## Chapter 777 – 777. The Ascent To Light
777. The Ascent to Light
A pigeon soared into the sky.
Then, pierced by an arrow from afar, it plummeted to the ground, scattering blood. A vexed voice escaped the pigeon’s beak.
“Damn it… an intruder….”
A gray aura flowed from the pigeon’s body and vanished into the air.
Shin Jong-woo approached the pigeon and examined its corpse. More precisely, he was looking at the arrow that had pierced the pigeon.
“There’s no trace of any sorcery on the pigeon… and the arrow is ordinary. It has no unique features.”
“…Young Master Shin. Could it be them?”
“Who else would try to interfere so blatantly? The pigeon flying off must have revealed our location. We need to move.”
Shin Jong-woo and Namgung Rin acted calmly and swiftly. It seemed they had experienced this a few times before.
‘At this point, the one chasing Shin Jong-woo must be the Black Dragon Castle. They’re after the assassination of Dunmokjeong and Shin Jong-woo’s martial arts.’
If the original events haven’t changed much, the enemy’s identity should be as I expect. But I pretended not to know and asked Shin Jong-woo.
“What the heck is going on? Who are these enemies that suddenly attacked us?”
Shin Jong-woo was silent for a moment before speaking.
“I was going to keep quiet to avoid getting you involved, but since you’re already here, I have no choice but to tell you. They are from the Black Dragon Castle. They’re targeting me and Elder Dunmokjeong. Miss Rin and Seong Yu-jin just got caught up in it. I’m sorry.”
“Young Master Shin, don’t apologize. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“…The Black Dragon Castle, huh? I’ve heard of them. They’re known for being ruthless… How did you get mixed up with them?”
“They’re after my martial arts. Because my martial arts are unique, the Black Dragon Castle became interested. As for Elder Dunmokjeong’s situation… I can’t speak about it.”
I glanced at Namgung Rin. She didn’t seem to know that Dunmokjeong was the Shadowless Divine Fighter.
“What are you going to do? Are we just going to keep running?”
“The enemies won’t be just one or two. I don’t know the exact number, but the three of us will have a hard time handling them. It’s best to avoid them if we can.”
“But this isn’t the way out of the forest, is it?”
“We need to save Eun Josa. He’s different from other sorcerers. He must know something… he must know something.”
“Are you moving because you know where Eun Josa is?”
“…No. I’m moving by instinct.”
It was absurd, but I let it go. This guy is the protagonist. In this kind of crisis, the protagonist’s instinct is more reliable than any information. Well, he doesn’t seem to have any idea about the relationship between me and Namgung Rin.
Flap, flap!
A flock of birds flew in the sky. Pigeons, hawks, sparrows, all sorts of birds were moving erratically, making a fuss.
It was definitely Eun Josa’s sorcery. That sorcerer was famous for controlling birds.
“That way!”
“The direction is right. But the atmosphere is ominous. It seems like they’re fighting the Black Dragon Castle.”
“We have to go. We must get an answer from Eun Josa.”
“Since we decided to help, let’s help till the end.”
“I agree with Seong Yu-jin.”
“…Thank you.”
We changed direction and headed towards the place where many birds were flying.
As expected, a battle was taking place. But the situation was the opposite of what we expected. Eun Josa, wearing a feathered cloak, was overwhelming more than 20 Black Dragon Castle warriors. More than half of the Black Dragon Castle warriors were already dead.
“Damn it. Just a sorcerer…!”
A warrior in black armor gritted his teeth. Every time he swung his spear, birds, as if committing suicide, attacked fiercely and fell to the ground, spraying blood.
“Just a sorcerer? To my eyes, you are just warriors.”
Eun Josa, hiding his body under a feathered cloak, was a man with a short goatee and an X-shaped scar on his left cheek. His eyes were so deep that they didn’t seem human.
“I didn’t hear that you were this strong! Just a sorcerer who’s been hiding in this small forest…! What the hell is your identity!”
