Juha... She's growing exponentially, but even if she's weaker I can't keep stagnating. I thought to myself as we dismount and start observing the battlefield from a much better angle.
"Sova, please let me go."
"Sorry, but no."
Juha asks me to let her go as I'm clutching my entire body to her leg.
(Not only is the capital city walls exceptionally tall, seeing things from above the open palace is similar to looking down a hill, even if you're not afraid of heights this is simply too much! And I can only wonder what those foreign soldiers are thinking when they try to climb those walls).
Juha massage between her eyes saying:
"Sova it's not a matter of being uncomfortable but simply of embarrassment."
The Guards who accompanied and help us has dismounted upon the same floor and is hiding their smiles behind their visors. I hesitantly agree and let her go hugging the nearest pillar this time when soldiers from our side rush inside shouting:
"The western gate is finally ours! We can't thank you enough for your contribution, calvary commander."
Their senior officer who's a man in his late forties moves forward, when he sees Juha's jade trims he kneels down clasping his hands shouting:
"I'm Major Min-Jun! We greet a noble jade bone Goddess!"
Juha waves her hand and turns around replying:
"At ease, Major. We're the same rank."
"Thank you, Jade bone... And it's also thanks to you we have suffered much less casualties so if you wish you can take some of our troops in your endeavors."
Juha folds her arms and looks away reply:
"Hmph! Don't misunderstand, Major, we'll be heading up to support Fleet Admiral Hwang-So now that we've recaptured our walls. Commit all your manpower here since the reclamation and clean up will at least require this much people."
"We obey, may the tides rise!"
(Oh? This might be the first time I heard their goodbyes).
*************************************
Juha satisfied with the outcome mounts Hamchi again as she pulls me up before leaping out the veranda. Our guards follow after us as we ascend through the skies with haste as I see the battle between Hwang-So's armada pitting against the gargantuan war beast. While Hwang-So's ships slowly dwindle and fall beneath the clouds, the enemy has reinforce and accompanied the war beast with small frigates which Cheo and his thousand calvary descend upon like a swarm to puncture holes with each charge and thrust.
"That doesn't look good."
Another cannon exchange ensues that tore one of the 8 fins of the war beast off while Hwang-So's flagship suffered a massive gaping hole at the deck as something explodes inside causing the ship to steer closer to the war beast.
"We're speeding up!"
" "Hoo-ah!" "
The guards behind us responds loudly as Juha gestures me to hold tight when my skin starts to feel cold. I endured the freezing temperature when I could finally see things clearer, Hwang-So's still wearing his summer clothes while standing over a torn open cockpit barely any ceiling, I could see crews scrambling about with what they have. Cheo on the other hand seems to be dueling someone very strong as I see qi burst being thrown around visibly tearing apart the clouds and cliffs that reveals itself when they cleave the skies. What's outrageous is that Cheo seems to be on the losing side as he is still mounting his calvary fighting the enemy who's standing with her two feet wielding a massive crescent axe that looks more like twin hooks.
(Woah! Is that perhaps the enemy's leader?)
In his place, someone else seems to be leading hundreds of calvary forces to fight atop the war beast's oversize back, dismantling their smaller weapons as they try to cut open the war beast's thick hide. Moving like a swarm of locusts, they slowly but surely chipping away at the ginormous beast.
(I wonder where or how do they even control that monster?)
Juha with our guards stumbles upon the enemy frigates targeting our calvary troops when we arrive at what May called the first threshold.
(Just as what I learned from May, air here is much harder to breathe and circulate. Even my chest feels to tighten a lot, but even more surprising is this calvary is also Air based!?!? That's quite cheating!)
Small enemy ships were already stationed at the perimeter but doesn't seem to notice us as they're all busy gawking at the battle between Hwang-So and the War Beast. Seeing an opportunity, Juha lands upon their decks where the enemy soldiers gets impaled, beheaded, or simply smacked off the ship from behind before she continue on while the guards behind us finish the job by either destroying the hull or just killing the driver by puncturing the glass window.
