Chapter 72
How far had they fallen?
Thud.
With a dull landing sound, Do-yoon set foot in a space suffused with an eerie blue glow.
[You have arrived at the “Crystal Tomb.”]
A coldness that pierced into the bone.
It was like being trapped inside a giant glass tank.
The walls on every side radiated a vivid blue light.
Beneath the crystal ceiling, bizarre shapes of monsters glided through the air.
–Kiaaaaaaaaah!
Birdlike claws and wings, but with a ghost’s head attached—grotesque beings.
“…Manghon-gwi, huh.”
One of the main reasons Jeong Min-tae had pulled him into this “plan.”
For now.
Do-yoon turned his head.
There, buried under the rubble of the second floor, was Yoon Se-ha, unconscious.
“…Good grief.”
Do-yoon released his inner energy and cleared the rocks covering her body.
At the same time, he opened the backpack he had received from Lee Seo-jun, tore open an energy bar, and forced it into her mouth.
“Mm… munch…”
Then immediately shoved in two more.
Yoon Se-ha, who devoured the bars like a starving animal, slowly opened her eyes.
“…What the hell?”
It seemed her senses had returned.
A flash of light gleamed in her eyes.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Rapid recharge.”
“…?”
“You poured everything out against Do-wang. Don’t tell me you’re suffering from the backlash of Ghost Sword, are you?”
“…Tch, so you knew.”
Yoon Se-ha admitted it without resistance.
“When you wield a power beyond human limits… ghost energy… there’s always a price. In my case, it amplifies abnormal hunger.”
Her desperate obsession to deny Do-yoon the finishing blow had driven her to overuse ghost energy.
And even then, she hadn’t caught up.
Although she burned with curiosity about what trick he’d used to get ahead again, this time she didn’t ask.
Yoon Se-ha shook the dust off and stood up.
“Let’s go.”
“You could rest a little longer.”
“I’ve recovered… thanks to you.”
She averted her gaze awkwardly, then added,
“I hate being the reason we fall behind.”
Beyond them, at the heart of the Crystal Tomb—
Under the blue glow stood a massive burial mound.
Blocking the path were monsters modeled after the game pieces of Janggi: “Cha (car),” “Ma (horse),” and “Sang (elephant).”
“Are we going to break through?” Do-yoon asked.
“Of course.”
At her firm reply, a faint aura—blue mixed with purple—rose from Yoon Se-ha’s body.
Clank, clank.
Her equipment—helmet, shoulder guards, belt, combat boots—quivered as if resonating with her.
“Cover my back.”
She drew her Cold Moon (Han-wol) first.
Do-yoon summoned the Thunderblade.
The two stood back-to-back, pushing forward through the guardians.
Fwooooosh!
Yoon Se-ha swept the front with a wide-range Moonlight Phantom Sword Art, and Do-yoon dashed into the openings she created.
Slash! Crack!
Precise strikes with Sword-Unity pierced directly into the monsters’ vital points.
Unlike the rivalry-driven teamwork during the Do-wang battle, this time it was different.
First place is already Do-yoon’s. I’ll focus on my own fight.
By fully accepting his position, her tangled emotions cleared away.
Their movements began to flow as one.
Slaaash!
They cut down the last monster and reached the mound.
“…You’re here.”
Lee Seo-jun and Kang Il-ho greeted them with relief.
The traces of battle were obvious on them both, but Jeong Min-tae stood there immaculate, as if untouched by the battlefield.
“Assembled, then.”
His gaze turned to the enormous gravestone at the front of the mound.
“Tomb of the Martial Emperor.”
…Finally.
On his face flickered a strange blend of rage and expectation.
Jeong Min-tae raised a hand toward the heavy stone gate.
“Then let’s go in.”
Creeeeak.
With a metallic screech, the stone door opened.
Whoooosh.
From within surged a darkness like the abyss itself.
It spread instantly—along the walls, across the ceiling, even through the floor—consuming the entire tomb.
–Kyaaaaaaaaah!
The Manghon-gwi circling the ceiling swarmed toward the mound, shrieking as though welcoming back their long-awaited master.
[The intruders of the Tomb have summoned the “Martial Emperor.”]
[The “Martial Emperor” awakens from eternal slumber.]
Rumble!
As the sarcophagus within the mound opened, the reincarnators all held their breath.
Yoon Se-ha recalled the towering body of Do-wang.
Lee Seo-jun and Kang Il-ho recalled the charisma of the Sword Emperor.
This one will surely surpass both.
Step—
But the one who stepped out of the sarcophagus—
Step, step—
Mocking their expectations—was a slender silhouette of a man.
Delicately drawn eyebrows like brushstrokes.
Skin pale to the point of frailty.
He looked less like a sovereign than a scholar who had spent the night writing poetry.
“…That’s the Martial Emperor?”
“Maybe a buried retainer?”
No matter how they looked, they saw no imperial majesty.
But—
“…Martial Emperor.”
Only Jeong Min-tae’s eyes blazed.
From his chest came the pounding of a war drum.
[The “Martial Emperor” stares quietly at Jeong Min-tae.]
[The “Martial Emperor” recognizes his changed form. “…So it’s you. Three thousand years, has it been?”]
Jeong Min-tae’s heart thundered.
The being before him gazed as if nothing had changed, as if no time had passed.
“…So you remembered me.”
What curled across his lips was not a smile.
It was seething vengeance, dripping from his words like venom.
“Yes. I’ve come. Across time itself—to rip every limb from your body.”
[The “Martial Emperor” sneers at him.]
[The “Martial Emperor” begins judging the intruders who disturbed his slumber!]
