* * *
Lee Sungmin did not feel pity for Sung Ki-Jang’s situation, but that did not mean he would ignore the incoming creature that had been toying with Sung Ki-Jang up until now.
Especially as Heoju had said. Lee Sungmin did not know what this creature was. It was completely different from anything he had encountered. It was dark, and disgusting, looking as it carried a sense of terrifying energy accumulated from all the fear and death inside the forest.
‘What kind of monster…….’
The beasts Lee Sungmin encountered in the forest were also monsters that could slay Peak Realm warriors without their senses being muddled with. With the warriors’ senses being interfered with, they were slaughtered easily. But, they were not much in front of the current Lee Sungmin.
In particular, the high-ranking undead and chimeras, which were scattered in various places throughout different places in the forest, were at the equivalent level of a Peak Realm martial artist that was approaching the wall to Transcendence.
But…. The monster or creature; whatever it was, was much stronger than even the Dullahan that Lee Sungmin had slain.
Lee Sungmin raised his right hand and flicked his finger at the monster that was quickly approaching him.
The strength of the compressed beam of lightning from the Dark Storm Arts, which had slaughtered the monsters, undead, and chimera until now, was shot off from Lee Sungmin’s fingertips.
But… the reaction was unexpected. The beam of lightning did not penetrate the skin of the creature, as the creature swung its right arm at the beam and knocked it off course.
Lee Sungmin’s eyes narrowed immediately at the new creature’s reaction and skill.
Vwoomph!
The creature’s fingernails hit Lee Sungmin’s body. Lee Sungmin didn’t avoid it and coated himself in a layer of internal energy quickly. The coating of internal energy, layered in violet, gold and black, surrounded Lee Sungmin’s body at the last second and collided with the hand that was swung at him from the creature.
‘What the hell?!’
Lee Sungmin’s barrier of internal energy around his body shook slightly. The blow was successfully blocked, but his internal energy trembled slightly at the power and weight behind the blow.
Lee Sungmin was dumbfounded and meticulously racked his brains as he felt the blow.
‘What kind of creature has this sort of raw power?’
The creature’s raw physical ability was equivalent to a warrior stepping in the very early stages of Transcendence. Of course, it was still a ridiculous comparison to compare an unintelligent creature to a full fledged warrior of Transcendence.
Even if it was a high-ranking creature in terms of power, it was useless without any techniques or attacks that efficiently used internal energy.
Lee Sungmin, who stepped back a little, pulled out the spear behind his back for the first time since entering the forest.
Crackle-
The black lightning of the Dark Storm Arts started to fluctuate around the tip of Lee Sungmin’s spear as a current of bright red internal energy coated itself around the shaft and tip of the spear.
Lee Sungmin didn’t know where this monster came from or what it even was. Yet, the only two thoughts he had about it were simple. It was dangerous, and it needed to be killed here and now.
With a monster of this level of power roaming around the forest with the humans’ senses being interfered with, Scarlett was potentially in serious danger.
So Lee Sungmin didn’t hesitate to confront this being.
If he were in a relaxed situation where he wasn’t trying to find and protect someone, Lee Sungmin would most likely take his time with the monster to examine its capabilities. But…. Now was not appropriate.
Lee Sungmin’s eyes started to glow with a scarlet hue around his golden irises. The thin current of black and purple lightning started to tremble around Lee Sungmin’s red and gold internal energy as it compressed itself together to form 3 rings of a murky black and red substance. Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Ring Techniques : Blood Gale Nova ( 血迹加尔 )
A gale of dark blood from the rings was shot out around the tip of the spear and exploded with a ferocious might towards the creature.
Sima Ryunju had once told Lee Sungmin that there was nothing to improve on the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s techniques.
The Blood Ring Techniques that the Crazy Heavenly Demon had created and used as his sole technique, were something so well crafted that even Sima Ryunju, a being that was so unfathomable, acknowledged it as a perfected technique.
Lee Sungmin did not dare to forget the Crazy Heavenly Demon’s last will, which was to not let his only technique be washed away and forgotten with the passage of time. In fact, Lee Sungmin never failed to practice it daily, even when learning the Dark Storm Arts under the tutelage of Sima Ryunju.
