Chapter 51 – Tomb Tiger

Tomb Tiger, who had entered the Reverse World, found himself not inside the usual shelter within the Reverse World, but rather dropped onto a sea with undulating waves.

It was a Formation set up inside the Reverse World.

And within the Formation, two people and one creature—excluding Lee Hanseong—were fully prepared to confront Tomb Tiger.

Chungmugong and Park Seongcheol had each deployed “Golden Body, Great Vessel” and two instances of Ghost Ship Sortie, respectively, resulting in a total of twenty-eight Starlight ships forming the Naval Battle Formation—Crane Wing Formation.

“…The sea?”

Tap, tap-tap!

Tomb Tiger, whose momentum from using 《Bow God’s Piercing Shadow》 to charge into the Reverse World still lingered, immediately switched his movement technique to 《Walking on Water》, coming to a halt on the sea surface.

Bow God’s Piercing Shadow and Walking on Water were the First and Third Awakening Skills, respectively, of the 4-Star Martial Artist Spirit he had first contracted.

But as soon as Tomb Tiger stopped, as if waiting for it, the Bombardment Order was issued.

“Fire!”

Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-BOOM!!

A crossfire poured down upon Tomb Tiger.

His response was concise.

Second Awakening Skill 《Form Exchange》.

Pat!

Tomb Tiger’s Divine Form blurred for an instant.

KWA-GWA-GWA-GWA-GWA-GWANG!

Tomb Tiger reappeared unscathed dozens of meters away from the bombardment point.

It was a movement technique similar to Lee Hanseong’s Shrinking Earth, but one that left an afterimage in the original location, making it difficult to easily discern that he had moved.

While attention was briefly focused on the explosion at the bombardment point, Tomb Tiger swiftly summoned his 7-Star Spirit.

Pah-bat!

But the Spirit that appeared was not one, but two.

It seemed he had contracted another 7-Star Spirit besides Sima Yi.

Park Seongcheol’s expression hardened as he realized the opponent’s combat power was not to be underestimated.

“As expected, there was a reason for coming here alone.”

The two Spirits each unleashed their Legendary Skills, which were their First Awakening Skills, summoning their respective Spirit Treasures.

The Spirit presumed to be Sima Yi summoned a fan-shaped Spirit Treasure made of black feathers, the Black Feather Fan.

Beside him, the elderly Spirit took out a straight, rod-like iron whip-shaped Spirit Treasure.

“If it’s a whip-shaped Treasure Vessel… the treasure, God-Striking Whip!”

If it was a Spirit possessing the treasure God-Striking Whip, which could directly strike spiritual bodies, it was undoubtedly Taigong Wang, Jiang Ziya.

A famous immortal known as the protagonist of the Investiture of the Gods.

In the Central Plains, he was also revered as a Martial God even before Guan Yu.

“Come forth, Sibuxiang.”

Ddoong-ddoong.

After summoning the God-Striking Whip, Taigong Wang immediately unleashed his Legendary Skill, which was his Second Awakening Skill, summoning his mount, Sibuxiang.

Mounting the divine four-legged beast with a donkey’s body, a horse’s face, ox hooves, and deer antlers, he charged toward the fleet.

Tootootootootootootoo!

With each step of Sibuxiang’s hooves on the water surface, seawater splashed in all directions, creating a mist.

As Taigong Wang charged through the mist, Chungmugong and Park Seongcheol issued another Bombardment Order.

“Bombard.”

Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-BOOM!

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

But Sibuxiang saw and dodged all the shells, rapidly closing the distance to the fleet.

While Taigong Wang drew the attacks, Sima Yi had used the Legendary Skill <Hiding Light and Nurturing Obscurity> to conceal his form.

“I’ll leave Taigong Wang to you. I’ll handle Sima Yi and Lycan.”

Worried about a sneak attack in the darkness, Yu Sehee activated Nightingale’s Unique Skill <White Feather Heavenly Robe>, gained upon her 6-Star Promotion.

Donning a pure white winged robe, she soared into the sky.

