I Became the Successor of the Martial God Chapter 78

I Became the Successor of the Martial God

Chapter 78.  

―What’s the current state of the fortress’ perimeter?  

―It’s possible to infiltrate if we try.  

―Then send in the Shade.  

The Shade was a demon with a semi-transparent body.  

Thanks to this trait, it was specialized in infiltrating enemy territory to gather intelligence.  

The semi-transparent Shade slipped into the fortress.  

And all the way to the top floor of the tower.  

―Hmm, this is…  

At the top floor was a complex device.  

It was something the demons couldn’t comprehend. However, they could tell that the device was gathering energy and directing it underground.  

―Check the underground.  

The Shade descended underground.  

Following the flow of energy, it witnessed a completely unexpected sight.  

―That’s—!  

―Damn those humans!  

The Chalice of the Saint King, which had dealt significant damage to the demons and Mephisto, was underground.  

Along with unfamiliar devices and priests. They were channeling divine power into the Chalice.  

It seemed the power gathered through some unknown method at the top of the tower was being transmitted underground.  

―They’re gathering power!  

―If left alone, they’ll attempt another attack like last time. Shouldn’t we deal with it before that happens?  

―But…  

Carousel seemed reluctant.  

They had already suffered a major failure once. Shouldn’t they approach this more cautiously?  

―Mephisto…  

―He’s currently focused on recovery. He sustained severe injuries and performed a mass teleportation, so he likely won’t wake for a while.  

―Sigh…  

Carousel pressed hard on her throbbing temples.  

This felt wrong. That fortress appearing out of nowhere, that tower erected so brazenly—what was the deal with that?  

It was suspicious. But because they had suffered unexpected losses, she couldn’t make a rational decision.  

―There’s no other way. I’ll step in. Our legion didn’t take as much damage.  

―No, I’ll go first. My legion and I are better suited for swift movement. We’ll probe their defenses and gauge their reaction before committing.  

―Not a bad idea.  

Carousel nodded.  

―Grimoire, you stay behind and tend to your wounds. Assist Lord Mephisto.  

―Understood.  

The demons immediately sprang into action.  

The Shade’s form melted away as it disappeared. 

But there were others silently watching this unfold  

“Are they gone?”  

“Yes, they’re gone.”  

Dokgo-jun and his subordinates.  

He knew the Shade had infiltrated the fortress—Yoo Baek-jun had told him.  

The reason he let it happen was simple.  

“This should lure the enemies into attacking.”  

It was all to draw the demons out.  

Dokgo-jun idly kicked the devices near the Chalice of the Saint King.  

It didn’t matter. These were just meaningless decorations.  

“Fortify the defenses! The battle will start again by tomorrow.”  

“Yes, sir!”  

Dokgo-jun inspected the fortress’s defenses.  

* * *  

There was no time.  

Mephisto and the other legion commanders had suffered heavy damage from the Judgment’s effect.  

On top of that, they were weakened.  

‘We must ascend to the Demon Realm quickly.’  

That dawn.  

Yoo Baek-jun gathered his people.  

Lee Jun-woo, Yoo Min, Han Seong-ah, the swordsmen of the Sword Saint’s family, and Jin Seo-yeon. That was all.  

Jin Seo-yeon joined a bit later, as she had to retrieve something Yoo Baek-jun requested.  

“…Didn’t you say demons are weak to divine power? Wouldn’t it be better to bring Holy Knights? There’s no shortage of them.”  

“No, having too many would be a problem.”  

Besides, the enemies were already weakened by the Judgment’s effect.  

Bringing them would be helpful, but not bringing them wouldn’t be an issue either.  

“…Hmm, then as always, we’ll have to rely on scrolls and potions.”  

“Everyone’s stocked their subspace pouches with plenty. Take them and use them as needed.”  

Yoo Min checked inside her pouch.  

It was filled with holy water, all kinds of divine magic scrolls, and recovery potions.  

They had prepared thoroughly.  

“What should I do…?”  

The Wraith, who had been silently watching the suicide squad prepare, suddenly spoke up.  

He wasn’t ascending to the floating continent. So why had he been summoned?  

There was something he needed to do.  

“Soon, the demons will attack the surface again. We’ll use that opening to reach the floating continent with Jin Seo-yeon’s magic.”  

“You want me to use my unique ability…?”  

“Yes.”  

The Wraith’s voice was gloomy.  

His unique ability was ‘Wraith Form’—turning his body semi-transparent to pass through walls and such.  

Of course, there were limits to how many times he could pass through walls, along with other penalties.  

Regardless, he was optimized for infiltration and intelligence gathering.  

When used on others, the wall-passing effect disappeared, but it granted a powerful stealth effect instead.  

Very powerful.  

“The duration… won’t be long.”  

“That’s fine.”  

The Wraith nodded in understanding. 

Soon after, Jin Seo-yeon arrived.  

“How long do we have to wait?”  

“Not much. Before dawn breaks…”  

The demons would launch a surprise attack.  

Right before dawn, when humans were still resting—that’s when the demons would strike.  

Yoo Baek-jun and his group hid on a rooftop, waiting for the moment.  

* * *  

Then, just before dawn.  

An anomaly occurred.  

“That’s—!”  

A thick defensive line had formed around the surface fortress. Soldiers and hunters, following Yoo Baek-jun’s orders, guarded it.  

Among them, a hunter on night patrol suddenly looked up and noticed the anomaly.  

―Kaaaah!  

The barrier enveloping the Demon Realm shattered.  

Countless demons surged out from within, and the same happened on the surface.  

Demons teleporting to the surface.  

