LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 56
The smoke billowed out of the tent and scattered in all directions, crashing down to the ground. Then, like a sprouting seed transforming into a tree, it surged from the earth towards the sky, branching out in all directions, and began to envelop the shrine in a canopy that resembled a forest. The smoke rounded into spheres like fruit and dropped to the ground, where it was absorbed into the shrine’s pillars.
“—!”
Seeing this, the mercenary who had stepped outside realized that he was trying to shout something to those behind him, but it was as if he were muted, understanding that no sound was escaping his lips.
He glanced at Jinseong with a face mixed with awe, then used the hand signals commonly employed by mercenaries to lead them.
Jinseong and the mercenaries moved within that violent silence.
They circled around the place where cigars were lodged, following the pungent smell, igniting flames. The cigar smoke, unlike that of a ritual, pooled low, blanketing the shrine in fog as they stealthily loaded the sawed-off shotgun with ammunition and advanced towards the main hall.
“–!”
“-!”
As they moved, the smoke spread, and they encountered those who rushed out, startled, thinking it was a fire. The people had come out believing there was a blaze, only to wear bewildered expressions when they found no flames. However, seeing the mercenaries, fully armed, in this soundless scenario, they seemed to come to a conclusion and drew their swords.
The blades each ignited, glowing with the aura of their respective energy.
It was a technique known as Sword Energy.
Perhaps it was because they were stationed to guard the shrine? Drawing forth a technique that only high-ranked warriors could use, they positioned themselves in formation, ready to face Jinseong and the mercenaries. Watching this unfold, Jinseong addressed the mercenaries.
“Fire.”
It was a privilege only possible as the orchestrator of the ritual.
Hearing Jinseong’s command, the mercenaries simultaneously unleashed the round from their shotguns towards the warriors.
Silently flying bullets met the warriors, who activated their defensive barriers, rushing towards them, while the mercenaries, seeing this, laughed silently with adrenaline surging through them, continuously pulling the trigger of their shotguns.
Once the shotgun shells were spent, instead of reloading, they pulled out oddly-shaped guns strapped to their backs, aiming at the warriors.
“—!”
Then nets flew through the air from all directions.
The nets, unleashed from the criminal-capturing net guns, spread in the air, traveling towards the warriors. Thinking only of ordinary bullets, the warriors tried to slice through the nets with their swords. However, perhaps it was designed to withstand even being cut, as the moment the nets were sliced, they burst forth sticky blue slime, adhering to the warriors’ bodies. With its immense adhesive properties, the slime clung to their garments and skin, hindering their movements.
While the warriors were momentarily ensnared by the nets, the mercenaries skillfully reloaded their shotguns and turned to shoot at them in unison.
Steel pearls scattered.
Thorns spreading in all directions.
Spheres that sprayed poison the moment they touched an object.
The bullets fired by the mercenaries incessantly tormented the warriors. The protective barriers the warriors had utilized were chewed away by the steel pearls, through which powerful sedatives had slipped in. The venom bursting from the spheres vaporized, cautious with each breath.
“Rise. Do it.”
And while the mercenaries tormented the warriors, Jinseong signaled to Rise.
Rise, seemingly unable to bear the sight of the warriors during their torment, tightly shut her eyes and released her gathered divine power.
“-!”
The divine power that left Rise’s hands became a hammer.
Like a blacksmith striking down on an anvil, it crushed the ensnared warriors, breaking their bones and pinning them to the ground.
As the warriors collapsed on the floor, the mercenaries prepared for a follow-up shot, simultaneously loading their weapons and firing at them.
Raining steel balls.
Thorns spreading everywhere.
Spheres spraying poison upon contact.
The bullets fired by the mercenaries continually plagued the warriors. The protective barrier the warriors used was corroded by the steel pearls, and through the gaps chewed away, powerful sedatives invaded. The poison erupting from the spheres turned to vapor, making even breathing a precaution.
“Rise. Do it.”
As the mercenaries afflicted the warriors, Jinseong sent a signal to Rise.
Rise seemed to be unable to watch as the warriors suffered, tightly closing her eyes and releasing the divine power she had gathered.
“-!”
The divine power that left her hands became a hammer.
Like a blacksmith hammering down on an anvil, it crushed the bound warriors, shattering their bones and forcing them to prostrate on the floor.
