Chapter 178: Living Armor (3)
'Huh?'
Ohjin frowned while looking at the unexpected massacre unfolding before his eyes.
The black-armored demon beast that ran past Ohjin was slaughtering the members of the Black Star Organization with its blazing spear.
Yes, it was almost as if it’d been given a mission to kill the Awakeners of Bufo in the first place.
"Ohjin, this is…?"
"I don't know."
Unable to understand the situation, Ohjin shook his head.
He’d believed that the unidentified demon beast in Yonghyun-dong was on the same team as the Bufo faction when he’d heard that Lee Woohyuk was ambushed by the Black Star Organization, but what was unfolding before him made him have no choice but to admit that his predictions had completely missed the mark.
'Then… is that demon beast also the reason why they looked so pressed?'
He recalled how the members of the Black Star Organization had yelled that they had to kill them quickly and how they had no time. When the black-armored demon beast arrived, they’d also definitely said 'it's here'.
In other words, they were already aware of the existence of the demon beast.
'And that isn't all…'
Ohjin’s eyes narrowed.
The black-armored demon beast chased after the escaping members like it was hunting prey.
The Bufo faction was being hunted by the demon beast before Ohjin’s arrival.
Assuming that to be the case was the right call.
"Hmm."
Ohjin’s eyes shone as he carefully observed the black-armored demon beast.
It had pitch-black armor covering its whole body, dreary flames blazed through the gaps in the armor, and dark-blue eyes searched for prey; it also wielded a sharp spear.
It was the first time he had seen one before, but it was a monster that even Ohjin could recognize.
'Living Armor.'
It wasn't a monster wearing armor, but a monster that was the armor itself.
It was a powerful monster that was seen and recorded several times in Europe.
However…
'Living Armor should be an 8-Star monster.'
Even if it was a mutant that had more strength than normal, did it make any sense for it to be so powerful?
Unable to understand, Ohjin looked at the Living Armor fiercely swinging its spear.
A mere 8-Star monster killing both Jegal Soyoung and Choi Yuumi without them being able to retaliate properly a single time was something that should've been impossible, even if it was not a 'monster, but a 'demon beast'.
"Hm?"
At that moment, something stuck out to Ohjin’s eyes.
There was something stuck on the Living Armor's chest.
—It was a circular medallion that had the frightening shape of a coiled-up 'snake'.
"Hah."
A short chuckle left his mouth and the edges of his lips slowly went up.
"So that's what's going on."
The moment he discovered that the 'Snakes' were involved, he instantly understood why everything was progressing as it was.
"What do you mean by that?"
"The reason the Bufo faction illegally entered Korea wasn't that they had a separate goal in mind."
"Eh? Then why…?"
"They were running away."
The Bufo faction had simply run to Korea to avoid the 'Snakes'.
'He said that the Queen of Snakes was combining the separated factions of the Black Star Organization into one.'
The Owls, ranked 6th, bowed their heads beneath the Queen of Snake's feet.
It was the same for the Seahorses, ranked 7th.
However…
'Not all of the Executors will want to obediently follow the Queen of Snake's will.'
It was only natural.
If everyone obeyed the Queen of Snakes, the 'factions' of the Black Star Organization would've never existed in the first place.
In other words, the scene he was observing right then was…
'Purging.'
The Queen of Snakes was punishing the arrogant faction that dared to go against her will.
"But if it's as you said, why did Ms. Soyoung and Ms. Yuumi…?"
"There's a reason for that."
As Isabella said, if the demon beast's goal was the purging of the Bufo faction, it had no reason to attack Jegal Soyoung and Choi Yuumi. It should’ve just left them alone like how it ignored Ohjin and ran right past him just moments ago.
'No, no…'
There was a difference between them and Jegal Soyoung's party.
Ohjin recalled the traces of combat he’d examined in the bloody alley.
"Jegal Soyoung was the one who attacked that demon beast first."
"Ah."
In other words, the demon beast wouldn't have killed them if they hadn't attacked first.
'Well, it's not like they had any way of knowing.'
From their perspective, taking the first strike through an ambush would've been the best move to make.
"Then since we're not what it’s after… should we retreat for now?"
"Wait.'
Ohjin’s mouth twisted up.
Retreating from the scene while the Living Armor was occupied with hunting down the Bufo faction was an option, but…
"I have a good idea."
"What is it…?"
"Evacuate with Mr. Woohyuk to the city until I contact you."
"A-Are you thinking of going alone?"
Isabella’s eyes widened in shock.
Ohjin silently nodded his head.
"No!"
"That's too dangerous."
Even Lee Woohyuk Ohjin back.
Ohjin smiled and turned around.
"It's okay. There will be no case of 'me' getting hurt."
"What?"
"Mr. Woohyuk, where were you ambushed by the Executor of the Bufo faction?"
"It was in the area of that pier…"
Lee Woohyuk indicated an extremely large crane that was built to load the containers onto ships.
"Then please evacuate Hyunbin to a safe place before I contact you."
"I'll try to request support from my guild."
"I'll also try to contact my bodyguards."
"No."
Ohjin shook his head after hearing that they'd requested backup.
Having more people would actually only be a hindrance to his plans.
And most importantly…
"We don’t need any more support."
Ohjin smirked and leaped away.
* * *
Translator - Maccas
Proofreader - ilafy
* * *
Bzzt!—
A platform made of blue lightning was created in front of his foot.
He could only create weak platforms that couldn't endure his full force, but they were more than enough to go high up into the air.
"Hmpf!"
Bzzzt! Bzzzt!—
He used the blue lightning like stairs to sprint across the sky.
When he neared the crane that was dozens of meters tall—
Bang!—
—the wire that was shot from his wrist wrapped around the crane.
