Chapter 140: How Cheonma Resists Mass Attacks
"Dong-gwe!"
Nam Sa-gwang's eyebrows twitched at the word "dong-gwe." However, Nam Sa-gwang forced a smile and opened his mouth. "Old Woman. I know you're happy to see me after so long, but don't call me by that forgotten nickname. No one recognizes me anymore. Should I call you Bukgwangnyeo too?"
"You scoundrel! You're the only person in the martial world who dares call me that!" He suddenly unleashed an icy energy and charged forward, and Nam Sa-gwang rushed at him.
"Hwaaah!"
The moment the two collided, a massive force surrounded him, causing the warriors to retreat frantically.
"Crack!"
After clashing once, the woman fell back, her face contorted in pain.
"You've inflicted your hundredth wound!"
"I've always been faster than you, old woman."
"Until the end!" Nam Sa-gwang raised his hands at her as she tried to attack again.
"Calm down. You've been secluded for over a hundred years. You didn't just come out to fight me to the death, did you?"
Hearing his words, the woman's expression turned cold and she glanced at Ryle behind Nam Sa-gwang.
"I heard that people from another world were massacring civilians. When I came here, I realized the rumors were true."
Nam Sa-gwang frowned at her words. "Did you kill otherworldly people?"
"That's an obvious question. Why keep people who create chaos alive in the world?" Hearing Nam Sa-gwang's old comrade Seo Seol-hee's words, Nam Sa-gwang sighed.
"Then you must have earned the right to join the fight against Cloyd."
Hearing his words, the woman looked at him questioningly. "I heard something like that. Do you know something?"
"I know, but I don't want to tell you."
"Dong-Gwe!"
The Byeongjeongseong warriors accompanying her couldn't hide their surprise. It was natural that they had never seen her, an absolute lord who had been secluded in the castle their entire lives, reveal her emotions this way.
"If you're going to call me, call me properly. Call me Mushin. What the hell is Dong-gwe? Dong-gwe."
"Hmph! An ordinary mortal like you wouldn't even dare mention my name. You're just an aging monster."
"What's different about you? We both fell into the Banro Hwandong trap. Except for Namhyun and Bukgeol, we're all failures."
His eyes seemed lost in memory for a moment as he thought of two names that weren't there. Since Huiji's time, four warriors who had made a name for themselves in the martial world had spent their entire lives together, sometimes fighting, sometimes strengthening their friendship.
Joo-myeon-cheon, who was praised as Nam-hyun-seong, and Ja-geol-ryun, who was called Buk-tae-ryong. And Buk-bing-hu, Seo-seol-hee, Dong-mu-shin, and Nam-sa-gwang were absolute masters who reached their peak in the same era.
"It seems that you also appeared in this world for the same reason. Why are you with those otherworlders?"
"It's not that simple. You could compare it to an old woman caught between two sides. Not all otherworlders are enemies. You'll understand soon enough."
Binghu's pride was hurt by his vague words, and he couldn't ask any more questions.
Ryle cautiously opened his mouth to the woman, who was trembling and clenching her teeth.
"We were forced to come here from another world through a game."
Her gaze locked on Ryle's words.
"A game?"
"Yes. It..."
As Ryle recounted what had happened, Binghu approached him. Seeing his face flush at the sight of her smooth skin and beautiful features visible beneath the silk fabric, she knelt down to make eye contact with him.
"You must have gone through a lot at such a young age." Ryle felt an unexplained warmth as her hand gently caressed his head. Ryle nodded, embarrassed by the pitying gaze of the tear-filled young Binghu.
"It's okay. I gained a lot from this game."
"Judging by the fact that you're being watched over by Jeongpa-in, you don't seem like a bad person. Then, can you explain the rules of that game to me once more?"
"Hmph!" Nam Sa-gwang couldn't stop Ryle from revealing all the information. If he were in seclusion, it was obvious that he would soon be promoted to the level of an ordinary player, and then a 'Crown'.
"A bad tie. I can't shake it off." Whether he knew his thoughts or not, Binghu's gaze was fixated on Ryle.
Jinlong and Jichen arrived late on the scene and cautiously approached the warriors of Bingje Castle, greeting them. They had never crossed paths with Bingje Castle before, but they had heard countless rumors about him. They had often heard from their masters that the women of Bingje Castle were known for their icy demeanor and their willingness to fight to the death even when slighted.
"If you encounter a warrior from Bingje Castle, never treat them like women." The idea that treating them like women would result in the drawing of an icy sword hadn't faded from his memory, even during his 30 years away from the martial world.
"I understand. It's hard to believe, but having seen it with my own eyes, I have no choice but to believe it. I've gained some very useful information. And… I also understand why that guy would join such a game."
Ryle smiled at the woman's words as he glanced at Namsa-gwang. "You must have found a clue there."
"If you're curious, go find out for yourself."
"Who says I can't?" Namsa-gwang's eyes lit up for a moment as he watched the woman answer without hesitation.
