ALL NOVEL Chapter 445
Chapter 446
[…What the.]
Moonyo shook his head as he regained consciousness from a shock so intense that he almost lost it completely.
The impact was substantial. Who would have thought it could crush the fortress and leave him unconscious? Even with defenses in place, this level of force could have caused catastrophic consequences if things had gone slightly awry.
[Seems I let my guard down too much. Time to learn that negligence isn’t good after all.]
Moonyo glanced for agreement at the figures of In-young before him. Of course, Yeon-woo and the others had no reason to answer that question.
They had extricated him from the fortress, which meant whatever was obstructing them was no longer present.
Though Shadow Masters were showing themselves behind him, thankfully, their numbers were manageable for the human forces.
In other words, it meant that Yeon-woo and her friends now only had to worry about Moonyo.
Of course, even if they had the Shadow Masters, the strongest opponent was Moonyo, making them the bigger problem.
At least it was a relief that the overwhelming power of the Demon King swirling inside the fortress had dissipated upon exiting.
While it might not have a huge impact on the fight itself, it was encouraging to think that Ilucia could recover her strength more easily now.
[Since we’ve come this far, there’s no turning back. Alright, come at me! I’ll treat you with utmost sincerity.]
Whether Moonyo knew Yeon-woo’s calculations or not, he declared this and took a light stance.
Not quite sure how to describe it, but he radiated a clear sense of martial prowess, making his posture formidable.
“That guy has received immense training as a prince. It definitely includes martial arts, making him far from easy to deal with.”
Hearing this, it was clear that he had received training far beyond basic self-defense. Yeon-woo and her friends swallowed dryly as they lifted their respective weapons.
Someone had to protect Ilucia, and even though Kai had gained freedom through Ilucia’s divine power, he needed to stay close by to avoid potential problems.
“I’ll go first!!”
The one who took the lead was Namgung Seong.
It was more accurate to say his personality dictated his actions rather than him being a noble hero. Predicting this somewhat, the other three followed closely behind.
After all, this was a party that knew how each of them fought well enough not to interfere with one another.
Namgung Seong’s powerful strike flew through the air at incredible speed. Moonyo lightly curled his right hand like a bird’s claw and made contact with the blade’s surface.
With a decisive “Tap!” he struck the sword with the joint of his finger, sending Namgung Seong’s weapon simply crashing into the ground.
However, Namgung Seong quickly retracted his strength, twisting his arm to strike at Moonyo’s body diagonally.
That was an excellent counterattack. Yet, as Namgung Seong’s sword stabbed into Moonyo’s side, it simply stopped and could not penetrate further.
“What’s with this hardness!? ”
Namgung Seong exclaimed, flabbergasted, and Moonyo chuckled. Moonyo’s left hand swung ferociously. Namgung Seong hurriedly tilted his head back to evade, spinning away to create distance.
As Moonyo retreated, Kim Yoo-min lunged in to fill the gap. Emerging from under Namgung Seong’s massive wing, Kim Yoo-min threw a punch.
The explosive Elemental Mana erupted, drastically increasing the efficiency of her Mana in one swift strike.
Was it too fast for Moonyo to respond to even with his eyes? The punch flew at Moonyo’s face.
Thwack!! With the sound of a heavy hit, Moonyo’s face turned slightly. There are things that can’t be cut by a sword but can be struck effectively.
[That was a good hit.]
However, it didn’t mean Moonyo took serious damage. Smiling broadly, Moonyo praised her while an extra arm sprouted from his original arm as if it were separated.
As another arm emerged to parry against Kim Yoo-min’s rapid series of punches, his original hand thrust sharply toward Kim Yoo-min.
“Ugh…!!”
While Yeon-woo and Baek In-hwa had experienced dealing with opponents who sprouted new limbs, it was a completely unfamiliar experience for Kim Yoo-min and Namgung Seong.
Startled, Kim Yoo-min hurriedly crossed her arms to block the thrust.
Despite that, the gauntlet encasing her arms shattered, leaving shallow wounds on her. Thankfully, the shallow injuries were mitigated by the gauntlet and defensive technique.
Baek In-hwa and Yeon-woo charged in synchronously, splitting to attack from both left and right sides.
One wielded a chilling saber, and the other surrounded by Aura Blade. Even still, Moonyo had no trouble countering them.
‘Damn, it’s infuriating that the usages are so similar…!!’
Moonyo had three pairs of arms protruding all over his body. While not a pretty sight, it was undoubtedly a disconcerting one for Yeon-woo.
She too was employing similar measures to Moonyo. Well, her method might be even more unsettling than his.
In addition, there was a steel-like physique that could be compared to Kai’s but ascended to a higher realm.
Of course, there was also Christopher’s unique magic that had succeeded in breaking through.
However, it was honestly challenging to stretch that out for five or six cycles of ‘Full Moon Full Sky’ time.
Using her ultimate technique seemed excessive, as that was not a power-enhancing concept like Mana but pure physical ability.
