Crack!
The incessantly ringing sound of rupture stopped.
One of the senior members, seeing the completely transformed Moyong Jin-gyeong, muttered unconsciously.
“Ch… Iron Blood Rat…!”
The appearance of the transformed Moyong Jin-gyeong was strikingly similar to that of the Iron Blood Rat. Apart from the red color from fur to pupils and a slight difference in size, one could easily believe they were the same entity.
Kyaaaaaaaah-!
Unlike the Iron Blood Rat, it let out a ferocious roar. The newly formed tail slammed into the ground, radiating an aggressive aura.
“Ah… aah…”
“The Master of the Faction…!”
Everyone was in shock, unable to act in the face of the situation.
“What are you all doing! Everyone, retreat!”
Only Moyong Seo calmly assessed the situation.
Moyong Seo hadn’t expected a human to turn into a monster, but having been informed by Ho Cheon-an, they were mentally prepared for the worst, allowing them to regain composure the fastest.
At Moyong Seo’s cry, the once-Moyong Jin-gyeong, now the Red Blood Rat, turned around.
Was the lingering hostility from its human days still present, or did it simply see a weapon wielding loud sounds as a threat?
Kyaaaah!
The Red Blood Rat swung its foreleg towards Moyong Seo.
Moyong Seo, instinctively about to draw their sword, immediately switched to a one-sided defensive stance. They were too exhausted to properly unfold the four-clawed technique reminiscent of a sword.
Boom!
“Gah!”
As Moyong Seo took the blow from the Red Blood Rat, they were flung backward. Deliberately expelling some stamina to roll on the ground upon landing, Moyong Seo’s right arm trembled.
‘If I receive a frontal attack… I won’t even have bones left!’
A look of distress settled on Moyong Seo’s face. The power of the Red Blood Rat, which Moyong Jin-gyeong had transformed into, was no joke.
Even a considerable Peak Stage martial artist would struggle to withstand a few moves from such overwhelming strength.
Anyone below that level could lose their life from even a mere brush.
Just being a target in this situation could result in death.
That thought flashed through Moyong Seo’s mind.
“What’s everyone doing! Everyone, run away!”
“Uncle! You can’t handle this alone!”
“I can take care of myself! Hurry and escape!”
Though Moyong Seo repeatedly shouted, the chaos would not easily settle.
In a rare event where a human transformed into a monster, and that target was the Master of the Shengsu Faction.
Still, being martial artists, everyone drew their weapons, but whether to retreat, hold the ground, or attack was unclear.
Lost in thought, the branch clan members were overwhelmed by the mental shock and the chaotic urgency.
“I’ll help!”
“I’m sorry, but you can’t handle this! Run away!”
“Uncle, you’re also struggling!”
“I’ll help too!”
Kyaaaaaah!!
As Moyong Yeon-hwa and Moyong Mo joined Moyong Seo, the Red Blood Rat immediately showed aggressive reactions.
It charged towards the three, colliding directly with them.
Boom!!
“Gah!”
“Ugh!”
The three of them were sent flying in different directions. Moyong Mo, having blocked its swinging foreleg, couldn’t bear the force and went flying, while Moyong Seo narrowly evaded the Red Blood Rat’s body and rolled backward, and Moyong Yeon-hwa’s sword was uselessly deflected as she had aimed for the gap created by the two.
The Red Blood Rat swung its tail at Moyong Yeon-hwa, who had dared to attack. Moyong Yeon-hwa, who hastily took a defensive posture, could only tumble roughly on the ground.
The branch clan members, witnessing this, gasped in shock.
“No way!”
“It deflected the sword strike!”
Kyaaaaaah!!
Although it had deflected Moyong Yeon-hwa’s attack, the Red Blood Rat trembled, indicating it might have taken damage, its angry gaze fixed on Moyong Yeon-hwa.
With a mighty leap, the Red Blood Rat charged at Moyong Yeon-hwa.
The branch clan members, caught in its path, swung their weapons desperately, but the Red Blood Rat disregarded them as if they were useless, focusing solely on Moyong Yeon-hwa.
“Ugh!”
“Yeon-hwa!”
No one could stop the Red Blood Rat racing towards Moyong Yeon-hwa.
As it seemed ready to crush her, dark thoughts filled each onlooker’s mind when suddenly…
Swoooosh!!
A sharp sound erupted.
Boom!!
Kiyiyiying!!
The Red Blood Rat stumbled as something struck its side. Moyong Yeon-hwa, wide-eyed, turned to see what had hit the Red Blood Rat.
