Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: The Nine Demon War (5)
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Day 37 of the war.
Despite the harsh conditions, everyone from the War King Gate fought tooth and nail.
Thanks to their efforts, the enemy's vanguard lost momentum with each passing day.
Of course, the Iron-Blooded Riders were also running low on strength. That’s where Jeok Hwa-ran's Red Dragon Hall traps proved unexpectedly helpful.
The effect was magnificent when we pushed the enemy into locations where traps had been laid in advance.
The thumb-sized iron caltrops, however she made them, would tear flesh away if you tried to pull them out with force.
Thinly drawn iron wires were coated in a paralyzing powder, slowing the enemy's movements.
And traps the size of two palms would sever an ankle the moment they were stepped on.
“…”
Thanks to Jeok Hwa-ran's brand of traps, which even Satan would hesitate to implement, we were able to secure a minimum level of safety and overwhelm the Ten Demon Alliance’s vanguard.
But as they say, life is a fickle thing.
“Three days ago, the main force of the Ten Demon Alliance passed through Lanzhou.”
A warrior who had remained near Lanzhou to monitor the enemy delivered the shocking news.
“Dammit.”
I immediately spread out a map and estimated the positions of our forces, the vanguard, and their main army.
“If they passed Lanzhou three days ago…”
They would be nearing the vanguard by now.
A groan escaped my lips at their much faster-than-expected marching speed.
‘Two hundred li…’
The distance between the enemy's main force and us was closing by the second. I decided on a swift retreat. No, I had no other choice.
“Dammit, I didn't want to turn Hanzhong into a battlefield…”
If our escape route was cut off, there would be no way to avoid annihilation.
“This makes this operation a partial success.”
We succeeded in buying time, but we failed to stop them in Gansu.
“Prepare to leave. Our destination is Hanzhong. We’re returning.”
And so, we turned our horses toward Hanzhong.
* * *
*Thud, thud, thud, thud.*
The midsummer sun beat down, heating our armor.
*Gulp, gulp.*
The warriors continuously drank water, but the coolness was fleeting. Soon, they were sweating profusely again, as if the heat had returned.
Unless one reached the state of being impervious to heat and cold, even a martial artist would find such heat difficult to endure.
Moreover, their bodies were not in perfect condition, suffering from internal injuries as well as various large and small wounds from the recent battles.
I glanced at Yuk Hak, and he nodded, seemingly sharing my thoughts.
“We will rest as soon as we reach the tributary of the Ruo Shui River.”
Just as we began to rest, soaking our bodies in the cool river…
*Screech—!*
I, along with everyone else, heard a signal we had not wanted to hear.
I quickly enhanced my vision and saw a black horde of demonic fiends swarming toward us.
It was a proper ambush, aimed at the moment we let our guard down.
“…Dammit.”
It couldn't be the vanguard, which had been worn down by our battles.
It must be a detachment sent from the Ten Demon Alliance's main force.
They wouldn't have sent just anyone.
Traversing over a thousand li from Lanzhou to Wudu using a movement technique would be impossible for anyone less than a true master.
“Prepare for battle!”
At Yuk Hak’s shout, everyone in the War King Gate hastily began to arm themselves.
Donning armor, putting on helmets, grabbing long spears, and mounting their horses.
However, the enemy was approaching far too quickly.
They had charged with all their might to neutralize our advantage: mobility.
“I’ll hold them off!”
There was no other way.
I had to buy time.
*Thump.*
A shock emanated from my solar plexus.
For the second time since Lanzhou, I unleashed the Chain Ring Force right at the start of a chaotic battle.
That’s how serious this situation was.
*Thud.*
As I used the War King Step to close the distance with them…
*Crackle. Sizzle.*
I drew up my War King Energy.
“Hup!”
*BOOM!*
I unleashed a thunderous Explosive Death Force.
Normally, five or six of them would have been killed.
“Hup!”
But an old man I’d never seen before appeared out of nowhere and swung his sword, and the force of my technique vanished without a trace.
“Kekeke, so you're the leader of the War King Gate, Jin Mujeon?”
No matter how simply I had executed it, the force of an Explosive Death Force wasn't something that could be dispelled so easily.
Not unless he was a supreme master.
Behind the old man, I could see the Ten Demon Alliance's detachment charging toward our allies.
They still needed more time to prepare for battle. I had to stop them somehow.
“You’re wrong. I’m not Jin Mujeon.”
