85
Chapter 85: Blood Rain
The direction Mamorota flew was naturally the side he had come from, where Kaiji was located.
He swiftly used the force of being sent flying to mount back on Kaiji's back.
Meanwhile, Dong Bong-su ended up flying over the battlefield, far from them. He flew like a bird and mercilessly swung the Wanderer's Sword toward several Gray Wolf War Squad members in his path. His sword, enhanced with the momentum of flight and skill power, was terribly fierce.
Shrrrraaak—!
Could old rag scraps tear so easily? The Gray Wolf War Squad members were shredded to pieces in an instant.
"Aaaaagh!"
Several Gray Wolf War Squad members who didn't know their place rushed at Dong Bong-su as he landed, but they too soon became more rag pieces.
When no more Gray Wolf War Squad members rushed at him, Dong Bong-su turned his body and charged toward Mamorota and Kaiji again. From over there, they were already charging fiercely toward Dong Bong-su as well.
Bang! Clang clang—!
The superficial skill levels of Dong Bong-su and Mamorota were roughly evenly matched. However, Mamorota's side had Kaiji. Dong Bong-su couldn't use [Footwork] for 5 minutes now, and the duration of [Circulating Energy] was gradually decreasing, so in reality, he was at a much greater disadvantage.
The reason Dong Bong-su could hold out at all was because he had Inventory Divine Art. Strange weapons popped out constantly through the tears in his clothes, so it wasn't easy for Mamorota and Kaiji to deal with.
However, such unorthodox methods soon fell apart.
Thoom—!
Kaiji's claw struck Dong Bong-su's left thigh directly.
While Mamorota blocked the Wanderer's Sword and the Sword Fragments fired from Dong Bong-su's mouth, Kaiji exquisitely clawed at Dong Bong-su's opening.
Dong Bong-su hastily summoned a defensive Steel Plate using the gap in his torn pants, but completely offsetting the terrifying power of Kaiji's claws was impossible from the start.
"Ghk—!"
The Steel Plate was completely crushed and Dong Bong-su was sharply pushed backward. Although the Steel Plate was quite thick, the area of objects that could be sent out through the torn pants was limited. Moreover, these were Kaiji's front paws that could easily tear a tiger's hide, so it would be strange if there was no impact.
"Graaah! Krak!"
Kaiji didn't miss the timing and followed up on Dong Bong-su with an additional attack. Red liquid still flowed from the creature's mouth, but its momentum was incomparable to a fierce tiger.
The creature raised the claws of its right paw fully and swung them as if scraping from right to left.
Dong Bong-su hastily gripped the Wanderer's Sword in Reverse Grip to block the creature's claws.
Thud—!
A dull sound rang out. Simultaneously, an equally heavy feeling assaulted Dong Bong-su's entire body. Every bone in his body rang out. Terrible pain squeezed him down to the tips of his hands and feet, to the ends of his hair and cells, but his eyes became even more indifferent.
"Die!"
As Dong Bong-su was flung to the left while blocking Kaiji's attack, Mamorota's Barbarian Blade swung from the opposite direction, drawing a half-moon.
Dong Bong-su immediately retrieved the Wanderer's Sword he was holding in his left hand into his Inventory, then immediately pulled it out in his right hand.
Clang—!
He was able to block Mamorota's rotating Barbarian Blade by a hair's breadth, but he couldn't fully absorb all that power. Because the force of being pushed by Kaiji's attack combined with Mamorota's Blade Force was tremendously strong.
"Kuk—!"
A stifling groan. However, this time it didn't end with just a short groan like before.
Shhhk—
Streams of blood spurted from Dong Bong-su's mouth. If he had bathed in the enemy's blood before, this time he was showering in his own blood.
"Heh heh heh! I don't know how you fight, but that's over now too! Hyaaaah!"
Mamorota and Kaiji attacked again to finish him off completely.
However...
