Hugo's actions and the rescue of the Dragon Children were part of the plan. While he hadn't micromanaged the details for a more realistic scenario, he had adjusted the Demonic forces they would encounter. But the Dragon God's unexpected gift had drastically increased Hugo's power.
'This will be easier than I thought.'
"Transformation Realm! He's at the Transformation Realm!"
"Don't rush in! Hold the line!"
Hugo charged towards the Demonic Cultists blocking the passage, his sword flashing. He had been worried about controlling his newfound power, but his concerns vanished as he fought.
'…This is amazing.'
His sword moved like an extension of his will, reaching its target instantly. A state of perfect unity, man and sword as one.
"You fools! Can't you even hold the line?!"
A massive figure, over two meters tall, emerged from the Demonic Cultists, wielding two massive iron clubs.
'Finally.'
The Supreme Realm demon guarding the ritual chamber. Originally meant to be a challenging opponent for Hugo, burdened by the Dragon Children…
'Time to adjust the plan.'
This opponent was now a mere stepping stone.
He tightened his grip on his sword. His internal energy, unrestricted thanks to 「Divine Body」, surged through him, amplifying his physical abilities, and then flowed into his sword, transforming into pure destructive power.
"Internal energy… Set up a defensive formation…!"
The demon barked orders, preparing a counterattack, but Hugo ignored him, focusing inwards.
'「Heavenly Dragon Divine Art」.'
The new name of 「Nameless Art」, awakened by the Dragon God's touch. A culmination of all the martial arts he had learned, and new, unknown techniques.
'If they block my path, I'll break through!'
Swift, powerful, and overwhelming.
Crackle
Lightning crackled around his sword, forming a dragon of pure energy that rapidly grew in size.
Rumble
The lightning dragon coiled around him, roaring as it shot forward, following the tip of his sword.
"Block…!"
"No…!"
The deafening roar drowned out all other sounds. If not for the protective formations, the entire passage would have collapsed.
Crackle Sizzle
Only one figure remained standing amidst the lingering sparks, the Superlative Realm demon, his arms crossed protectively over his face.
"Gahk… Y-You…!"
But he wasn't unscathed. His skin was blackened by the lightning, smoke rising from his body, his hair and beard singed. But, true to his demonic nature, he didn't give up.
"Grrr!"
His eyes turned bloodshot as his damaged body rapidly regenerated, defying logic. Driven by pure rage, he charged towards Hugo, swinging his clubs.
"Die!"
Not a wise decision, considering his diminished mental capacity from the demonic enhancement.
'Well, techniques that sacrifice reason for power are common.'
Hugo raised his sword. Gentle deflection, absorption, and redirection.
The demon's clubs, wreathed in unstable demonic energy, lost their momentum, deflected by a watery ripple surrounding Hugo's sword. The flowing movements of the water dragon continued.
Whoosh
The water swirled around his sword, forming a massive wave that crashed down upon the staggered demon.
"Ugh!"
Clang
The demon stumbled back, dropping his clubs, clutching his throat, where the water dragon had bitten him. He had reacted quickly, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow, but he couldn't escape his fate. He lacked the means to regenerate from such a grievous injury.
The Supreme Realm demon, his eyes wide, collapsed. An anticlimactic end for a supposed obstacle.
'Not quite as planned, but not bad.'
Hugo nodded, surveying the devastated passage. A Supreme Realm demon wasn't much of a challenge. Overcoming greater obstacles provided a greater sense of accomplishment. He would adjust the difficulty accordingly.
"Let's hurry. It's not safe to stay here now that they know we've escaped."
He turned to the Dragon Children, who were cautiously approaching, trying to avoid the carnage.
"It's a warzone out there… Can we even reach the alliance?"
Zhuge Huimei, the calmest among them, voiced her concerns. Thanks to her newfound ability to use holy power, the frail Dragon Children could walk on their own, but they were still weaker than ordinary people. Crossing a battlefield was impossible for them.
"We'll try… and find another way if we can't."
Hugo nodded, his mind already working on revising the scenario, consulting his various personas. He had accepted payment, so it was his duty to satisfy his client.
'I have to earn my keep.'
It was necessary for securing further investments and building a good reputation. He wasn't satisfied with this level of success. But first, he had to successfully conclude this stage.
"We're counting on you, Master. You're our only hope."
"…Indeed. We have nothing left to lose."
"At least the Demonic Cultists want us alive, so we have a chance, right?"
Hugo nodded at the Dragon Children, trying to boost their morale. While the battle outside was important, managing them was also crucial. They were essential for his ultimate goal: restoring the Dragon Heart.
