Chapter 314
Chapter 314
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 314
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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The places where the Yaksha reappeared were mostly the cities he had already swept through once.
“Kyaaack!”
“W-We have to get away!”
Some citizens fled in terror at the mere sight of the mask, but those who grasped even a part of the situation halted their escape and turned back to look.
Not only in the city where the Yaksha and Kang Seol’s group were currently fighting, but in the other cities they had passed through as well, their figures could be seen.
Their battle had begun in the vast plains of the mountain kingdom, but now their forms were visible all across the Khan continent.
This was the trace of the boundary shift that would later be called Yaksha’s Mark.
Right now, in Hucheong—the actual space where Kang Seol’s group existed—the citizens focused on the fight.
“Isn’t that… Seolhong… Lord Seolhong?”
“Yeah! It is!”
“Didn’t Lord Seolhong die on Ghost Island?”
“Who’s the one fighting that mask?”
“Can’t you tell? It’s a hero stepping up because he couldn’t stand by while Khan suffered!”
There was an old rumor in the East that when Khan was in crisis, heroes would rise of their own accord.
Whether it was true or not was unknown, but in a situation like this, it seemed quite credible.
[The Glow Ghost uses Incoming Hail.]
[It fires projectiles sporadically. The size and destructive power of the projectiles increase the more frost energy fills the surroundings.]
[The projectiles do not vanish immediately upon impact; they continuously emit frost energy, chilling the area around them.]
Grrrrrind…
As the Glow Ghost clasped its hands neatly, ice shards formed in midair.
Each one far larger than an adult’s head.
The Glow Ghost’s eyes gleamed, and they all hurtled toward Chiwu.
“Ha!”
[Chiwu uses Return Whirlwind.]
[The projectiles temporarily lose their target.]
[Projectiles touching the Return Whirlwind will fly off in unknown directions.]
Whoooosh! Whoooosh…
The hail chunks scattered in all directions upon contact with Chiwu’s Return Whirlwind.
Kwachijijik—! Kwachijik!
Even just colliding with the ground, they carved massive gouges and settled in place, steadily growing larger.
Some of them smashed into the transparent barrier holding the space together.
“Kyaaak!”
“Danger!”
The citizens shrieked and tried to dodge the hail chunks, but the projectiles’ speed made it far from easy.
Thoooom—!
Kwachijijik—!
Fortunately, the projectiles bounced off upon hitting the wall.
“Phew… phew…”
“We’re… alive.”
This gave the citizens reason to stay nearby with some peace of mind. Few people wouldn’t turn to look at those fighting for their sake, at least once.
The current situation was exactly that.
“D-Don’t run…”
“You want me to die?”
“I’ll get… scolded by Maegu.”
Fwaaash—!
Chiwu dove into the Glow Ghost’s embrace.
The Glow Ghost reflexively thrust out a hand to block his charge.
Against a normal opponent, no one would even dream of closing in on the Glow Ghost. It was infamous for freezing anything it touched.
Whooooooosh…
However, Chiwu possessed a special power that neutralized the Glow Ghost’s strength.
The brilliant power planted by Hye-myeong shone forth.
“Uh… uhhh…”
“One hit first.”
Crack…
The Glow Ghost hurriedly encased its body in a solid block of ice.
Kwaaaaaaack—!
And atop it fell Chiwu’s fist.
“Aaaack!”
The ice shielding the Glow Ghost shattered in an instant.
Seeing this, Chiwu was filled with conviction.
Twoeksini’s judgment had been correct.
To ghosts, the power of Hye-myeong carried by Seolhong and Chiwu was utterly horrifying.
“What is this…”
It was only natural that even an Immortal-grade Glow Ghost couldn’t stand against them.
A fish cannot resist a bird’s beak.
“Let me ask one thing.”
“It hurts, human…”
“What’s your goal?”
“……Goal?”
“Yeah, goal. I’ll buy the Yaksha having one, but you two must have one too, right?”
“I-I don’t have anything like that…”
“What?”
The Glow Ghost scratched its head, stammering.
“M-Maegu… told me to do this… or I’d be locked back in the Four Heavenly Prisons…”
Chiwu’s eyebrow twitched.
There seemed to be no lie in the Glow Ghost’s words.
