Chapter 439: Sleeping Dragon Mountains
Chapter 439: Sleeping Dragon Mountains
It was then.
“───. ───. ───.”
“───. ───. ───.”
Muttering sounds began to flow from among the Dead standing in the clearing. Most of it was unintelligible, but for some reason, I had a strong feeling it was a spell incantation.
Wooooong!
My thought soon became reality.
With a deep hum, two three-dimensional magic circles spread out in a circular shape, encompassing the clearing. They instantly rose into the air, casting red and blue light respectively, and soon began to emit a terrifying energy, like volcanoes on the verge of eruption.
I immediately snapped to my senses. Looking quickly at the clearing, I saw the Dead still standing motionless in their places. But the moment the crimson eyes gleaming in the fog curved into a grin, I shouted without hesitation.
“Priestess!”
“O Angelus, protect us!”
Had she been preparing in advance? Commendably, Ahn Sol responded to my shout at once.
And in that instant.
Swish!
A sound like the tearing of wind filled the air. At the same time, a hemispherical barrier rose from beneath our feet, enveloping us.
Woooong!
Kwang, Kwaaang!
The sound of the wind, which had rushed in in the blink of an eye, crashed against the hazy barrier and died down, leaving ripples as it slowly faded. It was a hair's breadth.
“Ahn Sol! Nice timing!”
Yoojung shouted in an excited voice. But I shook my head, signaling that it wasn't over yet. It was certainly a swift response, but it was too early to celebrate.
Summoning a magic circle isn't for a single-shot attack. The main purpose is usually to amplify the magic's power and, furthermore, to reduce the incantation time needed for rapid casting.
I looked up at the sky again. As if to prove my thoughts correct, I could see countless spells filling my vision. Each spell, containing a power that couldn't be ignored, was savagely crashing down on the barrier like a torrential waterfall. Ahn Sol, too, bit her lip, glaring at the incoming spells with a look of defiance.
A moment later, the clash between the barrage of spells and the Angelus barrier began.
Kwang, kwakwang, kwakwakwang, kwakwakwakwang!
The one trying to break through and the one trying to block.
The Angelus barrier Ahn Sol had created was truly incredible. Each time a spell hit, faint ripples spread across the shield, but the magic couldn't break through and was neutralized on contact. Amidst the fierce downpour of fire and ice, Ahn Sol was single-handedly blocking every attack perfectly.
“Nngh…!”
But she couldn't keep it up forever. Ahn Sol's brow furrowed slightly as she let out a pained groan. The hand gripping her staff was trembling faintly, and the light of the barrier was gradually weakening.
Of course, the rest of us weren't just standing by.
The first to react was Hanbyul, the 'Jewel Mage'.
“Target designation, Angelus divine spell. Gem used, Azurite White.”
A small gem then rose from Hanbyul's hand, scattering a brilliant light as it merged into the barrier.
“Jewel Amplification!”
The shout that followed was for her Unique Ability, ‘Jewel Amplification’.
Srrrk! Srrrk!
The effect of the amplification was immediate. As the gem turned to powder and flowed over the barrier's surface like a liquid, the shield, which had been losing its luster, began to regain its original brilliance. Not only that, but it even started to expand its range slightly, emitting more power than before.
Hanbyul, who also had a white light gathered in her hand, shouted in her usual chilly but now slightly urgent voice.
“Sol-ah! Leave maintaining the barrier to me…!”
“Oh, Unni. I’m counting on you, then.”
Having immediately transferred the flow of mana, Ahn Sol took a step back and exhaled, “Hoooo.” Her face showed her relief…
“Haaap!”
Or not. On the contrary, she took a deep breath with all her might, enough to puff out her cheeks, then gripped her staff tightly with both hands and aimed it at the clearing. Then, squeezing her eyes shut, she let out a sharp cry as if releasing all the breath she had been holding.
“Let divine punishment descend!”
Flash!
C-crack! C-crack-crack!
