Even the usual sounds of birds and insects in the mountains could not be heard.
In the chill silence that was sharper than a blade, the only sounds that could be heard were the dry gulps of tense warriors.
They discovered only a heap of emaciated animal carcasses, but they sensed nothing else.
What heightened their tension was none other than Baek Woo Jin’s expression.
Even when facing bandits, he had always maintained the dazed look of a drunken man, but for the first time during the journey, he stood with his sword drawn and his face tense.
This looks bad.
Sweat formed on his forehead.
The atmosphere alone foreshadowed the opponent’s strength.
In martial arts, unless one has reached the realm of “half-step ghost and god” as it is commonly called, it is impossible to naturally conceal one’s aura without mastering an assassin’s techniques specialized in hiding energy.
Just how much blood did it drain?
Demons unleash their innate energy, which has been corrupted by demonic energy.
This internal energy was both the source of life and life itself.
When it was exhausted, death was inevitable, and the demons replenished their power by sucking the blood of living beings.
If the blood they absorbed exceeded the amount needed to replenish their internal energy, the excess would accumulate as their strength.
This was why it was very important to kill the demons as quickly as possible.
The demon that Baek Woo Jin sensed was at least between the late stage of first-rank and the peak master level.
The fact that it had undergone a transformation in the forest meant that an ordinary person who frequently passed through the forest had become a demon by absorbing demonic energy. It was unimaginable how many animals had died to elevate a first-rank demon to the peak master level.
What should I do?
He was certain that the demon was not far away.
It was undoubtedly watching them.
On the other hand, they had no idea in which direction or how far away the demon was, so if it attacked now, someone would surely die.
“There’s no choice.”
If they couldn’t pinpoint the demon’s location, they had to make it appear on its own.
“Everyone, stay alert.”
He would lure the demon out.
While the warriors were bewildered, Jegal Yeon Ji who was an intelligent woman of the Jegal clan seemed to predict Baek Woo Jin’s actions. She ran towards him with a shocked expression on her face but she couldn’t stop him.
“Hup.”
Baek Woo Jin grasped his sword in a reverse grip and made a long cut on his own arm.
Blood flowed from the wounded arm.
As the scent of blood began to spread, a powerful presence was finally felt.
“Kieeeee!”
In the end, demons were beings whose rationality was paralyzed as they blindly chased after their prey.
Baek Woo Jin cut his arm to take advantage of this fact.
The demon who smelled blood rushed down the mountain at high speed toward Baek Woo Jin.
“So damn fast…!”
Baek Woo Jin who barely dodged the demon that flew at him like a giant bullet immediately swung his sword and slashed the demon’s exposed back.
Creaaaaaaakk!
The sound and sensation were different from cutting human flesh. This made him grimace.
“What is this, a steel golem?”
Its skin was harder than he had expected.
Only a thin scar remained on the demon’s back where the sword had slashed. It looked like it hadn’t sustained any real damage.
The demon flinched and slowly unfurled its crouched body.
“Oh, oh…”
Over two meters tall, dark gray skin, long claws, and uniformly blood-red eyes.
After accepting demonic energy, a demon undergoes a fierce process of transformation.
Some have arms that stretch out like legs; others gain impossible flexibility which allows their bodies to bend like whips; and some can harden their entire bodies to be tougher than steel.
Depending on these changes, demons could become even more different from each other.
The one before him had gray skin that was tough as steel and long claws.
People called these demons “Unbreakables”.
It was the name given to those characterized by their bodies being as hard as steel.
“An Unbreakable …”
One of the mercenaries recognized the demon’s features and blurted its name as if he was in a trance.
The Unbreakables were known by another name among the mercenaries.
“The scourge of the weak…”
The scourge of the weak.
Its body which was as hard as steel could not be easily destroyed even with a sword imbued with internal energy.
Only when one reached the peak master and could use sword energy could they easily cut this demon down, but most of the mercenaries had not reached that level.
Even dozens of warriors who hadn’t reached peak master couldn’t handle an Unbreakable demon. This made it the most feared opponent among the mercenaries.
“Ugh, ahhh!”
The mercenaries began to panic.
“Everyone, hold your positions!”
Despite Seok Dae’s shout, more and more mercenaries started to waver.
The Unbreakable’s gaze remained fixed on Baek Woo Jin’s bleeding arm.
The demon looked ready to pounce at any moment, but perhaps due to the injury it had just sustained on its back, it didn’t charge recklessly.
