Beyond Elite Black Evil Dragon (4)
The Black Evil Dragon stayed perfectly still for a while.
It couldn't walk.
Not even a single step.
An unprecedented binding force.
What the hell is this?
If it had been mere physical restraint, it would have shattered it and pressed on.
Its body could move, but it refused to advance forward.
So it couldn't chase that damned three-headed cat.
Daring to steal its prey right in front of its eyes?
And what the hell was that human?
Its powers hadn't worked on him.
Moreover, it had taken a hit from the bastard's attack, leaving a slight wound on its tough back.
Even now, its back itched.
Soon enough.
The unidentified binding force squeezing it vanished.
The Black Evil Dragon pondered briefly.
Keep climbing up, or stay here?
The dilemma didn't last long.
This place was insufficient as a new lair.
It had to push further upward.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Black Evil Dragon resumed its march northward.
※ ※ ※
Taehong Bio's New Seoul new factory.
The factory workers bustled about frantically.
The sudden approval from the Food and Drug Administration for sales—and they had to supply every last bit of the new drug to the military.
Even the stock in the warehouse wasn't enough.
In the end, they had to shelve the no-overtime policy for now.
The entire empire was in an emergency state of war against the monsters, after all.
Behind the sales approval was the Baekdu Group.
A few hours before the permit dropped, Jeong Ukcheol, the chairman, had called Baek Seoyeonn, the CEO.
"CEO Baek, do you have enough of the drinks stocked?"
"Of course. The factory warehouse is packed full."
"It won't be enough. You'll probably need overtime."
"Why the rush? The approval hasn't even come down yet."
"It'll drop soon. Maybe even today! And the military will buy up the entire stock. They've already reacted big time."
"Pardon? ...The military?"
"We sent a good amount of the drinks to the Beijing Wave defense supply unit recently. So they could test the effects themselves."
"Oh my? Chairman, isn't that illegal?"
"Haha, illegal? One of our factory workers just sneaked a few boxes of our killer fatigue-relief drinks to their sergeant brother up front. No money changed hands."
"...You know the details awfully well."
"War is a crisis, but it's also an opportunity. It's a drug that boosts combat power anyway."
And just as Chairman Jeong Ukcheol predicted.
The FDA approved sales, and the military snapped up the full production run.
Not just Vitality Surge, but Fresh Flesh Growth orders poured in too.
"By the way, what has Chairman Kim Taeju been up to lately?"
"He's out securing materials to meet the Taehong restorative demand. Bear bile is short, and there aren't many who can process the ingredients."
"Tsk tsk. I was wondering why he wasn't picking up... Even as chairman, he's still running around on foot. That guy's got it rough."
"I always feel bad about that too."
"You can't reach him either?"
"Yes, he's probably somewhere without cell service."
But neither Jeong Ukcheol nor Baek Seoyeonn worried much.
He wasn't the type to go picking fights and getting beat up.
Taeju's absence had stretched a bit long, but few paid it much mind.
※ ※ ※
Two days had passed since Taeju encountered the Black Evil Dragon.
And now, the full-scale war erupting at the Great Wall.
Monsters swarming like mad, pursued by elite monsters.
Dozens of combat divisions had assembled to hold them back.
Compatibles manned the walls with monster-hunting mana cannons, firing precision shots, while awakeners formed raid teams and pushed out beyond the fortifications.
Even regular soldiers were in chaos.
Medics dashed about with emergency kits, and supply trucks shuttled goods inside the walls.
The war wasn't raging across the entire Great Wall.
The central 50km stretch was the fiercest.
Countless monsters flooded in.
"Flying monsters incoming!"
"Ready intercept missiles!"
"Crystals are out! When's the ammo resupply?"
"Hold on! Coming now!"
"Raid Team 103 returned. Raid Team 105, prep to rotate!"
"Casualties! Medic! Medic! Where are you?"
"Elite monster spotted 5km southwest! Coords sent. Need special raid team deployment."
In a human-vs-human war, there might be lulls to catch a breath, but monster wars offered no such mercy.
As the Black Evil Dragon pressed north relentlessly, the monsters piled up in endless lines behind it.
The abandoned, monster-infested lands of ruined China were a dense breeding ground.
The battles raged day and night without pause.
No time for sleep.