If Lee Sungmin just used the Blood Ring techniques from the Crazy Heavenly Demon though, they would not be powerful enough by themselves to fully encapsulate the power he held as a Transcendent Realm martial artist.
Lee Sungmin used both the Dark Storm Arts and the Blood Ring Techniques together, in order to create something much more powerful. On its own, the Dark Storm Arts were something that had been created to fully utilize a Transcendent Realm expert’s power. Using both a perfected technique along with another, gave a great boost of power to the Blood Gale Nova that Lee Sungmin unleashed with his spear.
Bang!
The creature’s body was pushed back with a loud bang. Lee Sungmin’s blow was powerful enough to cause even a Transcendent Realm martial artist fatal injuries.
Nevertheless, the creature survived. There was no internal energy that was circulated around its body when it received the blow, and it took the brunt of the blow with its body alone. Yet…. The creature’s skin and toughness was enough to come out unscathed.
‘What the hell is that thing?’
[I’m not sure either. I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years, I roamed the South. It’s a very…… strange creature. But something of that sort of power, though it may not look like it, might have some level of intelligence. Why don’t you try talking to it?]
“What are you?”
As Heoju suggested, Lee Sungmin asked the creature a question. But to no avail, there was no response.
Maybe it was something the creature could not hear. Lee Sungmin didn’t really care at this point though. It didn’t matter where the creature came from, nor did Lee Sungmin care to know.
Lee Sungmin would have just let the creature kill Sung Ki-Jang and passed by without doing anything.
However, the creature attacked first and had no intention of stopping its attacks towards Lee Sungmin. So naturally, Lee Sungmin was going to clean up the mess he was involved in.
Lee Sungmin gave a bit more strength to his hands that were gripping the spear. He did not give his full effort in that last blow, as he was just expecting the creature to die off, but now he decided to kill it and finish off the tedious task.
The creature noticed Lee Sungmin’s internal energy appearing to fluctuate violently and tremble in the space around it, and roared. The creature was simply moving on instincts alone, and had no attack patterns to be spoken of. It was overtly simple and idiotic even. Despite its low intelligence, it could tell that Lee Sungmin was now becoming a very frightening opponent and was starting to amass a level of power that could most definitely kill it.
The creature jumped up and swung its claw-like nails at the gale of blood that was forming a vortex around it. However, right as it cut through the gale, Lee Sungmin was already behind the creature with his spear in hand.
The spear held in both of Lee Sungmin’s hands rotated with a twirl. Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Ring Techniques : Blood Mist of the Night ( 夜雾)
That was not all. Lee Sungmin’s body emitted black tendrils of lightning around him, as the spear started to move at a speed too fast to possibly be seen with the naked eye.
Sima Ryunju’s techniques were focused on dastardly speed, and the bloody mist crackled with the black lightning as the spear shot forwards at an unbelievable speed.
Lee Sungmin did not stop there and even added the Nine Heavenly Spears technique’s fastest move, that Wijihoyeon had created for him when they were younger. Sima Ryunju had even acknowledged how much of a genius Wijihoyeon was to make such a technique.
Nine Heavenly Spear Techniques : Lightning Annihilation (閃電滅)
A thunderstorm started to brew within the forest from the combination of these techniques as the spear thrust broke the sound barrier and a shocking boom erupted throughout the forest. BOOM!
Seeing Lee Sungmin’s spear that was moving at a speed she could not possibly ever fathom, Tang Ah-hui doubted that what she was seeing was even humanly possible.
The same was true of Sung Ki-Jang, the leader of the Holy Churches forces, who couldn’t track Lee Sungmin’s movement with the spear and saw the shock waves of it breaking the sound barrier erupt and blow a fearsome gust in the area.
When the glow around Lee Sungmin’s spear faded away, the creature’s head was nowhere to be seen.
It wasn’t only the head that was missing. There is also a hole in the left chest where the heart would normally be located. In that brief moment, two holes were made at an unbelievable speed and had pierced through its incredibly durable skin that none of the onlookers could see.
The creature that lost its head, spurted a black blood from its neck area and collapsed onto the ground with a thud. Although the body spasmed a bit at the end, the creature’s body eventually stopped and lay dead and motionless.
Even with the creature’s incredible regenerative powers that were incomprehensible, it could not regenerate both its head and heart at the speed of sound.
