NOVPUBThe flames flickered nervously in response to the power that seemed ready to explode.
Just as unstable as the flames, the garden's condition was equally precarious.
It was difficult to maintain balance, standing as if it was going to collapse at any moment.
‘Up until now, Do-cheol has been handling the brazier with the unsa, but not anymore!’
The unsa was a medium through which power could be extracted, and it was a significant move that could shake the noble faction.
Do-cheol wouldn’t have entrusted it entirely to anyone.
It seemed he had prepared the means to wield it himself, ready to take action directly.
It wasn’t just using it—it felt like he would detonate it.
The fact that he hadn’t used it when an unexpected intruder appeared meant it was a very dangerous move.
“Are you planning to kill the unsa!?”
Hwang Ji-ho shouted with a voice full of anger.
Even if there was a means to extract and use the unsa’s power, it couldn’t be done endlessly.
If Hwang Ji-ho’s words were correct and if the brazier’s output was pushed to overload, it could bring the unsa to death.
Kkaang!
Some part of Hwang Ji-ho’s barrier technique was destroyed, and the ground shook violently.
Do-cheol seized the moment, pushing into the clouds without hesitation.
“How dare you!”
Hwang Ji-ho immediately spread his barrier to track down Do-cheol, but before he could, the flames from the brazier surged and covered him.
It seemed like the flames were helping Do-cheol escape from Hwang Ji-ho’s grasp.
The flames, starting from the brazier, intensified and began to burn through the barrier.
Under normal circumstances, Hwang Ji-ho’s barrier would have blocked all threats, but now it wasn’t so.
‘Something similar is likely happening over there. The enemies might be in the middle of rampaging. Besides, the four evil spirits can move freely inside the garden, and Hwang Ji-ho has many people to protect.’
All the clones Hwang Ji-ho had placed in the garden must be facing dangerous situations.
The locations where Teacher Maeng Hyo-don and Teacher Ham Geun-hyeong were would be even more difficult, with two of the four evil spirits there.
I couldn’t just leave everything to Hwang Ji-ho; I had to fight too.
That was what I thought, but raising my abilities was difficult.
I couldn’t gather enough energy to fight; maintaining my balance in the shaking garden itself was a struggle.
‘...I’ve used too much power. At best, I can only maintain the form of Seong Guk-eon.’
Most of the people in the garden had been engaged in combat, so I had already consumed a lot of energy. The weak sound I made made my heart heavy.
I knew I needed energy to make a move, but it was my fault that I had no strength left.
Kugugugugu!
The ground shook again, followed by a chilling sensation that ran up my neck.
From somewhere within the cloud and fog walls of the garden, Do-cheol was targeting me.
I had thought that Do-cheol would choose to escape, but it was an unexpected turn.
‘Instead of fleeing, he plans to take advantage of the confusion to deal with me?’
Even though the situation was chaotic and Hwang Ji-ho wasn’t handling things perfectly, the power gap was overwhelming.
That wouldn’t be the case, but if Hwang Ji-ho decided to give up on protecting the others and focused only on killing Do-cheol, it could happen at any time.
Yet, Do-cheol had targeted me.
Did he want to kill Seong Guk-eon that badly?
Or did he realize that I had become weak? Or was there some other reason?
‘There’s no time to think about it now!’
I couldn’t raise my abilities, but I could still move.
I stopped thinking and prepared for the incoming attack.
Do-cheol’s fangs, hidden in the cloud, and the rampaging brazier’s flames came at me at the same time.
‘Even if I can’t dodge, I must minimize the damage!’
As I tried to figure out where to jump on the unstable ground, others moved before me.
Kaaang!
Hwang Ji-ho’s barrier blocked Do-cheol’s fangs.
Because the barrier had been hastily formed, the fangs bit into some parts of it, digging deeper.
The sharp ends of the teeth stopped right before me, then pulled back.
It wasn’t just Hwang Ji-ho who moved.
Jeon Mu-young was standing in front of me.
“Are you alright?”
Jeon Mu-young was holding a jacket in one hand.
As Seong Guk-eon’s bodyguard, Jeon Mu-young always wore a jacket crafted from defensive materials.
The jacket, now partially burned and covered in ash, had pushed back the flames from the brazier.
It seemed difficult for that defensive item to block the flames from the rampaging brazier multiple times.
‘Another dangerous situation could arise...!’
Jeon Mu-young was now almost unarmed.
Thinking about his physical abilities and the risks of the current situation, I felt a wave of concern.
Maybe my expression betrayed my feelings, for Jeon Mu-young spoke, looking at me.
“My role is to guard and assist you, sir.”
Although Jeon Mu-young said that, I wasn’t truly Seong Guk-eon.
Shouldn’t he ensure his own safety and reunite with the real Seong Guk-eon?
However, I couldn’t show a weakness in front of Do-cheol.
I debated whether I should stop him by mimicking Seong Guk-eon, but before I could, Jeon Mu-young spoke.
“I will also honor your wishes, sir.”
If I were Seong Guk-eon, I would have blocked the way even without a defensive item.
With those words, Jeon Mu-young didn’t speak further but showed his determination through action.
Even seeing the flames stretching out from the brazier, he didn’t step aside from in front of me.
Hwang Ji-ho was still holding off Do-cheol.
“Hang in there. I’ll handle this.”
The output of Hwang Ji-ho’s barrier technique seemed to be lower than the first time it appeared.
It wasn’t because he had exhausted his energy, but it seemed he was engaged in combat elsewhere as well.
Even though the garden’s power was rampaging, no enemies were visible here, suggesting they were all concentrated elsewhere.
