Chapter 455
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 455
Chapter Title: I Must Go First
Ha Seol-ran's gaze turned toward So Hwi-woong.
A middle-aged man who had appeared out of nowhere.
She had never seen his face before, yet the friendly aura he directed at her—what could it mean?
Not a single one of the Fierce Dragon Corps cadets recognized So Hwi-woong.
It was only natural, since none of them had ever laid eyes on him.
However.
They had all clearly heard Man-ya-do mutter "Alliance Leader."
With hearts pounding in disbelief, they stared at So Hwi-woong.
"Who are you?"
So Hwi-woong turned his gaze back to Man-ya-do and asked.
"D-Demon-Sealing Corps Eighth Squad Leader Man-ya-do pays respects to the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader!"
Finally regaining his wits, Man-ya-do clasped his hands in salute and bowed deeply.
At that sight.
All those around him.
Clasped their hands and bowed deeply as well.
"We pay respects to the Alliance Leader."
"This isn't the time for formalities. Man-ya-do, you were talking about alliance rules and crimes—what happened?"
Under the sharp pressure.
Man-ya-do was entranced.
He recounted everything that had happened from last night until now.
"Pathetic bastard."
A curt evaluation.
So Hwi-woong's gaze shifted back to Ha Seol-ran.
"You sensed that energy well. As expected of Mu-baek's little sister?"
The cadets of Squad Seven were stunned by how casually So Hwi-woong referred to Ha Mu-baek.
To think he was on such friendly terms with the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader.
In their shock, memories resurfaced.
They recalled Han Seol-bing calling Ha Mu-baek "Corps Leader."
A corps leader who was close to the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader.
The first name that came to mind was.
"Hocheon Corps Leader...?"
The moment Yeon Ha-min murmured what had popped into her head.
So Hwi-woong turned to her.
"Sharp one, aren't you?"
Grinning as he instantly grasped the meaning of Yeon Ha-min's mutter.
Another wave of shock swept through them.
The cadets of Squad Seven all knew who Yeon Ha-min's "Hocheon Corps Leader" referred to.
Their own instructor.
Ha Mu-baek.
He was the Hocheon Corps Leader.
Hocheon Corps Leader.
The elite guard unit directly under the Alliance Leader.
Their prestige was beyond words, and the martial prowess required to join was unimaginable.
Moreover, the feats of the Hocheon Corps in the last two Martial World Wars were the stuff of modern legend.
For their instructor to be the leader of such a unit.
Only Ha Seol-ran, who already knew the truth, remained composed.
In truth, she didn't know the full extent of the Hocheon Corps' reputation in the martial world.
And why would she? To her, the martial world was the Dragon Training Pavilion and nothing more.
"Wait... then Instructor Han is...?"
Han Seol-bing had clearly said it.
Instructor Ha Mu-baek was the corps leader, and she was the vice leader.
"Hocheon Corps Vice Leader...?"
In response to Dang Jin-san's dazed question, Baek Ri-pyeong answered in a trembling voice.
"Insane...?"
They even forgot they were standing before Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader So Hwi-woong.
The shock was that profound.
"Enough with the king out. I get why Mu-baek didn't say anything—that's just how he is. But this isn't the time for idle chatter."
With So Hwi-woong's intervention.
The Squad Seven cadets finally snapped out of it.
The one most plunged into chaos right now was.
Undoubtedly Man-ya-do.
He couldn't fathom how the situation was unfolding.
What connection these kids had to the Alliance Leader.
Why the Hocheon Corps Leader and Vice Leader had suddenly appeared.
Still, one thing was clear.
'I'm screwed.'
So Hwi-woong's gaze turned to Ha Seol-ran.
"You felt it?"
Ha Seol-ran nodded faintly.
"It's not just one. An enormous energy is still gathering even now."
So Hwi-woong's eyebrow twitched at Ha Seol-ran's bold words.
His own senses only picked up a single Heaven-Extinguishing Corpse General.
So Hwi-woong glared at Man-ya-do.
"If your own abilities fall short, at least make sure your capable subordinates scout properly."