Simultaneously, Lycan also used his Third Awakening Skill 《Frost Soul》 to freeze the sea surface and charged toward Tomb Tiger’s direction.

Thanks to the fleet’s bombardment guiding Sibuxiang’s movement sideways, the path leading all the way to Tomb Tiger was now a straight, open line.

Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeok! Sssiiiiing!

As a frozen path formed on the water surface, a silver wolf-human slid across it as if gliding.

Seeing that cold energy, Tomb Tiger made a pleased expression.

“That cold energy. You’re the one who powered the Formation that trapped me last time.”

The thought of repaying last time’s humiliation made Tomb Tiger’s tiger head grow even fiercer.

Meanwhile, in the sky, Yu Sehee, who had already summoned the Lamp of Prolonged Life, was spewing forth the Light of Purification.

Hwaaahhhh-ak!

Through <Hygiene>, she defined Sima Yi, who was hiding with Hiding Light and Nurturing Obscurity, as a contaminated existence similar to a rat.

Because she included the opponent as a target affected by the Light of Purification.

Chiiiiii!

The Hiding Light and Nurturing Obscurity, which concealed light, revealed traces under the Light of Purification.

Even if it couldn’t fully reveal Sima Yi’s form, his location could be sufficiently discerned.

“There you are! Grrr!”

Upon discovering Sima Yi, Lycan immediately swerved his direction and charged toward him.

Perhaps thinking it foolish for a 4-Star level to charge at a 7-Star Spirit, a sneer appeared on the revealed corner of Sima Yi’s mouth.

“Now. Master!”

But just before colliding with the opponent, Lycan called for Lee Hanseong.

Paaah-aat!

Along with it, Lycan’s Grade surged.

The effects of Transcendence and Consecutive Transcendence that Lee Hanseong had used when making Baekto flee were now finally bestowed upon Lycan.

It was an application of Group Transcendence.

As individual application of Transcendence became possible, the starting point of the Transcendence effect could also be applied differently for each entity.

In an instant, Lycan’s Grade rose to 4-Star, and the limit of his Myriad Fire Transformations also expanded to 6-Star, evolving from a Silver Werewolf form to the form of Lycanslope Lord.

It followed the evolution path of the Apostle he had seen in the dream mediated by Moon Shadow’s Necklace.

Pung!

Frost Soul was enhanced into the Fourth Awakening Skill 《Pallor》, emitting an even chillier cold energy.

The Fifth Awakening Skill 《Ancestral Regression》 awakened the Divine Beast lineage engraved in Lycanslope’s True Blood.

It granted Lycan the ability to transform into the form of the giant moon wolf, ‘Hati’.

Awooooooo!

Adding to that, the timely deployment of Lunar Shadow’s Projection created the power of a false moon.

As a result, for an instant, Lycan, whose physical level alone had reached 7-Star, collided with Sima Yi.

An impact that wouldn’t be strange even if it caused a forced recall descended upon Sima Yi, a strategist-type Spirit with inferior physical abilities!

But.

Giriririk!

……!

Lycan’s surprise fatal charge ‘accidentally’ slipped, failing to hit Sima Yi properly and veering off.

An absurd event where the master of Pallor, who controlled cold energy, slipped on ice.

It was because the Heavenly Fortune bestowed by Sima Yi’s Fifth Awakening Skill 《”Plans by Man, Success Lies with Heaven”》 toyed with fate, evading the fate of death.

Just like in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, where Sima Yi, caught in Zhuge Liang’s trap, nearly died by fire attack but survived thanks to timely rain by divine coincidence.

And the moment a major attack fails is often the moment of greatest crisis.

“That was dangerous. However, heaven is on my side.”

Chwa-rak!

The Black Feather Fan unfolded from Sima Yi’s hand struck Lycan upward.

Puh-hwahk!

Lycan’s massive body floated weightlessly in the air.

Targeting Lycan, who was defenseless for a moment, Sima Yi extended his palm.

《Arrogant Dragon Has Regret》!

The dragon that has risen highest has no way but to descend and regret.

