Chapter 138
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Annihilation
For the first time in a long while, a cheerful atmosphere settled over the Astrofel family at the news of Aileen's return.
Leaving the family estate, Arban launched himself from the ground, landing lightly atop a tree.
Though they hadn't announced it, the two Doryeonnims of the Astrofel family were currently on their way to meet Aileen.
"She'll be so surprised, won't she?"
"Who knows. She might sense your presence first and laugh at you."
"She's still just a kid, though."
The last he'd seen of her before she left the North, her round, white-haired head had barely reached his chest.
Perhaps that was why. When he heard she had become an adult, he could almost imagine it, but not quite.
It was because he couldn't believe Aileen was truly an adult.
"I think we can meet her by the time we reach the neutral zone."
Set said, gauging their current position. The edge of the South was just ahead.
The two picked up speed, as if in a race.
However, the smiles on their lips soon vanished, hardening as if they had never been there.
On a vast plain, scorched beyond recognition, lay a shattered carriage and annihilated Su-in. And there were the escorts, barely holding themselves up.
"Report the situation."
"Set Doryeonnim... I'm sorry."
"Aileen... where is she?"
His voice was laced with killing intent.
Set's gaze slowly swept over the escorts. Hestia, unconscious; Basad, holding her. Paymon with a deep wound on his shoulder, and Mesis, his pheromones completely depleted. And finally.
"Explain, Karma."
"I'm sorry. We failed to protect the Agassi."
Karma, who had lost an arm.
It didn't take long for a special day that should have been filled with happiness to be stained with loss.
Karma, feeling no pain from his lost arm, recalled the recent events with a devastated heart.
* * *
Even after cutting down dozens, the number of enemies around them showed no sign of decreasing.
A scythe on the end of a long, thick chain flew toward his neck, and Basad snatched it, pulling it taut.
The blindfolded enemy used the recoil to launch forward, grabbing the other scythe from his back and striking down sharply.
Basad dodged it, but his movements were slowed for a moment by the wound on his shoulder. Paymon clicked his tongue as he blocked the transformed forepaw of a beast-type Su-in charging from behind.
"At this rate, this will never end."
"Is Mesis not done yet?"
"Doesn't look like it!"
Slashing his sword diagonally downward, Paymon hastily kicked off the ground and retreated, just as the earth where he had stood collapsed.
As Paymon staggered, barely regaining his balance, a spider Su-in seized the opportunity and shot a web at him.
It was a desperate situation with no room to breathe. Paymon gritted his teeth.
"That damn spider."
"We need to deal with the spiders first! If we stay here any longer, the whole ground will collapse."
"My thoughts exactly. There are dozens of those rats crawling underground."
Basad said, quickly joining them in the center.
"There are two spiders in total. They're causing confusion from both sides."
Hestia shouted, pointing to the spider positioned overhead.
Karma muttered a curse and threw a dagger forcefully, but the spider blocked it with ease, its eight eyes curving into sullen crescents.
He wanted to use enough of his toxic pheromones to be satisfied, but doing so would deplete them too quickly. For now, the best method was to take down opponents quickly in close combat with potent venom.
"If we get too close, we could get tied down. They're already skilled at using their abilities."
"I'd imagine so. Judging by that sinner's mark, they must have held quite a high position in their family."
These were all outcasts from their families. Normally, criminals would serve a sentence and return to their clan, but these individuals were not even afforded that.
Karma clicked his tongue, melting the tangled, trampled ground with his pheromones.
"Everyone, secure as much room to move as possible. Deflect incoming attacks if you can, and minimize pheromone use."
"We're already doing that!"
All but one. Mesis. With dozens of auras jumbled together, finding the leader among them would be no easy task.
His piercing was glowing with a soft, aurora-like light.
His pheromones shot out swiftly, like a snake seeking its prey, spreading far beyond the enemies surrounding them.
Soon, Mesis's downcast violet eyes flashed open, gleaming fiercely.
"Found him."
The first to react was Karma.
"Location?"
Everyone waited for Mesis's answer. His hand pointed toward a massive tree visible beyond the plain.
"There."
A cool smile spread across Mesis's lips.
The problem was how to break through to get there. Just as everyone was at a loss...
An overwhelmingly powerful pheromone burst forth explosively.
Neither the situation nor the numbers were in their favor. Yet, the power flowing from the carriage roamed the area leisurely, as if such things didn't matter. Domination. No other word could describe it.
"If we break through to there, what's the next step?"
The carriage door opened silently, revealing Aileen. Her eyes were a deeper red than ever before.