A rebuke.
"Your punishment will be decided after this is over."
After his cold declaration.
Just as he was about to verify what she meant by an enormous energy gathering.
So Hwi-woong's face hardened.
"Two?"
Just now.
The energy of the stationary Heaven-Extinguishing Corpse General had doubled.
His senses confirmed it.
"Th-they're starting to move."
Ha Seol-ran's mutter.
She was right.
The ones that had stopped were on the move again.
They had paused, waiting for another Heaven-Extinguishing Corpse General to join.
'This can't be...'
The movements of the Heaven-Extinguishing Corpse General.
And Ha Seol-ran's abilities.
Both were unbelievable.
"Things are chaotic..."
As Namgung Hu surveyed the surroundings.
Yang Bi-chang had gathered them all together.
Outside the Mountain-Crossing Great Wall.
They had exited the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
The wall loomed before them, but.
Only now did Yang Bi-chang explain the situation to everyone.
They had rushed here without any briefing.
Namgung Hu had sensed an incredibly powerful energy.
As he stared in that direction.
Yang Bi-chang's voice reached his ears.
Silence descended after the full explanation.
It was fear.
Even after announcing that Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader So Hwi-woong was present.
The creeping terror couldn't be stopped.
'Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader...'
Namgung Hu's worries surpassed even the approaching unimaginable corpse generals.
They focused more on So Hwi-woong.
Because of the energy he emanated.
'At this level...'
The energy from Ha Mu-baek that he had felt at the clan.
This was even stronger.
"First time meeting you."
The newly arrived Ho Gyo-sin.
Dongbang Un bowed to Chu Geum-neung from Chaseok Ridge.
Having become Ho Gyo-sin after Chu Geum-neung.
"I've been waiting. Let's go. We'll smash them, sweep them away, and usher in Blood Cult supremacy over the Central Plains!"
With those words, they set off again.
Their target: where So Hwi-woong was.
To open the era of Blood Cult dominance, sweeping away those pests was crucial.
But securing materials for more corpse generals was equally vital.
There were plenty of materials there.
Dududududu.
The advance of the corpse generals shook the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest once more.
"Mu-baek's little sister."
So Hwi-woong called out.
"I'm Ha Seol-ran."
Ha Seol-ran replied in her still-trembling voice.
"Right. Ha Seol-ran, come with me for a bit. I might need your advice."
And so, So Hwi-woong headed toward where the group was gathered.
Gongson Mu-oe recognized Ha Seol-ran immediately.
Ha Seol-ran felt the same.
She had sensed his presence here through her energy sense, but seeing him face-to-face brought a strange sense of relief.
Familiar face in unfamiliar territory.
As everyone gathered, So Hwi-woong spoke up.
"The Heaven-Extinguishing Corpse Generals have become two. And they've resumed their march."
The group was startled.
Ma Jin-gi hurriedly performed his spell again.
He nodded gravely.
The two leading ones matched So Hwi-woong's report.
A face he hadn't seen in previous spells.
Its energy was on par with the first one.
"And there are more of those things?"
So Hwi-woong's question turned to Ha Seol-ran.
She nodded and shared everything she had sensed.
Silence fell.
No one raised objections to her words.
No one called it a lie.
No one demanded to know how she knew.
And why? Because So Hwi-woong had brought her.
They trusted there was a reason.
"She's right. Just now, another one popped out."
Ma Jin-gi, who had been watching the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest via spell, spoke up.
He couldn't see everywhere at once.
Ha Seol-ran had pinpointed the location with her energy sense.
That's how he spotted it moments ago.
"What a headache."
So Hwi-woong muttered, rubbing his eyes.
He could handle one.
Maybe even two, somehow.
But three or more?
Ma Jin-gi stood.
"For now, I'll reinforce the spells here as best I can."
From his spell.
The enemies would take at least an hour—maybe a bit more—to arrive.
Not much time, but he'd do what he could.
So Hwi-woong bowed slightly.
If the wall held even a little longer.
They might stand a chance against three Heaven-Extinguishing Corpse Generals.
