Blood Battle (4)
A heavy silence settled over the newly repaired formation.
Only about a fifth of the maze formation was operational.
Galsaryang and the Black Panther warriors had exited the maze and were busy setting up the flame formation.
Near the broken wall, the bodies of the demon hounds were piled up, cleared away by the Black Panther warriors to facilitate repairs.
One of the bodies twitched. It was the very one that had been moved by a warrior who had earlier suffered a scratch on his leg.
Sssssss.
The belly of the corpse split open vertically, revealing someone hidden inside.
Covered in blood, it was none other than Hyullu.
During the chaos of the demon hounds’ frenzied attack, he had managed to infiltrate this place. A master of his craft and an expert in formations, he knew how to conceal his presence using a secret technique.
The scratch on the warrior’s leg hadn’t been from a demon hound’s claw. It was Hyullu, hidden within the corpse, who had implanted a blood parasite into the warrior moving the body.
The blood parasite, capable of infiltrating the brain through the bloodstream, allowed Hyullu to control the victim’s will. It was a secret technique only he could wield.
Hyullu glanced at the remaining maze formation with an enigmatic smile before vanishing without a sound.
＊＊＊
Inside the second formation, Song Hwarin was leading the installation of the flame formation.
She was learning a great deal from this experience, not just about formations but also about leadership and guiding others.
“Let’s push a little harder and pick up the pace!”
“Yes!”
The Black Panther warriors responded energetically to Song Hwarin’s encouragement.
Everyone was working diligently, their spirits lifted by the maze formation’s successful defense against the demon hounds.
They realized anew the importance of the formation. Without it, the thought of facing the demon hounds directly was terrifying.
The formation was their shield, protecting their lives.
There was another reason for the Black Panther warriors’ enthusiasm.
It was Song Hwarin.
Though they had only known her for a few days, she was already immensely popular among them.
First, she was beautiful—so stunning that it was hard to look away. But beauty alone wouldn’t have garnered such admiration.
In addition to her beauty, she was strong. Her martial skills were clearly superior to those of the Black Panther warriors.
To warriors who valued strength, her prowess was even more attractive than her beauty.
Moreover, her personality played a role. Despite being the betrothed of their leader, Byukridan, she didn’t look down on them. Instead, she led by example and worked hard alongside them.
In such circumstances, who could dislike her or neglect their work?
Song Hwarin spoke to Galsaryang.
“I’m worried I might be slowing down the work.”
Even with Galsaryang’s support, it was slower than doing the work directly.
Galsaryang laughed and replied, “Thanks to you, the work is actually going faster.”
The Black Panther warriors were working hard to impress her.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Haha, never mind. Let’s get back to work.”
“Yes!”
As they worked, a Black Panther warrior asked his colleague, “Are you alright?”
The man turned his head. He was the one who had earlier scratched his leg while moving a corpse.
“Why do you ask?”
“Your eyes are bloodshot. You look exhausted.”
“I’m fine.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Both men thought little of it. Considering the grueling training they had endured, a little fatigue was nothing.
“We need to finish the formation. Just thinking about those terrifying hounds is chilling.”
The man continued moving supplies, seemingly oblivious to his colleague’s words.
His unusual behavior was noted, but it was dismissed as fatigue.
The work continued.
＊＊＊
I stood on the rooftop, gazing at the forest beyond the wall.
Somewhere in those woods, the Blood Merchant was waiting for us. I wanted to rush out and eliminate them all, but it wasn’t that simple.
After a long silence, Cheonma asked me, [What are you thinking about? Is something worrying you?]
[Everything seems to be going too smoothly.]
[What? You’re worried because things are going well?]
[It’s made me question something.]
[What is it?]
[Why did the Blood Merchant push so recklessly? Even when the large demon hound died, nearly half of them remained. Despite the loss of their leaders, they threw everything at us. Why?]
[Maybe they have to use them all once summoned.]
[If that were the case, wouldn’t they have joined the next attack? That’s what I would have done.]
[I wouldn’t have sent those damn beasts in the first place.]
[Haha. Maybe I’m overestimating them.]
[Stop evaluating and just go out there and kill those bloodthirsty bastards.]
[I wish I could.]
I jumped down from the roof and entered the formation.
I encouraged the workers as I inspected the formation.
＊＊＊
That night, a Black Panther warrior awoke from his sleep.
It was the same man who had earlier injured his leg. A small red dot marked the center of his forehead, barely noticeable unless seen in bright light.
He left the building, telling the guard at the entrance he was going to the restroom, and headed outside.
But instead of the restroom, he went to the formation. Though his appearance and speech were unchanged, he was no longer himself. His actions were controlled by the blood parasite in his brain.
Avoiding the eyes of his fellow guards, he entered the formation.
The second formation was filled with construction materials, and at this late hour, it was deserted.
He passed through to the maze formation. Having followed Galsaryang on the first day to clear the bodies, he knew the location of the life gate.
He navigated the maze formation through the life gate.
Outside, someone was waiting. It was the Blood Merchant and two hundred blood swordsmen.
“Step exactly where I step,” he instructed awkwardly, re-entering the maze formation.
