“Kuhahahahaha!”
Boom! Crash! Boom! Crash!
Amid the relentless clashing of spears, a mad laughter echoed thunderously across the battlefield. Though the fighting had quieted down somewhat, no one dared approach the source of the noise within a fifty-meter radius. Our troops looked on with expressions of dread, while the enemy trembled in fear.
“What’s this? Is that all you’ve got? Is this the end? Hahaha!”
With another thunderous strike of his spear, Gong Chan-ho laughed maniacally, his mouth stretched wide in a crazed grin. His eyes gleamed fiercely, and his clenched teeth dripped with saliva—he looked like a madman on the verge of losing his mind.
Before Gong Chan-ho lay a corpse, not just crushed but utterly pulverized beyond recognition. The Nox Lord who had been pressing Yoo Jeong just moments ago was now nothing more than a bloody pulp, as if he’d been minced like meat. The brain matter and flesh had been crushed into fragments, mixing with the blood in a gruesome slurry.
Occasionally, some parts would shudder and barely hold together, but each time Gong Chan-ho’s spear sliced through with uncanny precision, tearing the remains apart until all movement ceased.
Thud! Thud!
Suddenly, a sharp noise swept through the silent battlefield. The sound was so piercing it made even Gong Chan-ho glance over his shoulder. There, a crimson veil had descended, like an overturned bowl glowing faintly in the distance.
“Oh?”
A flicker of interest sparked in Gong Chan-ho’s eyes. A sly smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, as if he’d just discovered something entertaining.
“So, the real show begins now.”
With a joyful tone, he turned without hesitation and started running toward the red curtain.
Around the same time—
“Hey! Isn’t that a signal?”
Seonyul, standing atop the fortress wall, pointed excitedly toward the crimson veil.
“Now that the Mercenary Lord’s signal has come through, let’s—”
But as she turned to speak, her cheerful expression suddenly froze. Kim Yoo-hyun, who had been beside her moments ago, had vanished. More precisely, he was already sprinting down the fortress stairs.
“Figures. Like a true little brother,” Seonyul muttered under her breath, glancing sideways. Han So-young was still there.
“By the way, do you think we can skip checking on the Istantel Low Lord? Your beloved?”
“Round House.”
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
“Huh? What was that?”
Han So-young tilted her head, a soft violet glow shimmering over the back of her hand.
“No, nothing.”
Seonyul gave a bitter smile and shrugged.
“I’ll handle the battlefield command here, so you go on ahead.”
Meanwhile—
“Here it comes!”
From another part of the fortress wall, Je-gal Hae-sol hurriedly ran forward.
“Hmm. Looks like it’s our turn now.”
Ha Seung-woo planted one foot on a brick, trying to look imposing.
Regardless—
“I’m going on foot. So please, let me go.”
“Oh, come on. Wouldn’t it be better if we went together?”
“Eek! I-I’m going! I’m going! But I’m not quite ready in my heart yet…!”
“Huh? What kind of heart preparation? You mean your boobs?”
Je-gal Hae-sol quickly dragged Geun-won and Cha Hee-young along, then lightly perched on Geun-won’s broomstick, the ‘Chaos Somnium.’
“Then, let’s go!”
Spreading his arms wide like he was riding a roller coaster, Je-gal Hae-sol took off. Geun-won’s face showed clear displeasure, but she said nothing about getting off. Quietly chanting a spell, the broomstick carrying the three women lifted into the air.
Left behind, Ha Seung-woo watched the broomstick fade into the distance, dazed.
“Phew.”
He let out a short, unreadable sigh and quietly descended the stairs alone.
With Ha Seung-woo gone, three other women remained on the fortress wall.
“Shouldn’t we start getting ready too?” Jung Ha-yeon asked, pulling out her staff.
Sara smiled gently.
“Yes, that’s right. But I think we should summon first before moving.”
Agreeing, Jung Ha-yeon nodded, and Sara closed her eyes, focusing her energy. Just as Jung Ha-yeon hurried to gather her magic, she suddenly turned her head with a startled look.
“Vivian?”
“Hmm?”
Vivian, who had been sneaking toward the fortress stairs, smiled awkwardly.
“Where are you going?”
“Just down for a moment. The wall is too narrow.”
“Down?”
“Yeah. Actually, the legion we’re about to summon isn’t enough on its own.”
Shaking the Order of Order shyly, Vivian’s expression suddenly darkened, and she quickly disappeared. Jung Ha-yeon’s delicate lips twisted slightly.
“The legion we’re about to summon?”
After a lull, the battlefield began to shift toward a new phase.
At the center of this change was Kim Soo-hyun.
After declaring his domain, Thanatos and the demons had swiftly retreated beyond its boundaries. They knew well how dangerous his power was, especially Astaroth, who wielded black flames of the same element—an absolute disadvantage. One wrong move, and they’d be engulfed in flames and vanish in an instant.
