Chapter 136: 9-Quad. An Unfavorable Fight
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 136: 9-Quad. An Unfavorable Fight
"Aaaargh!"
A blood-curdling scream tore from Seo-un’s throat—the same man who had once lunged at the Heavenly Demon even as his body was consumed by the agony of fire.
This pain, which began in his eyes and seared inward as if his very soul were being incinerated, was not something a human was meant to endure.
"Hyung!"
Gi-chan’s brow furrowed as lightning crackled in both his hands. He charged toward the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven.
He wasn't the only one. Sensing that something had gone terribly wrong, the entire team took up combat stances, preparing for a showdown with the Great Sage.
Even as Gi-chan rushed him, the Great Sage kept one eye closed and ignored him entirely. He stared at Seo-un with a look of profound dissatisfaction.
Just as Gi-chan was about to unleash his lightning, Seo-un, covering one eye with his hand, stepped in his way.
"I-I’m okay."
Behind him, the Great Sage spoke.
"My eyes are engraved upon the soul. You didn't think you could receive eyes that pierce through all creation without paying a price, did you? Let me introduce myself once more. I am a soul split using the Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils as a medium. A clone of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, born from his deception. I am Shin-yo."
As the pain began to subside, Seo-un turned back to the Great Sage and asked, "Does each clone have a different name?"
"Indeed. We are parts of the Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, who was once a single entity. Shin-geum, who split away with his bones, carries the Great Sage’s pride. Shin-hwa, who split away with his flesh, carries his wrath. Deception, pride, and wrath. When the three of us gather, his soul and body will become whole, and we shall become the perfect Great Sage, Equal of Heaven."
Hearing the words deception, pride, and wrath, Seo-un wanted to ask if there weren't any better personality traits available, but he realized that asking for more from the Great Sage was a lost cause and gave up.
Just as Seo-un was about to open his left eye, now that the pain had completely vanished, the Great Sage began to fade away, uttering his final words.
"The next time you call for me, I hope it is because you have encountered another clone."
As the Great Sage vanished like a passing breeze, Seo-un opened his closed eye.
As his blood-red pupil opened, revealing a grotesque sight, Seo-un began to survey his surroundings. He saw a world entirely different from the one he had known.
He could see the energy that composed the wind brushing past him, along with its beginning and end. He saw every trace of energy that made up the trees and grass, and the flowing Qi channels within them.
He could even see the natural energy that formed the foundation of everything; it felt as though he were watching the massive gears that kept the world turning.
"Hyung... are you okay?"
When he turned to look at Lyle, who had approached him with concern, he could clearly see the rings of the Mana Circles starting from his heart.
Watching a Mage manipulate mana was fascinatingly different from a Martial Artist.
In Li Lingwei, he saw Qi and blood moving differently than in Jin Long, and in Nam Sa-gwang’s body, he saw an abnormally enlarged Lower Dantian.
Seeing the energy flowing through the unique Qi channels of each Martial Artist made him as giddy as a child in a toy store.
And the moment his gaze landed on Dump, Seo-un understood the fundamental difference between a Knight and a Martial Artist.
Unlike a Martial Artist, who first senses Qi and moves it to develop both energy and body together, a Knight moves their body first, and the energy follows as a result.
The essence of the energy was also slightly different. Rather than human energy, it was closer to natural energy—untainted, almost like mana. By practicing a skill tens of thousands of times, the energy naturally begins to move, and the skill is perfected.
"So that’s how it is."
Even though he had only just obtained the Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils, the world seen through the Great Sage’s perspective was incredibly intriguing.
"Ugh!"
Lost in his observations, Seo-un suddenly clutched his eye and stumbled.
"Seo-un!"
Li Lingwei rushed to his side and supported him.
"I’m fine."
Gently pushing her hand away, he closed his left eye for a moment. When he opened it again, the blood-red pupil had returned to its original brown.
"Can you control it?"
Seo-un nodded at Gi-chan, who asked with curiosity.
"Yeah. It’s more like I’ve gained an ability rather than just receiving an eye. I should probably increase the usage time gradually."
