Thud thud thud.
The sound of muscle fibers and capillaries being cut was cheerful. Following that, blood poured out along the artery and splattered onto the Wanderer's Sword. The dark red Wanderer's Sword became even blacker and even redder.
"Kuaahhh!"
The Northern Ghost screamed. His confident appearance from earlier could no longer be found.
Swish.
Dong Bong-su's right arm moved again. This time, the Northern Ghost's remaining arm fell to the ground. The Northern Ghost screamed again.
Now if he just struck the neck, it would be over. But Dong Bong-su didn't kill the Northern Ghost. He simply grabbed the hair of the Northern Ghost rolling on the ground and crying, then dragged him while advancing rapidly toward the enemy camp.
At that sight, the murmuring of the Northern Ghosts who had been noisy until just moments ago ceased. Instead, the killing intent emanating from them grew thicker.
The malicious energy of 476 people, intense enough to be difficult for any ordinary martial artist to endure. Dong Bong-su bore it insignificantly and continued running forward.
He approached until he was about twenty meters away from the enemies.
Then he cut off the Northern Ghost's ear. A clear act of provocation.
With one hand still gripping the Northern Ghost's hair, Dong Bong-su raised the Northern Ghost's ear held in his other hand high above his head.
"That bastard!"
"Kill that son of a bitch!"
At this, the Northern Ghosts went mad and rushed forward without exception.
Their leader standing among them had no time to stop them. No, he had no intention of stopping them at all, as he flew toward Dong Bong-su at the very front.
But Dong Bong-su had never intended to face them all alone from the start.
Swoosh!
He began running backward, dragging the Northern Ghost. His speed running while activating the skill [Lightness Arts] to its maximum was tremendous. Though the Northern Ghosts' movement techniques, especially their leader's, had reached a considerable level, they had difficulty properly following Dong Bong-su.
Nevertheless, the Northern Ghosts didn't stop and continued pursuing Dong Bong-su. A 1 versus 476 chase on the grassland that had grown quite dark with dusk descending.
Waaahhh!
"Kill that son of a bitch!"
"Charge!"
"Tear them all apart!"
The enemies' furious battle cries poured out as if to overturn the entire grassland. Along with that, the killing intent they poured out gradually expanded in range, soon reaching even the mercenaries. At this, several mercenaries forgot Dong Bong-su's order and opened their eyes.
In their eyes appeared Dong Bong-su running toward them dragging a single bloody lump of flesh.
Naturally, the frenzied Northern Ghosts following behind also caught their attention.
"Th-that...!"
"D-damn...!"
Among the mercenaries who opened their eyes, some cursed and retreated backward while others pissed themselves and collapsed to the ground. The Northern Ghosts' killing intent and momentum were that frightening.
However, most still trusted Dong Bong-su and kept their eyes closed, and even the mercenaries who had opened their eyes mostly prepared to charge with swords gripped, without retreating or collapsing.
Because they had seen Dong Bong-su's eyes. The 'empty' gaze from which one absolutely couldn't tell what he was thinking. In this situation, nothing was more worthy of 'unlimited' trust than that.
One hundred steps... fifty steps... thirty steps...
The distance between Dong Bong-su and the mercenaries rapidly decreased. Correspondingly, the distance between the Northern Ghosts and mercenaries was also closing at high speed.
Then at one moment.
Once more, the voice that might be Ear Ghost's 'Six Harmonies Voice Projection' or 'Wisdom Light Mind Speech' burrowed into the mercenaries' heads.
[Close your eyes.]
The moment that voice embedded itself in their minds!
Dong Bong-su thrust his sword down toward what was presumed to be the head of the lump of flesh held in his hand.
Fwaaash!
Around Dong Bong-su's body, light rays indescribable in words burst out in all directions. It was the flash announcing Lv. 30.
Since it had already become evening with the sun completely set, its power was dozens or hundreds of times that of an ordinary flashbang. The level-up flash immediately extended at the speed of light to every corner of the barren wilderness.
"Urk! Wh-what!?"
"Ahhh!"
The flash granted momentary blindness to everyone with their eyes open, especially the Northern Ghosts burning with war madness...
[Begin the massacre.]
"Kill them!"
"Let's grind up those filthy Northern Ghost bastards!"
"Attack!"
For the mercenaries with closed eyes, it became the signal to attack.
Waaahhh!
Now the mercenaries charged forward with a tremendous battle cry.
Thwack! Splat splat!
"Kuaaahhh!"
"All of you die! You bastards!"
"U-uahhh!"
Since the place where Dong Bong-su leveled up was located almost exactly in the middle of the Northern Ghosts and mercenaries, the Northern Ghosts' damage was even greater. Most of the Northern Ghosts couldn't avoid the light rays that spread out like fan ribs.
Rather, because all the Northern Ghosts had been focused on him due to Dong Bong-su's provocation, the vast majority were now covering their eyes with their hands while swinging weapons haphazardly.
