Chapter 310
Chapter 310
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 310
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Chapter 310
Baek-kyeong's conclusion was this.
"All right! I'll help you guys!"
"What..."
"You came here needing help, right?"
"How exactly do you plan to help us? We came here to retrieve Do-hyang and awaken Ma-ryeong."
"I know, that's why I'm saying I'll help."
"We've already gotten Do-hyang back, and Ma-ryeong..."
Ma-ryeong would be restored by the dragon.
That's what Kang Seol was about to say.
But Baek-kyeong mocked his judgment and said,
"Do you really think that one can help you?"
"......"
"Even just helping humans like you would lead to a severe loss of spiritual power. Especially for someone of that level, even minor aid causes massive damage. Master cannot help you."
"That's..."
Doeksini nodded.
"Her words aren't wrong."
Then he approached the dragon and poked his waist.
"Lewd old man, you did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Hohoho... What are you talking about?"
"You foresaw this situation and deliberately pitted Baek-kyeong against us. Because you have no way to help us, old man."
"Everything flowed according to the natural order. It's truly fortunate that Kyeong has decided to help you. You can trust her."
Kang Seol asked Doeksini,
"But isn't she a resident of the Lesser Heavenly Realm too? Wouldn't it be the same for her?"
Doeksini wagged his index finger side to side.
"There are ways to help us without losing spiritual power."
"......"
"Make them pay an equivalent price, or ensure they're no longer insignificant beings."
"...Ah!"
Kang Seol recalled the recent events at Doeksini's words. They had made a fair bet and won it.
Through that series of actions, Baek-kyeong had no choice but to hand over Do-hyang and acknowledge Kang Seol. To her, he was no longer some insignificant human. She had definitely become wary of him and conscious of him.
That alone allowed her to bypass a significant portion of the restrictions.
'...Was this the dragon's scheme?'
There was a reason the dragon had brought in Baek-kyeong.
This settled whether Baek-kyeong could help Kang Seol's group. The remaining question was why she was helping them in the first place.
"...Why are you helping us?"
"Of course, I have my conditions too."
As expected.
She had an objective.
With a swipe...
Baek-kyeong used sorcery to produce a scroll.
She handed it to Ha-moon.
Ha-moon naturally began reading the contents.
At a glance, the scroll listed quantities of materials so rare they were unlikely to be seen even once in a lifetime.
"You'll have to make the things I want remaining in the Lesser Heavens. I was going to ask Orgo, but I don't know where Orgo is right now."
"What insolence toward Teacher Cha..."
"Shut up! This is a fair trade."
"......"
Ha-moon folded the scroll.
"Is it impossible?"
"Not impossible... but the materials are extremely rare. Some I've never even handled."
"Hmph! Humans couldn't obtain them even if they devoted their entire lives. What do you say?"
He stood there pondering deeply. Kang Seol approached and said,
"You don't have to go through hardship for our sake. This proposal..."
"It would be a valuable experience for me too. Hmm... All right, let's do it."
As Ha-moon readily agreed, Baek-kyeong's face lit up.
"Good, it was hard to gather them..."
Kang Seol frowned.
Wondering if Ha-moon had reluctantly taken on this burdensome task because of him.
"Ha-moon, if you're doing this just because of me..."
"No. This is my own decision."
- Don't go, vending machine... no, Ha-moon!
- How can you meet again like this! Peerless! Hand over the Peerless... no, don't go!
- You can't hide your lewd intentions. Could this be love?
Things had gotten strangely tangled, but they were still moving forward. Baek-kyeong said to Doeksini,
"Is that Yakcha guy that serious?"
"He's continuously growing stronger, swallowed a boundary stone, loses power when clashing with Yakcha's sword, and his state is extremely unstable. Pick any point, and it's a problem."
"Makes sense he'd come looking for Do-hyang."
"And you stubbornly refused to give it to him."
"If my allies treat me like this, it's a problem. I'm thinking of a way right now..."
"Whoops! What a blunder on my part! I apologize for my rudeness."
Doeksini responded shamelessly.
Baek-kyeong rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
"Do-hyang does have the power to expel evil attributes. It should solve the issues arising from clashing with Yakcha's sword. However... if everything I just heard is true, the biggest problem is actually something else."
Baek-kyeong looked at Kang Seol and said,
"That his body is fine even after swallowing the boundary stone."
