Battlefield (3)
The force was immense.
But thanks to the protective gear on my wrist, the creature’s teeth didn’t pierce my skin. The terrifying thing about beasts like this is how they shake their prey violently once they bite down. That’s when flesh tears and bones break.
Sure enough, this one instinctively shook my arm. But I had already gathered my inner strength, ready for its attack, and I wasn’t about to be overpowered. Instead, I pulled it closer and brought down the Suramyungwang Sword.
Whoosh!
Thud!
The head of the beast fell to the ground. Its body, now headless, thrashed wildly.
Swish, swish, swish!
Clang, clang, clang!
Throwing knives rained down where I stood, and more of the beasts charged at me.
I deflected the knives with my sword, cutting down the beasts blocking my path as I made my escape. Just as I was about to exit through the living gate—
Boom!
A deafening crash sounded from behind.
Startled, I turned to see walls collapsing one after another.
A beast, far larger than the others, was barreling through the walls at a terrifying speed, heading straight for me.
If I left it unchecked, it would surely destroy the entire maze.
By the time I turned to face it, the beast was already upon me, charging with such ferocity that I had to throw myself aside to avoid being crushed.
In the next instant, it twisted its body with incredible speed and rammed into me. An unexpected and powerful move.
Thud!
I was sent flying backward. Fortunately, I had summoned my protective energy just in time, avoiding any internal injuries.
Swish, swish, swish!
Throwing knives rained down where I landed. I rolled to dodge them as more beasts charged at me.
Oddly enough, I was grateful. The beasts took the knives meant for me.
I leaped into the air to avoid the spikes shooting up from the ground, sending a blade of energy toward the massive beast that had attacked me.
Whoosh!
Thud!
The giant beast was hit squarely by the energy, crashing through the back wall. Yet, despite the direct hit, it rose again, undeterred.
Its resilience was astounding.
The beast charged at me, mouth agape, spewing a deadly aura. An ordinary person would have succumbed, but not me. I cut through the aura, striking at the beast with my sword.
Whoosh!
Thud!
The Suramyungwang Sword pierced its tongue.
The beast rolled on the ground before springing back up, blood pouring from its mouth, its body riddled with knives, yet it refused to fall. Instead, the aura emanating from it grew even more intense.
More beasts lunged at me. Cutting them down, I made a decision. If I had to expend my energy, I might as well end it in one blow.
The Suramyungwang Sword floated into the air.
I leaped lightly onto the sword.
“Raaaargh!”
Sensing the danger, the giant beast let out a deafening roar.
Swoosh.
The Suramyungwang Sword, with me atop it, sliced through the air, aimed at the giant beast.
In the next moment, the sword shot forward, leaving me behind.
Flash!
Whoosh!
Thud!
The Suramyungwang Sword, now a streak of light, pierced through the beast’s neck. I had unleashed the sword technique mid-flight.
As the sword returned to me, I hovered in the air.
In an instant, the Suramyungwang Sword had pierced the beast’s neck and returned to carry me once more.
Whoosh.
Riding the Suramyungwang Sword, I flew through the maze. The beasts couldn’t keep up with its speed, and knives rained down on them.
I passed through the living gate and escaped.
＊＊＊
“Ugh!”
The Blood Merchant, who had been quietly meditating, suddenly coughed up blood.
“Are you alright?”
Jeokyo asked with concern.
The Blood Merchant shook her head, her face pale.
“My beast is dead.”
Jeokyo was taken aback.
“My goodness! A beast created from your blood is dead?”
Even a beast made from one’s own blood was formidable, but the Blood Merchant’s was on another level.
The Blood Merchant gazed at the building.
“Do you understand now why I was so cautious?”
Jeokyo nodded.
“Yes, I understand now.”
A little distance away, Hyullu and Seobulpae exchanged grave looks. They realized they were facing the most formidable opponent of their lives.
Hyullu asked worriedly, “How many beasts do we have left?”
“About half.”
“Can we break the formation with that?”
“With your beasts gone, it’s not easy with ordinary ones.”
Even with the Blood Merchant’s powerful sorcery, breaking the formation seemed impossible.
Despite the dire situation, the Blood Merchant remained calm.
She knew that worry and excitement were of no use in battle.
The more difficult the situation, the more one must face it with cold logic. Her trained mind found a solution.
The Blood Merchant looked at Hyullu.
“There’s something only you can do.”
＊＊＊
As I emerged from the formation, Galsaryang greeted me with a relieved smile.
“Thanks to you, we might be able to fend off their attack.”
Whether the formation held or broke made all the difference.
It determined whether we could see their next move. If we could force them to reveal their second move with the Black Abyss Formation, we could turn the tide of this battle in our favor.
“I’ll continue working on the second formation, just in case.”
“Please do.”
Galsaryang hurried to where the second formation was being prepared.
Baekpyo bowed to me.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
A dozen warriors from the Black Panther Unit behind him bowed as well.
They were on standby to block the enemy if the formation suddenly broke. The rest were all working on the formation.
Their eyes held genuine respect for me.
