novelraw Chapter 122 : The Realm of the 4th Circle (3)
Chapter 122 : The Realm of the 4th Circle (3)
A giant black wolf was racing down the slope. The sight of the house-sized demonic beast rushing forward, kicking up a storm of dust, was like a tank charging.
Due to the recent massive landslide, the path to the Blood Mountain had been narrowed to a single route. To break through the enemy's encirclement and pass, we had to face that beast.
In the original story, the key was to quickly deal with the demonic beast before being surrounded by the swarming Blood Cultists. But that was the standard approach. It meant nothing to me.
I relayed a plan to the group members via telepathy, then kicked off the ground and leaped. I then stepped on a shield in mid-air and jumped over 10 meters into the sky.
In the distance, I could see the Blood Cultists looking up at me with blank faces.
Why break through the path? We can just fly.
As discussed via telepathy, the other five also jumped, using the shield I had stepped on as a foothold.
Only then did the Blood Cultists react.
"Walking on air!!!"
"Are they all masters of the Transformation realm?!!"
"Chase them!"
Perhaps because it was night, the astonished voices from below sounded quite loud. At that moment, an arrow with a red trajectory flew in.
Ka-gang!
A dagger shot from Namgung Dohyeok's sleeve intercepted it, and then numerous arrows followed, cutting through the wind.
We each swung our swords to block them. However, we couldn't block what was under our own feet.
But after achieving the 4th circle, my shields had also become thicker than before. They wouldn't be easily pierced by this level of firepower.
Just then, the Red Demon Archer revealed himself on the hill and shot from close range. With a firepower stronger than before, the layered shield was shattered in one blow.
Namgung Dohyeok was trying his best by shooting daggers, but it was difficult to protect what was under our feet, so the shields kept breaking while we were moving.
'Still, it's bearable for now.'
I still had a surplus of mana. The higher I got from the ground, the weaker the attacks from below would become. As I was thinking that, the shield faded.
"What?"
The mana in the surroundings scattered all at once, and the foothold blurred. I tried to hold onto the disappearing mana with extreme control, but it was only for a moment before the shield itself vanished as if it had disintegrated.
A strange sensation. I had felt this phenomenon before.
'Anti-magic!'
It was the sensation I had felt when fighting Do Sogi in the battle instigated by Baek Ra-wook in the past. I lowered my gaze to look at the source of the anti-magic.
There were dozens of shamans there. They were in formation, weakening my magic. Seeing some of them with pale complexions and shedding tears of blood, it seemed they were burning their life force to interfere with me.
'This is tricky.'
Originally, shamans were beings specialized in curses. The power to scatter the mana and qi within a domain. For me, they were close to a natural enemy.
I increased the output of my circle to resist the curse imbued with anti-magic.
However, the magic nullification activated by dozens of shamans risking their lives, the sniping of the archers, and crucially, the blow of the Red Demon Archer piercing the foothold, ultimately caused the shield to break.
While falling to the ground, I quickly sent a telepathic message.
- I'll make a foothold for everyone, so as soon as you step on it, proceed with the plan I mentioned before.
At that moment, the wolf-like demonic beast took advantage of the lowered altitude and leaped.
Simultaneously, I floated six shields at everyone's feet.
Kiiing!
Cheon Ga-seong and Baek Hasin leaped into the air to face the wolf-like demonic beast, and Namgung Dohyeok disappeared somewhere. At the same time, I spread a fog magic using both water and fire magic to confuse the enemies' vision.
In the meantime, I saw Namgung Dohyeok, who had approached the Red Demon Archer, throwing a dagger.
This was actually the real plan. To close the distance and deal with the trickiest enemy, the Red Demon Archer, first.
After all, if we raised our altitude, he would have no choice but to come closer to intercept. We had induced him to close the distance by using his hunter's psychology.
It was an extension of the method of digging a trap and making them approach, just like in the fight with Oh Bin-hu.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
Soon, Namgung Dohyeok's daggers swept through the area where the Red Demon Archer was. An archer who has lost the distance is not as threatening as before. He alone should be enough.
On the other hand, Cheon Ga-seong and Baek Hasin were facing the demonic beast.
A giant wolf, 3m tall and about 8m long. It was smaller than the white tiger, but its presence was different. It was the difference between an artificially created spiritual beast and a real demonic beast.
I had deliberately sent those two. Because they both used demonic qi. Especially in Baek Hasin's case, it was with the intention of having him gain experience by facing the demonic beast's dense demonic qi.
Of course, the demonic beast was a monster on par with a super-master. Cheon Ga-seong stepped forward to face it first.
However, even while deflecting Cheon Ga-seong's sword with its claws, the wolf-like demonic beast was looking at Baek Hasin.
It had focused on Baek Hasin, not the higher-level Cheon Ga-seong.
Following its animalistic instinct, it had sensed that Baek Hasin was closer to the fundamental source of demonic power. It seemed Baek Hasin's talent shone brighter in the face of wildness.
As if my prior intention had worked, Baek Hasin was now deflecting the fangs of the demonic beast that had rushed in, emitting a dense demonic qi.
To think he could block a blow comparable to that of a super-master. It was hard to tell who the monster was anymore.
Seeing Cheon Ga-seong assisting him from the side, it seemed they would do well on their own.
'Originally, Cheon Ga-seong was supposed to catch it for him.'
It seemed to have turned out this way because Baek Hasin had grown more than in the original story. Then, all that was left was my part.
I created a foothold to stand on alone in the air and stood loftily. Below, the shamans and archers were looking down.
The enemies that I, Cho Min-ha, and Bong So had to face were approaching. Soon, arrows flew fiercely, aiming for this side.
