"Stop right there!"
"Uwaah! Sova, shield me!"
A soldier stops our path as we try to went deeper. He is probably Iseon's man since Ye-Ri is acting like that.
*Smack*
"Urgh!"
As he charge trying to tackle me, I easily subdue him by smashing my pummel to his chin and burying his head to the ceiling.
"Alright, let's go."
"Y-You really are strong."
(Yea, but I don't really know what to feel hurting one of my allies... Or can I still call him my ally when he went rogue?)
"We lost contact with many on the upper floors! Suspect enemy ambush."
"Go! Go! Go!"
I could hear more footsteps rushing from below, I could tell there's around 20 or more.
"I-I can hear many climbing up. W-What should we do!? Think, is there any way to descend?"
Ye-Ri starts to press her forehead with her thumb and I nod saying:
"It's fine. I can handle that much- Hmm?"
*Pang*
"Aaargh!"
*Clang* *Boom*
"What's happening- urgh!"
*Vwooom*
"You- uwaak!"
"Stop! Who- uwogh!"
I could hear the people below getting slaughtered and Ye-Ri seems to catch on as well. As we have reach the stairs, a body with its lower limbs missing flied upwards with its entrails painting the stairs.
"Eeek!"
Ye-Ri hides behind me seeing the dread on the soldier's faces.
*Clack* *Clack*
Footsteps different from the soldiers from before. A familiar silhouette emerge from below dragging the decapitated head of what seems to be the leader of the group. Yoo-Sui makes her appearance with her platinum phoenix armour drench in blood and her menacing sword in her other hand. She opens her visor and raises an eyebrow saying:
"I knew it would be you, Sova. Perfect timing... And ugh, you smell disgusting."
(Huh? Do I still smell?)
"Eep! Wait... Yoo-Sui nim? And huh? You can fight?"
Ye-Ri shrieks and is simply shocked by what she sees. She seems to be out of words by what transpired and can't get any word out as her grip on my clothes become stronger.
"Hmm? Princess Ye-Ri as well? Haha, out of all the people to discover my secret identity it had to be you."
*Cling*
Yoo-Sui wears her visor back and lift her massive blade which cause Ye-Ri to break out in tears shouting:
"Eep! Wait, don't come any closer!"
I raise my hand out as well as if to shield her saying:
"I have to agree, Yoo-Sui. I can't let you kill her."
Yoo-Sui shakes her head and rest her great sword up to her shoulders replying:
"Of course not, it's simply too easy to keep her silent and obedient. And she's simply too good of a puppet to be thrown away just for this... Here, catch."
The heavy deep voice Sis gave me replaced her voice when Yoo-Sui throws a familiar badge and I grab it asking:
"What is it do you want me to do?"
"Wear that, and go down there to stop Song-Iseon."
"Huh!?"
(Wait, she isn't telling me to-)
"Oh, I'm not telling you to kill him, I want you to subdue him."
Before I could even finish my thought, she gives me a worse answer.
"There's no way I can do that!"
I yell back at her and Yoo-Sui shakes her head replying:
"Worry not, Soo-Nari and my idiot brother will assist you. She can easily handle him while both you and that idiot deal the finishing blow. Now, come with me Princess Ye-Ri, I'll protect you, your reputation as the ghost princess really holds up if even I can't sense you right when you're standing before me... Maybe what Nari said is true."
"Wait, Yoo-Gisa is down there? Uuuh..."
Ye-Ri hugs me tight as if she doesn't want to let go but I pat her on the head saying:
"Don't worry, Ye-Ri. If she do something dangerous, I'll come running for you."
"Promise?"
"Yea..."
(Screw what they say of not getting attached. This is the one thing I'm gonna keep doing).
"Heh, when did you two start to get so chummy?"
"When I was training with you. She's a great companion to hang out with after you exhaust me."
"You really are a fucking womanizer.... Whatever, just stay away from Yoo-Ah."
"Uwaah!"
Yoo-Sui phase past me and grab ahold of Ye-Ri, lifting her up to her shoulder with one arm she looks back saying:
"Now get to it. Time is of the essence."
I walk down and place the medal to my chest as the whole tentacles extend and devours me like before.
(Maybe I should also start making my own decision on my journey after this).
