Chapter 377: Mutation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 377: Mutation
Kwakwakwang!
Yorang’s black legs clashed with Ok-ryeong’s sword, the impact sending a thunderous roar and a shockwave rippling through the air.
"It seems you’ve grown stronger?" Ok-ryeong asked, a faint smile playing on her lips as she held her ground against Yorang’s legs.
"I was always strong!" Yorang retorted, parrying Ok-ryeong’s blade.
Without missing a beat, she thrust another leg toward Ok-ryeong.
Swaaaaak!
The sleek black limb streaked through the air, aimed straight for Ok-ryeong.
Clang!
Ok-ryeong quickly flipped her sword into a reverse grip to block the strike.
Swaaaaak!
At that moment, another leg came flying in.
Clang!
Ok-ryeong deflected the first leg and immediately pivoted to block the next.
"Grrr!"
Frustrated, Yorang scowled and began to lash out relentlessly with her remaining three legs.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Ok-ryeong parried the incoming strikes with practiced ease, maintaining her defensive stance.
"I’m leaving! I said I’m leaving!" Yorang screamed, rushing her with even greater speed.
Whoosh!
The sheer physical strength behind her legs began to put pressure on Ok-ryeong.
"You can't. If you leave, Sun-woo will be sad," Ok-ryeong said, flowing with the attacks as much as possible to redirect their force.
Kwakwang!
"Sad? Why would that guy be sad when he hasn't even shown his face for seven months!" Yorang’s voice rose, thick with resentment.
Swaaaaak!
Boom!
The monstrous strength infused into Yorang’s legs grew even more formidable.
Whoosh!
Finally, after clashing with Yorang’s leg, Ok-ryeong began to be pushed back.
"He said he’d be right back! He said he’d return soon! But he’s still not here!" Yorang poured out her pent-up emotions.
In truth, the reason Yorang had run away wasn't just because of the grueling workload. To her, Sun-woo was a truly special existence. He was the catalyst that allowed her to shed her old form for a human one, and at the same time, he was the goal she yearned to surpass.
Yorang wanted his recognition. She wanted him to tell her she did a good job, to thank her, to tell her she was indispensable. She wanted to be doted on, praised, and ultimately, acknowledged.
But that Sun-woo hadn't shown his face once. Meaningless piles of money just kept stacking up in her quarters, while the person she most wanted recognition from was absent.
A sense of futility had set in. Then came the skepticism. What was the point of working so hard, sleeping only one day out of every three or four, if it wasn't fun anymore? Ultimately, this extreme emptiness and doubt had consumed her, driving her to run away.
"He will return! He promised! He said he’d come back as quickly as possible!" Ok-ryeong raised her voice, parrying a leg.
Yorang wasn't the only one struggling mentally with Sun-woo’s absence. Ok-ryeong was also enduring her own share of loneliness and sorrow. He was the lover she had promised to spend her life with—the only man she could look at forever without ever growing tired. He was the lover whose absence for a single day felt like a hundred years of longing.
And yet, that man had been gone for over half a year without a word. Every night, a crushing loneliness washed over her, and sometimes, even feelings of resentment crept in. But she fought those feelings off. She believed that waiting and trusting was also a part of loving her partner.
"Don't force your faith on me! You said he’d be back in six months! But it’s already been a month past the deadline! Where is Sun-woo?!"
"Something must have come up!"
"Enough! I don't believe it! I’m leaving! I’m leaving for good!"
Kwakwang!
Yorang’s legs and Ok-ryeong’s sword collided again, erupting in another explosion of sound.
"Do you really think I’ll let you go?" Ok-ryeong poured more internal energy into her sword.
A shimmering, pure white Astral Qi began to flicker along the blade. Ok-ryeong swung the white Sword Astral directly at Yorang.
Boom!
Sliiiiiide.
Upon clashing with the Astral Qi, Yorang was forced backward, her feet skidding across the ground. She hadn't been able to withstand the overwhelming power.
"Grrr! You really want to do this?" Yorang glared at Ok-ryeong, her face flushed with rage.
"I told you. I won't let you go!" Ok-ryeong replied firmly.
