[Chapter 198]
[Goeshini (4)]
At that time, the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Attack Platoons marched north.
This was because they believed the 2nd Supply Platoon, 2nd Attack Platoon, and 5th Communication Platoon would subjugate Goeshini.
Moreover, if they marched north, they could also block monsters coming down from above.
"─All troops halt. Ga-eun, send telepathy to other platoons following behind to stop marching too."
"Yes, Clan Lord."
They quickly left Ganeung Station and headed north.
The 5th Attack Platoon led by Donghae Clan was in charge of the rear.
They were tasked with defending to prevent Goeshini from coming up, while also pressuring to prevent Goeshini, who would surely be battling below, from escaping.
Then, Silla Clan Lord Kim Yu-jin leading the 6th Platoon gave instructions.
After instructing the telepathist, she soon looked ahead.
""""...""""
After leaving Nokhyang Station.
An army coming down from far away was coming into view.
Filling the horizon.
There was no need to bother ordering the navigator to count the numbers.
There were many.
That one word was enough.
And in the sky above them, the form that emerged from the black clouds─
─Kuoooooo!!
3rd rank monster Ishimi.
The dragon clad in iron armor roars.
Though the distance was still quite far, its voice could be heard clearly.
A sound that made goosebumps rise involuntarily.
Players of the 6th Attack Platoon started manifesting internal mana even though no separate instructions had fallen yet.
"Yang Hee-jeong. Check our current position."
"Current position is near Biseok Intersection. I'll tell platoon members the detailed coordinates through the telepathist."
"It'll be troublesome to face them at the intersection. Pass the intersection... quickly establish a battle line at the building complex ahead. Also have platoons in the rear wait behind the intersection on both sides, to prepare in case they break through the battle line."
"Yes, Clan Lord. I'll relay that. What should we do with the 5th Attack Platoon?"
"Tell them to wait at their current position. We'll somehow block above, so ask them to block the lower side where Goeshini is well."
"Yes, I'll do that."
"And also..."
Having worked together for a long time.
The navigator and telepathist immediately understood Kim Yu-jin's instructions.
Soon rangers moved quickly and established a battle line at the designated point.
Hunters and casters followed.
Kraaaak!!
There were some with fast feet.
Dealers faced those that broke away from the army and rushed in.
Meanwhile a battle line was formed.
Ishimi's army approached.
Players manifested internal mana.
And─
"─Silla Clan has been waiting for this day to take revenge on that Ishimi. It's time to resolve the grudge of seniors and comrades who sacrificed their lives to save us in Uijeongbu 14 years ago."
""""──!!""""
Silla Clan members who experienced the 1st Uijeongbu Recapture War.
It was a day they had been eagerly awaiting.
They weren't intimidated seeing the approaching army exuding pressure.
Rather, the stronger the enemies were.
The more they exuded fighting spirit.
Kuoooooo!!
Ishimi flies over.
Its intentions were obvious.
Just like 14 years ago.
It intends to collapse the battle line in one breath by jumping out of the army.
Perfect, really.
"─Lee Do-jin."
"Yes, Clan Lord."
"Our seniors must be curious. Show them how much stronger you've become in 14 years."
"Yes."
The corps commander is entering enemy lines abandoning its army.
How could we miss this opportunity?
Kim Yu-jin grinned.
She instructed Lee Do-jin who had been unable to suppress his energy since earlier.
As if he had been waiting for this moment, Lee Do-jin responded.
Gift
He steps forward.
Mana flowing out of his body takes on the properties of electric current.
Making crackling, sizzling sounds.
Blue current wraps around Lee Do-jin's body and black clouds gather above his head.
Not Ishimi's clouds.
Clouds created by Lee Do-jin.
Crackle!
Current scatters in all directions.
Ishimi approaches.
Lee Do-jin draws his mistletoe sword.
The pure white blade flashes.
Kuoooo!!
Ishimi roars.
With an even louder sound, the black sky rips apart rumbling as if enraged.
Boom!!
Magic is the manifestation of will.
14 years ago, Lee Do-jin's will couldn't pierce its iron armor.
Yet he felt so unsightly being called
So he trained, and trained more─
─Divine Punishment
Strike, strike fiercely.
Finally he reached this level.
Lee Do-jin swung his sword down in the air.
─────!!!!!!!!
As if ripping apart the world.
Dazzling beams of light fall.
Their number was truly uncountable.
And all of them stabbed down on the not-quite-dragon flying around without fear of the sky.
""""...""""
One strike.
Ishimi's iron armor falls off in pieces.
As if it lost consciousness, it plummets straight to the ground.
"─All troops, commence attack!!"
""""Waaaaaaah!!""""
To this, Kim Yu-jin immediately ordered.
Players who came to their senses began their attack.
"Silla Clan's
"Kill Ishimi first!!"
"We have
No,
It was the birth of a player worthy of being called Korea's strongest in name and reality since
☆
Goeshini entered Phase 3.
Players couldn't hide their pale faces.
On top of that─
"─No, where on earth are those things appearing from? What are those guys really doing?"