Swish.
With a casual flick of his hand—
KRRRRRAAAASH!
The air split.
It was as though space itself had been cleaved.
“…!”
Jeong Min-tae hastily crossed his arms to block, yet even his steel-like forearms bore deep wounds.
“You saw that? If you want to live, everyone—attack!”
The reincarnators immediately surrounded the Martial Emperor.
But his figure—
Slip.
Melted into the air, reappearing in front of Lee Seo-jun in an instant.
Slash!
His fingers drew a line.
Shaaak!
“Ghh…!”
Slash, slash, slash!
Shaaash!
The Martial Emperor’s movements were beyond comprehension.
In mere moments, Kang Il-ho’s and Lee Seo-jun’s gear were shredded to tatters.
And then—
–Kaaaaaaaah!
The Manghon-gwi beat their wings at the reincarnators.
A vile chill pierced into their veins.
[You are afflicted with the “Manghon-gwi’s Curse.”]
[The souls of the dead cling to you.]
[All “Power” decreases.]
[“Healing effects” decrease.]
[“Regeneration” decreases.]
[“Agility” decreases.]
[“Focus” wavers.]
[An endless chill seeps into your marrow.]
Their vision blurred.
Their limbs felt heavy as lead.
Their movements creaked as though shackled in ice.
“Damn it! Unless we do something about this curse first—!”
Kang Il-ho hurled his Whirlwind Spear through a Manghon-gwi.
Its body dissipated into smoke—
Fwoosh.
Only to reform and curse again.
“Wh-what? D-Do-yoon!”
His cry drew every eye to Do-yoon.
Though none admitted it aloud, they all knew.
Only the Monster Hunter could turn the tide.
“…Looks like it’s my turn.”
[Activating “Toy Repairman’s Toolbox (SS).”]
Do-yoon slowly extended his hand.
[Rental – “Toy Repairman’s Shattering Drill.”]
Meanwhile, Lee Seo-jun pressed his palm to the floor, teeth clenched.
Every second felt like stepping on thin ice.
[Activating “Five-Element Demon-Suppressing Array (AAA).”]
From beneath him spread a luminous five-colored sigil.
The reincarnators’ resistance to curses increased, and the Manghon-gwi’s curse weakened.
But then—
Crack!
The Martial Emperor’s fingertip grazed him.
Lee Seo-jun’s shoulder guard split with sparks—
And in that instant, he witnessed something that froze him in shock.
“What… what is that?!”
In Do-yoon’s hand was a weapon of an utterly alien concept.
A spear that ended not in a blade, but in a massive drill.
Whiiiiirrr!
When Do-yoon flipped the switch, the machine roared to life, spinning at high speed.
Whooosh!
The drill-spear cut the air.
The shockwave rippled outward—
–Kyaaaaaagh!
The Manghon-gwi shrieked and fell back.
Flash!
Do-yoon launched himself skyward, drill-spear blazing a blue arc.
–Krrrk!
The first Manghon-gwi hit dissolved into black smoke.
The next fell the same way, erased by each strike.
Kang Il-ho’s spear was nothing compared to this overwhelming exorcising force.
It was the power of a monster-slaying skill elevated to SS-rank.
With the Manghon-gwi gone, the reincarnators moved freely again.
“Now we can fight properly!”
Wreathed in golden energy, Jeong Min-tae charged at the Martial Emperor.
Yoon Se-ha, Kang Il-ho, and Lee Seo-jun followed.
Two S-ranks and two AAA-ranks.
Four reincarnators unleashed at full power—plus Do-yoon.
It was the strongest team ever assembled.
Crack!
Jeong Min-tae’s fist shattered the Martial Emperor’s skull.
Yoon Se-ha’s ghost blade split his armor.
Do-yoon’s lightning-charged sword pierced his heart dead-on.
BZZZZT!
“…Is it over?”
But instead of blood, his body burst like fireworks into tufts of white cotton.
The Martial Emperor collapsed like a severed puppet.
“…A doll?”
Jeong Min-tae exhaled in disbelief—
When suddenly, from deep within the sarcophagus came clapping, followed by the real Martial Emperor’s voice.
[The “Martial Emperor” praises the intruders’ talents.]
[“Indeed, it was worth waking from my long sleep. This encounter delights me.”]
[“But the throne of an emperor is not given. It must be taken. Strive, you who have reached the end of the path.”]
No sooner had the message ended—
RUMBLE.
Before the mound, five stone steles rose, each carved with a name.
[Hyun Do-yoon] [Yoon Se-ha] [Jeong Min-tae] [Kang Il-ho] [Lee Seo-jun]
[The “Martial Emperor” begins the final trial.]
[“Climb by trampling each other. Only the last one standing shall walk the path of the Emperor.”]
The very air of the Crystal Tomb froze.
“…Climb by trampling each other?”
Kang Il-ho muttered in disbelief.
Everyone’s uneasy gaze turned to Jeong Min-tae.
In this moment, only the architect of the “plan,” the Fist King, could decide.
“Fist King, what do we—”
Before Lee Seo-jun could finish—
Step.
Jeong Min-tae walked forward without hesitation.
Then—
Thud! Thud!
“Urgh!”
“W-why…?”
His fists pierced not only Lee Seo-jun’s gut, but Kang Il-ho’s as well, before they could react.
A betrayal none could believe.
Without sparing them a glance, Jeong Min-tae slowly raised his eyes toward Do-yoon and Yoon Se-ha.
“Now, only two remain.”
“Jeong Min-tae, you bastard…!”
Yoon Se-ha, face twisted in rage, gripped Cold Moon tighter.
