Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Luring Out the Blue-Clawed Fiend
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Varum's blue claws failed in their attack for the first time.
While Guisal Honmyeol blocked Varum's blue claws, the recovered Tiger Army and Sword Tiger swiftly kicked Varum in the gut, creating some distance.
Mu-hee then shouted.
"That's the one!"
All the endpoints of every path Mu-hee had seen with her Foresight Eye.
At the center of that grim future stood that creature every time.
The monster with blue claws that butchered the Demon Claws, Guisal Honmyeol, and even the Dragon Demon Squad.
That grim future was now standing right before their eyes.
At Mu-hee's cry, Myung-su unleashed a thick wave of killing intent and switched the grip on the daggers in both hands to reverse hold.
He turned his head and looked at Sword Tiger and Tiger Army, who were catching their breath behind him.
"It seems the two of you will need to assist me."
"Is there a way to deal with that monster?"
Sword Tiger shook his head at Sword Tiger's question.
"We can't win against that monster."
It was the being that neither Sword Tiger, Tiger Army, nor even the Dragon Demon Squad could handle.
Even with Guisal Honmyeol joining them, they couldn't face the one who shredded even demonic energy to pieces.
It was like soldiers armed with guns could never defeat a military tank, no matter how many there were.
Even if their forces increased quantitatively, that thing surpassed the Dragon Demon Squad and Guisal Honmyeol in quality by far.
Sword Tiger and Tiger Army bit their lips, realizing they'd come full circle back to square one.
But Myung-su's words weren't finished.
"However, we can drive that monster out of here."
Sword Tiger and Tiger Army's eyes widened at Myung-su's words.
Why hadn't they thought of that?
The two of them had only considered blocking or killing it.
Sword Tiger and Tiger Army clenched their fists tight, recognizing it as a surefire way to protect the Supreme One.
But that enthusiasm was short-lived.
"How, exactly?"
Sword Tiger asked, unable to think of the crucial method himself.
And the response that came.
"We just need to anger it and lure it out of Jin Hap Valley."
Sword Tiger and Tiger Army lost their will to fight at Myung-su's primal method.
"That thing isn't stupid. You think it'll follow us just because we make it mad?"
"You call that a plan?!"
Sword Tiger and Tiger Army snapped in anger at the childish idea.
But Myung-su ignored their fury and spoke.
"Trust me. We must lure that thing out. And we can do it."
Myung-su's expression was too serious to dismiss as a joke or foolishness.
Moreover, based on Myung-su's actions so far, it was clear he truly believed it was possible.
"Right now..."
"Tiger Army."
Unlike Sword Tiger, who knew Myung-su well, Tiger Army didn't.
As Tiger Army lowered his voice, Sword Tiger stopped him.
"We should do as Myung-su says."
"You..."
Tiger Army didn't trust Myung-su.
If so, the only way was to make him trust by showing that Sword Tiger himself trusted Myung-su.
"There's no other option in this situation. From what I've seen, Myung-su isn't one to speak empty words."
"Have you been injured somewhere?"
But there was one fact Sword Tiger overlooked.
Tiger Army didn't fully trust even Sword Tiger.
"This concerns the Supreme One's survival. I absolutely cannot follow. Do it yourselves if you want. I'll stay here and protect the Supreme One."
Sword Tiger and Myung-su showed signs of bewilderment at Tiger Army's unexpected words.
Sword Tiger asked Myung-su at Tiger Army's firm stance.
"Can't we do it with just two?"
"No. All three of us are absolutely necessary."
Time was running out.
"Hurry up and start!"
The Poison Witch, who had been barely holding Varum back with her deep blue poison aura, shouted.
Varum, sensing the lethality of the Poison Witch's poison, was busy swinging his blue claws at it.
However, the sweat dripping from the Poison Witch's forehead signaled she had reached her limit.
"Tiger Army!"
"Tiger Army!!"
Myung-su and Sword Tiger shouted.
"I'm not gambling with the Supreme One's life. You two do it."
But Tiger Army remained resolute.
It was at that moment, when Jin-cheol and Se-un's every plan was on the verge of collapse before even being attempted.
"Master Tiger Army!"
The Poison Witch, who had been unleashing her poison aura, squeezed out her last strength to raise her voice.
"I told you! If you're dumb, at least listen!"
"Wha... what!?"
"It's the plan from the Supreme One's appointed Grand Strategist! Are you ignoring the Supreme One's orders?!"
With that cry, all of the Poison Witch's poison aura dissipated.
The source of the poison aura had exhausted every ounce of her power.
"I'll kill you!"