“Nonsense, the wanted post— Hup!”
*Slice!*
Luring him into a moment of carelessness, I unleashed a short burst of Ultimate Death Force, which sliced through the hem of his clothes.
*Thud.*
I quickly took a firm stance and executed the War King Step, simultaneously firing a Battle Lord Arrow.
It was to block the vanguard of the detachment.
*Thwack. Clang, clang.*
The enemies swung their respective weapons to block the Battle Lord Arrow.
It was because I had focused only on speed, sacrificing power.
But that was fine.
*Tap.*
It had bought me enough time to get close to them.
“Hup!”
I unleashed an Explosive Death Force, striking the man at the very front.
*CRACKLE. BOOM!*
With a sound like a grenade exploding, the force spread out, shocking the men around him.
*Whoosh!*
I performed the War King Thirteen Strikes, breaking the bones of the surrounding enemies, then used Flying Heavenly Wind.
*WHOOSH! KABOOM!*
Where I had just been standing, a black sword aura erupted, and the fiends vanished without a trace.
The old man roared as he swung his sword.
“You brat!”
Every one of his sword forms was incredibly tricky.
It was surely the work of the Sword Sect.
“If you’re the boss, act like one and show up at the end!”
I was already in a rush.
“What nonsense are you spouting!”
I dodged the old man and blocked the enemies for a moment longer.
“Got you.”
His sword thrust at me from an angle I couldn't possibly evade.
A black aura, radiating the energy of death.
However.
*Smirk.*
‘You fell for it.’
This was my plan.
Dealing with him here would make things easier later.
*ROOOOAR!*
The War Dragon Energy shot out and devoured the old man’s aura.
“What!”
The astonished man tried to move his sword again, but…
*ROOOOAR!*
The War Dragon Energy, having digested the aura, was already blasting out force.
“Keuk.”
In the face of the raging storm of force, the old man had no choice but to raise his sword and create a defensive screen.
It was only a momentary opening, but I wasn't one to miss it.
“Die, you son of a bitch!”
An all-out Explosive Death Force.
But there was one difference from before.
*Woooong.*
I had reversed the original method of explosion then absorption to absorption then explosion.
A massive gravitational pull was generated, sucking in everything around it.
Thanks to this, the old man could only watch the Explosive Death Force approach, unable to move his feet.
He knew that a half-hearted evasion would only lead to disaster if I caught him from behind.
He deployed his protective aura to brace for the impact.
The logical choice.
However, there was one thing he didn't know… The gravitational force in my hand also absorbed the natural energy of the surroundings.
Including the protective aura the old man had deployed.
And then.
*CRACKLE, KABOOOOM!*
With far greater power than before, the Explosive Death Force struck his weakened protective aura.
“Uweck.”
The old man, reeling from the shock, coughed up blood from his internal injuries and dropped to one knee.
Seeing this, I expressed my gratitude for a past encounter.
‘Thanks, Namgung Su.’
That's right.
This was Explosive Death Force ver. 2, created by ripping off the Boundless Sky Sword Art he had shown me.
Pinning an opponent by projecting pressure before attacking seemed efficient.
But an unexpectedly incredible result had emerged.
In truth, I didn't even know how it was possible.
I just thought, ‘I want to do this,’ and it just happened.
Of course, Explosive Death Force ver. 2 consumed a massive amount of internal energy, proportional to its power.
“Hahk…”
That one attack had used up half of my internal energy.
Still, it was worth it.
It had bought enough time for our allies, who were just finishing their preparations.
*Thump.*
I used the War King Step and rushed forward in a single bound.
*Whoosh!*
Ignoring the attacks coming from all directions, I unleashed the War King Thirteen Strikes.
*Crack. Crunch. Pow.*
With the sound of breaking bones, the enemies screamed and collapsed.
Of course, I couldn't escape unscathed either.
*Stab, stab, stab, stab.*
Sword auras from all directions grazed my body.
The only saving grace was that my head, which I had defended with all my might, and my torso, protected by the Dragon Scale Armor, were unharmed.
*Grit.*
*ROOOOAR!*
I almost lost consciousness from the wave of pain, but I managed to unleash my War Dragon Energy to push back the surrounding enemies.
And then.
*Thud, thud, thud, thud.*
Finally prepared, the Iron-Blooded Riders began to charge the enemy.
The enemies, who had been focused on me and were unprepared, couldn't stop the approaching threat.
