The goblins' aura never displayed any hostility towards the oni.
As if it really was smoke, it just flowed and seethed. However, the higher the smoke around their ankles rose, the more people began to cough.
-Cough! Cough!
-What is… this… it's hard to breathe…
At that moment.
The vast cave was set ablaze.
U, u, u, ugo! U, u, u, ugo! U, ugo!
Tapak, tapak tapak, tuk, tapak, tapak, tapak, tuk!
The goblin warriors stomped them in one fell swoop. The oni had already burrowed into the heart of the goblin camp, so they were able to attack them from both flanks.
In the shadows they cast, they slaughtered the oni warriors while dancing.
But, it wasn't simply by swinging swords.
Their swords burned like flames, and their spears became pillars of fire that burned the illusionary cave. As they were cut by the fire, the oni warriors screamed.
-Kuaaaaak!
-H-, hot! It's hot!
-It's fire!
Someone screamed.
-It's fire! A fire attack! Run away!
-Escape to the entrance!
-Uaaaak!
-Where is the entrance…
-There is still a place where light is coming from! Over there! Run away, kids!
The formation of oni warriors collapsed in an instant. Those who could use aura knew that it wasn't fire, but aura that was made to be infinitely close to fire— but they couldn't tell their subordinates that.
It was true that it was hot.
And when it got too hot, it burned.
So, even if it was actually made of aura, how was it any different from flames?
Infernal Heavens Formation.
First Law.
Burning Grave.
The tragedy of the burning mansion had, today, been recreated on the battlefield.
-Escape! Run! Run away!
The oni rushed towards the entrance with all their might. There were those who stumbled and fell over because they weren't accustomed to the darkness, those who were caught up in their fall and fell, and those who tripped over the fallen.
Rather than a [retreat] of warriors, it was more like the [escape] of criminals. It was a mess.
-Make sure to not don't miss it.
The sparks lurking in the darkness growled.
-Know the burning pain.
-Witness the moment when you can only scream as your entire body burns.
The goblins were already immersed deeply in the [Cave Fire Play]. They were all warriors. But at that moment, they were actors. They were priests recreating the White Lion's myth on this ground, therefore, they were the flames of retribution that would burn their enemies.
As they burned the enemies that dared to enter the burning mansion, they became the flames, were enthralled by the flames— No, they burned their anger towards the old enemies who had locked them in the [cave] of a salt mine where it was difficult to breathe. The fear of the cave that they had been forced to live in for hundreds of years.
U, u, u, ugo! U, u, u, ugo! U, ugo!
Tapak, tapak tapak, tuk, tapak, tapak, tapak, tuk!
The myth colored the sky and the ground, and history colored the battlefield. The goblins, who were the believers of the White Lion's interpretation of the world, took the anger of being oppressed as slaves under the tyranny of the Rime Empire, and, above all, wielded their blades as warriors with aura in their hearts.
-Kuaaak!!
-Sa-, save me!
-Run away! It's fire! The fire of god! Run away!
-Heroes! Seven heroes! Please, save us…
It was hell.
Everyone, regardless of if they were oni or goblin, fell into a hallucination. The thick cloud of smoke-like aura amplified the hallucinations. The oni didn't even think about swinging their swords or spears at the fire, and the goblins just continued to gnaw at their enemies' limbs as if they were actually fire.
And so, like charcoal that had been burnt to the limit, the oni army collapsed
4.
[getid]
That was why I was certain that this war, was a war that had never been seen before.
"…"
"…"
Even my retainers, who were watching the battle, were quiet.
The first person to open their mouth was Kim Yul, who was the most familiar with tragedies among us.
"It's amazing. Family Head."
Kim Yul looked down at his notebook expressionlessly.
"Until now, I have traveled to several worlds where the murim and gangho exist. And every time, I've met factions that use battle formations. But the methods they developed were, at best, able to affect people's perception and trap them in a pre-made maze. Or they didn't differ much from the level of a joint attack or strike."
Closing his notebook, Kim Yul once again looked down below the mountain where the Infernal Heavens Formation was unfolding.
"But this is different. All of the users learned the same Infernal Heavens Demonic Art, and all of them have the same image in their minds. They used aura as a tool to paint the image that they all share in their minds in this world. They didn't just make and watch the painting, instead, they all became actors who dived in and burned. The Family Head has completed the formation of the Infernal Heavens."
It was only then that Sylvia Evanail opened her mouth.
"Wha-, what is that? That… isn't it almost the same as a divine act? I mean, it's the same as a divine being descending and suppressing the area. How could mere humans… humans who learned to use aura… have the authority of a constellation?"
Uburka nodded.
"Daddy's long cherished desire of hundreds of years has finally come true. Ugor."
I looked down at the burning earth.
Only a handful of oni managed to escape the Burning Grave.
Among them, the 7 Oni Heroes were nowhere to be seen.
"The Chun Mu-mun Master's disastrous defeat."
Estelle commented. All the family members nodded in agreement.
But, someone seemed to disagree with that sentiment.
-Huhu…
A laugh could be heard in the distance.
And a commotion erupted in the camp of the goblins who had just taken the advantage.
-Wha-, what's that!?
-The corpses! The horned ones' corpses are getting up!
As said, the corpses of the oni who had collapsed in the Burning Grave were standing up one after the other.
With a stronger aura than before they collapsed.
"That man…."
Estelle murmured in disbelief.
And I also realized what had happened.
+
[Multiple Reincarnation Possession*](*: Previously 'Past Life Multiple Possession'. I thought this sounded better.)
Rank: SSS
Effect: Possess the persons you choose. When that person dies, you return to your original mind.
