episode_0048

Then I saw in the night visions a fourth beast, terrifying and terrible and very strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and crushed everything and trampled the remains with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

As I was looking at the horns, there came up another horn among them, a little one, before which three of the first horns were uprooted. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man, and it had a mouth speaking great things.

(Daniel 7:7-8)

A tentacle protruded from the crack in the egg. The tentacle was thin and flexible, but its tip was sharp and pointed, and unlike its flowing movements, it was covered in a hard, shiny outer skin like a snake’s scales.

The thorns that were scattered here and there looked like whips or spears.

The tentacle began to droop down to the ground and slowly draw a circle. The horn of the beast that calls for destruction began to spin around and around, increasing the size and speed of the circle.

“P-”

Before Song Chan-seop could even finish his words, tentacles swept across the ground.

Concrete and various building debris flew away, as if the accumulated snow was being swept away by a broom. At the same time, the remaining two tentacles holding Eunha and Song Chanseop twitched once and stretched out towards them.

“Keuk!”

“Ugh!”

A few strands of Galaxy’s hair fluttered in the air as she lowered her head. She was a girl who had good agility stats from the beginning.

Thanks to the explosive increase in the number of [Wildflowers] and the boots that Shihyuk had forcibly given her as a gift, and because she had read the ‘wind’, the girl was able to narrowly avoid the tentacles’ attack.

On the other hand, Song Chan-seop couldn’t do that. He was stuck so close, and he was a melee fighter based on his physical strength and power that came from his body type, not a speed type like Eunha.

Song Chan-seop was hit once and fell to the ground, his military uniform top ripped to shreds.

“[Nulhaerang] Sir!”

“Okay, get away from him first, [Honeybaram]!”

Contrary to what he said, Song Chan-seop’s physical condition when he suddenly got up was not good even from the outside.

Blood that flowed from the corner of his mouth between shouts flowed down his chin. The [Unique Grade] armor he was wearing under his uniform was left with a rough mark from that one blow.

As he said, Eunha jumped back to gain some distance and looked at the rest of the group.

Thanks to the passive effect of [Hope], the universe was able to quickly escape from fear and act a little faster than the others who were slow.

When the tentacles began to spin around, she felt a sense of crisis and immediately grabbed the waist of [Silver Wings] Kim Si-hyeon, who was behind her, and flew up. The stone fragments scattered by the wind pressure generated by the tentacles passing by slightly grazed her, but at best, it was only a scratch.

The problem was others.

[Hee Na Ri] Since Hong Yoon Ha wasn’t a vanguard, even though she was S-class, her physical strength was at a galaxy level and her agility was lacking.

The tentacle barely avoided a direct hit, but she was hit and sent flying, and fell down, vomiting a lot of blood. A wad of black-stained paper fell from between her chest and sleeves.

Fortunately, she survived thanks to the armor she was wearing and the protective amulet she was carrying.

As befitting his title [Iron Man], Do Hyeon-hak was equipped with sturdy armor all over his body.

Thanks to that, my life was saved, but even at the [rare grade] level, I couldn’t absorb all the impact of the tentacles with added centrifugal force.

Although he wasn’t beige, the upper body armor he was wearing had become a rag, and he was pinned against the wall with a hernia due to external impact, clutching his stomach and complaining of pain.

Shin Il-ho twisted his body belatedly.

But before he could fully bend down, a swiping tentacle cleanly sliced him off from his right shoulder to part of his earlobe.

After rolling around in the air with the debris for a few times, he soon cried out at the hot, sharp pain spreading through his upper body.

The one who was hurt the most was Yong Gil-seop. He was bending down awkwardly, so the tentacles grazed his neck.

“—–!”

“Dragon, Gilseop!”

“Mr. Gilseop!”

Yong Gil-seop, whose carotid artery and even his Adam’s apple had been cut, opened his mouth while his limbs trembled, but no sound came out.

All that remained was a strange high-pitched sound, like a whistle blowing from a pipe with blood flowing out of the throat that was grabbed with both hands, or like the sound of a burst water valve letting water leak out.

It was when his eyes, which had been blinking their mouths several times, rolled up and showed the whites of his eyes.

“Heuk, Ba, [Baridegi’s Prohibition]!”

With a thud, Hong Yoon-ha’s burning mana was added to his wounds. The blood vessels, muscles, and skin were fixed as if they had been forcibly glued together with glue. The bleeding stopped, and the blood that had been pooling in his nose and throat flowed out with his breathing.

In addition to Yong Gil-seop’s own Awakened physical abilities, Hong Yoon-ha’s quick judgment and reflexes, which allowed her to activate [Skill] without sparing her own body and even spitting out blood, saved him.

If only he had stayed just a few more seconds, he would not have been alive.