Ohjin stood on top of the crane and looked down.
He could see the members of the Bufo faction who were running away like rats in between the containers and the Living Armor chasing after them at a glance.
'Star of the Weaver Girl's Hunting Dog.'
Owooong!—
The stigma engraved on the left side of his chest shone brightly, and information flooded into his head.
"Kugh!!"
He experienced a splitting headache.
Ohjin grasped his forehead with one hand and focused.
'Where are you hiding?'
The location of the Executor who led the Bufo faction… Amongst the flooding information, he looked for the ‘King of Toads’ who should've been hiding himself to avoid the 'Snakes'.
-G-Goddammit! You're telling me that monster appeared again?
-Yes! It's currently headed this way!
-H-Hurry up and prepare to set sail!
—Set sail…
Ohjin’s gaze headed to the port after hearing those words.
There was a massive cargo ship that was several hundred meters long, and the voice he heard came from that direction.
"Found you."
Ohjin smiled brightly.
After using Black Curtain to conceal his presence, he jumped off the crane that was dozens of meters tall.
His altitude dropped at a rapid pace like he was skydiving without a parachute.
Sharp wind grazed his cheek.
He controlled his fluttering clothes and used Lightning Step.
Bzzzt!—
Ohjin calmly observed the situation after landing on the massive cargo ship.
"Set sail!! Prepare to set sail immediately!!"
"Hurry up and move your asses!!"
The ship was as noisy as a fish market.
The East-Asian Awakeners of the Bufo faction were running around like crazy on the cargo ship they’d completely seized.
Ohjin used Transformation to change his face into one of the people who were after Lee Woohuyk and entered the ship.
The situation inside the ship wasn't much better.
"Move! I said, ‘move’!"
"Wh-What should we do about the people outside?"
"Do you think this is the time to worry about that? Sir Huan told us to set sail immediately!"
—Huan…
Was that the name of the King of Toads?
Ohjin followed the members who were moving urgently with hurried expressions.
There were posters of a man with a splendid mustache plastered on the walls at certain intervals.
They were most likely photos of the King of Toads, Huan.
Ohjin couldn't help but chuckle after seeing the posters.
'Did he learn something from our friends in the North?'
He recalled a certain dictator that had disappeared and become history.
Well, it wasn't limited to just North Korea. It was quite common for nations run by a dictatorship to have posters of their leader everywhere.
'I can use this.'
With him emphasizing his authority by going so far as to place that many posters, Ohjin could easily grasp how influential Huan's words were in the Bufo faction.
"Hurry! There's no time!"
"It's going to arrive on the ship soon!!"
The members of the Black Star Organization urgently shouted.
Ohjin walked past them and went deeper into the ship.
He was worried that someone would know the person he transformed into mid-way, but fortunately, there was no one who recognized him because everyone was in a rush.
Ohjin’s destination was the cockpit.
To be accurate, it was the cargo compartment right below the cockpit.
"This far is probably enough."
Once he arrived at the cargo compartment, he stood on top of the stacked containers to get as close to the ceiling as possible.
Placing his palms on the rusty ceiling, he slowly riled up his mana.
Bzzt, bzzzt!—
The minuscule electricity that flowed out of Ohjin permeated the ceiling.
It was his new ability to control electrical products that he’d gained from being able to control lightning meticulously.
"H-Huh?"
"The broadcasting equipment is broken!"
He heard a voice through the wall.
Ohjin smirked and opened his mouth.
-This is an announcement to all personnel on board.
The voice of the King of Toads, Huan, left his throat.
"Huh? Wh-What's going on?"
He heard the real Huan, who was in the cockpit located right above him.
Ohjin continued.
-Stop preparing to set sail immediately, and prepare for combat with the monster.
Huan's voice rang out through the entire ship.
"What? What the fuck is this?!"
Ohjin heard Huan scream out in surprise from above.
Well, just about anyone would show that kind of reaction if they heard their own voice live on a broadcast when they were doing nothing.
"E-Executor…!"
"Stop the broadcast!! I said, ‘stop it’!!"
'It… It won't work! It keeps repeating itself even though we turned the power off!"
Though it was turned off, there was electricity flowing into it from another source.
-I repeat. All personnel are to stop the preparations to set sail immediately and get ready for combat.
"Shut up! How the fuck are we supposed to fight that monster?!"
Crunch!—
There was the sound of something breaking, and a pungent smell started to spread into the cargo department.
"Goddammit!!"
Huan quickly went outside.
"The broadcast is fake!! Set sail immediately!!"
"Huh?"
"S-Sir, what do you mean…?"
The members of the Black Star Organization who’d stopped preparing according to the broadcast looked at Huan with confusion.
There was no doubt that the voice that’d come out of the speakers was Huan's.
"I said, ‘set sail immediately’!!!!!!"
"Kugh! Kuk!"
Huan grabbed the neck of his subordinate who was idling nearby and screamed out.
However, no matter how loudly he screamed, his voice couldn't reach all of those in the massive cargo ship that was hundreds of meters long.
"H-Huh?"
"What should we do?"
It was only natural to get confused when one side was telling them to stop preparing while another was telling them otherwise.
Using war as an analogy, it'd be the equivalent of getting ordered to charge forward and retreat simultaneously.
In the worst-case scenario where they were too disarrayed to have prepared for combat or set sail—
Boooom!—
"Hisssssssssssss!!!"
—the monster arrived on the ship.
"Ahhhhhh!!"
“It… it’s here! That bastard is here!!"
Screams erupted throughout the cargo ship.
Ohjin listened to the screams that resonated like a harmony and smirked.
"From this moment forth, kill each other."
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