With her words, three or four fierce bolts of lightning struck the clearing. The lightning glowed with the same white light as the barrier. It was the activation of ‘Divine Punishment,’ the Unique Ability of Ahn Sol’s Secret Class, ‘Priestess of Radiance’.
KABOOM!
At the same time, with a final blue orb crashing against it, the ceaseless ripples on the barrier began to subside. After waiting a moment longer, we could confirm that no more spells were flying our way. It seemed Ahn Sol’s Authority, ‘Divine Punishment,’ had luckily struck the Dead who had summoned the magic circles.
“Phew…”
Perhaps maintaining the state was difficult, as Hanbyul dispelled the Angelus barrier after confirming the magic circles in the air had vanished.
With ‘Divine Punishment’ as the turning point, the battle entered a temporary lull.
“Haah… haah…”
Ahn Sol had her head down, breathing raggedly. Anyone watching might have mistaken her for a priestess who had been running frantically around a battlefield. But it was just a matter of her having controlled her breathing poorly, so I turned my gaze back to the clearing ahead. However, even after enhancing my vision, the persistent fog mixed with the aftereffects of ‘Divine Punishment,’ making it even harder to see.
“Whew. That was tough.”
A moment later, after catching her breath, Ahn Sol wiped her forehead and looked up.
“Orabeoni. How is it?”
She quietly approached my side, straightening her neck and back as she asked.
Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!
For a brief moment, silence fell.
A terrible scream, presumed to be from one of the Dead, echoed from the clearing. Glancing to my side, I saw Ahn Sol staring at the clearing with a blank expression. I shrugged.
“Seems they’re still alive.”
“H-How…? I’m sure I hit them properly…”
She stuttered, clearly in shock. However, Ahn Sol’s ‘Divine Punishment’ had definitely been effective. The chorus of screams from the Dead now sounded like it came from fewer of them than we had first seen in the clearing.
Gyaaaak! Gyaaaak!
At the renewed screams, Heo Junyoung tapped Ahn Sol on the shoulder and then stood beside me.
“There must be some that were only grazed…. Kim Soohyun. I can’t see clearly, but the sound is closer than before.”
“I hear it too. Everyone, prepare for battle!”
Heo Junyoung had said what I was about to, so I immediately turned to face the clan members.
Was it because of the magic attack just now, or because this was our first battle in the notoriously dangerous Sleeping Dragon Mountains? Everyone was aiming their weapons calmly, but their tense expressions were unmistakable.
“Heehee! I wonder if the blood of the Dead is cold? Or hot? Is it black? Or red? Heeheehee!”
…With one exception.
I clicked my tongue for a moment at the sight of Yoojung having lost her marbles, but I was used to it by now.
After swapping the Formless Sword for the Sun and Moon Divine Sword, I immediately issued detailed commands.
“We’re changing from a square formation to a layered one. Nam Daeun, Cha Sorim, Heo Junyoung, with me at the front. Priests and mages to the rearmost position. Archers, fall back an appropriate distance and provide covering fire. Woo Jungmin will be the Keeper, and Yoojung, you provide support as you see fit.”
The three I had called out immediately stepped forward. I calculated the direction of their approach and held the Sun and Moon Divine Sword at an angle. Bathed in moonlight, the sword emitted an eerie, bluish reflection.
Shhk, shhhk!
Guhhh, guhhh-uhk!
The screams were approaching faster than I expected. As predicted, it seemed quite a few of them had only been grazed by ‘Divine Punishment,’ as I could occasionally hear the sound of heavy, dragging feet.
Shhhk, shhhk, shhhk, shhhk!
Thud! Thump! Thud! Thump!
Are they about two meters away…?
“They’re right in front of us. It doesn’t seem to be just one.”
Cha Sorim said. And at that very moment, a heavily rusted greatsword cut through the thick fog and jutted into view.
Soon, the weapon, a pair of dark legs, and a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in succession. Its skin was so cracked that its red flesh was visible in places, and its face was half-rotted flesh, half-exposed skull. It was certainly a difficult sight to call human.
