***"How did you end up—?"Just as Yeomyeong was about to voice out a question, a frivolous voice cut him off."You worthless pile of bones that can't even produce broth! Just drop dead!!"Following the slew of crude curses, she began firing two automatic rifles simultaneously.Rat-a-tat-tat!!!Bullets, imbued with a brilliant white light, pierced the darkness and rained down on the Dragon. Though it was more of a wild barrage than a precise attack.However, the opponent was a dragon as massive as several trucks stacked together, so the bullets pumled its entire body relentlessly.- KROAAAARRRR!!!They said that holy mana was the ultimate weakness of the undead. And indeed, it was as they said.Each ti the shining bullets struck the Dragon, the mana it was emanating visibly weakened.- Block it! Stop that disgusting thing!As the Dragon, tornted by the bullets, roared in agony, the zombies fighting Kim Mansoo rushed towards the gunslinger.The zombies stumbled and trampled over each other as they died. However, even as their numbers continued to dwindle, more of them kept hurling themselves at the bullets."Damn, I would’ve carried a wand if I had known that this would happen."Seeing the swarm of zombies, the gunslinger tossed the empty magazine to the ground and hid within sothing invisible.Having lost their target all of a sudden, the zombies wandered around in confusion, spinning in place or just stopping altogether.A brief lull followed. And that was exactly what the Dragon had been waiting for.Gathering its dispersed mana with so difficulty, the Dragon rose to its feet, shaking its wings and tail.- Soone able to handle this level of Holiness is hiding behind the Invisibility Cloak? Really? How vulgar.Anger boiled deep within Kahal Magdu's chest. His previously calm tone vanished and was replaced by a sinister fla flickering from his mouth.- Let's see how long you can remain hidden from !Soon after, an enormous amount of mana began gathering in his mouth, making the magic he had displayed until now seem like a re joke in comparison.- Gooooo—The Dragon's signature technique—The Dragon’s Breath.Sensing its imnse power, Yeomyeong tried to make a break for it as quickly as possible. Or, rather, he was about to.As he was about to make a break for it, the sound of hurried footsteps entered his ear.The footsteps were trying to avoid the zombies by taking a long detour.And the next mont, Yeomyeong gritted his teeth and turned towards the direction of the sound.Although he couldn't see it, as soon as he reached out to the empty space where the footsteps were coming from, he managed to grab sothing soft."Kyaaaakkk!?"The invisible body he touched suddenly went rigid. But Yeomyeong grabbed her, tucked her under his arm, gathered all his mana, and leaped off the ground.KWAAAAAAH!!!Soon, blue flas poured down on the spot he had been standing.He managed to escape by a hair's breadth. The heat singed his back, and the sll of burnt hair stung his nose.The gunslinger under his arm shouted sothing, but the roar of the flas drowned it out.After running for a while, he finally managed to get out of the Dragon's sight."Hey, you...! You crazy bastard! What do you think you’re grabbing!"The gunslinger squird and yelled at it, although it seed to be more from embarrassnt than anger.Yeomyeong obediently let her go. And just like when he grabbed her, he released his grip lightly.Not expecting to be let go of so suddenly, she plopped onto the ground, landing on her butt. The transparent cloth covering her slid down slightly.Peeking out from under the invisible screen was a girl around the sa age as Seti.Her skin was white and her long, straight hair even whiter. She had a straight nose, an oval chin, and thick blindfolds covering her eyes.She had a noble and mysterious air, like a statue displayed in a temple. However, it was difficult to appreciate her beauty when it was just her head floating in mid-air.Yeomyeong gave her a wry smile."You, you...!""...Thank you for saving ’? You’re welco.""No, that's not it...!"Although it was unclear how she was still able to see even with the blindfold on, she glanced at the burnt forest and Yeomyeong alternately, her lips trembling."...Sssp, you're right.""...""Thank, thank— wait, what the hell are you talking about? I saved you first! We're even now!"Yeomyeong raised his eyebrow, and a short silence ensued. Just as the silence was about to extend longer, Kim Mansoo, who had arrived while following the zombies, gaped."Saintess?"The Saintess? This girl?The unexpected title made Yeomyeong frown. The Saintess he was familiar with was the forr Saintess... a grandmother with a warm and kind impression.Seeing Yeomyeong's expression, the Saintess tried to raise her voice, but the sound of trees falling in the distance interrupted her.It was the sound of the Dragon recovering its mana after spewing flas."Oh c’mon! Seriously? Not even a minute of rest?"The Saintess jumped to her feet and extended a hand from within the Invisibility Cloak.Kim Mansoo was startled at the sight of the floating head and hand, but the Saintess ignored him and spoke to Yeomyeong."Your sword and hand. Give .""What?""There’s no ti. Hurry up."As soon as Yeomyeong cautiously extended both his hands, a light emanated from her hand—warm and gentle mana.The Saintess grasped Yeomyeong's hands and infused her mana into him. The mana gradually climbed up his hands, gently filling his body.As the light passed through, the first thing it healed were the torn blood vessels from the aftereffects.Next, his overworked heart and muscles regained their strength, and finally, his depleted mana was restored.It was the first ti he had ever received Healing Magic.As Yeomyeong blinked in astonishnt, the Saintess sighed deeply."What the hell did you do to push your body to this state?""