Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 469 – The Great Battle (2)

The major sects and families symbolizing the Righteous Alliance, along with the medium and small sects.

Combined, they formed a massive force of forty-six thousand.

The greatest strength of the righteous faction, which advocated for the righteous path, lay in their cooperation.

They prided themselves on being unmatched by the demonic faction in their ability to gather and unite, knowing that even small forces could become strong when combined and concentrated.

“Let’s use this opportunity to completely uproot those demonic bastards.”

“Waaaaaahh!!!!”

With a force even greater than the last great war between the righteous and demonic factions gathered, their morale was sky-high.

If the Namgoong family, Hebei Peng family, and even the Sichuan Tang clan, who couldn’t participate due to unforeseen circumstances, had joined, it would have reached an unprecedented fifty thousand, the greatest force in history.

However, this alone was enough to be called the strongest among the three major powers.

“Disgustingly numerous.”

Bright Blade King Son Yun, standing on one of the peaks of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, clicked his tongue.

Due to the losses suffered during the internal war with Secret Society and Na Yul-ryang’s elder faction within Heaven and Earth Society, their current force was less than half of the enemy’s numbers.

Their current strength was twenty-one thousand.

“It would have been difficult if we had met them on the plains, for sure. Huhuhu.”

Shadow Clan Master Ya-seon also clicked his tongue at the enemy’s numerical superiority.

If they had clashed on the plains, their troops’ morale would have plummeted in the face of a force more than twice their size.

Thump thump!
Defense Guardian Go Yeonbaek, standing next to Ya-seon, pounded his fists together and said:

“We may be outnumbered, but nearly half of their forces are just rabble. The quality and skill of our warriors are far superior.”

“Huhuhu. That’s right.”

This was their strength, different from the Righteous Alliance.

Having trained their warriors through life-threatening practices like the Corpse Blood Valley, their practical combat experience actually surpassed the enemy’s.

The so-called gentlemen or chivalrous heroes of the righteous faction were somewhat lacking in real combat experience.

Even when they trained, they stopped at sparring, so their ability to kill others was inferior compared to the demonic faction or Heaven and Earth Society.

“Still, we must remain vigilant. Those numbers can make up for such deficiencies.”

However, a twofold difference could provide an overwhelming sense of pressure, making it dangerous to rashly engage in an all-out battle.

That’s why they decided to utilize their geographical position.

Swish!
Axe-Destroying King Ho Tae-gang raised his axe.

As if on cue, black and red flags rose over all the mountain peaks at the entrance of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, starting from the peak where he stood.

天魔 (Heavenly Demon)

Cha cha cha cha cha chak!
The advancing Righteous Alliance forces stopped in their tracks at the sight of the flags covering the peaks of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

The Righteous Alliance forces, which had been overflowing with morale just moments ago, suddenly fell silent.

This was because anyone would be rendered speechless at the sight of those flags filling the mountain peaks.

“What on earth is that?”

“Why are there so many flags?”

“Could there be more of them than us?”

The flags were overwhelmingly numerous, and their position on such high ground made it seem as if there were hundreds of thousands of troops before them.

Jung Myeong Sa-tae, an elder of the Hengshan Sect, furrowed his brow as he saw the characters 天魔 (Heavenly Demon) written on the flags.

‘Amitabha. Was the Danmok Clan head’s words true?’

[The most crucial part of this matter is the information that the seventh heaven is about to start an internal war within Heaven and Earth Society.]

They had hurriedly gathered and marched south to not miss this crucial moment.

If an internal war broke out within Heaven and Earth Society, they could take advantage of the situation.

It was an opportunity to deal with both Heaven and Earth Society, one of the three major powers, and Heavenly Demon simultaneously.

Drip!
Cold sweat trickled down Jung Myeong Sa-tae’s forehead.

Truly a terrifying person.

They had intended to come down before the internal war ended, but had he already swallowed up such a massive force?

