Chapter 82

Chapter 82. Night of Conspiracy (3)

"Ugh...!"

A sharp pain ran across my neck.

Even while dodging Lee Gyu's attack...

Bradamante had swung her sword at me.

Still...

At least my head hadn't been cut off.

The moment Bradamante exposed an opening...

I threw myself in the opposite direction.

"Boss!"

"Stay back!"

Lee Gyu shouted as he swung his axe at Bradamante.

"Lee Gyu."

"You saved me."

"Haha!"

"Good thing I got your coordinates, right?"

There was a reason Lee Gyu had been able to rush here and help me.

Earlier...

When Princess Longji came to visit me...

Lee Gyu complained until I finally gave him the coordinates of my throne.

He got angry that I had told Princess Longji but kept it secret from him.

He said that was a complete lack of loyalty.

So I eventually gave in.

And while I was at it...

I made one request.

If I ever sent him a signal...

He should come immediately.

After the previous incident...

I understood Lee Gyu well enough.

I decided he could be trusted.

Thanks to that...

I had escaped the immediate crisis.

Lee Gyu was normally rough and violent...

But at moments like this...

He was incredibly reliable.

"Boss!"

"Why don't you escape to my throne?"

"You know the coordinates!"

"No."

"That's fine."

"Right, you need to manipulate the observation device!"

"Then I'll deal with this one!"

The moment Lee Gyu shouted that...

Bradamante's face twisted in anger.

"You're only a B-rank Constellation!"

"And a broke thug with barely any Origin Power!"

"You think you can challenge me, Bradamante, an A-rank Constellation?!"

"You're too damn noisy."

Lee Gyu snorted and raised his axe.

"B-rank or A-rank..."

"Your skull splits the same when an axe hits it."

"You vulgar bastard...!"

Bradamante swung her sword.

Blood sprayed from Lee Gyu's shoulder.

Then she tried to rush toward me...

But Lee Gyu blocked her again.

"Hehe."

"You're not getting through!"

"Out of my way!"

It definitely looked like Bradamante was stronger.

Both were famous for their combat ability...

But Bradamante had the higher rank and much more Origin Power.

Still...

Lee Gyu wasn't intimidated in the slightest.

Even as wounds kept appearing all over his body...

He didn't care.

He continued charging straight at Bradamante.

I can't fight together with Lee Gyu in this condition.

Blood was flowing from my neck.

Of course...

I was no longer a living human...

So it wasn't real blood.

Still...

I had definitely taken damage.

Holding my neck with one hand...

I hurried back toward the observation device.

But I don't have time to leisurely send instructions either.

So...

I quickly manipulated the device...

Then threw myself sideways.

Immediately afterward...

Bradamante's sword cut the chair I had been sitting on into two pieces.

"Nameless Constellation!"

"Stop this pointless resistance!"

"I came here because I wanted an amicable relationship with you!"

"You pointed a sword at my neck the moment you arrived."

"How the hell can you say that with a straight face?"

"Hahaha!"

"I agree, Boss!"

Lee Gyu laughed loudly...

And swung his axe at Bradamante again.

"Did you improve already, Kang Yujin?"

Cheon Sangwoon smiled gently...

Watching his subordinate Somun Gwang collapse.

"Jegal Geum really is a good teacher."

"You were lucky to meet that old man."

"Cheon Sangwoon..."

"Now then..."

Cheon Sangwoon smiled.

"What should we do?"

"I promised that if you defeated Somun Gwang..."

"I would fight you myself."

"Should I keep that promise now?"

"..."

"Of course..."

"If we fight here..."

"It won't end as a simple spar."

Cheon Sangwoon wore a sword at his waist.

Kang Yujin had seen it during the Han River battle.

A sword with a golden hilt...

Giving off a sacred aura.

The original of the Durandal Replica.

The holy sword Durandal.

Not a replica.

The real thing.

Naturally...

Its power had to be extraordinary.

If Cheon Sangwoon fought using Durandal...

Was there any chance Kang Yujin could win?

"That's a good look in your eyes, Kang Yujin."

"..."

"Even when the situation is overwhelmingly against you..."

"You haven't lost your fighting spirit."

"Impressive."

Cheon Sangwoon held the Chimera with his left arm...

And drew Durandal with his right hand.