Of course, it is only a temporary measure, and the fact that you need to receive proper treatment before the duration expires remains the same. But what about saving your life?

However, even with this added base, the grim situation where more than half of the [Suicide Squad] were rendered incapable of fighting in an instant did not change.

“… Kim Si-hyeon, Do Hyeon-hak, and Shin Il-ho, give them emergency treatment. Woori Woo-joo, protect them until the emergency treatment is finished. I’ll buy time. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, Song Chan-seop moved.

[Body Strength], [Attack], [Leap], [Advance].

With a quick skill activation with little delay for an S-class downgrade, he ran towards the beast at the maximum speed he could.

The monster, whose head reached beyond the shell and reached its neck, turned its head as if its bones did not exist.

-Ne, always, always and uncle. Gwae, it’s okay. First, get out of here with that guy. Get out, get out of here.

“?!”

Are you talking? No, are you learning by imitating voices?

A brief thought crossed his mind, and in an instant, three tentacles flew towards Song Chan-seop.

However, unlike before, [Neulhaerang] was not an inexperienced warrior, as he was not in a close range situation and was being hit by an attack he had already experienced.

Although its steps had stopped, he grabbed one tentacle in each hand and trampled the other with his left foot, immobilizing it.

Song Chan-seop felt relieved inside. The number of tentacles used by this monster earlier was three. If this is the maximum-

“… You son of a bitch.”

He cursed absentmindedly. Another tentacle had sprouted from under the egg, slumping down toward the ground. The creature smirked.

-Hehehe, Yonggil, Seop. Gigigigilseop, ssiiii.

It started to circle slowly again.

“Hiyaaaat!”

A single flower flashed along with the scream of the new girl, and blocked it. Eunha, who had brought the blade to the point where the tentacles began to turn, added strength to her hand.

The beast’s horn symbolizing power, its unclean tentacles briefly resisted the blow that would cut through even the pillar of [Magic Iron].

One [Wildflower] was a divine sword that had been forged over three days by the kidney, and embodied the girl’s unbreakable will. [Will Enforcement] began to cut through the tentacles, ignoring their outer covering.

At some point, the severed tentacles, accompanied by an unpleasant sound of “crack crack,” fell to the ground like a severed rope.

-Key?

The bastard raised my severed tentacle in front of his eyes and cried as if questioning something.

Eight weak ones.

Two of them.

It seems like it could be killed easily.

But the horn was cut off.

On a weak topic?

How did you do it?

Before the answer to that question could be found, Song Chan-seop grabbed hold of the three tentacles he was holding and pulled hard.

“Ugh!”

A blow like a bear’s paw strikes the monster that was pulled forward by inertia. [Lion’s Head Crush]. The egg that was hit by Song Chan-seop’s main weapon was pushed out with a loud noise.

“Tsk, that’s hard.”

The [Unique Grade Combat Gloves], [Hatch Molar], specially made for him as a boxer, cracked. His wrist bones felt numb, his elbows rang as if he had been shocked by electricity, and his arm’s sensation became strange for a moment.

Even with the full-power strike, the guy didn’t seem to take much damage.

Song Chan-seop glanced at the group.

Woo-joo was helping Hong Yoon-ha up, and Do Hyeon-hak was holding his lower abdomen and carrying Yong Gil-seop, who had fainted from shock, on his shoulders.

Shin Il-ho was fortunate to be able to reattach his dislocated shoulder right away since the cut surface was clean, but the nerves were not completely reattached. Kim Si-hyeon, who had used up all of his mana to heal the group’s wounds, was supported by Shin Il-ho’s other shoulder.

[The Death Squad] was no longer able to continue fighting.

“You guys just retreat. This is where I am… and [Hanibaram] will do something.”

Song Chan-seop said this while tearing off his tattered military uniform jacket and slowly starting to loosen his wrists.

The galaxy standing next to him was tacitly agreeing with him, keeping a low posture and ready to jump out at any moment.

“I will protect it. That’s what I have decided.”

It was a declaration from the head of the company.

The beast that had been pushed far away was still lost in thought, its severed tentacles twitching.

Gradually, flesh began to grow back from that section, but it would probably take time to recover. Now that the thing was stopped, it was time to retreat.

The universe bit its lip.

If it were up to me, I would have wanted to join the war. But it was impossible. It would have been difficult to even tie my feet.

No, rather, it could be an obstacle to their free movement. Concern for the wounded, concern for her brother, and anger at her helplessness all mixed together, making her hesitate.

“Space, it’s okay. I can stand on my own.”

Hong Yoon-ha refused the support of the universe and stood on her own two feet, leaning on her cane. Mana formed at the tip of her cane as she wiped her blood-covered face.

The vanguard is the one who must stand at the forefront.

She was far from being able to stand in the vanguard. However, the pride of an S-class awakened person who casts spells would not allow her to back down like this. There is a man who does not back down even when death is imminent.