Though Kim Soo-hyun appeared calm on the surface, he remained tense inside. The demons’ behavior was strange.
In the first round, humans had only won against the demon who controlled the whole Hell Plane because of the demon’s extreme independence. They even fought among themselves over the captured Iron-Blooded Queen.
But now, it was different. The demons, who would have once arrogantly claimed they could handle things alone, were now exchanging nervous glances, seemingly cooperating. No matter how much the past and present had changed, this was unfamiliar territory for Kim Soo-hyun.
Then—
Shhhhhh, shhhhhh!
Suddenly, the sound of flowing water filled the air, and an ominous current began to ripple in all directions. The demons sensed the change and sharpened their gazes.
In an instant, a moist breeze swept by. The demons turned their eyes and saw an unexpected sight: water particles in the air were being sucked in like by a vacuum, gathering at an incredible speed. Slowly, they coalesced, taking on uniform shapes.
Soon, shimmering blue lights began to ripple beautifully.
La la la la… la la la la…
La la la la… la la la la…
A faint, ethereal melody followed—the chorus of the Legion of Purification, hundreds of water spirits singing in unison. Kim Soo-hyun’s expression brightened at the sound.
No matter how strong Kim Soo-hyun was, facing Thanatos and all the demons at once was impossible. That’s why he sent a signal after declaring his domain—and within minutes, a response arrived. Across from the Legion of Purification, ominous red flames flickered, signaling another force rising.
Not yet.
It’s not over yet.
“Come forth!”
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out, cutting sharply through the quiet battlefield.
“Come forth! Behemoth! The final king who commands the Third Legion and conquers the enemy!”
At that moment—
Click, click, click, click…
A chilling sound of teeth grinding echoed from somewhere.
“Haha… So you finally call me.”
Almost simultaneously, a dark, ominous voice emerged from the depths, as if crawling out of a deep abyss.
Thud thud thud thud… thud thud thud thud…
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble violently. The vibrations were indescribable—like an earthquake, yet also like the thunderous pounding of hundreds, thousands of hooves trampling the earth.
“Hmm.”
Watching the scene, Melinus sighed. It was good that Kim Soo-hyun was surrounded, but now they themselves were trapped.
Even if the two spirit legions were manageable, the distant sound of instruments was so overwhelming it disturbed even Melinus. Kim Soo-hyun alone was formidable, but at this rate, he might face eternal annihilation here.
“At least, I have to stop that beast’s summoning.”
Just as Melinus prepared to quietly cast a spell—
“Ta-da~!”
Suddenly, a fresh, vibrant voice rang out, and an overwhelming magical force pierced through like a dagger. Startled, Melinus stepped back as an undeniable power brushed past him.
“Ah, what a shame. Anyway! Je-gal Hae-sol has arrived!”
Je-gal Hae-sol announced as he lightly jumped off his descending broomstick. Melinus frowned but instinctively reached out, unleashing a terrifying heat.
Analysis complete.
At that moment, a cold, biting magical seal formed directly ahead. The seal effortlessly absorbed the attack, and the heat dissipated into thick steam.
“Who are you girls?”
Sensing they were no ordinary opponents, Melinus growled.
But his adversary was Je-gal Hae-sol—today unusually, almost unnervingly, high-spirited.
Melinus spoke threateningly, but she just crossed her arms and pouted her cherry-like lips.
“Who, me? What about me?”
Then, twisting her mouth in a strange way, she mimicked his words in a ridiculous voice. Melinus looked utterly baffled by her cheeky antics.
“Is she… crazy?”
“Ebe be be be?”
“You brat! Do you really think you’ll shut that sly mouth of yours after getting your ass kicked?”
“What do you mean, ‘getting kicked’? Oh, I’m hungry—how about you just spread some jam on my bread instead?”
Was she feeling particularly bold today? Jegal Haesol smacked her lips nonchalantly and rubbed her belly. Melinus felt something snap inside his head.
It was reckless, sure, but there was no better way to provoke a demon who lived and died by his pride.
But the anger didn’t come from where anyone expected.
“Look at these idiots!”
Astaroth, who had been watching quietly, suddenly exploded in rage and lunged forward. Since Kim Suhyun was a bad match for him, cutting off his reinforcements was a smart move.
The problem was—
Crack!
“Tear their mouths apart, now! Hah!”
Before he could even get close, a massive spear crackled with violet electricity and pierced through with deadly precision. Astaroth twisted his body desperately, only to see a magical lady hurtling toward him at terrifying speed, followed by—
“Don’t you dare touch my little brother, you bastards.”
A thunderous lightning strike from the god of thunder slammed into the attackers one after another.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Ughhh.
I was so tired this afternoon that I took a quick nap, and the consequences were brutal.
I woke up to find it was already past 9 PM…
OTL
P.S. A reader asked about my other novel, Modern Magician. I’m considering it as one of my next projects and weighing various directions. :)