Possessing Nothing

TL: xLordFifth

PR: Yul, Gort

Episode 387: Invasion (1)

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The communication from Yana had ceased.

The fortnight Yana had mentioned had already passed. Could something have happened?

What could possibly go wrong in a ritual with the Demonic Spirit? Could the ritual have taken longer than usual? Why now, of all times? Or was Yana attacked by someone? But who would dare to assault Yana, a nine-tailed fox who stands at the pinnacle of all yokai?

Moreover, he had given Yana a communication bracelet. If she were in danger, she would have contacted him through the bracelet.

‘Instant death without a chance to signal… No, that can’t be right.’

There isn’t a monster capable of subduing a yokai of Yana’s caliber.

Even considering Geniella’s strength, it seems impossible for her to kill Yana instantly, as she did to Chung Myung.

“Avoid meeting with the Demonic Spirit at all costs. Do not go to that place. If you encounter the Demonic Spirit, you might be entangled in an inevitable fate by its force.”

He recalled Laplace’s warning. He didn’t trust the Demonic Spirit.

The Demonic Spirit couldn’t leave its Demonic Sanctuary. Although Wijihoyeon is under the Demonic Spirit’s protection, the spirit itself likely remains within the Huejael mountains.

He couldn’t visit the Demonic Sanctuary to find Yana, but maybe that’s exactly what the Demonic Spirit intended.

Nor could he ask someone else to go to the Demonic Sanctuary to check on Yana’s situation.

He didn’t want to push them into an unknown dangerous situation.

There wasn’t time for that.

Geniella was coming.

He heard rumors about a ghost ship crossing the West Sea. Shrouded in red mist, the ghost ship was said to cross the sea at a terrifying speed.

There was no need to delve into the true nature of these bizarre and ludicrous rumors.

If it’s a ghost ship, it must be a Death Knight’s ship… and the red mist… Moreover, the destination it crosses the West Sea towards. Lee Sungmin covered his face with both hands.

This is the only place.

Here, the Forest of the Fairies was not far from the port city. After confirming the rumor about the ghost ship, he asked Lloyd to use the Weiss.

It was just as the rumors stated. Geniella was on the ghost ship. By calculating the speed, Geniella would arrive in this forest in two days.

He was prepared for this. To have an advantageous battlefield, I chose not to leave this forest.

To lure Geniella into this forest, He stayed here.

The night two days later will be a full moon.

All possible preparations have been made.

I attacked Travia and Chephede.

I gathered Travia’s vampires in one place and sealed them. Although the seal was trivial, it was enough.

Even if the seal lasts only for a year, Geniella won’t be able to reclaim the power of her subordinates for at least that long. At least she won’t be able to become stronger.

All possible preparations had been made. I thought about involving Namgung Heewon and Jihak but decided against it.

Chung Myung was killed futilely by Geniella. Even a great master in the Transcendent realm stood powerless in front of the Vampire Queen, who reigned supreme over non-humans.

Just yesterday. As soon as the rumor that Geniella was coming this way was confirmed, Lee Sungmin went to see Denir, the god of time.

It was to ask for another session in the mental world. Training in a world where moments flow like eternity was ideal for making the most efficient use of the short time.

However, Denir refused. He said it was impossible.

You can only train in the mental world with Denir’s power once.

No matter how much I pleaded, entering the mental world again was impossible.

Anxiety, unease, fear. Lee Sungmin opened and closed his sweaty palms. It’s different from the time with the Queen of the Spirits.

When we fought her, we could always prepare a favorable battlefield. But now?

The unguarded arrival of the Queen of the Spirits versus the Vampire Queen choosing the full moon to attack.

Lee Sungmin knew the strength Geniella possessed.

Even his master, the Lord of the Sama Order, said the outcome of a fight with Geniella could not be predicted.

Geniella also killed the Sword Saint, who had reached the pinnacle with the sword.

“Disciple.”

Lee Sungmin chewed on his lower lip, running through the simulations in his head that he had already replayed numerous times.

The scenario where he would have to fight against Geniellaa.

If it were just Geniella, everyone could combine their strength for a collective assault.

But such favorable circumstances wouldn’t occur. Geniella wouldn’t come alone.

Gemini, Kuhn, Chen, Juwon… along with the Death Knights and Liches. Death Knights and Liches lacking a leader weren’t of much concern.

On their side, they had Teresa, the natural enemy of the undead. Teresa had already encased the entire outskirts of the forest in a barrier.

With her powerful divine power, she could turn the invading undead into ash.

Fortunately, they had already dealt with Travia and Chephed. The Lycans and vampires would not send reinforcements.

They sealed the fifth bloodline, Laoshen, in Travia, and killed Nero in Cheped. No reinforcements would come.

The outcome would be decided here.

“Disciple.”

They would make full use of Teresa’s barrier, focusing on defense. This forest was under Oslo’s influence.

Minor undead and monsters would be annihilated while crossing the barrier. However, Geniella would likely remain unscathed.

The upper bloodlines, Chen and Kuhn… Baek Sogo and the Black Dragon have been asked to take care of them. The Spear King would take on Juwon.

Lloyd and Scarlett would use the magical traps laid throughout the forest to check the surviving Liches and Death Knights, as well as the monsters.

But who would stop Gemini? Me? Damn it all.

Lee Sungmin muttered curses as he clutched his hair. Gemini’s stance was too ambiguous.

If she had completely turned against Geniella, maybe he could have hoped for her support more definitely.

However, Gemini’s stance had always been ambiguous. While she handed over Baek Sogo and provided information on Geniella, she hadn’t completely betrayed her.