"Hmm..."
"A boundary stone is an artifact with immense power in itself. It's not easily destroyed... And even if it is destroyed, the power sustaining the boundary typically doesn't vanish but transfers."
"Then..."
"If he's using the boundary stone's power directly... he survived the collapse phenomenon. And the mere fact that he can use it, regardless of control, is the biggest issue."
A boundary stone was, literally, the power sustaining the boundary.
And the power to traverse it.
With that power in hand, spatial tension snaps! and releases.
Yakcha... could go anywhere.
"It's not easy dealing with one who crosses boundaries at will. If he flees, there's no way to stop him."
Kang Seol nodded.
"There are two ways: follow him, or pin him down so he can't leave."
"Are both possible?"
"Of course. The former is just like Yakcha—swallow a boundary stone."
At those words, the group looked at Kang Seol.
Kang Seol scowled deeply.
"Of course, your body would explode. You're not Yakcha, are you?"
"......"
"Let's go with the latter. I smell strong sorcery on you. Am I right?"
Whoosh-!
Ssss...
As Jamad materialized, Baek-kyeong looked up at him.
"...Now I get how this guy's structured. No wonder... Fine! I'll teach him boundary dispelling sorcery. It'll take a few days. Once mastered, it won't be comfortable, but Yakcha won't rampage freely."
Jamad admired Baek-kyeong.
She was an illusory beast who used Taoist sorcery, yet versed in shamanic sorcery too.
"Ho... sorcery?"
"Spiritual power and shamanic power are essentially the same on a grand scale... Simple conversion formulas are easy. More importantly, you..."
"...Hm?"
"Put your hand out front."
Clank...
Jamad extended his hand without suspicion. Baek-kyeong brought her nose close and sniffed.
Sniiiiff...
"Haa... Such a solid scent."
- Dangerous.
- This guy's dangerous!
- I just saw the whites of her eyes!
- Jamad's stepping back lol
With a flushed face, Baek-kyeong said,
"Your energy is brimming! Well-maintained too!"
"Hmph, you have an eye for it."
"Divine artifacts require such care..."
Baek-kyeong and Jamad chatted endlessly about the Mountain Fist. Conversations with her often veered off into tangents because of her love for weapons.
Soon, Baek-kyeong snapped back and said,
"Ah! Truth be told, I'm not that interested in Yakcha, so I got sidetracked. Anyway, boundary sorcery is only for very specific situations and extremely inconvenient. You'll probably have to hold the boundary the entire battle. You won't be able to fight this time."
"...Can't be helped."
"Hmm... Then let's deal with that Ma-ryeong thing first."
* * *
The mountain summit.
Bi-tan lay on a stone altar.
The limp, round creature's form pained Kang Seol's heart. It looked like it was sleeping peacefully.
"This is... Ma-ryeong?"
"More precisely, it was Ma-ryeong."
"Was? Not anymore? No, it doesn't feel evil at all?"
After meeting Prannen and purging the malevolent energy first, then finding a reason to live through Santos, Bi-tan resembled a human heart too much to be called Ma-ryeong.
"Well... various circumstances... What are you doing?"
Baek-kyeong was gently prodding Bi-tan's body.
"...Look at the belly."
"Pardon?"
"Oh, no. What is this texture... A material I've never seen?"
That was the start.
Baek-kyeong's eyes began to sparkle.
"Ho, does this thing talk too? It must, right? It's Ma-ryeong?"
"Yes."
"It must revive right now! Can't let such a rare specimen sleep a moment longer!"
- This one's suddenly motivated.
- Uh... is it, a weapon?
- Can't hold back! A talking weapon!
As Baek-kyeong kneaded Bi-tan's body, she asked Kang Seol,
"What if it wakes up and falls for me at first sight? Will you allow our love?"
"That won't..."
Kang Seol pondered briefly, then said nonchalantly as something occurred to him.
"Well... it could happen."
- Ruthless!
- This bastard's a demon!
- Don't exploit Geom-taku's feelings!
- If you save the patient, I'll allow marriage to the doctor.
"Falling for a talking weapon... I see... Let's begin!"
- I see what lol
- Starting right away lololol
- Heading there now!
- Bi-tan! See you soon!
Whoooosh...
Psssh...
Do-hyang floated into the air, and thin threads extended from it, connecting to Bi-tan.
