Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Revenge Belongs to Those Who Seek It... (3)
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The voice of the unicorn within Uragan's hilt.
Unlike its usual frivolous tone, the voice resounding in Yeomyeong's mind at this moment was profoundly solemn.
[His mind is filled with schemes to use you, yet blinded by greed, he fails to realize he is the one being used.]
“...”
[Young virgin! I shall become your strength. My eyes miss no evil, so use him in turn to save this land!]
No sooner had the unicorn finished speaking than Yeomyeong swallowed hard.
...What the hell?
He wasn't even gripping the hilt, so why was the unicorn's voice echoing in his head?
Yeomyeong kept his sword trained on Pasun as he drew the hilt from his belt.
But the hilt's condition was strange.
The hilt carved with the unicorn was emitting light on its own, as if it were a heated lump of metal.
Not the usual color of its protective barrier, but a brilliant golden light. The exact same shade as the golden seal that blanketed the valley sky.
Yeomyeong gripped Uragan's hilt tightly and addressed the unicorn's spirit within.
“...Explain what's going on.”
[Young virgin, time is short. Once all is done, I will explain myself. For now, you must stop Orse Tabul...]
“Explain.”
Only after he clutched the hilt as if to snap it did the unicorn's attitude shift.
[Are you sure? It will be a long tale, filled with the friendship and tears of one unicorn and the dwarf bloodline...]
“Short. Key points only.”
[...I too bear the mark of the dwarf bloodline. Thus, the seal's light has empowered me.]
Mark? Yeomyeong narrowed his eyes, recalling the Dun family ring that Kwon Captain had lost.
A hilt and a mark—nothing connected in his mind.
[The true rulers of the Artisan Mountains, the final mark left by the Uragan family. That is I.]
Only then did Yeomyeong remember the explanation from the arms dealer Joseph when he sold the hilt.
A hilt from an unfinished weapon that a master dwarf artisan had been crafting amid war with Stalin.
Since it had always been a dwarf's creation, calling it a bloodline mark wasn't particularly odd.
But...
“You've kept silent until now, so why team up with that lunatic and tell me to stop the dragon at this point?”
Yeomyeong demanded, looking ready to shatter the hilt at any moment.
Hadn't he just seen the dragon that once allied with dwarves go mad? No law said the unicorn in the stick couldn't do the same.
But the unicorn's response far exceeded Yeomyeong's suspicions.
[Young virgin, because you desire it.]
“...What?”
Because of me?
[The dwarves' grudge and the dragon's vengeance are mere remnants of the past. They hold no relevance to me now. Thus, I remained silent.]
The unicorn continued eloquently.
[But young virgin! The anguish tormenting you just moments ago has stirred me.]
“...”
[Unicorns guard purity and justice in life and death alike. How could I ignore a noble virgin lost between ideals and reality!]
“Noble... what?”
Hearing the unicorn's voice booming in his head, Yeomyeong debated snapping the hilt right then.
Regardless of his deliberations, the unicorn declared proudly.
[Bring the hilt before the seal! As a mark of the bloodline with authority, I shall manipulate the seal to aid you!]
The moment it finished, the first thought in Yeomyeong's mind was, *Will it work?*
“You can control the seal...”
[Indeed! I am the mark left by the Uragan bloodline, one of the nine golden houses that birthed kings. The authority gained from some nameless collateral branch like the Dun family—I can seize it at will!]
Yeomyeong's dilemma deepened. If everything the unicorn said was true? If he allied with the flying Pasun.
Then perhaps he could stop the dragon and save Manchuria.
At the very least, unlike the hopeless situation moments ago, the odds of success had skyrocketed.
The saintess's prophecy, the unicorn's words, Pasun's proposed truce, and... the dragon's wings scarred with massive wounds.
Scattered thoughts connected into one.
“...Maybe.”
Yeomyeong gripped Uragan's hilt tightly and looked at Pasun, who awaited his answer.
“Will you do it or not?”
Pasun asked, meeting his golden eyes. Yeomyeong lowered his sword and replied with a calm expression.
“Fine, we'll join hands as you suggest. But on one condition.”
“Condition?”
“No acting alone. You follow my plan.”
“Plan? As long as it's not some insane scheme...”
Pasun's eyes flicked to Uragan's hilt. He tried to hide it, but greed burned in his gaze.
Had he guessed the plan hinged on the hilt? Yeomyeong ignored it and stated the next condition.
“One more. No holding back—go all out from the start.”
“What? Once a fight starts, of course I'd go all out. What do you take me f—”
“Right now.”
Yeomyeong cut him off, and Pasun laughed. A laugh that screamed, *You?*
“Fine. I'll show you my full power right now. But first... reveal what you're hiding. Got some ultimate move?”
Ultimate move. Instead of retorting to the provocation, Yeomyeong compressed his heart with mana.
Bloodflow acceleration mimicking the monster's.
His blood vessels swelled, and blood and mana raced through his body at unnatural speeds.
Capillaries burst under the torrent, his heart screamed, but his regeneration supported his flesh in real time.
No visible change from the outside, but... Pasun quickly noticed and widened his eyes.
“...This bastard's a real monster?”
“Cut the crap. Your turn now. Don't tell me you don't have one. Ultimate move.”
Returning the light taunt, Pasun chuckled.
“Kid, don't freak out when you see it.”
With that, he gathered mana in his finger and began pressing points on his body.
First, between his brows—the mind gate.
Second, center of his chest—the jade gate.
Finally, below his navel—the sea gate.
The martial artists called them the upper, middle, and lower dantians. The moment he pressed all three.
The mana flowing from Pasun's body transformed.
