Chapter 115: Warlord

Horns rising in a trident shape.

Arms shaped like blades that could slice through solid rock.

Two legs covered in taut, grasshopper-like muscle.

White chitin exoskeleton covering it solidly from head to toe.

The termite emitting an extraordinary aura revealed itself.

Flip—

<General Termite>

– Danger Rank: A+

– Discovery Location: Morgue’s Magical Warehouse ‘Observation Zone’

A general-rank termite that commands the legion.

Through a highly evolved central nervous system, it directly receives the queen’s orders and maintains the legion’s order by giving systematic commands to the termites.

It possesses physical abilities and intelligence far surpassing ordinary termites and blindly carries out only the queen’s commands.

I acknowledge its loyalty, at least. What a nuisance. -Morgue Mu Featherback-

An appearance as if covered in full plate armor from head to toe.

The face was completely covered by the carapace, making it look like it was wearing a helmet.

Dark blue wings hanging behind its back fluttered like the cloak of a knight commander.

I checked Featherback’s logbook once more.

Danger rank A+, huh.

If it wasn’t S-rank, my current forces should be enough to take it down.

The moment I thought that.

Swish!

The General Termite vanished from sight.

At the same time, a dull sound rang out.

Crack!

The sound of something breaking.

Soon Jean was sent flying and embedded into the tunnel outer wall.

Boom—!

The General Termite now stood where Jean had been.

For a very brief instant, I had missed its movement.

Soon I saw the leg muscles of the General Termite swollen as if they would burst any second.

It wasn’t a skill like spatial movement.

In that fleeting 0.1 second.

The General Termite had closed several meters of distance with pure leg strength and even launched an attack.

Soon the dirt wall crumbled and a cloud of dust rose.

Thud— Thud thud thud—

Beyond it, Jean’s battered figure was visible.

“Ugh!”

A large hole pierced through her abdomen.

It was a wound as if she had taken a direct hit from a cannon shell.

At that moment.

Swooooosh!

Shadow arrows shot from behind the General Termite.

The arrows split into fifteen mid-air and rained down.

Then the wings hanging behind the General Termite began to move.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The two pairs of wings moved like separate living creatures and deflected every arrow.

Yi Seonggye adjusted his bow and said.

[That naked bug must have eyes on the back of its head too!]

[…….]

The General Termite turned its head toward Yi Seonggye.

[Then try receiving this as well.]

Yi Seonggye nocked shadow arrows on the bowstring.

One……

Three……

Four…… five.

……

A total of five arrows loaded simultaneously on the bow.

Soon Yi Seonggye twisted the shadow arrows clockwise.

Then.

Crunch crunch crunch~~!!

The arrows bunched together and the arrowheads transformed into a drill shape.

Soon.

Boom— Boom boom!

Shadow arrows fired with a fierce sonic boom.

At the same time the twisted arrowheads rotated rapidly like a screw.

Rumble rumble rumble~~!

The surrounding air coiled and formed a drill-shaped airflow.

Then.

Shing—

The General Termite crossed its two guillotine-blade-like arms.

An X-shaped sword strike crossing forward created a powerful gale.

Crrrrrrunch!

The sword strike and arrows collided, producing a metallic screech.

But only for a moment.

The shadow arrows began to be ground into hundreds of fragments.

The shadow arrows vanished in the blink of an eye.

Not even a scratch appeared on the General Termite’s body.

But at that moment.

A shadow charged from behind the General Termite.

A Death Knight with black flames rising from the gaping hole in her chest.

It was Jean.

The Liver Night Sword shot toward the General Termite’s leg.

However.

Scraaaape—!

A sound like metal scraping rang out.

Only a faint scratch remained on the General Termite’s leg. No meaningful damage was dealt.

Jean immediately followed with the next strike.

At the same time Cheok Jungyeong swung his sword from the opposite side.

Clang—! Clang—!

The General Termite blocked both attacks simultaneously with its sharp white arms.

Scrape— Scraaaape!

The General Termite was holding back both Jean and Cheok Jungyeong with one hand each.

Soon Jean and Cheok Jungyeong continued their next attacks.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

A fierce sword dance continued.

Sword strikes swirling from both sides created a fierce wind.

Nevertheless.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The General Termite blocked every single one of Jean and Cheok Jungyeong’s assaults.

It was even deflecting their attacks with one hand each.

……Is that thing really A+ rank?

The General Termite’s danger rank was A+.

However, it was on a completely different level from the top elite soldier termites of the same rank.

Speed that even Jean couldn’t react to.

Strength to handle both Jean and Cheok Jungyeong with one hand.

Toughness that even blocked the S-rank artifact Liver Night Sword.

It was single-handedly overwhelming the Shadow Knights and Jean, who were all top A+ rank powerhouses.

The General Termite might have only been defined as A+ by a hair’s breadth.

Like the difference between 199 and 200, it might have fallen just short of S-rank by the slimmest margin.

Then.

This one’s no joke, for real?

Swooooosh—!

Yi Seonggye’s arrows shot forward again.

