Chapter 110: Hemolysis

Cheonga and Cheongbin were running on two legs, yet they weren’t falling behind.

I carefully observed them from atop Nightmare.

This wasn’t a typical mana manipulation technique.

In a fleeting moment, the flow of mana was released the instant their feet touched the ground, and the mana that escaped outside their bodies triggered another change.

Whoosh-!

Before their outstretched legs even reached the ground, a faint gust of wind burst forth.

The wind created in this way gently pushed their bodies forward.

The mana usage was excessively efficient. If I could manipulate mana in that way to run, I could run twice, no, three times as long as I can now.

“Two on the right.”

It was Cheongbin who spoke.

As soon as I heard those words, I stroked Nightmare’s mane.

Instantly, his mane hardened and sprouted transparent crystalline stones.

Crack-!

The crystalline stones formed vaguely resembled arrows.

I detached the crystalline arrow, placed it on the bow, and pulled back the string.

When the taut string reached its limit, I lightly released my hand, and the launched crystalline arrow flew into the forest, drawing a bizarre curve.

Thwack-! Thud-!

With a faint noise, the two presences that had been felt in the forest disappeared.

Cheonga, who had been watching, let out an exclamation of admiration and looked up at me.

“Impressive? Did the Scarlet Dragon Clan have archery like that?”

Being able to talk while running meant they had that much extra energy.

I didn’t affirm or deny, and instead pulled out a new arrow.

Even with Cheongbin and Cheonga, the attacks from the beastmen didn’t cease.

The situation was better than being alone, but being unable to sleep properly at night was incredibly stressful.

I couldn’t distinguish friend from foe.

Because of the constant attacks from the beastmen, everyone approaching felt like an enemy.

Even if no hostility was felt, even if their tails and ears were intact.

That’s how it was when we were running for a while.

The faces of Cheonga and Cheongbin, who always seemed relaxed, stiffened.

In the next moment, I understood why the two of them had made such expressions.

A massive presence was approaching, faster than anything we had encountered before.

Whoom-!

What suddenly fell from the blue sky was a middle-aged man with a huge build.

He was a striking figure with massive muscles, blunt ears sticking up above his head, and a sharp scar running across his face and torso.

A gray bear beastman.

“Where do you think you’re going in such a hurry!”

The man who blocked our path roared boisterously and swung the massive blade he was holding.

A reckless attack that didn’t consider his own safety.

The immense power befitting his massive size tore through the space, forcing the three of us to scatter.

“I, Daeryeokgeom Ungjo, will punish you Dragon Bloods!”

The man, who introduced himself as Ungjo, charged at me as if he had been waiting for that moment.

The blade, carrying a fierce aura, cut through the air and flew towards me, when a blue afterimage intervened in front of me.

Clang-!

“I’ll stay behind. Cheonga, leave this place quickly.”

It was Cheongbin who had blocked Ungjo’s attack. He strongly swung the sword in his hand, repelling the massive blade.

“Did you hear? Let’s go quickly.”

“But…”

“Cheongbin will win. Don’t worry.”

Cheonga’s voice was full of conviction. I nodded and pulled on the reins.

Clang-! Clang! Clang!

The sound of swords clashing behind us gradually faded away.

But Cheonga and I couldn’t run for long.

Another figure blocked our path. The man, draped in a long black robe, had a complexion as pale as a corpse.

Hiss-

The thin tongue sticking out of his mouth and the smooth scales sprouting all over his body were reminiscent of a snake.

The man was a black snake beastman.

A silent standoff ensued. Cheonga stepped forward as if to block me, and drew her sword.

The blue sword, drawn with an eerie sound, sparkled as it caught the sunlight.

“Black Serpent Sword… Why are you here…?”

Cheonga seemed to recognize the man in front of her.

Uncharacteristically, Cheonga gripped her sword tighter with a tense expression.

Black Serpent Sword, who had been watching the scene indifferently, opened his mouth.

“I came because I heard the sorcerers were coming… But I heard a strange rumor.”

“Ha…”

“A young Dragon Blood child is wandering alone… How many people could hear this rumor and simply ignore it?”

“Do you think you’ll be safe after pointing a sword at a Dragon Blood?”

Hiss- Hiss- Hiss-

Black Serpent Sword, who swallowed a small laugh while spitting out the sound of a snake, continued.

“You speak of Dragon Blood in a place where the authority of the Dragon Blood doesn’t reach… You’re not still deluding yourselves that the world is in your hands, are you?”

“If you lay a hand on us, you’ll be hunted by the Dragon Blood until you die…”

“Everyone knows that the power of the Dragon Blood is not what it used to be.”

Black Serpent Sword drew his sword as if further conversation was unnecessary. The black-stained sword flickered like a shadow.

“Seris?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Can you go alone from here?”

“Where to…?”

“To your house in Jincheon, I mean.”

There was no way I could go. My hometown, my house, wasn’t in this area.

I was a stranger who had visited this land for the first time, so I didn’t even know where the place called Jincheon was.

