Chapter: 151
Clink!
“For the endless prosperity of the House of Namgoong!”
“To prosperity!”
As Namgoong Chaegong raised his glass high and made a toast, people quickly followed suit, lifting their own cups. The atmosphere became lively in an instant.
The elderly members of the Namgoong Family scolded the head of the family for his lack of decorum, but what could be done with someone who flowed like clouds in the wind? The head was drinking with carefree abandon.
At the huge banquet, even with a weighty presence above, the mood was light, and with the head leading the charge in merriment, it was impossible to keep the excitement in check. Some warrior felt the need to showcase a sword dance during this festive gathering.
Namgoong Chaegong put an arm around Namgoong Pae.
“Pae, it’s a good day, so let’s have a drink!”
“Lord, I’m the one responsible for security. Someone needs to keep their eyes wide open… cough cough!”
“How could you avoid a toast from a master?!”
With a flick of his wrist, he expertly guided the drink to Pae’s mouth. While the birthday boy was in such high spirits, one side of the wall was relatively quiet.
Envers, fiddling with his cup, asked Namgoong Myung, “… The head really is quite carefree, isn’t he?”
“I feel quite embarrassed…”
Namgoong Myung seemed ashamed of his father’s antics, unable to lift his gaze and instead staring resolutely at the ground.
“It’s better to be harmonious than to be cold-hearted.”
In fact, it was something to be envious of.
If only Duke Redburn had been that approachable, many things might have changed. Envers tilted back his cup and downed plain water. It left a bitter taste.
“Do you have any dreams, Taoist Cheong-Hwi?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Do you have any aspirations?”
“Of course. To become a master, strong enough to defeat the Heavenly Demon.”
If he became that strong, he would have nothing to fear in the world. He’d surely outshine Bennett at the Academy and would stand on equal ground with the professors, if not surpass them.
Plus, he could even share a kiss with Luna and fulfill his deepest wishes.
Namgoong Myung looked at Envers with bright, curious eyes. “What do you want to do once you become a master?”
“I want to see my mother, return to my family, and… meet my brother as well.”
“Ah, so Taoist Cheong-Hwi has a brother! But… do you really have to be a master to do that?”
“… I’m not sure.”
Perhaps it wasn’t necessary.
“Ah, let me pour you another drink.”
“Thank you. Have some too.”
“Hehe.”
Clink.
The two little kids pretended to mimic their elders, exchanging sips of water. Envers, who had been fiddling with a piece of tofu from the plate, suddenly felt a breeze brush by.
Whiiing… Rumble…
“What…?”
An eerie vibration resonated through the air, almost like it was playing with the wind.
The subtle tremor tickled the fine hairs on his skin. Envers turned toward the entrance of the Namgoong residence. The place was still bustling, and the banquet continued, but,
Envers set aside all the noise in his head to concentrate.
“… ? Taoist Cheong-Hwi?”
Kung! Kuwooong!
A crashing sound reverberated, followed by a faint whiff of blood that brushed against his nostrils. Envers slowly stood up, tightening every muscle in his body.
Feeling a strange atmosphere shift, Namgoong Myung also put down his cup and stood up, gazing intently at the entrance. Only then did he feel it.
Eye Insight.
A dark aura, filled with malice, was already locking onto him from afar.
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Whoooosh…
In the dead of night, outside the walls of the Namgoong residence, darkness had settled in. The bright full moon shone, but its light was insufficient to illuminate every shadow.
Swish…
The branches of an ancient tree swayed gently, trembling slightly. Something, perhaps a bird, had just swept past. The rustling leaves confirmed the presence of that creature.
Thump. Thud.
A figure jumped, landing on the makeshift stage at the roadside. However, the movement was strange. There was an unsettling feeling, as if this being was not quite human.
The beast’s ear picked up human voices from two warriors guarding the Namgoong residence. They were exchanging idle chatter.
“… It sounds lively inside. How long until we switch out?”
“Quite a while. The full moon is still hanging over there, not budging an inch.”
“Damn, once we switch, I’ll hit the drinks right away…”
Thud.
The creature sprang onto the rooftop.
“… Hey. Wait a second. Over there.”
With the light of the moon reflecting off its shadow, the figure appeared eerily tall and emaciated. The outline showed it did not have regular eyes; its white eyeballs lacked pupils, and its body appeared unkempt.
“… Human, perhaps?”
“Whether it’s a person or a ghost, it doesn’t seem like good luck. Ring the bell! I’ll stall—”
Thud.
The beast sprinted forward on all fours.
Its arms and legs crossed in a bizarre way, presenting a sight that was unlike any earthly creature. It looked as if a centipede had mashed up with a dog. Thud thud thud thud…
In an instant, it arrived in front of the warriors.
Crack.
It snapped a neck.
The remaining warrior stood frozen in terror, staring at his fallen comrade. The speed of the attack was incomprehensible. He knew he would be next.
“T-That monster…”
Before he could finish, the beast wielded the severed neck of its comrade like a weapon. The warrior watched helplessly as his fallen friend’s head flew towards him.
That was the last thing he saw.
Boom, crash!
Two bodies crashed to the ground, now lifeless. But this was not the end of the chaos.
Thud.
The beast leaped over the wall.
============================================================
The commotion spread like wildfire, growing uncontrollably in just moments. However, the beast was a tad faster than the chaos.
At the edge of the banquet, where Namgoong Myung was, the beast raced on all fours, aiming straight for the young boy.
The light from the banquet hall revealed the beast’s form.
With sickly gray skin and taut muscles, its abdomen appeared sunken, as if it had no insides. Those with a discerning eye realized that the monster was a ghoul.
The warriors of the Namgoong Family, on patrol, drew their swords.
“Stop it!”