Swoosh— Swooooosh—

Arrows flying from all directions, twisting left and right like fish swimming in water.

Yi I also swung his brush to draw a massive wave.

Swooooosh~!

Ink waves on the ground, shadow arrows raining from the sky.

But at that moment.

The General Termite’s two pairs of wings spread wide open.

Thududududududu—

The wings began moving with tremendous force.

It felt like my eardrums would burst.

To create such a roar with just wing flaps.

The threat wasn’t only the sound.

Thududududududu—

Every wing flap sent vacuum blades forward.

The ceiling and walls touched by them were shredded.

Rumble rumble rumble—

Soon the arrows began to be deflected by the wind pressure.

Not only that, the ink waves scattered and vanished in the wind.

Vacuum blades that completely nullified long-range attacks.

It was the ultimate hard counter to Yi Seonggye and Yi I.

Close-range attacks blocked by its blade arms, long-range attacks blocked by wing flaps.

The General Termite held an overwhelming advantage against four A+ ranks.

“This…… I can’t win like this?”

I quickly made a judgment.

Courage and recklessness are never the same.

It was impossible to defeat the General Termite with current forces.

……Then shall we add some more power?

Ding-dong!

<Will you summon Shadow Knights? … (Y/N)>

I had prepared fully for situations like this.

Soon the Shadow Knight summon window appeared.

[Shadow Knights]

▶Yi Seonggye (李成桂) — 「Rank: A+」

▶Cheok Jungyeong (拓俊京) — 「Rank: A+」

▶Yi I (李珥) — 「Rank: A+」

▶Sogi Pa (蘇起坡) 「Rank: A+」 (NEW)

▶Kim Hyeongeon (金炯鸚) — 「Rank: A+」 (NEW)

▶Jeong Giryong (鄭起龍) — 「Rank: A+」 (NEW)

▶Lee Uimin (李義旼) — 「Rank: A+」 (NEW)

▶Kim Deokryeong (金德齡) — 「Rank: A+」 (NEW)

▶Myeonghoe (命會) — 「Rank: A+」 (NEW)

Many new names had been added to the list.

The new Shadow Knights recruited(?) from the Warriors of the Korean Peninsula exhibition.

“Alright, time to work.”

I touched the summon button.

Slither— Slither— Slither—

Shadows rose from the ground one by one.

Information windows popped up like bamboo shoots after rain.

[Shadow Knight―Sogi Pa (蘇起坡)]

– Rank : A+

– Title : Berserker

A mid-Joseon military officer who achieved great merits in the Jurchen subjugation campaign and the Three Ports Wae Rebellion.

He was benevolent and gentle to the people but a brave and cruel fierce general to the enemy.

It is said that during the Three Ports Wae Rebellion he washed his face with enemy blood and chewed gallbladders as drinking snacks.

[Shadow Knight─Kim Hyeongeon (金炯鸚)]

– Rank : A+

– Title : Asura

A mid-Joseon military officer who set out to conquer Japan on King Sukjong’s orders.

Surrounded by 50,000 Japanese troops, Kim Hyeongeon fought to the end, killing 1,500 enemies.

It is said he used the Five Sword Style, wielding five swords simultaneously.

[Shadow Knight─Jeong Giryong (鄭起龍)]

– Rank: A+

– Title : Lancer

A mid-Joseon military officer who distinguished himself in the Imjin War and Jeongyu War.

In his first battle he defeated 500 Japanese troops with dozens of cavalry, and in the Geumsan battle he single-handedly rescued his captured superior, earning the name ‘Joseon’s Zhao Zilong.’

[Shadow Knight―Lee Uimin (李義旼)]

– Rank : A+

– Title : Diamond Yaksha

A mid-Goryeo military officer who ruled the world as the 4th dictator of the military regime.

A figure who rose from commoner to the highest authority solely through martial talent, he led the era of warriors with his massive 8-cheok frame and powerful strength.

[Shadow Knight―Kim Deokryeong (金德齡)]

– Rank: A+

– Title: Guardian

A mid-Joseon righteous army leader who raised a volunteer force in Jeolla Province during the Imjin War and repelled the Japanese invaders.

Evaluated as a talent skilled in both civil and military affairs, he led a 40-man special unit to a great victory against over 100 Japanese troops.

It is said that at age 14 he single-handedly beat a tiger attacking the village to death with his bare fists.

[Shadow Knight―Myeong-hoe (命會)]

– Rank : A+

– Title : Fighter

A Joseon farmer who beat hundreds of Japanese troops to death with a flail during the Imjin War.

After his father was killed by the Japanese, Myeong-hoe is said to have smashed the heads of over 400 Japanese troops with his flail.

Beings who fit the name ‘Warriors of the Korean Peninsula’ better than anyone.

Berserker. Asura. Lancer. Diamond Yaksha. Guardian. Fighter.

Six Shadow Knights specialized in raw power.

Just looking at their titles, their combat stats seemed to pierce the sky.

Soon the six Shadow Knights stood tall before the General Termite.

There’s an old saying.

They say even a warlord can’t stand against a mob.