Having trained her body relentlessly to elevate it to a level comparable to steel, so Moonyo’s ultimate technique would be ineffective against it.
In a purely meaningful way, he was strong. Unlike previous Demon Kings, who relied on various tricks to some extent, he had a robust presence.
[Sticky women aren’t popular, Shuyo.]
[If you dislike me, I’ll just have to get stickier, right?]
However, it wasn’t as if there weren’t any openings to break through.
Lime’s ability melted concepts. However, it was merely for the purpose of devouring a higher existence; melting someone else’s skin was just her basic function.
In other words, whether it’s skin tougher than steel or anything else, Lime had the innate ability to dissolve anything from birth.
For Yeon-woo, Lime’s action was definitely a boon. While Ilucia was siphoning away divine power, letting Lime dissolve it would annoy Moonyo without a doubt.
If that happened, there would certainly come a time for Tae-oh to shine while Moonyo was distracted by those two.
‘Tae-oh, are you ready? Can you do it? It’s fine if you can’t!’
[I can do it. Sister, please chant the winning spell…!!]
[Tae-oh…!! If you pull this off, Down will think you’re cool…!]
[Uh, no, sister, Tae-oh is cool even without that!]
Wait a minute. Can you guys stop stirring up my head?
Anyway, since Tae-oh said he could do it, Yeon-woo decided to trust him. She valued the kids, but it was also essential to ensure their freedom.
What if accidents happen because of that freedom? That’s an adult’s responsibility. Nothing would happen. No, even if something does, I’ll make it seem like nothing happened.
Tae-oh climbed along Yeon-woo’s arm towards Moonyo. In an instant, the two shadows made contact.
[…What-.]
For the first time since the battle began, Moonyo let out a bewildered grunt.
*
The moment it touched, Moonyo knew. Of course, it was the physical body that had been ripped apart returning as one.
What a foolish thought, he realized, before sensing what was contained within.
[My child, what do you mean…!!]
“What do you mean insane? Do you think I did this on purpose?”
Yeon-woo scoffed at Moonyo, sounding like an ex-father suddenly returning to see his child after a divorce.
It was all your fault, and it wasn’t Yeon-woo’s initial idea either! It was because Tae-oh wanted it done!
“Me and our kids were prepared for this much. If it’s to take you down, we can do it without hesitation.”
[Ha, such determination…!!]
Moonyo laughed off that determination, pulling his body back. Of course, Yeon-woo and her group wouldn’t let that slide. They clung tightly and continued their assaults.
Tch, Moonyo clicked his tongue as magic power surged from his body. During his descent, a power of the Demon King he hadn’t used in ages erupted.
Shadows exploded from beneath him, sending Lime flying, who clung onto Moonyo’s arm, as he cloaked himself in a veil of darkness.
The glow of the Aura Blade struck the curtain. It couldn’t cut through; it merely delivered shock.
[You coward!! Come out!! Face me and die!!]
Lime relentlessly pounded the veil. Even though her qualification as a Demon King had diminished due to the contract, she still exhibited the formidable power of a Demon King, causing the curtain to tremble with each strike.
Forcing continued attacks against the veil was honestly a waste of energy. It would be better to leave it to Lime or to cut through it with her ultimate technique.
Deciding to hold off on that judgment for now, Yeon-woo spoke to Tae-oh.
‘Tae-oh, are you alright?’
[Umm… not yet… ugh!]
Tae-oh’s voice crackled. Yeon-woo and Shar visibly panicked. Was it because part of him had entered the shadow veil? Realizing this, Yeon-woo hastily gripped her sword.
“I’m cutting through now. Everyone, stand back.”
[W-Wait! Wind! Dad!]
“What are you talking about? How can I wait? Don’t say nonsensical things. You promised you wouldn’t let dangerous situations happen with me!”
[Right now, the Demon King… is doing something…!! There are people inside…!!]
Though his voice was distorted, what Tae-oh communicated was clear. It meant there were people consumed inside Moonyo. It was a rather natural conclusion.
All the lives encased in that engulfed world would have been turned into shadows. Wasn’t he a being that functioned off the shadows of those lives?
Clearly, the shadows Moonyo enveloped could only draw strength from the lives he devoured.
“And what do you plan to do about that!?”
[I beg for a chance, a moment to talk. I talked to Down as well. I might be able to talk with these people too!!]
She knew that. Tae-oh had spoken to Down. Perhaps it was thanks to Tae-oh that the previous battle ended favorably.
But those people were already devoured. There was no guarantee that they wouldn’t pose a threat to Tae-oh.
[Please, I’m begging you…!]
[…Dad. Isn’t it okay to just wait a few minutes?]
At Tae-oh’s desperate voice, Shar joined in with her opinion. Yeon-woo rubbed her face with one hand and made her decision.
“…Alright. I’ll wait for 3 minutes.”
[Th-Thank you!! I’ll… do my best!!]
For some reason, Tae-oh’s voice sounded joyful, and Yeon-woo let out a deep sigh.
(To be continued in the next chapter)