A silence as if the world had stopped. The sword qi that had formed at the tip of the sword lost its shape and crumbled like pollen.

“…Why did you stop?”

Peng Geun-u muttered, looking down at the sword that was digging into his collarbone under his half-tilted head.

It was as he said.

The sword had torn through the protective qi and had stopped just as it was about to cut diagonally from his shoulder to below his neck.

“Did you hold back? To withdraw the sword qi in that instant…”

Peng Geun-u made a bitter expression and coughed, having suffered an internal injury.

But the reality was different from Peng Geun-u’s speculation.

‘I’m out of mana.’

I tried my best to hide my wavering eyes and hardened my expression.

All the remaining internal energy and mana had been exhausted in breaking through the protective qi. That’s why it had stopped without even being able to pierce the collarbone.

To think a sword would be blocked by a human bone. He had an incredible bone structure. If Peng Geun-u hadn’t been mistaken, the losing side would have been us by now.

‘There’s no need to show it.’

I sheathed my sword without a word. At that sight, Peng Geun-u bowed his head as if in remorse.

“I’m ashamed to have been so confident of victory and to have been beaten in reverse. This is a complete defeat.”

Looking at him, who was showing his respect with his injured arm, I just nodded my head. It was to avoid showing that I was out of breath by opening my mouth for no reason.

With that, I looked at Gu Dong and Lee Huimun and said briefly.

“Let’s rest.”

As if moved by the words and actions that seemed to be considerate of his comrades, the two’s eyes became bright.

“Great Hero…”

“You could have just gone, but you’re a guy like that.”

To others, it would have looked like I was insisting on standing guard even though I could have just gone back since I had obtained the luminous pearl.

“I’ve lost in many ways.”

Peng Geun-u, who had been watching this scene from the side, shook his head and approached me.

“With your skills, great hero, you could have escaped the canyon alone, but that chivalry of being with your comrades! I can’t help but be moved.”

He was still thinking something wrong.

‘It’s because I have no strength.’

In a state where I had used up all my mana and internal energy like now, I couldn’t even hang on, let alone climb the canyon. So I had no choice but to take time to recover.

I threw the jade stone in my bosom and began to form a formation. This place was a place where the power of the five elements, including the yin qi, had gathered.

After constructing a formation to increase the efficiency of qi circulation, we all went in.

“You should also come and tend to your internal injuries.”

“It’s alright. I’ve already stopped the bleeding. Instead, I will stand guard as a sign of apology for the attack earlier.”

Peng Geun-u said, shaking his head.

Since the match was already decided, he wasn’t the type to be so petty as to fight twice, so I closed my two eyes without worry and entered into qi circulation.

As I sat in the canyon, where a lot of mana and yin qi could be felt, and concentrated, mana began to fill up inside my circle.

‘The speed of qi accumulation is much faster than before.’

Perhaps thanks to having achieved the second circle, I could feel the mana filling up quite quickly.

‘If I try to fill up my mana and internal energy so rapidly, my mental strength and the fatigue of my circle will be quickly worn down, but recovery is the priority right now.’

For example, it’s the same principle as how you can be a little more active if you rest for a while after a strenuous exercise, but you can’t repeat this several times.

Nevertheless, in this perilous place, the recovery of strength was more important than anything else.

I let out a long breath and observed my inside. A wider energy vein, two circles, and mana that was filling up much faster than usual.

And how much time had passed like that. I could feel something invading the formation I had spread out. To be precise, it was a sensation as if it were brushing past.

Drip-

“Huh?”

When I was the first to react and lift my head, a single cold drop of water fell on my forehead.

“This is…!”

A single drop of water that had fallen from the crack high above the canyon. What it meant was clear.

“It’s rain!”

I jumped up from my seat and called Lee Huimun and Gu Dong.

“We have to go inside quickly. Get ready to run.”

“Is there a need for that?”

Peng Geun-u, who was next to me, asked, looking at the falling raindrops. It must have felt strange that I was reacting like this to just a few thick raindrops. But it wasn’t like that at all.

“This is a canyon. It’s the lowest point. And in front of this is a mountain. All water flows from top to bottom. If it rains and the stream becomes a river and a rapid, where will that water flow?”

“…It would be here.”

Right now, it was just a few drops, but soon all the rainfall in the area would cover this canyon.

‘It’s already too late to climb.’

A stream of water was already flowing along the canyon wall.

The fact that the canyon was slippery was one thing, but there was a very high possibility of being swept away by the downstream that was pouring down like a waterfall while climbing and falling.

‘No wonder the wall was so smooth.’

Gurgle-

An ominous sound of water was gradually increasing along the cliff.

“We’re heading inside.”

We had no choice but to head inside the cave that was formed inside the canyon.

“Considering the low mist and the weather conditions I checked before it came, there’s a high possibility that it’s a shower. First, we’ll go to the highest possible ground and hold out until the water recedes.”

When I stepped up and took the lead, everyone followed without a word. Because the sound of the pouring water in the distance was already unusual.

“Then what happens to the exam?”

Peng Geun-u asked as we were walking inside the cave.

“We have to find a way. Let’s worry about survival first.”

In fact, an exam also includes a relative concept. In a situation full of variables like now, just surviving might be the best thing to do.

And so, as we were moving along the cave where the wind was seeping in, a large cavity appeared in front.

“Oh, over there!”

Just then, Gu Dong pointed to the ceiling of the cavity. It was a luminous pearl.

“It’s moving again.”

It was another giant centipede. As if it had received an order from the King of Insects in advance, it seemed to be rushing in upon discovering a student.

But this side, excluding myself, was one peak master and two first-rates.

Soon, a sword path flashed, and seeing the giant centipede that had been cut into pieces and had dropped the luminous pearl, a slight tremor was felt beyond the cave.

