Worship Me.

Moyong Hwi rolled across the ground.
However, he regained his stance in an instant.
When he looked back, he saw the man called Myeong-gong staring at him triumphantly.

‘What was that?’

What had just happened?
The impact had felt as though someone had struck his back with a wooden club.
At that moment, blood streamed from his nose.
It wasn’t only his nose. Blood also flowed from his eyes and ears.
Only then did he realize the nature of the attack.

‘Sound Art?’

The Lion’s Roar or Azure Dragon Roar.
They were techniques that attacked an opponent through sound.
However, this was different from them.
Sound Arts worked by infusing one’s voice with internal energy and using the resulting waves to throw an opponent’s true qi into turmoil.
They were martial arts that destroyed the body from within.
They could not produce a physical impact like this.
Meanwhile, Myeong-gong slowly walked toward Moyong Hwi.

“Are you finished with your little tricks?”

Moyong Hwi bit his lip and raised his sword.
His plan to escape had failed.
Myeong-gong slowly raised his hand.
It was an ordinary movement that carried no discernible presence.
However, Moyong Hwi knew how much power it contained.
‘I can’t block it. In that case!’

Moyong Hwi thrust his sword.
At that moment, Myeong-gong gave a cruel smile.
By the time Moyong Hwi realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
Chwaak!
Myeong-gong’s claws tore across Moyong Hwi’s chest.
His speed was entirely different from before.

‘He was toying with me until the very end! With me, Moyong Hwi!’

Moyong Hwi’s face contorted.
That realization hurt him more than the pain in his chest.
The hand had already reached his face.
Moyong Hwi sensed his end.
At that moment.
Kkwaang!
The figure before him disappeared amid an explosive roar.
Suspended in midair was a figure with a face familiar to Moyong Hwi.
Gleaming eyes.
A savage smile filled with delight.

Deureureureuk.
Myeong-gong lowered his arm after being driven backward.
He frowned at his trembling arm.
He then raised his head and looked at the person who had attacked him.
A muscular young man.
No, judging by his face alone, he looked as young as a boy.
However, the young man carried a scent unlike that of an ordinary human.
Myeong-gong sniffed the air.

‘…Yokai power. A considerable amount of it.’

Had that boy also received power from another yokai?
That couldn’t be.
That was a Power possessed only by their master.
Even they had received only a portion of that power. It had never been given to them outright.
It had merely been lent to them.
Their master could reclaim it whenever they wished.
However, the yokai power Myeong-gong sensed from the young man was different.
It was like that of a yokai.
The young man, Gyo-ha, spoke.

“You’re the Apostle?”
“…It seems someone had a loose tongue. I am Myeong-gong, the Sixth Apostle.”
“Sixth.”

Gyo-ha repeated the word under his breath.

“That means there are at least five more like you.”

At the very least.
Myeong-gong frowned after realizing his mistake.
He closed his mouth.
However, his gaze soon grew cold.

“You are hastening your own death.”

Gyo-ha grinned and took his stance.
In an instant, Myeong-gong’s arm shot toward Gyo-ha.
His claws gleamed sharply.
However.
Teop.
Gyo-ha’s hand stopped Myeong-gong’s arm.

‘…He stopped me?’

Myeong-gong’s brow furrowed.
Kkiririk.
Although Gyo-ha was merely gripping his wrist, the sound of grinding metal rang out.
And he was not merely blocking him.

“Heup!”

Gyo-ha’s muscles swelled as he began pushing Myeong-gong back.
Myeong-gong’s expression stiffened at the sight.

‘…Even if this isn’t my true form, a mere human pushing me back? Me? Lord Myeong-gong?’

His face trembled.
However, Myeong-gong still had his other hand.
His other hand swung toward Gyo-ha’s head.
At that moment, Gyo-ha twisted his body while still pushing away his arm.
Pat!
Gyo-ha’s foot struck the incoming arm and knocked it aside.
Gyo-ha didn’t stop there.
He used the force of Myeong-gong’s resistance to accelerate even further.
His body whirled around.
And at the same moment, a lotus bloomed from Gyo-ha’s foot.

Whirling Lotus Kick.

Kwang!
The kick struck Myeong-gong’s face and forced him to stagger backward.
Gyo-ha quickly pursued him.
In an instant, Gyo-ha had closed the distance and entered Myeong-gong’s reach.
Gyo-ha’s eyes flashed.

Descending Goose Fist, Revised.

A storm of attacks followed.
Gyo-ha’s arms, elbows, and shoulders battered Myeong-gong in rapid succession.
Myeong-gong’s body jolted beneath the blows.

‘How dare he! How dare he!’

Myeong-gong’s eyes turned red. At that moment, Gyo-ha’s body faltered.
His injured left arm had disrupted the flow of his combination.
Myeong-gong didn’t miss the opening.
He opened his mouth.

‘Is he trying to bite me?’

However, there was still distance between them.
Gyo-ha tried to drive his shoulder into Myeong-gong’s jaw.
He thought Myeong-gong intended to bite because he had not witnessed the earlier attack.
However, the hairs on his head stood on end.
A warning.
Gyo-ha reacted immediately.
He hurriedly leaned his upper body back.

“Awooooo!”

Sound-Shattering Roar!

A wave of sound surged outward.
The air distorted visibly.
Myeong-gong’s eyes shifted downward as he unleashed the Sound-Shattering Roar.

“…!”

