LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 56
Chapter 56: The Three Shadows of the Blood Phantom
In the deep roots of decay, Manan, one of the Six Lions of the Martial World and the Blood Sect, treaded forward.
They maintained their full strength, a fact that was hardly favorable for Faust.
Whoooosh…
The red mist trailing from Qing intensified. It seemed only a matter of time before the beast that killed Qing would be revealed, and blood vengeance would be theirs.
…Or would it?
“Baek.”
“…Yes, Lord Manan.”
“Do you resent me?”
“How could I resent you, Lord Manan, one of the Six Lions of our Sect…”
“You may resent me. It’s true that Kyung died in my stead.”
“…I hold no resentment.”
They had come too far.
“I can’t fathom how it came to this.”
“The Blood Sect is the strongest. An undeniable fact, even now.”
Baek spoke as if making a vow.
Indeed, even after breaking through such rotten roots, their power remained unscathed.
“…Our Sect wishes to establish new roots in the West through the deal with Baron Zariel.”
“I’ve heard. For that purpose, we approached Zariel… that man.”
“Suddenly… I wonder. Is this truly the right time to expand our Sect’s influence?”
“What do you mean?”
Manan stopped in his tracks.
“…No. This is not the time for such discussions. We must uncover the secrets here, for the sake of the brothers we’ve lost.”
Crackle…
Click…
“…Lord Manan, the terrain has changed.”
“I see it.”
Crackle…
Sparks flew from a strangely shaped object made of iron and rubber.
Looking around, steel devices were interspersed, and the smell of rust filled the air.
“Be on guard. Something is here.”
This place was smaller than the lava caves they had encountered before.
Not long after entering, the master of this place revealed themselves.
[The Boss Battle Commences.]
[The Demon of Thunder, Amon, blocks the retreat with lightning.]
[Amon’s Trait 【Mechanical Genius】is now active.]
“Foolish. Had you lived in ignorance, we would never have met here today.”
“…Who are you?”
“Thanks to you, I’ve been saddled with a bothersome task.”
“Who are you?!”
Click.
A light turned on, illuminating the source of the voice.
Small horns, hair tied in twin tails.
It was the Great Demon, Amon.
Of course, the Blood Sect had no way of knowing her true identity.
“Another demon… This place is surely a demonic realm.”
“How did you come to be here?”
“A precious disciple of our Sect was murdered. I’ve come to seek justice for this crime.”
“…Do you think it possible?”
Manan recalled Baek’s words to answer.
“Our Sect is invincible. If you dare to mock us…”
“I know well that confidence is effective in hiding fear.”
Amon smirked.
“But the source of that fear cannot be addressed by confidence alone.”
Clank…
Amon equipped a gauntlet-like mechanical device on her frail arms.
The railway signal controller is now in my hands. I shall not hand it over.
When Faust asked for the restoration of the dimensional gate relay, this was the price he paid.
“This was meant to be handed over to that noisy fellow. I made many prototypes, but the deal fell through, and I ended up with them. Only I and a few others I permit can operate it.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“Turning tedious, boring labor into a game, that’s all. Listen well.”
If she were an enemy, they should interrupt Amon’s speech and strike at her heart immediately. But something about Amon’s presence made them hesitate to move rashly.
“The source of my magic is thunder. Wild and fierce. That’s why any magical weapons used once must be destroyed… This will be no different.”
Amon looked at the railway signal controller and spoke wistfully.
“That’s why I don’t particularly like using weapons. They all received my affection. But sometimes, I must tame my magic to prevent this frail body from being harmed.”
“Is this the nest of demons? You are…”
“Shhh…”
She placed her index finger to her lips.
“Focus. Do not misunderstand or jump to conclusions. I will now tell you the only way you can proceed from here.”
“Are we to trust you?”
“Trust me, if you meet the conditions, I will surely open the path to the depths. It’s a promise from a demon, as you have proven your worth.”
Manan and Baek bit their lips as they looked at each other. For now, they had no choice but to listen to Amon.
Zzzzzt…
“As I channel my magic into the weapon…”
Click.
“The signal lights up. There are only two types of lights: blue and red. Blue for advance, red for stop.”
Words they couldn’t comprehend.
Amon raised one finger.
“The signal has two functions. One is to form a dimensional gate at will by syncing with nearby dimensional gate relays. However, it cannot be used at any time; it requires resources.”
Then, she raised two fingers.
“The other collects what the wearer perceives as noise as a resource.”
“…Noise?”
“Like your pointless chatter or the footsteps of those corpses over there. The louder and more annoying the noise, the faster the signal charges.”
A magical weapon that collects noise to open dimensional gates.
“When the blue light and the advance signal align, the dimensional gate will open, and from beyond, physical interference will attempt to reach you. Now, there are only two ways for you to overcome this.”
She spoke quietly.
“One is to kill me, the supplier of magic to the signal, or to destroy the signal itself. There are no other ways.”
“Is that the end of your explanation?”
“Any questions?”
“Why bother with such a pointless explanation?”
“Without explaining the rules of the game, my victory would be certain, and that wouldn’t be much of a game, would it?”
The battle began abruptly.
“Let’s begin. Inject the magic now.”
Ziiiiing…
[Amon’s Basic Ability: Mechanical Genius is activated.]
[Amon can operate all magical weapons, and as a consequence, any weapon she uses in battle will be destroyed.]
Summoned from hell, Amon’s true power, never before seen.
Her magic is thunder.
But the reason everyone fears her is because of the bizarre weapons powered by her thunderous magic.
Click.
The lights in the laboratory go out.
Manan mulled over the explanation he had just heard. His intelligence, which had earned him the title of Lion of the Blood Sect at a young age, made comprehension easy.
‘Transforming noise into physical force… So silence is the key?’
Manan smirked bitterly.
‘Is this a stroke of misfortune or luck? The demon’s inexperience is showing.’
The warriors of the East are trained in stealth from a young age. Their movements, honed to slice through falling leaves without a trace and blend with the pouring rain, allow for silent combat.
In contrast to the Western warriors, they can fight effectively without making a sound.
‘Furthermore… the skin of the Blood Phantom Wraiths is harder than steel.’
Even Phoenix’s blade, unheated, could not mark them—such was the resilience of the wraiths.
‘Kill the demon before the signal device activates.’
Even if it does, the wraiths are more than capable of handling it.
After all, the enemy is one, and we are five.
The odds are clearly in our favor.
Manan nodded at Baek.
Nod…
Baek nodded back.
Focusing their energy, they could discern the way forward even in the dark.
‘Send the wraiths first to encircle the enemy. Then, in one swift move, slaughter them.’
The wraiths moved through the darkness without a sound, a testament to the pride of the Blood Sect.
Like casting a wide net to corral fish in a stream, they spread out into the shadows.
They pinpointed Amon’s location.
Not yet, not yet.
The moment Baek and Manan approached…
Now!
Fizzzz…
[Amon deploys Unarmed: Hands of Fate.]
[A pair of hands, resonating with Amon’s will, are summoned.]
Whoosh-!
One giant mechanical hand swept horizontally at the wraiths, while the other confronted Manan.
Thwack!
‘Now, Baek!’
[Baek executes Jawbreaker.]
[A powerful uppercut. If it connects with the jaw, it stuns for 2 seconds.]
Wham-!
Amon narrowly arched back, dodging the kick. But the seasoned warrior was not deterred.
Thump-thump-thump!
A flurry of punches followed without losing posture.
Whirr-
Thump-thump!
Small mechanical hands floating around Amon deflected Baek’s punches with dazzling speed. What seemed mere ornaments now protected Amon like living shields.
Click.
“Ah.”
Amon sighed.
“It’s over already.”
[Amon is granted control of the railway signal for departure.]
Amon reached out towards the wraiths.
“Depart.”
Boom-!
What…
‘What’s happening?’
A sensation as if the sky and earth were flipping.
Manan saw the dimensional gate form but couldn’t make out what followed.
“Lord Manan…”
Something made of steel.
A steel train, forged in hell by Amon, charged through the dimensional gate and struck the wraiths in an instant.
And then…
They turned to blood.
“Annihilation… All the wraiths are dead?”
“I taught you not to make a sound.”
Creak…
Groan…
Rumble…
Sssss…
The train disappeared back through the dimensional gate.
The ‘physical interference’ Amon spoke of was a massive steel train, barreling at full speed.
Naturally… no wraith could withstand it.
No matter how much they were reinforced by the most potent sorcery, they were still flesh and blood.
But these were the Blood Phantom Wraiths.
For all three to fall at once…
“Lord Manan!”
Baek’s shout snapped Manan back to reality.
“Now is our only chance! For the great cause!”
Ah, indeed, those words rang true.
The only opportunity to kill the demon was this moment.
The moment when all the wraiths fell in one strike.
