Chapter 1255: Scorched World

It was some time after the search had begun.

Since the purpose was to gather information, they hadn’t split up the personnel; they moved together as a group.

The number of monsters wasn’t non-existent, appearing occasionally. Their strength wasn’t particularly threatening either.

‘At best, they were Blue-grade monsters.’ Even the strong ones were only Blue-grade. Most were Green-grade, that was all. The other ones encountered were the same.

Red-grade monsters were rarely seen.

No, not rarely – they weren’t seen at all.

Kyaaah-!!

Kuhng-!

A wingless, bird-type monster falls to the ground. It had been extinguished by the sword of the Iron Dragon Unit Leader.

“…The territory of the Pisajo seems to have expanded a bit. Bi-cheong, record this.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The fallen monster appears to be a Pisajo. It was a monster I hadn’t seen before.

‘The territory expanding means…’

It means monsters that weren’t originally supposed to come this far are doing so, and that monsters have established territories.

“In a little while, we’ll be outside the territory. Let’s move to another location. We’ll head west.”

We’ve already checked four locations. All we’ve done so far is record their condition appropriately and hunt monsters.

Nothing dangerous had appeared yet.

“…Make a note about the Pisajo; it seems we’ll need to form another team to come back tomorrow.”

“Understood. Should I submit a report?”

“No, I’ll report it myself.”

“Yes.”

I prick up my ears. What I was listening intently to gradually faded. The Iron Dragon Unit Leader glanced at me and then reduced his words.

‘He switched to telepathy.’ He probably doesn’t know since he isn’t looking at me. He seems to be just trying to be cautious.

‘Hmm.’

I repeatedly rolled my tongue against my teeth inside my mouth. There’s nothing particularly strange or dangerous, though.

‘Something’s bothering me.’ It keeps bothering me. Especially.

‘The sense of strangeness I felt near Mi Hyoran.’ That sensation I felt somewhere keeps nagging at me. I’m sure I’ve felt it somewhere before.

Thinking thus, I walked a little further.

After a short while.

Kyaaah-ah-ah-ah-!!!

A cry is heard. At that sound, not just the Iron Dragon Unit Leader, but everyone in the group turned their attention.

Something far away.

More precisely, a horde of something could be seen rushing towards us.

Kugugugugung–!!

It’s an enormous sound. The very ground was trembling. At the sight, the entire group stiffened.

Kyaaah-ah-ah-ah-!!!

“What…!!”

“That… What is that?”

Poison Phoenix flinched. Warriors who had drawn their swords raised their fighting spirit. It was a horde of monsters. The strange thing was that the monsters coming together weren’t of the same kind. Normally, monsters of the same kind should gather and attack. But this…

‘It’s a mix of all sorts of things?’ It’s not limited to a specific species; it’s a mixture of countless types. That’s why the numbers are crazily high.

What’s more.

“How… How are they breaking through the territory?”

“…Perhaps there’s a problem with the Wind Dragon Unit’s barrier?”

“Unit Leader-nim. Shouldn’t we retreat for now? There are too many of them.”

“…Right, let’s retreat for now…”

“It’s too late to run away.”

“What?”

I cut in and interrupted.

“They aren’t just in front. They’re coming from both sides too. There’s a Cheong-a-gyeon in that horde, you see.”

“Cheong-a-gyeon?”

The Iron Dragon Unit Leader looked at me as if asking what that meant. Ah, perhaps information about the Cheong-a-gyeon doesn’t exist in this era?

“They’re creatures that track by scent, identifying targets visually. Their combat power is on the weaker side for Blue-grade, but they possess a cry that attracts other monsters…”

To escape them, one would need to move faster than sound, and there’s no one here capable of that.

‘I mean, their color isn’t blue, so I’m guessing they’re Cheong-a-gyeon.’ Just because they lack color doesn’t mean they lack characteristics. As far as I can see, they are indeed Cheong-a-gyeon. The one charging at the front, I mean.

“We can’t escape either. Not in this situation.”

How many warriors in this group could achieve that kind of speed? At best, maybe only the Iron Dragon Unit Leader.

Which means.

“We can’t escape anyway.”

Even if we tried to run, there’s a chance our hiding place could be revealed. Although the Wind Dragon Unit set up a barrier, we don’t know how effective it will be.

“So you’re saying we have to fight.”

“For now, that is the better option. Besides.”

Even looking at the sheer volume charging at us, I nodded.

“It doesn’t look particularly difficult.”

Can’t we even catch monsters of that level? The group gathered here is more than capable. And among the monsters attacking together, they don’t seem particularly difficult either.

“……”

The Iron Dragon Unit Leader stared at me intently before turning his head again.

“…All personnel, prepare for battle.”

At his words, everyone drew their cherished weapons.

“We will eliminate the monsters.”

“Yes…!”

The battle began immediately.

---

Cheolbeok. Cheolbeok.

Bloodwater filled the surroundings. The remains of monsters drained of life covered the ground, and the blood flowing from them gave off a pungent smell.

“…Hooo.”

Cheolgeok.