“A simultaneous charge… In that case.”
Heo Junyoung muttered quietly and stepped forward. He hesitated for a moment, as if measuring the distance with his longsword, which was tall enough to pierce the sky.
But Heo Junyoung showed no hesitation. He simply nodded, took two or three steps forward, and then slammed his sword into the ground with a downward swing of his arm.
THUD!
The sound of the earth splitting echoed loudly. At the same time, just as Cha Sorim had said, about five or six of the Dead burst out from the fog all at once.
It was the moment they saw us and were about to leap forward.
Tw-kwang!
Ch-ch-ch-ch-chang!
In that instant, dozens of mana swords shot up haphazardly from the cracked earth. They precisely targeted the Dead who had just leaped into the air. It was one of Heo Junyoung’s abilities, though I couldn’t recall its exact name. In any case, his timing was impeccable, neutralizing their charge.
Shuk, shuk-shuk!
Guh-eok! Guh-uh-eok!
In an instant, dozens of sword wounds appeared on the bodies of the Dead. Dark red blood gushed from the newly formed holes. Instead of advancing, they rolled on the ground in confusion, screaming. But unlike before, their cries were mournful, filled with pain.
Shwiiik!
Just then, Cha Sorim thrust her spear straight forward. A moment later, after what sounded like a short kiai, a silver energy left a long afterimage in the air before her. Cha Sorim was charging straight toward the floundering Dead.
Clad in the Arcus Valkyrie set, Cha Sorim was both beautiful and valiant. She charged with such force that her long hair fluttered in the wind.
Puuuk!
The sound of flesh being torn reached all the way to where I stood.
Cha Sorim immediately pierced the Dead at the very front with her spear and pushed forward. The creature reflexively raised its rusted greatsword, but Cha Sorim maintained her distance and instead shook her spear. Without stopping her charge, she sent the Dead stumbling backward, flailing its arms helplessly. If Heo Junyoung had stopped their charge and scattered their formation, Cha Sorim had completely shattered it.
Finally, as the Dead dropped its rusted greatsword, Cha Sorim, with the creature still impaled, swung her spear in a wide horizontal arc.
Bwoong!
Kudang-tang-tang!
The Dead was flung from the tip of the spear, sent flying through the air before tumbling to the ground. The other Dead, who were just managing to get up, were struck by the passing spear and collapsed once more, letting out another scream.
Kraaaaaaaaaang!
But just then, new Dead emerged from the fog right in front of the area Heo Junyoung and Cha Sorim were tearing through. There hadn't been just six of them. The previous ones were merely the vanguard; these seemed to be the next wave.
Just as the reinforcing Dead began to spread out to surround Cha Sorim.
Thwip! Thwiiip!
Thwack, thwack!
Two arrows flew with ghostly speed, striking the two Dead closest to Cha Sorim. One, a flashing bolt of light, struck a chest directly, while the other cleanly pierced a creature's face.
“Duck!”
In the brief moment the archers had bought them, Heo Junyoung shouted sharply and ran forward. Cha Sorim, who had been about to take a defensive stance, immediately ducked. The remaining Dead were a beat too slow, but seeming to realize their encirclement had failed, they drew their weapons back with all their might.
Heo Junyoung then stomped on the ground hard enough to make a thud. Leaning his upper body forward, he stretched his right arm out toward the newly appeared Dead.
His sword, reflecting the moonlight, cast a brilliant gleam as it drew a semicircle. There was still some distance between them, but Heo Junyoung’s sword was exceptionally long. Adding his arm's reach and the forward lean of his body, it was more than enough to close the gap. The long blade grazed past Cha Sorim’s back and mercilessly tore through the Dead. Dark red blood gushed out without fail.
It was then.
Shhhk, shhhk, shhhk, shhhk!
Thud! Thump! Thud! Thump!
The sound of more of the Dead approaching.
This time, the sound was coming not from the front, but from the left and right.