"We'll be splitting here! Go support your comrades!"
" "We Obey!" "
Slowly we work our way to Hwang-So flagship as they're exchanging another cannon fire when Hwang-So saw and jumps out into the devastated deck to greet us with a cigarette in his mouth.
"What impeccable timing, Jin-Juha Ssi."
*BOOM*
Something exploded behind us as Hwang-So flicks his cigarettes to the burning hole saying:
"You're finally here, and you..."
Marines rush to the deck to douse the flames while Hwang-So looks down at me saying:
"I honestly haven't forgiven you for hurting our precious Yoo-Ah, but I'll set aside my petty personal grudge for your contribution. You seem to have seen better days."
Hwang-So seems to have notice the black cracks on my arms that has spread to my shoulders. I move my arms saying:
"Don't worry, It doesn't hurt."
Hwang-So shakes his head and pulls out a new cigarette crystal replying:
"No need to act so tough, Sova Ssi. Both Prince Yeon-Seyong nim and General Jin-Cheo Ssi shrieked little girls when they got treated by the Royal Physician."
(Really? I feel no pain at all, even from back then when I first got them. Is it that painful I wonder? Or maybe because I can actually control it that I don't feel pain?)
Hwang-So breathe in turning his red eyes orange before he exhale saying:
"Huuuh... You should go and save Cheo, then stop that beast, and after that we can finally stop the Colonel's crack troops from rushing towards the imperial palace- is what I wish to say if we're not in such a sorry state. So, I have another assignment for you two."
Hwang-So pulls out his spear and attach a weird rope that looks like wires tied together in a spiral shape. He wrap it around its pummel turning it into some sort of harpoon before saying:
"Attention all personnel, prepare your diving gear and hooks, we're going to hijack the enemy's Belluga Flagship!"
"What!?"
"Eh?"
Juha and I balk in surprise but Hwang-So strokes his beard simply saying:
"Don't sound so surprised, this might actually work, since they somehow manage to make that thing follow command, that dashing crybaby's bastard is definitely somewhere in there. It's do or die anyways, and If I'm going to die, I'm going to die doing what I love and smack his family to shape! Helmsman, drive this ship closer so I can hit it with my spear!"
"We obey!"
The Helmsman quicky spins the wheel to the side tilting the ship, since we're slowly falling already the ship drives below the war beast. A mighty shadow hover over the deck when I notice small bumps and realize there's people mounting turrets on that thing. Seeing an opportunity, they soon hail bullets atop the deck where Juha summons her vortex while the marines dives for cover.
"Lord Hwang-So!"
*Raatatatata*
"Calm yourselves, Jin-Juha those pellets ain't gonna hurt me."
The rain of steel and gunpowder doesn't seem to phase Hwang-So as he simply aim with two fingers before taking a throwing stance and hurl his spear towards one of the bumps. His spear shoot across the heavy rain of bullets and maintains its forme even after many bumps before plunging into the gaps and explodes upon impact. With the rope tight behind the spear, Hwang-So seems to have secured a path as he tugs at the rope to check its stability before shouting:
"Alright you low lives! Get up there and show me you've been doing your climbing exercise!"
Hwang-So walks away saying:
"Here's my first assignment as your superior, get up there and destroy as many of those turrets that can aim our way while we set-up a breach, now go!"
"Yes, we obey!"
Juha leaps again, ascending further beyond the downpour of steel. Realizing what we're going to do, I summon forth my weapon once more when Juha asks:
"No, Sova, don't do anything reckless-"
"Don't worry Juha, let me show you what I can do as well."
Slowly we come closer to the whale while spears are chucked once at a time from below with those steel ropes, destroying a bump each time. And as we reach near the end, the turrets have already focus fire on us and Juha's vortex shield can't seem to hold on for much longer. Knowing the time is not really right, I take a deep breathe and face my fears.