Sima Yi’s Sixth Awakening Skill, derived from the evil and killing karma accumulated posthumously as an emperor due to his grandson becoming Emperor Wu of Jin, manifested as a palm technique strike that slammed into Lycan.

It was an attack that dealt damage proportional to the opponent’s Grade.

Jjeo-eo-eo-eong!

A direct hit to the flank exploded the body of Lycan, who had reached 7-Star Rank.

Blood and flesh scattered in all directions.

At that moment when absolute death, which even scattered the life-prolonging power of the Lamp of Prolonged Life, swept over Lycan.

“No!”

Yu Sehee, who was flying in the sky, intervened.

Paaah-aat!

Just as Lycan had done, belatedly applying the effects of Transcendence and Consecutive Transcendence, she was Promoted to 4-Star.

With the help of Synergy, she raised her Synchronization Rate to 50%, simultaneously adding the Fifth Awakening Skill 《Light of Resurrection》 to the Lamp of Prolonged Life, on top of healing and regeneration.

Sreu-reu-reuk!

As if time rewound, the scattered flesh and blood reconverged into Lycan’s form.

“Grr?”

He returned to an unscathed state.

But during that resurrection, Lycan’s Transcendence effect had already ended.

Because with Transcendence, Consecutive Transcendence, and Group Transcendence already stacked, and adding Divine Beast transformation through Ancestral Regression reaching four layers of stacking, the time limit had dropped to around ten seconds.

If Lycan were to face Sima Yi again like this, it wouldn’t be strange for him to meet death repeatedly.

For now, resurrection was possible with the Light of Resurrection…

‘Once the Transcendence effect ends, I won’t be able to use the Light of Resurrection anymore.’

Yu Sehee knew she had to defeat the opponent before her own Transcendence effect ended.

Strength entered her grip on the Hammer of Radiance.

Now, with the Light of Resurrection added, the destructive power emitted by the Judgment of Light would have grown even greater.

Kiiiiiiing!

The functions of prolonging life, purification, healing, regeneration, and resurrection were all converted into destructive power, condensing at the tip of the hammer.

Boo-woong!

Then, Yu Sehee flew swiftly toward Sima Yi using the flight ability of the winged robe.

“That light, dangerous.”

Instinctively judging the Judgment of Light as dangerous, Sima Yi took a step back.

Since “Plans by Man, Success Lies with Heaven” and Arrogant Dragon Has Regret had each been used once, using them again would consume far more Starlight.

It could be done if needed, but then there would be no strength left to maintain Taigong Wang’s summon.

Therefore, he unleashed the Fourth Awakening Skill 《Flying Dragon in the Sky》.

It was an Awakening Skill derived from the Gaoping Tomb Incident, the event where power in Northern Wei shifted from the Cao clan to the Sima clan, which later led to the fall of the Wei state.

Hoo-woong-!

The flying dragon ascending to heaven is in the optimal state of yin-yang harmony.

Just as Sima Yi concealed himself, grew his power, and through a coup massacred the Cao faction to seize power in an instant.

A reality Alteration capable of changing the present to the extent of the conspiracy nurtured through Hiding Light and Nurturing Obscurity unfolded.

Of course, Sima Yi was hit by the Light of Purification midway, breaking his Hiding Light and Nurturing Obscurity, but that was limited to Sima Yi.

Tomb Tiger, Sima Yi’s Contractor, had sufficiently gathered dark power through Hiding Light and Nurturing Obscurity.

Ssuuk!

As Tomb Tiger revealed himself, the dark power he had gathered was transmitted to Sima Yi, generating a proportional amount of light power.

“I will not die!”

The next moment.

Flash!

The light of destruction and the light of reality Alteration collided.

─────!!!!

A deafening roar that even swallowed sound echoed.

The nearby sea evaporated, and the sea where Taigong Wang and Chungmugong’s fleet were fighting from a distance was pushed far away by the shockwave.

Jjaeng-geurang!

A particularly loud sound of glass shattering was heard.

It was the sound of the reality Alteration protecting Sima Yi being forcibly destroyed.

Pa-sa-sa-sa-sa!

Sima Yi, swept away by the Judgment of Light, was forcibly recalled.

