Ch.50Ep.50 Upheaval

“–So that’s how it is… I think this is as far as I can go.”

“Is that so?”

Just as they were about to begin sparring, Brina suddenly appeared and spoke with difficulty.

She said circumstances had arisen that prevented her from staying with Radios any longer.

Honestly, though they had been traveling together, their relationship was closer to a business arrangement.

He had considered her one of his trading partners and a potential asset for future battles.

That’s why he had treated her well. At least, that’s what he had thought.

But now that she was saying she had to leave, a corner of his heart ached.

Perhaps because they had lived together, quite a bit of affection had built up between them.

This seemed to be true for Arsia as well, as disappointment was clearly visible on her face.

But they couldn’t stop Brina’s decision.

If someone makes their own decision, shouldn’t one properly support it?

“You’ve worked hard all this time. If you ever miss us, feel free to come by anytime.”

“We’ll always be waiting for you, so don’t worry.”

“…Brother Las, Sister Sia. Both of you… thank you so much for everything until now.”

After Brina gave a final 90-degree bow, she immediately disappeared.

Radios and Arsia couldn’t hide their bitter smiles at parting with a companion they had been with for months.

They hadn’t expected such a sudden farewell.

“Still, it’s surprising that Kraud is sending someone else.”

“I was planning to tell him it’s unnecessary… but I guess we should meet them first.”

While saying goodbye, Brina had mentioned that a new dokkaebi would be joining them.

She said something about feeling sorry for leaving her post due to important business.

Radios had said there was no need, but since Kraud had personally requested it, he had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Just as Radios and Arsia were about to begin their sparring session in earnest…

Swoosh.

“..! Arsia.”

“I feel it too.”

A bloodthirsty killing intent suddenly enveloped the space where Radios and Arsia were standing.

Who would be crazy enough to emit such killing intent in a dokkaebi village?

More importantly, there were very few beings who could enter the dokkaebi village while deceiving Kraud’s eyes.

It had to be either an apostle of the Three Great Powers or an Outer God directly invading the village.

“…Dokkaebi mask, Kynee’s concealment.”

They would have to fight back. With full power.

There must be a clear reason for approaching with such killing intent—

“Too slow. And analyzing your enemy is unnecessary in this situation.”

“..!”

When had it happened?

The Blood Killer Ghost had silently approached and whispered chilling words into Radios’s ear.

He hurriedly tried to strike back with his elbow, but…

“Your counterattack speed is decent. But don’t you think your calculations are missing the ‘difference in skill’?”

“Argh!”

Thwack!

Once again, the Blood Killer Ghost’s voice filled with killing intent reached his ears.

Radios was knocked down by a knife-hand strike before he could even take a defensive stance.

“Haaap!”

“Hmm?”

Taking advantage of Radios falling, Arsia had already completed her magic incantation and fired a spell at the Blood Killer Ghost.

The problem was…

“I told you. The difference in skill is missing from your calculations.”

“I-impossible!”

When that being waved its arm, the magic simply oxidized and disappeared.

Shocked, Arsia froze in place.

This was the perfect moment for the Blood Killer Ghost to prepare its attack.

“Then—”

Bang!

The Blood Killer Ghost’s senses detected danger just as it was about to continue its attack.

It could probably harm Arsia if it pushed through, but…

It would die in the process.

This quick judgment contributed to the Blood Killer Ghost taking a step back.

By a hair’s breadth, a bullet infused with divine killing energy cut through the air.

“Damn it!”

Radios, who had been pretending to be down, had finished assessing the situation and fired a divine bullet.

However, the enemy moved as if already aware of the divine bullet’s existence.

With his pride wounded, Radios used another divine bullet.

Bang!

“Cough! Ugh…”

A coughing sound was heard.

It might seem like he hit the target, but of course, he hadn’t.

The one coughing up blood was Radios, who had used the divine bullet.

He had attempted two consecutive divine bullets—something he had never tried before—and suffered tremendous recoil as a result.

Of course, the Blood Killer Ghost didn’t miss this opportunity and rushed toward him like a cheetah stalking its prey.

“Dokkaebi fire.”

“Oh!”

Pop! Pop-pop-pop-pop!

Was it taking advantage of a moment of carelessness?

The Blood Killer Ghost, who had been rushing toward Radios, suddenly stopped and began deflecting Arsia’s dokkaebi fire with knife-hand strikes.

Though its body could recover quickly even if hit, each dokkaebi fire was a threatening spell.

Because…

“Dokkaebi fire.”

“..?!”

The Blood Killer Ghost could also use that skill.

‘What kind of crazy—’

Arsia was so shocked by this impossible situation that she nearly fainted.

How could there be a being with a skill passed down only to the dokkaebi clan?

“Arsia! Duck!!”

“Ah!”

There was no time to think.

Disregarding his own safety, Radios formed four Myeongmyeol Swords and charged toward the Blood Killer Ghost.

This time, the Blood Killer Ghost seemed to take them seriously, standing still and preparing to deflect or destroy the attack.

At this moment, Arsia used her Order along with Near Future Sight.