Even Kang Hyeon-cheol was flustered.
Goeshinis appeared in abundance.
The sound of cats filling the roads meowing in unison was unbearably noisy.
"Augh! I'm really going to get neurosis from the cat sounds!"
Jin Parang went wild.
He who changed into uniform with the shell of illusion swung his claw.
Blood Claw
Nyaa na...
Goeshini split futilely.
Its body divided into three parts and collapsed on the ground.
Immediately─
""""─...!!""""
Nyaa nyaa
The body divided into three parts transformed into three Goeshinis.
Players who took in that sight couldn't help but be shocked.
"W-what on earth is going on!? Why does it divide instead of dying when we kill it!"
They were horrified after reflexively attacking nearby Goeshinis.
What was even more surprising was that Goeshini was increasing even in situations where players weren't doing anything.
Nyaa nyaa
The cats meow.
They take a step closer.
Players retreat a step in fear.
Right then, Goeshini's front paw touched a player's body.
─Crunch!
""""...""""
Goeshini's shadow became three-dimensional and suddenly split its mouth wide.
Dozens of teeth were revealed.
The player's body was severed without being able to respond.
"W-what!! How are we supposed to kill these things!"
"The main body! We just need to defeat the main body! Don't panic and kill the main body!"
"Where is the main body!?"
""""...""""
There was no proper countermeasure.
The momentum of players who had been holding on firmly even in the toughest situations until then wavered.
Formation lost meaning as they were pushed back by increasing Goeshinis.
Morale falls.
The moment morale is lost, it's over.
─Winter Blooming Coldly
To this, Eun-ha swung Winter Blooming Coldly wide.
Red petals gradually calmed players' hearts.
"Parang hyung, relay telepathy saying we're pulling back the front line. They're probably preparing to pull back the line in the rear too after recognizing the situation by now."
It can't be helped.
If the formation collapses, they had to pull back the front line and re-establish formation.
But it was only a temporary measure.
Nyaa nyaa
They had to find a way to deal with the infinitely increasing Goeshinis.
Those guys are different from White Face.
Goeshini has only one mana stone. So the duplicates are no different from ghouls without mana stones.
Eun-ha snapped his fingers.
Flames arose.
The flames engulf Goeshini.
One Goeshini unable to withstand the high heat melts.
"Aha! Since they multiply if the body remains, we just need to eliminate them without leaving the body!"
"The problem is that's not easy. On top of that, ordinary purification magic doesn't work on those guys."
Kang Hyeon-cheol also snapped his fingers.
The road quickly became a sea of fire.
The Goeshinis meow.
Some perish burning in the fire.
Some emerge breaking through the flames.
And Goeshinis that survived emerging through the flames multiply as much as their reduced numbers.
Kang Hyeon-cheol frowned.
"Ordinary purification magic? What do you mean?"
"It means we need to pour attacks imbued with purification magic properties."
"Can't we just do the same as when we defeated ghouls?"
"We need to make them disappear without leaving a form, is that possible with other people's devices?"
"Ah..."
Kang Hyeon-cheol looked down at the greatsword in his hand.
His greatsword currently had purification magic deployed by Park Hye-rim imbued in it.
He could easily kill Goeshini with the greatsword in his hand, but Goeshini would just divide as is.
We need to purify Goeshini with purification magic, and simultaneously give damage enough to annihilate its entire body.
In the previous life, Lee Yu-jeong could use magic that was just what was needed.
The pure white ripples that spread centered on her had strong offensive power while simultaneously purifying Goeshini.
Fortunately, Pandora Clan had three people who could substitute for Lee Yu-jeong of the previous life.
No Eun-ah, Cha Eun-woo, Iriya.
And if we add Park Hye-rim and Kang Hyeon-cheol of Regulus Clan, we should be able to face them.
With himself too.
Even so─
─It's inefficient.
Eun-ha looked around.
There were many players.
But it was inefficient to have to face those many Goeshinis with a small number of people without being able to use them.
The Uijeongbu Recapture War had only just begun.
They couldn't exhaust their strength from the start.
"...Can't be helped. Parang hyung."
"Huh! Why? What should I do now?"
Soon Eun-ha finished his thoughts.
Eun-ha called Jin Parang.
"Send telepathy to Yeon-hwa noona. Tell her to buy time from the Goeshinis since we'll prepare that."
Ryu Yeon-hwa's
Rather, her
There was no one more suitable.
Eun-ha directed his gaze at Ryu Yeon-hwa among the people.
""...""
Their eyes met.
Jin Parang must have relayed the telepathy, as she nodded.
To this, Eun-ha deployed magic.
─Doppelganger
He draws out remaining internal mana to create as many duplicates as possible.
He created duplicates that could only breathe.
Duplicates appeared around Eun-ha and scattered in all directions after receiving orders.
Their appearance wearing cloaks of flame startled players seeing it for the first time.
""""...""""
Pandora Clan members realized what that meant.
Jin Parang sent telepathy to clan members without Eun-ha's order.
