Chapter 316
Chapter 316
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 316
Chapter Title: Faded Promise (8)
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‘They're coming.’
The sound of approaching footsteps.
Oh-jin tightened his grip on the spear, drawing up the Stigma's magical power.
Blue lightning flared violently, letting out the roar of a wild beast.
“Hsss.”
He took a slow breath, activating the Stigma of Sanyanggaejari.
Five sets of footsteps.
It seemed they were just checking on the state of the lair while chasing Isabella, so their numbers weren't large.
However.
‘They’ll be swarming here soon.’
Now that it was clear the disturbance within the kingdom was aimed at the Dragon God's lair, all the forces pursuing Isabella would surely converge on this location.
‘As quickly as possible.’
Once the Demonic Beings started to pile up, it would be hopeless.
With no idea how long it would take to awaken the Dragon God, he had to deal with them as fast as he could.
In that case.
“Haaah.”
Crackle, cr-crackle!
Blue lightning condensed at the tip of his spear.
Like a rampaging beast forced into a cage, the lightning gathered at the spear's point let out a ferocious roar.
He could see the Demonic Beings running down the spiral passage.
*BOOM!*
Stomping his foot down hard, he pulled his spear arm back to its limit.
He pictured a meteor streaking across the night sky.
The streak of condensed blue lightning erupted as if in an explosion.
Like releasing a tautly drawn bowstring, he thrust his arm forward.
And then.
He threw.
*CRACK-K-KLE!*
The spear of lightning, flying with a deafening roar, pierced through the head of the Demonic Being leading the charge.
“Watch out…!”
Seeing the head of their vanguard explode, another Demonic Being’s mouth fell open in horror.
Before his warning could even finish.
*Zzzzing!*
Six wires wrapped around his body.
Lightning flowed through the wires, spreading throughout his entire being.
A horrifying scream erupted from his throat.
The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the cavern.
“Kugh!”
Another Demonic Being following behind drew a sword from his waist.
*Fwoosh!*
Black flames coalesced on the blade.
The Demonic Being with the drawn sword charged fiercely toward Oh-jin, who was now empty-handed after throwing his spear.
A sword strike swung with explosive force.
The black flames blazed wildly, radiating a dreadful heat.
Like a starving beast tearing at its prey, the black flames spread wide, engulfing Oh-jin.
‘The Stigma of Moraesigyyejari.’
In that instant.
The world stopped.
Within a world flowing as slowly as a slow-motion video, Oh-jin calmly observed the Demonic Being’s movements.
The world accelerated once more.
The widespread black flames swept over Oh-jin.
‘Lower left.’
He dropped low, almost as if he were about to fall.
The hot flames seared the skin of his back as they passed.
He hadn't avoided the flames completely, but.
“Hup!”
He shot up from his crouched position and grabbed the Demonic Being by the scruff of the neck.
The eyes of the Demonic Being, whose neck was now caught, widened.
A savage grin spread across Oh-jin’s lips.
“Charge.”
Lightning condensed on the Demonic Being’s head.
A horrifying scream soon burst from the Demonic Being’s mouth, and his body began to flop like a freshly caught fish.
And then.
*Splat.*
Unable to withstand the pressure of the lightning, his head exploded, and blood shot up like a fountain.
‘Two left.’
Through the shower of blood, he could see the remaining Demonic Beings rushing toward him.
The two split to either side, approaching quickly.
He hurled the corpse of the Demonic Being with the exploded head toward one of them.
While that one hesitated at the sight of his comrade's body being launched like a cannonball, the Demonic Being on the other side swung his sword.
Black flames blazed, as if painting the air with ink.
A flame imbued with the power of the Heavenly Demon.
It was said that the black flames used by the Demonic Beings not only burned the flesh of their targets but also siphoned their magical power and life force.
The lightning Oh-jin reflexively shot out was sucked into the black flames and vanished.
Having absorbed the lightning, the black flames burned even more fiercely.
A flame that seemed to be a sublimation of ‘Heukcheon’ itself.
“Die!”
The Demonic Being who had absorbed all the lightning with his black flames shouted, his face filled with triumph.
The fiercely burning flames poured toward Oh-jin.
‘Absorption, huh.’
Oh-jin smirked and lightly clenched his fist.
Blue lightning condensed below his right elbow, transforming his entire arm into lightning.
“Can you absorb this too?”
“What…”
The fist, now transformed into blue lightning, struck the black flames.
Streaks of lightning erupted explosively, tearing the black flames to shreds and engulfing the approaching Demonic Being.
“Kuaaaaargh!”
The Demonic Being writhed madly, enveloped in lightning.
Oh-jin turned, his arm, which had momentarily turned into blue lightning, returning to its normal state.
Noeshinche.
In the past, it was a technique he couldn’t use recklessly due to the long preparation time and severe after-effects with each use, but.
Now that the Stigma of Geomungojari had risen to 9-stars, elevating his state, he could freely transform parts of his body into that of the Thunder God.
Of course, using a simplified version like this without preparation meant the duration was only a few seconds.
‘That’s more than enough.’
He couldn't complain about the short duration when a single punch could unleash a torrent of lightning equivalent to dozens of 폭뢰 (Poknoe).