She felt a pang of guilt for using Astral Qi against her, but she couldn't let her leave. Before Sun-woo left, he had entrusted Yorang to her, saying she was the only one who could control her. If Yorang left now, she would be breaking her promise.
I can't let that happen!
Ok-ryeong bit her lip. She didn't want to be a faithless woman who couldn't even keep a promise to her lover. Her eyes began to shine with a sharp, piercing light as she looked at Yorang.
"Fine. Don't blame me for this."
Seeing Ok-ryeong’s resolute stance, Yorang realized she couldn't afford to hold back anymore.
Swaaaaaak!
Yorang began to circulate the Yokai power from her inner core throughout her entire body.
Crack, crack, crack!
Then, a transformation occurred. Her body began to seethe, and a pitch-black carapace started to cover her skin.
Cr-crack!
The carapace eventually covered her face entirely, making her look as though she were wearing a full suit of black armor.
Whirrrrrrr!
A massive amount of Yokai power began to fluctuate violently around her.
"..."
Ok-ryeong watched the transformation with a tense gaze. The aura radiating from Yorang was now incomparable to before.
She’s strong.
Ok-ryeong realized that she couldn't take this lightly. She began to circulate her internal energy to its absolute peak.
Wooooooong.
Pure white energy began to shimmer around her body. Using that energy, Ok-ryeong pushed her physical capabilities to their limit. Soon, her entire form began to be dyed in a brilliant white light.
Boom!
Ok-ryeong lunged at her immediately, moving with a speed that defied comparison to her previous movements.
Boom!
Yorang was just as fast. Shrouded in white, Ok-ryeong charged at Yorang like a bolt of lightning.
Kwakwakwang!
Kwakwakwang!
The two women moved in a blur, clashing incessantly as thunderous roars and shockwaves erupted all around them.
*
Kwakwang!
Ok-ryeong’s Fast Sword struck Yorang squarely. One strike, two, three, four, five... so many blows landed that they were impossible to count.
However, despite her apparent dominance, Ok-ryeong’s expression remained grim. She could feel that she wasn't dealing any significant damage.
She’s too tough.
Ok-ryeong noted that Yorang’s carapace was harder than she had imagined. Yorang, now completely encased in black armor, was both fast and incredibly durable. Despite taking multiple hits from Ok-ryeong’s Fast Sword, the carapace—boasting incredible density—didn't allow even a single scratch. Furthermore, Yorang possessed enough speed to somewhat keep up with Ok-ryeong and even launch counterattacks. It was a speed that could be dangerous if Ok-ryeong let her guard down for even a second.
Ok-ryeong’s eyes turned deadly serious.
Swaaaaak!
Yorang’s pitch-black leg lunged toward Ok-ryeong.
Clang!
Ok-ryeong used the flat of her blade to gently lift the leg, parrying it and forcing it off course.
Whoosh!
The leg pierced through empty air.
Grit.
Yorang ground her teeth as the attack missed. Irritation flared within her because things weren't going her way. Ok-ryeong was fast—so fast it was a struggle just to keep up. And even when she used her maximum speed to catch up and counter, her attacks were deflected far too easily.
I can't go on like this.
Yorang realized she needed a change. Fortunately, thanks to her hard carapace, she hadn't taken any damage yet, but even durability had its limits. If she kept clashing with Ok-ryeong’s powerful Astral Qi, the armor might eventually shatter.
I won't let that happen.
As she faced off against Ok-ryeong, Yorang began to search for a way to win. Her mind raced, analyzing her opponent. Ok-ryeong surpassed her in two main areas: speed and technique. In terms of speed, she was a step behind, and in terms of technique, the gap was embarrassingly wide. She had to bridge this gap before her carapace broke.
Hmm...
Yorang’s deliberation deepened. Finally, she reached a conclusion: play to her strengths and abandon her weaknesses.
Wooooooong.
The Yokai power within her inner core began to surge violently.
Cr-cr-crack! Cr-cr-crack!
The surging power began to mutate Yorang’s body. The carapace that had merely been covering her grew larger. It became thicker and even more reinforced.
Cr-crack!