(Don't look down).
Letting Juha go, I stand on Hamchi which cause her to freak out before jumping.
"Sova!"
Juha shouts and tries to catch me but I ignore her hand and starts remembering a technique that surface when sparring with Moriz.
(Silver tiger God and calamity dragon technique combined, Primal path: Six Fold Ravager Assault!)
With a single strike I unleash a simultaneous strike that cleaved multiple bumps and destroyed their turrets before grabbing hold one of the ropes and hurl myself to another part to destroy another.
(I'm not going to hold anything back!)
One after another I try to make a one strike one foe term before I ran out of rope and simply land and use the rat and monkey technique to change my centre of gravity, making it possible to walk upside down. Using this chance, I continue ravaging the bottom of the war beast when soon blood starts to drip from one of the bumps and Juha appear upside down from my view.
*Shake* *Pop*
"Ah..."
My feet simply unstuck when the war beast shakes and before long I fell from grace as I realize I might have done too much.
"Sova!"
*Grab*
"I don't know how you're doing that but that's enough. Lord Hwang-So and most of his crew is now climbing up, come on, we're now going to reinforce my Oppa."
Juha catches me in time pulls me back carefully as she seems to be wary of the black cracks on my arms. She don't need to be so wary since unlike before when I just absorbed it, the black cracks seems to only be like a tattoo as the cracks doesn't break my skin anymore. She turns her head saying:
"Good job, thanks to you many of the crew survive. Now, let's go greet the captain of this ship!"
"Right!"
I look at the ropes and see countless people climbing up alongside Hwang-So when I notice his flagship slowly descends. Like a falling star, the massive wreckage catches on fire before it lands and smash the ground with a large,
*BOOOM*
The shockwave's so big that I could feel the wind pressure from here, but even so the troops below doesn't stop their engagement as reinforcement appear upon the devastated lands. Clutching Juha closely, I hear her whispering:
"(There goes 5 years of our kingdom's income)."
"Hey, Jin-Juha! Don't just stay in place. Get your ass up there and assist your brother, we got this covered."
Hwang-So catches up and starts to dig over the bumps and open up an pathway inside. He crawls in the entrance only a quarter his size before saying:
"And when you're done, tell your brother to lead all your calvary to assist Won-Yok at the imperial palace or at least get some rest."
"We obey."
Juha answer softly as he disappears inside and the marine below follows after him with irregular breathing but determination filling their eyes.
(It seems people are still keen on fighting).
"Keep holding on, Hamchi, go!"
Juha drives off slowly ascending the gigantic war beast while it sways slowly. And when we exit the stomach's surface, and evading any incoming projectiles, the war beast without any opposition faces toward the capital and slowly approach the city. Cannons from below fire towards the rear of the beast but nothing seems to shake before I realize the reason its shaking is definitely...
*Clang* *Clash* *Smash*
Juha ascends climbing over the cannons and sliding over any platform, we arrive what seems to be a lower level of its lips.
"Now, I'm starting to regret locking myself up."
"Eh?"
I tilt my head confused as we finally arrive at Jin-Cheo's battle at the nose of the war beast. Masters in the art of combat clash against each other as their blows comes to shake the whole foundation while destroying the clouds around them. Cheo seems to regain the upper hand as he wield his spear a bit differently, holding the tip of his pummel instead of the body of his spear, he swings his spear making a slash instead of his usual thrust. And with longer range, he outpaced the enemy by a margin as she's having a hard time getting close as Cheo keeps parrying her large axe away with his expanded qi strikes. Each of his strike seems to leave scratches and tiny cuts at her that leaves her more annoyed each time.
(Oh! He's winning!)
"Raaagh, Cheo! Stop playing dirty and fight fair and square!"
She shouts and whirls her axe at Cheo which he easily parry up but the lady jumps toward the whirling axe and kick it back down at him which Cheo easily repels back again back at her but...
"Huh? Where did she go?"
