Back to Basics
As we left the open field behind, we continued to delve deeper into the interior. We encountered several forks in the path, some of which were familiar. However, we didn’t venture in recklessly. Although we had no intention of changing our planned route, we meticulously checked to see what lay ahead and whether there were any detectable threats before proceeding.
Naturally, this cautious approach slowed our pace. Initially, we had planned to push through without stopping, but now we were considering camping for a night. It seemed my companions understood my mindset. Without needing to say a word, they were more proactive than usual. Within the triangular formation of light created by Jeong Ha-yeon, Shin Sang-yong, and Vivian, we advanced with a much clearer view.
“Hold up.”
I raised my right hand to signal a stop and heightened my senses. Simultaneously, the brightness of the light spheres began to dim. If there were undead ahead, they might spot the light and charge at us. At the edge of my circular detection field, I sensed several presences. I scrutinized them carefully before speaking.
“About 200 meters ahead, I’ve detected the presence of undead monsters. There are about five… no, six of them. If we continue on this path, we’re bound to encounter them.”
“Can you tell what kind of monsters they are?”
In response to Go Yeon-ju’s question, I placed my hand on the ground. I felt faint vibrations through my palm and, after confirming a few more details, I replied.
“The ground is vibrating periodically. The information is faint due to the external detection, but it might be a type of golem.”
“If it’s an undead golem, it’s likely a Blood Golem.”
“I think so too.”
Blood Golems are monsters born from a kind of biological experiment. Simply put, they’re creatures created by combining multiple humans with magical effects. They’re not to be underestimated, but they’re preferable to ethereal undead since they can be damaged. Since this was a path we had to take, I decided to confront them rather than avoid them.
“Blood Golems use the bones in their bodies as weapons. They rely solely on physical attacks, but they have an extraordinary self-healing ability. Even when damaged, they quickly regenerate with the blood coursing through their bodies. Therefore, after suppressing them with magic, if we imbue our weapons with holy enchantments, we can maximize our efficiency.”
After giving out orders, I resumed our march. Since entering the Cave of Screams, we’d been on the defensive, so this time I wanted to lead us to victory without too much trouble. It wasn’t just a solo battle; it was a fight with my companions. The caravan’s mood wasn’t bad, so I felt this battle could be a turning point.
After advancing about 80 meters, we began to see five Blood Golems, their bodies oozing with blood. They were about the same size as regular golems, but their exposed red muscles and the pale protrusions between them were unsettling, like failed experiments on giant human monsters.
The creatures were wandering the wide corridor, unaware of our presence. I turned slightly to look at Jeong Ha-yeon.
“Jeong Ha-yeon, Shin Sang-yong, can you cast Feedback Control magic?”
“No problem. With double casting and an empty slot in my necklace, I can use it three times in total. If, as you say, they only regenerate internally without external influence like wraiths, we can suppress them effectively.”
“I’m sorry. I haven’t included applied magic in my abilities.”
Nodding at the positive response, I continued, including Shin Sang-yong in my gaze.
“Jeong Ha-yeon, start with the one on the far left and apply Feedback Control in order. I’ll handle the two on the right.”
“Got it. I’ll start memorizing now.”
I then turned my attention to Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, and Lee Yoo-jung.
“Ahn Sol, start chanting Holy Striking. Yoo-jung, follow me. Don’t rush in; wait for my signal. Ahn Hyun, you’ll be the main tank this time. You don’t need to deal damage. Feedback Control lasts about five minutes, so just hold out until Yoo-jung and I return.”
“Yes.”
After hearing their simultaneous responses, I addressed the remaining members.
“Go Yeon-ju, as always, please act as the keeper. Once the mages and priests have completed their roles, focus on supporting Ahn Hyun. And…”
I always asked Go Yeon-ju to be the keeper. It might seem a bit dull, but the keeper’s role is second only to the leader in importance, so she didn’t seem to mind. Seeing her make an ‘OK’ sign with her fingers, I concluded my orders.
“Vivian, please provoke the Blood Golems. Focus on slowing their movements rather than dealing direct damage.”
“Got it. Trust me.”