“Dokgo-jun!”  

“Panic! Panic all you want!”  

“Huh? What?”  

The hunter expected to be told to stay calm, but Dokgo-jun’s response was different.  

He ordered them to act surprised instead.  

“Act like this was a completely unexpected ambush! Defend this fortress desperately!”  

“…….”  

Before leaving, Yoo Baek-jun had explained the plan to guild leaders like Dokgo-jun and Ryu Il-woo.  

Though it wasn’t much of a plan.  

Use the fortress to lure the demons, and when they attack, defend it desperately.  

Meanwhile, they would head to the Demon Realm.  

That was all.  

―You humans… Do you think we’d fall for the same trick twice? We’ll kill you before that!  

―Attack that fortress!  

Demons flew through the sky.  

At the forefront was the dragonkin, Shahanat. He roared in fury, his maw gaping wide.  

Dark demonic energy gathered within.  

Whooosh!  

Black flames engulfed the fortress.  

A breath attack. Not on par with a dragon’s, but still devastating.  

The fortress walls melted under the assault.  

The airborne demons launched a full-scale attack.  

“Hold the line! We must defend this place at all costs!”  

Dokgo-jun shouted urgently.  

The situation on the ground around the fortress was no different.  

―I don’t like this, but…  

“Wh-what the? Enemies!”  

Carousel teleported to the surface alone.  

The sudden appearance of enemies stunned the hunters and soldiers guarding the fortress.  

―Go forth, my children.  

She moved her hands as if dancing.  

A rumble came from below, and moments later—  

―Kyaaaaah!  

Giant plants emerged. 

Man-eating flora with razor-sharp teeth and club-like vines.  

As she waved her hand again, pollen scattered, and the ground became covered in vines.  

“Damn it…!”  

“Haaaa!”  

The pollen paralyzed the hunters, while the vines indiscriminately ensnared the soldiers.  

Meanwhile, more demons teleported in.  

―I don’t like it, but there’s no choice.  

Carousel led her legion—man-eating plants and insectoid demons—into battle.  

The ground and sky were filled with enemies.  

“What about the magic weapon?!”  

“Still preparing! Because of the last attack!”  

Much of the defensive infrastructure was destroyed, their forces were exhausted, and the enemies were endless.  

An overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation.  

But they had no intention of going down without a fight.  

―Seeing the humans defend so desperately, it seems our assumption wasn’t wrong…  

Shahanat observed the humans’ struggle as he approached the fortress.  

Then—  

Bang!  

―Guhk?!  

A bullet tore through the air.  

Before he could react, it pierced Shahanat’s right shoulder.  

―It pierced my scales?  

Shahanat looked down in shock.  

“Why is he here…?”  

“Woo-hoo! Another perfect shot today!”  

One of the biggest oddballs among the Rankers

A hunter who wielded firearms—the man known as the ‘Sniper with Demon Eyes’ was there.  

With his arrival, the tide of battle shifted.  

―Gyaaaaah!  

―Commander Sh-Shahanat!  

Han Chang-gyu fired his gun repeatedly.  

Bullets infused with divine power pierced through the demons. Though ‘bullets’ might be an understatement—they were more like cannon fire.  

“Kill those damn bastards!”  

“For the gods!”  

Simultaneously, divine magic rained down.  

The Crimson Crusade’s Holy Knights, led by Ryu Ilwoo, struck the falling demons.  

―They’re resisting desperately. How pointless…  

Shahanat smirked faintly at the humans’ struggle.  

Their desperation only confirmed his suspicions.  

―Destroy that fortress. Retrieve the Chalice!  

The battle intensified.  

* * *  

“It’s open.”  

The moment the demons moved to attack the surface, the barrier around the Demon Realm momentarily parted.  

Yoo Baek-jun seized the opportunity.  

Whoosh!  

“…….”  

The wraith used his unique ability on them. 

Yoo Baek-jun and his group’s forms grew faint.  

Jin Seo-yeon followed up with a flight spell. 

Their figures swiftly ascended into the sky.  

“This might be a bit disorienting.”  

Jin Seo-yeon weaved through the air to avoid the demons, causing Yoo Baek-jun and the others to endure intense nausea.  

But the speed was worth it.  

Thud!  

The group arrived in the Demon Realm.  

“This… isn’t what I expected.”  

Lee Jun-woo muttered as he looked around.  

Given that this was the ‘Demon Realm,’ he had imagined something akin to hell.  

But it was different.  

“…It’s bleak.”  

“Yeah.”  

The Demon Realm was a barren, desolate place.  

A colorless underground world of monochrome. 

There were bland structures and what looked like mine entrances.  

And an overwhelming number of demons.  

“Wait, this way.”  

Yoo Baek-jun led the group to a spot where the demons couldn’t see them.  

“…How do we proceed?”  

“We’ll split up as planned.”  

Yoo Baek-jun would lead himself, Lee Jun-woo, Jin Seo-yeon, and a few swordsmen.  

Meanwhile, Yoo Min would take Han Seong-ah and the majority of the swordsmen.  

“Mephisto will be recovering from his wounds. There’ll be a legion commander guarding him.”  

“…So we take out that legion commander?”  

“You catch on quick.”  

Yoo Min let out a deep sigh.  

Easier said than done. 

The moment they struck Mephisto, hordes of demons would swarm them.  

They’d have to hold them all off.  

“No wonder you brought so many people.”  

“Can I trust you, Sister?”  

“Don’t be creepy.”  

Yoo Min scowled.  

“…I’ll do my best.”  

Everyone stood up.  

Time was short.

They had to move fast.