Like blood vessels.
* * *
Cawww...
Caaaaaaw...
Rustle...
Crows flocked in the sky. In villages, black birds gathering might seem ominous, but here it was commonplace.
This place had more dead than living.
It had been a battlefield.
The moment it clashed with Yakcha, Bi-tan was trapped here.
Soaked in inescapable terror.
【This place... Yeah. I've been here before.】
As Bi-tan muttered,
Wriggle...
A corpse with bulging eyes crawled across the ground.
Evil spirits overflowed from all directions.
Bi-tan yelped in shock and cried out into the void.
【Master! ...You little!】
No reply.
【Gasp...】
The corpse's wild, roving eyes fixed on Bi-tan. Its body froze.
A familiar homeland, yet so alien.
Terrifying.
【This is weird...】
It was strange.
A Ma-ryeong fearing corpses.
When those were soon to be its parents.
Why was it scary?
Returning home after so long, he felt tormented.
【I, I wanna go back.】
Clack...
Then,
Someone lifted Bi-tan's head.
【Let go! Who are you! Eek...】
Turning his head, a grotesque masked figure stared.
A mask that shifted expressions.
They had definitely met before coming here.
"......"
【.......】
It was Yakcha.
Bi-tan and Yakcha faced each other without moving. Then, Yakcha's robed mask flared open.
Inside were screaming souls. Souls devoured by Yakcha.
"Save... me."
"Please... save us... someone..."
"Don't leave us..."
Bi-tan clamped his mouth.
【Urk...】
For a moment, he found it repulsive.
Those souls were grotesque, repulsive to look at.
At some point, he no longer enjoyed cruelty like entertainment.
Yakcha said,
"Why avoid it..."
【Let go! Let gooo! Bi-tan will return to Master!】
The black-haired human was Bi-tan's haven.
This place felt uncomfortable now.
"You're... the same kind of existence as me..."
Suddenly, Bi-tan recalled his time with the Black Knight.
- Kill! More lives! Want! More blood!
Was this Yakcha before him truly different? Bi-tan began to doubt.
【N, no, Bi-tan is...】
Bi-tan was...
What?
"Come here, let's make screams like when you were born."
That was when.
- ...Tan!
"Huh!"
- ......Tan!
Someone screamed as if interrupting.
Yakcha said,
"Ignore it. No one's looking for you. They all hate you."
【No! Bi-tan... Bi-tan...】
- Shout louder! There's a reaction!
- Bitaaan! Come back!
Bi-tan's ears perked up.
【Master!】
- It's moving! Keep going! Keep shouting!
- Bi-tan! Here! Over here! You have to come back!
Bi-tan's head whipped around.
He clearly heard it from that direction.
"You... must stay here."
【...Bi-tan doesn't like this place anymore.】
Just being born here didn't decide everything.
Even battlefields bloom flowers.
Crackle-crackle-zzt-!
Bi-tan bristled like a pufferfish.
"Urk..."
Stung, Yakcha released Bi-tan.
Seizing the gap, Bi-tan rolled across the ground toward the voices.
"......"
Yakcha didn't grab him.
Instead, he spoke in a voice that shouldn't carry.
"Save me..."
Fleeing toward the voices, Bi-tan halted at the last step and sprang up.
And shouted.
【Just you wait! You! I'll definitely come save you!】
"......"
【Great sea urchin, wait for Bi-tan!】
...Wait?
"...For Bi-tan?"
【Yeah! Anyway, Bi-tan's going! See you next time!】
"Wait, Bi-tan."
With a swipe...
Yakcha nodded.
"I, wait. Here."
Standing dazed.
"Great captain, Bi-tan."
Zzzzzt...
In that instant, the battlefield tore open, and reality surged in.
【Uwaaaak! Huff... huff...】
"Bi-tan! Are you..."
Pop-!
Bi-tan awoke and leaped into Kang Seol's arms. A pleasant weight settled on him.
【Scary! So scary! But Bi-tan revived!】
"Bi-tan? You okay?"
【But have to go back, Bi-tan does.】
"What?"
【That is...】
Bi-tan turned, sensing someone staring piercingly.
There stood Baek-kyeong, arms wide, face like the world had ended.
"Huh?"
[Sacred Relic: Peerless Bi-tan: Absorbs Do-hyang's energy.]
......