Now, when the signal device’s resources were yet unfilled, was the perfect time to give it their all.
Wham-!
Baek and Manan charged at Amon with desperate ferocity.
[Baek unleashes Torrent of Blossoms.]
[A barrage of punches, each with 30% of his attack power, blankets the area, pushing back the target.]
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!
[Manan employs Crimson Bone Claw.]
[A surge of red energy forms claws that tear into the target. The effect varies with the amount of energy used.]
Roar-!
Crack!
Crunch!
Amon’s two giant mechanical hands scattered to confront the two warriors.
Thump-thump!
After exchanging blows with the mechanical hands for 3 seconds, a single word came to their minds.
Impossible.
It cannot be breached in such a short time.
Crunch!
“Baek…”
In the midst of the clash, Manan suddenly spoke to Baek.
“…”
“Die in my stead.”
Baek glanced at Manan with a look of resolve.
“I too will die. But… I promise to tell you what lies beyond this.”
“Lord Lion… I believe you.”
Click.
The signal lights up blue.
“Huh!”
Wham-!
Baek expelled all his energy in one direction—towards Manan.
Whoosh-!
Manan was sent flying.
And then.
[Amon is granted control of the railway signal for departure.]
“Depart.”
With a thunderous roar, Baek was crushed beneath the train, his demise evident from the scattered flesh and tattered cloth that once clothed him.
Manan neither mourned nor lamented his death. He simply did what had to be done.
Ssshhh…
The serum from the deceased Blood Phantom Wraiths seeped into every orifice of Manan’s face.
To the living, this serum was akin to pure poison.
[Manan activates Malevolent Spirit.]
[The serum is absorbed throughout the body, drastically increasing physical abilities for a short time.]
[Additionally, as a living wraith, new abilities become available.]
[If the body fails to adapt to the serum within the time limit, death ensues.]
Manan, now a living wraith, faced a predetermined demise but was determined to keep his promise to Baek as the leader of the Blood Sect.
What to do?
How to defeat this demon?
Even as a wraith, Manan pondered. If he couldn’t overcome those bizarre hands with this power, he would die just like Baek.
That was unacceptable.
He had accepted death, but at the very least, he would take the demon with him.
‘Noise?’
Yes, with this power, he could attempt what was previously impossible.
…A death without sound.
To kill without producing any noise.
‘Is it possible?’
It is.
Given time.
Whoooo…
This is not a sound.
It’s a change occurring within Manan.
The serum mingled with energy is focused at the tip of his index finger.
Slowly… very slowly.
The serum filling his shoulder to arm must be condensed.
And when it is released…
“Unfortunately, the game is over.”
What?
‘I made no sound?’
Yawn…
Amon yawned, addressing Manan hidden in the darkness.
“Seeing how foolishly you’ve used your time, you’ve failed to understand the rules.”
No…
“You thought there was no sound. I warned you not to jump to conclusions.”
Click.
The signal truly turned blue.
It’s the departure signal.
Manan revisited the rules of the signal he thought he had fully grasped.
The other function collects what the wearer perceives as noise as a resource.
‘Could it be…’
It’s not the noise that’s important.
It’s the perception.
It wasn’t about not making noise.
It was about not creating what the demon perceived as noise.
[Amon is granted control of the railway signal for departure.]
“Depart.”
Boom-!
Creak…
Creak…
Manan desperately used the wraith’s power to resist the train’s collision.
Creak…
Creak…
“Heugh… Heugh…”
The train stopped.
Sssss…
And it returned through the dimensional gate. Manan’s body, having blocked the train, was mangled.
“Heh… hehehe… What was it?”
“…”
“The noise. What was it…?”
Amon laughed like a child, teeth bared.
“It was the sound of your hearts.”
“Cough… That’s… hehe… impossible. Then… there’s no… winning.”
Unfair.
The true power of a demon is precisely that.
Facing death, Manan asked.
“What lies… beyond this?”
The reply was not kind.
“You don’t need to know.”
Drip…
Manan failed to keep his promise to Baek and dissolved into a pool of blood.
The final boss of Episode 2, the unpleasant trio, and Manan, one of the Six Lions of the Blood Sect, perished without ever knowing what lay at the heart of the rotten roots.
[Soon, the final chapter of Episode 2, The Blood Sect’s Flock, will conclude.]
[An unusual item is discovered among the possessions of Manan, who was inadvertently involved.]
[Luck imbues the acquisition of the spoils.]