"W-Wait!!!"
Ye-Ri shouts as she is being carried away and I stop to turn around. She grabs at Yoo-Sui's cape shaking before she muster up to say,
"L-Let me help as well..."
" "Huh?" "
"I-I... I don't want to be so useless. So... Let me go down there and help as well!"
A bit surprised by her sudden eagerness I'm at a loss for words while Yoo-Sui who heard that lets her down and stare over her.
"What can you do princess? You can't even stand up properly, you'll be gone before you even arrive and be dead weight for Sova. You're not even valuable as a hostage even."
"That's... Then let me sneak past them."
"Hmm?"
Yoo-Sui seem to be intrigued by her suggestion as she leans closer and I can't help but walk closer as well as Yoo-Sui asks:
"And sneak past them to do what exactly? You're wasting our time."
"I... I can..."
Ye-Ri clenches her white robes before I hold her shoulders to reassure her saying:
"It's fine, Ye-Ri. Like I said, I will end this war as soon as possible. And by that time, we can find you a great thing to do."
"..."
"Better keep her safe, Yoo-Sui."
I say turning my back away as my cape sway following the winter winds.
"Don't mention it, I still have the hole castle to clean."
The sun slowly descends below the castle walls and the sound of conflict echo loudly still.
(I need to bring my effort up!)
***********************************
"Wait a moment..."
(Didn't they already know who I am behind the armour? Why bother even hiding my identity? Or maybe she's just telling me to wear it for protection? That would mske the most sense since who I'm about to fight).
Before me something only from the books I read is right before my eyes. Yoo-Gisa has definitely seen better days, his armour is slowly disintegrating but he is also filled with black cracks all over his body. But even so, he's bursting ever brightly in a golden light as he runs over boulders and floating debris to fight his foe. Even if I can't feel magic, I can definitely feel the power radiating from him is overwhelming as all his 3 swords combines to become a giant golden blade that extends twice his size.
And... I suppose the monster at the centre is none other than Colonel Angeo Song-Iseon. Barely resembling a human, he stands taller than a War God, with 8 limbs and pitch black skin that seems to absorb all the light, he has not only transform himself but the entire area into a weird jumbled world with no laws of physics or light as nothing stays on the ground, heck there's nothing below while all the light and falling water seem to swirl and twist towards Iseon as if he's a sink.
(Is this... Is that... Is that what [Origin] does? Or is that what happen of those black cracks envelope you?)
His limbs all resembles weapons flailing around with a mind of its own, it tries to strike wherever Yoo-Gisa lands but he always dodge in the nick of time to counter using his massive sword, cutting his limbs seems to be ineffective as it to regrows back seconds after.
(How am I suppose to help with that!? And... Where's Soo-Nari?)
I thought maybe a 2 meter tall lady clad in crimson armour would be easy to spot but maybe it's my bad eyesight? Either way,
"I'm not going to accomplish anything by simply complaining!"
Seeing Yoo-Gisa fighting alone as he jumps over its tentacles to approach closer before striking its head gives me a good idea on what to do. Seeing Iseon flip the debris upside down to push Yoo-Gisa, I wait for my chance.
This time, I pull out the War God's spear I have been keeping as of late. Extending it, I start to aim at Iseon with a back hand throw. Seeing an opportunity present itself when the tentacles line up, I pour all my strength to my arms and shoulders.
*Zoom*
"Wha!?"
Seeing Yoo-Gisa surprised by sudden assistance and regaining his composure quickly to swing his sword around as to repel ghr remaining incoming tentacles but it doesn't work, seeing this opportunity, I pump all my strength to my legs and jump.
Coming to battle swinging with my halberd, I pour [Origin] to my blade and strike. Cleaving over half of the tentacle approaching Yoo-Gisa, I continue on my assault by stepping over the remaining tentacles to strike at his head. Black goo leak from his mouth before he breathe out a black fog over me but,
*Pow*
My strike connected pushing Iseon's jaw up with my blow, staggering him for a while that the entire place tremble and I got shake off. Yoo-Gisa came to my rescue and grab me from the back asking:
"Sova!? Why are you here?"
"What do you mean, why!? To stop this War of course!"