*Thwack! Stab, stab.*
Fury-filled spear strikes tore their bodies to shreds.
“Hahk, hahk.”
As I caught my breath for a moment, Woo Je-jun approached.
“Are you alright?”
“Ugh… I’m… I’m fine.”
I didn't even have the strength to chide him for being late, so I just waved my hand in response.
“Please rest for a moment. We will handle the rest.”
Woo Je-jun charged toward the enemy.
Watching him, I tossed the special pills Cheong So-so had packed for me into my mouth.
I wanted to rest, but today’s enemy was formidable.
I didn't know how many more supreme masters like that old man were hiding among them, so I had to take action myself.
“Hoo.”
As I felt my internal energy returning to some extent thanks to the pills, I surveyed the front lines.
As expected, the battle was fierce.
We had broken through, but we hadn't inflicted significant damage.
This could be considered a crisis.
Right now, it was an even fight since this was their first time facing a cavalry unit, but if this dragged on, the enemy would grow accustomed to our attacks and counter them easily.
“Hup.”
I used Flying Heavenly Wind to maintain a certain distance from the enemy.
It was to rush in the moment the Iron-Blooded Riders charged.
‘I believe in you.’
I believe in my allies, I believe in myself, and I believe in the War King Arts.
If I could, I'd pray to God, Buddha, Jesus, and Allah all at once.
How else could I do something as insane as plunging into the midst of nearly a thousand enemies?
My moment of mental preparation was brief.
*Thud, thud, thud, thud.*
The Iron-Blooded Riders, having completed one charge, could be seen wheeling around.
*Waaaah—!*
A roar erupted from the enemy formation, and a man who appeared to be the commander stepped forward with a group of warriors.
This was it.
The moment I was waiting for.
*Thud.*
In a single step, I poured a significant amount of the force gained from the Chain Ring Force.
The moment vibrations ran through the ground and dust kicked up…
*Flash.*
My surroundings changed in an instant.
A Phantom Shift.
I had executed a supreme movement technique.
“…!”
The enemies, realizing my sudden appearance, were shocked and tried to swing their swords, but…
*Sliiiice!*
My all-out Ultimate Death Force was faster, splitting their bodies at the waist.
A perfect attack at the perfect moment.
As a fountain of blood erupted, staining the surroundings crimson, the enemies were thrown into a state of shock.
And then.
*Stab, stab!*
The charge of the Iron-Blooded Riders trampled them.
I couldn’t stop here.
*BOOM! BOOM!*
I had to take down their commander, who was swinging his saber aura and slaughtering our allies.
*Thud!*
I used the War King Step again, moving right next to him.
“Hmph!”
As if he had been waiting, the man swung his saber aura.
*ROOOOAR!*
I immediately countered with my War Dragon Energy.
‘Huh?’
But instead of confronting the aura, my War Dragon Energy was being sliced away bit by bit.
For the incredibly powerful War Dragon Energy to be pushed back…
It was the first time this had happened, but I soon realized why.
The enemy’s saber was sharper than I could have imagined.
‘What is this!’
The reason was simple.
The tower of martial prowess the enemy had built was taller than mine.
‘Come to think of it?’
The moment I realized this, my conversation with Jeok Sam came to mind.
‘The Master of the Demon Sect has returned. He's become so strong that, a day after his return, he killed the masters of the seven other sects, excluding the Sword and Saber Sects.’
Even the Blood Killing Hegemon, one of the Seven Hegemons, couldn't pierce my War Dragon Energy.
How many saber masters could overwhelm it?
If there was one, it would be the master of the Saber Sect, the Soul-Stealing Demonic Saber, Eum Bu-yeong.
I glanced at his features and saw that they matched the descriptions I had only heard in rumors.
“Tsk!”
Fighting a master of this caliber in the middle of an enemy camp was pure suicide.
The moment I realized his identity, I detonated my War Dragon Energy.
A storm of force swept the area, but Eum Bu-yeong didn't even blink.
He even showed the composure to extinguish the storm of force by launching his own saber aura.
*BOOM!*
As dust rose, cloaking the area in darkness, I used all my strength to execute a Phantom Shift.
It was to escape the battlefield.
However.
“Interesting.”
I couldn't get away from him.
“You’re not the only one who can use a Phantom Shift.”
“Damn.”
He maintained his smile and swung his saber.
*Thwack.*