Swing, swing, and swing again.
An endless stream of magical power surged from within, attacks capable of severing anything flowed continuously from her hands, yet the results were far from satisfactory.
This was the absolute disadvantage brought by the disparity in numbers.
Each opponent was weaker than her, but because two among them could briefly hold her in check, she found herself thoroughly shackled, unable to break free.
Cha Hae-in did her best to suppress her rising frustration, constantly pondering her next move.
However, the relentless assaults from all sides gave her no chance to regroup. Her mind, with no time for deliberate thought, instinctively began calculating the flow of the impending battle.
"That human is quite tenacious."
The King of Dragons observed Cha Hae-in grappling with the dragon horde in the distance, a flicker of confusion surfacing in his otherwise placid eyes.
She carried no scent of a Fragment of Brilliant Light. In all the cycles of reincarnation past, he had never encountered this human. Just where had she sprung from?
As the most ancient and powerful Monarch, the existence of the Monarch of Destruction embodied cruelty and annihilation.
Nearly invincible, he held scant interest in the myriad things of the world. Only the constant conquest of every inch of land could grant him a sliver of satisfaction.
The Army of Destruction was an extension of his will. Unless absolutely necessary, he couldn't be bothered to lift a hand against weaklings, for they offered him no value.
Yet, if an extension of his will was being blocked, it meant his will itself was being obstructed.
This, he could not permit.
With this thought, he discarded any notion of idly waiting for that unknown presence.
Before that unknown entity arrived, he would indulge in some light entertainment.
Cha Hae-in, locked in combat with a dragon commander, suddenly sensed overwhelming danger. Without a second thought, she wrenched herself backward.
In the very next instant, a raging blaze dyed her vision crimson. The searing heat prickled at her skin, bringing discomfort even through her protective Spirit Dress.
Her gaze snapped toward the source of the attack. The middle-aged man who had constantly radiated an aura of menace now hovered in mid-air not far away.
The chill emanating from him surpassed mere physical cold, sending a shiver down her spine.
'He's absolutely, terrifyingly strong!'
Cha Hae-in was utterly convinced of this. She had thought herself strong enough now, strong enough to protect everything she held dear.
Yet, not even a full month later, she faced an opponent that made her feel powerless once more.
"Are you a Monarch too!?"
Even Cha Hae-in, never one for subtle tactics, found her survival instincts kicking in, prompting a stalling play.
With Castorice's strength, clearing a dungeon wouldn't pose much difficulty. She would surely rush here the moment she emerged!
She had to hold out until then!
But... where was Sung Jinwoo at a time like this? If he teamed up with her, they could protect so many more people!
The favorable impression she'd painstakingly built of Sung Jinwoo had now completely vanished.
Unaware of his circumstances, Cha Hae-in could only interpret his silence as cowardice. Though she didn't truly believe Sung Jinwoo was a coward... he certainly hadn't sent any word.
No... he could also be trapped in a Gate...
While Cha Hae-in doubted any Gate could hold Sung Jinwoo for this long, this possibility was still easier to accept than the idea that a friend she'd finally acknowledged was simply spineless.
The King of Dragons saw through Cha Hae-in's thoughts with ease, a scornful curve lifting the corner of his mouth. "You're waiting for someone? A pity. You won't last until that person arrives."
"...What do you mean by that?"
His reply caused Cha Hae-in's eyes to narrow slightly.
The Monarch of Transfiguration possessed unimaginable mastery over space. He had already severed this nation's space from the outside world. Even entering it himself would require considerable effort, as brute strength alone wasn't enough.
But the King of Dragons was here to destroy, not to explain.
Facing Cha Hae-in's question, the King of Dragons merely raised a hand, intending to eradicate the human blocking his path.
However, the cold smirk on his face had barely formed when a sudden, instinctive warning of crisis flared.
He twisted aside on reflex, a gust of violent wind slicing past his waist.
As he identified the source of that magical energy with shock and fury, a powerfully driven kick was already sweeping toward his other flank.
THUD!
A tremendous impact slammed into him, bending his entire body into a > shape. He was sent flying over a dozen meters before finally managing to right himself.
"If you add me to the equation, can we hold out then?"
As the black-purple magical energy dissipated, a male figure clad in a long coat gradually materialized from the previously empty air.
His eyes, saturated with magic, glowed with a piercing violet light, radiating an intimidating pressure that instantly darkened the King of Dragons's expression.
"Ashborn...? No..."
"Hunter Sung!?"
Cha Hae-in was astonished by the other's suddenly and vastly amplified magical power, as well as his perfectly timed appearance.
Sung Jinwoo already understood just how dire the situation was.
He didn't know why Castorice wasn't in Korea, but more important than that was gaining control over the chaos currently engulfing the nation.
"—Arise!"
A blanket of inky magical power spread across the entire country, making all survivors feel a wave of suffocation.
They feared the magical beasts had conjured some new trick. The bizarre, monstrous shadows that emerged from the darkness seemed to confirm their grim suspicions.
But in the next moment, these shadowy creatures turned their gazes upon the soldiers of the Army of Destruction. Under the bewildered eyes of the survivors, they clashed with the enemy forces.
'So strong.'
Taking in the entire nation's state through the perspectives of his shadow soldiers, Sung Jinwoo couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
He wasn't just marveling at the magical power he now wielded after fusing with the true Monarch of Shadows. He was also in awe of the seemingly endless supply of magical energy provided by the Underworld.
The privilege of only paying the initial summoning cost, without needing to cover the subsequent maintenance, was incredibly useful.
If he had to fuel the revivals of his entire army himself, he'd likely be drained dry in no time.
"Hunter Sung! This Monarch's strength is extraordinary!"
Flying to Sung Jinwoo's side, Cha Hae-in's tone was grave.
"Yeah, I know."
Sung Jinwoo hadn't been idle all this time. He could now easily discern the quality and quantity of magical energy.
Comparing it to his own, that Monarch of Destruction undoubtedly held the edge. In a head-on fight, even with the full power of the Monarch of Shadows, he couldn't confidently say, 'Nah I'd win.'
But... while the opponent was stronger, the gap wasn't overwhelming. Maybe a sixty-forty split.
If they added Cha Hae-in to the mix, perhaps they wouldn't need to wait for Castorice's return. The two of them might be enough to handle him.
"Let's use that move. Now's not the time for hesitation."
Sung Jinwoo looked at Cha Hae-in.
"You mean the Final Sword?"
Cha Hae-in hesitated. The Final Sword was the state of fully unleashing Sandalphon, but she couldn't control that power very well yet. If she wasn't careful, she might harm the others around them.
So far, she had only used it under Castorice's supervision.
"Don't worry. My soldiers will take care of everyone else. You just focus on unleashing your full power to finish that guy off."
Sung Jinwoo understood her concern.
"I understand."
If there was no risk of collateral damage, then Cha Hae-in naturally held no intention of holding back.
Or perhaps she vaguely sensed that without employing the Final Sword, she might not even be able to intervene in the battle between these two.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.