...""Seriously! Even if I bless you, it'll only last for three minutes at best."She glared at Yeomyeong through her blindfold and then pointed at the Dragon that was looking around for them."From now on, I'm going to cast God Redox's blessing on you. The blessing will last three minutes at most. I'll cover you, so in those three minutes, pierce that thing's heart. If you fail, both of us..."She glanced at Kim Mansoo and added."...no, all three of us will die. Got it?"Seeing Yeomyeong nod, the Saintess's mana turned red.Unlike the twisted dark red mana belonging to the Shepherds, this mana was pure red.While Yeomyeong was admiring its color, the Saintess began her prayer."O Red God who presides over battles and wars, your fighter calls upon you. Here and now, a warrior in need of your power stands before you..."As she continued praying, the gently glowing mana began to swell, becoming larger and larger.The light, which was smaller than that of a flashlight, covered the back of his hand and soon grew large enough to envelop his entire body.And the next mont…Flash!Seeing the sudden beam of red light shooting up into the sky, the Dragon turned its gaze.The blue flas in its eye sockets contorted as it confird the presence of three humans outside the range of the forest burned by its Dragon’s Breath.- A Saintess? This wasn't in the contract.It spat out in an annoyed voice and snapped its fingers.That beca the signal for the zombies that managed to survive its Dragon’s Breath to start charging toward the three of them simultaneously.- I don't like doing more than I'm paid for, but... work is work.As the Dragon growled, Yeomyeong started running while holding the now red-tinged sword.
***"I'll cover you, so don’t worry about the zombies. Just run!"
As Yeomyeong kicked off the ground, the Saintess once again pulled out the automatic rifle from within her Invisibility Cloak.The sound of gunfire, followed by the cries of the falling zombies, filled the space between the coniferous trees.Yeomyeong did as she said. Without even glancing at the approaching zombies, he focused solely on the Dragon as he sprinted towards it.He unleashed the Feather Step from the Flying Kick technique. Building on it, he accelerated using the Surging Wave technique, his heart pumping furiously. Finally, he overlaid his body with the foreign mana flowing within him.The mana of the gods or the power known as Holy Power—The blessing bestowed by the Saintess pushed Yeomyeong's body beyond its limits.His entire circulatory system and heart, which had been teetering on the edge, broke free of their limits and pulsed as if they were on the verge of bursting. A burning desire for battle settled in the place where fear had once resided.To prevent the Dragon from gaining any ti, Yeomyeong accelerated even more. The red mana trailed behind him like a tail as he compounded acceleration upon acceleration.Swoosh!He closed in an instant. Swift and decisive—that was all Yeomyeong could think about.- It's been a while since I've seen a full-body blessing.And when he reached right in front of the Dragon, he transferred the acceleration to his shoulder and swung his sword at the Dragon.The Dragon's mana, prepared for the collision, quickly aligned to form a translucent shield, blocking the space between Yeomyeong and the Dragon.Clang!However, the shield prepared by the Dragon could not withstand the impact with the montum. Hanging in the air, it cracked and spat out mana fragnts.In a split second, ice spikes fell from the top of the shield. Using the shield as a foothold, Yeomyeong accelerated again.- But Earthian, how long will that blessing last? One minute? Three minutes? Even if she's a Saintess, she can't sustain a blessing of that level for long.The Dragon continued to cast magic as lightning and ice spikes continuously obstructed Yeomyeong's path.Although the magic was unable to touch Yeomyeong, it was still able to slow his approach montarily. And that was what the Dragon was aiming for.While Yeomyeong hesitated for a mont, the Dragon spread its wings and flew into the sky.With only bones left of its wings, it seed like there was so magic cast on them. And with just a few flaps, the Dragon reached a height above the coniferous trees.