They had never imagined seeing someone ride a sword and unleash such a technique. It was like something out of a dream, and their respect was only natural. It wasn’t a bad thing. On the battlefield, it’s always best to show your utmost skill. The leader’s prowess directly affected the morale of the subordinates.
“I need to rest for a moment.”
“Yes.”
I sat cross-legged and began to meditate.
Baekpyo and the Black Panther Unit stood guard in front of me.
＊＊＊
The attacks continued.
The beasts were ravenous for slaughter.
They wanted to kill, but the maze stood in their way. They charged and smashed, again and again.
All that remained was the instinct to tear apart whatever lay beyond these walls.
Swish, swish, swish!
Thud, thud, thud!
Endless knives flew at them. Even their allies were amazed at how many knives had been hidden in this space.
Fortunately, with the leading beasts dead, the rest acted on instinct alone.
The walls crumbled one by one, and the bodies piled up.
The outcome of this battle was anyone’s guess.
＊＊＊
Two figures stood tensely.
It was Gwangdu and Gwanhui. The distant cries of the beasts were terrifying to hear. They were calming their subordinates from the Small Sword Unit and the Taeseong Sword Unit, holding the rear.
It had been a while since they last met. There was a time when Gwangdu felt competitive toward Gwanhui, but things had changed. This time, it was Gwangdu who had saved Gwanhui during the ambush.
“You’ve changed a lot.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t think I’ve changed at all.”
In truth, Gwangdu had been growing rapidly. His martial arts had improved, but more importantly, the experiences of building a new organization had been invaluable lessons.
As a result, Gwangdu’s demeanor had changed, and he seemed like a completely different person. From above, it might seem like a small change, but from below, it was significant.
“I want to be like you, Gwangmuin, but it’s not easy.”
There was a hint of envy and admiration.
Gwangdu looked at him and said, “I know you’re working hard, Gwandaeju.”
“No, I’m not.”
“There’s no need to be modest. Everyone acknowledges it.”
“Am I being too impatient?”
The most common advice Gwanhui received was not to be impatient.
“No. I think it’s okay to be impatient.”
Gwanhui was surprised by the unexpected response.
“Why do you say that?”
“In times like these, when else would you feel impatient? It’s okay to be more impatient.”
It was the first time he’d heard such advice, and Gwanhui chuckled.
Gwangdu continued, speaking sincerely.
“When I was your age, I never imagined becoming a martial artist. I think it’s the same for you. There will be times when you feel restless, and times when you feel at ease. Eventually, there will be a time of true change. A child becomes an adult, and a novice becomes a master. The important thing is not to give up until then.”
Gwanhui looked at Gwangdu for a moment, thinking how impressive he had become.
Gwanhui bowed respectfully.
“Please let me call you brother from now on.”
“Are you sure you want a brother like me?”
“What are you talking about? I’m the one who’s lacking,” he replied with a humble smile.
Gwangdu chuckled warmly. “Haha, I’m the lucky one. Where else would I find such a remarkable younger brother?”
“Thank you.”
“Once this battle is over, let’s have a proper drink.”
In the distance, the sound of a wall crumbling and the howls of the monstrous hounds echoed ominously. Their expressions grew serious.
“Don’t worry,” Gwangdu reassured him. “This big brother will keep you safe.”
“Yes, brother.”
Gwangdu glanced toward the wall, silently expressing his gratitude to Byeokridan beyond it. ‘Thanks to you, I’ve gained a wonderful brother. So… please, don’t send those terrifying creatures this way!’
He chuckled to himself, wishing he could have joked about it directly with Byeokridan.
＊＊＊
“The formation has held off their attack,” Galsaryang announced with relief just as I finished replenishing my energy.
“Oh! That’s a relief.”
“We should inspect the interior.”
“It could be dangerous, so let’s go together.”
With Baekpyo, I escorted Galsaryang into the first formation. He led the way, stepping precisely on the safe paths, and we followed his footsteps carefully.
Baekpyo and I stayed alert, wary of any surviving hounds. The ground was littered with their bodies, and the maze was nearly destroyed.
We paused, taking in the grim scene. Though these were just creatures conjured by dark magic, in a real war, the bodies would be human.
“If there had been just twenty or thirty more hounds, the maze would have been breached.”
But there was a significant difference between a complete breach and having even a small part intact. The enemy would have to make a move to get through the remaining maze, and we could anticipate their next step.
“Repairing everything will be difficult.”
It would take time, and the sheer number of bodies made clearing them a daunting task.
“Fortunately, the damage to the rear of the formation isn’t severe. If we clear the bodies and make repairs, it should function well enough to reveal their next move.”
“How long will it take?”
“About an hour.”
“Good. Start the repairs immediately.”
“Yes.”
Galsaryang returned with a dozen members of the Black Panther unit. They began clearing the bodies while Galsaryang started the repairs.
Baekpyo and I moved further ahead, keeping watch for any new intruders.
＊＊＊
One of the Black Panther members flinched while clearing the bodies. He had scraped his leg on something.
“Damn it!”
Blood trickled from the scratch.
“What happened?” his companion asked.
“Nothing.”
It was just a minor scratch, so he continued his work. Soon, all the nearby bodies were cleared, and as Galsaryang had predicted, the repairs were completed in less than an hour.