Cost: Not for sale (This benefit can only be obtained via a special method)
※However, you can only possess someone within a minute of their death.
+
The shadow of the Venomous Snake could be seen in each one of the oni that stood up
-Who said there were only seven heroes in the oni race?
-The number of heroes of the oni race is limitless!
They— the group of Venomous Snakes, all spoke.
-You must have been mistaken about the 7 Oni Heroes.
-Huhu… those guys were the weakest among the heroes.
-It is disgraceful for oni to lose to goblins!
In the midst of the scattered and bewildered goblins, 12 oni took a battle stance.
-We are the『12 Oni Wings』!
-It's not just us! Behind us are the『72 Oni Devil Kings』!
-Beyond them, there is also the『108 Oni Arhats』!
The resurrected oni— the Venomous Snakes, shouted in unison.
-We! The oni race! Are immortal!
The goblins retreated hesitantly.
-Why are those dead guys standing up and shouting? Ugo!
-It is evil magic! Black magic that blasphemes god and nature!
It wasn't just the goblins that were perplexed.
The oni, who had barely survived the Burning Grave, murmured in fear.
-Wh-, what the hell is going on right now!?
-I don't know… However, something… something is happening!
I was dumbfounded.
'No way, was this his secret for dealing with Uburka…'
Estelle let out a hiss
"This is clearly foul play!"
Estelle continued heatedly.
"The Chun Mu-mun Master does not belong to this world! Even if he is in the position of a god, sending seven possessed bodies to directly intervene in a war was already crossing the line, but now he is even possessing the bodies of those who died in the war! That is completely unacceptable!"
Then, as if he heard Estelle's words, a body possessed by Venomous Snake at the front of the group turned.
The Venomous Snake looked up at me, who was watching the battlefield from the ridge, and shouted.
-So noisy!
The Venomous Snake at the bottom of the mountain shouted up to us, at the top of the mountain.
-I don't care how unsightly it is! I don't care if you curse me for being unreasonable! I don't care if you say it's against the rules!
The Chun Mu-mun Master, the man who was the most respected by his subordinates, shouted as if he was vomiting blood
-As long as it helps these guys win— I'd even sell my soul!
His figure could be described as unsightly, childish, and pathetic.
However, most of all, it was human.
"Mm."
The Venomous Snake, the Chun Mu-mun Master, had done his best to show his sincerity, so I fixed my expression.
Taking a step forward, I ordered.
"Warrior Commander."
"Ugor, Family Head."
Uburka prostrated himself. He also had a calm expression.
Uburka's voice, gaze and demeanor were no different from a general reporting to the lord of a family.
"Advisor."
"Yes, Family Head."
Estelle got down on one knee and prostrated herself as if she had been waiting for it.
Beside her, Uburka, who had been called before, sat silently.
"…"
Seeing my daughter and son prostrated side by side, I nodded.
"The Chun Mu-mun Master has made it clear that he does not care about face or honor for the sake of those he is caring for. So for the sake of the Chun Mu-mun Master, it would be polite of us to fight with all our might."
"I will entrust to both of you, all of my race points. Use them as you wish to create as many troops as you want."
I continued.
"Then I will leave the vanguard to the Warrior Commander. And the Advisor will lead the main army. Attack all of the Chun Mu-mun Masters."
"Should we annihilate them?"
"Every member of the army led by the Advisor is a master of the murim, an elite who witnessed the beginning and ending of the Demonic Cult. Even if there were thousands of Chun Mu-mun Masters, they could handle it."
"You're right."
Estelle bowed and stood up.
There was a huge greatsword on her back.
[The Devil King's Red Greatsword]. It was such an excellent sword that it would if it could be given a name someday.
"I will do as you say. Even the goblins wouldn't turn down the help of a 'friend' in these circumstances.
With the greatsword that wiped out a continent on her back, Estelle turned around.
"I will send the dead back to where they belong. The Chun Mu-mun Master may criticize our participation, but there is no need to worry about that. It would be better if he curses himself for not being a match for us."
Uburka, who was beside her, was a bit taken aback.
"Ugo… big sis? Older sister*? Contrary to how you look, aren't you pretty tough?"(*: He changed from the casual form 'nuna', to the more polite 'nunim'.)
"Go, Warrior Commander. You alone are the vanguard."
"…"
"Please buy me time while I prepare bodies for the warriors with the Family Head's race points. You should be able to do that even on your own. Isn't that right?"
Uburka smirked.
"I can do that much."
"In that case, please show it to him."
Estelle unsheathed her greatsword.
Thud, and stabbed the greatsword into the ground.
The greatsword looked like it would require five or six strongmen doing their all just to move it— of course, Estelle lifted it as easily as wielding a wooden sword.
"Show him what kind of existence our Death King Family is."
"Ugor, ugor."
Uburka clenched his fists and pursed his lips slightly.
"When I was not made the eldest son and older sister was instead made the eldest daughter, pushing me out of the succession battle, I was a bit dissatisfied… Ugor. Knowing how to fight a war is a virtue. Being good at fighting a war is a more magnificent virtue. I will take a good look at older sister's skills as the younger brother!"
Uburka raised his head and sucked in air three times, making u, u, u sounds— towards the sky.
He let out a sound.
[The Constellation 'The Musclehead Who Dreams of Sinning Against Heaven' roars!]
-Guruuuuuuuu-
The battlefield instantly became quiet.
Regardless of whether it was the bewildered goblins, surviving oni, or the thousands of Venomous Snakes, they all froze as the lion's roar resounded.
"Now."
Estelle pointed the tip of her blade toward the battlefield.
"Go."
Our family clan's first battle kicked off.