He felt everyone’s curious gazes on him, but Seo-un used his Lightness Skill and spoke as he moved.
"For now, let’s focus on the task at hand."
His teammates followed close behind.
"Where do you plan to go first?"
At Jin Long’s important question, Seo-un activated the map, pondered for a moment, and then placed a ping.
Seeing the six pings he had placed, Jin Long nodded with a smile.
"Since the word has been spread, the Martial Artists here will likely focus on large cities or towns. We’ll move toward the relatively isolated areas instead."
Jin Long followed Seo-un, looking at his back with a warm gaze, touched by the consideration shown in his orders.
When he first learned that his master had performed the Great Blood-Born Demon Method on Seo-un, he couldn't understand what his master had been thinking to do something so dangerous. But looking back now, he thought that perhaps his master had seen through to the core of Seo-un’s character.
Looking at Seo-un’s pings on the map, Jin Long placed detailed pings on nearby farming villages or slash-and-burn settlements he knew of along the way.
"It would be best to follow my pings. I know every inch of this area."
"Yes! Everyone, stay sharp. An attack could come from anywhere."
*
A young Mage, bleeding and gritting his teeth, seethed with rage.
"You bastard!"
The Mage was furious at the appearance of a man who was effortlessly destroying his Blood Golems and overwhelming his squad.
"Crow! We have to run!"
A Knight, struggling to hold back the man’s attacks while maintaining an Aura Barrier of golden light over two shields, shouted out.
"I can't just leave! I told myself I’d never do this again... but I suppose it doesn't matter."
A red gem appeared in the hand of Crow, a Black Mage wanted in almost every empire. As the man known as a master of Black Magic and ranked 13th in Cloyd’s rankings curled his lips into a smirk, a wave of mana far more intense than anything before erupted from him and shot into the sky.
His eyes gleamed with murderous intent as he watched the gem crumble into dust.
Krrr-grrr!
"Not that again! Everyone, cluster up! Avoid those clones!"
A Knight, trying to save his teammates—half of whom were already dead—gritted his teeth and let go of the comrade he was helping.
"Valia Moon!"
Just as Crow blinked to his gathered teammates and finished his incantation, he and four of his companions vanished. Seeing this, the Heavenly Demon, left alone, destroyed the remaining golems in a single blow.
"They got away."
Even as he said this, the Heavenly Demon looked up at the sky, and the surrounding energy began to swirl around him like a vortex. The energy gathering in his Middle Dantian was unleashed the moment he spotted something sparkling and falling from the sky.
His Nascent Soul, carrying the full weight of the gathered energy, shot upward, piercing straight through the falling meteor. Immediately after the Nascent Soul punched a hole through it, the meteor, riddled with cracks, shattered and began to crumble like grains of sand.
The Heavenly Demon’s expression was grim as he watched the meteor vanish, leaving only a shimmering trail across the sky. He himself wasn't particularly bothered by such magic, but he had seen the consequences of that spell several times before.
"..."
After watching his Nascent Soul return for a moment, the Heavenly Demon’s figure vanished into the wind.
*
"It’s still... warm."
At Gi-chan’s words, spoken as they looked at the corpses strewn everywhere, Seo-un clenched his fists. The thought that his world, his acquaintances, and his family could end up like this made it impossible for him to remain calm.
His left eye turned blood-red.
Through the Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils, he began to see many things in the corpses that he hadn't noticed before. The movement of the swords that killed them. The types of magic and energy used. And even the faces of the killers. From blurry shapes to clear forms, from black silhouettes to vivid colors.
He could even see exactly where they had gone.
Seo-un then focused his half-full Immortal Demonic Energy into his Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils. Along with a searing pain, his eye emitted a red light.
"Ugh!"
Enduring the pain, he focused his vision and saw the bastards moving in the distance. He couldn't hear them, but he could clearly see their faces as they laughed and chatted excitedly.