They didn't see it. Dong Bong-su's pupils maintained indifference even in a situation where he had suffered internal injuries. Their misfortune was that it was even harder to notice because of the veil of blood covering them.
"...That's enough. Now."
Boom—!
Once again, a thunderous sound rang out and Dong Bong-su flew backward like a kite with its string cut. Mamorota was no longer listening to Dong Bong-su's mutterings. He was almost certain that even if this attack didn't kill him, he would never rise again.
There, at the location where Dong Bong-su was flying, sprawled like a corpse, Gray Wolf War Squad members were massacring mercenaries and Whirlwind Artillery Gunners. Several of them spotted Dong Bong-su flying toward them.
"It's him! He's flying toward us!"
"Kill him—!"
"Die!"
They waited to kill Dong Bong-su with bloodshot eyes, and the Gray Wolves licked their lips.
The vicious curses of the Gray Wolf War Squad drew closer and closer, but Dong Bong-su was still smiling.
"Blood. I've shed too much blood. I need blood."
Dong Bong-su muttered lowly but of course, no one could hear.
The altitude gradually decreased.
4m, 3m, 2m...
The things covering Dong Bong-su's body, which had seemed to have lost all strength, changed one by one as the distance between him and the ground decreased.
Blood-colored Heavy Armor, blood-colored Leather Shoes, and blood-colored Bamboo Hat.
Finally, the blood-colored Wanderer's Sword that became even redder after absorbing his blood.
Dong Bong-su gripped the sword, raised [Sword Energy], and struck downward with all his might.
Boom!
Splurt.
Blood Rain, Meat Fragments flew.
Everyone at the spot where Dong Bong-su fell was slaughtered in an instant. Dong Bong-su had gathered all his remaining strength and exploded [Sword Energy].
Dong Bong-su slowly rose to his feet while being struck by blood and chunks of flesh.
If the battlefield had a soul, it stopped as if its soul had briefly left. However, that time wasn't very long.
"Kill him!"
"Kill that son of a bitch!"
"That attack just now must have been his last! He won't even have the strength to hold a sword now! Strike all at once!"
However, that was their misconception.
Schlorp….
Dong Bong-su became even faster.
[Wanderer's Leather Shoes]
Additional Ability: Movement increases by 1% when equipped.
He became even more reckless.
[Wanderer's Heavy Armor]
Additional Ability: Returns 1% of damage taken from enemies back to the same enemy.
He used even more merciless techniques.
[Wanderer's Bamboo Hat]
Additional Ability: Converts 1% of damage taken from enemies into JP.
Above all...
He became even more vivid. The more he swung his sword, the more he killed, the more vitality gradually returned to his body.
[Wanderer's Sword]
Additional Ability: Upon successful attack, absorbs 1% of damage dealt as player's health.
He became stronger. Clearly, Dong Bong-su's sword had grown stronger.
[Survival Instinct (Passive) Lv.2 Proficiency: 0.00%]
To survive in the merciless Martial World, the more a Wanderer faces difficulties, the more tenaciously he clenches his teeth and fights desperately.
—When health drops below a certain level, all abilities except health increase due to a strong desire for survival.
Current Health: 26 / 100 (%)
—When health drops below 50%, all abilities increase by 5%. (Lv.1 activated)
—When health drops below 20%, all abilities increase by 10%. (Lv.2 activated)
※Even if health drops and then recovers to exceed a certain level, the effect of Survival Instinct persists for 1 minute.
His health had dropped below 50% and was rapidly recovering.
It made no sense to others, but the more people he killed, the more his wounds and damage disappeared.
"...What... the hell... is... that bastard...?"
Mamorota was so dumbfounded that he couldn't move for a moment.
A sword technique that became more lively the more you killed.
He had heard that something called Power Absorption Great Method was passed down in the Central Plains, but it didn't seem to be such a martial art.
What Dong Bong-su was absorbing wasn't power, but blood itself.
