'Domination through blood is the Progenitor's ability...! To think it could even control Homunculi. I should have been more careful! But it's already too late!'
In contrast, Hwanggeumgyeong was stumbling, unable to properly grasp the situation of the Homunculi fighting each other. With just a bit of foundational knowledge, they would have noticed that Tyr was a vampire and was controlling the Homunculi with Blood Manipulation... but there was no sign that the current Hwanggeumgyeong had realized this.
"...My... Gold Nation... why, strangely..."
Is Hwanggeumgyeong stupid? He's a Demon God, so that can't be it. It's simply that his ability to respond had declined.
Because the ability to instinctively sense danger and flexibly respond to it had disappeared!
"Hwanggeumgyeong! It's a vampire! A vampire is controlling them!"
Only after Hekto reported clearly did Hwanggeumgyeong belatedly acknowledge that fact. Hwanggeumgyeong replied with a creaking sound.
"Vamp...ire? Such a thing has never happened before. How come."
"It's happening now! Anyway, they're controlling them with blood! Countermeasures!"
"Countermeasures. Devise."
Having received Hekto's 'report,' Hwanggeumgyeong murmured dryly.
"Iron Thread Assembly Master."
At that moment, the battle situation reversed in an instant. The Homunculi that had been moving to destroy the traitors all took strategic action simultaneously. Utilizing alchemy, they created long iron wire snares and bound the feet of the traitor Homunculi. No matter how superior their physical abilities, they couldn't tear apart the pouring steel snares without tools. Tyr's Homunculi struggled like beasts caught in traps.
Having created a momentary standoff, Hwanggeumgyeong pointed at the farmer next to him and murmured.
"Mirror Assembly Master."
After a flash of alchemical light, the puppet that was a farmer transformed into an Assembly Master wearing clothes that seemed to melt into the scenery. A Homunculus wearing glasses and laden with magnifying glasses and lenses spread its lens wings and flew into the sky.
The Celestial God Church says sunlight is a symbol of righteousness, but as with any religion, the process inevitably gets mixed in. Dozens of lenses refracted the sunlight and gathered it to a single point.
The light condensed to the point of forming a shape in midair looked exactly like a giant spear. The Mirror Assembly Master swung the spear of light and fired it at the dark red Homunculi.
Whoosh. Fire ignited on the Homunculi's bodies. Tyr's control, which used blood and darkness as mediums, lost its power to the condensed sunlight. A vampire might be able to resist somewhat, but Homunculi aren't alive at all. They couldn't even twist their bodies or breathe their last, simply dying as they were. Without even screaming.
Eventually, all of Tyr's Homunculi burned and fell. The 'countermeasures' were all too effective. Hwanggeumgyeong looked back at the burned corpses and murmured.
"I will not... let my Gold Nation be defiled..."
But the Homunculi had already fulfilled their role. We had already broken through the encirclement and reached the boundary of the Golden Palace.
Not once, but twice we were put on the defensive. If they hadn't set up an ambush, it would be impossible to catch us here.
"Now that you're concerned about that, it's already too late! Farewell, fools!"
Throwing out maximum mockery, I leapt over the Golden Palace's boundary. As if crossing into another world, the surrounding scenery briefly distorted. The clearing where we had been fighting fiercely with the Homunculi just moments ago was gone, and everywhere was filled with lush cornfields.
While I was breathing a sigh of relief thinking we survived, a silhouette clearly different from the corn appeared before my eyes.
Overalls similar to work clothes. Ash-gray tied-back hair with a rust-like red aura flickering around it. Yeolguk's Rust Assembly Master, Peru, was watching us with wide eyes.
'...How, here.'
It's Peru. She had come with Hekto, but was waiting outside the Golden Palace for some reason, and collided with us at this unexpected moment. Unfortunately.
Behind me, the regressor and Tyr slipped out one after another. Beyond the rippling space, the Homunculi chasing us could be seen. Far behind stood Hekto, Hwanggeumgyeong, and Elik.
Peru stood there not knowing what was going on. Naturally. How could she know what happened inside the Golden Palace where all things come into being and common sense collapses?