Ka-ga-ga-gang!
I blocked them with a multi-layered shield. Although it cracked in several places from the impact, it wasn't impossible to block.
Taking advantage of the lull in the offensive, I fired magic this time.
Kwaang!
A giant vortex of fire swept away the approaching shamans and archers.
The archers, who were at least fast on their feet, hastily tried to escape, but it was already too late.
Cho Min-ha rushed in and cut their throats. Bong So, who followed behind him, did the same.
During that time, I mainly killed the shamans. There must be a faction among them that controlled the demonic beast.
As I spread my mana to survey the area, something caught my qi sense.
'Are they in the rear?'
I clicked my tongue, looking at the group of shamans visible on the hill in the distance. Targeting the shaman who controlled the demonic beast was the standard method.
I looked down at the area while continuing to block the archers' sniping. Of course, I was still firing magic indiscriminately.
"Aaaargh!"
The archers ran away, forgetting even their quivers. But even they soon fell with their necks severed.
When I spread my gaze, dozens of Blood Cultists were dead, scattering their blood on the ground. The number of remaining enemies was now less than 20 shamans and archers combined.
But there was another group approaching from a distance. About 30 Blood Fiends, who were at the lower level of the peak, and even a few Blood Demons, who were at the upper level of the peak.
It was a support force of considerable power.
'This has become troublesome.'
Of course, it didn't matter to me. I just had to rain down magic from the sky. It was just that Cho Min-ha and Bong So, who were fighting the Blood Fiends below, would have a hard time.
With a thick shield spread out, I fired magic indiscriminately at the rushing enemies. The mana of the 4th circle made that possible.
The Blood Fiends, who were rushing like wild dogs, were pierced by the several spears of flame lightning that poured down. In the deep darkness of the night, a crimson flash fell and annihilated the enemy. Like a scene of bombardment in a war movie.
A single person was overwhelming dozens of enemies. It was something only I could do in this place.
If the skill gap was overwhelming, magic was the most suitable ability for a massacre.
A spear of fire plunged into the ground. An electric shock flashed, and ice rose sharply, piercing through bodies. But the utility of magic was not limited to that.
At some point, I, who had been floating in the air, was surrounded by fog. The Blood Fiends, who had approached before I knew it, flinched, but it was already too late.
Cho Min-ha and Bong So, who had been erasing their qi sense, cut down the enemies who had fallen into the fog trap.
For Cho Min-ha and Bong So, who had transcendent senses incomparable to the likes of Blood Fiends, the fog was just a well-set stage.
The Blood Fiends, who flocked into the fog thick with the premonition of death like moths, fell one by one, scattering their blood.
The archers lost their will to fight, and even the shamans trembled in fear. The tide of the battle had been completely turned.
"Kwooooooar!"
As if the matter had been settled on Baek Hasin's side as well, a pure white sword was piercing the heart of the wolf-like demonic beast.
'Don't tell me that's powerful qi? No, it can't be.'
I muttered, glancing at the jet-black afterimage that had passed by at the edge of my vision.
And then I flew a spear of flame lightning and pierced the chest of an archer who had approached fearlessly.
At the same time, an arrow lodged itself in my shield.
I understand. They can't pierce my shield from a distance. That's why they use a hit-and-run tactic, approaching close to shoot and then fleeing.
Of course, they can't escape.
Thanks to the increased range from firing magic down from about 20 meters in the air, I could easily kill an archer more than 100m away.
If there was an uneasy part, it was the Blood Demons mixed in among the Blood Fiends. Although Cho Min-ha and Bong So were holding up well in the fog, it seemed they were struggling quite a bit as the number of Blood Demons exceeded four.
'My magic support is also a bit late to be immediate.'
But I had no intention of going down and fighting myself. Not only did I not want to take the risk, but... it was about time for them to come.
"They're here."
A dagger pierced the back of a Blood Demon's head. Two black lines of sword strikes cut the necks of the Blood Demons standing on both sides.
Namgung Dohyeok, Baek Hasin, and Cheon Ga-seong had returned.
"Let's get them now."
I said, floating a spear of flame lightning in the air and descending to the ground.
I felt a stinging gaze from somewhere, but thanks to creating a firework display with a few fallen Blood Demons using a spear of flame lightning, I was able to divert the attention elsewhere.
"What are you doing?"
I heard Cheon Ga-seong's voice asking. I rummaged through the spot where the demonic beast's head had fallen and then stood up.
"Nothing."
"Are you looking for a spirit core?"
"How greedy. Demonic beasts don't have spirit cores. If they did, they'd be spiritual beasts."
Cho Min-ha jeered from the side, but I ignored him and turned around. With a bulging leather pouch in my bosom.
And so, after dealing with most of the remaining remnants, we hurried on our way again.
In the midst of the deepening dawn of the plateau with a chilly wind, the place we arrived at was a high mountain surrounded by high peaks.
That was the entrance to the mountainous region where the Blood Mountain's entrance was.
As I was about to enter naturally, I suddenly felt a strange energy and stopped.
'The formation has been reconfigured.'
It was as if someone had patched over a broken window. In the original story, I would have just passed by, but now that it had caught my eye, I couldn't just let it go.
I injected my mana and interfered with the huge formation that was dominating the area. Perhaps because it was a formation that had already been breached, the second interference was smooth.
I turned off the signal that announced our entry and squeezed through the half-broken formation.
Now, it was really not long. Just before the point leading to the entrance of the Blood Mountain, we had to stop.
Super-masters, who had surrounded this side before we knew it, were emitting a killing intent. They were each drawing their swords or pulling their bowstrings.
(End of Chapter)