It was merely a puppet acting on Maegu’s orders.
Whirlick—!
A blade ricocheted into the battlefield of Chiwu and the Glow Ghost.
Screeeech…
Maegu, pushed back by something, along with it.
“Maegu!”
As the Glow Ghost called out to Maegu, she scowled.
“What are you doing, Glow Ghost? You can’t even subdue one human!”
“B-But… Maegu too…”
“Shut up! Humans can never beat us. We’re ghosts that even the Four Heavenly Prisons couldn’t contain.”
“That’s… not true…”
Piiiiing…
Squeeeeeeeek—!
A blade emerged from the fog.
“It’s useless!”
Kaaaaang—!
Maegu’s vicious claws swatted away Seolhong’s blade.
Step… step…
Seolhong emerged from the fog.
Like Chiwu, she was enveloped in a golden aura.
“That power… it’s annoying! It blocks the ghost energy’s invasion—truly the worst.”
“R-Right on.”
“…Glow Ghost, no choice. It’ll affect the Yaksha’s fight too, but…”
“Huh? Huh? What?”
Maegu exchanged glances with the Glow Ghost.
Only then did the Glow Ghost catch on to Maegu’s intent.
“Got it!”
Swoooooosh…
[The Glow Ghost uses Extreme Frost.]
[It scatters frost energy around the area.]
[Nearby enemies are exposed to the frost energy.]
The surrounding temperature plummeted sharply.
To make matters worse, Maegu unleashed her sorcery as well.
[Maegu uses Diffusing Mist.]
[It maximizes the area effects for herself and her allies.]
[The range and effects of the area are amplified.]
Cracklecracklecracklecrackle…
Frost energy began filling the entire space.
At this point, Chiwu and Seolhong joined forces.
Whooooooosh…
Their golden auras merged, creating an even greater power than before.
“Ugh…”
“The bastards hid.”
The frosty mist not only filled their entire field of vision but also rapidly dropped the temperature, constricting Seolhong and Chiwu’s movements.
Without any special attacks, the Glow Ghost and Maegu gained the upper hand simply by dominating the space.
Chiwu and Seolhong resolved to respond as they had planned in advance.
But right then.
Swoooosh…
The frost energy began melting away, unable to hold its form.
Had they given up the fight of their own accord?
No, it wasn’t that.
Maegu and the Glow Ghost were visibly flustered, separated from each other.
Roooarrrrr…
And behind it, someone spewing massive flames was pressing the Yaksha. One could tell this was the cause.
* * *
Kaaaaang—!
The Yaksha said nothing.
His figure, silently swinging his sword, almost resembled a landscape painting.
“…….”
Karen, facing him, had long since clamped her mouth shut.
Whick—!
Again.
An irregular movement.
The Yaksha ignored the sword thrusting at his abdomen and swung for the neck.
“Urk…”
Even Night Crow noticed the Yaksha’s attack and retreated as swiftly as possible, but had no choice but to let his shoulder be sliced.
Rip…
Splurt…
Night Crow’s wound regenerated with primal blood, while the Yaksha’s sealed itself.
“You’re too much like a monster.”
“…….”
Pop—!
Kaaaaang!
An opponent immune to tricks.
They could only evaluate each other as such.
The moment they took their eyes off even briefly, a sword flew at a vital point.
Kaaaaang! Kaaaaang!
Separate from their fierce clash, the sound of swords colliding rang out clear and resonant.
Whick—!
Another sword flying at the neck.
“Where!”
Karen drew on Bitan to defend against the attack.
Greeeeek… greeeeek…
A brief contest of strength.
Even in this instant, she had to give her all, but it was better than tracking the sword’s movements.
It afforded just enough time to squeeze out nonexistent leeway.
After clashing swords with the Yaksha, thoughts flooded her mind.
- Cut down on thinking, Karen.
It was what Lane, the Solar Knight, had repeatedly drilled into her.
- Once you draw your sword, leave it to the sword. The sword is the knight’s will. Hesitation and wavering embed themselves in the blade. So, think only of felling your foe. You think too much, Karen. Hmm! What’s the word… too…
Wrong.
To recall being scolded for overthinking only after drawing her sword again—what a farce.
“Fight on!”
“Don’t lose!”
“Please! Please win!”
Voices rang out.