“Don’t equate me with the sorcerers who are out in the world. The only reason I’ve settled in this forest and don’t go out into the world is to improve my skills. Comparing me to them is an insult to me.”
I was puzzled for a moment. The warrior was fighting birds. Not spirits or anything, just ordinary birds. The warrior in black armor seemed to have similar skills to me. He shouldn’t be defeated just because there are many birds.
‘…No. Those birds… are they enhanced by sorcery?’
I was shocked when I realized it. There were over 5,000 birds there, at a rough estimate. To enhance each and every one of them to the level of an *Ipsik* (entry-level) creature? Eun Josa was a monster beyond my imagination.
“Kuaaaak!”
“Aaaagh!”
The Black Dragon Castle warriors screamed. Their eyes were being pecked out by birds, and their skin was being chewed. The stench of blood reached even this place, a little distance away.
The Black Dragon Castle warriors had no chance of winning.
“This is insane…! Eun Josa is that strong… If Eun Josa was this strong, the main family wouldn’t have left him alone.”
Namgung Rin, shocked, muttered in disbelief. Her words snapped me back to reality. She was right. If there was such a strong person around the family, they wouldn’t leave him alone. They would either subdue him, persuade him, or pay him tribute.
It was also strange that the Namgung family hadn’t even mentioned Eun Josa to Namgung Rin.
“It’s a smokescreen. He’s using sorcery to pretend to be strong.”
Shin Jong-woo said. Unlike the surprised me and Namgung Rin, he remained calm throughout. It seemed he had realized from the beginning that Eun Josa was bluffing.
“Kuh… Eun Josa! Let’s make a deal!”
The lone warrior in black armor shouted. His whole body was covered in blood. Most of it was the blood of the birds he had killed.
“You’re asking for a deal now that you’re at a disadvantage? I’ll listen. Speak.”
“I am Baek Chong-mu, the 3rd squad leader of the Black Dragon Castle’s Assassin Squad!”
Eun Josa’s eyes became even colder.
“So? Do I need to know the name of someone like you?”
“If I die, do you think the Black Dragon Castle will leave you alone? The Black Dragon Castle shows no mercy to its enemies. If I die, other masters from the Black Dragon Castle will appear and kill you to show the Black Dragon Castle’s might!”
It wasn’t an impossible scenario. The Black Dragon Castle was known for being ruthless even in this merciless world.
“If you thought I would fear the Black Dragon Castle, you are greatly mistaken.”
Eun Josa raised his hand. The thousands of birds that had covered the sky flew away into the distance. Instead, a large hawk, over 5 meters tall, flew from the other side of the sky.
‘That’s a spirit beast.’
It was certain. Ordinary hawks don’t grow to that size. It didn’t feel like a monster, but it had a strange aura.
‘It’s a spirit beast, though its rank is quite low, so it must have a core.’
Greed slowly raised its head.
The large hawk rushed towards the black-armored warrior, extending its sharp claws. He hurriedly raised his sword to block the hawk’s claws.
“E, Eun Josa! I haven’t finished speaking yet!”
“I’m done talking. Say whatever you want.”
“Let me live! I won’t bother this place again! I’ll talk to the Black Dragon Castle! I swear!”
“Your oath has no weight. It’s too light, not even worth a chick’s feather.”
“I’ll pay the price! This armor! This armor I’m wearing is a relic made from the scales of an Imugi!”
“Is that all? If it’s a relic, it must have special abilities?”
Despite his curt words, Eun Josa seemed interested. He waved his hand, and the large hawk flew into the sky.
“Wearing the *Irinheukgap* (Imugi Scale Black Armor) increases stamina.”
“Surely that’s not the only thing?”
“Of course not! If I, wearing the *Irinheukgap*, receive a fatal attack, the *Irinheukgap* will take the damage instead of me.”
“Oh. That’s impressive. Is that all?”
Unlike his words of praise, Eun Josa’s tone and demeanor were flat. The armored warrior, feeling impatient, quickly continued.
“I can control snakes!”
“…Could you possibly control spirit beasts too?”
