Chapter 87 – Imugi (3)

Sun-woo spoke softly about the mission he had shared with Spears of the Absolute, noting that she clearly looked fine up to that moment.

She seemed to have lost control, muttering a curse about the summoners and the end of the fight, which earned a low, begrudging nod from Wang Mun-pung. For him, the events of many missions were not unfamiliar, but the current scene did not feel strange.

But now was not the time to dwell on the contamination of summoners. The battle between those people and the imugi was approaching its conclusion.

The imugi was gradually slowing. Fatigue from the long battle and wounds sapped its strength.

The contaminated summoners and Blood Cult warriors were still fighting, but they were not injured and participated by taking turns.

Even now, one tired Blood Cult warrior stepped back and another fighter stepped forward.

It seems near the end.

Wang Mun-pung, watching the fight from behind a rock, murmured.

Sun-woo also agreed with Wang Mun-pung’s assessment.

The newcomer who appeared looked formidable at a glance. Not a medicated warrior but a true absolute-level fighter.

The imugi that had already pushed its limits looked like it had no more strength to resist. Unfortunately, it seemed to have lost its reason and did not think of fleeing.

Hmm. The timing does not seem to align. Is this mission a failure?

As Wang Mun-pung said, there was too little time to wait for the others.

Then we must buy time.

Ugh, speak and then die if you must. If we step out wrong, we will be crushed.

Sun-woo warned in a soft voice, though the others could not help but be frightened. Sun-woo was strong, but the opponents included absolute masters and contaminated summoners. It would be impossible for Sun-woo to face them alone.

But Sun-woo did not intend to reveal himself just yet.

Placing a hand on the ground, Sun-woo began to study the surrounding earth with his arts. He quickly discerned the layout of the land and the lake and began pushing mana toward the lake.

Oh?

Mage Erica, who had been relentlessly firing fire magic at the imugi’s eyes, tilted her head at the sudden movement of mana.

That moment, splash!

The calm lake water surged upward like a waterfall flowing backward and poured down toward the Blood Cult members and contaminated summoners as a flood.

Madness! Did he possess another ability?

They fled backward in a frenzy, and the space-time user moved with the mage to flee far from the lake.

The overflow of water swept the trees around the lake, and the Blood Cult warriors barely avoided being carried away by climbing into the trees.

The imugi also appeared startled by the sudden turn of events. The enraged monster slowly calmed, then dragged its dying body back into the lake.

Damn! We almost had it!

One Blood Cult warrior shouted in anger from a tree.

The water began to recede quickly.

Like a sponge absorbing liquid, the water seeped into the ground, and those who had sought refuge on trees and distant rocks gathered near the lake.

The lake, once full of water, settled calm, stained red with the imugi’s blood.

Mage Erica returned to the lakeshore, her face set in a grim expression as she stared at the lake and spoke.

This is strange. The last technique used carried a hint of mana.

The space-time user frowned at her words.

Surely it was not magic, is it?

The space-time user asked, and Erica shook her head.

No. The mana used could not create such a powerful effect.

The space-time user, who had been souring at this, reacted with a grimace.

Then it seems the last ability was indeed something this monster did. This is troublesome. We spent a long time and were almost there to capture it…

He pondered gravely.

Although they had scattered drugs around to buy time, who knows how long that would keep them hidden or how long they could endure.

Should we retreat?

The Blood Cult warrior asked the space-time user.

Ugh. This is an unforeseen situation.

After a moment more of thought, he sighed and shook his head.

That cannot be. Even if it takes time, must lure it out again. If our side is composed of capable members, they can surely catch the clueless summoned beings.

The middle-aged space-time user nodded, and one of the warriors dragged a fallen comrade toward the lakeside.

***

Watching from across the lake, Wang Mun-pung finally spoke up to Sun-woo.

Why did those bastards run away?

He could not understand why they scattered in every direction.

Of course Sun-woo did something, but the lake water burst in a fountain toward where the bastards were. Yet the amount of water was not large. It barely wetted them, and they panicked and fled.

I used a few magical tricks.

Sun-woo had succeeded in splashing water into the air using water magic, but the amount was not much. The level of water magic was not high, and the distance to the lake was not very close.

With this amount, they would not be impressed or even slightly concerned. Sun-woo knew this well and used water magic not as an attack but as a catalyst for illusion.

He created the illusion of a giant tsunami from the water spattered in the air. Then the water made with water magic was sprayed onto the Blood Cult soldiers who had taken refuge in the trees, soaking them so that even after the illusion disappeared there would be no doubt.

He laughed.

