The world has collapsed.
As the death’s spell that covered Jeokmuhyang fully activated, all practitioners finally recognized the seriousness of the situation and began to flee in a panic.
KWA-GAGAGANG!!!
Meanwhile, monstrous beings beyond the display case were waging war in the sky.
Even at a considerable distance, the sensation was enough to make one’s whole body tingle.
The fighters were two: one was the unknown practitioner Lily who had just ascended.
And the other…
“What’s taking so long! We need to get out of Jeokmuhyang, now!”
“Uh, understood.”
Master of Avatar Hayoung gulped at the words of the urging Dragon King as she hurriedly opened a space.
She was quite confused.
‘Why is Lord Jeokmuhyang… fighting?’
Why was Lord Jeokmuhyang battling over there?
While it could be seen as a natural fight to stop intruders, Lily had gone up to resolve that ‘spiritual separation’.
No matter how obedient Lord Hyangju was to regulation, they wouldn’t force rules even in such a crisis.
Of course, it was possible that all of this was instigated by Lily.
Lord Hyangju might just be fighting to subdue the perpetrator of the magic array.
But…
“Everyone, listen up! We’ll first escape to the turbulence zone away from the spiritual separation! The space is unstable, so brace yourselves for impact!”
“Yes!”
“……”
“Hayoung!”
“…Dragon King.”
“Get out of the middle zone and gather your kin. Head to the location I’ll tell you—”
“Why did Lord Hyangju do this?”
“……”
Once the magic array was completely cast, it became clear.
‘That spiritual separation was activated by Lord Jeokmuhyang.’
In the red haze enveloping the sky, a familiar presence surged violently for everyone here.
It seemed there was no intention to hide it, as the energy flowed out roughly.
Lord Jeokmuhyang was trying to take away all lives of Jeokmuhyang.
“I don’t understand. How can the loyalty we have pledged to that person be so easily disregarded, attempting to take our lives away?”
“Hayoung.”
“Didn’t that person even detest the magical path? Why would they do such a thing? What were we thinking? What on earth…”
“Hayoung!”
The Dragon King’s shout resonated loudly in the area.
Of course, loud enough was only relevant to their own standards.
KWA-GAGAGANG…!
Compared to the small sound of the two practitioners fighting far away in the sky, it was nothing more than a whisper.
‘So faint that you wouldn’t even notice it.’
“First, let’s escape and then think.”
“……”
“I don’t understand why that person is causing all this trouble. But the deed is done, and if I don’t want to end up as dog food, I need to get out of here. Everyone must be feeling it, right?”
That their vitality and lifespans are being sucked away somewhere.
Right now, it’s merely their lifespans, but soon it wouldn’t be strange if the Origin Spirit got ripped apart as well.
“We can’t delay any longer. First, we escape. Then we think about what to do afterward. Got it?”
“…Understood.”
“Alright! Everyone get ready!”
Hayoung bit her lip as she watched the crack in space that the Dragon King forcefully opened.
At best, there were only about ten practitioners working under the Archlord.
Is it right to run away like this?
‘There are still thousands, tens of thousands of practitioners in Lord Jeokmu-hyang, though?’
Is it truly right to abandon them and flee?
Hayoung suddenly turned her head.
At this very moment, Lily was fiercely continuing the fight.
Just how strong is she? She’s showing a strength that doesn’t even falter against the Archlord.
‘Thinking back, it was a ridiculous situation.’
I thought it would be funny that other sects or groups might threaten a practitioner as strong as that.
How ridiculous must it have seemed when Lily heard that?
Feeling an inexplicable sense of shame, Hayoung let out a sigh of relief at her unintentional foresight.
‘We did agree to seek help when things got dangerous. I guess this is that time.’
Gaining time against the Archlord’s malice has already been more than enough help.
If it were just personal ambition, it would be to nullify the Magic Array itself, but no matter how capable Lily is, that would definitely be impossible.
Just before leaving, Hayoung bowed her head toward the sky.
“Thank you so much…?!”
Swoosh…
“?!”
“!”
“What is…?”
All the practitioners, who were about to leave, widened their eyes and turned their heads.
‘Something’ extending from the sky.
It was too far away to see clearly because of the golden barrier covering Lord Jeokmu-hyang, but there was no doubt it was a tremendous attack.
Just by looking at it, one could feel their spirit and body ‘vanishing.’
“What just happened…?”
“What just flew by?!”
“What on earth…?”
“The Magic Array has disappeared!”
The sky cleared.