‘The balance will break. This level of rampage can’t last long, and the enemies that Hwang Ji-ho’s clones are facing will be eliminated.’
It was a battle where all I needed to do was endure, as Hwang Ji-ho said.
But I felt that just enduring wouldn’t be enough.
‘The mastermind must know that too. There will be other moves.’
I scanned my surroundings.
I was looking for something besides Do-cheol and the brazier’s flames.
‘Should I use Cheon Dong-ha’s Gwanglim again? If I use it now, I might not be able to move...’
During the lull in the flames, Jeon Mu-young asked.
“What are you looking for?”
Hearing his voice, Hwang Ji-ho immediately activated his Eye skill.
His golden eyes pierced through the clouds.
Hwang Ji-ho narrowed his eyes and focused on a particular spot.
“There’s no need to hide anymore.”
The wind blew, parting the clouds, and a voice I had never heard before echoed through.
Though the figure was hard to see in the clouds, the outline of wings gave away its identity.
It was Gung-gi, the strongest among the four evil spirits.
The appearance of Gung-gi wasn’t just about the strongest among the four showing up.
‘All four evil spirits are here in the garden.’
In this world, symbolism and notoriety greatly affect the strength of the true tribes.
The Four Gods, the Five Dragons, and the Twelve Signs were among the strongest factions, and when they acted together, their power increased.
While the Four Gods lived as they pleased, the Three of the Five Dragons had ascended, and the Twelve Signs Alliance was in disarray. It was rare for the true tribes to act together, but when they did, their strength grew exponentially.
‘They’ll all benefit from a buff. It will become more difficult to deal with.’
If the four evil spirits launched a full-scale attack here, damage would surely occur.
Hwang Ji-ho could call for support from the noble faction, so he wouldn’t lose, but someone might be seriously injured.
While my mind was spinning with thoughts of the four evil spirits’ weaknesses and strategies to counter them, Gung-gi spoke.
“Do-cheol, our lord has commanded your return. Stop playing around and come back.”
It seemed that Gung-gi and the mastermind were not planning to fight any longer here.
Though I was relieved that the mastermind was retreating, something felt off.
If one of the four evil spirits were to die or be captured, their symbolism would be shaken. Could that be the reason?
If they were thinking ahead and acting accordingly, I could understand.
Hwang Ji-ho countered Gung-gi’s words.
“Do you think it will be that easy to leave?”
“I’m not sure.”
In the meantime, did Hwang Ji-ho clean up the enemies? His energy output rose.
The golden barrier swelled, aiming to bind Gung-gi in the sky and Do-cheol hiding behind the clouds.
Even after witnessing the power of the barrier, Gung-gi appeared unfazed.
Something on Gung-gi’s palm glowed.
It was a formation identical to the one engraved on the unsa’s brazier.
“If you abandon the unsa and the people in the garden, it will become more difficult.”
Gung-gi summoned a storm with a wave of his hand, clutching the formation. 𝚗ov𝚙𝚞𝚋.c𝚘m
The formation shattered, and the brazier was engulfed by the storm.
‘Gung-gi said he would summon a storm. To think he’s doing this much without using his full strength!’
I understood the meaning behind Gung-gi’s words.
At this rate, the unsa would rampage and die, and if the owner of the brazier died in this way, the garden wouldn’t remain safe either.
While the unsa rampaged, it seemed the four evil spirits were planning to escape.
The mastermind chose to let the four evil spirits leave rather than retrieve the unsa.
They probably also planned to deal with those inside the garden alongside the unsa.
If Hwang Ji-ho abandoned the brazier and pursued the four evil spirits, the people inside the garden, including the unsa, would be in danger.
Kwahhhhh!
Gung-gi found Do-cheol and was preparing to leave the garden.
Do-cheol, running nimbly, looked stronger than before, likely due to the buff from the four evil spirits.
It seemed it wouldn’t be easy to suppress them while holding back the storm from the brazier.
Watching them disappear gracefully, Hwang Ji-ho gritted his teeth but quickly turned his head toward the brazier, still surrounded by the flames.
“Unsa! Don’t give up!”
Just as the mastermind had predicted, Hwang Ji-ho chose the unsa.
The barriers he summoned to capture the four evil spirits were repurposed to save the unsa.
The storm, covered in red flames and ash, was soon colored in gold.
The golden barrier swallowed the storm, and as it fixed the brazier within the barrier, the garden slowly stabilized.
Although they succeeded in isolating the storm and brazier, the real problem lay within the brazier.
“The flames are consuming the unsa...”
The situation inside the brazier, visible beyond the barrier, was dire.
It was clear the unsa was inside, but the boundary between the flames and the unsa was blurred.
The fire and the unsa seemed to have become one, so extinguishing the flames carelessly could extinguish the unsa’s remaining life.
Jeon Mu-young asked.
“Can we move it outside?”
“This brazier is connected to the garden. It’s possible to cut it off, but...”
Hwang Ji-ho trailed off.
He couldn’t guarantee that the unsa wouldn’t be harmed.
If this continued, not only would they lose the four evil spirits, but they might lose the unsa as well.
Then, a thought flashed in my mind.
‘No, I’ve got a plan.’
I knew a way to extinguish the flames and save the unsa.
There was no time to waste.
“Let’s put out the fire.”
When I spoke firmly, Hwang Ji-ho quickly turned his head.
Perhaps because of my tone, he seemed somewhat reassured.
“It seems you have a plan.”
Instead of answering, I opened my inventory and pulled out the card I had been thinking of.
The card depicted a rough water bottle.
It was the elixir of life, a gift from Ereshkigal from the underworld.