Soon, Seo-woon, who had finished gathering her energy, and Li-ling-wi, who was washing up, appeared in the empty North Gate Market. He glanced at Juriell and Seo-woon and smiled with amusement.
"Did you also acquire that power there?" Seo-woon glanced at Binghu, who had suddenly asked, then shifted his gaze to Nam Sa-gwang. Nam Sa-gwang returned the look, asking who she was.
"She's an old woman from Bingje-seong who lived around the same time as me. Don't be fooled by her appearance."
Seo-woon nodded in agreement. Her overwhelming presence, naturally radiating, made Nam Sa-gwang feel as if he hadn't summoned all his energy.
"If you're talking about that place, then yes." Seeing Seo-woon's indifferent response, the woman narrowed her eyes.
"You're an interesting man. I hope we can meet there again." Seeing the icy chill that emanated from his words, Nam Sa-gwang nodded.
—Don't make unnecessary enemies. That old woman's nickname is Buk-gwang-nyeo. There's no one crazier in the north than her.
Hearing Nam Sa-gwang's words, Seo-woon unconsciously swallowed. Despite her unpredictable age, her youthful appearance and subtle aura of fierceness and coldness gave him a formidable impression. Seo-woon, thinking it wouldn't be good to deal with her, wanted to settle things quickly and leave.
"If there's nothing else, I'll go."
"Then the misunderstanding is clear." With that, Lim Min grabbed Ryle's hand and led him away.
***
The group returned to the inn and sat in a quiet corner on the third floor. Among them was Jinryong's close friend Jik-chen.
"So you're going to threaten them by saying you're going to conduct a full-scale investigation in Maeng and Saryeon?"
"Yes. The warriors among the players who committed the civilian massacre were definitely hiding their faces. That means most of them are the kind of people who would be disturbed if their faces were revealed."
Jin-ryong nodded in agreement with Seo-woon's words. "Not most, but all of them. Aside from the Demon Sect leaders, anyone who would do something like that has no place in the order."
"That's what we'll use. This game is a four-man game. If we take out the unarmed, their entire team will be suppressed. At the very least, it will shake up their team. And to do that…"
"We need an example."
Jin-ryong finished speaking and placed a wooden plaque on the table. Looking at the six wooden plaques, Jicheng asked. "What are these?"
"These are the wooden plaques of the Sword Gate disciples. They cover their faces and kill innocent people." Jik-chen picked up a wooden plaque and examined it closely, his eyes widening.
"A disciple from the main temple? One of the leading disciples? So they're going to make an example of them?"
"Pass what I said to my master." Jik-chen looked at Jin-ryong with a pale face.
"Are you serious? Sword Gate… She's your aunt."
"I know. But this matter must be resolved radically. Otherwise, the same thing will happen again. We can't let personal feelings influence us when so many lives are at stake."
Jichon, who knew Jin-ryong well, knew he wouldn't change his mind. The atmosphere thickened, and Seo-woon changed the subject.
"We'll change our course. Up until now, we've been hanging out in places no one else has gone, but now that the warriors of this world have stepped forward, we'll hide in the big villages and castles and hunt down those who killed people one by one."
Everyone nodded in agreement. As long as Hwagangjin was around, it was impossible for players to hide from his eyes no matter where they were. It wasn't hard for him to distinguish ordinary enemies and players from normal people.
After discussing their future routes and plans for a while, they started preparing to leave, and Jicheng said to Jin-ryong, "Please be careful."
"Don't worry."
So, Seo-woon and his team left the castle in the middle of the night and started running along the castle road.
"Damn. As I suspected, they're following us." Seo-woon nodded at Nam Sa-gwang's growl. The other team members didn't understand why Nam Sa-gwang reacted this way, but when they saw a group of warriors openly following behind them, they immediately understood. The warriors of Byeongje Castle were following them.
***
Seo-woon didn't pay much attention when he led his stationary team, but the influence of the guilds within Cloyd was immense. No matter what world you lived in, numbers meant strength. And the more numbers you had, the greater your power. That's why the guilds in Cloyd strived to maintain a large pool of players at each rank. This increased the likelihood of encountering guild members while joining the game.
While players naturally tended to cluster at higher ranks, the guilds would go out of their way to add another player to their ranks.
As soon as the Guild system was updated, the Red Flag Guild, led by Diapal, became the largest guild in Cloyd. With over ten thousand players, this guild shared knowledge across three worlds and Cloyd held the power. The guild chat room had grown into a massive organization, drawing collective intelligence from all walks of life, helping each other with countless maps and real-world problems.
Nearly a thousand members of the Red Flag had been caught in this game. After analyzing various pieces of information, they had been operating covertly, avoiding killing ordinary people, and were about to make their move.
"Second-in-Command. As you can see, this is the situation."
Second-in-Command Kairou, who had stormed a large mountain fortress and seized territory, was beaming. With his unique braided hairstyle and tattoos stretching from his face to his side, he had the typical appearance of a Sisl tribesman. He smiled with a smirk. "What does the guild say?"