"I'll lend a hand myself."
Then, a sudden voice and the appearance of an elder from the Whirlwind Sword Valley.
Even So Hwi-woong was startled.
He hadn't sensed the presence at all.
"Who...?"
Just as a wary shout was about to erupt.
"Master!"
Ha Seol-ran's joyful cry came first.
At that.
So Hwi-woong and Dam Mu-heun stared in astonishment at the newly arrived elder.
Ha Seol-ran was Ha Mu-baek's sister.
For her to call him master.
Of course, siblings didn't have to share the same master.
However.
Judging by how he had appeared.
Ha Mu-baek.
This was undoubtedly his master.
"First time meeting you. I'm Wi Ji-gun, master of Seol-ran and Mu-baek here."
Wi Ji-gun's greeting confirmed the suspicion.
"At Mu-baek's request, I was secretly following to protect the girl, but I never expected this calamity."
Wi Ji-gun had agonized.
Should he reveal himself?
Or keep watching from the shadows and intervene only at the critical moment?
Or perhaps.
At the critical moment, extract only Ha Seol-ran and escape?
That dilemma arose when he heard Ha Seol-ran say there were multiple corpse generals of immense power.
After observing them, he decided.
He would join from the start.
Of course.
At the final moment, he could still extract Ha Seol-ran somehow.
He planned to keep that last card.
And Ha Mu-baek was surely heading here too.
Wi Ji-gun asked Ha Seol-ran.
"Is that boy Mu-baek on his way?"
Ha Seol-ran shook her head.
Nothing had registered in her energy sense yet.
Here, Ha Seol-ran made one mistake.
Her current energy sense was in sphere form.
She had altered it to probe underground presences.
This reduced its range.
She overlooked that fact and continued scanning in sphere form, missing Ha Mu-baek's presence.
"Is Mu-baek coming here?"
So Hwi-woong asked eagerly.
Dam Mu-heun felt the same.
"Yes. He said he had business at the Righteous Heaven Alliance first, but he should arrive soon."
Hope lit up So Hwi-woong's face.
With himself, Wi Ji-gun here, and Ha Mu-baek—they might pull it off.
In that case.
'Hold out until Mu-baek arrives.'
The difficulty of the defense dropped.
The pressure of protecting everyone alone lifted.
No need for desperate resolve anymore.
Even Dam Mu-heun's face eased.
Preparations to block the corpse generals began.
The wall would protect them, but.
With their overwhelming numbers.
Now, the entire Fierce Dragon Corps knew what was happening.
Demon-Sealing Corps Hundred Squad Leader Jo Go-pung had informed them of everything.
No need to mention how pale Man-ya-do's face had gone upon hearing it.
'N-no way... how could that nonsense be true...'
Punishment was merely postponed due to the dire crisis.
Once it ended.
What punishment awaited?
No, before that.
'C-can I even survive...?'
He couldn't be sure.
Ha Mu-baek ran at full speed, his energy sense extended to its maximum.
To sense the situation there even a little.
The best way was to close the distance to the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest as fast as possible.
Finally, his energy sense reached it.
Innumerable people gathered.
So Hwi-woong, Ha Seol-ran, and even Wi Ji-gun were there.
He had hoped otherwise.
But his ominous premonition had come true.
Ha Mu-baek frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"Something's happened in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest."
"What?"
Han Seol-bing jumped in surprise.
By then, within his energy sense range.
The corpse generals' movements were detected.
"Hordes of corpse bastards are swarming. And."
"And...?"
"The number of Heaven-Extinguishing Corpse Generals has increased."
At Ha Mu-baek's words.
Han Seol-bing was stunned.
"Wasn't there just one?"
"Apparently not. Now two, so three or four more could emerge...?"
That scale explained the ominous premonition Ha Mu-baek felt.
Ha Mu-baek glanced at Han Seol-bing.
"I must go first."
Without waiting for her reply, Ha Mu-baek accelerated.
Kwakwakwa!
Leaving only a deafening whoosh, Ha Mu-baek's figure vanished.