"Let me make one thing clear."

"I don't plan to kill you here."

"What?"

"Yes."

Cheon Sangwoon nodded and smiled.

"I'll knock you unconscious..."

"Then take you with me."

"Take me?"

"Yes."

"We promised to form a party, remember?"

That promise had indeed been made.

But did it have any meaning now?

"Come with me, Kang Yujin."

Cheon Sangwoon smiled shamelessly.

At that moment...

"That's not happening, Cheon Sangwoon!"

With a roar of thunder...

Lee Hyeonje shot out from the forest and attacked him.

"Lee Hyeonje...!"

"Cheon Sangwoon!"

Cheon Sangwoon immediately drew Durandal and tried to counterattack...

But Lee Hyeonje had already released his lightning at full power.

He held the advantage.

"Good."

"We're not too late."

"Joo Minha!"

Joo Minha appeared from the forest behind Lee Hyeonje.

Cheon Sangwoon...

Who was being pushed backward by the lightning...

Looked at her and smiled.

"I see."

"I wondered where you'd disappeared to."

"You went to call Lee Hyeonje."

Joo Minha had noticed Cheon Sangwoon...

And gone to fetch Lee Hyeonje.

"Cheon Sangwoon!"

"What the hell is going on?!"

Lee Hyeonje shouted as he pressed him.

"You sometimes acted frivolous..."

"But as one of the Eight Guardians..."

"Your actions were those of a noble knight!"

"So why...?!"

"Hahaha."

"Thank you for thinking so highly of me."

"Cheon Sangwoon...!"

Perhaps reflecting his emotions...

The lightning erupting from Lee Hyeonje became even more violent.

"But..."

"Sorry."

"What?!"

Cheon Sangwoon swung Durandal while still holding the Chimera.

A terrifying force erupted from the sword...

And blasted Lee Hyeonje backward.

"I don't have time to deal with you."

"Cheon Sangwoon!"

Lee Hyeonje gritted his teeth...

And prepared to charge again.

Then...

A voice came from the warehouse.

"Cheon Sangwoon."

"...!"

A dignified woman's voice.

Daji...

Who should have been bound inside the warehouse by countless restraint items...

Walked out as though nothing had happened.

"You're late, Daji."

"My apologies, Cheon Sangwoon."

Daji bowed slightly.

[A-rank Constellation "Prodigy with Three Heads and Six Arms" expresses concern.]

[A-rank Constellation "Prodigy with Three Heads and Six Arms" warns that facing those two at the same time would be dangerous.]

Cheon Sangwoon...

And Daji.

It was a combination nobody wanted to imagine.

"Ugh..."

Even Lee Hyeonje bit his lip.

They had only managed to defeat Daji earlier by joining forces.

If Cheon Sangwoon joined her too...

Their current strength might not be enough.

"Cheon Sangwoon..."

"My apologies."

"Why are you apologizing twice?"

"I won't be going with you."

"..."

Cheon Sangwoon's eyes cooled.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

Daji nodded...

Then looked toward Kang Yujin.

"I think I have a better chance if I go with him instead of following you."

"It can't be helped."

Cheon Sangwoon sighed.

"If I try to cling to you now..."

"I'll only look pathetic."

"Do as you like."

"Thank you, Cheon Sangwoon."

Kang Yujin couldn't fully understand what was happening.

But at the very least...

It seemed they had avoided the worst possible outcome...

Daji and Cheon Sangwoon attacking together.

Then...

Kang Yujin exchanged a glance with Lee Hyeonje...

And prepared to move.

But Cheon Sangwoon suddenly returned Durandal to its sheath.

"Arlecchino Number 15."

The instant he spoke...

A jester with long red hair appeared.

"You called, Cheon Sangwoon?"

"I'm leaving."

"I paid the fee last time, correct?"

"Yes."

"Of course."

Seeing the Apostle bow respectfully...

Lee Hyeonje's eyes widened.

"Cheon Sangwoon..."

"Don't tell me...!"

"Today really has been an unlucky day."

Cheon Sangwoon raised one hand.

Red light enveloped his body.

"I planned to have Daji disguise herself as Ha Mina and throw the Capital Region into chaos..."

"But her identity was exposed before the plan even properly began."

"Every time I tried to move..."