The battle that was shaking the entirety of Lord Jeokmu-hyang stopped, and no more vitality or lifespans were being drained.
The Dragon King glared at the sky, wondering…?
“Could it be that woman won? Did she really defeat the Archlord?”
“Ugh…”
“Is this… the end?”
“What happens now? Do we have to escape?”
“Who on earth is that woman…?”
“……”
The practitioners were thrown into chaos.
While everyone was at a loss, only Hayoung kept her head bowed.
‘You really did it.’
Thank you. Words of gratitude were insufficient.
If that person hadn’t fought, not only she, but her entire kin would have met a miserable end.
Hayoung decided to serve a new master instead of the Archlord.
She wasn’t sure if that person would become the new Archlord, but that was irrelevant.
‘If it’s not the Archlord, then we can just serve that person.’
With a heart full of gratitude, Hayoung lifted her head.
And then she knelt down.
“Ah, aah…”
The difference in ranks.
Everyone kneeled as if the recent battle was just child’s play.
Among them, the practitioners at the early stage of the Avatar Phase had their eyes already rolling back, gasping for breath.
‘It’s as if they feel unworthy to face.’
─No need for that. I have already descended.
The lord of the world descended upon the lands of the lowly.
■
What I saw was a mountain.
No, upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a mountain.
“…It’s unbelievably huge.”
I simply thought of that massive body as just ‘part’ of a mountain.
I took out the Dragon Heart while gazing at the gigantic hand that filled the sky.
The Dragon Heart emitted a faint light.
“We’re doomed.”
There was no more Infinite Completion left.
[W-W-W-W]
[That’s freaking huge]
[Wow, seriously?]
[Are we really supposed to fight that thing?]
[N-No, that’s too absurd, lol]
[Didn’t I already use up all my Infinite Completion?]
[Lily, what do we do, lol]
[Is that on the level of Junseon?]
Having fought against the eyeballs boasting Junseon-level powers and Lord Jeokmuhyang, I had exhausted all my Infinite Completion.
All that remained was merely the inherent lightning of the Dragon Heart, and even if Infinite Completion were intact, it would still be a problem.
‘Marriage Device.’
A Junseon-level existence that governs a world, just a step below the peak for demons and the like.
In other words, it was on par with Lasty in terms of power and rank, not just a clone.
Right now, an unbeatable powerhouse.
“This is absurd.”
What am I supposed to do if a Marriage Device-level being comes out already?
No matter how imbalanced Deoen’s game is, there’s no way a mere user could defeat a lasty-level existence.
There was no way to overcome the ashes.
Even my original self could only win after quite a scuffle.
I thought I would at least meet all the Archlords beforehand, but I never expected one to come down in person like this.
While I was somewhat on guard, some fragments fell from the enormous hand filling the sky.
Those fragments soon formed into a small body.
It was quite peculiar.
A figure of a person with jagged branches and green leaves sprouting from it, mixed with multicolored mist.
I couldn’t tell the exact gender, but the aura felt a bit more feminine.
She opened her mouth.
─”Don’t worry. I’m not here to harm you.”
“Who are you?”
─”I am Gyeoryu, the true person of Jangmugye. It seems you’ve killed Jeokho.”
“If you’re talking about Jeokmuhyang, then yes?”
─”That’s right. Such a greedy child. You know that well, don’t you?”
[Oh no]
[Are you here for revenge?]
[Looks kinda similar to Ertarn?]
[Seems strong]
[Let’s kill it]
[Isn’t that impossible? lol]
[If only Lily didn’t have the penalty, she could take it on easily]
[For real lol]
So, after stopping Jeokmuhyang, the master of Jangmugye came down personally.
“Are you here for revenge by any chance?”
─”Revenge? How ridiculous. Why would that young Archlord make a fuss over revenge? You stopped me just as I was about to deliver punishment, and it turned out well.”
“Ah?”
─”I’m here to give you a reward.”
“A reward?”
What kind of reward?
[Whoa]
[As expected of Gyeoryu! I trusted you]
[What will you give me?]
[Is it really a girl?]
[Oh no]
Gyeoryu smiled mysteriously and reached out her hand.
With just a touch of her hand, the palace that had crumbled was restored.
What an amazing ability.
It doesn’t seem like a time-related power, but it’s almost like the palace was ‘rewound’ and restored.
As I looked at the palace with curious eyes, I felt something seep into my shoulder.
“A tattoo?”
─”From now on, you are Jeokmuhyang.”
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