***
Clang Clang
"Gah!"
Crack
KABOOM
Sounds of chaos filled the battlefield.
"Huff… Huff…"
Tae-chunggeom Un-hak, fighting alongside the martial world alliance, gasped for breath. The internal energy-draining environment of the demonic realm made even brief bursts of exertion exhausting. He would have collapsed long ago without the support of the formations and other spells.
"Hah…"
He sighed, looking down at the deactivated jiangshi at his feet, biting his lip.
'…Rest in peace, my brother.'
The jiangshi was his fellow disciple. They had parted ways just six months ago, fleeing the Demonic Cult, hoping to meet again.
'I never imagined we would reunite like this…'
He was from the Kunlun Sect, now destroyed. Located near the Demonic Cult's base in Xinjiang, they had always been on the front lines, suffering heavy casualties. Before the Imperial Palace Bloodshed, other sects had respected and supported them, but now, everyone was struggling to survive. The isolated Kunlun Sect's downfall was inevitable.
He had been wandering the martial world as a Kunlun survivor, becoming a guest of a small sect. He had joined the Beijing expedition without hesitation when he heard about the upcoming battle against the Demonic Cult, determined to carry on Kunlun's legacy, to avenge his sect, and to show the world that Kunlun still lived.
'…What have you done, Demonic Cult?'
He gritted his teeth, having already granted peace to several Kunlun jiangshi, including his brother. These weren't ordinary jiangshi. As a Kunlun warrior who had fought on the front lines against the Demonic Cult, he knew their techniques, but these jiangshi were different, enhanced somehow.
'Stronger than ordinary jiangshi in every way. Enhanced physical abilities and resistance to internal energy. Even first-rate warriors would struggle to harm them… and those even stronger…'
His gaze shifted towards a group of Transformation Realm martial artists and demons battling jiangshi of comparable strength.
'Sect Leader…'
Among the jiangshi was the Kunlun Sect Leader. And there were twice as many jiangshi of similar strength. The Demonic Cult must have been collecting corpses for a long time!
The martial world alliance was severely outnumbered at the Transformation Realm level, but the situation wasn't dire, thanks to the presence of Blood Asura, a Transcendent Realm master from the unorthodox faction.
'At this rate… we can win, even if we suffer heavy losses.'
He observed the battlefield. Sword Saint battling the Demon Sword Master, Gwak Cheol fighting the Blood Demon Jiangshi, Abbot Mu-jin and General Jeongcheon clashing with the Heavenly Demon, and…
KABOOM
"Kahaha! This is exhilarating! I'm having fun!"
A madman, laughing heartily despite having a gaping hole in his stomach from the Heavenly Demon's sword.
'…The New Mad Demon. We wouldn't be here without him.'
The Heavenly Demon's power was even greater than the rumors suggested. Without the New Mad Demon, they would have needed at least three, maybe four, Transcendent Realm masters to hold him back. The other fronts would have collapsed long ago. They were holding on thanks to the New Mad Demon's tireless efforts.
'Our task is to create an opening for them to defeat the Heavenly Demon. If we can stabilize the battlefield and allow more people to join the fight against him…'
He took a deep breath, gripping his sword firmly, rejoining the battle. He had rested enough. Time to contribute again.
'We can do this. We can win!'
Hope bloomed amidst his burning desire for revenge. He felt a surge of elation, seeing his comrades fighting bravely despite the hostile environment. He felt a sense of pride, no longer burdened by the guilt of abandoning his sect.
'This is the power of the martial world. Even the darkest night eventually gives way to dawn—'
They would dispel the darkness and seize a brighter future.
Then—
Rumble
Something changed in the sky. Purple lightning crackled within the dark clouds, drawing everyone's attention.
KABOOM
And finally, purple lightning rained down upon the battlefield.
***
'Time to raise the stakes.'
Hans, hidden behind the scenes, smiled faintly. The plan was proceeding smoothly. He controlled the massive barrier surrounding the battlefield, regulating the flow of abyssal energy to the Heavenly Demon, ensuring he remained at an appropriate power level.
'But this isn't enough for the climax.'
Hope shouldn't come easily. To unite a divided world, they needed to experience despair and overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges together.
And that required something more… dramatic. He nodded in satisfaction, watching massive figures rise from where the purple lightning had struck.
ROAR
Growl
Monstrous beasts, their roars shaking the earth, writhed and contorted. Despair filled the faces of those who had been holding their own.
Kirin, Nine-Tailed Fox, Goblins…
The top-tier yokai jiangshi he had painstakingly created had finally arrived.