Record of the Silver Dragon, Episode 71
"We are fully prepared. If you attack us, your losses will be far greater."
"Then why did you follow my lead and come out here like this?"
"Just in case."
At Seonu Ran's question, Jegal Hwan chuckled and replied.
As Seonu Ran tilted her head at him, a figure appeared from the darkness in front of them.
"Who goes there!"
Seonu Ran quickly drew her sword and took a wary stance against the figure before her.
Jegal Hwan also tensed and took out a throwing knife from his robes. The martial art Jegal Hwan practiced was the Soribido, the unique art of the Jegal Clan.
It was a throwing knife technique created by an ancestor of the Jegal Clan who had held the epithet Sori, and it was renowned as a technique without equal under heaven.
Thus, his martial arts were by no means weak.
In other words, the fact that this man had arrived right before them without either of them noticing meant he was a consummate expert.
"Reveal yourself!"
When Seonu Ran spoke in a sharp voice, the figure before them replied.
"I have no intention of fighting, but……"
As he spoke, the moon hidden behind the clouds emerged, and the figure was illuminated by its light.
It was a handsome, steadfast-looking man with black hair grown down to his waist.
"Blood Cult?"
"Not exactly a murim-in." [martial artist]
The man shook his head as he looked at Seonu Ran, who asked with narrowed eyes.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Ji Ugyeom. I am currently on my way to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult."
The man, Ji Ugyeom, answered Seonu Ran's question earnestly.
"Heavenly Demon Divine Cult? Why there?"
"A younger sibling I know sent a summons to meet them there."
Watching Ji Ugyeom speak in a slow, emotionless voice, Seonu Ran lowered her guard. She did not sense any particular hostility from him.
Jegal Hwan seemed to sense it as well and gradually relaxed his guard, though he did not let it down completely.
"Is your sibling a member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?"
"No. But it seems they are staying there at the moment."
At Ji Ugyeom's cryptic answer, Seonu Ran and Jegal Hwan frowned.
He wasn't a member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, yet he was staying there? Then was he a guest?
Jegal Hwan briefly wondered if he might be someone related to Jehwa, but he dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. Given that one's personality, the idea that anyone would have him as an older brother was absurd.
"Is your sibling a man?"
"A woman."
'As I thought.'
At Ji Ugyeom's answer, Jegal Hwan nodded inwardly.
"You said you are not a murim-in, correct?"
His physique was good, but they could not sense any trace of martial arts training from Ji Ugyeom. And to think there could be another existence like Jehwa was likewise absurd; even Jehwa alone was an irrational being beyond his common sense. Could there truly be another like him?
When Ji Ugyeom nodded at Jegal Hwan's question, Jegal Hwan asked again.
"In that case, the night road is dangerous; would you like to rest at our encampment before you continue?"
Wandering around in the dead of night was dangerous. If they encountered righteous faction martial artists on patrol and were misunderstood, it could turn into a serious matter.
After a brief moment of consideration, Ji Ugyeom nodded at Jegal Hwan's suggestion.
The Murim Alliance camp was heavily guarded. As if to show they would not tolerate any intrusion, wooden fences had been erected and fires blazed brightly.
The Imperial Court did not circulate bows and arrows in large quantities to the martial arts world. If martial artists were to use such weapons to stage a rebellion, the Court would find itself in a precarious situation.
That said, martial arts utilizing bows were not entirely unheard of.
In any case, the murim generally did not concern itself much with ambushes using bows.
Upon arriving at the Murim Alliance camp, Ji Ugyeom suddenly turned his head and looked toward a certain spot.
"Is something wrong?"
"No reason."
Ji Ugyeom shook his head at Jegal Hwan's question.
The spot where Ji Ugyeom was looking was empty air, seemingly containing nothing. But that did not mean there was truly nothing there.
'Keh! What is that?'
Majaron, one of the guard knights of Hong Yuhwa, suppressed his pounding heart and observed Ji Ugyeom. Only moments ago, the man had been looking directly at the spot where he was hiding.
'I think I've been found out……. What is that monster?'
He was not on the level of Heukhwa, but he was still a possessor of martial might greater than Hong Yuhwa's.
While guarding Hong Yuhwa was part of his duty, the mission the Demon Knights had been given was the extermination of traitors.
Fundamentally, only those among the Demon Counts who possessed mid-to-high tier strength had been dispatched on this mission.
As Majaron was lost in such grave thoughts, an enormous energy began to be felt from somewhere.
'A demon!'
The identity of this energy was a demon, just like himself. And two of them!
'Damn it! Two of them appearing out of nowhere! This is cheating!'
Shouting inwardly, Majaron signaled to his comrades in the surrounding camp.
'Damn it! That monster might be an enemy too…….'
Their goal was, above all else, to minimize human casualties.
'Why have I ended up caring about the lives of humans?'
As Majaron gritted his teeth…….
Boom!
'They've arrived!'