Desperate pleas from beyond the curtain.
How evil the Yaksha was, how much harm his existence brought to the world.
- You’re too kind, Karen. Fatal for a half-baked knight. Being kind is the worst.
The Yaksha’s sword and Bitan pressed head-to-head against each other’s blades, straining to push the other back.
The discord of crossing lines soon affected Karen as well.
Many questions resolved, only to usher in even more.
The Immortal Knight Karen.
Right now, she…
“Enough!”
Felt fear.
[The time of Muga arrives.]
[The chance of brief enlightenment greatly increases for a short time.]
The eyes within the Yaksha’s mask, holding endless darkness.
Seeing them, Karen felt, from some point, that time had slowed.
‘There was an enemy like this.’
When enduring the Solar Knight Lane’s attacks. Like when exchanging inner force with Baek-kyung.
As they crossed swords, she thought.
‘No helping it.’
She let instinct block the incoming Yaksha sword.
She had to think.
- Karen.
“…Huh?”
- What’re you thinking so hard about, you dimwit.
Huh.
Where’d the Yaksha go?
A bearded Lane sat by the campfire, staring at Karen.
“The Yaksha…”
“Yaksha? I already put in plenty of veggies… Here, take it.”
A crude bowl filled with steaming stew was shoved into Karen’s hands.
“Hot hot… it’s hot!”
“That’s ’cause it simmers long for flavor. Like you.”
“So you’re serving mush again today?”
“Uhahahaha! That’s part of it, yeah.”
Karen stirred the stew with her spoon and asked Lane. Perhaps he’d come to give her the answer?
No, this seemed like a mere resurfaced memory.
“Hey, Lane.”
“Hm?”
“…I’ll say after eating.”
“Swallowed it. Speak.”
“I think I’ve met a truly strong knight.”
“Me?”
“…No.”
“Hmm… Thought I’d eliminated all strong ones besides this Lane… I was careless.”
“Ah, cut the nonsense…”
“You punk! Can’t even hold your master’s words dear like gold!”
“Enough!”
Slurp…
Lane sipped the hot stew and spoke.
“That guy, what about him?”
“Huh? What?”
“Swordsmanship.”
“Why swordsmanship?”
“Dumbass, for a knight, swordsmanship is everything—what else?”
Karen pointed at Lane’s chest.
“This.”
“Pecs are important too, sure…”
“No, the heart.”
“…Go on.”
She continued her explanation.
“I met a knight whose heart felt completely blocked off.”
“And?”
“Not shaken at all. It was like the sword moved on its own. That’s why I’m scared. Scared I’ll lose.”
“I see…”
“Aren’t you scared? Of an emotionless knight. How terrifying one who’s castrated their feelings must be…”
“Met one.”
“…What?”
“No…”
Clink… clink…
Lane scraped the bottom of his stew bowl and said.
“Killed one. With these hands.”
“…….”
Lane spoke of murder as if it were nothing. She’d forgotten for a moment, but the villains who died by his hand were countless.
“Sturdy evil spirit of a guy. Dozens… no, maybe over a hundred imperial citizens died by him. His skill shocked me at first too.”
Perhaps Lane’s tale held the answer.
“How’d you win?”
“How? Stabbed him deep and won.”
“…Huh?”
“That’s it. What, expecting more?”
“No, but that’s not how it works…”
“Pfuhuhu… Thought I’d thank him for offing my drunk-beating master, but nah, got my revenge.”
“He wasn’t strong?”
“He was.”
Karen met Lane’s eyes.
“But I was stronger. That’s all.”
Lane’s eyes were no different from a country bumpkin’s.
Meaning he had nothing special.
Yet no one in this era would deny he was the strongest knight.
“Karen. I know what you’re saying.”
“Yeah? As expected.”
“I’ll give you the answer. Will you follow it?”
“Uh… let’s hear it?”
“Kukuku… you.”
Lane plopped a hand on Karen’s head.
“The sword is everything.”
“Ugh…”
“Listen quietly. If I was gonna spout crap about heart or whatever.”
Swoosh…
He picked up a twig from the ground.
“How would you pierce your heart with this twig?”
“What… scary talk.”
“No, think seriously.”
Karen pondered Lane’s words and replied.