At that moment, Hekto spotted Peru and shouted.
"Rust! Stop them!"
Still, she could guess what might have happened. Hekto's desperate expression. The Homunculi rampaging while shedding blood. And Hwanggeumgyeong and Elik standing tall.
Taking in the sight of us fleeing, Peru easily guessed the outcome.
'...The ceasefire negotiations seem to have failed.'
Was it because of her inherent demon sword? Having instinctively grasped the precursor of collapse, Peru bit her lip hard.
'...Everything I do ends up like this. This time too.'
Her efforts were in vain. No, beyond being in vain, it ended up bringing great danger to both us and Yeolguk. Even to herself.
"Even if you have to use your power!"
Peru might not have had the means to stop us, but she still remembered her duty. The Assembly Masters of Yeolguk who were granted the Juggernaut must be loyal to Hwanggeumgyeong. Because all the power, wealth, fame, and even the great achievements they possessed came from Hwanggeumgyeong.
However.
"No! Stop!"
Hekto's desperate voice was drowned out by Elik's chilling scream.
That scream wasn't directed at me, the regressor, or even Tyr. Elik forgot both face and dignity and shouted at Peru. As if terrified.
"You must not use your powerrrrr!"
'...As expected.'
She neither had the means to stop us nor the will to do so. Even her duty was rejected. Peru put away even her inherent demon sword and instead stood with both arms spread wide. As if trying to block with her body.
It's like trying to stop a waterfall with your palm. Without her inherent demon sword, she's a woman with no other powers—how could she stop the regressor or Tyr? She'd be easily cut down even at my utterly ordinary level.
However, unlike me, the regressor couldn't read the Rust Assembly Master's mind.
An Assembly Master standing blocking the way. She even showed a slight hint of hostile intent. Peru's danger level rose rapidly.
'Even if she was friendly to us, an enemy is an enemy...! I have to kill her!'
There were feelings built up over that time, but the regressor's speed at shaking off emotions was just as swift. The regressor coldly assessed the situation.
'It's dangerous if we get surrounded in the middle of enemy lines. Especially now when their comrade is here! I can't leave even a sliver of danger!'
There was regret in harboring killing intent, but no hesitation. Because killing was simply necessary, the regressor forged his killing intent like a blade and severed his emotions. Cheonang was drawn from the regressor's grasp.
Ugh. No. Killing is fine, but she's a card the other side finds troublesome. I can't just let them discard her!
"Shei! In front!"
I, who was going ahead, moved my body slightly. The regressor, who was about to slash Peru, urgently stopped Cheonang when I appeared in his trajectory. Since it was unconscious, the regressor couldn't dodge in time and ended up ramming his head hard into my back.
"Ugh! What are you doing!"
"You're the one! That's dangerous!"
It actually was dangerous. My back hurt as if hit by a shot put from colliding heads. Thanks to that Peru survived, but I somewhat regret it.
"Anyway, up ahead! I'll handle it!"
Shouting that, I strode up to Peru. Without any intent to attack, Peru stood with only her arms spread as if trying to block with her body. Completely disregarding defense.
Her empty abdomen came into view. I can't resist when she gives me such an opening like this. Right in the middle of her overalls, I drove my fist into her defenseless abdomen without any hesitation. A full-power strike sank deep into her stomach.
"...!"
Unlike other Assembly Masters, Peru has no means to protect herself. Even if she tried to prepare one, it would rust away quickly. That's why my strike incapacitated Peru in a single blow. Peru's body, having lost its balance, collapsed onto me.
I lifted the fallen Peru onto my shoulder. From encounter to defeat, it took not even a single second. It was truly a perfect victory.
Kya. This is why I feel like I've gotten stronger. Power is indeed relative. Even an ordinary me can achieve unrivaled feats if the opponent is weak.
How's that? My magnificent figure...
"To hit a non-resisting woman so roughly... Sigh..."
Oops. It seems my impression has gotten worse.
It can't be helped. Come to think of it, I'm the one who saved her. Now that we've made an enemy of Hwanggeumgyeong, knocking her out like this is actually safer for Peru!