* * *
The moment I stepped out of the carriage, the atmosphere shifted.
I could feel the bewildered gazes of my escorts and the sticky, persistent stares of our enemies, their eyes glinting as they fixed on me.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward. My hand tightened on the carriage door.
"Agassi...?"
Beside me, Mesis wore a shocked expression. I surveyed my surroundings.
No matter how you looked at it, the situation was dire. I didn't think we could win.
At this rate, we would be annihilated.
I frowned slightly at the scene before me and the scent of blood that stung my nose, sharp enough to cause a headache.
"If I open a path, what are our chances?"
"We can't be sure. They are following the leader's orders, but... it's not clear why they are following them."
"So you're saying that even if we capture the person over there, we can't use them as a bargaining chip."
Their relationship was likely transactional.
That meant, even if we were lucky enough to open a path and capture the commander, the siege might not end.
"I thought family criminals were locked away in prison. That means someone let them out."
"That's right."
"And I know that only a direct descendant can open that door."
"Then isn't the culprit obvious? If it wasn't someone from the East, who else could it be?"
Mesis replied, lacing his pheromones with poison to keep enemies from approaching.
"No, I don't think that's it."
But I shook my head. I couldn't be certain, but...
There wasn't enough time for the Artban Gaju to arrive in the East and set up an ambush here so quickly.
Besides, to command individuals of this caliber, an average Eastern family wouldn't stand a chance.
There was no other explanation except that he had a formidable ally.
Basad's expression hardened as he spoke.
"Are you suggesting that someone is helping the Artban Gaju?"
"Yes."
I took a step forward. If my guess was correct, these people wouldn't back down even if we captured their leader.
"What do those locked in prison want most?"
"Freedom, of course."
Mesis answered as if I'd asked the obvious. Then his eyes widened as he seemed to realize why they were all gathered here.
I scanned our surroundings with downcast eyes, then spoke softly.
"I need everyone to get back. As far away as possible."
"What do you mean, Agassi?"
Hestia asked urgently, as if she'd noticed something. Her eyes were trembling violently.
Her face, contorted as if she were about to cry, seemed to intuit what was about to happen.
"We'll be wiped out if this continues anyway. The ground is already cracking. You all know that, don't you? Am I wrong?"
The Su-in who had been working from underground had all retreated to a distance and were now visible.
The ground where we stood would soon collapse. The moment it did, it would be over. I had to prevent that.
"Just as you have a duty to protect me, I have a duty to protect you."
"Agassi!"
Hestia cried out. Everyone seemed to understand my meaning, their expressions turning grim.
"I don't know how far my power will reach, but all of you, fall back. And if the Su-in aren't all wiped out, head straight for the South without looking back."
"I cannot obey."
Karma shook his head, refusing. But I said nothing and began to release my pheromones forcefully, lacing them with as much poison as I could.
Normally, when a Black Mamba uses poison, it releases a scent, but mine was odorless.
The enemies at the front, sensing my pheromones, formed a protective barrier to observe the situation, but the poison that seeped through instantly annihilated the front line and moved on to the next.
"She possesses quite a formidable ability. An Astrofel, even if she is still naive."
"Retreat to where the pheromones can't reach."
One of the enemies observing the situation quickly assessed it and conveyed the order to the front lines using his pheromones.
It was an eerily low voice.
The enemies who hastily retreated looked bewildered, but they acted swiftly on the command they received.
How long can I last?
My body swayed as my pheromones drained away.
"Agassi!"
"Hestia, calm down and fall back for now. Once the situation is under control, we can protect the Agassi. Get a grip!"
"But if she uses her power like that, the Agassi will...!"
Finally, Hestia cried out, reaching for me, but Basad blocked her.
Soon, my pheromones began to swirl like a gale, sweeping through the area.
* * *
Sage, who had quickly formed a combat unit and left the North, hardened his expression.
From a great distance, he felt a powerful pheromone. It was a power he knew well. It was too similar to the pheromones contained in the bracelet. Sensing the energy, Eve's expression stiffened.
"Doryeonnim, that absurd power... what in the world is it?"
"Dammit."
He should have realized sooner. If he had, he wouldn't have let her go like that. Sage picked up his pace.
"What on earth is happening over there, Doryeonnim? I don't understand why we're bringing such a large combat unit."
"It's complicated. Those who are fast may break formation and reach the designated location first."
"Understood."
With Sage's permission, the members of the Kiraas clan who had been in formation dashed forward at full speed.
A situation so dire that Aileen herself had to step in.
He felt like he was about to lose his mind.