‘This is unprecedented in the history of the Central Plains martial arts world.’

The initial trigger was the danger posed by this person called Heavenly Demon.

It took less than a month for him to rise as a new member of the Seven Heavens.

He toppled Shaolin’s One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation in one step, sealed off the Sichuan Tang family single-handedly, and even subjugated the Spiritual Sword Sanctuary Sect, considered the strongest among the neutral factions.

Due to this shockingly rapid progress, the Righteous Alliance, for the first time since the great war between the righteous and demonic factions—no, since its establishment—became wary of a single individual.

‘Impossible.’

Moyong Hak, the eldest son of the Moyong Clan and another person who had directly witnessed him, also turned pale at the sight of the Heavenly Demon flags covering the peaks of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

It was too fast, even for being fast.

How could this be possible so soon after the internal war broke out?

As they were stunned like this,

“Listen, everyone!”

Just then, a voice filled with such profound true energy that it drew admiration resounded throughout the area.

The gazes of all the Righteous Alliance warriors, who had been overwhelmed by the flags on the mountain peaks, turned to the front.

There stood Jeong Hyeon-mun, the leader of the Righteous Alliance, holding the famous sword Il-hwi.

Jeong Hyeon-mun rose into the air as if walking up invisible stairs, so that everyone could see him.

“Ooooh!”

“It’s the Void Step!”

Everyone couldn’t help but marvel at his appearance.

As their gazes focused on him, Righteous Alliance Leader Jeong Hyeon-mun spoke again.

“Chivalrous heroes of the righteous path.”

His voice echoed like thunder.

It was loud enough to be heard even on the peaks of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.

Even the top executives under Mok Gyeong-un couldn’t help but feel tense, inwardly amazed by Jeong Hyeon-mun’s voice.

Jeong Hyeon-mun was one of the three considered to be the strongest among the Seven Heavens, the pinnacle of the current martial arts world.

Jeong Hyeon-mun continued speaking loudly, as if for everyone to hear:

“There’s no need to be fooled by the empty show of force before us. They have not yet recovered from the damage of their internal war. This is just a desperate attempt to deceive our eyes because they fear us who uphold justice.”

“……”

“Chivalrous heroes of the righteous path. I, your Alliance Leader, will lead from the front. I will be the first to bleed and take arrows, so awaken your fighting spirit. Ignite your will to fight. Let’s show them that justice will prevail!”

As soon as his words ended,

Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!
When the forty-six thousand warriors shouted in unison, the heavens and earth shook.

As their morale was revived, the expressions of the former Heaven and Earth Society warriors hiding on the mountain peaks hardened.

‘Hmm.’

Poison King Baek Saha shook his head as he observed this.

It wasn’t good.

If Mok Gyeong-un, their leader, had been here at this moment, he could have raised morale, but his absence was significant.

‘We need to raise our fighting spirit here too, but Master Ou isn’t suitable for this.’

Ou Cheon-mu, the master of Spiritual Sword Sanctuary, was also one of the Seven Heavens.

However, as an externally recruited figure, he was unsuitable for raising the morale of their troops through oration.

Ou Cheon-mu knew this, which is why he didn’t rashly step forward despite being in a similar position to Jeong Hyeon-mun.

To raise their morale, they needed at least someone who…

“What are you all so afraid of!”

Just then, a sharp voice rang out from somewhere among the mountain peaks.

‘Huh?’

What’s this? Who is it?

At this, the gazes of all the executives, including Poison King Baek Saha, and all the former Heaven and Earth Society warriors turned towards where the shout had come from.

In the middle of the mountain peaks,

In a position invisible to the Righteous Alliance, stood a peerlessly beautiful woman. She was none other than Wi So-yeon, one of the three disciples of the late Heaven and Earth Society leader.

“Miss Wi So-yeon?”

“Why is the young miss suddenly…?”

Everyone was stirred up by her appearance.

