Outskirts Suppression Front,

It was the coastal cliffs of Pofuta’s outskirts. The corpses of demons were split in half with a thud. Mercenaries sharpened their swords and wiped their faces.

The demonic bodies sprawled across the path. The deputy commander of the outer mercenary unit carried a broadsword on his shoulders and muttered as if sighing.

“Send an urgent report to Hwangseong.”

The demon corpses were buried in the mud. Feet sank deeply into the sticky mud.

“They’ve gone mad.”

“Below here is straight to the harbor.”

“Block them. Defend the defense line at the risk of your lives! If they break through here, the area below will turn into chaos!”

It looked like a graveyard under the dead Basilisks. The bones of the demons formed graves, and the demon corpses dirtied the soil.

“They must have decided to die like this, all together, even after being quiet for a while.”

A dead Basilisk lay nearby. Demon corpses were embedded in the mud pool.

As the mercenaries burned the bodies with fire, a pungent smell filled the air.

“Is that thunder?”

The horizon turned dark. Although the sun was setting, the seawater was murky with poison. Dark clouds gathered, and lightning struck.

The mercenaries standing on the coastal cliffs walked to the edge. Soldiers took off their helmets one by one. Sweat-soaked hair clung to their heads.

Choo-juk

Thud

Kka-ga-gak

Lightning struck the horizon. A flash occurred, and the murky seawater rippled.

Soon, a waterway opened, and a sea dragon raised its neck. What is that? A dragon? Sea dragon? What is this, with an endless length?

Be-e-eek

The creature screamed, and as it fell, the waterway split, lifting a unconscious lesser demon above the water. The creature bit into the demon, devouring it with the body in its mouth.

Whiskers on the sea dragon’s snout lengthened, and horns protruded from its body.

The mercenaries were speechless. This was not something that could be described in words.

“It seems like the end is coming.”

“I’ll send an urgent report.”

“Draw your swords. This may become our grave, but let’s die here if we have to die.”

The sea dragon sank into the abyss.

“Who is that unidentified figure?”

“It’s difficult to confirm the identity.”

“The body is dead and decomposed. Before dying, the skin rotted from poison, and the clothing is servant attire. In the end, the skin turned black, and before dying, the body was offered as a sacrifice… It seems to be their tribe.”

The lower-ranked mercenaries glanced at the pile of demon corpses on the path with disgusted eyes.

Sharlowoff took a step back, shoulders pushed back.

The blade was embedded in the ground.

The hilt vibrated, and the wrist tendons tightened.

“Raise your arm!”

Sharlowoff swung her arm to block the center of her body.

If the sword stops, the body becomes empty.

This kind of clumsy gap opens up the body to the enemy, allowing them to slash the throat.

Kang!

The sword with a metal tip burst through the air like tearing a membrane.

“Look straight at the tip of the sword! Reading the sword’s trajectory is crucial to determine whether to block or dodge!”
The sword struck into the wooden target and twisted sideways.

“It’s not about blocking; you have to let it flow!”

The shoulder was twisted backward.

The sword struck wildly like a madman.

“The body was empty!”

Sharlowoff took a step back.

“The wrist is empty. Didn’t I tell you about the lost blade and what it cuts?”

Dust clouds rose.

Pale, dusty particles settled on the shoulders.

Sharlowoff shook her hair. Perhaps due to the dust that settled on her body, her throat itched. Pedelin, who recognized her, lowered her arm.

A towel and water were brought by the attendants. Wiping her cheeks with the towel, she cooled her body with cold water.

“Drinking cold water in a hurry is not good.”

“It’s too intense. Even if you act tough, you become vulnerable at times like this.”

“Your respiratory system is not good, right? The medical officer at Hwanggung has recited the precautions. However, most people forget that the old man has aged.”

Pedelin finished the afternoon training.

“…Pedelin! Emperor Hwangmyeong urgently summons you to the meeting room!”

A deputy belonging to the mercenary unit hurriedly found him.

The staff blocked the way to the imperial palace.

Those in armor knocked on the door of the meeting room. They unfolded the topography map of Pofuta. Red flags were stuck on the rugged topography map, marking the point where the mercenary unit’s suppression ended and additional defenses were needed.

“Additionally, a sea dragon was discovered in the suppression area. The length captured in the suppression unit reached 3m, and it escaped into the abyss after hiding its appearance.”

Benhamin straightened his red uniform. Urgent reports from the suppression front were placed on the table.