“Kuh-luk!”

The shock of the forced recall caused Tomb Tiger to vomit blood.

But his eyes still held fighting spirit.

It was because he saw Yu Sehee, who had displayed monstrous destructive power, shrink back to 2-Star.

“Seems you’ve used all your strength? Sima Yi being recalled was unexpected, but ultimately, victory is mine.”

The optimal combination of Awakening Skills that Tomb Tiger could deploy with his remaining stamina and Starlight unfolded.

Sima Yi’s Third Awakening Skill 《Five-Way Grand Army》.

Taigong Wang’s Third Awakening Skill 《Six Secret Teachings and Three Strategies》.

The combination of two Awakening Skills derived from the history of the Five-Way Invasion, where Sima Yi first revealed himself, and the military treatise Six Secret Teachings and Three Strategies, known to be used by Taigong Wang!

On the seabed land revealed by the evaporated sea, five branches of Starlight armies gathered.

Simultaneously, the military strategies of Six Secret Teachings and Three Strategies commanded the thousands upon thousands of troops as one body, forming a massive encirclement.

“Ugh…!”

Faced with that, Yu Sehee could only watch the tightening encirclement with her exhausted body.

Because she had poured all her strength into the Judgment of Light, the Lamp of Prolonged Life was already recalled.

Moreover, her stamina was bottomed out; she didn’t even have the strength to stand.

“Grrrrrr.”

At least Lycan, fully restored after one resurrection, growled in Silver Werewolf state, showing resistance.

But facing such numbers alone wouldn’t be easy for Lycan.

Especially since he had to fight while protecting Yu Sehee, the difficulty of the battle could only increase.

It was a crisis.

* * *

At that moment, Park Seongcheol was also fighting fiercely against Taigong Wang.

Swoosh-swoosh!

Taigong Wang, who performed movements close to Form Exchange on Sibuxiang, was too fast to catch with bombardment.

But more troublesome was that if the opponent attacked the fleet connected to them with the God-Striking Whip, the impact would be directly transmitted to their minds.

Thung.

“Kkeu-eu-eu-eu-eu!”

Each time the fleet was attacked, the pain caused a momentary disruption in command, repeating.

If Chungmugong and Park Seongcheol couldn’t indirectly command each other’s fleets, the Naval Battle Formation would have broken long ago.

‘This won’t do.’

The only saving grace was that thanks to Chungmugong’s Unique Skill <Will of Determination>, they could maintain their minds to some extent even as mental damage accumulated.

And, thanks to the stacked “Still as Water, Steady as a Mountain,” the God-Striking Whip’s strikes were dampened from the start.

The problem was that recovery didn’t occur.

Taigong Wang’s Sixth Awakening Skill 《”Spilled Water Cannot Be Recovered”》.

“Hoho. It’s impossible to scoop spilled water back into the vessel.”

It was an Awakening Skill derived from an old story meaning that past events cannot be undone.

Taigong Wang’s wife left him because she couldn’t endure his difficult times; later, when Taigong Wang succeeded in helping King Wu overthrow the Shang dynasty and returned in glory, she came back.

To which Taigong Wang spilled water from a vessel and said, “If you can gather this water back into the vessel, I will return to you.”

Naturally, there was no way to gather the spilled water.

The effect of “Spilled Water Cannot Be Recovered” was also an ability that sealed all abilities of the recovery-to-resurrection lineage, reversing all damage.

All that remained was natural recovery ability.

“Life in Death, Death in Life” also couldn’t be used due to the Law of “Spilled Water Cannot Be Recovered.”

If mental damage accumulated like this, they would eventually collapse.

‘To defeat the opponent, we must go for a quick decisive battle.’

Since the recovery of consumed Starlight and mana was also blocked, there was almost no mana left.

With the thought that this was their last chance, Park Seongcheol and Chungmugong deployed <Legion Command> and <Naval Battle Formation>, adjusting the positions of the twenty-eight ships and forming the Formation.

“Twenty-Eight Mansions Formation! Deploy!”

Thus began the start of the counterattack.