Just as Seo-un was about to withdraw his Immortal Demonic Energy, his vision suddenly surged past them, revealing a slash-and-burn village ahead. Seo-un’s face turned pale as he saw the village, which consisted mostly of the elderly and children.
"Ugh!"
As he withdrew his Immortal Demonic Energy, his glowing red eye lost its light. Li Lingwei and Juriel both rushed to support him, but Seo-un pushed their hands away and shouted.
"There’s no time! We have to go now!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Seo-un stumbled forward using his Lightness Skill. The expressions of the teammates following him grew heavy.
"Did you... see something?"
At Jin Long’s question, Seo-un looked at Ri-min and Gi-chan, who were flanking him.
"There’s a slash-and-burn village in the path of the ones who committed this massacre."
Jin Long tilted his head as he checked the map and the direction Seo-un was heading.
"What? That can't be..."
Despite Jin Long’s doubt, Seo-un described what he had seen. Li Lingwei nodded at his words.
"Slash-and-burn villages... are often formed when adult men are killed or conscripted, and the survivors flee into the mountains to protect the vulnerable. To protect the women and children left behind..."
Jin Long’s expression also hardened as she trailed off. One thing came to mind regarding a village composed mainly of the elderly and children.
"The Maiden-Snatchers..."
"Probably."
Hearing the conversation between Jin Long and Li Lingwei, Gi-chan quickly asked, "What’s that?"
"When a conscription order is issued for a region... there are bastards who kidnap the women of those villages to sell them. I heard that recently, there was a massive conscription in the Gangbuk area to build Great Ships and reinforce the border walls... and the Maiden-Snatchers have been thriving in the aftermath."
The world was vast, and it was full of trash.
Piecing their conversation together, it meant that the sons of the elderly had been dragged off to serve the country, and the mothers of the children had been kidnapped and sold. These demonic bastards were now heading for the people who had hidden in the mountains to escape such a fate.
Though it was only for a moment, the rage that surged within Seo-un was enough to wash away the throbbing pain in his head and eye from using the Clairvoyance. The fury filling his chest made it impossible to think rationally. The only thought in his mind was the desire to tear those bastards apart.
As a sinister murderous intent began to radiate from Seo-un, Jin Long frowned and spoke quickly.
"Junior! Maintain your composure!"
"Ah!"
Startled back to his senses, Seo-un felt the something that had been paralyzing his reason shatter and vanish. While the other teammates covered their ears and winced at Jin Long’s internal-energy-infused Lion's Roar, Seo-un simply turned to him and nodded.
"A heart demon can strike at any time. Your body and spirit are currently unstable. Be careful."
"Yes, Senior."
Regaining his calm, Seo-un recalled what he had seen through his Clairvoyance.
"It seems the enemy might be more than just one Quad."
"Then what?"
Lyle, who was flying his Air Board close to Seo-un out of concern, asked. Seo-un’s eyes sharpened as he answered.
"They had tattoos on their necks and wrists. It was a symbol of crossed spears beneath a sun."
"If they’re a guild..."
Ri-min finished Juriel’s trailing sentence.
"Ten thousand people are participating in this game. Their guild membership won't be small."
Jin Long gritted his teeth at Ri-min’s words.
"If any Martial Artist of this world has taken part in this massacre...!"
He didn't finish his sentence, but his face, contorted in a way that didn't suit his righteous nature, made his intentions clear.
As soon as they entered the forest, Gi-chan and Lyle unleashed their magic. Gi-chan’s Lightning Chain and Lyle’s Water Cannon were fired. The sound of the electric shock, combined with the water pressure that erupted from the ground, shattering the enemy’s barrier ahead, reached their ears.
The enemies, who had been moving leisurely, immediately shifted into combat stances upon the sudden magical ambush. Normally, they would have used a surprise attack to thin the enemy's numbers, but Seo-un’s team, needing to halt the enemy's progress immediately, had no other choice.
"Three Mages! Five Martial Artists, one Knight."
The squad’s response was quite fast, with the Mage briefing the others on the enemies approaching from behind as they formed their positions.
"Focus on the Knight!"
