ALL NOVEL Chapter 444
Chapter 445
The situation was rather grim. To put it bluntly, it was bound to be bad from the start.
Ilucia was slowly absorbing the divinity that Moryo possessed, and as a result, Ilucia was also undergoing changes in appearance.
But this was merely a negligible amount, so minimal that Moryo didn’t even need to worry about it.
Ilucia was weakened enough that even a small amount could alter its form.
The good news was that as the amount of divinity possessed by Ilucia increased, so did the amount being siphoned away.
For now, the pace was slow, but if it picked up a bit, things might progress according to plan.
However, hasty judgments were off the table. Moryo’s offensive was gradually intensifying. Even Yeon-woo’s party was unable to avoid injuries; the attacks were rough and fierce.
Proving it was indeed a doppelganger’s original, shadows popped out from all directions, transforming into weapons like cold steel or claws, launching attacks at them.
Each one was filled with power that was incomparable to the doppelganger’s, yet until now, it felt like appetizers as different forms of assaults continued.
Walls, floors, ceilings… beings emerged as if they’d been there from the start, regardless of location.
The fact that their bodies were stained black indicated they were monsters of the Shadow Warrior variety. Identifying similarities in physical characteristics is the basis of monster studies after all.
Nevertheless, there were no monsters within Yeon-woo’s knowledge that could explain what those were.
Because, unlike the notable characteristic of those types of monsters, which typically have human silhouettes, in detail, absolutely nothing was visible.
In other words, they were humans in their original form. Even after being devoured by Moryo, they maintained a human appearance.
If there was a difference, it was that their entire eyeballs were stained black.
“What the hell are these bastards doing!!”
Kim Yoo-min screamed, rushing towards a human with a punch that could easily kill a person.
The punch, overflowing with enough power to kill a single person, was effortlessly halted before the monster’s weapon.
“…You stopped it? Just like Yeon-woo?”
A vein bulged on Kim Yoo-min’s forehead.
Yeon-woo thought it was strange where the anger was directed, but he didn’t voice that opinion.
Well, it would stung a bit if your full-powered strike got blocked by a sword swung lightly.
In any case, what mattered most was that those things had such remarkable skills that they could block Yoo-min’s powerful punch using the same method as him.
“Get ready. I’m about to throw a serious punch.”
“……”
Perhaps because the battle was continuing, Kim Yoo-min, transformed into a ferocious beast, blew on his fist. Is he a thug?
The two… began to clash directly. Yeon-woo covered the gap that Yoo-min left while subtly watching the fight.
Yoo-min’s series of punches was ferociously overwhelming. Resounding with speed, his mega-powered hits landed one after another, and Moryo’s subordinates were struggling but managing to defend somehow.
They didn’t seem to be masters of the same level. Unlike the experts, there wasn’t much distinction among masters. However, that didn’t mean there was no gap in skill.
If we categorized them into upper, middle, and lower tiers, beings like Yuri and the stars would be upper-grade, Yeon-woo in the middle, his three friends closer to lower-grade, and those guys would probably be stuck in the depths of lower-grade.
These beings here were enough to face off against, but if those monsters began to take the battlefield, it would surely become a disaster.
Even among bottom-tier masters, there was a difference as vast as the sky and the earth when compared to late-stage experts.
“Hey, hey! Watch your head and the shadows above and below!!”
“If you’re going to say that, just tell me to be careful!!”
Seeing them seemingly not caring about the attacks of shadows spilling out from all sides, he tried to bring attention to it, only to be met with dissatisfaction.
Is that why it’s said not to raise black-headed beasts?
‘That aside…’
Yeon-woo turned his gaze toward the approaching… let’s just call them Shadow Masters for convenience. Anyway, he looked at the Shadow Masters.
There was more than one or two. No wonder, it was a creature that had consumed an entire world.
Only the devoured Moryo would know how many of those masters existed among them.
‘There is a way…’
Use this or not.
*
Although he said they were cooperating, the Earth Serpent had limited options.
The reason was simple. Due to the size difference in physique, if it got involved on the battlefield, the chances of it failing to distinguish friend from foe were high.
However, it wasn’t doing nothing at all. It was somewhat in a position to command the monsters within the gorge.
While facing violence was impossible, it did bring forth a few monsters that could battle depression.
Next, it changed the weather. Slightly away from the Earth Hammer Gorge, it was still easily manipulated.
Historically, what’s needed to conquer land is overwhelming power. And in that regard, the Earth Serpent was among the finest in this world.
Taking a glance at the monster watching the war from a distance, lord of the plains, voilà. Just like that, one could gain dominance in the region.
The sky started to drizzle softly. Usually, people dislike rain as it makes them reluctant to move, but during battle, it’s different.
When they usually hate the rain for being damp, when sweating and moving around, they welcome it as it washes off sweat.
