The vibration from Kuongi’s Breath spread throughout the entirety of Bluestone Fortress.
All the Hell Cannons ceased fire, and though a few restarted, the various facilities supporting the demons were completely wrecked.
The demons instinctively sensed that something went wrong, even if they did not know the details.
On the other hand, the two people sharing their thoughts with the Apocalid knew the situation perfectly.
“This is fun,” Han Junghwa said.
“Maybe it’s because my brain is stiff, but I’m a bit dizzy,” Guild Leader Kang Sungpyo replied, shaking his head.
Even though they were receiving only a fraction of the vast amount of information passing through the Apocalid, it was still overwhelming.
Nevertheless, it did not hinder their thinking at all.
It felt as if they had a small, secondary brain assisting their thoughts.
“I told you to play some puzzle games in your spare time.”
“Shut up and focus. He’s coming!”
Duke Dharman swung his sawblade sword horizontally. Han Junghwa and Kang Sungpyo leaped backward before thrusting their swords forward.
“You damn Gratis!” Dharman roared.
The Gratis, rat-beastmen corrupted by demonic energy, were quick and excellent at hiding.
It was only natural for the Duke to feel that way, as Han Junghwa and Kang Sungpyo moved in such perfect harmony—their consciousnesses linked—that they fought like a single body.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Explosions erupted as Aura Blades clashed.
The two hunters were utilizing the repulsive force of their Aura Blades to minimize the time their weapons spent in contact with the Duke’s. If they didn’t, their blades would get caught between the teeth of the sawblade sword and snap in an instant.
Though the two were fighting a desperate battle, the situation was not entirely in their favor. Duke Dharman, having unleashed the great magic Skull Breaker, was formidable.
Even with their combined efforts, the two hunters could do little more than buy time.
Had the Warriors and Giants not been handling Dharman’s subordinates, they would have been defeated long ago.
“A demon Duke using great magic is definitely strong,” Han Junghwa noted.
“I didn’t expect him to be this much of a handful,” Kang Sungpyo added.
“The Elves are doing much better than us.”
“They have a good elemental match. If we hold on a bit longer, they’ll come to help.”
Han Junghwa glanced toward the Elves. They, along with the buffed Apocalid, were overwhelming Duke Proferia. His ornate robes were in tatters, and his left arm and right leg were being consumed by Death Mana.
“It’ll hurt my pride if we’re the only ones who can’t kill our target.”
“Don’t get cocky.”
“Tsk.”
The two resumed their exchange with Duke Dharman. Choi Kangjoong looked down at the scene while floating in the air. The two hunters could feel his presence.
“Have you finally arrived?”
Duke Dharman taunted Choi Kangjoong by beckoning with his finger. Choi Kangjoong, who had intended to join the fray anyway, accepted the provocation.
[Stealth Blink]
Moving behind Duke Dharman, Choi Kangjoong swung his Death Blade.
While his movement was stealthy, the Death Blade was not.
Duke Dharman spun around instantly and blocked with his sawblade sword.
Clang!
A massive repulsive force erupted, but the strength of both Choi Kangjoong and Duke Dharman was greater. The Chitin Blade and the sawblade sword locked together, the Chitin Blade becoming firmly wedged between the jagged teeth.
“A blade growing from your body… I bet it hurts when it breaks,” Duke Dharman sneered, twisting his sword.
Normally, this would cause the weapon to snap, or the wielder would have to let go. However, Choi Kangjoong instead hooked his other Chitin Blade onto the sawblade sword and applied pressure.
Screeech!
The sawblade sword bent, and the teeth began to pry apart. Duke Dharman’s crimson skin turned even deeper red as his muscles bulged.
“Hyaaah!”
Duke Dharman poured every ounce of his strength into the struggle. But there was no time for such a stalemate. The Aura Blades of Han Junghwa and Kang Sungpyo were inches away.
Crack!