When the warriors fell, the mercenaries readied their weapons for the killing blow, all loading their ammunition and firing at them.
The bartender, who was called the bartender earlier, withdrew a liquor bottle from the box he carried on his back and threw it towards the fallen warriors.
“—-!”
The warriors crumpled to the floor, thrashing in the flames of the Molotov cocktails.
Especially, those who had feigned incapacitation taking the opportunity, began dancing in horror as their bodies caught fire, trying to shake it off, while the bartender watched, amused, and fired the net gun at them.
The net gun, bewildered by the flames, fell upon the warriors, binding their movements. They struggled in horror, trying to tear the nets apart with their strength. Yet the net, crafted for capturing criminals, was not easily broken, and they could only silently scream in agony as their bodies engulfed in flames and the nets tangled further.
As this horrific sight unfolded, Rise gasped in shock, prompting Jinseong to assure her.
“Don’t worry. Warriors capable of using their Sword Energy won’t die from this.”
Nodding in agreement, the mercenaries’ expressions turned more relaxed, while Rise, glancing at Jinseong’s face, averted her gaze, not wanting to see the warriors burning alive. Gripping his clothing with trembling hands, she bowed her head in silence.
She opened her mouth to say something, forgetting that no sound was being made, only to realize her words were not getting across, prompting her to close her mouth again and bow her head deeply. Jinseong stared at her silently for a moment before bringing his left hand to her arm, drawing a pattern onto her skin with his bleeding fingertip.
Although the pattern was not drawn perfectly, making it hard to discern, Rise felt a sense of reassurance just from watching it, believing that they’d manage to overcome this situation easily.
Noticing Rise calming down, Jinseong gestured for the mercenaries to follow him, turning his back on the writhing warriors as they headed for the main hall.
“Om Gam Ganapataye Namah (ॐ गम गणपतये नमः).”
Upon reaching the main hall, he loaded his shotgun and fired at the tightly shut door.
The shotgun Jinseong wielded unleashed an immense amount of fire, like a flamethrower. The flames, resulting from the combination of metal powders, including zirconium and aluminum, with magically-enhanced flammable substances, engulfed the door like breath from a dragon.
However, the door, perhaps fireproof treated, refused to burn easily, making Jinseong click his tongue and say,
“Fire.”
The mercenaries seemed to have been waiting for this, loading their shotguns with Dragon Fire Slug rounds and unleashing pillars of flame from their respective sawed-off shotguns. The overwhelming violence of the flames began to ignite the fireproof-treated door, and the bartender, silently laughing maniacally, stepped forward.
Without hiding the bulge in his pants, fueled with excitement, he popped open a grenade and began throwing it at the main hall. The white phosphorous grenade soared through the air, exploding on the roof of the main hall, and miraculously, it seemed he calculated the timing perfectly, setting fire solely to the roof.
As a gaping hole appeared in the roof, he grasped the base of the molotov cocktail one by one and began hurling them.
By pressing cloth against the shotgun that spewed fire, he ignited the Molotovs and tossed them like javelins toward the roof, skillful enough in firecraft that the thrown bombs landed perfectly in the hole that formed.
“ॐ-”
Before the blazing flames, Jinseong closed his eyes quietly, reminiscent of a monk performing Homa.
Using the shrine as firewood to burn away his troubles, he silently closed his eyes, tearing at his clothes.
The rags, departing from Jinseong’s hands, flew towards the main hall cloaked in flames, igniting almost instantly as embers clung to the fabric, scattering everywhere. Thus, the torn pieces began to take on a shimmering red and orange form, which from afar, appeared as if a moth was flapping its wings.
The fire moth flew through the air toward the hole in the roof.
Jinseong waited for the fire moth to reach the hole before tossing a stock of Dragon Fire Slug rounds into the bartender’s hands.
“Throw it.”
With a face brimming with excitement, the bartender silently cheered in delight, using his hands like a catapult to send the rounds into the roof.
Every time a shell entered the roof, pillars of flame soared multiple times.
The door to the main hall swung open.
“–!!”
From the open door emerged Yoshiaki, the Shinto Priest, wielding an enormous bow that towered over him.
And behind him, Narumi, singed and radiating rage.