Chapter 278

Kieeek!

Kyaaaak!

Guoooo─!

The moment Bloodrot waved his hand, a considerable number of specters began revealing their presence from the depths of the forest.

Ten, twenty. And before we knew it, up to fifty.

The generals who saw that absurdly large army opened their eyes wide and let out sighs.

“H-how could there be this many specters in our Hawon Clan’s territory…”

“Kekeke, you lot, busy suspecting and criticizing each other, probably failed to notice. The preparations were finished long ago.”

We had considered there might be hidden forces, but seeing it become reality, there was no situation more daunting than this.

According to Appraisal, their Levels ranged from 40 to 60.

Most were insignificant specters, but among them were definitely some that could hold us back.

“Hmph! Don’t waste your breath! If things come to this, our Five Origins and Two Origins will also be prepared to resist and send troops!”

Indeed, now that it’s become a fight for the clan’s fate, they too have no reason to hold back their full strength.

Yet, Bloodrot’s reaction was minimal.

“Do you think only a few generals have joined my cause?”

“What?”

“Nearly half the forces of the Hawon Clan have already joined me. By now, your residences too must be seas of fire.”

“Y-you, this heaven-defying scoundrel!”

It wasn’t bluster or a lie. From Bloodrot’s utterly calm expression, we could intuitively sense that much was true.

He had already finished all preparations before we even arrived, and now he was merely revealing them. He truly was a meticulous and wicked man.

Ha Sadam, his expression hardened, subtly approached me and spoke.

“This… is a difficult fight. Is there no other way?”

“There are a few things that come to mind, but none are certain.”

In truth, if we thought extremely, we could prioritize our own safety and withdraw.

Of course, Bloodrot would likely target us intensively, but even so, we could probably manage to escape somehow.

‘However, if we do that…’

It would mean automatically abandoning the people of the Hawon Clan.

Furthermore, in that case, even the other generals might turn against us this time.

In this delicate situation where every option was problematic, it was Han Seoa and Arietta who presented a breakthrough.

“Junior, remember what we talked about last time?”

“…Last time, you say?”

“Before arriving at Jinyeonsan, that group of exorcists who mistook their target and chased us.”

I definitely remembered such a story.

They had mistaken Arietta for the specter they were originally pursuing, engaging in a long chase, and only with great difficulty managed to clear up the misunderstanding, or so they said.

As I made a face that said ‘surely not’, this time Han Seoa opened her mouth.

“That specter was Bloodrot, Oppa. The name and characteristics all match. So I already sent the signal.”

In Han Seoa’s hand was a yellow talisman, split in half, that she was holding without us noticing.

Regarding it, Han Seoa said this:

“They left us with a request before we parted. If we ever learned of Bloodrot’s whereabouts, to use this talisman.”

There were three ways to use the talisman, and breaking it meant…

“It’s the signal that we’ve found Bloodrot directly, so they’ll be here soon. Riding a flying Divine Beast.”

Normally, sending a signal wouldn’t guarantee immediate support, but it seemed they possessed a Divine Beast that made it possible.

While marveling that a past, casually formed connection had become the wedge for a counterattack, I quickly sorted the situation and continued my calculations.

‘If they declared they would capture Bloodrot, they too must possess considerable combat power.’

I could feel it intuitively. From now on, it would likely become a muddy fight where each side’s objectives would intertwine.

But on the other hand, that very fact felt like an opportunity.

‘Right, if it’s like this, then rather…’

We’ll definitely deal with Bloodrot here and now.

He is clearly someone who will become an obstacle for us later, one way or another.

If we can eliminate him now, it would be the greatest achievement above all else.

Having made my decision, I subtly signaled to the group.

The will for a decisive battle.

Confirming it, everyone scattered like lightning and began deploying their respective Art Formulas.

“Taoist Method, Eight Trigrams Star Sky. Three Trigrams. Raging Downpour!”

“Clear Chain Binding! Linked Wave Slicer!”

Cheong Joohwa and Shin Pyoeul, who completed their Art Formulas first, initiated the first strike, and the rest of the comrades also entered combat, each choosing their targets.

As agreed beforehand, the ones confronting the enemy commander, Bloodrot, were Arietta and Yeon Jaki.

Since he wasn’t an opponent we could easily subdue with a frontal assault anyway, the strategy was for the two with exceptional combat endurance to buy time while the rest of us subdued the other powerful enemies.

“You insignificant wretches dare to oppose that Bloodrot? Such arrogance reaches for the heavens!”

The one who came targeting me at the front was Heo Pyeongsu, one of the generals of the One Origin Faction.

His Level was 63. He was a formidable expert, and the one-meter-long ritual staff in his hand was also a high-grade Cursed Tool possessing no ordinary power.

But to be honest, I didn’t feel the slightest bit afraid of him now.

“It’s not that I don’t understand your circumstances.”

“What nonsense are you suddenly spouting? Stop the chatter and just accept the attack!”

Mu-Gye-Beop-Jin (No Boundary Law Array).

With the incantation uttered by Heo Pyeongsu, strands of light extending from the ritual staff wrapped around my body and soon began tightening as if to crush every bone.

But as expected, it was weak.

Compared to Kongha’s Natural Qi, its power was lacking. Compared to Bihee’s power that rendered all attacks useless, Heo Pyeongsu’s technique was neither mysterious nor special.

Surely he too must occupy a position as a top-tier expert in this world, but to accept that at face value, my eyes had simply become too discerning.

“Exploding Shadow.”

Sleuth!

Kwa-ja-ja-ja-jak!