The Iron Dragon Unit Leader stood amidst it all. Hyon-ojeok sheathed his sword. He scanned the surroundings with narrowed eyes. All the monsters that appeared had been dealt with. Though his body felt weary, he had sustained almost no injuries. Assessing this, he checked on the rest of the group.

‘No fatalities.’ There were zero deaths among those who came along. A few had minor scratches, but no one had suffered serious injuries. They looked exhausted, but that was about it.

“……”

Was it because the monsters were weak? He couldn’t deny that. The monsters’ level wasn’t threatening, despite their numbers.

However.

‘…It’s thanks to him.’ The reason no one died and everyone remained unharmed. Hyon-ojeok looked towards the source of that reason.

‘Baek Yangcheon.’

Baek Yangcheon. He was a young man who had been gaining fame in the Central Plains, and a figure who had disappeared for a year after arriving in this disgusting world. Hyon-ojeok knew that this current situation was all thanks to that young man.

‘His response is fast.’ Whenever a monster threatened the group, creating a dangerous moment, Baek Yangcheon stepped forward. Like slashing away monster claws or shattering their teeth. Or pulling the group members directly out of danger.

Furthermore.

‘His monster hunting skills are exceptional.’ Whatever the source of his proficiency, his technique for dispatching monsters was extraordinary. He doesn’t just overpower them with a single blow.

‘He seems to aim precisely for their weak points.’ Weak points. He identifies the weak points that each monster possesses and targets only those spots to eliminate them. He even knew weak points that he himself, the Unit Leader of the Sword Detachment, was unaware of.

What is this?

‘What has he been doing during this past year?’ The past year he was absent. Did he perhaps survive in a monster den during that time? Otherwise, it was incomprehensible. If not, it means he was outstanding from the start.

‘Is that even possible?’ Exceptional martial arts ability is a matter of talent. One can be outstanding in that. That’s probably why the Martial Lord wanted to take the young man as his disciple.

But.

‘This is a different domain.’ Dealing with monsters and countering them are entirely different domains. These are things that should be mastered through experience.

‘Just what is he?’ Who is that young man? Hyon-ojeok narrowed his eyes as he looked at Baek Yangcheon.

‘Not a single drop of blood on him.’ Nothing stained his clothes. While the others were breathing heavily, his own breath remained calm. He was an outstanding individual even among the later disciples. Dok-ryong was panting, utterly exhausted. Even Poison Phoenix, who had been showing his true worth since arriving here, was busy exhaling repeatedly. Yet, Baek Yangcheon was merely stroking his chin repeatedly, as if something was bothering him. His demeanor was calmer than anyone else’s.

‘…Just what…’ He’s anomalous.

Just as Hyon-ojeok was getting a sense of incomprehension regarding Baek Yangcheon.

“Excuse me.”

“…!”

Baek Yangcheon suddenly called out to Hyon-ojeok. At his words, Hyon-ojeok paused for a moment.

“What… is it?”

“I wanted to ask something. What’s out there in front?”

“In front?”

Following Baek Yangcheon’s gesture, Hyon-ojeok shifted his gaze. The place he referred to as ‘in front’ was…

‘The western edge, perhaps.’ Directly ahead of where they intended to go. That place…

“There’s nothing particular there.” They had marked the territory, but it wasn’t specifically a habitat for any particular monster or anything else.

“Oh, really?”

“Why do you ask?”

“No. It’s just… something feels off.”

“…Feels off, you say?”

“Hmm.”

Baek Yangcheon nodded and looked in that direction. The western edge. He frowned as he gazed there.

‘Something’s strange about it.’ Looking at the monsters they had defeated, he felt puzzled.

‘What could cause monsters to gather and rampage like this?’ Not the same species, but different ones. Monsters, possibly even of different grades, had banded together and charged this way. That was somehow strange. It was something that shouldn’t normally happen.

Which means, in other words…

‘There must be a reason for something impossible to occur.’ Something must have happened. Baek Yangcheon came up with several hypotheses regarding why this might be happening.

‘There are only a few reasons why monsters of different kinds would move together.’ The first reason.

‘If an unbelievably powerful being exists.’ When something exists that instills fear in monsters, who lack reason and possess only appetite and aggression. This is practically non-existent. He had seen monsters become terrified of Namgung Bi-ah when she performed the Emperor Sword Form, or of the Heavenly Demon, but he had rarely seen it otherwise.

Then, the second reason.

‘When a monster of a higher grade exists.’ This is a characteristic starting from Red-grade monsters. Sometimes, they command lower-ranking monsters as a group.

However.

‘This applies only to the same species.’ Snake-type monsters command snake-type monsters. Bird-type monsters command bird-type monsters. They used to issue commands only within their specific species.

‘This time, it’s a mixture of species.’ They’re moving those that aren’t of the same species. He focused on that aspect.

Far away.

It might be a monster, or it might not be.

‘Something is there.’ There is something. Baek Yangcheon could be certain of that fact.

At the same time.

Dugeun-

His heart started pounding on its own. As if.

‘It’s telling me to go.’ Telling me to head west. That there’s something there, urging me to go quickly.

His instincts seemed to be telling him so.