Though her words were slightly off, Vivian had never let me down in battle, so I chose to trust her. Soon, the simultaneous chanting of spells from Vivian and the other mages signaled the start of our battle.
“Hoo. Hoo.”
I could hear Ahn Hyun’s tense breathing. Glancing at him, he seemed a bit burdened by the role of main tank. With Go Yeon-ju in the rear, there was no risk of being wiped out, but he seemed aware that if he faltered, everyone would be in danger. I patted his shoulder reassuringly.
“Don’t be too tense. Just like when we fought the wraiths. You don’t need to deal damage. Yoo-jung and I will flank and take out two of them, then hit them from behind. Just hold out until then. You can do it.”
“Hoo. Hoo. Yes, hyung. I’ll hold out until then.”
Encouraged by my words, Ahn Hyun took a deep breath to steady himself.
”───. ───. ───.”
”───. ───. ───.”
”───. ───. ───.”
One by one, a white light enveloped Yoo-jung’s and my weapons, and a familiar magic circle began to form around Vivian. The Blood Golems, wandering 100 meters ahead, finally seemed to sense the flow of mana. One by one, they turned their bodies, and upon spotting us, let out a tremendous roar.
“Graaaah!”
“Graaaah!”
The creatures reached for the pale protrusions on their bodies, pulling them out to use as weapons, and charged at us. The grotesque sight of them pulling out their own bones made some of our group grimace. As the Blood Golems thundered towards us, Vivian completed her summoning spell.
“Come forth! Petrify! Eternal darkness that commands the 53rd Legion!”
Vivian’s clear voice rang out, followed by a shout to “Spew forth! Petrify!” A refreshing breeze swept past me, enveloping the charging Blood Golems. Observing the scene, I could confidently say Vivian hadn’t let me down.
“Grkk! Grkk!”
“Grkk! Grkk!”
The bodies of the Blood Golems, caught in the wind, began to turn ashen. The creatures, who had been charging eagerly, twisted their bodies as they slowed, and the ashen parts crumbled away, revealing their original red hue.
But the summoned Petrify’s attack wasn’t a one-off. As soon as the petrification wore off, the wind enveloped them again, turning other parts of their bodies to ash. It would have been better if the Feedback Control magic had been cast first, but since they had already spotted us, we had no choice but to use the wind to slow their charge.
Then it happened.
“Change Sand, Change Mud!”
I had thought Shin Sang-yong specialized in wind and lightning magic, but it seemed he had some proficiency in earth magic as well. The spell transformed the ground beneath the golems into a muddy quagmire, reminiscent of a swamp.
The golems, trudging forward, sank their feet into the mire, causing them to stagger. It was a bit disappointing that only their lower bodies were submerged, but it was still a success. We had bought ourselves enough time.
Finally, Ha-yeon’s long-awaited spell was unleashed.
“Feedback Control!”
Juggling three spells at once meant I was a bit slower than usual, but from an average user’s perspective, it was still impressively quick. (Suppressing feedback is a high-level spell even among advanced magic.) True to Hayeon’s nature, the blue-tinged orbs of light left a trail of azure as they shot toward the three targets I had designated. Without waiting any longer, I gently took Yujeong’s hand and led her to the right. My plan was to deal with the two creatures her spell hadn’t reached first.
After skirting around the swamp, we took up a position behind them, and the creatures nearby turned their heads toward us. As expected, the three that were a bit further away began crossing the swamp, while the two closer ones turned back, pulling their feet from the mud. I instructed Yujeong to move in and strike when I gave the signal, then twisted my sword slightly in preparation.
Up close, the creatures were truly unpleasant to behold. I could hear Yujeong spitting in disgust behind me. The remnants of Vivian’s spell still clung to their bodies, causing parts of them to petrify, only for reddish blood to bubble up and gray particles to fall away repeatedly.
The first creature to fully emerge from the swamp let out a furious roar and swung its bone club. I calculated its trajectory and sidestepped easily, closing in for an attack.
Even in their original state, these creatures weren’t in perfect condition, and Vivian’s magic had significantly hampered their movements. The left hand that followed the club was noticeably slow. Seeing an opportunity, I struck with the flat of my sword. Cutting them would only lead to immediate regeneration, so a blunt impact was more effective.