However, he couldn't stay like this forever. If he stayed still like this, the Gray Wolf War Squad could suffer severe damage. He had to attack and finish him while Dong Bong-su was still not fully recovered. If he dragged out more time, he might be the one to get hit instead.
"Hyaaah!"
Mamorota struck Kaiji's reins to rush toward Dong Bong-su.
However, for some reason, Kaiji didn't move.
When he lowered his head to look at Kaiji, Kaiji's eyes were dead. The eyes that had glinted viciously were half-closed, and the fur that had stood stiffly was completely wilted.
The only wounds Kaiji had suffered were the 'two' wounds from biting Dong Bong-su's thigh earlier. And those were two wounds that weren't very deep. With just that, the Great Gray Wolf Kaiji couldn't be like this.
'Is it poison?'
That was the only way Mamorota could deduce.
However, it wasn't poison.
—Upon 2 consecutive strikes, causes 'Bleeding' to the enemy.
It was one of the effects of the skill [Consecutive Strike Lv.1]. If the status abnormality [Hemorrhage] is inflicted, the target slowly dies. If a Healer immediately treats it, it's not a big deal, but unfortunately, there was no healer here.
Slump.
In the end, Kaiji's health completely dropped and it collapsed to the ground.
"..."
Mamorota could only watch Dong Bong-su mercilessly killing Gray Wolf War Squad members.
He couldn't make sense of it at all. Bizarre hidden weapon techniques and poison arts, unimaginable mystical arts, uncanny swordsmanship, and above all, monster-like stamina that grew stronger the more he fought.
'Is this what an Asura's manifestation would be like?'
Mamorota turned his head to look toward where Li Zi-song's main force was advancing. They were clearly closer than before. If they delayed like this for about one moment more, it was obvious their retreat would be cut off and they would be surrounded and annihilated.
"Eeeek!"
The screams didn't cease. The remaining Gray Wolf War Squad members had somehow gathered around Mamorota one by one, avoiding Dong Bong-su.
"General! We, we must retreat!"
The fearless Gray Wolf War Squad members were stuttering. It was clear who was to blame without saying.
"Everyone retreat."
Mamorota's order fell.
"Retreat! All Gray Wolf War Squad retreat!"
"Return to the fortress! Move!"
Repeating commands was a fairly efficient means of communication on the battlefield. Soon, the Gray Wolf War Squad members began retreating to Guisui one by one.
However, Mamorota, who had given the order, didn't leave.
"General! You must leave quickly...!"
Thud.
Mamorota raised his large hand and smashed the head of the Gray Wolf War Squad member chattering right beside him.
"My, you're terribly noisy. They can just go among themselves. Isn't that right?"
With that single move, the remaining Gray Wolf War Squad members also began hastily leaving the battlefield. They had guessed what Mamorota's state of mind was.
Slop—slop.
Dong Bong-su approached. Due to the brief but fierce battle, blood was abundant everywhere. Even his footsteps had become viscous.
He approached to one meter in front of Mamorota and said,
"Only a few seconds left now."
Incomprehensible words to the very end.
"Heh heh heh."
Mamorota expelled a dry laugh.
Then he bent down to pick up his Life-Bound Weapon, the Iron Club, which happened to be lying at his feet. The sensation of the cold Iron Club transmitted throughout his body through his palm.
"There are a few things I want to ask..."
Thruk.
Especially to his neck.
"I clearly said there were only a few seconds left."
Mamorota was probably curious even as he died.
What are seconds...? He would never know forever.
"You, you have less experience points than I thought."
What are experience points...?
Slump.
Thus, War Giant Mamorota died so futilely.
What little consolation he had was that he had destroyed most of the Trebuchets, but a large apparatus with multiple legs suddenly reflected in his dead pupils. It was a Trebuchet.
Mamorota wouldn't have known, but one Trebuchet was preserved intact inside Dong Bong-su's Inventory.
Dong Bong-su's turn wasn't over yet.