“You…”
Sung Ki-Jang, who was holding his bleeding side, groaned at Lee Sungmin.
Lee Sungmin didn’t hear the voice of Sung Ki-Jang but sent him a telepathic message when he saw Sung Ki-Jang’s lips move in the dark surroundings.
[Treat your wounds and save your breath.]
[Why…? Why did you save me?]
Sung Ki-Jang replied with a stammer. Lee Sungmin replied with a grimace.
[I didn’t mean to save you. That thing merely tried to attack me, so I killed it.]
[… Are you going to kill me?]
Sung Ki-Jang asked, gulping down his saliva. Lee Sungmin shook his head at the question.
[Why would I care about you? That would just be a waste of time and effort for me. Plus why would I do such a thing if I have no ill intent towards you. Plus aren’t you the only one who thought I was the spy of the Vampire Queen? If I was, you’d already be dead by now.]
When Lee Sungmin replied with a smirk, Sung Ki-Jang fell speechless.
[…… I- I’m truly sorry for doubting you.]
[I didn’t ask nor want to hear your apology.]
Lee Sungmin spoke and walked right on by Sung Ki-Jang. Sung Ki-Jang, the leader of the Holy Church, hesitated briefly but then sent Lee Sungmin another mental message.
[That monster… It was… a Demon.]
[Huh? How do you know that?]
[It exuded an energy I could feel since I’m particularly sensitive to things that oppose Divine Magic. It was a demonic energy that belongs strictly to members of the Demon Clan.]
[Kim Jonghyun summoned a group of Demons from the Demon Clan?]
[I’m not sure… but if so…… We have to stop this ritual somehow.]
[… I don’t think that’s my job.]
Sung Ki-Jang, the leader of the Holy Church, became furious at Lee Sungmin’s answer and tried to say something. However, he bit his lip and held himself back, since Lee Sungmin’s words were true to some extent and not only that, but Lee Sungmin had saved his life.
[……the grace of saving my life here. If I somehow survive here…… I promise I will repay this favor to you.]
[Do as you please.]
Lee Sungmin’s Black Heart, for some reason, started to palpitate fiercely when he heard the words Demon.
Lee Sungmin knew that if there were more Demons of this level scattered randomly throughout this forest, there was no way the subjugation force would leave here alive. He felt a sense of urgency to find the other Demons and kill them quickly despite his rude answer to Sung Ki-Jang.
‘I need to find the rest quickly.’
* * *
The entire forest was being controlled by Kim Jonghyun. But the effects of such a large scale array, would not last much longer.
It was a tremendous technique that Kim Jonghyun had been able to utilize through the three thousand souls acquired as fuel for the Grimoire’s magic. But as impressive as it was, it could not last forever.
If he were to continue to offer more souls, he might be able to extend the array’s time limit, but the newly acquired souls from the subjugation force, and accumulated fear, were needed to prepare something else. It was the true ritual and goal he had come here for.
‘It’s almost over.’
Kim Jonghyun knew that the time of the array was running low, but he was neither afraid nor felt a sense of crisis.
Beasts, undead, and chimera. He had summoned enough of them to get rid of the annoying presences here that were only needed as fuel.
The only remaining members of the subjugation force that were currently alive were the Peak Realm martial artists that were near the threshold of Transcendence, Murong Dae and his son Murong Chae, as well as the Tower Masters of the Magic Towers.
‘You’re completely on a different level than I expected. You are definitely in another league of your own now.’
Kim Jonghyun saw Lee Sungmin easily wipe out one of the monstrous Demons he had summoned through the door and had such thoughts. He didn’t expect Lee Sungmin to become so monstrously powerful in such a short time.
But, Kim Jonghyun still had positive feelings for Lee Sungmin overall. However, if things turned for the worse, there was no helping it. Kim Jonghyun smiled sarcastically at the thought of Lee Sungmin attempting to stop him.
Kim Jonghyun, who had taken everything from Arbeth, was unparalleled in the world of Eria right now in terms of magic.
If Envirus was in good condition, Kim Jonghyun might change his thoughts. But since Envirus had departed to the spirit world to heal his wounds, there was no wizard on the continent that could threaten him.
Even if the array’s time ran out right now and the other members of the subjugation force regained their senses and numbers, they would not pose a threat to him.