By now, everyone should have collapsed from exhaustion—but the effects of Taehong's Vitality Surge were nothing short of miraculous.
"Once this war's over, I'm buying these by the crate and chugging one every day."
"By the time they hit stores, good luck getting any."
"Right? Damn, can't even swipe extras since it's rations."
"Stock up while it's free."
Even the medics handling emergency rescues chimed in.
"No bandages needed. One Fresh Flesh Growth and you're done."
"That's not all. Taehong restoratives have casualties near zero."
"Taehong Bio's carrying this whole war solo."
But no one could predict when the war would end.
The Beyond Elite Black Evil Dragon showed no signs of stopping.
The recon HQ monitoring it echoed with endless sighs.
"Sigh... Isn't it speeding up?"
"Damn it all! That fucking bastard!!!"
"...It's gonna reach Beijing at this rate."
"D-don't jinx it!"
A day passed, then two, then three—and still it marched north.
Then one day.
"Huh?"
A watch soldier rubbed his eyes and checked the monitor again.
"N-no way..."
What the hell was this?
"Am I losing it?"
Had to be a hallucination.
An unbelievable scene was unfolding.
※ ※ ※
The explosive growth of the poison core happens in three stages.
First at the Hwagyeong of Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong—the 7th Stage. Second at 10th Stage Great Completion. Last upon awakening the Poison Spirit.
So no explosion at 8th Stage, nor when ascending to 9th.
It had grown quietly.
"Hm."
Taeju opened his eyes underground.
Five days since he'd gone in.
9th Stage now.
One step from Great Completion.
That was close.
He'd planned to reach 9th in a controlled poison harvest site.
But the Protective Talisman's effect ended right as he touched the Beyond Elite Black Evil Dragon's poison, triggering an unintended core reaction.
Attacked at his most vulnerable moment—he could've died.
Well, it worked out in the end.
But no guarantees it wouldn't happen again. Always stay cautious.
"Oh right!"
Where was Il-i-sam-baek?
Snore... snore...
Sound asleep, even snoring.
Taeju gently stroked its sleeping head.
"All better. Good thing."
It hadn't needed to step up, but...
Terrified of the Beyond Elite monster, trembling in the backpack.
Yet it threw itself in to save him.
"When you waking up?"
Staying here long had left him parched and hungry.
He pulled a fairy peach from his infinite storage and crunched into it.
"Want one?"
Pulled another and held it to the sleeping cat's nose.
Instantly!
Sniff sniff—eyes snapped open, and Ilbaek swallowed the peach whole.
"Nyaa!"
Chomp chomp chomp.
Devoured it ravenously.
"Yaaang?"
Ibaek appeared too.
"Yeah, you get one."
Sam-baek naturally followed.
"Nyaah..."
One peach meant three every time.
But who cared about a few fairy peaches?
"Hmm, how many left? One, two, three, four..."
Twenty remaining.
"Plenty."
Right then!
Zing...
"Oh!"
The shared storage sparkled.
Checking the goods.
"Hahaha, how many is this?!"
Dang Gunak had sent at least a hundred fairy peaches.
Taeju immediately withdrew them.
And placed his prepped return gifts inside.
Nice how the shared storage had expanded—room for more.
Dang Gunak wanted more video content, snacks and drinks for movies, instant foods, cans.
Plus another elite mana crystal generator.
Extra 4K beam projector and portable screen, multi-tap, cables, chargers.
Even luxury bags.
Not sure the use, but expensive stuff.
Stuffed the bags with chocolates and sweets too.
Letter first?
Read it carefully, wrote a reply, final goods check.
"...Whoa!"
Dang Gunak sent one more thing besides the peaches.
Myriad Mile Flying Sword!
The sword Geomseon rode around on, no less.
Talismans have grades too.
Leagues above a 600-peach spirit talisman—this was Geomseon's blade.
Flying was just a bonus; it excelled at its core: piercing and slashing anything.
But Dang Gunak apologized for sending "just a sword."
No need—but he got the sentiment.
Taeju was no sword expert either.
Only knew the Three Disasters Sword Method.
Hold on...
The Beyond Elite Black Evil Dragon marching north.
Myriad Mile Flying Sword might stop it.
And along with that.
"Ilbaek—no, Ibaek!"
"Yaaang?"
"Wanna get revenge on that bastard?"
"Kyarrung!"