I ask when Cheo starts swinging his spear around and,
*Crack* *Snap*
The lady appear from his side elbowing the middle of his spear made of steel and snapping it in half. Cheo gasps at her feat and she follows up with a straight punch that Cheo grabs easily by letting go of his broken weapon.
"Just kidding. You think that would surprise me now, Unnie?"
She follows it up with a knee strike to his side, but Cheo slides and sweeps her leg tumbling her down. She regains her footing with a single hand stand and as her whirling axe drops, she grabs the axe with her toes and tries to slam it down with a back breaking twist that made the back of her head touch her feet.
Cheo, probably having enough lifts her up and throws her away saying:
"As expected of the Colonel's fiancee, she sure is a freaking monster."
"Fiancee!?"
I shout in shock and Juha nods in agreement replying:
"Mhm, she's Lady Song-Ryong, the youngest grand daughter to the Western Duke. But now's our chance, Hamchi, charge!"
Before the lady even touch the ground, Juha charges with Hamchi trying to ram her.
"No, Juha, stop!"
Cheo warns us but it's a bit too late as I realize Mu-Yong let's the axe on her feet go and steps Hamchi in the head with the feet, she uses our momentum to slam it's face into the surface of the war beast. Within a perfect distance, she grabs the axe she let's go and swings but luckily since I always had my halberd ready, I swing back at her following Cheo's example and strike at the surface of her massive axe.
*Pang*
My halberd push her axe away easily which surprises her and I take this opportunity to leap forward past her axe. She seems to learn her lesson as she lets go of her axe again and went with a straight left punch but,
*Crack* *Snap*
Using my forehead to stop her punch with a little tilt push her fingers inside her palm, rending her left hand immobile. This is the same technique I used against Yoo-Sui and something that even surprised Moriz a few days ago, I called it the Headbutt stopper!
(I don't know when did my head get this thick but I'm going to use it!)
In a bit of panic she went with a right swing but I dodge by spinning to the right to gain momentum and counter back with an spinning back kick with my right leg imbuing [Origin] at my heels. Sadly, she reacted in time to block by pulling her right arm back and,
*Bam* *Screek*
My kick sent her the side, dragging her feet before she fells to her knees. Juha, Cheo, and even the enemy looks at me with surprise as I take my wrath stance with my halberd.
(I didn't stop training after sparring with Moriz, and decided to spar even against Yoo-Sui and get even stronger).
Black cracks appears at the part I kicked as her skin starts to peel and fell which cause her drop a cold sweat.
"I hope you're ready, I'm about to test out my new techniques!"
She grins with a huge smile as her brown eyes burst with golden shine. Now that we're facing each other, I get a good look at her. A lady in her late twenties with short black hair, she wears a thin layer of scale armour as she leaves her arms and legs unprotected with open fingers and toes. She shakes her right arm as the black cracks spreads from torn opening and fix the fingers on her left before saying:
"Hey, girl, tell me your name."
"It's Sova Anmao."
"I'm Ingeo Song-Ryong! Here I come!"
Seeing her take a unknown stance, I kick her axe off the war beast and she dashed forward. Sensing something coming from behind, Cheo and Juha comes in and smack something away saying:
"Don't even think about it!"
"Leave the rear to us!"
I nod and react to the incoming foe. Ryong charge recklessly once more as she tries fight hand to hand.
(Usually I would have a disadvantage if my opponent is taller than me but I'm lucky she's not. And even if she is...)
She tries to grapple by grabbing my cloak but I unpin it and throw it at her trying to blind her but a hand punch through it coming for my neck. I duck and tackle forward, wrapping my halberd behind her waist and cloak so it keeps her blinded, using a wrestling move I jump up to lift her feet off the ground before trying to slam her down and pin her to the ground by moving my hips to her stomach and twisting my legs around the halberd on her back.
(It's not much of a problem as long as I can lift them up!)
With her upper body still covered, I dig my feet to seal the deal, preparing for a chain punch and readying my waist to optimize each punch.