"Someone interfered."

"Daji was captured..."

"And now she's even ending our alliance."

"Cheon Sangwoon!"

Lee Hyeonje charged.

But the red light knocked him away.

Somun Gwang...

Who was lying a short distance away...

Was also wrapped in the same red light.

"Cheon Sangwoon!"

"Have you truly fallen this far?!"

Lee Hyeonje shouted.

"We agreed to protect the people together as Eight Guardians!"

"As Korea's strongest Contractor..."

"You fulfilled that duty better than anyone!"

"I..."

"That version of you..."

"What nonsense."

Cheon Sangwoon cut him off coldly.

"How long are we supposed to keep playing this childish game called the Eight Guardians?"

"It's time to move to the next stage."

"Cheon Sangwoon...!"

"Yes."

"The world is moving into its next stage."

The red light scattered everywhere.

"And I will be the one to create that world."

Leaving those final words...

Cheon Sangwoon disappeared.

Along with the Chimera.

"Cheon Sangwoon..."

"That bastard...!"

Bradamante looked at the observation device...

And bit her lip.

Did something about Cheon Sangwoon's behavior bother her?

"You shouldn't expose an opening!"

Lee Gyu raised his axe high.

But at that exact moment...

Blood burst from his chest.

Bradamante had looked full of openings...

Yet she had been the one to exploit Lee Gyu's.

"Ugh...!"

"An opening?"

"I wonder who you're talking to."

Once Lee Gyu dropped to one knee...

Bradamante turned toward me.

"I don't know what's happening on Earth..."

"But I'll subdue you first..."

"You took too long."

"What?"

Before Bradamante appeared...

I had already left the communication window open.

Which meant...

Everything happening here...

Had been transmitted to the other side.

"What exactly are you..."

Bradamante stared at me in confusion.

At that moment...

A huge mass of water swallowed her whole.

"Urgh?!"

Bradamante struggled desperately to escape...

But it was useless.

She flailed as if drowning in deep water.

Then...

A woman appeared behind her.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

"The distance was long..."

"So it took me some time to arrive."

A-rank Constellation "Fairy Who Controls Water."

Princess Longji.

The woman who had been talking with me earlier...

Had rushed all the way here.

I didn't know her nearly as well as Lee Gyu...

So I wasn't certain she would actually come to help.

But waiting had paid off.

"No."

"You saved me."

"Thank you."

"To think a Constellation would openly attack another Constellation like this..."

"The Spirit Realm has become lawless."

"And she still calls herself a knight."

"Disgusting."

"I agree."

"But Nameless Constellation..."

"Aren't you a little too careless?"

"You have no defenses against outside intruders whatsoever."

"..."

"Just because you're an S-rank Constellation..."

"Doesn't mean you should be arrogant."

"Talk to your Apostle later and establish a proper defensive system."

That was completely new information to me.

Number 49, you bastard.

Why didn't you tell me anything about this?

The thrones of Bellerophon and Lee Gyu...

Which I had visited before...

Didn't have any defensive systems either.

So I assumed that was normal.

But thinking about it now...

They were both Constellations with very little Origin Power.

Was I actually supposed to have some kind of defense in place?

"Anyway..."

Princess Longji waved her hand.

The water scattered.

Bradamante dropped to the floor.

She was already unconscious...

Collapsed like a drowned corpse.

"The situation is becoming serious."

"What should we do?"

"One moment."

I supported the injured Lee Gyu.

"You okay?"

"Heh..."

"It's been a while since I worked up a good sweat."

"Get a grip."

"That's not sweat."

"You're bleeding."

After seating him against the remains of my broken chair...

I moved toward the observation device.

"Princess Longji."

"This is an emergency."

"Nameless Constellation..."

"I don't know how much the Mountain-Sea Alliance normally interferes with matters on Earth."

"But Daji is involved."

"So I'm assuming you'll intervene actively this time."

"Yes."

"That's correct."

"Then I have one request."

I manipulated the observation device as I spoke.

"I want to speak with the S-rank Constellation 'Grand Preceptor of the Golden Whip.'"

"Wen Zhong."

The Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong...

Who currently led the Constellations related to Investiture of the Gods.

He was also Lee Hyeonje's contracted Constellation.

I needed to speak with him directly.