Wham!
As I struck the palm that was about to crush me, the creature’s left hand exploded, its arm twisting backward. The blood golem’s body spun halfway around from the impact, and I quickly moved in to strike twice more before it could regenerate.
Wham! Wham!
The bone club flew off and lodged in a corner, and the muscle in its right thigh ruptured as well. The creatures’ regeneration wasn’t limitless. The magic within them tried to repair the damage quickly, but simultaneous hits slowed the process. Watching the creature stagger back, I decided it was enough and activated my third eye. Then I gave Yujeong her first command.
“Blood golem, three centimeters left of center!”
There was no verbal response. Instead, Yujeong’s hair whipped past me on the right, and I clicked my tongue, turning my body. Her reaction time had improved, but her battlefield awareness was still lacking. A blood golem was approaching from the right, so moving left would have been safer. The spot I had told her to strike was on the left, after all.
I decided to address it later. For now, I had to stop the blood golem from intercepting Yujeong.
The creature that had arrived late swung its bone club at Yujeong as she passed in front of it. She glanced to the side and tried to dodge, but I deflected the attack, allowing her to continue her charge.
“Haah!”
With a spirited shout, she thrust her katana and skurep into the spot I had indicated. Infusing her weapons with holy magic and her own power, her dagger pierced the golem’s skin effortlessly, striking the magic core within.
“Uwooooh!”
The blood golem let out a deafening scream as its core was damaged. Stepping back to assess the situation, I saw that its self-repair had indeed stopped. Its left hand had regenerated, but the areas I had struck were still gaping holes. The creature began to tremble, and reading its state with my third eye, I urgently shouted to Yujeong.
“Lee Yujeong! Get back!”
”…Huh?”
Sensing something amiss, Yujeong tried to retreat, but the golem’s destruction was happening too quickly due to her precise strike on the core.
Crack! Crackle! Ssshhh…
With a sickening sound of flesh bursting, Yujeong was caught in the aftermath, drenched in the golem’s remains.
…
After a brief moment, the downpour of blood ceased. Standing there, her mouth tightly shut, was Lee Yujeong, covered head to toe in gore.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yujin.
It’s Sunday, and here’s another installment. I was feeling unusually sluggish today and wondered if I could write, but once I turned on my ultrabook, my fingers started typing on their own. Haha. We’re about halfway through
『 Reader Comments 』
MTBear: Congratulations on being first! And thank you for the coupon. () Could you let me know what that 2% is? I always welcome valuable advice. If you have time, please send me a private message. ()
HumanLife: Haha. HumanLife, I was surprised to see your comment at midnight. However, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from excessive commenting. Yesterday, you posted nearly 40 comments on a single chapter. ㅜ.ㅠ Since the comment section is shared with other readers, I kindly ask for your understanding. (__)
LikeTheWind: Ang! I won’t use it. Yesterday’s mention was just a joke in the author’s note. :)
GradeRown: Oh, come to think of it, I didn’t smoke! What? Smoking?! I think it would have been interesting to go in that direction. I couldn’t bring myself to do it, though, as it would have caused quite a stir among some readers. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
PunishmentDrink: It won’t be every day. I didn’t share my ID, but it seems you’ve made a purchase. (…….) You know the site, the title, and even the comments, so… ㅜ.ㅠ
ThousandBloodGod + OfficeLove19: I have a great idea. I’ll introduce ThousandBloodGod and OfficeLove19 to each other. I’m sure you’ll get along well. I guarantee it. Go on, meet each other! Hurry!
BiHaryeon: Hehe. I smoke Pallxxxx Laxx. Other brands just don’t suit my taste. -_-a
hohokoya1: I also feel like I’m watching a battle when I see the first comment. I’ll try to be the first to comment on this chapter too. Since it’s daytime, I think I have a chance. Haha.
HyunOh: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ. That was a clever comment. It’s true that Ansol subtly snuggled up. Hehe.
gkgngh: For a moment, I thought you were talking about my actual head, and it gave me chills. You meant hair, right? Right?
juan: Ahem. No, it’s not. I do want to tease Ansol! And Vivian too! But I’m not an S!(?!)
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