The Blood Merchant and the blood swordsmen followed him through the maze.
Though they passed through, the maze formation didn’t attack them as they moved precisely along the life gate.
The first to enter was the Blood Sword Master, followed by Hyullu, Jeokyo, Seobulpae, and the Blood Merchant. The two hundred blood swordsmen followed in a line.
Hyullu briefly left the group.
The Blood Merchant, Jeokyo, and Seobulpae had already moved ahead, unaware of his departure. They were focused solely on the path ahead.
Hyullu walked over to a pile of demon hound corpses, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease.
He approached the very pile he had hidden in the day before.
Hyullu tilted his head slightly. Something was different. Different from when he had last emerged.
‘What has changed?’
But that wasn’t the important question.
‘If someone tampered with this, why?’
In the next moment.
Shing!
Thud!
A sword pierced Hyullu’s chest. It was so fast he had no time to react.
Hyullu stared in shock at the sword impaling him. He had never experienced such a swift ambush.
The sword had emerged from the demon hound’s corpse in front of him.
Hyullu staggered back.
Splat!
As the sword was withdrawn, blood gushed from his chest. He narrowly avoided instant death, but it was a critical wound.
Rip.
The demon hound’s belly split open, and someone emerged.
＊＊＊
The person who tore through the corpse was me.
I looked at the stunned Hyullu and said, “So it was you, hiding here.”
Hyullu, bewildered, asked, “How did you know I was hiding?”
“You should have cleaned up after yourself.”
While meticulously inspecting the formation, I had noticed the corpse with a slit belly, realizing someone had hidden inside.
Shing!
Thud!
This time, my sword found its mark in his heart. I couldn’t risk giving him time to use any sorcery.
Hyullu, flailing in a desperate attempt to escape, collapsed lifelessly.
Other blood swordsmen rushed toward us. The Blood Merchant and many others had already entered the maze, with the remaining blood swordsmen following.
Shing!
A sword aura shot from my blade, targeting a small pillar beside the formation. This was the key to my counterattack.
Crash!
The pillar shattered, shifting the location of the life gate. I had asked Galsaryang to set up a mechanism to change the life gate’s position from outside. With the life gate moved, the maze formation activated.
Shhhhhh!
Screams erupted from the blood swordsmen who had been following the footsteps of those ahead.
＊＊＊
The Blood Merchant, Jeokyo, Seobulpae, the Blood Sword Master, and about thirty blood swordsmen had made it through the maze.
As she followed the man, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
“Hold on.”
“Is something wrong?”
At Jeokyo’s question, the blood merchant glanced around.
“Aren’t they supposed to be setting up the second formation here?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then why aren’t they working on it now?”
“Probably because it’s nighttime.”
“Even in such urgent times, they stop working just because it’s night?”
Just as suspicion flickered in her eyes, a rumbling sound erupted behind them.
Rumble.
The formation suddenly activated, followed by the sounds of an attack and screams.
“Why did the formation activate all of a sudden?”
“Someone must have accidentally triggered the death gate instead of the life gate.”
At that moment, another person emerged from the formation.
It was me, stepping out after navigating the maze through the altered life gate.
Recognizing me, she looked dismayed.
“It was a trap.”
Everyone who entered the maze would perish inside. The Blood Path was dead, and those who could lead them were all here.
Even those waiting in line at the back would eventually try to force their way through the maze, knowing their leaders were inside.
She sighed as she looked at me.
“Damn it! My gut feeling is always spot on.”
Though her words sounded resigned, I knew she hadn’t given up on anything.
From the rear, Baekpyo and the Black Panther squad appeared. On the opposite side, my father and Song Woo-kyung arrived with their respective sword teams.
“Kill them!”
Both sides clashed. Baekpyo faced off against Seobulpae, Jeokyo against my father, and the Blood Sword Master against Song Woo-kyung.
We had the numbers, but in terms of martial skill, we were outmatched.
I intended to kill the blood merchant with a single strike of my sword technique. Once she was gone, the rest would be easy to handle. She was the most formidable threat.
Swish.
Just as my sword rose to target her, she spoke coldly.
“If I die, everyone here dies.”
“What do you mean?”
“The moment I saw you, I began the incantation for the Blood Explosion Technique. It’s ready now. If I die, my body will explode, and this entire estate will be reduced to ashes.”
The Blood Explosion Technique.
I had read about it in the secret archives of the Justice Pavilion, a technique used by the Blood Empress to ensure mutual destruction.
Her words were true. Her eyes had turned crimson, a sign that the technique was active.
“Of course, you might survive. It’s a technique meant to take you with me, but if you alone survive, that would be quite ironic.”
Her determination to escape this crisis by hinting at others’ deaths was palpable.
I slowly surveyed the scene. Everyone was locked in fierce combat. If I delayed any longer, someone I cared about might die.
“What do you want?”
I asked, and she replied.
“Let us leave unharmed.”
Our gazes locked in the air. She wouldn’t fall into another trap. Next time, it would be us who would perish.
“No!”
The moment I refused with a single word—
Flash!
The Suramyeongwang Sword, suspended in the air, blazed with light and shot forward.