Of course, it didn’t forget to vary the quality of rain that fell on the enemy and humanity. It was the first time worrying about such detailed matters, but it was somewhat enjoyable.
[I wonder if I should be doing this.]
It wasn’t that he disliked it. For the incredibly lazy Earth Serpent, it would be great to win without doing anything.
However, it was also true that there was a feeling it should provide at least a little help. Who knew it would be concerned about human feelings…
While pondering those thoughts, a voice echoed in the Earth Serpent’s mind. There was one side that initiated the clones and another loosely connected side, and it was the latter.
‘Earth Serpent, Earth Serpent.’
[You useless brat. What is it?]
‘I don’t think you’re doing anything at all.’
[Eh, eh? What do you mean by that? I’m working very hard!]
What? Can it see into my heart? The Earth Serpent flicked its tail once.
Ka-choo!! The mana energy produced in mid-air swept through a part of the battlefield. Members of the Order of Depression waiting in the back were blown away.
‘Hmm… that’s suspicious… how about we finish those doubts with a nice finishing move?’
[Oh, you’re a suspicious little brat… What’s it?]
It was a great opportunity. The Earth Serpent didn’t miss the chance and quietly listened to Yeon-woo’s explanation. Then it chuckled.
[That’s a magnificent idea. Let’s do it right away.]
‘Wait, wait a second. Just five minutes. Just give me five minutes, okay!?’
[Alright, starting now. One… Two….]
Choi Yeon-woo’s presence faded away. The Earth Serpent began to move with delight. Ka-goo-goo-goo… As it vibrated, the ground started shaking beneath its body.
“What, what’s happening…!?”
“I-I don’t know!!”
The commotion on the battlefield began. In the land of Korea, where earthquakes were rare, an immense quake was occurring.
And shortly afterward, with the quake ceasing, hunters, along with the members of the Orders of Depression and Violence, witnessed the sight before them.
It was a colossal tail. One would question what kind of creature would possess a tail that big. Just that alone could obscure the sky…
“Yikes…”
As they unconsciously thought ‘we are all dead,’ the tail began to move.
The direction it was coming down was crystal clear. So clear that not just humanity, but even the cults exhaled a sigh of relief.
“…Huh? No, wait a minute. This isn’t the time for relief!”
The high priest of Depression muttered as he confirmed what lay at the end in that direction, but it was a well-known fact that he also let out a sigh of relief himself.
*
‘Baek In-hwa, hurry over here!!’
Baek In-hwa, who was moving forward with Lime, could only be blocked by countless Shadow Masters.
Yet, Baek In-hwa was faring decently. She was steadily advancing while facing dozens of them simultaneously.
But being stuck like this was not going to achieve anything. Thus, Yeon-woo made a bold decision. An extremely audacious one.
Fortunately, since Yeon-woo had mediated the contract between Lime and Baek In-hwa, he still had a bit of a connection left.
Upon hearing Yeon-woo’s words, Baek In-hwa rushed over like a well-behaved puppy. Then she tilted her head in confusion.
“…So, why did you call?”
“Are you planning to keep holding out here?”
Namgung Seong, who landed beside her, also said with a displeased expression, though it was likely that wouldn’t last long.
“Just wait a bit, I’ll be there soon…!!”
Even Moryo seemed to raise an eyebrow at Yeon-woo’s words and actions, tilting its head. Then it flinched and looked up at the ceiling.
And before their eyes, the enormous mansion completely vanished. It was such a massive shock with a thunderous sound that even the Shadow Masters were startled and turned around.
The party looked at Yeon-woo as if they were demanding explanations. Yeon-woo rubbed his temples, trying to think of a response.
“…The ‘Wrecking Mansion’ operation was a success…!!”
Of course, that didn’t make any sense, so he had to explain further while fighting the Shadow Masters at the same time.
In any case, where these bothersome Shadow Masters could emerge was the shadows, and those shadows only belonged to Moryo.
Since the shadows of Moryo himself, and the stronghold had come from Moryo’s shadows, this meant that Shadow Masters could emerge from anywhere within the stronghold.
If that’s the case, the best way to make sure the Shadow Masters appear the least is to draw Moryo out of the castle.
However, there was the problem that one could not draw him out just because they wanted to.
“I thought about it right there. Isn’t it fine to just demolish the castle…!”
“You crazy bastard.”
While it could not be argued that it was an effective method, it was undoubtedly an absurd approach.
“Anyway, since it was successful, let’s hurry down now.”
If they kept fighting here after drawing Moryo out, he would surely return. They needed to deal with the remaining Shadow Masters quickly and descend to fight on the plains.
Feeling their fate sensed, the Shadow Masters resolutely blocked their way. Upon witnessing this, Yeon-woo chuckled.
“They really don’t know how perilous the little pup is.”
(To be continued in the next episode)