Yoo-Gisa lands and drops me beside him. He looks at me with a lack of uncertainty before I stand saying:
"I don't care how much you hurt me but I need to stop people out there from dying, so please help me defeat Colonel Song-Iseon."
"That's my line, you... Rrrgh!"
His sword separates as he starts to hold them between his fingers and points at the Colonel saying:
"I'll be the one to take him down, so assist me in this endeavor! It seems that black smoke has no effect on you so... Help me lead the charge."
I nod along replying:
"You got it! But please hold on..."
Standing side by side, I reach my hands out to hold his cheek.
"Huh? W-What are you doing!?"
His face twist in disgust as he try to push me away but I stand my ground replying:
"I'm healing your black cracks."
"... Don't expect a thank you."
He looks at me again grinding his teeth as if he has swallowed something bitter but that matters not. As I finish absorbing his cracks, the Colonel seems to have regain his composure and immediately rip the tentacles pin by the War God's spear and regenerate it all back.
His limbs retaliate, whipping across where we stand and we quickly dodge to the side. With separate maneuver across the floating debris, we take our own way to get close, Yoo-Gisa use the momentum of his blows to push himself forward while pushing away each of his attacks, provoking most of the limbs towards him.
I on the other hand use brute force to push forward, cutting away the tentacles that comes my way and relinquish myself to my instinct to figure out where his strikes will come next. Thanks to this armour, my physical strength has pretty much quadrupled as if the extra flesh gives me muscles, but strength can only bring you so far without skill, that's why...
(I'm not gonna hold back!)
[Silver tiger God and calamity dragon technique combined, Primal path: Six Fold Ravager Assault!]
*Slash*
My attacks not only cut through Iseon's limbs but also pierce through, making a shallow cut to his chest. Not stopping there, I follow it up with,
[Silver tiger God and calamity dragon technique combined, Primal path: Radiant of Ruin!]
First to arrive close, I unleash a massive blow towards the shallow mark and tore Iseon's chest wide open.
"Raaaghh!!!"
Black fog similar to what he breathe out spewed all over from his gaping chest. Iseon follows suit and combined his swords once more to strike down at Iseon's head.
*Cleave*
Striking his sword to the ground, Yoo-Gisa split Iseon in half with his sword...
(This is actually looking much easier).
*Pooof*
Black fog burst around the dungeon colouring everything black. Stuck without any vision, I rely on my ears for moving when,
"Argh!"
*Fwoosh*
"Huh?"
Blowing past the thick fog is Yoo-Gisa being fling far away and blasting open a hole towards the fog. From the giant black carcass that is Song-Iseon, a black heart drop and everything becomes quiet. Like drop across the still waters, the surrounding area materialized into a blank space with the heart at its centre. Slowly it hardens like a cacoon and,
*Bump*
Feeling my heart skip a beat, for once I wonder if that's what it feels to know your doom. I may not be able to sense magic but I can definitely sense something slowly emerging from that.
*Crackle*
Cracks starts to appear from the black heart and I hastily ready my halberd and strike. Not even wanting to know what's going to happen next, I swing my weapon to unleash one of my strongest skill.
[Immortal calamity dragon technique and silver tiger god technique combined, Armageddon path: Endless Twilight!]
*Grab*
A hand emerge from the shell and grab my halberd between its fingers. Wondering why it doesn't even do anything, a golden pupil look past the hole.
*Boom*
I felt my whole chest exploded from a single moment and thrown back like Yoo-Gisa did. Skipping through the ground Yoo-Gisa cacthes me saying:
"Don't let your guard down, Sova. Iseon is definitely getting serious now."
(He's not serious before!?)
I felt his healing touch and soon realize Iseon has blast open my chest plate and wonder if he's paying me back for my aggression. Slowly Iseon reveal his form as he peels back his shell. His long hair extends further beyond his feet as its white locks flows magnificently when he takes his first steps. Naked at this point to show his ripped physique, Iseon's skin looks like what happens if you pour milk over a black coffee, his black eyes opens to show his golden pupil as he then summon forth a beautiful torrent pattern crimson glaive.
(Feel like I'm missing something here but...)
Iseon moves his black arms as to test his new body and smile satisfied saying:
"Interesting, I suppose pushing yourself over the limits has its rewards. Now, let's see how far this can do."