So I am right. We have good chemistry. If only you were a person from another world, we would be perfect partners.

Wang Mun-pung smirked at Sun-woo, clearly still harboring some lingering affection for him.

Hmm, but those bastards seem to be preparing to retreat. Won’t we miss them?

There is no need to worry. Everyone has arrived.

As Sun-woo finished speaking, Hwangbo Ja-gyeom appeared over the eastern hill.

Kya! It seems we are not too late after all!

He rushed down toward the Blood Cult warriors, not considering joining up with his companions because he was focused on the enemies in front of him.

That idiot!

Wang Mun-pung blinked in shock at Hwangbo Ja-gyeom, but Hwangbo Ja-gyeom charged straight at the Blood Cult fighters.

Eventually Wang Mun-pung let out a torrent of curses and jumped down from the rock. Even though he often speaks harshly to Hwangbo Ja-gyeom, he seemed worried about him.

It looks like planning a strategy is impossible.

Sun-woo sighed, observing the two. He had left markers on the path for them to follow, but it seemed they had not noticed.

Moreover, Wang Mun-pung had rushed out along, giving him a headache.

That is when Nan-seol called from behind Sun-woo.

We are not late, right? What happened?

Fortunately, Nan-seol recognized Sun-woo’s markers and ran toward his location.

Unfortunately, there was no time to explain now. Hwangbo Ja-gyeom was already entangled in a pincer attack by two absolute masters.

Moreover, Wang Mun-pung circled behind, claiming to support from behind, but could not engage in the fight.

I will explain later. Please help Sir Hwangbo first. I will handle the summoners on our side.

Nan-seol immediately sprang into the fray upon Sun-woo’s instruction.

As she emerged, the mage Erica and the space-time user also tried to join, but when Sun-woo appeared behind Nan-seol, Erica’s motion to unleash flames toward Nan-seol halted.

Why? First, capture that bandit like guy! The others coming from behind will be given time to act, so you can defend yourself later.

Space-time user shouted at Erica in anger, but she did not seem to care at all.

I found you!

Erica’s eyes fixed on Sun-woo, her face reddening with blood, and mana rose violently, causing her long hair to stand on end.

Could she be angry because I killed her lover?

Sun-woo, moving to aid the party, found Erica’s anger overwhelming. You, at last, have met me! The time has come to avenge Sir Spear Absolute.

Sun-woo guessed correctly. Erica, who had been hunting for Sun-woo who killed Spear Absolute, could not maintain her sanity upon seeing Sun-woo.

Because her contamination stemmed from the grief of losing her lover and rage toward Sun-woo, she had no choice but to unleash fury upon seeing him.

Using surging mana, she cast accelerations and flight and other magic on her body and charged toward Sun-woo.

The contamination fueled her magic, boosting her power to near that of an archmage. The flames on her staff roared with thousands of degrees of heat and flew toward Sun-woo.

Oh no, barriers!

Startled by the flames stronger than expected, Sun-woo hastily erected a dirt barrier with sorcery.

The dirt barrier rose and barely blocked the flames, but shattered under the impact.

The problem was that more than one fireball existed. After the first vanished, others kept coming.

Crazy, how much mana does she have?

Sun-woo dodged the fireballs and leaped away. Having learned mana and magic himself, he knew how much mana such brutish assault would require.

Moreover, the flames shot in the air at roughly the same speed as Sun-woo. For Sun-woo, runaway Erica posed a dire hazard.

Fortunately, Nan-seol’s intervention seemed to stabilize Hwangbo Ja-gyeom’s situation. He attacked the Blood Cult warrior with renewed vigor, and Nan-seol calmly faced the foe as well.

Curiously, Wang Mun-pung faced the space-time user. The user appeared here and there, but Wang Mun-pung kept tossing throwing stars from his hand, forcing the opponent to dodge.

Thanks to that, Sun-woo could focus safely on the mage ahead. He ran toward the lake in a zigzag pattern, continually building walls behind him to block flames.

This is like a ground unit evading air units. The matchup is hopeless!

Sun-woo muttered, smeared with dirt from head to toe.

Luckily, he could dodge the flames until reaching the lake.

Splash!

Sun-woo reached the lake and immediately dived into it. Mage Erica hovered above the lake and poured flames toward it, but only the lake water erupted, and Sun-woo disappeared from sight.

Even in a stunned state, Erica felt something odd. She expected a counterattack, but there was none.

At the same time, Sun-woo himself was perplexed. He had planned to enter the lake to dodge the flames and strike back, but instead faced a different presence.

The imugi, thought to be nearly dead, remained vigorous and kept attacking Sun-woo.