“AAAAAAAACK!”
“AAAHHHH!”
“KYAHAHAHA!”
As the flying Mummy appeared and cast its magic, everyone on the castle walls panicked and screamed.
Honestly, I should’ve been screaming too, but after almost dying at the hands of the Four Fairies just yesterday, I started to see this flying mummy as no big deal.
“Ooooh…! Foolish people! I can see your fear!”
The mummy shouted.
“But there is no salvation for you! Neither hell nor heaven exists! Only endless fear and evil reside! Hwahahahahahaha!”
What kind of nonsense is this?
“Don’t listen! It’s the sorcery of a wicked mage!”
“Hear it, and you’ll be cursed! Cover your ears!”
“AAAAAAACK!”
The guard’s subordinates yelled at everyone to shut up, and sharp-witted officers began to control the soldiers. Mummy, undeterred, continued to shout.
“But there is the best choice! Come, people! Become spirits! Become spirits to preserve your souls!”
—WHOOSH!
It was the moment the mummy gestured.
—SQUISH!
—SQUISH SQUISH!
Suddenly, the spirits below began to convulse and clustered together chaotically. It was such a bizarre sight that it took a few seconds to register. The gathered spirits formed a horrific giant’s shape.
Just like a Flash Golem!
“Ugh!”
“Th-That’s…!”
“The spirits have merged!”
The massive spirit that had clumped together began to move.
But it was fast.
It crawled upward, crushing the spirits, and with a single thrust, it clung to the castle walls!
“AHHHHH! Block it, block it!”
“Martial Artists!”
No, these crazy bastards!
How do we stop that?!
“GRAAAAH!”
The merged spirits roared, and the beast rapidly climbed the walls. In the blink of an eye, it reached the top and swung its arm.
—CRASH!
“AAAAAAH!”
A heavy blow that could never be stopped with the soldiers’ small spears. The soldiers and spirits on the walls were swept away in an instant.
“HUH!”
“AAAAAAH!”
Panic spread like wildfire.
“We have to run…!”
The officers behind me were equally terrified and attempted to flee. At that moment, one of the guards shouted like lightning.
“Nachalbong! Go and stop it! Retreating in front of the enemy is execution!”
“What the hell?!”
If that punk gives the order, there’s no choice but to obey!
“Everyone follow me, ARRRRGHHH!”
I shouted, charging towards the monster. Fear? Honestly, I was freaked out, but not to the point of being terrified. After all, my life was already in the hands of the Four Fairies. Would I be scared of some giant monster in such a murky state?
“AAAAAH!”
“UAHHHH!”
The Nachalbong-like squad followed behind me. The place where the monster climbed was already a complete mess. Soldiers were swept away, and the spirits that followed were rampaging.
Terrified soldiers fled, and the martial artists in charge couldn’t hold their ground.
Amidst all that, I advanced like a heroic general.
“RAHHHHHH!”
“GRRRAAAAH!”
Swinging my sword, I chopped down spirits, kicked them away, and pierced through to clear my path.
The next moment, the monster spotted me.
“GRAAAAAAH!”
A reverberating roar. An arm made of flesh extended towards me. It moved with incredible speed, but it wasn’t impossible to dodge.
“Hup!”
I dodged the incoming arm with a roll. As I slipped inside, I waited for a moment when everyone’s vision was obscured by the giant.
—WHOOSH!
Quietly building up my energy, thanks to the Yuduyacha’s essence I consumed yesterday, my energy became even stronger and purer. In an instant, the ignited energy rapidly compressed and enveloped my sword.
“Spirit Strike.”
With a powerful upward swing, I carved through the monster’s upper body.
—SPLAT!
The monster’s lower body split apart. Was it losing its balance? As its flesh ruptured, it crumbled down, and I quickly dodged the falling body.
—THUD!
“GRAAAAAH!”
With its fallen state, it wouldn’t be able to move properly.
“Attack now! Now’s our chance!”
I shouted loudly.
“AAAAAH!”
“LET’S WRECK IT!”
Immediately, everyone around me thrust their weapons at the beast. A horrifying scene as blood and flesh splattered everywhere.
We took down the monster!
“GRRAAAAAAH!”
A creature this weak is no match for me. By the way, did I just compress my energy? It doesn’t seem much different from sword energy.
“We can win! We can win!”
“The great evil has fallen!”
“Follow the Screaming Nachalbong! Screaming Nachalbong!”
Those who witnessed my performance cheered in excitement.
At this rate, we would be able to defend the walls.
Just as I thought that…
“Hey, look there!”
“OH NO…!”
Someone pointed to the outside.
And what we saw was…
“GRAAAAAAH!”
“GRAAAAAH!”