“First, a twig can’t pierce armor, so aim for a gap when it’s off?”
“And?”
“Best when asleep, unable to react.”
“And?”
“Stab! How’s that?”
“Wrong from the start.”
“What?! What’s the answer?”
“Your way’s for schemers. Not a knight’s way.”
Swooooo…
Terrifying killing intent dwelled in the twig Lane held.
It could pierce.
Somehow, Karen felt that.
That twig could pierce her breastplate right now and reach her heart.
“Get it?”
“…….”
“Everything you thought compresses to one: honing your skill more.”
“…Ah!”
“That’s a knight. That’s a swordmaster.”
Lane elaborated.
“The sword’s just a tool. We’re those who draw the efficient tool called sword to achieve our goal. If there was better than sword, we’d use heart or whatever, like you said.”
“…I see.”
“Disappointed? No romance.”
“Nah, not really.”
“Hmm… disappointed, huh. Then I’ll tell you something helpful now.”
Karen perked her ears.
“The reason I could kill that emotionless knight? Actually, a lie.”
“…What?”
“Truth is, I admired my master. He beat me sometimes, but that’s normal.”
“…….”
“He mutilated master’s corpse beyond recognition. Seeing that, something boiled in my chest—I couldn’t hold back.”
Lane spoke as if sharing a secret.
“Cried buckets. Never cried like that before or since. Chased him down and fought. An opponent I absolutely, absolutely couldn’t beat. But…”
He tilted his head and continued.
“For some reason, that day the sword felt so clear.”
“What?”
“Arms felt lighter than usual. Techniques landed cleanly. Weird, right?”
“That’s…”
“Maybe… the heart can be a tool used with the sword too. How’s that answer?”
“…Lane gets stronger from crying. …Lame.”
“Those who mocked a man’s hot tears all died by my hand. Wanna join them?”
Pfft…
They grinned at each other.
The wall Karen couldn’t overcome.
Solar Knight Lane.
“Karen, half-baked knights castrate emotions. And…”
He nodded.
“Strong knights use emotions too. Use your heart as kindling to burn brighter! Then someday, you might reach this Montla sun!”
“Not motivated at all!”
Lane laughed.
“Don’t be a half-baked knight, Karen.”
Roooaaarrrrr—!
The scenery melted into flames in an instant.
Flames hot enough to burn Lane to the bone erupted.
“Urk…”
Even Kang Seol, fused with Night Crow, was astonished by the massive blaze.
Whoooosh…
Fwaaash—!
Night Crow—Karen’s movements changed utterly.
[Uses Constellation.]
[Generates heat while spinning and absorbs heat within a set radius.]
[All flame attack ranges increase by 150%.]
[Flame attack ranges rise up to 300% while spinning.]
[All damage received while spinning reduced by 50%.]
[Distributes 500% damage per spin.]
[Perfect form.]
[Spin speed increased by 50%.]
[Spins 120 times.]
Fwaaaaaaaaang—!
“Wheeee! Spinning round and rooound!”
A momentary whirl.
Bitan complained of dizziness.
Kagagagak…
The Yaksha staggered back from the impact.
“Kahahahaha!”
Roooarrr…
It was her flames that had dispelled the Glow Ghost and Maegu’s joint frosty mist.
Roooar—!
Her flame armor overlaid her like steel plating.
The flames took definite form, some beginning to envelop Bitan.
Roooar…
“Huh?”
【Screeeee….】
As flames coated it, Bitan’s blade sharpened into serrated teeth.
【I like this!】
[Enlightenment! Awakens new ability.]
[Night Crow: Shadow Hand transforms.]
[Night Crow: Awakens Incomplete Combustion.]
[Night Crow: Incomplete Combustion is born!]
Roooar…
A thick helmet flickering with flames.
The kind knight Karen thrust Bitan straight forward and said.
“Yaksha, thanks!”
“…….”
“Thanks to you, I can see it now.”
The battle of immense intensity brought enlightenment like a flood bursting a dam.
She could see.
The path to Lane.
The path to the sun.
[Prepare. A great stride approaches.]
[Muga time converts to Meteor Shower.]
[Meteor Shower! Maintaining Meteor Shower state continuously brings enlightenment.]
Their fight, turning the area into a sea of fire, continued under the gaze of Khan’s citizens.