Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: There's No Easy Way
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In the arduous process of adapting to the harsh environment of the Demon Clan dimension, Geon-woo and his group came to the realization that they were evolving at an truly astonishing pace.
"It is not merely my bone structure and muscle density that are shifting, but I can feel my internal organs transforming as well; my physical form, which already possessed every inherent advantage of a jiangshi, is being refined even further in this realm," Paeng remarked, her voice tinged with genuine excitement.
Among the group, Paeng was particularly thrilled with her personal transformation, as the environmental pressures were shifting her body—which had previously been teetering on the precarious edge between life and death—decisively toward the side of the living.
= It is absolutely fascinating to witness. To think that a physical form injected with jiangshi fluid while in a half-dead state could recover and stabilize in such a manner, Ilryeong noted, showing a deep curiosity regarding the changes.
"The body was originally only half-alive to begin with, so if it is forced to evolve to survive, it is only natural that it would shift toward a more positive and resilient state; this means the cold domain of death that has been plaguing my consciousness is finally shrinking," she explained.
= And you are still fully absorbing the strengthening effects of the fluid as well.
"Indeed. As I continue to adapt to this atmosphere, I feel as though my raw physical strength has increased at least fivefold," she added.
There were numerous other subtle changes occurring within the group, making it undeniably clear that their overall combat abilities had increased in similar proportions. Of course, despite this surge in power, they understood that they could not yet exert the same level of absolute influence in this higher dimension as they had on Earth or in Onbiroad.
= If we were currently on Earth, this growth would make us gods, but here, it likely only places us at an average level of strength—and that is our primary concern, Ilryeong mused, sharing the same cautious sentiment.
"Even so, this progress is significant. Thanks to these changes, Paeng and I have already surpassed the Molti in terms of power, and the others have at least reached their level as well," Geon-woo replied.
= When you compare it in that context, the achievements of this group are truly remarkable.
"Perhaps this is simply the fair compensation the world provides for those who manage to ascend to a higher dimension," Geon-woo suggested with a faint smile.
= Fair compensation? Ilryeong asked, wondering exactly what he meant.
"We have accomplished something monumental, so it stands to reason that we would receive a fitting bonus for our efforts. Honestly, it almost feels as if we are getting these gains too easily, as we have done little more than struggle to breathe since our arrival."
Geon-woo wondered if this rapid growth was a deliberate system reward, an automated boost for those crossing dimensional thresholds. He gave an awkward laugh when Ilryeong asked if this applied to everyone, admitting he was merely speculating.
* *
"It appears everyone is present," Geon-woo stated, looking over his assembled team.
"What are your orders, Leader?" Muhammad asked, acting as the group's representative.
"It seems we have finally gathered enough strength and stability to move. We are heading out; this is not a safe location, and we must escape the Demon Clan's territory as quickly as possible."
Even as he felt his body recovering, Geon-woo never allowed his guard to drop. They were currently on the outskirts of the Demon Clan's lands, but they were far from being truly safe. Paeng questioned if an immediate departure was necessary since they hadn't encountered any enemies yet, but Geon-woo revealed that a Molti scout had encountered a Demon Clansman hunter the day before.
"The hunter spotted the hidden Molti and attacked immediately. Because the Pornaeus species harbor a deep hatred for the Asmodai, and that Molti happened to be of Asmodai descent, a clash was unavoidable," Geon-woo explained. The hunter had tried to flee once he realized he was outmatched, but the surrounding jiangshi squad had intercepted and neutralized him before he could bring reinforcements.
Paeng was initially frustrated that Geon-woo hadn't reported this immediately, but he explained that the threat wasn't urgent as they were in a remote border region where commoners were rarely missed quickly. He had waited until their training session was complete so they could move without the pressure of fatigue.
"We will follow our original plan and skirt the border between the species' territories to fully exit the Demon Clan's lands," Cheon Su-wan confirmed, and the group showed a newfound level of cooperation and subservience toward Geon-woo, acknowledging the widening gap in their respective powers.
* *
"Halt! How dare you trespass upon my fief without my explicit permission?!"
The group's escape was cut short on the outskirts of the Asmodai baronial lands. Count Perben, a high-ranking Asmodai noble standing nearly three meters tall with long goat horns, had led his personal forces to block their path. He pointed a red crystal-tipped spear directly at Geon-woo, his eyes filled with a smug certainty of victory.
"Why block our path? We are nearly out of your territory, and our passage causes you no loss," Geon-woo stated, glaring at the noble.
"Loss? What could I possibly lose to vermin like you? Capturing your group and handing you over to Shepalt, the Marquis of Helparis, will grant me a significant reward," Perben laughed. He admitted that while he was supposed to merely report their location, he had decided to intervene personally to ensure they didn't escape to Krosus.
Geon-woo eyed the count with a degree of respect; most Demon Clansmen he had encountered were obsessed with hierarchy and preferred to delegate such tasks to underlings. Perben was a rare case of a noble who handled matters personally.
"Well? Are you aware of the overwhelming disadvantage you face, or will you force me to kill you?" Perben asked. He had brought dozens of knights and over a thousand soldiers to trap Geon-woo’s small force of one hundred.
- Everyone, listen closely to my instructions, Geon-woo sent via telepathy. - Even if it requires the sacrifice of every single jiangshi we possess, we will break through this line and exit the Demon Clan territory no matter what.
Count Perben noticed the silent communication and grew irritated. "Surrender now, or die miserably here!" he bellowed, thrusting his spear forward.
"That is absolute bullshit. Do you truly think we are foolish enough to believe we would live if we surrendered to you?!" Geon-woo shouted back as his team shifted into a perfect battle formation.
"Jumper, now!"
Jumper activated his spatial movement ability from the center of the group, but Perben was prepared. Light burst from his red crystal spear, shooting into the sky and creating an interference field that halted the teleportation mid-activation. Jumper screamed in frustration as he entered a mental tug-of-war with the count’s magic.
"Hold your ground!" Geon-woo ordered, sending his guard jiangshi into the fray. Seomryeong used a blink ability to appear behind the count, but his strike was deflected by a powerful magical barrier. Gung-ryeong’s follow-up arrows similarly bounced off the shield until Gongryeong phased into an intangible state and slipped through the barrier, forcing the count to physically defend himself with his spear.
"The interference has weakened!" Jumper cheered, though he noted he still needed thirty seconds to complete the jump.
"Thirty seconds is an eternity in this situation!" Iban roared as the count’s massive army began to close in. The Molti jiangshi were being visibly pushed back by the sheer numerical superiority of Perben's knights and soldiers, a testament to the higher power levels of this dimension.
Paeng stepped forward, summoning her five-headed hydra to unleash a barrage of fire, ice, poison, lightning, and wind across the battlefield. The chaos was further amplified as the jiangshi's infectious blood began to turn fallen enemy soldiers against their own comrades. This localized pandemonium bought the group the precious seconds they required.
"I have it! We are leaving now!" Jumper yelled, and the world dissolved into a flash of light.
Whoosh!