It was she who had always been by his side. But now, instead of her, only a little girl was standing there.

Are you saying you’re going to run away like this?

Without doing anything?

Even that girl’s older sister is burning with fighting spirit despite this overwhelming difference in strength, so me?

Is this [Heenari], the daughter of the gods who was called the greatest sorcerer in Asia?

So I can only watch helplessly?

Hong Yoon-ha’s eyes became bloodshot.

Absolutely, that couldn’t be possible. The great goddess had abandoned everything in the past to assist [Admiral Yi Sun-sin]. If that’s the case, then it’s only right that the small goddess should also assist the general’s future path.

[The daughter of the god of Taebaek who protected the backbone of the country and the goddess who presides over Sobaek. As the next Taebaek who will carry on the name of Bukak, I implore the hundreds of mountain spirits. The shaman of Jirisan at the end of Baekdudaegan burns my spirit and lifeline and offers it as a sacrifice, so please grant them power that surpasses the mountain gods.]

[Heenari] grabbed a handful of her own red-tinged hair and twisted and wove it into the number 3. No, [Sobaeksinnyeo] burned it with the flames of mana.

Bloody tears flowed from both eyes. My chest was torn open while I was still alive. A pain that felt like my heart was half torn off and thrown to the ground engulfed my entire body.

But it doesn’t soften. It doesn’t turn back.

Compared to the whole body, it was a body that was woefully inadequate.

The price was high. It would take years to recover the stats that were cut off and the vitality that was lost. Maybe I wouldn’t be able to endure the pain and never be able to rise to S-rank again.

But, what can I do?

So, anyway.

I can’t just sit back and let go of the man I love!

Hong Yoon-ha activated her skill with a scream.

[fortification]-!!!

The buff skill known as the pinnacle of Asian sorcery has been activated.

Song Chan-seop and Eunha, a red pattern was mixed into the mana pattern of the universe.

My whole body was filled with strength, and a sweet omnipotent feeling, like a medicine, welled up in my body. The flustered Universe reflexively opened the [Status Window].

I noticed that my ability value had been inflated more than twice. If it’s like this, it’s possible. I can help those two.

“This is, [consecration]… !”

“I can’t fight anymore.”

Hong Yoon-ha, who was barely able to stand, leaning on her cane, spoke with a voice as small as a mosquito’s buzzing.

“So, you two sisters, please help that idiot.”

“So, please win.”

“Please. Please, save that person… .”

[Heenari] collapsed, leaving behind only those words.

What adds flower petals to the path of a determined man is the chastity of a virtuous woman.

The petals of the incision become sandals under his feet, illuminating the path toward becoming a hero.

Do Hyeon-hak held onto Hong Yun-ha, who had collapsed like a dry log, just like his title suggests.

He carried Yong Gil-seop on his shoulders and carried the shaman who was showing the utmost pure love on his empty back.

With his cheekbones trembling from the fear that would not wash away and his own wretchedness, Do Hyeon-hak bowed his head toward the universe.

“Please. I’m really sorry, but now there’s no one else but you guys… !”

The universe, which had inherited the legacy of those who had fallen behind, nodded heavily.

Do Hyeon-hak hurriedly retreated far away with a staggering gait. Shin Il-ho and Kim Si-hyeon followed behind him.

The universe stepped forward. Three people stood side by side, carrying the will of the fallen on their backs.

The beast, whose severed tentacles had fully recovered, opened its eyes wide and tilted its head toward them. Song Chan-seop opened his mouth.

“The guy is still young. He hasn’t even properly shed his eggshell. But if we leave him alone, he will learn how to fight, gain experience, eat people, and grow to be as big as that dragon. Before that happens, while he is still newborn and immature, we must kill that monster. We have to do it.”

Song Chan-seop, who was gritting his teeth, puffed up his body. His bear-like body grew a head bigger.

[Body Strengthening: Extreme]. The [Blessing] left by Hong Yoon-ha added a red glow like raisins placed on bread.

“I told you not to push yourself too hard, but you’re so shameless. At least I will protect you with my life as a tank.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s about protecting people.”

The [wildflower] that contained the galaxy bloomed even more splendidly, nourished by the mana flowing from its master’s hand.

The young hero, born in the mud and blooming in a desolate world that has forgotten even the seasons, smiled shyly.

The eternal purity that would captivate even the greatest blacksmiths was now on the verge of blooming.

“3-person raid? That sounds fun.”

Woo-joo, who had roughly swept back his disheveled hair, spoke up.

Even the night sky was pitch black like a desolate battlefield, with not a single star visible, but the Milky Way in her hand shone instead.

[Fruit] was shining to present my name to the universe that had come forward to help these heroes.

“Let’s go.”