Simply channeling Spiritual Power into the shadow to inflate its size, Heo Pyeongsu’s confident Art Formula shattered completely into pieces.

“T-this can’t be!”

“Didn’t you hear? Surely that Soul Enchantress also said she met her end at our hands.”

“Damn it… who cares about that wretch!”

I had roughly guessed from his reaction, but it seemed not all five Great Specters were famous in the current era.

Considering age alone, Soul Enchantress and Docheol were beings far older than Bloodrot, a truly ironic affair.

“Fear-Bringing Delusion. Ember-Clinging Jealousy. Encircling Slaughter Tainted Wave.”

Huuuung!

Pa-su-su-suk!

“Kkeu-euk! H-how can it have such power!”

As my curse, cast without much effort, violently shattered Heo Pyeongsu’s defensive spell, Heo Pyeongsu literally scrambled back in a panic and urgently shouted.

“Jegal Yun! Help me! That brat’s skill is no ordinary matter!”

“…I saw it too, Heo Pyeongsu. But I refuse.”

“Wha!”

Heo Pyeongsu trembled with a sense of betrayal as he turned his head, but Jegal Yun hadn’t spoken to belittle him.

Unbeknownst to him, his movements had been sealed by Cheong Joohwa, who was engaged in an invisible struggle with Jegal Yun.

“…If you withdraw your foot first, you’ll definitely be hit. Consider my help nonexistent in this fight.”

“Kkeu-euk! T-this!”

It was already the case that all the generals had warned that Jegal Yun’s techniques were difficult to deal with.

Thus, it seemed Cheong Joohwa had decided to focus solely on him from the moment the battle began.

“Azure Mountain’s Gu Poison, Death Realm’s Delusion Curse.”

As I rapidly recited the incantation to manifest an Advanced Art, Heo Pyeongsu, perhaps judging he couldn’t block it, began fleeing with a pale face.

“Clear Death Fragrant Poison.”

Sswe-ae-ae-aek!

Pa-su-su-suk!

The moment the curse was completed, accurately targeting Heo Pyeongsu’s back, a golden figure blocked his path at lightning speed.

Pang!

It was Kyeongkang, the ruler of the skies said to dwell atop the mountain peaks above the clouds.

“Tsk. Even if it’s a contract, having to protect such insignificant creatures…”

“O-oh. Thank you, Kyeongkang.”

Heo Pyeongsu, who had narrowly escaped death, beamed and regained his stance, but Kyeongkang’s expression wasn’t very good.

Having hastily blocked my Clear Death Fragrant Poison, backed by Forbidden Technique Value, a not-insignificant wound had formed on one of his wings.

“An unusually powerful curse. I won’t be able to use my right wing for a while.”

Wu-deu-deuk!

Wu-deu-deu-deuk!

Kyeongkang had maintained a half-human form until then, but soon a chilling sound echoed as he transformed into his complete true form.

If you enlarged a hawk or eagle and mixed in the malevolence of an abyssal evil star, would it look like that?

In Kyeongkang’s returned true form, there was definitely something that evoked primordial fear.

“It’s been ten years since I revealed this form. So be prepared!”

Kwa-reu-reung!

Kwa-a-ang─!

Kyeongkang charged at me with lightning-like speed, and Keuseundae, leaping from the shadows, blocked it.

But perhaps unable to properly withstand the momentum, Keuseundae’s feet left the ground and it was sent flying through the air.

[Kuuu-oo─!]

I narrowly avoided being caught up by using Flying Shadow Step to evade, but Kyeongkang, capturing that, launched another charge of the same power, seemingly tireless.

However, this time I too was able to properly react.

“Sahwanje.”

[Kieeek!]

Sahwanje, extending an arm from the shadows, spewed Spectral Energy, and I also deployed the Art Formula I had been preparing in sync.

Sleuth!

Huuung!

A technique of channeling Cursed Technique through shadows enlarged by the Evolution Art Formula, Transference.

It was one of the new weapons I had realized in a slightly different form.

Kwa-a-ang!

“Keu-heu-euk!”

Soon, Heo Pyeongsu, struck by Kyeongkang’s charge, vomited blood and flew into the bushes, and Kyeongkang stiffened his face as if unable to comprehend what had just happened to him.

“T-to use such a bizarre technique…”

“Your speed is something even I find hard to handle, but that method won’t work anymore now.”

In truth, pulling such a stunt against a specter of Kyeongkang’s caliber was a considerable strain even for me.

However, his speed was more formidable than expected, so it was necessary to seal it.

Having already tasted its bitterness, Kyeongkang would no longer be able to recklessly launch an attack like the previous one.

“…Nonsense. Then I’ll simply change the target.”

Sswe-ae-aek!

Kwa-a-a-ang─!

Kyeongkang soared into the sky as if trying to disengage from me, an unfavorable matchup, and Bloodrot, fighting my comrades in the distance, slammed the ground hard, disrupting everyone’s focus.

A combined attack made possible by high-level specters with intelligence and wisdom banding together.

While flustered by it, I prepared to deploy an Art Formula at any moment to protect those whose stances had crumbled and become targets.

“Useless!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Kyeongkang dove towards Shin Pyoeul, who was farthest from me.

But right then, there was another beam of light striking such a Kyeongkang.

Kwa-a-a-ang!

“Kraaak!”

A giant jade bird with golden hair and wings.

And from its back, a group of Taoist Masters with disheveled hair leaped down into the air.

“You wretch, Bloodrot! The time has come to pay for your sins!”

It was the moment when Bloodrot’s pursuers, summoned by Han Seoa via the talisman, revealed themselves at a truly exquisite timing.