“I-Insane.”
The last remaining Demonic Being took a step back, his face pale with terror.
His comrades had been taken down in the blink of an eye.
Though they were just scouts and didn't possess the immense power of a Demonic Being executive.
They were still ‘Demonic Beings.’
The strongest race, inheritors of the Heavenly Demon's power.
Each one was a warrior strong enough to face hundreds, yet.
What in the world was this monster, to be able to overwhelm Demonic Beings like this?
“I-I surrender.”
He dropped his weapon to the ground and raised both hands.
No matter how he racked his brain, there was no way he could fight that monster head-on and win.
“You surrender?”
“Y-Yes. I’ll do whatever you say! P-Please, just spare my life… S-Save me. I-If I help you, you might be able to escape before the main force arrives!”
The Demonic Being bowed his head obsequiously, his voice trembling with fear.
“Hmm, is that so?”
After a moment of thought, Oh-jin nodded.
“There was something I wanted to say anyway. This works out well.”
*Did he accept my surrender?*
Oh-jin approached the Demonic Being with his arms crossed.
The corner of the bowing Demonic Being’s mouth twisted into a smirk.
There was certainly no way to win by fighting that monster head-on.
In that case.
“Die, human!”
The Demonic Being’s eyes, which had been trembling with fear, changed in an instant.
*Fwoooosh!*
Black flames blazed fiercely in the palm of his hand.
Though he had thrown his weapon to the ground, the powerful body of a Demonic Being was a formidable weapon in itself.
Just as he was about to swing his fist, wreathed in black flames, at the approaching Oh-jin.
“When you lie, it’s better to look the other person straight in the eye.”
“What?”
What did that even mean?
Before he could voice his question.
“Keoheok!”
*Thrust!*
A spearhead pierced through his back, impaled his heart, and jutted out from his chest.
It was the spear Oh-jin had thrown at the very beginning.
“If you avert your gaze, your lie gets found out easily.”
“How…?”
As Oh-jin approached the Demonic Being who had collapsed, vomiting blood, he reached out his hand toward Dantalian.
As if guided by an unseen hand, Dantalian flew through the air and returned to his grasp.
*Flick!*
He lightly swung the spear, shaking off the blood on its tip.
“Y-You.”
Kellion stared at Oh-jin, his mouth agape.
To overwhelm five Demonic Beings like this, even if they were just scouts sent to check on the lair.
For a moment, he even wondered if the savior from Kailus's prophecy was not Ha-eun, but Oh-jin.
“……”
Looking down at the fallen Demonic Beings, Oh-jin was surprised as well.
‘I thought I’d gotten a lot stronger after reaching 9-stars.’
He never imagined he had become this powerful.
His physical abilities, the power of his lightning, the flow of his magic, and even his techniques using the Stigma of Geomungojari—all had reached a level incomparable to before.
‘Am I actually getting close to Isabella’s level?’
Just as that arrogant thought crossed his mind.
*Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!*
Once again, he heard the sound of footsteps in the distance.
The sound was at least ten times louder than before.
‘Dammit.’
The main force of the Demonic Beings was approaching.
“How much more time do you need?”
“…That, I do not know.”
Kellion shook his head.
Oh-jin let out a deep sigh and tightened his grip on Dantalian.
Fifty sets of footsteps.
No matter how much stronger he had become, that was not a number he could easily overwhelm like before.
“I will lend my strength as well.”
Kellion gripped his staff with a determined expression.
It was impossible for him to dominate multiple Demonic Beings like Oh-jin, but as a wielder of the Stigma of Draco, he could unleash a powerful single blow if given enough time.
“Then I’ll leave the rear to you.”
Oh-jin gripped his spear and charged forward.
Soon, the main force of the Demonic Beings swarmed into the lair.
*BOOM! CRACK-K-KLE!*
And so the fierce battle began.
Oh-jin raged wildly against a force of nearly fifty Demonic Beings.
“Aaargh!”
“Keoheok!”
Blood splattered.
Black flames and blue lightning intertwined, creating an intense storm of heat.
The cavern shook as if an earthquake had struck.
“Hah, hah!”
A ragged, metallic-tasting breath escaped Oh-jin’s lips as he fought desperately.
Even with Kellion’s help.
Fighting fifty Demonic Beings head-on was no easy task, even for him who had reached 9-stars.
‘When…!’
He glanced anxiously toward Ha-eun.
*Crack!*
The soulstone Ha-eun had her hand on began to crack and shatter.
Released from the soulstone, red flames blazed fiercely, threatening to engulf the entire cavern.
“O-Oh-jin, it's done!”
Ha-eun, who had been concentrating with her eyes closed, turned around with a bright expression.
“Ah.”
Tears streamed down Kellion’s face as he fell to his knees.
“F-Finally… Finally.”
Ever since the Dragon God fell into a deep slumber.
How desperately had he waited for this moment?
“O great Dragon God! Please save us!”
Kellion prostrated himself, bowing his head to the ground.
*Rumble!*
The entire cavern shook, and the flames released from the soulstone danced around the chamber.
And then.
“Huh, huh? W-What? Why is it doing this?”
The flames, which had been dancing through the air, began to gather not toward the sleeping Dragon God, but toward Ha-eun.