Without turning his head, Baek Woo Jin asked Jegal Yeon Ji who stood beside him.
“Miss Jegal, can you use sword energy?”
“Ah, no… I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Even the top prodigy of the first year had only nearly broken through the wall of the peak master, so it was natural that she couldn’t use sword energy.
“Everyone, calm down.”
Baek Woo Jin’s low voice spread out like a small wave.
“Its gaze is fixed on me.”
So you all are still safe for now.
After somehow calming the spreading unrest that began like a wildfire, Baek Woo Jin fell into thought.
What to do now …
It was a situation where a single expert was needed more than dozens of minor warriors.
Even if they attacked with all their might, most of the attacks would be in vain.
“From now on, we will form a single unit. Swordsmen will support those wielding axes or spears.”
Without sword energy, it was hard to break the creature’s body.
In other words, it was difficult but “possible”.
In the current situation, swordsmen couldn’t inflict damage on the creature.
Instead, those who had destructive power, such as axemen, or those who could pierce a single point, such as spearmen, were more suitable for attacking.
“Swordsmen will block the demon’s attacks, and axemen and spearmen will aim for its head and legs.”
The head of the guards and Seok Dae moved quickly.
There were eight units. Each one consisted of four people.
A swordsman stood at the front of each unit, and the spearmen and axemen who would lead the attack took up positions under their protection. They got ready to inflict a powerful strike.
“Think simply! Block and attack! Until when? Until it works!”
“Until it works!”
It was the most appropriate decision to make in a situation without a peak master martial artist.
As the mercenaries and guards gradually began to trust Baek Woo Jin, they slowly started to pressure the demon.
“Keeee…”
And the moment they slowly reached each other’s attack range, the Unbreakable demon that had been standing still suddenly stomped the ground.
“Kyaaaah!”
Its sharp claws slashed through the air.
Swish!
Despite the speed being nearly impossible to track with the naked eye, Baek Woo Jin calmly raised his sword and blocked the attack.
“Now!”
Having successfully defended, it was now time to attack.
Spearman A who was the closest imbued his spear with his energy and thrust it forward forcefully.
The spear aimed at the creature’s head, but the monster hastily dodged, which caused the spear to slice through empty air.
“So close!”
“If we keep this up, we can win!”
Although the attack failed, it was a good opportunity to boost the warriors’ morale.
The battle continued like this.
The main attacks poured onto Baek Woo Jin who was bleeding and he fended them off.
The spearmen and axemen continued their attacks, but the creature deftly evaded them all.
“Kii! Kieeeeeek!”
When yet another attack failed, the Unbreakable demon began stomping the ground furiously. It was expressing its rage.
The creature which had been moving blindly to suck Baek Woo Jin’s blood started to change its behavior.
“Kyaaaaaah!”
“Ugh, aaargh!”
It began to recklessly attack the warriors who were hindering it.
Even for Baek Woo Jin who was trained through countless battles, the demon’s speed was hard to follow.
And when the bewildered swordsmen’s hands got stuck due to that overwhelming speed, more and more of them started to bleed.
“Aaargh!”
Intestines spilled out from a slashed mercenary’s abdomen.
The creature licked the blood off its claws, then picked up the intestines spilling from the mercenary’s body and brought them to its mouth.
“Kakakaka…!”
The warriors felt both anger and despair at the sight of the creature savoring the intestines of their comrade with a pleasant smile.
“Ah, aah…!”
Fear on the battlefield was a contagious disease.
No, it spread faster than any disease.
As they helplessly watched their bleeding comrades fall one by one, fear filled the eyes of the warriors.
“Fu*k”
And also anger began to rise in someone.
On the first day of sparring, the mercenaries who saw Baek Woo Jin’s incredible skills voluntarily gathered herbs and handed them to him, and then implicitly asked him to teach them.
Baek Woo Jin did not refuse.
After all, what he taught was not his clan’s martial arts but small things necessary to survive in chaotic battles.
The more people share with each other, the more affection they build.
It had only been four days, but Baek Woo Jin found himself quite fond of them.
He couldn’t ignore those who struggled to survive in the mire.
Because he had once been the same.
“Miss Jegal.”
“Y-Yes…!”
“It will be difficult, but try to hinder its movements just a bit. This will help the swordsmen to block its attacks more easily.”
“Ah, I understand…!”
I’ll do my best…!
With that small resolve, Jegal Yeon Ji leaped into action.
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