At the shout of the man whose face was hidden by a mask—the apparent leader of the squad—a unique individual with a blue gem embedded in his forehead extended his staff toward the backs of the Knights guarding the front.
Whoosh!
As light erupted from his staff and enveloped the Knights, they roared with surging strength and confidence.
"Aaaargh!"
The roaring Knights downed purple potions from their subspace. And the individual who had buffed the Knights kissed a ring on his hand, causing two golems made of black mud to rise from the ground.
The squad—composed of four Knights, one Martial Artist, four Mages, and one Alchemist—waited for the approaching enemies with confidence.
Boom!
A Mage frowned as he used the same magic to neutralize a massive boulder that had come flying toward them, tearing up the ground.
"He has a high Magic Penetration stat!"
Before he could even finish his sentence, a bolt of lightning thundered from the sky and shattered the enemies' layered barriers. At the same time, the confidence of the Knights blocking the charging Martial Artists was instantly crushed.
"He-he’s a Martial Artist who can manipulate Aura!"
Clang! Clang!
While Jin Long and Li Lingwei’s Aura was somewhat unstable, allowing the skilled Knights to defend reasonably well, the same could not be said for Nam Sa-gwang and Seo-un.
Nam Sa-gwang, swinging Hand Aura from both hands, and Seo-un, who unleashed Aura that looked like animal claws, instantly tore through two of the Knights. In particular, the Knight caught by Seo-un collapsed, his intestines spilling out before he could even mount a proper defense.
"Request backup!"
The masked man, watching the situation from the back, shouted as he lunged at Seo-un.
Clang!
The masked man was clearly a Martial Artist, but he blocked Seo-un by manifesting an Aura Sword. The masked man, whose mask was distorted as if he were scowling fiercely, glared at the sudden enemies and shouted.
"There’s no need for us to do this to each other in this game!"
"You bastard!"
Jin Long, his rage reaching its peak at those words, roared and thrust his sword at him.
Clang!
His unstable Aura collided with the man’s Aura Sword, sending sparks flying in all directions.
"Is this how a Martial Artist of the same world should act? And you’re one who has studied the Sahyeop Sword!"
The Sahyeop Sword was a technique of the Seongeom Sect, a pillar of the Murim Alliance renowned for its righteousness.
"I only got it as an item! It has nothing to do with the Seongeom Sect!"
As the man shouted and lunged forward to silence Jin Long, Seo-un’s low voice drifted from behind him.
"Then why are you wearing a mask?"
Slash!
Simultaneously, the man’s left arm flew into the air.
"Ugh!"
Clang-clang!
The man, swinging sword energy in all directions, retreated significantly. Glaring at Seo-un, he pulled out a scroll. Just as he put the scroll in his mouth to tear it, his head suddenly fell off.
The falling head spun, catching sight of another Seo-un who had struck his neck. Confusion flooded his eyes as the light of life faded away.
"It’s poison!"
Li Lingwei’s lethal techniques poured out as she slipped through the gap in the Knights' defense. Her poison arts mercilessly tormented the Mages, and even Lyle and Juriel did not hesitate to burn and crush their enemies.
There was not a hint of hesitation on their faces as they unleashed magic designed to inflict the maximum possible pain.
Aaaargh!
As the desperate screams ended, Lyle picked up a crystal dropped by the enemy Alchemist. Lyle’s expression was grim as he looked at the shimmering crystal.
"It’s a Synchro Jewelry."
When Seo-un looked puzzled, Juriel explained for him.
"If you split a crystal that was originally one, the pieces resonate toward each other. Those who have the other pieces of this crystal are likely heading this way."
Lyle held the crystal and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he spoke with a dark expression.
"Eight... teams. Eight teams are approaching, even though they know what’s happening here. Judging by the resonance, it won't even take half a day for them to arrive."
"Let’s evacuate the people from the slash-and-burn village first."
At Jin Long’s words, Seo-un shook his head.
"There’s no time for that. How far can the elderly and children get in half a day?"
Jin Long gritted his teeth at Seo-un’s words.