Then she faintly saw a glimpse of the very near future.

In that future…

Radios’s head was clearly being severed from his body.

“Moonlight Fall!”

Whoosh!

Having seen the future, she needed to change it.

Arsia cast a buff spell on Radios as he fell toward the Blood Killer Ghost.

“Dokkaebi fire!”

Simultaneously, she used dokkaebi fire to pressure the Blood Killer Ghost and prevent it from acting normally.

However, the Blood Killer Ghost grinned at their attacks and raised one arm.

“Blood Martial Style First Form.”

Blood Splendor.

Drip, drip.

Everything around them was dyed blood-red.

Neither Radios, who was attacking, nor Arsia, who was supporting from behind, could move freely under the tremendous pressure.

In this blood-soaked space, only the Blood Killer Ghost could move.

“This is impressive. You’re the first humans to make me use the Blood Martial Style against you.”

At that moment, the Blood Killer Ghost withdrew all its killing intent and magical power, then removed the hood covering its face.

White hair and red eyes.

A pale complexion creating an eerie atmosphere.

And a face that somehow made one think, “What if Brina grew up in a bad way?”

“A dokkaebi…?”

“Correct, Inquisitor.”

Yes, the being that attacked Radios and Arsia was indeed a dokkaebi.

“Then let me properly introduce myself… My name is Rin. Kraud’s husband and Brina’s mother.”

“Whaaaaat?!”

Actually, she’s Brina herself, but…

Radios and Arsia couldn’t contain their astonishment.

I mean, is it normal to suddenly direct killing intent at your daughter’s companions and then try to kill them?

It feels somewhat unfair.

She does look like a dokkaebi, and she has no connection whatsoever with the Outer Gods’ forces.

‘Since Outer Devouring wasn’t activated, she must not be related to the Outer Gods’ forces.’

Arsia possesses an Order, and Radios can fight beings with Orders.

A being that overwhelms them must possess an Order.

If that Order originated from the Outer Gods’ forces, Outer Devouring would have activated.

So they needed to consider beings with Orders among humans or Olympus.

Olympus is stuck in the Underworld, and among humans, only Arsia possesses an Order.

Therefore, the woman claiming to be Brina’s mother standing before them is indeed a dokkaebi.

If she’s a dokkaebi, she must be under Kraud’s rule.

Given her actions, this must have been arranged with Kraud.

“Did Brina tell you?”

“Yes… she only said that she had business to attend to and would be leaving the group, but that Kraud would assign another dokkaebi to us…”

“Right. That’s me.”

“…”

No, I mean, does that justify attacking us?

Radios was about to ask but decided against it.

He remembered the insane power Rin had displayed.

Blood Martial Style First Form, Blood Splendor, was it?

He shuddered remembering when everything was dyed red and he faced Rin’s fierce gaze.

He finally realized how much power a being with a true Order could exert.

‘Cthuga was nothing… Veichel too.’

It seemed that even if Veichel and Cthuga attacked Rin together, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

Rin’s presence was that overwhelming.

She might even be stronger than Namgung Ihyun.

Perhaps the reason the Hunting Dog Lord’s Order collapsed so easily was…

Maybe because of this woman standing before them.

“There’s only one reason I came here today.”

“One reason?”

“I will become your master and guide your battles. That’s all I came to tell you.”

“Master, you say?”

“Why? Is that not enough? I’ve shown you my skills sufficiently.”

She speaks as if daring them to challenge her if they’re upset.

Radios and Arsia, exhausted both mentally and physically, couldn’t offer any rebuttal.

Especially Radios, who would have been dead already if not for the dokkaebi mask.

Both harbored considerable dissatisfaction with this terrible situation, but they didn’t dare express it.

This woman didn’t seem like someone who would appreciate jokes.

“Tell me right now. Will you learn or not?”

Whoosh.

She raised her energy as she asked the question.

Come on, if you’re going to ask a question, could you at least do something about that creepy energy first?

It felt like she was declaring, “I’ll listen to your answer, but if you refuse, you die.”

“What… can you teach us?”

“Skills improvement and the power to defeat the Outer Gods’ forces. Isn’t that enough?”

Rin answered Arsia’s question as if it were obvious.

Arsia looked at Radios and sent a telepathic message.

[Let’s do it.]

[Arsia?]

[I understand now. Even though we’ve obtained Orders, we’re just like tadpoles that have barely grown hind legs.]

To engage in all-out war with the Outer Gods’ cult?

Impossible.

Arsia believed she needed to become stronger.

In such a situation, if she could become stronger just by swallowing a bit of pride?

Of course she should do it.

Perhaps reading her determination…

Radios respected Arsia’s decision and gave a definitive answer.

“We will learn. Please teach us.”

“That’s more like it.”

How grateful that they’re voluntarily walking into hell training.

‘I was originally planning to beat them up thoroughly.’

Do they know?

That hell is about to unfold?

“Then training will begin tomorrow. Assemble at 8 AM, that’s all.”

And so…

Radios and Arsia began what would become the most difficult month of their lives.