“N, no. I can only control ordinary snakes.”
“I see. If it were that great, someone like you wouldn’t have it.”
“The *Irinheukgap* is a great item just for taking fatal damage! Wearing the *Irinheukgap* is like having an extra life!”
“I acknowledge that ability. Of course, there must be a limit… But, why do I need to make a deal with you? If I kill you, I’ll get the armor anyway.”
“The *Irinheukgap* can only be worn if the ownership is rightfully transferred!”
“Heh… That’s a lie that not even a dog would believe…”
The large hawk rushed towards him again.
At that moment, Eun Josa’s voice reached our ears. Eun Josa had sent a telepathic message, secretly from the Black Dragon Castle warrior.
-You guys. Don’t just stand there, ambush him and kill him! If you can’t kill him, I’ll consider you enemies too!
It was confirmed that he was bluffing. If Eun Josa was overwhelmingly strong, he wouldn’t have asked us for help. The reason he stopped controlling thousands of birds must be because his strength was depleted.
Me, Namgung Rin, and Shin Jong-woo exchanged glances and rushed towards the Black Dragon Castle warrior. He was an enemy we had to kill anyway.
“Huh?! You, you guys! A cowardly ambush!”
“You’re not one to talk.”
I smirked as I grabbed him from behind, wielding the Hwaryeon Bido. The warrior was horrified and rolled on the ground. It was a flashy Naryeotagon.
“Eun Josa! Are you stupid? The *Irinheukgap* takes fatal damage, which means if I die, you can’t get the *Irinheukgap*! The *Irinheukgap* will break before I do!”
“It’s okay. I’ve already cast a spell. The *Irinheukgap* you’re wearing now is just a simple armor.”
“W, when!”
A feather was stuck on the side of his armor, near his waist. That must be what was suppressing the effects of the *Irinheukgap*.
Namgung Rin’s sword rushed in. The warrior’s left arm was cut. Unfortunately, the sword didn’t inflict a deep wound.
“I, I can’t die here! Get out of my way! You brats!”
He swung his sword wildly. Or, it seemed like he was swinging wildly. If you looked closely, there was a pattern. It was one of the sword techniques.
‘The unseen presence of the blade… it’s a sword wind.’
Me and Namgung Rin dodged to the sides at the same time. The sword wind passed through where we had been. The warrior’s face twisted.
“You…!”
“It’s over.”
Shin Jong-woo said. The demonic energy that had been gathered in his hands was fired at the Black Dragon Castle warrior. Having just used a big attack, he couldn’t dodge Shin Jong-woo’s attack. The black energy obliterated his head. The headless body fell to the ground.
“You stepped in at the right time. Well done.”
Eun Josa approached leisurely. He praised us and then immediately approached the warrior’s corpse. He was going to retrieve the *Irinheukgap*.
“This black armor is mine. You don’t have any complaints, do you?”
“Take it.”
“I will.”
Eun Josa clumsily removed the *Irinheukgap* from the warrior’s body and wore it under his feathered cloak. It was an armor covered in brain matter and blood, but he didn’t care at all. He was said to be eccentric, but he seemed to be a madman.
“It’s not bad.”
Eun Josa nodded and then passed us again.
“It’s not a good place to talk here, so follow me. I’ll treat you to tea.”
We followed him. Shin Jong-woo asked him with a serious expression and tone.
“Eun Josa-nim. I want to know about information about other worlds.”
“Unlike your calm demeanor, you’re an impatient one. Just follow me quietly. Important matters should be discussed in a proper place.”
“……Yes. I apologize.”
Shin Jong-woo apologized. He was the one who had more to lose. He desperately wanted to return to Earth.
However, I had no great interest in Eun Josa, nor any reason to impress him, so I asked what I was curious about.
“Are all the other intruders dead?”
“They’re all dead. Except for you guys.”
“…Are you planning to kill us too?”
“I’ve acknowledged you as guests. Otherwise, would I be guiding you myself? Think about it.”
“……”
I don’t like this bastard.