At the same time, internal mana hit bottom and gifts activated automatically.
Gift
Hearts beat strongly.
Just then there was support from behind.
Fairy's Spring Water
Mana Bless
No Eun-ah and Cha Eun-woo's mana recovery magic.
Though duplicates without hearts couldn't recover mana.
The original body Eun-ha's internal mana rose quickly.
He smiled with satisfaction.
Pitter patter!
Soon Pandora Clan members moved beside the scattered duplicates.
There was movement in the rear too.
Mermaid's Jewel
Ariel in the rear activated an artifact made from a Chungmu grade treasure.
The bracelet on her wrist emitted light.
A jewel shaped like a crystal ball shone and created a barrier centered on her.
Soon the translucent barrier filled with water.
Gift
Mode: Diva Siren
The spherical barrier moves according to Ariel's will.
Ariel who floated the sphere in the sky soon manifested her gift in the water.
Her bare legs joined in a straight line becoming legs reminiscent of a mermaid.
The scales protruding on both sides of her pink hair grew larger.
Scales sprouted on Ariel's cheeks.
She became able to breathe underwater.
─────♪
Using Diva Siren's providence.
Ariel who quickly moved to the front line sings a sweet song.
The Goeshinis' gazes turn upward.
Also at that time─
Gift
Kang Si-hyeong who rushed out from the rear was running to the front line.
He shouted with all his might.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!"
Ariel in the air.
Kang Si-hyeong on the ground.
They drew their gazes up and down.
Meanwhile, right then─
─Memento Magia
Gift
Jo A-ra also stepped forward.
She who swung her baton created an illusion by combining four types of magic.
─Illusion Tuning Song
Sight, hearing, smell, touch.
Magic causing confusion in four senses.
All beings focused on Kang Si-hyeong and Ariel unknowingly fell into Jo A-ra's illusion.
Their mana resistance lowered without them knowing.
Then, Jin Seo-na moved too.
Gift
Growth progresses rapidly.
Her height increases, and the specially made uniform transforms to fit her body size.
Three tails sprout, and her fur color deepens.
She who transformed to a form approaching a 5th rank Komorebi Kitsune immediately deployed magic.
Mirage Flame
Purple fox-fire appears.
Flickering sparks float around briefly bewitching people's minds.
With this, people straddled the boundary between consciousness and unconsciousness.
Not just people.
Monsters including Goeshinis were the same.
And─
─Let us all pray to the Lord.
For giving us our daily bread and joy for the day...
Iriya chants a prayer.
Her voice imbued with mana spreads widely, making beings who are the subject of the prayer come to mind.
Whoosh!
Sparks flicker.
The sparks that were small at first soon spread widely centered on Eun-ha and the duplicates.
It was the result of people's illusions.
Gift
But even if people fell into illusions, their wills don't align.
To this, Cha Eun-woo activated her gift to resonate people's waves.
She makes them align as much as possible.
Still dissonance occurs.
Individual wills assert their uniqueness and reject assimilation.
Also, the memories and emotions their wills are associating don't match.
But that's okay.
─Thump thump thump
───♪
People's wills are just a bonus.
The duplicates perfectly share the original body No Eun-ha's will.
Pandora Clan members imperfectly support the duplicates.
They matched their heartbeats and breathing to Ariel's song.
And so─
─Whoosh!!
Enormous flames engulf the world.
☆
Death is horrific no matter how many times you experience it.
I didn't think it would come this far.
Nyaa nyaa
While Goeshini divided infinitely, it had no choice but to be wary of humans.
Nevertheless, nothing changed.
The advantage was with itself.
Even if humans were stronger than expected, that was all.
Nyaa nyaa
Humans were getting tired.
In contrast, it was still going strong.
Moreover, as it divided, fear appeared on humans' faces.
Yes, fear.
Mana tinged with fear was abundant.
The fear of 'how to defeat it' seeped into Goeshini's body, giving it strength.
It grows by feeding on humans' fear.
It becomes stronger.
As the world's will takes its side, its spatial dominance increases.
The providence of the surrounding area changes as it desires.
Nyaa nyaa
So humans.
Be more, more, more afraid.
And finally be devoured by your own fear.
That is your fate.
And my fate too.
Just submit to the shackles of this world.
Goeshini wagged its tail and laughed.
Right then─
─Whoosh!!
Its spatial dominance drops sharply.
While distracted for a moment by flying fish pulled through the sky, the world suddenly became a sea of fire.
Crimson flames fill the area.
Goeshini's duplicates melt in the unprecedented heat.
No, they are purified by burning.
Goeshini spread its single wing to block falling fireballs.
─Whoosh!!
Up ahead.
The man who gave it two deaths stood.
A man wearing a red cloak.
No, men.
And humans wearing the same uniform as the man walking out from among them.
Whoosh!!
Not just the man.
They too were wrapped in flames.
The reddish-brown cloaks on their shoulders are now blazing crimson.
Pandora Clan Ritual Magic
Declaration of Sacred Domain: Sacred Fire