“Block it!”
Ghouls were considered an elite nightmare.
The pale skin had a hardness and strength beyond imagination. Unless one could reach a level to slice through steel, it was nearly impossible to inflict meaningful damage on a ghoul.
Thus, the warriors blocking its path understood they could not defeat the ghoul.
But the conditions for victory were different among them.
The warriors only needed to stall. Even if they broke limbs one by one, as long as they could buy a moment’s time…
“You’re ruining my birthday banquet, you damn creature!”
Namgoong Chaegong would take care of it!
Hiss… Steam erupted from Namgoong Chaegong as he shook off the intoxication with the precision of his internal energy. He drew his sword and bolted forth. It wouldn’t take more than ten seconds for him to reach the scene.
The warriors of the Namgoong Family laughed. Even if their swords didn’t work, could they not last for ten seconds?
The swords extended. With their powers surging, they would push down the ghoul, believing that even its might could be suppressed.
“You shall not pass… wait?!”
In one moment, they realized their overconfidence was miscalculated.
The ghoul seemed to know the secrets of their sword techniques, slipping effortlessly into the gaps where their attacks could not reach. As it passed by, it slashed with its razor-like claws.
Swish.
Blood sprayed as a warrior fell, smothering the air. He clutched his throat, lips quivering. This was no ordinary foe. It was not merely about strength.
It had intelligence. It understood Namgoong’s techniques. It knew how to counter them…!
Yet, how could one convey that through a bloodied throat? It was too late.
Swish! Slash!
The ghoul moved with creaking motions like a haunted doll, dodging the incoming blade strikes as it killed two more warriors.
Some guests screamed, while others retreated or drew their swords. Still, the ghoul had already reached Namgoong Myung.
Namgoong Chaegong shouted urgently, “Stop—!!”
Could words reach a creature crafted from corpses?
What resonates with those devoid of human hearts is only Wu (Martial); Namgoong Chaegong’s desperate shout went unheard.
Crack!
Envers’ weapon struck. The ghoul staggered slightly, and in that moment, Envers blocked its path with his body, shouting, “… Namgoong Myung, run!”
“I’ll help too, Taoist Cheong-Hwi!”
“It’s after you. No more words, just run, cough…!!”
Ssss!
Claw strikes from the ghoul swarmed toward him. Using Eye Insight as a guide, Envers barely dodged, narrowly avoiding being shredded.
Then… the ghoul’s legs kicked out at an unexplainable angle.
The intent was unreadable. But Envers understood. This was no mistake. It was something pulled right out of the monstrous Heavenly Demon’s playbook… several steps ahead!
Whooooosh—!!
“How can a ghoul know the martial techniques of the Heavenly Demon?!”
Envers racked his brain desperately, pondering the incoming attack and analyzing imaginable ways to counter it.
“Luna…!”
He remembered the advice: when in doubt, sit tight.
He dropped and squatted low. The unexpected movement seemed to confuse the ghoul for a moment. In that brief window, Envers’ eyes shone bright.
With arms propelling him, he kicked off the ground, extending his legs in a powerful martial kick.
Thwack!
The ghoul was sent reeling. It didn’t appear particularly heavy. If he kept up the momentum, he might buy some time. Envers noted this fact mentally.
And at that moment, Namgoong Chaegong arrived.
“I’m here, little one. Focus on dodging!”
“Lord!”
Fwoosh—!
From Namgoong Chaegong’s sword erupted a surge of azure flames, drawing a cross in the air as he swung with speed.
Yet, before the head of the family could finish his attack, the ghoul seemed to sense the impending danger, moving preemptively to evade.
“… You little fiend!”
The technique was superior to mere strength.
The ghoul, utilizing its dead body’s unique abilities, mimicked the advanced techniques of the Heavenly Demon.
It wouldn’t have reached this level of sophistication naturally. Yet, since it was already a body devoid of life, it can parody the heavenly arts with similar fluidity.
Crunch!
It ducked under and dodged using its neck.
Twist! Crack!
Or even twisted its ankle in a 360-degree motion to avoid one of the blade’s strikes.
Using such hair-raising techniques to respond made it all the more unsettling. It contorted its body into unnatural positions to escape attacks, using itself like a tool without restraint.
Chilling…
Envers’ instincts blared the warning bells violently. Think! If one could do anything for the sake of fulfilling their goals, what tactics would they implement?
Don’t be bound by common sense. Treat everything as a tool. If it’s possible, then it’s possible. Let’s try to think like the Heavenly Demon, at least to some extent. Then—
The ghoul maneuvered cleverly while engaging with Namgoong Chaegong. Its elbow seemed to draw energy toward it.
“… Is that… Explosive Technique?!”
Envers realized.
The direction in which the ghoul’s fingers pointed was Namgoong Myung. It was going to activate an explosion from within its own body and launch it toward him!
Zizz! Thud!
The ghoul’s arm crackled as muscle fibers tore apart. Envers pressed down his core of magical energy, holding pain, and pushed it to the limits. He recalled his duel against Jay. If he could restrain it using the Explosive Technique before it could fire—
In what felt like a slowed-down moment, just as Envers was about to work the Explosive Technique.
“… Ugh!”
Dizziness swept over him, the world spinning darkly before his eyes.
… Poison. The ghoul’s claws were laced with venom. Though he had narrowly avoided being sliced, that alone was still fatal.
Boom—!!
From the ghoul’s elbow erupted an explosion, the pale arm shooting across the space.
Namgoong Myung barely twisted his body to evade but was far too young to shake off the force. The blasted arm found its way straight into Namgoong Myung’s lower abdomen.
“Ahhhh…!!”
No!
The boy’s scream echoed, and as he cried out, Envers’ vision faded to black.
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