The sawblade sword shattered, its fragments scattering through the air. Duke Dharman stared in dismay at the end of his weapon, which had been hardened by vast amounts of blood and demonic energy.
Slash! Slash!
The Aura Blades of Han Junghwa and Kang Sungpyo sliced through Duke Dharman’s side and thigh. Dark demonic energy gushed from the wounds.
Because they were struck by Aura Blades, his regeneration did not kick in easily.
“Dammit!”
Surrounded by the three of them, Duke Dharman quickly grew overwhelmed. The fact that his sawblade sword had been reduced to half its length didn’t help.
Slash!
Duke Dharman’s left arm was severed, and a long gash appeared across his back.
Thud! Thud!
He was stabbed deeply in the abdomen, allowing Death Mana to spread through his system. His left thigh went numb from the necrosis.
“Curse you!”
In desperation, Duke Dharman swung his broken sword wildly, hoping to crush someone’s skull. But with his movements rendered simplistic by rage, no one was hit. The wounds on his body multiplied at an incredible rate. The demonic energy leaking out of him increased. At this point, it wasn’t a battle anymore; it was a one-sided slaughter.
Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash…
Duke Dharman’s right hand flew off, and starting from there, his body was systematically dismantled.
An Air Walker flew in and collected the severed pieces of his body.
Even if only his head remained, he could have stayed alive, but once he entered the Soil Pit, everything was decomposed into nutrients and Evolution Points.
Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!
As the battle with Duke Dharman ended, the sound of the massive Apocalid consuming Bluestone Fortress echoed loudly.
—
The Allied forces watched the battle from a distance, staying out of range of the Devil Cannons. After holding their breath during the fierce combat, they cheered as Bluestone Fortress began to crumble and moved closer. Stopping at the edge of their Mana Ballista range, they attacked the demon Dimension Ships surrounding the Apocalid.
This alone provided significant help to the remaining Apocalid. Kuongi and the Super Titans were all occupied at Bluestone Fortress, and many Titans and Light Titans had already fallen despite their Death Resistance and Rapid Regeneration.
“They’re coming!”
“Block them!”
The demon Dimension Ships in the rear charged toward the Allied forces. Mana Ballistas, Mana Missiles, arrows, and magic were all concentrated on the charge.
Since the demons approached from only one direction, most were destroyed before they could even reach the Allied fleet.
A few lucky ships managed to break through the wall of fire, and one happened to be heading toward the area where Joo Eun-jong was stationed.
The atmosphere on the Dimension Ship Joo Eun-jong boarded was grim. It was because the Hunter Commander was Joo Eun-jong.
Although he had been training hard in magic, experienced several battles, and become a B-class Mage, people still saw him as a spoiled brat who acted out because of his father, the S-rank Hunter Joo Gun-hak.
With such a person as the commander, morale had plummeted before the battle even started.
“We’re doomed.”
“Who made a guy like that the commander?”
“His father’s influence, obviously.”
“He only became B-class because of his dad.”
“This is going to end without us doing anything.”
“I bet he’ll tell us to abandon ship and run the moment the demons arrive.”
“Should we take care of him first?”
“You want to be put on the Carrier Guild’s wanted list?”
“I just hope the demons don’t come this way.”
The hunters’ anxieties became reality. The assault ships that broke through the firing line approached the sector guarded by the hunters under Joo Eun-jong’s command.
Kim Hyun-jun slightly drew his sword and observed Joo Eun-jong. He was a B-rank Hunter, older than Eun-jong, and possessed diverse combat experience. However, because he was a Warrior, he hadn’t taken the commander role. Usually, since Warriors fought on the front lines, it was much better for a Mage, Spirit Master, or Summoner to oversee the overall situation and give orders.
‘If he does something stupid, I’ll immediately…’
Kim Hyun-jun intended to point his sword at Joo Eun-jong’s throat the moment he froze in fear or gave an absurd command. He had already agreed with the other hunters to restrain him and lock him away until the battle ended. They feared Joo Gun-hak of the Carrier Guild, but they couldn’t fight demons with an incompetent commander.