- If you want to fight a dragon, you should have brought a helicopter. Do these wings look like decorations?Kahal Magdu sneered at Yeomyeong and opened his mouth. The Dragon’s Breath, far weaker than the one before, spread widely over the ground.What’s this? Yeomyeong frowned as he dodged the blue flas.And only after he looked at the burning coniferous forest did Yeomyeong realize the Dragon's intention in scattering its Breath.The places the Breath touched were the coniferous forests surrounding the Dragon's feet in a circle.Yes, its aim was to burn all the trees that Yeomyeong could use as footholds.- Once again, it shows how inexperienced you are.The Dragon laughed heartily from above the burning trees and smoke, as if it were a demon from hell.It was the laughter of soone confident of their victory. The certainty that a sword would not be able to harm itself.The Dragon looked down at Yeomyeong with leisure and gathered its mana. A giant magic circle appeared above the Dragon's head, and the wind swirled so fiercely that the coniferous trees began to tremble.- Shall we put an end to this ga now?However, the next mont, Kim Mansoo yelled at Yeomyeong."Newcor!!"He was running towards Yeomyeong and the Dragon, carrying a large conifer tree the Dragon had knocked down.No further explanation was needed. Yeomyeong imdiately understood his intention and turned towards Kim Mansoo."Step on it and jump!"With his face flushed red, Kim Mansoo threw the conifer tree into the air. It was a throw that contained all the strength of a Superhuman.Not missing a beat, Yeonyeong leaped.Mana surged through his legs like a tsunami, and using the trees floating mid-air as footholds, he leaped to a higher point.But the next mont….- The idea is good. But….Kahal Magdu raised his hand as he watched Yeomyeong flying towards him. His fingers curled into a circle.- It’s aningless if you can't change your posture in the air.Flick! The Dragon flicked its fingers towards Yeomyeong. Yeomyeong instinctively swung his sword, but this ti, it wasn't just one projectile.The fragnts of the motorcycle the Saintess had blown up earlier—Countless pieces of tal rained down on Yeomyeong like a shrapnel grenade.It was simple but effective, as deflecting all the tiny fragnts while in the air was impossible.Shlurk—Eventually, one of the tal pieces pierced Yeomyeong's right shoulder. Unfortunately, it managed to sever a nerve, and caused his grip to loosen.Yeomyeong dropped his sword.- You’re lucky.The Dragon flicked its fingers once again. The last piece of tal pierced Yeomyeong's body, and he started to fall in the direction he had been flying.Yeomyeong gritted his teeth. The blessing would only last for another 50 seconds, not enough to leap again.Was this the end?Was his life really going to end like this—without achieving his revenge, even after battling unexpected misfortune and a ridiculous enemy?He couldn't accept it. He didn't want to accept it.Even as he was falling, Yeomyeong poured all his mana into his heart, increasing the blood and mana flow to his brain.His ability to think accelerated, and reality slowed down.And in that brief mont, Yeomyeong recalled the strongest human he had ever seen personally.Freya Cahn.Would it have been possible for the Holy Sword to overco this mont? In this situation, falling without a sword and possessing no wings… would she?She would have flown with the holy sword and cut off the Dragon's neck.It was a aningless thought. The holy sword didn’t choose Yeomyeong, nor did he possess the ability to fly.All he possessed were the Surging Wave technique, Flying Kick technique, and the Cot Sword… whose true intention he was yet to comprehend completely.At that mont, a line of text flashed through his mind.
- As the light overflows, it does not discriminate between left and right.
Without realizing it, Yeomyeong moved his left hand. He grasped the blue dagger stored carefully in his pocket, the Arcane Relic handed down by Freya Cahn.
"As the light overflows…."Although there was no starlight, the Holy Power bestowed by the Saintess was overflowing within him. The red blessing gathered within the Arcane Relic."It does not discriminate between left and right."Although he couldn’t move his right hand, his left hand remained intact. With his left hand, he assud the initial stance of the Cot Sword.Was this the true intention of the Cot Sword? Did he manage to arrive at the correct interpretation? He didn’t know.However, he was certain of one thing—this was the only way out.Yeomyeong swung his sword.The swordsmanship he perford with his complete focus cut through the air, and in place of starlight, the blessing bestowed by the Saintess burned brightly.The light that began at the dagger in his left hand…- This swordsmanship… could it be?...beca a long-tailed cot. Upon seeing the red starlight, the Dragon reflexively re-arranged his mana, but Yeomyeong’s Sword Aura was slightly faster.Clash—!The incomplete barrier shattered. The intense starlight shot straight through the sky and pierced the Dragon’s chest.- KRRRRROOOOAAAARRGHH!The red light continued long and passed through the Dragon’s ribcage. Kahal Magdu clutched his chest as he fell to the ground.BOOM! The ground, which absorbed the impact of its massive body, quaked violently, and the scorched trees and stones quivered.
