Chapter 1297 – 1297. The Plum Blossom Swordsman Reincarnated Into The Baek Family
I went outside and immediately activated my Heavenly Eye.
I discovered dark energy flowing from various parts of the barracks. It was different from mana. These energies were rising into the sky and gathering in one place.
“Hehehe.”
There, a three-headed demon was laughing, clutching its belly.
A pair of red horns sprouted from its forehead, a long, arrow-shaped black tail, and black skin made it undeniably demonic. Its overall appearance was similar to a goblin.
‘To think it would be so blatant.’
The identity of the dark energy the nightmare was absorbing suddenly came to mind. It was corrupted mana. Although the concentration was weaker than the corrupted mana I knew, it was definitely corrupted mana.
‘Judging by how no one else seems to notice it… does it have the ability to conceal itself?’
I pondered.
The nightmare was being careless. It thought its presence was hidden. How could I launch a perfect surprise attack on it?
‘If everyone is busy… if I’m the only one taking a battle stance, it’ll notice right away.’
After much thought, only one method came to mind.
To strike it with lightning.
I focused my mind. My mana reacted and rose into the sky. Fortunately, the nightmare didn’t sense anything unusual.
Just before I was about to unleash the lightning, the nightmare, which had been sneering at the soldiers, seemed to sense something and tilted its head, looking up at the sky. Fortunately, it didn’t recognize the attack, perhaps because it wasn’t magic.
‘Taste some lightning!’
A streak of blue lightning fell from the pitch-black sky, striking the nightmare.
The nightmare, hit by the lightning, fell to the ground. Only then did the thunder belatedly rumble.
‘Shall I go finish it off?’
I was walking with the Hwaryeon Flying Daggers in hand when I stopped. The nightmare that had fallen to the ground rose back into the sky. And with red eyes, it looked directly at me. It seemed to have sensed my killing intent and realized I was the culprit.
‘Is it going to run?’
The nightmare looked weak on the surface. But contrary to my expectations, it didn’t run. It bared its sharp teeth and took a battle stance.
I charged at the nightmare, wielding the Hwaryeon Flying Daggers enveloped in an aura blade. The nightmare stretched out both hands towards me. Black smoke shot out from the nightmare’s hands.
‘Acceleration, Instant.’
[Acceleration is used. It lasts for 10 minutes. Remaining stacks: 6]
[Instant is used. Remaining stacks: 5]
I used my skills to evade the black smoke. Several soldiers nearby were hit by the black smoke. The soldiers collapsed to the ground like puppets with their strings cut, falling asleep.
“Kkyaaaaaaaak!”
Then they screamed and writhed. I had no idea what the principle of the attack was.
‘As long as I don’t get hit, it’s fine.’
I jumped towards the nightmare floating in the air and swung my sword. The nightmare rose higher, evading my attack.
Crackle.
Thunder Heaven Style (雷天流) Void Path (虛道).
Using lightning energy, I created a foothold in the air. I jumped, stepping on the foothold. The nightmare’s face contorted in shock.
The sword touched the nightmare’s body. The sword was aimed at the nightmare’s torso, but it only managed to cut its shoulder.
The aura blade could easily cut through steel like tofu, but the demon’s skin was tougher than steel.
‘It’s okay. I can just attack again.’
Crackle.
Stepping on the foothold created with lightning energy, I charged at the nightmare again.
“Kkieeeeeeeek!”
The nightmare screamed. The high-pitched voice made me involuntarily frown. I couldn’t tell if it was a scream or a sonic attack. Judging by its pained face, it was closer to a scream.
“Shut up. Die quietly! This is the price for disturbing my fun!”
It was the moment I was about to swing my sword. The nightmare’s body swelled up and then exploded. Black smoke clung to my body.
‘…I’m screwed.’
It wasn’t carelessness. I was simply caught off guard by the nightmare’s self-destruction.
My whole body was enveloped in black smoke, and I fell to the ground. Aside from the fact that my vision was limited by the black smoke, I was fine. It didn’t hurt, and I could move my limbs properly.
Thud!
I hit the ground. The impact came from my back. I had managed to perform a rough landing, so the damage wasn’t significant.
‘What is this? The black smoke isn’t falling off.’
The black smoke… fundamentally different from corrupted mana, it wriggled as if it were alive. When I showed no reaction, it seemed as if it was a living creature that was flustered.
I focused my mind on my Heavenly Eye and stared intently at the black smoke. I could see the nightmare’s presence. Or rather, I could feel it.
‘This black smoke was its essence.’
The nightmare was a demon related to dreams. So, this black smoke must also be something related to dreams.
‘Lightning.’
I generated lightning. The blue lightning that erupted from my body spread in all directions, electrocuting the black smoke. The black smoke surged greatly, then gathered in one place and took the form of the nightmare. The nightmare, missing one arm, staggered and fell to the ground.