When he twisted his head, the wave of sound changed direction.

‘It can change direction too?!’

Gyo-ha planted a hand on the ground and rolled sideways.
Kwagagagang!
The ground was torn apart in pursuit of him.
The wave seemed ready to overtake him at any moment.
However, the attack didn’t last long.
After releasing the wave, Myeong-gong drew another breath.
Gyo-ha rose and licked his lips.

‘So there are techniques like this too.’

It was not a human technique.
It was a technique made possible because he was a yokai.
Unlike Gyo-ha, whose eyes shone with excitement, Myeong-gong’s face was filled with fury.

“…You are certainly different from those pieces of trash.”

At the word trash, Moyong Hwi, who had been staring blankly, pressed his lips together.
Myeong-gong paid him no attention and continued staring only at Gyo-ha.
Even that was humiliating.
Moyong Hwi had not used his full strength either.
Had he truly committed himself to fighting, he could have continued.
However, there had been no reason to take such a risk.
He had comrades. He had forces.
It had been a strategic decision. Dangerous missions required sacrifices.
That was how it should have been.
It should have been that way, but…

‘That bastard.’

Gyo-ha had ruined everything.
Moyong Hwi had only been overwhelmed because his opponent had used an unknown technique.
He could have escaped.
However, judging by Gyo-ha’s actions, he had clearly known about it beforehand.
Had he not also known that the creature was called an Apostle?

‘He knew and still withheld information.’

Gyo-ha had merely reacted on instinct, but Moyong Hwi didn’t see it that way.
Such a reaction should have been nearly impossible.
That was why his anger turned toward Gyo-ha rather than Myeong-gong.

“If you are not going to fight, get out of the way.”

When Moyong Hwi looked to the side, Namgung Hyeok was already there.
Everyone who had surrounded Jegal Yeon lay defeated. Namgung Hyeok had taken them all down.
Jegal Yeon’s gaze was cold as she looked at Moyong Hwi.
Moyong Hwi grimaced.

‘Damn it.’

Meanwhile, Namgung Hyeok walked past him.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Gyo-ha greeted him without taking his eyes off Myeong-gong.

“I could handle him alone.”
“He’s hiding something.”

Gyo-ha glanced at Namgung Hyeok. He was watching Myeong-gong with a deeply tense expression.
He could not sense yokai power, but he seemed to have noticed something.
Master had once told Gyo-ha something.
Some people who encountered inhuman beings awakened spiritual perception.
Namgung Hyeok was likely such a case.
Gyo-ha had also been unable to shake the chilling sensation he felt from the moment he saw Myeong-gong.
A powerful opponent.
The inside of his mouth grew increasingly dry.
Myeong-gong clicked his tongue as he looked at Gyo-ha and Namgung Hyeok.

“To think I would have to reveal my true form to mere humans.”

Sounds began coming from Myeong-gong’s body.
Tak, ttadak.
His bones and organs shifted within him.
At the same time, Myeong-gong’s body gradually swelled. His clothing could not withstand the expansion and began tearing apart.
Gyo-ha clenched his fist to attack, then lowered it.
Myeong-gong was watching him closely.
He appeared to be waiting for Gyo-ha to charge.

‘Looks like he can fight while transforming.’

In that case, Gyo-ha could not rush in carelessly.
He smacked his lips in disappointment.
Meanwhile, Myeong-gong completed his transformation.
He had already been larger than Gyo-ha, but now his body had grown at least twice as large.
A protruding muzzle. Sharp teeth and gleaming eyes.
His upper body was covered in brown fur and had grown grotesquely massive, while his back was hunched.

‘…A dog.’

He looked like a wild dog.
The beast’s mouth opened.

[Foolish humans. Worship me.]

The ground rumbled when he spoke.
Myeong-gong made no effort to conceal his ferocious presence.

“What in the world is that…?”

Moyong Hwi’s voice came from behind him, but Gyo-ha didn’t hear it.
His eyes contained only Myeong-gong.

‘He really is terrifying.’

In terms of yokai power alone, he was comparable to Mok-geum.
However, Mok-geum had been more skilled in sorcery than combat.
Myeong-gong was different.
His killing intent and fighting spirit pricked Gyo-ha’s skin.
Namgung Hyeok’s expression also stiffened beside him.
However.

‘He isn’t so strong that I can’t fight him.’

He was not on the level of the sword yokai or Spider Sis.
Gyo-ha clenched his fists.
Myeong-gong lowered his body in response.

“He’s coming.”

It was Namgung Hyeok’s voice.
But Gyo-ha had known even without hearing him.

[Awooooooooooooo!]

Myeong-gong’s roar shook the earth.
It wasn’t the same sort of Sound Art as before.
However, it contained a force that cowed everyone who heard it.
Myeong-gong’s legs tensed against the ground.
Pat!
Myeong-gong’s figure vanished before surging directly in front of Gyo-ha. His agility was completely at odds with his enormous size.

“Keuk!”

Gyo-ha quickly twisted his body. Myeong-gong’s massive claws sliced through the air and grazed his chest.
Chwaak!
Blood sprayed, but Gyo-ha did not stop. Instead, he lowered his body and drove into Myeong-gong’s reach before thrusting out his palm.

Red Blossom Palm!

Kuung!
Myeong-gong’s enormous body was pushed backward, but he laughed mockingly.

[Is that all!]

Myeong-gong’s hand immediately came crashing down. