* * *58 seconds ago.As Captain Kwon was shouting and the Dragon raised the Royal Seal, the Saintess didn’t need to use her Foresight to realize that things had taken a turn for the worse.It was now obvious that talking wouldn’t resolve anything.She reloaded her gun. Now, she had only one magazine left.The thought of having to fight a dragon with just 60 bullets made her head hurt.…But I still have to do it.As she placed her hand on the trigger with that thought in mind, Yeomyeong ca into view.He was the man who, just like her only friend, obscured her Foresight.He was currently staring at the Dragon with his lips sealed tight.Was he scared? No, that wasn’t it. After all, hadn’t he been the first to jump out of the truck and climb the cliff when they were ambushed?If he were soone who would be frightened by sothing like this, he wouldn’t have even co here in the first place.So that expression on his face wasn’t that of fear, but rather…He’s contemplating.Whether to risk his life and fight, or to turn around and escape.The Saintess bit her lip. The urge to ask him to fight together was stuck in her throat, but she couldn’t bring herself to utter them.Asking him to fight in this situation was no different from asking him to die with her.“Yeomyeong, are you not… going to fight?”In the end, what ca out of her mouth was a question that cleverly hid her true intentions.Lacking the courage to voice out her thoughts honestly, she uttered a pathetic and childish question, hoping he would give her the answer she wanted to hear.Whether he understood what she was trying to imply or not, Yeomyeong responded with a short sigh.“The weapons you have on your person… Is that all?”Hearing his question, the Saintess flinched and inspected her weapon.One rifle with 60 bullets.Because they had to ride a motorcycle, she tried to travel as light as possible, but after the unexpected fight against the pig-headed figures, these were the only weapons she had left.The situation on Yeomyeong's end wasn't much better. He had a shotgun, a worn-out sword, and only a few grenades and bullets left.“I’m not sure if Darulma deceived us or if he genuinely didn’t know, but… With the weapons we carried on the assumption that we’d face a young dragon, we don’t stand a chance.”“Even so…”The Saintess tried to say sothing but Yeomyeong interrupted her.“Realistically speaking, there’s only one way we can stop the Dragon. The Manchurian military Darulma called in needs to arrive before we die.”“...”“But considering the distance from the Manchurian base to this place… Even if the military makes haste and hurries, it’ll take them at least two hours to arrive. In the anti, we’d have to fight the Dragon. Do you think we can manage that?”There was no need to ponder. It was impossible.“…So, are you suggesting that we run away?”Unable to co up with a counterargunt, the Saintess asked defiantly. Yeomyeong’s calm eyes t the Saintess’s blindfold.“You were the one who said that you wouldn’t risk your life.”He reminded her of the words she said before they set out.
- If I judge that the situation is beyond help, I will escape.
The Saintess clenched her fist tightly. If only she could say she wasn’t being serious back then, if only she could take back what she said. But she couldn’t.
And purely from a political standpoint, she was soone who couldn’t die here under any circumstance.Yes, in her mind, she knew they had to run away from here.However, her heart was not willing to accept it. She didn’t want to flee.“…If we leave things as they are, countless people will die.”“That’s probably true.”“Innocents… will die unjustly. Can you just stand by and watch that happen?”Why do we realize sothing would lead to regret down the line only after we have already said it?As soon as she spat out those emotionally charged words, countless rebuttals to her logic flooded her mind.So, you’re asking to fight a mad dragon for the sake of people whose faces I’ve never even seen?What about your mother shooting at ? What cri did I commit to deserve that?No matter how she looked at it, logic was on Yeomyeong's side…All she had was stubbornness and emotions, asking him to risk his life recklessly.Expecting a sharp response, the Saintess braced herself and closed her eyes tightly.It was a small relief that the blindfold hid her eyes because if she heard his harsh rebukes, she might involuntarily shed tears.However, contrary to her expectations, there was no rebuttal or sharp criticism from Yeomyeong.“…I’m sorry.”His voice was calm.“I… have sothing I must accomplish. It’s more important than anything else, sothing I cannot give up on, no matter what.”“...”“So, I cannot risk my life here.”It was a straightforward answer without a hint of deception.The Saintess, who had been expecting an emotional argunt, was unable to co up with a rebuttal.Conviction and reality clashed within her empty heart, causing sparks to fly. Her chest stung, and her body trembled.Unable to hold back, she blurted out whatever ca to mind."But if we give up now…""…""What about the people of Manchuria, how… What about all the efforts we've made so far…? Huh? Those innocent people will die, I…"She simply spilled her heart out, unable to even form coherent sentences. Yeomyeong gently placed his hand on her shoulder.“I won’t stop you if you intend to die here. But…”“…But?”“However, if you want to live, take my hand. If it’s just one person… I can sohow carry you and escape.”Yeomyeong extended his hand. The Saintess stared at it for a mont, realizing that this was his final act of kindness.If she rejected this, there would be no turning back. The motorcycle they had ridden had run dry a while back, and there was no way the mad dragon would let them go.She was at a crossroads.Would she risk her life and die fighting the Dragon regardless of how slim the odds were, or would she survive and plan for the future?The answer was almost set in stone. If she died here, more blood would be spilled.…I guess I have no choice.The Saintess loosened her grip on the gun to take hold of Yeomyeong’s hand. Or rather, she tried to.Almost imdiately, sothing ticklish trickled down the crown of her head.Even if others didn’t know, this was a familiar sensation for her. It was sothing only a Saintess could experience.…Foresight?However, it wasn’t a Foresight she had initiated on her own.It was a Foresight forcefully revealed to her by the gods high above, or perhaps by soone of comparable power.The Saintess accepted it without any resistance. Right away, her eyes hidden behind the blindfold shone as they captured the future.Flash!The Dragon’s magic circle activated, dyeing the sky gold.With the sky at her back, the light of the magic circle looked like a halo above her head.As she slowly raised her head to look at Yeomyeong, her white hair, illuminated by the halo, fluttered gently.20 seconds.The light from the magic circle didn't linger for long. And after the halo disappeared, the Saintess smiled softly."Hey, don’t say that you an to…"Sensing that sothing was wrong, Yeomyeong tried to say sothing, but she brushed off his hand before he could."You really are a good person.""…What?""But you're not great at playing hard to get, you know."It was an out-of-the-blue yet confident remark. Yeomyeong furrowed his brows without realizing it as he stared at the Saintess."Did you just… use Foresight?""Who knows?"11 seconds."Hey!"Ignoring Yeomyeong’s shout, the Saintess dashed toward the Dragon.With each step she took, she gathered her mana and cast blessings on her magazine.Power boost, acceleration, accuracy, and mana penetration.Rumble!! Rumble!! Rumble!!The ground began to quake violently, making it nearly impossible to aim properly, but that didn’t matter to her.O the Blue Venule, please grant ascent.She prayed to the god of wisdom and ascension, and the god answered her plea.Zing.Her running body slightly levitated off the ground.Not high enough to be called flying, but just high enough to avoid the tremors of the earth. Then, the Saintess calmly readied her gun.2 seconds.Now, aim.1 second.And without any hesitation, the Saintess pulled the trigger.
* * *K-kaaa-aaaargggh!!
The sudden ambush took the dragon by surprise as it let out a horrific scream as the bullet pierced its eye.Not only had she managed to target the eyeball precisely, but she also managed to pierce through the mana that wrapped around the Dragon's body,The Dagon urgently gathered its mana while covering its eye in a panic.It deployed a shield around its neck and face in preparation for the next attack, then unleashed a barrage of fire in the direction the bullet had co from.Whooosh!!It was an excessive reaction for just a single bullet, but the pain in its eye was enough to remind the Dragon of the terror of anti-aircraft guns.[Who was that? Who the hell dares to interfere with this Dragon’s vengeance?!]The Dragon spewed flas as if it intended to burn the entire valley to the ground.However, as the ground smoldered, the magic circle in the sky began to dim, and the tremors in the earth subsided.It was a sign that the Dragon’s concentration was faltering.Everyone in the valley seized the opportunity.The Saintess moved out of the valley to find a new location to shoot from while the rcenaries and Captain Kwon dashed up the cliff, avoiding the Dragon’s sight.anwhile, deep within the valley, the Demonic Human trapped in the Dragon's cave also began to move."Ah, that damned lizard bastard."And from the very sa hole the Dragon erged from, Mara burst out, covered in dust.Their winter coat was torn in multiple places, proof of the difficult battle they had fought in the depths of the cave.Spitting on the ground, Mara brushed off the dirt from their body."Who would've imagined that it would run away without even putting up a fight."Despite their grumbling tone, Mara wasn't all that displeased.While they were trapped in the cave, they had managed to loot all the treasures the Dragon had hoarded.Dwarven magic items, jewels, and even potions the Dragon had treasured."Hey! You stupid lizard! Take a look at this!"Mara triumphantly waved a large bag at the Dragon, whose eyes were bleeding.*Jingle—*The treasures inside the bag clinked together, drawing the Dragon's attention.[So you've managed to break the seal already. How lucky you are, you disgusting thief.]The Dragon, who had just regained its composure above the burning valley, growled as it glared at Mara."Hah, a thief? Then what do you call a hoowner who locks the door and flees when a thief breaks in? A fool? A moron?"Mara smirked as they walked through the air.With each step they took, it was as if they were climbing an invisible staircase, their body rose high into the sky.A peculiar martial art that allowed one to fly in the sky. Soaring through the air with a technique even the Dragon was unable to identify, Mara was soon on par with the creature’s eyes.[Stalin and the communists were just as disgusting and shaless as you, desiring what belongs to others without an ounce of sha.]"Why bla others for your own stupidity? If you can't even protect your treasures, you shouldn't have had them in the first place."[You! You’re worse than an animal! Just because you have a mouth doesn’t an you can spout nonsense.]The Dragon lowered its hand from its eye. Blood still oozed from its eyeball, but it was far from a fatal wound.It had only temporarily lost composure due to its past trauma. The situation was still overwhelmingly in the Dragon’s favor.Orsay Taboul raised the Royal Seal and began gathering mana.[You dare speak of power in my presence? Fine. I will personally show you what true power looks like!]"Go ahead."As it raised its fist, Mara glanced down.The seal surrounding the cave had been broken thanks to the person who had shot the Dragon in the eye.A bullet that managed to pierce the Dragon's eye? There was no need to guess who fired it. It was obvious.The Saintess—she's probably hiding sowhere in this valley, right?Mara licked their lips, thinking of the woman who had shot them in the shoulder.If the Saintess is here, then that ans that Cheon Yeomyeong is also here…Lucky . Mara laughed with glee. After they managed to secure all the strange fated treasures, they’d take care of the two of them as well."Lastly, it seems like all I'll need is your heart and a few of your scales to complete my collection of strange fated treasures. What do you say, feeling generous?”It was a crass taunt. The Dragon was about to respond, but Mara didn't wait for it.The mont the Dragon began to manipulate its mana, Mara was already charging towards it, stepping through the sky."If you're a dragon, you should just spit out your neidan1 and die like one!"Just as Mara's fist closed in, Orsay Taboul flapped its wings belatedly, unleashing its fury.[Shut—Up—!!]A golden light tinged the sky once more as the Demonic Human and the Dragon clashed.
* * *Standing beside the motorcycles that the group had left behind, Yeonmyeong gazed at the valley bathed in golden light.