It was a large sword sheath, half-destroyed.
Moyong Yeon-hwa recognized instantly who had thrown it.
How many people in the world use such a great sword?
Bang!
Though it was a tough blow, Moyong Yeon-hwa, having already felt it, unleashed a familiar new form to attack the Red Blood Rat. Seeing the glaring yellow Qi, the Red Blood Rat recoiled.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes… I’m fine.”
Ho Cheon-an had stepped in front of Moyong Yeon-hwa. Perhaps sensing Ho Cheon-an’s strength, the Red Blood Rat hesitated to unleash its ferocious roar.
“Be careful! It deflected the sword strike.”
Nodding to Moyong Yeon-hwa’s warning, Ho Cheon-an surveyed the situation. Moyong Seo looked unwell, likely from exerting herself during the matches, and many of the faction members were down, causing chaos.
“Thank you for your effort. I’ll take a moment to handle this.”
It was too dangerous. Thinking to prevent them from speaking, Moyong Yeon-hwa’s eyes widened.
Whuuuuuum!!
It was the energy rippling from Ho Cheon-an.
The weighty wave resonated through the air like the booming of drums.
Moyong Seo couldn’t help but exhale in awe.
Is this the sincerity of the Brain Knife Outcast?
Ho Cheon-an, who had never fully unleashed this power since obtaining it, was now beginning to show his true strength.
Boom-oooom!
The sound of thunder roared as Ho Cheon-an’s new form unleashed a strike. The Red Blood Rat’s tail shot forward towards Ho Cheon-an.
Dodging the tail with remarkable agility, Ho Cheon-an’s movements flowed seamlessly into a series of attacks, advancing from evasion to a mighty counterstrike.
The speed was so rapid that half the branch clan members barely caught sight of Ho Cheon-an’s movements. But Ho Cheon-an did not let his guard down. This was his first fight against a rat entity, but instinctively, he felt the Red Blood Rat’s eyes and ears were tracking his every move.
In that case, he would move even faster.
Five Shadow Pursuit!
Six Elemental Bloom!
Seven Flawless Shift!
Claiming the rear, Ho Cheon-an twisted to evade the incoming tail, overwhelming the Red Blood Rat with piercing speed.
Ho Cheon-an’s form appeared completely exposed at the side of the Red Blood Rat.
And then, like a falling thunderbolt.
Boom!!
The massive body of the Red Blood Rat, weighing several tons, lifted off the ground. Attempting to brace itself, the Red Blood Rat’s sharp claws scraped the ground, leaving deep gouges, but it was ineffective against the impact.
Screeeeeech!!
With a scream, the Red Blood Rat toppled sideways, scrambling to regain its balance. Glaring fiercely at Ho Cheon-an, it surveyed its surroundings.
The members of the Moyong Clan’s branch, having regained some composure, were now arming themselves and forming a siege around the Red Blood Rat.
Swish!
Perhaps realizing the disadvantageous situation, the Red Blood Rat, its furious red eyes flashing, chose to flee.
“I’ll chase it down.”
“No, wait a moment!”
Moyong Seo called out to Ho Cheon-an, who was about to take off.
“It’s dangerous to go alone! As you saw, you couldn’t cut through that fur with your sword! It’s showcasing an almost entity-like power, making it hard to face alone!”
Ho Cheon-an smiled at Moyong Seo’s insistence.
“It’s alright.”
Before Moyong Seo could say more, the sound of galloping hooves approached rapidly.
Thud thud thud thud thud!!
The crew of the Moyong Clan instinctively turned towards the sound as multiple horses were galloping towards them, accompanied by the distinct clattering of a cart. The speed was unnaturally fast for a cart coming through the woods.
This place was a forest.
Though there were sparse trees due to the frequent logging for the nearby mine, it wasn’t a terrain suited for high-speed carts.
So, the members of the Moyong Clan could only stare in disbelief.
A cart was charging through the woods at a speed unimaginable even on flat ground.
Spotting the cart, Ho Cheon-an exclaimed, “We’ve got companions!”
“Haha! Which side is it from?!”
Evidently sensing the opportunity to race, Tang Do-yeon was exuberantly excited, while the pale-faced Black Cat poked her head out through the window, and the rest of the crew were seen slumped over the roof of the cart in expressions of surrender. With a wry smile, Ho Cheon-an pointed in the direction the Red Blood Rat had fled.
“Catch it!”
Swoosh!
Tang Do-yeon launched a rope from the catapult atop the cart towards Ho Cheon-an. Holding the rope, he glanced at the dazed Moyong Seo and Moyong Yeon-hwa.