Varum, who had been swinging his claws wildly at the deep blue poison aura, glared at the Poison Witch with utmost rage.
"Master Tiger Army... sh-she's gonna... die..."
Thud.
Even Jeong-won, who had barely held onto consciousness, fainted.
Varum bristled with killing intent, as if ready to slaughter the Poison Witch at any moment.
"Tiger Army, carry the Poison Witch!"
At Myung-su's shout, Tiger Army immediately kicked off the ground and retrieved the Poison Witch.
Whoosh.
Varum's gaze locked onto Tiger Army carrying the Poison Witch.
Then, Tiger Army shouted at Myung-su.
"What do we do!?"
"Kill!!!"
Varum kicked off the ground at tremendous speed.
Myung-su glanced at Mu-hee.
"Shadow Binding Technique, Foot-Stopping Earth Union."
Mu-hee clasped her hands together, activating the formations in Jin Hap Valley.
The formations maintaining Jin Hap Valley glowed, binding Varum's feet.
"Grrraaah!"
Varum, his movement halted, swung his blue claws in fury, shredding the formation.
It didn't hold even a second, but that was enough time for Myung-su.
"Follow me!"
Leaving the slowed Varum behind, Myung-su dashed toward the entrance of Jin Hap Valley.
Behind him, Tiger Army carrying the Poison Witch, followed by Sword Tiger, trailed in sequence.
'You said every future you saw ended with the blue-clawed Demon Claw, right?'
'Yes, it was horrific. Whether Guisal Honmyeol returned to base or joined the Dragon Demon Squad, every path ended with all of us dying to that Demon Claw.'
'But when they went to base, the Demon Claw main force fought it, yet when joining the Dragon Demon Squad, the main force didn't appear, right?'
'Yes, even though we delayed them long enough for them to arrive, that Demon Claw must have thought it could win alone, so they didn't come.'
'That's the key.'
Facing the futures Mu-hee had seen, Jin-cheol solidified the method he had devised.
What was the key?
What had Mu-hee seen in those futures to find the answer here?
"Hand over the Poison Witch!"
But Jin-cheol's next words left Myung-su and the Guisal Honmyeol souls stunned.
They instantly understood why the Supreme One had named Jin-cheol the Grand Strategist.
Slash!
Sword Tiger's demonic energy slowed Varum, who had been closing in fast.
The effort to slice through the demonic energy had reduced his acceleration.
"Here!"
In the meantime, the exhausted Tiger Army passed the Poison Witch to Myung-su.
Myung-su hoisted the limp Poison Witch, drained of all strength, over his shoulder.
The slowdown was only momentary.
While Myung-su gathered his strength, Tiger Army began recovering his own.
Sword Tiger would reduce Varum's speed—faster than any of the three here.
And the two would alternate carrying the Poison Witch, recovering strength while the other bore the burden.
That's why three were essential.
This was Jin-cheol's strategy, impossible without exactly three.
And it was working.
Myung-su smiled at the group coming into view ahead.
"Da-damn it! It's following!"
A voice burst from among them.
Their fear-laden voices fueled Myung-su.
'The answer is simple. The Demon Claw main force didn't come because they trusted that Demon Claw. They were afraid too.'
Grand Strategist.
"R-run away!"
His answer was insightful and spot-on.
'They didn't join because they feared dying too. For some reason, that Demon Claw can't distinguish friend from foe.'
Over twenty from the Demon Claw main force were fleeing, swallowed by terror.
Though fleeing the same way, their numbers determined the speed.
Twenty versus three.
The more numerous, the slower the flight.
And death closing in right behind forced the three to superhuman speeds beyond their limits.
"Kill!!"
"I-I don't know!"
As Myung-su, Sword Tiger, and Tiger Army drew nearer with Varum in tow, the twenty finally broke ranks, unable to withstand the terror of death, scattering in panic.
And at the rear, Barfer with a red gem embedded in his forehead.
'That's the one Mu-hee mentioned.'
His blackened eyes gleamed with searching demonic eyes ringed in blue circles.
'Those are the eyes watching us!'
The moment Myung-su, Sword Tiger, and Tiger Army crossed the scattering Demon Claw main force.
Myung-su tightened his grip on the arm holding the Poison Witch.
"Tiger Army!"
"Toss her."
He lightly tossed the Poison Witch toward Tiger Army.
The instant Tiger Army caught her, Myung-su drew two daggers from his thighs.
"Success!"
The two daggers shifted to reverse grip.
Then, screams and Sword Tiger's cheer erupted from behind.
"Kill!!"