It did.
"Sure you won't run? The key is unbreakable will."
"Kyarrararar!"
"Good. Let's do it!"
Instantly!
Whoosh!
Il-i-sam-baek transformed into the three-headed white tiger.
Whoosh!
Bursting through the earth onto the surface.
Its massive true form.
"Bigger than before."
Not just size—its power had grown a stage, like Taeju's.
From the peaches?
Or evolving past death's door?
Its transformed majesty was awe-inspiring at a glance.
"Not yet. Back."
Shh...
The three-headed tiger reverted to cat form.
Taeju activated the tracking talisman.
Come a long way.
First, fed his blood to the Myriad Mile Flying Sword.
"C'mere."
Hugging the now-Ilbaek white tiger.
Float float.
Taeju mounted the sword hovering low over the ground.
"Let's go!!!"
"Nyaaang!!!"
Screeech!
The Myriad Mile Flying Sword shot off at supersonic speed.
Like Son Ohgong on his cloud.
Taeju was confident he could take it.
Insanely strong, but with clear weaknesses.
It was too slow, for one.
Neutralize the qi barrier, and it was a giant target.
After a long flight, the Black Evil Dragon appeared ahead.
Checked Reverse Dragon Art and Bone Shrinking Skill.
"Ready?"
"Kyarruk!"
"Good, bite!"
"Chomp!"
Il-i-sam-baek leaped off the sword.
"Don't forget 30 seconds! Escape before it's up!"
"Nyaa!"
Whoosh!
Transforming mid-fall into the three-headed tiger.
"Grroowl!"
Using gravity and mass to smash into the Black Evil Dragon's body.
Boom!
"Kroooaaarrr!"
The Black Evil Dragon roared in shock at the sudden aerial slam.
As the three-headed tiger clashed with the Beyond Elite's fearsome qi barrier, the pre-applied Protective Talisman activated.
A divine shield granting 30 seconds of total invincibility—straight-up cheat item.
Short if short, long if long: 30 seconds.
The Black Evil Dragon could only take the furious assault head-on, unable to resist.
"Kraaak!"
Chomp!
The three-headed tiger mounted the flattened dragon and bit its nape.
Crackle crackle zap!
Qi clashed against qi.
Still not strong enough—its teeth couldn't pierce the iron-scale hide.
But the three-headed tiger wasn't alone.
Taeju followed, gripping the sword and leaping down.
Vrrr...
Geomseon's sword, the Myriad Mile Flying Sword, pulsed with vivid qi aura.
Infused with every poison qi, mana, and celestial qi Taeju had absorbed.
A divine blade that cut anything, even without qi coating.
Like a kitchen knife into tofu.
No resistance—the entire blade sank into its back.
Squelch!
"Kweeeeeek!"
25 seconds left.
Taeju gripped the hilt two-handed and yanked with all his might.
Riiip rip rip tear!
The Black Evil Dragon's back split like a watermelon.
Just a small gash, but plenty to cause agony.
It thrashed wildly, rolling to shake him off.
"Whoa!"
Taeju leaped clear lightly.
The Black Evil Dragon was a reptilian variant.
Like most reptiles, its belly was softer than its back.
Seizing the rolling chance, the three-headed tiger sank teeth into the tender underbelly.
Shaking its three heads violently.
Three heads, three sets of teeth—triple the pain.
"Kweeeek!"
15 seconds left.
The Black Evil Dragon didn't just take it.
Whipped with its long tongue, tried coiling, bit back, clawed.
All useless.
Attacks bounced off.
And it wasn't fast.
Escape? No chance.
While the three-headed tiger held it, Taeju freely stabbed and slashed every inch with the Myriad Mile Flying Sword.
Stab! Stab! Slash! Rip tear splurt!
5 seconds left.
Taeju slapped a Binding Talisman onto the bloodied Black Evil Dragon.
Unleashed Pyoholjilpungbo,
"Pull back now!"
The three-headed tiger disengaged swiftly on command.
Both retreated far.
Attacks stopped, but the Black Evil Dragon kept writhing.
"Kweee..."
Screeching,
Tried rolling forward to flee, froze realizing it couldn't move, then collapsed flat on all fours.
"...Dead?"
Not yet.
Still twitching faintly.
Taeju wondered.
What did a Beyond Elite monster's mana crystal look like?