I looked at the nightmare and pondered for a moment.
Should I kill the nightmare here? Or should I keep it alive and extract information?
‘Those demon bastards are so stubborn that it would take days of torture before they open their mouths. And this one looks weak, so it probably doesn’t know much.’
I didn’t need trivial information. Even without such information, I had no problem pushing back the enemies.
I raised the Hwaryeon Flying Daggers and struck the nightmare’s neck. The nightmare’s head fell to the ground along with black blood.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
Cheers erupted from the surroundings.
Surprised by the unexpected cheers, I looked around. I had been so focused on the nightmare that I hadn’t noticed the soldiers had gathered around me.
“The Commander has beheaded the demon!!”
“The Commander has killed the demon and upheld justice!!!”
“Eugene Prukerus!! Eugene Prukerus!!!”
The soldiers’ cheers were quite satisfying.
I grinned and grabbed the nightmare’s head, lifting it high. The cheers grew louder. I felt good hearing my name spread far and wide.
“You there. Soldier.”
“Yes, Commander!”
“Hang the demon’s head on a pole for everyone to see! These damned demons can’t stop us either! We are the army of the Serion Goddess, who will save the continent from demons!”
“The Commander is right! We are the army of the Serion Goddess!”
I patted the soldier’s shoulder lightly with a satisfied expression and headed towards the carriage. I had a heroic tale to tell Yuria.
•••
Dawn broke.
I woke up in Yuria’s arms around noon. I had tried to wake up in the morning… but strangely, I didn’t want to wake up in the morning. I was a man who did as he pleased.
I stepped out of the carriage.
A strange tension was in the air. The army was already prepared for battle.
Floy and Scarlett approached me.
I looked at Scarlett and asked.
“How many soldiers were affected by the nightmare yesterday?”
“322 died, and 15 are still in a coma. The mages say they will wake up by this evening at the latest.”
“Not much damage.”
The troops I brought numbered over 120,000. Including the slave soldiers we captured, 300 deaths were negligible.
“The siege preparations are all complete, right?”
“They are complete. You only need to give the order, my lord.”
“What about Sharnel and the mages?”
“They are stationed at the rear. The Plun Knights are escorting the mages.”
The Plun Knights were a knight order belonging to the Prukerus County. When I became the Count of Prukerus, the Plun Knights naturally became mine as well.
I summoned Stormbreaker and put on my armor. Floy brought the horse, and Scarlett attached a red cloak to my shoulders.
“Floy. It’s a mare, of course, right?”
“Of course, my lord.”
I only mounted the horse after checking its genitals. I don’t ride stallions.
I pointed my sword at the enemy’s fortress walls and shouted.
“Charge!!!”
“Waaaaaaaah!”
The slave soldiers, armed with swords and shields, charged towards the fortress walls. The archers on the walls fired their arrows in unison. The clear blue sky was dyed black by the arrows.
Our mages used wind magic. The mass of arrows that were falling to the ground in a curve collided with the powerful wind and shattered. The arrows fell to the ground in a shower.
The slave soldiers climbed the walls, using their legs. Of course, it didn’t always go as planned. The enemies poured hot water or shot arrows, resisting fiercely. And at some point, the mages on the walls began to use magic against the slave soldiers.
The ground shook, and pillars of fire rose.
“The mages have finally stepped up. It’s our turn.”
I said. Scarlett, who was next to me, relayed the order to our mages through a magic tool.
Soon after, hundreds of Sharnel’s Hellfires and Fireballs flew over our heads and bombarded the fortress walls. The mages on the walls hurriedly created water barriers with magic or responded with defensive magic. If they had prepared from the beginning, it might have been different. But the mages, exhausted from dealing with the climbing slave soldiers, couldn’t stop the magic bombardment.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With a huge explosion, the gate and walls of the fortress collapsed. Not all the walls had collapsed, but that alone had already decided the outcome of the war.
“Floy! Let’s go!”
“Yes, my lord! Everyone, follow my lord!!”
I grabbed the reins and galloped. The Golden Rose Knights followed behind me, and then the elite soldiers followed them.
‘Cassiod! Your head is mine!’
I urged my horse forward and crossed the collapsed gate. The inside was already in the midst of battle. Fires were burning everywhere, and screams were incessant.
I raced towards the center of the city. The lord was usually in the center of the city, in the largest building. If not, he would be in the back.
“Count Prukerus!!”
“You cannot pass here!!”
Two knights blocked my path.
Floy didn’t even need to step in. I cut down the two knights, armor and all, with my sword, which was imbued with an aura blade, and moved forward.
In front of the inner castle gate. Cassiod and dozens of knights were visible.
“Cassiod! I’ve come!!”
