ALL NOVEL Chapter 456
Chapter 457: A Minor Oversight
As the Earth Serpent muttered, it stood before figures that even it could not ignore: Hwayo’s formidable adversaries were none other than Yuri and Noel, renowned champions in this world.
Of course, the Earth Serpent hadn’t proclaimed it was going to fight Hwayo, so such misunderstandings could easily occur.
However, calling out to those two to step aside while it fought felt like a hassle…
After a moment’s contemplation, the Earth Serpent nonchalantly lifted its tail. After all, it wasn’t just anyone; it was the master and apprentice of a crafty individual. Surely, there was little risk of dying.
The Earth Serpent shot up to the sky, reaching heights that surpassed the clouds, where the air had grown thin, and swung its tail.
Even without invoking magic to generate flames, its tail, glowing bright yellow from friction, moved at speeds far exceeding the sound barrier.
A gigantic mass moving with such incredible speed, and the chilling part was the absolute silence that accompanied it.
In the midst of this furious battle, a Hunter, despite sensing the ill omen, looked up at the sky only to yell out in a pale face.
“…A-A meteor…!!”
The legendary spell often referred to as ‘Meteor,’ shrouded in myths as the ultimate technique of the Red Magic Tower.
Although it was generally considered theoretically possible, it had never been successfully wielded.
However, the tail of the Earth Serpent, capable of replicating it with mere physical prowess, came crashing down towards Hwayo.
“…Noel!!”
Noel’s exceptionally honed danger sense screamed that this was incredibly perilous.
Without rational thought, driven purely by instinct, Yuri grabbed Noel and hurled herself away.
“Master!?”
Noel also sensed the danger, but Yuri’s actions were somewhat irrationally extreme.
They had distanced themselves a considerable amount; at least that was how Noel thought about it.
Yuri and Noel sped away from Hwayo at an incredible velocity. Yet, Hwayo simply watched them with uncaring eyes, taking no overt action.
That was the difference between Yuri and Hwayo.
The immortal’s distinctive lax sense of danger kept it from recognizing the descending strike as a threat. It couldn’t perceive danger as a threat.
Perhaps, there truly was nothing to worry about. After all, if you can’t die, why worry about taking a hit?
Nevertheless, a person with normal emotions, even if they were immortal, would probably not want to take such an attack head-on, as one might logically conclude.
────!!
A noise that felt even too overwhelming to be merely a sound echoed, as if space itself was being shattered.
The colossal tail of the serpent, which descended from beyond the atmosphere, completely obliterated a section of the battlefield.
*
“…What’s that?”
No, I already knew what it was. Even from a great distance, its magnificence was undeniable. A gigantic serpent as if the entire Earthshaker Gorge had reared up.
There couldn’t exist such a monster aside from the Earth Serpent. If it did, that creature might well represent the end of humanity.
You had to wonder if it was acceptable to swing something of such power around so nonchalantly. Just watching it was enough to send chills down one’s spine.
Even if a meteor or a bomb were to drop, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a mushroom cloud of dust rise in the battlefield’s center.
“Hwayo can survive something like that…?”
“Well… there’s really no denying that.”
Kim Yoo-min responded with a cool, precise analysis, and Yeon-woo could only let out a sigh.
It was indeed insane to think that one could survive being struck by such a thing. Yeon-woo doubted whether, despite a lifetime of wielding a sword, he could manage even one-tenth of that power.
While raw power was important, the ability to identify and exploit the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent was a crucial factor too.
Frankly, the Earth Serpent had no means of killing Hwayo. It could destroy the Earth, but no matter how diabolical its intention, it couldn’t figure out how to eliminate Hwayo.
In contrast, although Yeon-woo might not possess the ability to unleash such power, he had a fair shot at being able to kill Hwayo.
He had the qualifications of a hero and the ultimate technique called ‘The Past.’ Besides, he wasn’t without additional plans—though he was sure they wouldn’t work.
The world operated on the principle that raw power alone wouldn’t accomplish anything.
Only those who diligently racked their brains could claim the right to live in this world.
“And we have to fight against someone who can withstand attacks like that.”
“Well, that’s pretty much the norm.”
Namgung Seong’s remark, mixed with laughter, made Yeon-woo chuckle as well. It was just another day.
Though, any other Demon King would find taking a direct hit like that rather daunting. If it were the Demon King of Alkeion, they could very well be killed in one blow.
‘Tae-oh, how are things going?’
[Well, to some extent? There’s nothing to be done about what’s already spread… but I’ve at least let the shadows pursue.]
‘So, you’re saying things have improved a bit?’
[Yeah. Due to that, there are a bit fewer shadows to use, though….]