‘I must stop Gemini. As for Geniella… Do I need to end it quickly and move on to Geniella? Alone, no. If Osla could hold Geniellaa back even for a moment, then I could join in. And with the help of the others…’

But is victory guaranteed in their respective battles?

Chen and Kuhn’s power wasn’t remarkable, at least in Lee Sungmin’s view. However, vampires grow stronger under a full moon.

What are the chances of Baek Sogo and the Black Dragon losing to them? If Scarlett and Lloyd can’t stop the onslaught of undead and monsters, what is the possibility of the Spear King losing to Juwon?

‘What if I lose to Gemini?’

If I die.

He felt as if his entire body was bristling with alertness. “You’ll die a dog’s death if you’re with me,” Frau’s words echoed in his head.

Throw an egg at a rock, and the egg will surely break. ‘I,’ as a variable, cannot completely change the flow of this monumental fate.

[Calm down.]

Heoju’s voice resounded loudly in his mind, yet he could hardly pay attention to it.

He must not fail. As long as Wijihoyeon was trapped, he was the only one who could act. Didn’t he tell Wijihoyeon to trust him?

[Calm down, you idiot!]

Heoju shouted.

[How many times are you going to think the same thing? Why put such unnecessary, unbearable weight on yourself?]

Because it’s only me.

[If you fail, then what? It can’t be helped. If it becomes too much, just run away. As long as you’re alive, you can plan for another day.]

There’s no next time. The Apocalypse is approaching.

[Ah, damn it. How is that gloomy and desperate mindset supposed to help?]

“It helps.”

Lee Sungmin lowered his hands from his face.

“…It makes me desperate.”

It makes me use every means available. Lee Sungmin slowly turned his head. He saw Baek Sogo sitting next to him, wearing a worried expression.

“I’m sorry, master. I was so lost in thought I didn’t hear you.”

“Are you… okay? Your face is…”

“I’m fine.”

Lee Sungmin raised his hand to stroke his own face. His skin was as cold as a corpse’s.

“Master.”

He called Baek Sogo’s name, gently caressing his chilling cheek. Baek Sogo had no idea what could possibly be said in such a situation. It wasn’t just Lee Sungmin. Scarlett was also fretting, checking the magical traps set up in the forest.

The magicians in the tower near the forest were all sent back as well.

Teresa continued to pray, to a god who didn’t exist in this world, one she had worshiped in her own world.

Please, let no one die.

Please, let us overcome this crisis together.

The Black Dragon stood by Teresa’s side, and Lloyd, with his gaunt face, repeatedly opened and closed his Grimoire.

Only the Spear King was polishing his spear, eagerly anticipating the day Geniella would attack.

“Don’t you want to run away?”

At that question, Baek Sogo sharply turned her head. With unshakable eyes, she looked at Lee Sungmin.

“We must not run away.”

“Right.”

In fact, Baek Sogo wasn’t much different from the Spear King. She, too, was twisted and broken.

If the Spear King was obsessed with the fight, Baek Sogo was obsessed with the beliefs she held. Of course, she felt fear too.

Lee Sungmin still remembered the voice of Baek Sogo, who had cried in his arms.

But no matter how scared she was, Baek Sogo would not run away.

“Still, if you can and… if you must escape, then escape.”

“It won’t come to that.”

“I don’t want to see you die.”

Lee Sungmin muttered this as he tried to smile, his stiff cheeks barely moving as he forced a grin.

“…Discple, can’t we ask for help now? From the Martial Alliance or the Mage Guild…”

“It’s no use.”

It wasn’t even worth reconsidering.

“The Martial Alliance, the Mage Guild… I could annihilate them all by myself if I wanted to. I just choose not to. If I rode on the Pegasus to Kron now, I could conquer that city within a day. The Mage Guild included.”

“But still…”

“Moreover, there’s no guarantee they would agree to help. Even if the world were to end tomorrow, there are always those who would value their own lives first, aren’t there?”

“…Even so, there are those who would act for the greater good.”

“Such individuals are bound to be weak.”

Baek Sogo found herself unable to argue. Lee Sungmin looked up at the sky and said,

“I am… confident that we gathered here in this forest, united by the cause to prevent this apocalypse, are the most elite force there can be. There cannot be better. Our enemies consist of a legion of vampires and undead. Those who come to help us, acting for the greater good, will end up as vampires and undead, falling by our hands.”

How ridiculous. Lee Sungmin chuckled.

“I also will not run away. We cannot. To Wijihoyeon… I told her to trust me. That I can do it. So, I must do it. There is no one else but me now.”

“…Disciple.”

“I am okay.”

Lee Sungmin turned around.

“So… You don’t have to worry about me anymore.”

He didn’t wait for Baek So-go’s response. Lee Sungmin took heavy steps and left the spot. The words he couldn’t say lingered in his heart.

‘What I fear the most is.’

Lee Sungmin covered his face with his hands.

More than dying… if we manage to defeat Geniella and eliminate her. Then… what if there’s a ‘next’ after that… That’s what I fear the most.

What could possibly come next?

What else is arranged to bring about the destruction of this world? Kim Jong-hyun, Predator of Massacre, Dungeons, the Queen of Spirits, the Vampire Queen… What’s next?

Could it be the true Demon King descending? Or perhaps, just natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanoes, floods… could these be what end the world?

If such catastrophes were to try and destroy the world, how in the world would we stop them?

[Don’t worry about things that haven’t happened.]

Heoju muttered in an annoyed tone.

Ironically, even Heoju himself was worried if such a thing might actually happen.