"The Martial Arts Association and the Four Sages are closely related to our guild members. Bosses and buffs are impossible. But there isn't a single guild member associated with the Sun Moon Sect."
At those words, he jumped to his feet and picked up a barbed iron bar. "Are you sure we can seal it?"
"I think so. There were differing opinions in the guild chat, but if we could just bind Won-yeong-shin, We've concluded that we can handle it with our current strength."
"How's the route?"
"If we follow the plan set by the guild members on this world, we can avoid attracting the conquest team's attention. With a little luck, the target is nearby."
Kairou then took a step forward. When he left the mountain village, players gathered from all over, and eventually, over a thousand players were following him. The modified space-time sharing rule on this map was incredibly advantageous for the guild. Fully understanding and utilizing this deceptive rule, which allowed them access to all guild members' information, they began hunting the epic beast, the Cheonma (Heavenly Demon).
Despite being surrounded by a thousand players, Cheonma remained motionless, observing them.
"Is this the arrogance of the first Crown?"
At Kairou's question, Cheonma turned his gaze to him as he surveyed the crowd.
"Arrogance is a word used to describe those who lack knowledge. To me, that's simply called self-confidence."
As soon as he finished speaking, Won-Young-Shin jumped out of his chest. Won-Young-Shin, an exact replica of Cheonma, crossed his arms arrogantly and looked back at the players. There wasn't a single flicker in his gaze. At that moment, the Jinbeigans standing nearby began to move. Those who specialized in martial arts and Jinbeigans drew iron rods from their subspaces and hammered them into the ground, causing the Jinbeigans to resonate with each other and activate.
—Kwaaahhhh
With a deafening roar that shook the earth and sky, chains of blinding light shot out from all directions, enveloping Won-Young-Shin. Won-Young-Shin struggled against the dozens of chains binding him, but the chains holding him in place, pulling him toward the center, didn't budge.
"Do you still have the courage?"
Cheonma's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he looked at Kairou.
"You're acting like a member of the Mist tribe."
As soon as he finished, Cheonma's expression changed. The corners of his lips pulled up and he smiled as if he'd discovered an interesting toy. "This is fun!"
His body moved at the same time.
"Debuff!!"
Simultaneously with Kairou's scream, countless debuffs rained down on Cheonma. Debuffs that weighed down the body. Debuffs that limited stats. Even debuffs that increased emotional swings.
As more debuffs rained down, Cheonma's maniacal grin intensified. He drew his sword and fought fiercely against the swarming enemies, slicing through flesh and bone, unleashing sword techniques, sword energy, and even wind attacks.
Cheonma's excitement grew as he fought the bloody battle he'd longed for for years. The chilling feeling that one wrong move could mean death. The blinding sensation of the weapons piercing his protective aura. The tearing of flesh and burning pain. How badly had he wanted all of this?
As the battle continued, the feeling of being alive in this moment grew stronger, and Cheonma's joy reached the top.
—Kwa-kwa-kwa!
The ground shook from his powerful kick, and the players, who had rushed at him from all directions, hesitated for a moment. The Cheonma lunged at them, swinging his sword and fists. Screams and blood spilled from the players' path as he passed.
Initially confident, Kairou's demise was followed by utter chaos. The guild members, having lost their focus, could only think of killing the Cheonma before them, and their collective mindset was slowly being overtaken by the Cheonma's madness.
One against one. Even with Won Young-shin trapped and unable to use even half of his abilities due to countless debuffs, the players were gradually filled with fear as the Cheonma crushed the enemy. When his pages dropped below 300, they realized something was wrong.
"He has no intention of breaking the formation!"
He could have destroyed the iron bar that held the formation together if he had wanted to, but he didn't. Not only that, he wasn't killing alchemists or witches either.
"He has no intention of breaking the restrictions." The moment that thought crossed his mind, similar voices rose from all directions simultaneously.
"Run!"
"We can't win!"
"We must scatter and run!"
His peaked excitement shattered as he was swept away by a wave of fear. His clothes, already soaked in blood, were now completely soaked, and his maniacal smile slowly faded. As he watched the enemies fleeing in all directions, he indifferently swung his sword.
In that moment, the 30 iron stakes holding his soul snapped, and his soul was freed. As soon as it was freed, the soul unleashed the rage it had held within, and the thousand players who had set out to hunt the epic beast were annihilated.
"If there were a thousand Crown-ranked players…" His expression returned to indifference, as if saddened that the fun he'd had with the sheer number of challengers had ended.
***
"This…"
When Limmin couldn't continue, Seo-woon shook his head.
"We tried to hunt Cheonma, but we ended up being hunted ourselves."
"Is that possible? More than a thousand people are missing." Limmin looked at the list of survivors and said with disgust.
"With ten thousand participants, it's no wonder there are so many low-ranking players. It probably wasn't that hard for Cheonma."
After saying that, Seo-woon started moving again. Remembering their previous battle, Seo-woon's eyes grew heavy as he rushed forward.