When I hesitated and didn’t answer, Cheonga’s expression hardened even more.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, then whispered in a small voice.

“It’s difficult alone, help me with your archery.”

That was the end of it. Cheonga and Black Serpent Sword swung their swords at each other.

The blue sword strikes and the silent black shadows intertwined chaotically.

“Nightmare.”

 

Flap-

I called Nightmare and jumped off his back at the same time.

Then, Nightmare, realizing my intention, stomped his foot on the ground.

Thump-! Crack-!

With a single stomp, clusters of pure white crystalline stones began to sprout around him.

The elongated crystalline stones could be used as substitutes for arrows.

There was no way to clear up misunderstandings now.

Whether I liked it or not, it meant I had to follow Cheonga and Cheongbin, who were Dragon Bloods.

If I ran away alone on Nightmare, I would definitely be constantly attacked by beastmen.

Careful aiming wasn’t necessary.

After all, the power contained in this bow would help the arrow fly towards the place I wanted it to go.

Creak-!

I loaded five arrows at once and pulled back the string.

The moment the string stretched to its limit, I released my hand, and five crystalline arrows were quickly fired.

Swish-!

The five arrows all flew towards Black Serpent Sword, drawing bizarre curves.

“This…!”

Astonishment appeared on Black Serpent Sword’s face, who had been exchanging blows with Cheonga while wearing a bitter smile.

He hurriedly stepped back and swung his sword at the crystalline arrows chasing after him.

Clang-! Clang-!

Three arrows were shattered with one swing.

The moment he swung his sword to block the remaining two crystalline arrows as well, Cheonga rushed in, taking advantage of the gap.

Slash-!

The blue flash, swung out long, left a long gash on Black Serpent Sword’s chest. Red blood spurted out belatedly.

Clang-!

“Ugh…!”

Black Serpent Sword, who had retreated, shattered the remaining two arrows and looked at me with a flustered face.

“Keep shooting!”

It was Cheonga’s voice. I was going to do that even if she didn’t tell me to.

I pulled out five new crystalline arrows and placed them on the string.

“Indeed, a Dragon Blood child…!”

Black Serpent Sword ignored Cheonga, who was rushing towards him, and began to run towards me.

The way he approached, sliding, resembled the movement of a snake.

A silent sprint, and in that moment, a black shadow leaped forward.

It was Nightmare, who had been supplying crystalline arrows from behind me.

Neigh-!

Thanks to Nightmare, a brief gap was created.

I immediately fired the bow and pulled out a new crystalline arrow.

Swoosh-! Swoosh-!

A total of ten arrows were fired in succession, with a slight delay.

The arrows, fired indifferently into the air, flew towards Black Serpent Sword, drawing bizarre curves.

“You crazy…!”

Black Serpent Sword’s face turned even paler as he watched the ten arrows flying towards him.

His face, which had already been like a corpse, now looked like a skeleton.

Ten arrows, Nightmare’s interference, and Cheonga’s attacks poured down on Black Serpent Sword.

Black Serpent Sword, busy defending, had no choice but to retreat continuously.

“Good! Keep going!”

An arrogant smile returned to Cheonga’s face.

She burst into a chilling laugh and relentlessly drove Black Serpent Sword back.

“Kyahahaha!”

Each time the sword was swung, a blue chill swept around.

The ground, which had been dyed blue, froze white, and the green leaves that had been swaying in the wind crumbled to pieces.

I continued to fire arrows.

Since accurate aiming wasn’t necessary, it didn’t even take a second to fire five arrows.

The consumption of arrows was extreme.

Nightmare had to keep producing crystalline stones by my side.

Thwack-! Thwack-!

“Ugh, cough! Just what is this archery…!”

The arrows I fired only targeted Black Serpent Sword.

Even if it interfered with Cheonga’s movements, the arrowheads never pointed towards her.

Black Serpent Sword, who had been blocking dozens of arrows and Cheonga’s attacks, began to allow attacks one by one.

The crystalline stones that had been lodged in his body, such as his back, legs, and arms, began to take root inside him.

The moment Black Serpent Sword’s movements slowed down, dozens of arrows flew in succession and pierced his body.

Thwack-! Thwack-!

“Kuh, cough…!”

Black Serpent Sword, screaming in a pale voice and vomiting blood, dropped the sword in his hand and began to grope his body.

Crack-! Crack-!

Pure white crystalline stones began to cover Black Serpent Sword’s body.

Black Serpent Sword, who had been looking down at his body with a pale, ghastly expression, was soon covered in pure white crystalline stones.

“Oh my god…”

It was Cheonga’s voice. She was breathing heavily and looking at me with a complicated gaze. Or rather, at the bow I was holding.

“What the heck is that bow…?”

Could she have recognized the special nature of this bow?

I hid the bow behind my back.

“Ah, I’m not going to take it…”

It was quite a while later that Cheongbin returned.

Cheongbin, covered in blood and breathing heavily, approached me directly and opened his mouth.

“Are you safe…?”

“You’re not going to ask me?”

It was Cheonga’s question. She glared at Cheongbin as if she was feeling resentful.