Varum had begun massacring the fleeing Demon Claws.
The Demon Claws' eyes no longer held Myung-su's group.
Death approaching.
Their only choice was to run desperately, eyes fixed on Varum.
And when Varum neared, they unleashed attacks at him to escape death.
"Now! Rally to me!"
Myung-su skidded to a stop.
Sword Tiger and Tiger Army adjusted to Myung-su's sudden slowdown and closed in.
Then, Myung-su gripped his two daggers tight, placed hands on Sword Tiger and Tiger Army's shoulders, and unleashed demonic energy.
Sizzle.
"Run!"
Myung-su's group vanished from the spot, halting their flight.
The Demon Claws and Varum pursuing them passed right over where they had been.
Pop.
"Hah... hah... Did it work?"
They sped away rapidly.
Sword Tiger and Tiger Army sighed in relief.
"But where's Myung-su..."
The relief was fleeting.
Sword Tiger frowned, noticing Myung-su was missing—when he should have been there.
"No way..."
Sword Tiger's gaze turned toward the receding Demon Claws.
The intuition that Myung-su was there twisted his expression.
Sword Tiger, Tiger Army, and the recovered Poison Witch returned to Jin Hap Valley.
Unwoo Guild members who had come as reinforcements began guarding the perimeter under Jin-cheol's orders.
"It's definitely different."
Jin-cheol hardened his expression while surveying the Demon Claw corpses strewn inside Jin Hap Valley.
Bodies shredded beyond recognition and bloodstains splattered everywhere.
He could indirectly feel the intensity of the life-or-death battle that had raged here.
"Still, thanks to you."
Sword Tiger conveyed his gratitude with a sigh of relief.
Without Guisal Honmyeol's support.
And without Jin-cheol's strategy, Sword Tiger wouldn't be standing here.
"No need. Planning is easy. Only the Dragon Demon Squad and Guisal Honmyeol have the power to execute it."
Sword Tiger chuckled wryly at Jin-cheol's humble words.
The half-broken blade in his hand, soaked in Demon Claw blood, was losing its luster.
The other severed half was nowhere to be seen.
"No wonder Master chose you as guild leader."
Sword Tiger gave a bitter smile.
He took a deep breath and set down the sword he had wielded for so long.
"At least it's over now. The Supreme One was nearly in danger."
Before returning here.
The image of Varum sweeping away the Demon Claw main force from behind lingered.
Sword Tiger had no doubt that the berserk Varum, unable to distinguish friend from foe, would annihilate them.
Then this war would be a resounding victory thanks to Jin-cheol's brilliant move.
"We're lucky."
Sword Tiger looked up at the clear sky with a gentle smile.
Tiger Army, now comrades who had shared life and death, placed a hand on Sword Tiger's shoulder and said.
"Don't forget it's partly thanks to me."
"Heh."
Was it because they thought the battle was over?
Their usual playful banter began to resurface.
But Jin-cheol, watching them with a completely serious expression devoid of any smile, shattered their joy.
"It's not over."
Sword Tiger and Tiger Army, who had been smiling, turned to Jin-cheol.
"Guisal Honmyeol's One Ghost Soul, Mr. Myung-su, must return for the war to end."
"Ah..."
Sword Tiger's mouth fell slightly open at Jin-cheol's words.
He recalled the intuition he felt just before returning and asked.
"You mean the plan isn't finished?"
"Yes, Mr. Myung-su went for the final phase."
"So..."
Sword Tiger's eyes widened.
He had thought all fighting ended with Varum striking the Demon Claws from behind.
But even after the plan succeeded, Myung-su hadn't appeared beside Sword Tiger and Tiger Army.
'I imagined he might have charged into the Demon Claw group suspecting as much.'
It wasn't mere imagination.
"He's the only one who can survive that blue-clawed Demon Claw, so I entrusted him with the final phase."
It wasn't intuition or guesswork! It was the final phase only Guisal Honmyeol's One Ghost Soul could accomplish.
Unlike Sword Tiger and Tiger Army, who had fled desperately as per Myung-su's words.
Myung-su had carried a massive burden on his back even in that chaos.
Now understanding the weight Myung-su bore, Sword Tiger shouted.
"What plan?!"
"Even if the Demon Claws die by that monster's hand, won't the final enemy remain?"
"... That monster?!"
"Yes. I can only pray it was needless worry."
Jin-cheol's already stern expression darkened further as he spoke.
"I pray from the start of the plan until now that there's no one in that Demon Claw group who can move that monstrous thing..."
A chill crept into Jin Hap Valley, where they had thought victory was won.