Kim Jonghyun was much stronger than any of the Tower Masters currently, and even all of them combined, could not stop him. It would become even more apparent once he finished his plans here for the ritual.
Kim Jonghyun turned the array off within the forest at that moment, without any regret.
The first part of the ritual had already been performed, and he had summoned five lower rank Demons into this dimension. The door was already half open, and Kim Jonghyun was now preparing to open the door fully.He grinned with a devilish look on his face as he prepared himself.
Souls of high quality and quantity, along with a good amount of fear, had been accumulated. As the open door started to rotate once more, the Grimoire next the Kim Jonghyun started to glow in a darker and more sinister light.
* * *
At that moment, the darkness that had encapsulated the forest disappeared.
Scarlett was exhausted. Still, she was lucky. She had to be lucky to survive this long.
It was because Kim Jonghyun gave orders to the summoned demons that were a bit different for Scarlett’s party. Kim Jonghyun was especially careful and did not want to incur the wrath of Lee Sungmin here and have him go wild at Scarlett’s death. Due to that, the Demons that were summoned, consciously avoided Scarlett and the mercenaries around her.
Scarlett, who was unaware that she had survived due to Kim Jonghyun being wary of Lee Sungmin, exhaled a death breath as she peered at the darkness that had started to fade in her surroundings.
“Is… this the end?”
“Oh, my God…. I’m dying.”
Scarlett murmured, and Doberman, who had been incredibly vigilant and exhausted in front of her, let out a sigh of relief.
He had fought his best in his own way. Although the rumors about him were rather distasteful, Doberman did not leave Scarlett and run away just because he was in a dangerous situation. Little did he know, his decision had saved his life.
“I should ask for more pay than this. I never thought I’d go through this much for the price they offered.”
When Doberman confirmed that Scarlett’s voice was now able to be heard, he turned his head and grumbled. Scarlett pouted her lips at Doberman.
“Ask the Wizard Guild for extra pay on this mission, not me. I don’t want to spend my money on you.”
“That’s a bit much, isn’t it? But since we’ve definitely survived thanks to each other, wouldn’t it be possible to establish a companionship?”
“It’s ridiculous to ask for more pay and also ask for a connection simultaneously.”
“All mercenaries do.”
Doberman chuckled lightly as he was inwardly relieved at the fact he just managed to barely survive.
* * *
As the darkness disappeared, Lee Sungmin’s muddled senses, expanded back to normal. Lee Sungmin couldn’t figure out why the darkness had suddenly disappeared, but he immediately expanded his senses even further rather than worrying about the reason. The entire forest was scoped out in his head as he felt the internal energy signatures of everyone still alive.
Lee Sungmin also noticed several distinctive and disgusting presences.
There were 4 beings that were emitting a disgusting presence of demonic energy that Sung Ki-jang had mentioned. The demons were all heading towards one place even though they were scattered. It was as if they were homing in on something. Lee Sungmin focused his senses on what they were heading towards.
As he did…… Lee Sungmin felt the hairs on his neck stand straight up and got goosebumps. It was the sinister and terrible feeling of dread that they were heading towards. Something very horrifying was felt.
Lee Sungmin remembered the time when Frescan had summoned the portal of a Demon back when he attained the Black Hearts. It felt just like that time.
‘Kim Jonghyun.’
Kim Jonghyun would surely be there. And as for the rest…… Lee Sungmin frowned as he examined the remaining survivors’ presences throughout the forest.
There were fewer survivors than expected.
The 500 strong that had assembled together for the subjugation force, were now decimated down to only a few dozen people. Lee Sungmin frowned since he knew Kim Jonghyun had massacred all of those people for whatever he was planning.
‘The subjugation was a failure for them.’
A disastrous failure. Kim Jonghyun hadn’t merely been sitting idly as the subjugation forces thought they were prepared enough. If anything, they all severely underestimated him.
But Lee Sungmin only was wondering about one thing. Where was Scarlett? Lee Sungmin continued to expand his senses until he picked up on a distinct signature of internal energy. It was Scarlett, and she was still alive. Lee Sungmin sighed with relief as he prepared to move.
“Let’s go.”
Lee Sungmin didn’t even look back at Tang Ah-Hui who followed him.
He had to leave this forest immediately with Scarlett before things got too annoying.