Dozens of monsters appeared.
“KEEKKEEK! You took down one? Then I’ll send ten!”
The Flying Mummy shouted as the monsters trampled towards the walls, shaking the ground.
We can’t stop this.
“Barrett!”
“Barrett!”
“Screaming Nachalbong!”
Everyone around me called my name.
—THUD!
—CRASH!
The monsters burst in from all sides, smashing the defense force. How am I supposed to stop all this? Even if I’m somewhat capable, this is too much!
“Retreat! Retreat!”
The guard shouted.
“FK! Everyone retreat!”
If the order is given to retreat, we have no choice but to do it!
* * *
The castle walls have fallen.
As the spirit army led the monsters, they broke through effortlessly, and the Golgakgi crawled up and opened the gates.
We retreated and began to defend the city. We piled debris between buildings to create a barricade against the spirits.
“GRRAAAAAH!”
“GRAAAAH!”
Fortunately, when the spirits entered, they spread out, so we could somewhat hold them off. But the real problem was the monsters. If they destroyed the buildings, the spirits would follow.
Each time that happened, we had no choice but to fall back.
“Break down the doors!”
Well, in between all this, our Nachalbong managed to take down monsters. Me, Serin, and Hayoung joined in, so capturing them was feasible.
We caught monsters and defended against places that were about to fall, but the limits were clear.
Everyone, including the soldiers and martial artists of the righteous path, were dying. Our forces were getting whittled down.
“Ugh! Why isn’t the reinforcements coming?!”
Galbizong shouted.
Honestly, I’m also waiting for reinforcements.
When the heck are those bastards coming?
“Ha, still waiting for reinforcements?”
“Jaemi Son? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“In my view, we’re sacrifices.”
Sacrifices?
“For the sake of catching the tail of the Four Fairies.”
“What…!”
My heart sank at the mention of the Four Fairies.
“It’s been ages since the Four Fairies have been active. I don’t know what they’ve been doing all this time… Anyway, they’ve reappeared. So instead of quickly suppressing the situation here, they might be waiting until the tail of the Four Fairies becomes visible.”
“What do you mean?!”
I shouted in shock.
“You mean the government and the martial world would abandon this place just to catch the Four Fairies?!”
“Kekek, that’s a possibility.”
This is insane!
“Serin! Is that true?!”
“I can’t judge that, but it’s a possibility.”
“It is!”
Thinking about it now, the Namgoong Clan’s reinforcements haven’t arrived yet.
“Hayoung! What about the Mosan Sect’s people? Aren’t they supposed to come at a time like this?”
“Well, honestly, they should. In this situation. But there are too many spirits. Even if a few mages came over, it wouldn’t solve anything. I think they’ll join forces with the Ming army before coming.”
That means…
“So, the Mosan Sect’s reinforcements will come only if the government sends reinforcements?”
“Ugh… that seems to be the case.”
Hayoung answered, looking troubled.
“Yes. I think that’s highly likely. Breaking through the spirit army of tens of thousands with just the martial artist troops is impossible.”
“…”
“Thus, it’s likely that the Namgoong Clan would also join forces with the Ming army.”
“FK! If no reinforcements come, there’s no way out of this!”
As Jaemi Son said, if the government decided to sacrifice this place, reinforcements wouldn’t come. Then even the Namgoong Clan and Mosan Sect wouldn’t send troops.
“Y-Yeah, but don’t worry too much. Even if what that guy said is true and the government gave up on this place, they’ll still take action nearby. Some reinforcements will come.”
Hayoung said, trying to comfort me.
“Right. They will definitely come. Let’s believe that.”
I repeated that to myself and steeled my resolve.
* * *
Martial Arts Zombie Apocalypse.
Just hearing the term raises questions, but that’s what’s happening right now. Spirits have broken through the castle walls and are invading inside.
The remaining soldiers, people, and martial artists, under the command of the guards, formed a defense, but if reinforcements don’t come, we’ll inevitably be defeated.
“GRAAAAAAH!”
“A monster!”
We have retreated and retreated repeatedly. Our lines have gotten shorter and shorter, to the extent that we can see the general battlefield situation just by standing on a first-floor roof.
Just then, a monster appeared from the other side.
If it destroys the building, it will breach our defenses again, and we would be in deep trouble.
“Geunhyeop. I’ll go.”
“Be careful. Serin.”
“Yes.”
Serin could handle it alone.
Just as Serin was about to go…
—FLASH!
A man in golden armor shot out like a beam of light. As he swung his sword, the monster’s body was cut in half.
“U-uh?”
Everyone stared at the man in golden armor.
“The Gold Guard!”
That’s right.
The Gold Guard, who had been silent until now, finally appeared on the battlefield.
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