The demons’ war cries reached them. It was a horrific sound, filled with malice. A normal person would have been too terrified to even stand straight upon hearing it.
‘Is he too scared to even speak?’
It would make sense. There were clearly more demons than hunters. To survive, one would think of fleeing rather than fighting.
While desertion was rare, it wouldn’t be surprising for a spoiled brat to do it while other hunters were also agitated.
Kim Hyun-jun drew his sword halfway. Joo Eun-jong, his eyes fixed on the demon Dimension Ships, picked up the radio.
“What are you just standing there for? Attack!”
Only then did the mages begin casting. Magic flew from the Allied Dimension Ships, but their accuracy was terrible due to their panic.
“Aim properly! You’d miss the toilet at this rate!”
Joo Eun-jong cast Wind Cutter, slicing a 10-meter flying magic beast in half as he spoke. Kim Hyun-jun smirked and let go of his intent to suppress the boy. Hurling an insult and a joke at the same time wasn’t something a terrified brat could do in a life-or-death situation.
“Hyun-jun, get ready.”
“You seem used to this kind of thing?”
“I’ve almost died to magic beasts and I’ve even seen a Dragon. What’s the big deal about demons?”
“I guess rumors really aren’t to be believed.”
“At your age, you still believe in rumors?”
“Call me ‘Big Brother,’ kid.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Joo Eun-jong cast Blade Vortex. Rotating blades of wind ground up the demons and magic beasts that leaped from their ships. Many enemies died, but it wasn’t enough to stop the assault ships.
Thud!
An assault ship slammed into the side of their Dimension Ship. The waiting demons and magic beasts swarmed onto the Allied vessel. The Warriors and Spirit Masters, more confident in melee combat, moved to meet them.
The deck instantly became a scene of carnage. Blood and screams filled the air, and corpses rolled everywhere. Even Kim Hyun-jun struggled against a Baron-class Demon of Ruin.
Joo Eun-jong floated high, using magic to draw the enemies’ attention.
He used Wind Cutter to intercept Chaos Magic aimed at his ship, protecting his allies. He was doing everything a commander-class Mage was supposed to do.
Conversely, the hunters who had insulted him were hesitating, looking for an escape or using the chaos as an excuse to move toward the far side of the deck.
“I’m remembering the names of every coward who runs!”
Joo Eun-jong’s voice, amplified by magic, thundered across the ship. The hunters who had been slinking away quickly moved back to the front.
“What does he expect? We’ll all die if we stay here!”
“Now is the time to retreat!”
Some hunters still grumbled. Joo Eun-jong clicked his tongue, shook his head, and looked toward a point in the Dimensional Sea.
Choi Yunseo was flying toward them at high speed.
“If you’d just waited a little longer, you could have been heroes. You couldn’t even manage that.”
Just as Joo Eun-jong said, a Fireball exploded against a demon Dimension Ship a minute later.
Boom!
Fire Arrows rained down, sweeping the magic beasts off the deck. A pillar of fire erupted from another demon ship. Choi Yunseo, having seized the advantage in an instant with overwhelming firepower, looked surprised.
She had expected Joo Eun-jong’s sector to be a total mess. A spoiled brat wouldn’t last ten seconds against demons. She had flown over quickly, certain there would be a hole in the line to fill, but the state of the battle was completely different from her expectations. Despite being at a disadvantage, the hunters were fighting tenaciously.
Choi Yunseo realized the reason immediately. It was because of Joo Eun-jong, who was fighting in the most dangerous spot.
‘Is that someone disguised as Joo Eun-jong?’
Choi Yunseo cast a detection spell. There was no sign of disguise magic on him.
‘Could it be a demon in a perfect transformation? I need to investigate.’
Choi Yunseo bound Joo Eun-jong with a restriction spell. He protested, asking what she was doing, but he couldn’t overcome the mana of a higher-tier Mage and was left tied up tightly.