Regardless, Wi So-yeon pointed at the Righteous Alliance and shouted:

“Why do you think they’ve gathered here like this? It’s because they fear our master, no, our lord Heavenly Demon!”

“……”

“Despite all their talk about justice, they’re nothing but hypocrites who come in mobs. Why are you afraid of such lowlifes? Are we so weak that we’d be pushed back by these cowards who fear our lord and us?”

At her words, the top executives, including Poison King Baek Saha, couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

Although they knew she was Mok Gyeong-un’s helper despite being a disciple of the former Heaven and Earth Society leader, no one had expected her to step forward like this at this moment.

But then, something unexpected happened.

The warriors whose spirits had been dampened by Alliance Leader Jeong Hyeon-mun’s rousing speech suddenly stood up and shouted:

“Who says we’re weak?”

“That’s right! Why should we fear these mob-like bastards who can’t win with skill alone?”

“Yeah! We’re not afraid of such lowlifes at all!”

“Hey, I, Bima Commander Eui-chan, will be the first to smash their heads. Those who are afraid can follow behind me.”

“Puhahahahat! What’s the weakest commander doing taking the lead! I, the Crushing Commander, will take the lead.”

“Nonsense! I’ll be at the front, beheading those bastards!”

As shouts full of fighting spirit erupted here and there, the expressions of the warriors began to change.

Their morale and will to fight were rising.

And at some point, it reached a crescendo and burst out all at once.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!”

“Let’s sweep away the enemy!!!!”

The cheers, echoing even more due to the mountain peaks, shook the heavens and earth more than when they had shaken the plains.

As the allied forces’ fighting spirit and morale reached their peak, the corners of the mouths of Mok Gyeong-un’s top executives turned upward.

An unexpected situation had unfolded.

Originally, raising morale was the job of the leader who commanded the forces, the commander. But Wi So-yeon had unintentionally accomplished this.

Thud!
“Huh?”

In fact, Wi So-yeon, or rather Go Chan, Mok Gyeong-un’s spirit servant possessing her body, was so dumbfounded by the rapidly rising morale of their allies that he fell on his backside.

He had stepped forward in frustration because no one was trying to raise morale when they needed to hold out until their lord arrived, but things had unexpectedly gone well.

‘Whoa. I… Did I have talent in this area too?’

Should he have entered the military and become a general instead of being destined to be an assassin in his past life?

Meanwhile, on the Righteous Alliance side.

“What’s going on?”

“Did their morale suddenly rise?”

“Why isn’t their spirit dying down?”

This rise in morale was clearly transmitted to the Righteous Alliance camp as well.

As a result, the morale and fighting spirit on both sides were evenly matched, with neither side faltering.

Jeong Hyeon-mun’s eyes, floating in the air and looking towards the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, narrowed sharply.

‘…She didn’t have such leadership skills before.’

That voice was clearly Wi So-yeon’s.

Did she, who only had a soul left, have such an aspect?

Alliance Leader Jeong Hyeon-mun soon snorted.

It didn’t matter anyway.

Whether their morale rose or not, the original purpose was one.

‘To kill and be killed.’

His face, with his back to the Righteous Alliance forces, was twisted with madness and killing intent.

However, no one could see this expression of his.

Swish!
Alliance Leader Jeong Hyeon-mun raised his hand, stretched it forward, and shouted loudly:

“Front ranks, advance!”

Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!
As soon as those words fell, the Righteous Alliance warriors holding shields in the front line charged forward towards the Ten Thousand Great Mountains with a roar.

Facing the oncoming large-scale force of forty-six thousand, thousands of warriors hiding on the mountain peaks simultaneously drew their bows, aiming arrows to meet the enemies.

The great battle had finally begun.

At that moment, far away, someone was watching the clash between these two forces with their hands behind their back.

That someone soon slightly raised the corners of their mouth and gave an order.

“Bring her to my side.”

“As you command!”

Papapapapapat!
As soon as those words fell, dozens of shadowy figures flew towards the direction of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.