Whoosh!
The mana precariously swirling around him shot skyward, igniting.
An overwhelming volume rivaling the dragon's.
A massive mana wave churned around him. Mana overflowing from flesh unable to contain it.
Grass and trees nearby fluttered wildly, along with his golden bobbed hair, as Pasun smirked.
“This enough for you?”
It was. Yeomyeong etched the mana into his eyes and extended his hand.
Soon, the two soared into the sky.
***
[Don't hide, you worms! Come out and witness justice take root in this land!!]
Under the golden sky where the mad dragon roared, the saintess held her breath.
She had fired several more shots after the first, but none matched its effect.
Even with blessings, 5.56mm rifle rounds couldn't pierce dragon scales.
So she had to aim for the mouth without scales, the eyes, or the wing membranes...
But even that was difficult. The dragon, accustomed to bullets, deftly deployed barriers to shield its weak points.
*27 rounds left.*
The saintess counted her remaining magazines and took a deep breath. She could do it. No—she had to.
As she steeled herself and rose from behind the tree.
Someone grabbed her shoulder.
!
The saintess startled.
Swallowing a scream, she turned to see four familiar faces.
“...Kwon Captain?”
Kwon Captain and the Sunjuk Mercenary Corps members. They hadn't fully dodged the dragon's firestorm, burns marring their bodies.
“Saintess. Could I ask for healing?”
“Y-Yes! Of course.”
The mercenaries' conditions were poor. Vice Captain Kim Mansu’s back was nearly cooked, the others no better.
Wounds that would kill non-superhumans. The saintess poured healing light upon them.
As healing continued, Kwon Captain scanned around and asked.
“Where's the newbie? Wasn't he with you, Saintess?”
“...That's.”
The saintess trailed off. She didn't know where Yeomyeong was or what he was doing.
She knew only the future's end. Even that, she couldn't easily reveal. It might alter fate.
“No way he ran?”
Kwon Captain narrowed his eyes. As the saintess hesitated, waiting Kim Mansu interjected.
“Captain, don't throw suspicions around in this mess.”
“...Kim Mansu, this is between the Saintess and me. No place for you.”
“Captain.”
Kim Mansu's eyes chilled. He fiddled with his hand axe and sighed.
“I get testing the newbie weirdly or hiding the mission's true purpose from us. That's your call. But doubting a comrade? Not like you.”
“...”
“What conspiracy's in this mission? What're you running from to end up this cornered—the captain I know?”
“...Government business. That's all you need to know.”
“Government? Korean government?”
“No need to dig deeper. This burden's mine alone—”
As their exchange continued, the dragon's bellow shook the valley.
[Pathetic thief, one tumble not enough? Fine! This time I'll rip your limbs apart!]
The saintess and mercenaries' gazes turned skyward.
There was Pasun, who had clashed with the dragon and plummeted moments ago, and...
“...Yeomyeong?”
Through her veiled vision, the saintess saw Yeomyeong gripping Pasun's hand, flying toward the sky.
At his belt, a rod emitted the same golden light as the seal, growing brighter as it neared.
The exact light from her prophecy.
Unknowingly halting healing, the saintess stood. She grabbed her rifle again and addressed the mercenaries.
“Kwon Captain. You want to stop the disaster, right?”
“...Saintess?”
“Then run. Now.”
No further explanation. The saintess dashed toward the valley, and the stunned mercenaries, realizing something, looked to Yeomyeong.
“Captain, we'll talk after saving Manchuria.”
Kim Mansu followed first, sheathing his hand axe and sprinting alongside her.
Kwon Captain sighed and muttered.
“Nothing left but to trust the heavens.”
The mercenaries followed suit.
***
High above the sky where the dragon spewed firebolts wildly.
“Hey, this plan for real?”
Pasun yelled, dodging incoming firebolts. Yeomyeong, gripping his hand while flying, replied calmly.
“Hate it? Bail now.”
“Fuck, can't argue with that.”
Grumbling, Pasun twisted midair with eerie footwork.
Using the recoil, Yeomyeong swung his sword, and a plummeting firebolt exploded just shy in empty air.
Boom!!
Seeing his perfect strike miss, the dragon unleashed even more spells.
[Fall, flying insect!]
Roar!
Fireballs, spears of flame, fire butterflies, massive flame walls. Spells rained down on Pasun and Yeomyeong.
“Lizard bastard...”
Pasun muttered, stepping on air. Amplified mana rippled from his dantian, forming a long trail behind him.
The jet-black line raced across the sky. Dragonfire blocked ahead, but Yeomyeong cleaved flames even while clinging to Pasun.
[Fools. Think I'll let you close the gap?]
Seeing distance shrink rapidly, the dragon flapped backward.
Superhumans flying via bizarre martial arts? Dragons were born with wings. They dominated the air.
Or so it should be.
Pasun's trajectory shifted abruptly. Not straight at the dragon, but a long arc.
Like using centrifugal force to hurl something.
If he held a gun, the dragon would barrier. A bomb? Distance itself.
But in his hand was an unfamiliar human... so its reaction lagged.
“I ain't responsible if you dieeeee!”
Before the dragon could react, Pasun twisted and hurled Yeomyeong.
An unforeseen assault. Self-destruct? The dragon belatedly tried retreating, but Yeomyeong was already upon it.
In the flying man's hand gleamed something matching the seal's light.
Unfamiliar object, yet the dragon instantly knew its contents. Unforgettable mana dwelled within.
[Uragan? Why you?]
As the dragon recoiled to reclaim the seal, Uragan's hilt met it.
Flash!
Above the glowing seal, a golden unicorn's form arose.
* * *