Hmm. Yeon-woo stroked his chin at Tae-oh’s words. While power loss was unfortunate, given the future, there was no way to recover the shadows.
“The Earth Serpent could definitely delay things, but… well, it seems it’s about time we set off.”
“Are you sufficiently rested?”
Baek In-hwa carefully asked Yeon-woo, who nodded vigorously.
“Of course! Who could be as healthy as me?”
“Well then, it’s all good. How is everyone? If anyone’s unwell, they can stay behind.”
Baek In-hwa’s leadership skills were truly precise. The two, incensed by Baek In-hwa’s taunting statement, began to assert that they were fine.
“Of course!! I’ll probably fall before this guy does!?”
“Who’s going to fall first!!”
Kim Yoo-min and Namgung Seong started bickering away.
In truth, Baek In-hwa had genuinely intended to say it was fine if anyone wasn’t feeling well, but there’s no way those two would pick up on such a consideration and back down.
Baek In-hwa looked at them with a sense of disdain and scattered cold air around the two. It seemed it was a hint for them to cool their heads.
“…Well, are we leaving now?”
“Yep. We’ll pick up Lady Ilucia on the way.”
At Yeon-woo’s statement, Baek In-hwa glanced over at Ilucia, who was quietly sitting and watching them with her head tilted in curiosity.
“That makes sense. Your vibe doesn’t quite fit the battlefield.”
Of course, one wouldn’t need to determine such things by mere impressions, but Yeon-woo agreed with the sentiment.
If she kept smiling like that in the midst of a battlefield, it would likely dispel any tension lingering in the air.
‘Maybe I should ask Nea to look after her…’
Since Moryo’s death, Ilucia’s role had nearly faded away.
Having snatched away Moryo’s divinity was already a significant contribution, and now, only assisting them through that divinity remained.
That said, one couldn’t force help, so he only had to wait for Ilucia to make her own decision.
“…Sigh.”
In any case, with the impending conflict against Hwayo, it felt as though his salivary glands were drying up in anticipation.
*
“J-Just about died…!!”
Meanwhile, in another sense, Yuri found herself mumbling subconsciously, her salivary glands parched.
For someone who typically maintained composure, this was a rare, intense display of emotion.
“W-What was that, Master…!!”
“The Earth Serpent moved…! I had heard it generally wouldn’t…!!”
Naturally, Yuri had received a rudimentary overview as a party member.
The battle would likely unfold in a certain way, and each party member, including Yeon-woo, would have specific roles and abilities.
However, two names were conspicuously absent from that plan. The Demon King of Friday, Leviathan, and the master of the Earthshaker Gorge, the Earth Serpent.
That was only to be expected; it was more effective to let those two act freely rather than attempting to include them in any strategy.
“Phew…!!”
[Good, it seems you’re still alive. I almost worried you were dead.]
Ssshlurp, the immense serpent, now quite close, flicked its tongue as if gauging its surroundings.
To Yuri and Noel, it might not have been a mere flick but rather a sound like thunder clapping.
“I had heard you weren’t going to move, so is there a reason for this?”
As Yuri spoke, the Earth Serpent narrowed its eyes. Its gigantic eyes curving in an unsettling manner.
Just imagining one human—or even an entire house—fitting inside that eye was especially eerie.
[Don’t you think we need time? After all, it’ll take some time for it to kill me while I can’t kill it; unlike you, I can last longer, right?]
“That could be… a fair point.”
[Thanks to that, I managed a surprise attack, so I suppose I should thank you for that. Now, I’ll wait until that crafty one arrives from behind.]
With that, the Earth Serpent dragged its massive body forward. Yuri and Noel step back a moment, watching its form.
Although it felt like having their fight taken away, oddly enough, it didn’t bother them much.
Kugugugugu, the Earth Serpent turned toward the crater. Its tail remained lodged in the center of the crater.
As the serpent’s head entered the crater, the tail started to writhe.
Fshh!!
Blood began to splatter from the Earth Serpent’s tail, painting the surroundings. It regarded the scene with an apathetic demeanor.
As a being birthed by nature’s forces, it seemed far removed from death or pain.
[That was quite the impressive strike, Earth Serpent.]
[You too, I must say.]
The plains were no longer flat terrain. The Earth Serpent’s strike had carved a crater of about 2 kilometers in diameter.
As a result, the blood and corpses that once populated the area vanished in an instant.
How people would react to the loss of bodies was uncertain, but for Yuri, who had just fought against Hwayo, it was an incredibly disruptive terrain.
The accumulation of blood and corpses was gradually becoming part of Hwayo’s domain itself.
Thus, the two monsters, the absolute strongest and the least strong, charged at each other.
One seeking to buy time, and the other looking to rip life apart and kill.
(To be continued in the next chapter)