Even though he knew that retreating would be the right choice, his feet wouldn’t move.There wasn’t any particular reason for this.…The death of innocents.The mont those words ca out of the Saintess’ mouth, he couldn’t stop thinking about the dead janitors.The Foreman, Uncle Deokbae, Chunsik-hyung, and Jas… His family mbers who were killed without any fault or reason of their own.Was he perhaps influenced by the Saintess? The mory of their unjust deaths seed to overlap with the deaths that would befall the people of Manchuria.What if the Dragon activated the seal and made the volcanoes erupt as they were? The people of Manchuria would be covered in volcanic ash and killed by monsters taking advantage of the chaos.Without any fault of their own, and without knowing the reason... That was how they would perish.Just like the janitors.But that’s… not a reason for to risk my life, especially when I think about the Foreman and all hyung-nims.Yeomyeong pushed down his inner thoughts and tried to turn away.However, while he was hesitating and unable to turn his back, the light sound of sothing being hit echoed from beyond the valley.Thud!!Was this the sound it would make if soone were struck by a giant flyswatter?Squinting to get a better look of what whizzed through the air from the direction of the valley, he saw it was a person—a person who looked quite familiar at that.Mara, the very one who had taken the horse-headed man and fled, was now falling towards Yeomyeong.Crash, bang, thump!The person crashed into a tree, breaking a few branches, rolling over the rocky ground, before finally landing on the floor.Coincidentally, they landed right in front of Yeomyeong, so close that he could almost reach out and touch them with his sword.“…Ah, damn it.”Thanks to the armor-like mana they had enveloped around them, the person didn’t seem to have any visible injuries. However, they had an ugly scowl on their face, as if their pride was hurt.“Indeed, because of a body like this… I’ve been made to roll on the ground against a lizard.”Seeing Mara getting up while scratching their head, Yeomyeong felt a bit awkward. Should he just swing his sword now?While Yeomyeong was contemplating, Mara sensed a presence and turned their head.The mont their eyes t, Yeomyeong instinctively swung his sword.!!Mara barely managed to roll away and avoid the sword.However, they weren’t able to escape from the Sword Aura unscathed. There was a faint trickle of blood from Mara’s neck.“Damn it! Rolling on the ground twice in a day.”Mara glared at Yeomyeong while clutching their neck wound.“Yeomyeong, how could you ambush like that? And using that skill on top of it? You should be ashad of yourself.”Be ashad? Yeomyeong was so dumbfounded that he scoffed.“Well, soone who tried to hit on the back of my head earlier didn’t seem too ashad.”“Ah, well… that’s true.”Mara also smirked and clenched his fist. Both of them summoned their mana almost simultaneously.It seed like they would rush at each other at any mont. However, Mara suddenly asked Yeomyeong.“By the way, why are you all the way on the other side of the valley from the Dragon? Were you not planning on fighting the Dragon?”“…”“By any chance… you weren’t on your way to request for military support, were you?”Although their guess was slightly off the mark, Yeomyeong chose to remain silent.As a result, a brief silence filled the space between them, and Mara interpreted this silence as agreent.[You fools, do you think you can escape from !!]The Dragon’s roar broke the prolonged silence as it activated the magic circle.Once again, the ground trembled, and the valley was bathed in golden light.Mara alternated their gaze between the valley and Yeomyeong, then shrugged.“If reinforcents arrive in this situation… Sssppp, there’s no way around it.”They said this, then raised both hands above their shoulders, erasing not only the killing intent that had been boiling but even their mana.…What are they doing? Are they planning to surrender? Yeomyeong frowned.And as soon as he heard Mara’s next words, he almost dropped his sword in disbelief.“Hey, instead of calling for reinforcents, how about the three of us— you, , and the Saintess—capture that lizard together?”“…What?”“In exchange, I’ll only take the Dragon’s neidan. As for the bones and scales, you can split them among yourselves. How about it?”A sudden and incomprehensible proposal. Yeomyeong tightened his grip on his sword to keep him from dropping it.“…What nonsense are you spouting? How can I trust you?”“Who’s asking you to trust ? I’m just suggesting that we team up.”“…”“It’s simple, right? For the personal gains on the line, let’s set aside our fight for the ti being.”Yeomyeong intended to reject their proposal with a literal strike.In other words, he was about to swing his sword at Mara’s neck.However, just as he infused mana into his sword, a familiar voice in his head stopped him.[O Virgin, accept his offer.]1. Neidan, or internal alchemy, is an array of esoteric doctrines and physical, ntal, and spiritual practices that Taoist initiates use to prolong life and create an immortal spiritual body that would survive after death.
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