* * *“Newcor! Well done!!”
Kim Mansoo, who caught the falling Yeomyeong, cheered as he watched the Dragon fall.However, that joy was short-lived, as Yeomyeong spoke, gasping for breath.“It’s not over… yet.”“What?”“It… missed….”And just as he said that, the Dragon that had fallen to the ground rose again. Amidst the dust, a rib fell from his chest.Yeomyeong’s sword had only managed to cut off one of his ribs, not his heart.- The Cot Sword, huh?Despite losing a rib, the flas in the Dragon’s eye sockets burned several tis brighter than before.- Earthian who is guided by the stars. You have earned my respect. I promise not to resurrect your corpse as an undead.Kahal Magdu said as he opened his mouth wide.The surrounding mana began to gather, and once again, a terrifying breath surged from the Dragon’s mouth.It was a fla that neither Yeomyeong, who lost his blessing, nor Kim Mansoo could escape from.- Now, die!Sensing his imminent death, Kim Mansoo shut his eyes tightly. However, no matter how long he waited, he did not feel the scorching flas....What was happening?As he opened his eyes to sneak a peek, he saw that the Dragon had shut its mouth and was looking beyond the conifer forest. Yeomyeong’s tired gaze was also fixed in the sa direction.Soon, a familiar sound reached Kim Mansoo’s ears.Thwop-thwop-thwop-thwop!!It was the sound of helicopter propellers— The sound of reinforcents arriving from Manchuria.- How were the reinforcents from the Manchurian base able to arrive already? Those pathetic fools couldn’t even stop that?The Dragon snorted and looked at Kim Mansoo and Yeomyeong, saying…- You’re lucky, Earthian. I hope we can et in a more appropriate location next ti.With those words, Kahal Magdu flew off with all his strength, seemingly beating his wings hurriedly.Although it was hard to understand how such a massive body was able to move so swiftly, the Dragon disappeared into the sky in an instant.And just as it appeared, its disappearance was also swift and elusive.“...Why is it fleeing?Kim Mansoo muttered blankly as he watched the Dragon disappear into the darkness of the night.The one who answered his question was the Saintess, who had been swept away by the zombies but had sohow managed to approach them.“Because at the end of the day, that skeleton bastard is just a rcenary. He doesn’t have enough loyalty to start a full-scale war with the nation."As soon as he heard those words, Kim Mansoo’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.Yeomyeong, who was caught in Kim Mansoo’s arms, also fell to the ground.The aftereffects of straining his heart and the accumulated fatigue began to overwhelm him, draining all his strength.It wasn’t a problem that could be solved with his Regeneration ability. He would probably be in excruciating pain tonight....It doesn’t matter, seeing that we survived.Yeomyeong shut his eyes. However, just as he was about to pass out, the Saintess suddenly imbued healing light into his head.“You don't… need to… heal .”Even though Yeomyeong said that, the Saintess didn’t stop healing him.Eventually, after feeling sowhat rejuvenated, Yeomyeong forced his eyes open. In his vision, he saw the floating head of the Saintess, and she was frowning.“Get up.”“....”“The reporters will be here soon.”“...Reporters? So what?”“Do you expect to face them all by myself? At least, you have to be in the photos too.”She forcibly helped Yeomyeong stand up. Thanks to the healing light, he managed to stand, albeit shakily.“They must have rushed over as soon as they heard that I, the Saintess, was here. I bet one of those helicopters is full of reporters.”“...”Yeomyeong didn’t hide his expression, ' So what do you want to do about it?’ Seeing this, the Saintess pouted.“Argh, seriously?! They’ll fucking chase relentlessly if it’s just , calling Saintess over and over... Ugh, since you fought as well, do the interview with . Then I’ll forgive you for touching earlier.”“...I don't think there's anything to forgive.”Despite saying that, Yeomyeong grudgingly moved because he rembered that he had co to Manchuria to gain fa.He had no reason to refuse such an opportunity.“Well... fine, alright. I'll deal with the reporters with you.”“For real? No backing out?”Yeomyeong nodded with difficulty and turned his gaze beyond the conifer forest.Beyond the dark horizon, nurous helicopters and military trucks were drawing closer.:"
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