“I’ll go ahead. You two catch up once the situation is in hand.”
“No…”
Before Moyong Mo could finish speaking, Ho Cheon-an leaped into the air.
Vrrroooom!!
With a powerful jump, he landed on top of the cart with a fierce momentum.
“Hahaha! Hold on tight! We’re going faster!”
“Waaah…”
The Black Cat let out a sound that was a mix of a groan, a scream, and an unexpected thrill, and the Bicheongmacha began its furious chase of the Red Blood Rat.
In an explosive burst of speed and presence, the Bicheongmacha swept through the scene and disappeared.
Moyong Mo blinked, watching the Bicheongmacha vanish into the distance, suddenly snapped back to reality.
“Form a pursuit party! Those who can’t help should go back to the Faction for nets and iron chains!”
“Yes!”
Following Moyong Mo’s orders, the members of the Moyong Clan began to move swiftly.
* *
Thud thud thud thud thud!!
Four powerful horses slammed against the ground, leading the Bicheongmacha.
I clutched the safety handle on the ceiling with all my might, seated under Hwa-gyeong’s grip, unable to suppress my bewilderment.
“What on earth did you do to the cart?”
This was my first time witnessing the Bicheongmacha in action since joining the team.
“Hahaha!! I wasn’t just playing with my sister!”
Tang Do-yeon laughed heartily, busily maneuvering her hands.
The reason she was busy? It wasn’t just to whip the horses.
Control!
The irregularly growing trees in the Moyong Clan’s forest loomed quickly into view.
Despite the speeding cart, Tang Do-yeon didn’t slow down.
Instead, she twisted the handles on the driver’s seat.
At that moment, I felt a sudden lightness.
It wasn’t a problem that inertia would carry us; the real issue was which direction that inertia would take us.
To the right.
Incredibly, the Bicheongmacha shifted diagonally, darting past the tree that had just been looming.
Observing the wheels of the Bicheongmacha underneath, I noted that they were twisting throughout the rugged forest terrain.
With one hand holding the reins and controlling the horses while simultaneously steering the cart’s body, Tang Do-yeon was no amateur.
I was momentarily speechless by this level of skill displayed.
What on earth had happened in the time I was away?
Despite my thoughts, the distance between us and the rat resembling the Iron Blood Rat, whom I dubbed the Red Blood Rat, was narrowing.
Had we closed the gap to about ten lengths? Meanwhile, Tang So-yeol, still puffing on his pipe, raised a catapult that was affixed to the cart’s ceiling.
“Let’s see how sturdy it is.”
Click!
A sound of clasps engaging, and then…
Boom!
Swoosh!
The rain of swords launched at once.
Kyaah!
Six blades struck the body of the Red Blood Rat. Annoyed, it glared back at us, but quickly returned to its focus on fleeing.
“It’ll be hard to deal any real damage. We couldn’t even pierce its skin with the sword.”
“Well, I didn’t expect we’d do any real damage to begin with. But we can at least gain its attention.”
As I watched Tang So-yeol attach another device to the catapult while keeping an eye on the fleeing Red Blood Rat, I reflected.
The Red Blood Rat was weak. Oh, of course, I must clarify, weak for an entity.
Unlike the Iron Blood Rat, which deemed it impossible to win alone, I sensed that the Red Blood Rat was still manageable.
Why was the Red Blood Rat fleeing?
The moment I appeared, it ran away after attacking the Moyong Clan’s members before I joined. The combination of the forces from the Moyong Clan along with myself must have become too formidable for it.
Not to mention the creatures aboard the Bicheongmacha were certainly not easy targets.
“Honorable Person, what do you plan to do about that rat?”
At that timely question from Miss Yeo Il-ye, my resolve solidified.
“We’ll catch it ourselves. There’s no time to wait for the Moyong Clan’s members.”
If the Red Blood Rat escaped this forest, considerable chaos would ensue. In which case, all our planning would unravel in an instant.
Thus, the Red Blood Rat needed to be subdued right here in the forest.
Hearing my intentions, the team looked at me.
“Hahaha! Hunting an entity alongside the Bicheongmacha! This will make for a special memory!”
“Understood.”
“Can’t allow such a dangerous monster to escape.”
The Red Blood Rat may seem weak for an entity, but it certainly wasn’t an easy opponent, yet the team unanimously agreed without hesitation, and I felt a light sense of gratitude.
“Then let’s get started.”
With that, the hunt for the entity formally began as Tang So-yeol unhesitatingly pulled the trigger on the catapult he had just fitted.
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