*Splooge*
"Ugh!"
I swing my first blow when the figure below the cloak seem to vanish as the cloth flatten, my thigh touches my halberd, and my hand sink into something that sounds disgusting. In a panic, I pull my hand out and vanish my halberd before both of it gets stuck or something, preparing for a counter attack that will soon come but that's when I realize,
"Where did she go? And what did I just put my hand into?"
I pull the cloak away and I know where my hand went and try to look away as luckily it seems the cloak blocks all those green mucus.
*Rumble*
"Huh?"
As if the world I stood upon moves, the entire place shakes like I'm in a birdcage. The earth surface flips over my head and I found myself free falling and my body froze.
(Right, I am fighting atop a living being).
"Sova! Gotcha! See, your Oppa is pretty great."
"Be very careful with her hands! She have the same black cracks you did, dumbass!"
"Oh, sorry! Huup!"
Cheo pulls me up and carry me with one hand and continue saying:
"Let's quickly get a place to land and regroup with the others, Juha. My Chom-Chom are already pushing their limits, any more and she might get crippled permanently!"
Juha who's riding ahead of Cheo looks up when I notice the war beast seems to be shaking its head as if to get relieve the itchiness on its nose.
*GLARE*
As it lowers its head, we end up staring right at its massive eyeballs three times our size.
"Aw, shit..."
Cheo and Juha reel their steed away when I notice the war beast opens it jaws and aim at us and I soon realize why we're diving down. The whole sky darkens as its whole mouth envelopes our sky and the sight of razor sharp fangs surround us.
"OPPA! SOVA!"
Juha's voice crack as she panics, she manages to escape the maw of the war beast but it seems both Cheo and I aren't so lucky.
"Don't worry, Juha. We got this, just regroup with the others before you do anything reckless!"
*CHOMP*
*************************************
I feel Cheo tightening his embrace when I hear him shouting:
"{Light Ball!}"
Cheo cast a spell that summons a couple of lantern size balls of light when the sight of flesh and vortex of teeth drains my will.
"This is just like cleaning your mouth, Chom-Chom. We got this!
Cheo reassures himself and I hug him tighter and regretting my every actions. Cheo grips Chom-Chom's reigns and starts driving to the centre of the vortex. He spins round and round following some sort of flow and pattern that barely misses the edge.
(Mommy...)
Those words surface through my thoughts as I hold onto Cheo.
"Hey, Sova, let me teach you a lesson. Trying to dodge the points in a vortex may seem hard, but create a line with those dots."
He spins as he speaks and my hearing senses seem to heighten as my danger instincts jumps into overdrive.
"And soon those lines make a pattern. Honestly, this isn't my first rodeo inside a Golae."
Hearing him say that, I start to notice it as well when my life seems to flash before my eyes from the sheen each of the teeth make like a mirror to my past.
"I see an opening!"
Feeling something click, our mind seem to sync when we reach the centre of the storm. The entire vortex shrink and the teeth comes closer, but I loosen my hug on Cheo and summon my halberd. Cheo speeds up as I gather my power to perform my strongest technique.
[Immortal calamity dragon technique and silver tiger god technique combined, Armageddon path: Endless Twilight!]
*BOOM* *SMASH*
"ROAAAAR!!!"
With a single blow, we let open a gate of freedom from the endless fangs turn ash and sand. And feeling the pain, the entire place quakes like a cage being shaken. Saliva, spit and unknown moisture rain down our body as we crash upon a fleshy surface.
*Click* *Stomp* *Stomp* *Shiing*
"Enemy intruders!"
"Surround them!"
"Fire!"
*Swoosh* *Bang* *Bang*
Cheo cast a similar vortex shield to Juha as he blocks the incoming projectile. As we somehow escape the maw of the war beast, we seem to have arrive somewhere even more hostile.
"Hehe, here I said that we would keep you at the back line but here you are joining me by entering the belly of the beast."