It was as if she were returning to her original form as a Human-Faced Spider. After some time had passed, Yorang’s original appearance was nowhere to be found. She had completely molted into a Human-Faced Spider.
"Kwaaaaaaaa!"
In her spider form, Yorang let out a monstrous screech.
Swaaaaaa!
Simultaneously, a massive cloud of poisonous Qi erupted toward Ok-ryeong.
Step.
Seeing this, Ok-ryeong used an exquisite footwork technique to leap out of the poison's range.
Sizzle!
The ground where she had just been standing was drenched in venom and began to melt away.
"Kwaaaaaaaa!"
Swaaaaaa!
Yorang didn't stop, relentlessly spraying venom until the entire area was transformed into a toxic zone filled with poisonous Qi. Ok-ryeong skillfully dodged the continuous stream of venom, trying to find a way out of the toxic field.
This is troublesome.
Ok-ryeong frowned. She could feel the poisonous Qi trying to seep into her body. It seemed the venom Yorang carried was no ordinary poison. Although she was burning it away with her internal energy for now, she realized that getting close would be dangerous. Lacking a natural poison resistance, it was a heavy burden for her.
I have to end this.
A sense of crisis gripped Ok-ryeong. She realized that the longer Yorang’s toxic zone expanded, the more the tide of battle would turn against her. She had to finish this before the poison spread any further. Ok-ryeong pushed her internal energy even harder. She decided she had to give it her all.
Wooooooooong.
The white aura surrounding her intensified. Soon, Ok-ryeong’s entire body turned completely white—her hair, her face, and even her clothes.
Boom!
Ok-ryeong took a step forward in that state. The ground beneath her feet shattered with a roar, leaving a deep crater. Using the cratered earth as a springboard, she launched herself forward.
Then, something strange happened. Her body vanished completely.
"Kwaaaaaaaa!"
Yorang let out a startled screech. How could the woman who was right in front of her disappear in an instant?
Ch-ch-ch-ch!
Kwakwakwang!
Suddenly, a shockwave and a thunderous roar erupted from the carapace covering Yorang’s chest.
"Aaaaaaaagh!"
Yorang screamed as a massive impact slammed into her chest. The force was so great it reached the tender flesh beneath the armor.
Ch-ch-ch-ch!
Kwakwakwang!
This time, a massive shockwave hit her from behind.
"Aaaaaaaagh!"
Yorang screamed again. The pain was almost more than she could bear.
"Kwaaaaagh!"
Tears began to well in Yorang’s eyes from the agony in her chest and back. It was an excruciating pain, similar to what she had felt when she was struck by the Sword Ring in the past.
"Stop the mutation now..."
Ok-ryeong’s calm voice echoed in her ear. Yorang quickly turned her head toward the source of the voice. There stood a beautiful woman, her entire being bathed in pure white light. It was Ok-ryeong.
"You cannot defeat me," Ok-ryeong continued, her expression serene as she met Yorang’s eyes. "I don't want to hurt you."
She spoke with a pleading look. She was desperate. This was a power she had only just gained through a new realization, and she couldn't fully control it yet. Her speed had increased drastically, and her attacks had become correspondingly more violent. If they continued to clash, Yorang would surely be gravely injured. She prayed and prayed in her heart that Yorang would stop.
"Kwaaaaaaaa!"
But contrary to her wishes, Yorang let out another monstrous roar and spewed even more poisonous Qi. She didn't want to go back. she didn't want to stay in a place where Sun-woo wasn't present for any longer. She would roam freely. She would wander the world and find Sun-woo herself.
Kwaaaaaaaa!
Her Yokai power and poisonous Qi began to overlap and intensify. Her physical size began to grow even larger. Her body, which had been barely four feet tall, began to swell. Five feet... six... eight... ten... all the way to twelve feet.
She began to mutate into a size that was incomparable to before. Soon, Yorang’s massive form loomed larger than most pavilions. At the same time, her reason began to slip away. Her memories of her human form began to sink deep into the recesses of her mind.
Soon, only instinct remained in her head—the instinct to hunt her prey.
"Kwaaaaaaaa!"
Driven by nothing but instinct, Yorang let out a roar that made the very mountains and trees tremble.