The plan had completely succeeded. Dong Bong-su had already expected earlier that killing just one more Northern Ghost would make him level up. His level gauge had already been nearly at saturation. Despite killing hundreds more regular soldiers in this Harvest, he hadn't leveled up. But the Northern Ghosts were different. They were Martial World people. He didn't need many. That just one would be enough was already within expectations. Even if one didn't trigger the level-up, it was fine. If not, two or three, and if still not, just kill more.
Swish. Thud. Slice. Thud.
Dong Bong-su began moving again. Now instead of fleeing, he dove into the Northern Ghosts' midst.
Each time the black-red Wanderer's Sword moved soundlessly, neckless corpses increased one by one.
[...7, 8, 9, 10...]
[The player has succeeded in a 10-consecutive slash and all stats have increased by 10%.]
The skill [Consecutive Slash Lv.2] didn't take long to activate.
300, 299... 300, 299... 300...
The Consecutive Slash's duration of five minutes was also repeatedly renewed with the enemies' deaths. At this rate, the effect of Consecutive Slash probably wouldn't disappear until the battle ended.
A while later, when the light quantity subsided and the enemies could finally open their eyes and regain their senses, the Northern Ghosts' number had already been reduced by half. It was because they were Northern Ghosts that even this many could survive. If they had been ordinary soldiers, they would have been completely slaughtered in these mere seconds. But ultimately their fate would also become the same as the nomadic soldiers sacrificed in previous battles.
Because Dong Bong-su's Consecutive Slash clock still pointed to 300 seconds.
Swish swish. Thud thud.
A blood storm arose and flesh fragments flew about.
Dong Bong-su was feeling alive within it.
He realized his identity once again.
Was he enjoying it? The corners of his mouth were twisted up bizarrely.
His sword endlessly wove between the enemies. Then at one moment.
Clang!
Someone blocked his sword. It was the first time in this Harvest.
Dong Bong-su's lips split in a straight line and pure white teeth shone in the darkness.
Finally, a proper carnivore!
"Uaaahhh!"
"Die! Die! You bastards!"
"Aaaahhh!"
Clash! Slice! Stab!
The sounds and images of the battlefield mixed with various shouts and noises disappeared from Dong Bong-su's ears and vision.
Though his pupils had dilated as night fell, his eyes were looking at only one thing.
The man who had blocked his [Mount Tai Pressing Down]. He too, like other Northern Ghosts, had no front or top hair, only the back hair braided long. However, the distinguishing point from others was that he was emitting killing intent as fierce as all the other Northern Ghosts' killing intent combined.
Dong Bong-su's Wanderer's Sword and the man's saber remained stopped, clashing in midair. Dong Bong-su's sword was in a downward striking posture, the man's saber raised perpendicular to it. In a word, they were crossed in a cross shape.
Dong Bong-su's emotionless eyes and the man's eyes bloodshot red from killing intent met roughly between the crossed sword and saber.
"Are you the Ear Ghost?"
The man, Northern Ghost Group Leader Paitan, spoke. At this, Dong Bong-su applied elasticity to his hand to push Paitan backward while speaking.
"That's what they call me."
Dong Bong-su used the elasticity from pushing Paitan to fly backward while swinging his sword, cleanly severing the neck of a Northern Ghost who had been rushing at him.
Swish.
He shook off the blood on the sword vigorously, then moved his steps toward Paitan again. Paitan watched him while speaking.
"What on earth was that martial art you used earlier?"
"Does it matter?"
"Kekeke... Well, what's so important about such things when we're all about to die anyway."
Swoosh.
Paitan launched his body toward the approaching Dong Bong-su. His momentum was quite tremendous, enough to create powerful wind pressure around him. Dong Bong-su, receiving all that momentum from right in front, felt as if a typhoon was rushing to crush him from all sides.
'Unity of Body and Blade!?'
Though it was the first level he had encountered, he could tell. Anyone other than Dong Bong-su could easily notice—Paitan's momentum was tremendous and completely unified with his blade.
Dong Bong-su immediately activated the skill [Circulating Energy]. Instantly, intense energy burst from Dong Bong-su's body and his attack power and defense power each increased by 90%.
In that state, he charged forward to meet Paitan.
Kakang!
Their blades clashed in midair and a considerable explosive sound rang throughout the scene.
Perhaps Dong Bong-su's strength was slightly lacking—he was bounced back a full meter.
"Kuk, kekeke."
Was he suffering? Or was he laughing?
A strange sound leaked from Dong Bong-su's mouth.
From the earlier collision, the hand gripping the sword had torn a bit, and as if he had suffered light internal injuries, thin blood was seeping along the corners of his mouth. From this, he felt burning pain in his chest and hand.
And so.
Dong Bong-su smiled.
Why? Because it was worth fighting. No, because it was worth killing!
"Kekeke."
Paitan smiled back and flew toward Dong Bong-su again.