They had arrived.
"What was that?"
At the sudden sound, the area around the Murim Alliance camp descended into chaos.
"Wh-what?"
As Jegal Hwan also turned toward the sound with a bewildered expression…….
Groooooan!
In an instant, a terrifying energy seized the entire area.
"Wh-what!"
At that energy, Seonu Ran's face twisted in shock.
Standing at the center of the storm of terrifying energy were two people. And among them, the white-haired man raised his hand.
"Kuhahahaha!"
He let out a mad laugh and brought his hand down, and an enormous shockwave slammed into the surroundings.
Craaaash!
"Kuaaaaack!"
"Aaack!"
All the humans around the man perished from the shockwave.
"Die, you human trash!"
The white-haired man let out a mad laugh and began indiscriminately slaughtering the martial artists around him.
Thud! Crack! Snap!
"Kuak!"
"Kehek! Keok!"
Every time the white-haired man swung his hand, at least five and as many as ten martial artists were butchered, spilling blood.
"So it was a Blood Cult bastard!"
Then, an expert of the Murim Alliance charged at the white-haired man, raising sword qi on his blade.
Pop!
However, the expert's head exploded together with a flash of light that shot out in a straight line. From the hand of the gray-haired man standing behind the white-haired man, something glimmered with the same light that had burst the expert's head.
Ziiing! Flash! Kwa-boom!
"Kuaaaaack!"
Light spewed forth from the gray-haired man's hand again, and soon dozens of warriors died en masse.
"Wh-what the……"
At that monstrous strength transcending common sense, the faces of Seonu Ran and Jegal Hwan turned deathly pale.
"Wh-where did such monsters come from……"
Before that overwhelming martial might, the warriors of the Murim Alliance were steadily losing their fighting spirit.
"Damn it, you rotten bastards!"
Then, a blond man tore through space and appeared, blocking their path.
"Well, if it isn't Sir Majaron of the Flame Demon Knights?"
The white-haired man's eyes went wide as he looked at the blond man, Majaron, who had blocked his path.
"Demon Viscount Magel, Demon Baron Bersen! You must be out of your minds wanting to die."
Demon Baron Bersen, with white hair, smiled as he looked at Majaron, who was furrowing his face and growling.
"Sir Knight, do you truly think you can defeat the two of us? Lord Magel possesses the power of a Demon Count."
"Even Demon Counts are not all the same."
"Ah, that is true. But what about me?"
"You bastard!"
Majaron's face contorted as he looked at Bersen, who was grinning.
Ziiing!
Then, Demon Viscount Magel activated his magic.
"Get lost!"
Majaron struck down the incoming cluster of light with his sword and charged at Magel.
"Not so fast!"
Kwa-boom!
Majaron's sword and Bersen's fist collided.
At the thunderous roar striking the surroundings, the martial artists nearby covered their ears.
"Keuk! You're certainly no ordinary one!"
As Bersen, who was beginning to be overpowered, barely managed to shake him off, Majaron shouted fiercely.
"Do you think you can get away from me?"
As Majaron charged at Bersen swinging his sword, his face suddenly contorted at the powerful demonic energy he felt.
Boom!
Majaron countered the attack, his eyes blazing.
"You bastards!"
His face twisting, Majaron glared at Magel and Bersen and gathered demonic energy. Then, concentrating it into his sword, he muttered.
"Bloodfire Sword."
Then, blazing flames soared up from his sword.
"Oh dear, this is dangerous."
Seeing that, Magel wore a troubled expression for the first time and raised his demonic energy. Soon, an ominous demonic energy gathered in his hand.
Bersen also began to cast magic with a stiff face, gathering demonic energy.
If the opponent used not only the sword but also magic, they had to do the same. Because their opponent was a far more battle-hardened existence; if things went wrong, they could lose even with numerical superiority.
"This doesn't look good."
Jegal Hwan, who had been watching the fight between the three demons from afar, muttered cautiously.
"Why have such beings appeared so suddenly?"
As Seonu Ran muttered with a grave face, Jegal Hwan sighed.
"Who knows. But the fortunate thing is that there are allies as well as enemies."
As the two were muttering, Ji Ugyeom fell into thought.
'Is that the reason Horan called me?'
I thought she had called me for another useless reason, but it seems the situation is turning more serious than I expected.
'So the one the humans are trying to protect is an ally.'
Certainly, the blond being has an aura similar to the one I saw before.
The other two are similar yet different. If I had to elaborate, I would say they are more sinister?
Ji Ugyeom, who had been blankly watching the situation, began to move.
"Huh? It's dangerous!"
Seonu Ran was startled and called out to Ji Ugyeom, but he was already walking toward them.
'Damn it!'
Majaron flinched upon seeing Ji Ugyeom move suddenly.
'Friend or foe!'
If he was an enemy, his life would end here.
Seeing Majaron suddenly shaken, Magel and Bersen moved.