“They’re coming again. It’s not just one or two.”

Peng Geun-u, who had a bright qi sense, spoke first.

Perhaps because many of the caves had been flooded due to the rain, I could feel the bugs gathering in this wide cavity.

“There’s no need to go around looking for them.”

I answered as if it were a good thing. Although it was partly due to the [Arrogant Young Master], such a chaotic battle was my specialty.

“They’re coming.”

Since we had become a team anyway, it was better to take them all with me. To do that, it would be good to let them have one luminous pearl each.

“Kieeeek!”

I aimed a fireball at the group of bugs that were rushing out of the cave.

And so, the battle began.

* * *

A little later, what was left was a pile of ashes and the giant insects that were scattered in pieces.

“I think we’ve caught nearly 50 of them.”

Lee Huimun said, letting out a ragged breath. I threw him one of the luminous pearls I had obtained last.

“This is the end.”

The number of luminous pearls obtained from hunting this group of bugs was two. Considering what we had obtained before, it meant that each person now had one luminous pearl.

“The bugs coming here are gradually decreasing. It should be a bit more comfortable now.”

At Peng Geun-u’s words, I shook my head.

“We have to move.”

The water level was gradually rising, and the fact that the bugs were not coming here meant that this cavity was no longer safe.

‘I waited in case Baek Hasin would come, but did we miss each other?’

Since he was the protagonist, I had thought he would be fine on his own and had left him, but in a crisis situation like this, I couldn’t just leave him.

If we can’t meet like this, it can’t be helped.

‘Let’s think about joining up if we can.’

I, who had organized my thoughts, proposed to the team members.

“Let’s head to a higher place.”

I deliberately took the body of an ant-type bug that I had left half-alive and put it on the Muhak Sword, and then I lifted it.

And then I brought it to each of the several cave entrances. Among them, I moved, centering on the place where the guy’s antennae were twitching and reacting.

Since there would be a signal that the giant ants exchanged when moving to a safe place, it was a method of using their instincts in reverse.

As we went up, cutting down the bugs that were wandering in the middle of the road, a wide space appeared again.

But strangely, there were no bugs here.

“It’s too quiet…”

As Peng Geun-u said, since nothing could be seen in this wide space, only an uneasy silence was felt.

“Perhaps the bugs have already moved to another place.”

“To say that, this place is also high enough.”

No matter how much the amount of water rising inside the canyon was, it was not to the extent of coming all the way up here yet.

It meant that it was still a safe zone.

‘But the fact that there are no bugs here means…’

Either there was a reason to avoid this place, or it was deliberately left empty.

Clang-!

In an instant, Peng Geun-u drew his saber with a serious gaze. And soon, I, who had sensed a strange vibration, also lifted my sword.

“This is a bit dangerous.”

Crunch! Rustle! Crunch! Rustle!

Numerous giant insects coming up along several passages. Their number seemed to be at least a hundred.

“Is it a trap?”

Peng Geun-u’s voice, as if he were flustered. He probably never thought he would be led like this.

‘Should I have been more careful? No, it’s meaningless anyway.’

The only one who can handle giant insects of this scale is the King of Insects, Go Dugyeong.

If he had been determined, there would have been no possibility for this side to win.

And most of all, fighting with an insect master in a cave-type maze-like interior was ridiculous from the beginning.

Unless you were a super master with a considerable level of qi sense, it was only a matter of time before you were surrounded at some point.

Both the ability and the terrain were extremely disadvantageous. And on top of that, it was a situation where we were already surrounded.

“What are you going to do?”

Several gazes, including Peng Geun-u’s, were directed at me. In fact, there is no answer in this case. They would just fight and be consumed, and in the end, they would meet a miserable end, surrounded by bugs.

If it were the original way, that is.

I gathered my mana. And then I operated my mana and interfered with the damp air.

I gather the moisture in the air and then lower the temperature. Then, a mist that began to rise around us.

“Ooh?! Is it a formation? Great Hero?”

“It’s always amazing to see.”

I erased a considerable amount of this side’s smell and sound with the mist. Although I couldn’t do anything about the vibration.

‘This isn’t what’s important.’

In fact, even after reaching the second circle, the types of magic I could use had not increased dramatically.

The reason was that I didn’t have a magic book.

No matter how outstanding my talent was, I couldn’t just create magic out of thin air.

That’s why I had endured until now based on the elemental magic and the use of mana that I had instinctively learned when I first opened my eyes to the circle.

But this time, as I had reached the second circle, the structuring and application of my mana had greatly increased, and as a result, something like this had become possible.

Crackle!

I scattered the electric shock on the floor like a net. The insect that was approaching was stiffened by the electric shock magic that was shot, avoiding my comrades.

At the same time, I stretched out my palm, which had compressed the wind magic, towards the front.

Clang-!

In an instant, a hole in the shape of a palm was made in the mist. What was beyond it was the head of a giant insect that was in a state of stiffness.

I had applied wind magic and had given a shock like a palm wind to the part corresponding to the insect’s brain.

An electric shock and a shock. The insect’s body staggered as if it had lost consciousness for a moment.

But that was also for a moment, and soon the giant insect shook its head and then scanned its surroundings with its antennae as if it were confused.

In an instant, the connection with the insect master was cut. It meant that the control had been temporarily released due to the electric shock and shock. But that was for a moment.

Again, as if the insect master had brought back his control, the giant insect, which had been flinching, glared at me.

But that was enough.

‘Found it.’

Because I was able to grasp the location of the King of Insects.

“Get ready. We’re breaking through now.”

I quietly gave a signal to my comrades. The goal was the base of the King of Insects.

At the same time, we formed a formation and rushed into the thickly spread mist.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep