who dared taint this land. But the airships made it impossible.
And no one knew this better than the Evil Dragon, Master of the Black Shadow.
—Disgusting gods…! Are you interfering again?!
The Evil Dragon erupted in rage.
Its subordinates, the dragonkin who shared its blood, were dying like insects!
—I won’t let this stand. This time… this time will be different!
The Evil Dragon spread his four pairs of wings and soared high into the sky.
His massive body blotted out the sky as his ferocious eyes locked onto the airships.
Even the airships seemed small compared to the colossal Evil Dragon.
—With these toys…!
Tremendous power gathered around the Evil Dragon.
A condensed dark energy.
It was clear he was preparing something ominous.
“We can’t let that happen.”
And this—
This was the moment Yoo Baek-jun had been waiting for.
“It’s about time… First, send a signal to Nagito.”
“Yes, Family head.”
Yoo Baek-jun looked up at the sky.
He could feel the Staff of the Death King vibrating in his embrace.
* * *
The heart of the Battlefield of Proof..
Around the time the Evil Dragon descended on Earth, an anomaly occurred at the altar where the core sealing Thanatos was located.
Crackle, buzz—!
The crystal orb Yoo Baek-jun had received from the Thunder God activated.
Lightning scattered in all directions.
The energy was destroying the altar—and the sealing core.
—Ugh, uuugh…!
The crystal orb had been steadily weakening the sealing core.
So naturally that it seemed like the seal was weakening on its own.
Rumble—!
—I-Is it collapsing?
The altar was crumbling.
The sealing core was being destroyed.
The angel recalled the words of the human who had intruded here not long ago.
—When this sealing core is destroyed… escape and return
—Is it time to return?
The place he had been guarding under the Thunder God’s orders. Since his master had commanded him to retreat, it was time to go back.
The angel smiled brightly and flew up.
For some reason, the black whirlwind surrounding the heart of the Battlefield of Proof had also vanished.
—I’m finally free!
As the angel joyfully returned to the heavens, the temple of Thanatos at the heart of the Battlefield of Proof rejoiced.
—O-oh! The seal…!
—At last!
The death priests felt the seal surrounding the Battlefield of Proof weakening.
They had struggled for so long to weaken the seal, only recently seeing results.
And now, finally—
—Lord Thanatos!
—Yes, at last…
They could free Thanatos, who had been sealed in hell by the gods.
It wouldn’t be a complete release with his full power, but it was worth trying.
—Open the gate! The time has come! I shall reclaim my power!
From the depths of the earth, Thanatos revealed his form.
And above the temple, a colossal gate appeared.
—Gods! I shall have my vengeance! And—!
The gate emitted a blinding light.
—That human too!
When the light engulfing the area finally faded—
The temple was gone.
Along with the death priests, the undead, and even Thanatos himself.
* * *
“Has it begun?”
Beneath Wakkanai.
Nagito waited in the shrine where the monstrous serpent was sealed, accompanied by his subordinates.
Rumble—!
The ground shook violently.
A subordinate monitoring the surface gulped.
“…Sir Nagito, it’s just as that person said. The East Sea… has disappeared. An erosion of unimaginable scale.”
“Huu… I see… Truly…”
Nagito pressed his hand to his forehead.
“I followed his words despite my doubts, but I never thought it would actually happen…”
Something impossible had occurred.
The East Sea vanished.
“And the erosion is spreading. At this rate, even Japan’s land is at risk.”
“…….”
Nagito sighed and stepped before the seal in the shrine.
The seal imprisoning the monster beneath the earth.
A legendary creature that had once turned Japan into a wasteland.
“…Damn it, I don’t know if this is the right move. Yoo Baek-jun, I’m only doing this because it’s you!”
Nagito closed his eyes and released the seal as instructed.
For a moment, silence fell.
Then—
Kwarurururu—!
“We’ll be crushed if we stay here. Let’s go!”
The underground trembled.
A tremendous vibration rose from the depths, shaking everything.
Nagito and his subordinates hurriedly fled the cavern.
—Kyaaaaaa!
A gigantic serpent’s body destroyed the shrine as it emerged onto the surface.
* * *
The Evil Dragon, gathering power to annihilate the humans, suddenly raised his head.
—Magic is converging… This is…
He sensed an overwhelming concentration of Magic directly above him.
Crack—!
The sky split open, revealing a massive gate.
Has Yoo Baek-jun, that detestable human, done something again?
—That energy!
No.
From the fissure in the sky, a pitch-black energy seeped out.
A sinister, corrupting aura so vile that mere contact would rot the flesh.
—Keh, kehahaha! Open the gate!
A colossal hand forcibly tore the rift wider.
And through the gap, an enormous figure emerged.
—Ah, the sweet taste of freedom after so long! This land teems with life!
It was a towering god of death.
Clad in an ancient black robe, only his skeletal face visible.
In one hand, a massive scythe radiating baleful light, and behind him, an endless tide of death.
—Gods, behold! This land shall drown in death!
Thanatos revealed himself.
Laughing maniacally, he spread his arms, and behind him, countless undead emerged.
—Kyaaaaaa!
Among them were even bone dragons.
Thanatos grinned in satisfaction, ready to unleash his power.
—Thanatos! Why are you here?!
—…….
But before he could—
A voice he never wanted to hear rang out.
Thanatos turned toward the sound and scowled.
—Tiamat? Grrrk!
The Evil Dragon, consumed by fury, attacked Thanatos.
A devastating breath engulfed him, followed by a barrage of spells lighting up the sky.
—You dare defile my kin! Even in death, you won’t let them rest!
—Guh, uuuugh…!
Tiamat recognized the bone dragons accompanying Thanatos.
His brethren, who had fought alongside him during the invasion of Halpeon long ago.
He could never forgive Thanatos for condemning them to eternal unrest.
‘What the hell is happening?!’
Tiamat and the dragonkin assaulted Thanatos and the undead.
His mind was in chaos.
‘Why is that ancient dragon here?!’
And of all things, he had been summoned right beside Tiamat.
Something was off.
He sensed someone’s scheme and tried to speak to Tiamat, but—
—Kyaaaaaa!
At that moment, a monstrous entity burst forth from the heart of the Dragon’s Land.
A primordial beast with eight heads, spewing deadly venom—
It was Yamata-no-Orochi.
—Grrruuu…
Having been sealed for so long, it had lost all reason.
The Yamata-no-Orochi scanned its surroundings, noticing Tiamat and Thanatos locked in battle—
—Kyaaaaaaak!
To Thanatos, this was incomprehensible.
But the beast attacked them without hesitation.
—This… Grrrk!
—Pathetic snake!
—Kyaaaaaa!
Colossal monsters clashed, tearing into each other.
The humans could only watch dumbfounded at the sudden turn of events.
And Yoo Baek-jun smiled ominously.