As Peru collapsed in one blow, the regressor also sheathed Cheonang. He was only trying to kill to leave no danger behind, and now that Peru was subdued, the regressor didn't bother to do anything more.
"Still, it doesn't seem like the Rust Assembly Master will help us?"
"Just put a knife to her neck and threaten her, right!"
"...Well, if it works, that's fine."
'She took the hit without even resisting. Then I have no reason to kill her either... If it wasn't for Hughes, I would have shed blood unnecessarily. I did hit her stomach too mercilessly, but result-wise, I saved the Rust Assembly Master.'
The regressor does acknowledge it after all. Yeah, even if others don't, I have to acknowledge you who was about to swing a sword.
Ugh. But... carrying a person while running... my stamina isn't really...
"Shei. Peru is quite heavy, you know. Would you consider carrying her instead...?"
"...Hand her over."
'Really can't even keep up appearances...'
It seems my impression has gotten worse again. Let's just say Peru kicking me while being handed over was an accident.
Anyway, perhaps my tactical skills shone, as the speed became sufficiently fast once the regressor carried Peru. We left the cornfield quickly, leaving the Golden Palace behind.
We ran for our lives and hid in a corner of the cornfield. The cornfield was spacious enough, and Hwanggeumgyeong wasn't skilled at searching. Thanks to that, we gained time to catch our breath.
However, we couldn't let our guard down either. The air surrounding this cornfield had clearly changed.
Trudging footsteps passed overhead. Those searching for us had come this far. I held my breath until the footsteps disappeared, then spoke.
"Ugh. It seems like there's a huge number of them roaming around outside."
"It won't be Homunculi. They can't roam outside the Golden Palace. Probably soldiers of the Suppression Assembly Master."
"If we attack them, the Homunculi will come find us, so it's the same thing."
Fortunately, they couldn't even find our shadows. Because we were hiding underground right now.
Once we were far enough from the pursuers, the regressor familiarly dug underground with Jizan. Usually in such cases, the excavated soil becomes a problem, but the regressor's Jizan displayed a marvelous power that packed the piles of dirt even deeper underground. Thanks to that, a comfortable hideout was completed, unlike a typical underground hole.
Beasts tormented by the threats of the wild instinctively prefer dark and narrow spaces. Because darkness hides them from predators' eyes, and narrow spaces protect them from external attacks.
The same goes for humans, the lords of all creation, so I lay in the corner and savored this comfort.
"Haa. Comfortable."
"Do you think so too? I feel the same. To confess, I was a bit dissatisfied lately that you all kept wanting to go outside during the day."
"No, but if we're going to go out, it has to be during the day. We can't live here for a thousand years."
...Still, it's not like we're as bad as vampires, though.
"Besides, look at Peru right now. She's coughing. It seems like the air here isn't good."
"...Cough. It's, because of you..."
Peru said with a frown in a dying voice.
What exaggeration. I've said it many times, but I'm ordinary. So no matter how hard I hit, that punch without even qi in it belongs to the ordinary category. That much is bearable.
If we get into the details, it's the price of saving your life. If we count it as the value of a life, I'd take a hundred hits.
"Well, let me ask again while we're at it. Do you have any thoughts of cooperating with us?"
"...Cough, cough. As for cooperation, I've done enough."
"Hmm. You're too stubborn for words to work. Shei, a knife."
I naturally held out my hand toward the regressor.
"What did you leave with me? Why are you so confident."
The regressor grumbled as he handed over a smooth dagger from his subspace. It's not an incredible treasure, but it's a dagger made from the precious tusk of a rare beast. It's something hard to buy even with money, so if you haggle well, you could probably buy a house in a major city.
...To hand over such an item without hesitation. How much money does he have. Let's hide it instead of returning it.
Ahem. Anyway. I squatted like a thug and pointed the dagger at Peru. I have no intention of stabbing, but a sharp blade is a threat in itself. She won't be able to keep resisting.
"It seems you don't value your life. Even when threatened with a knife like this, you won't cooperate..."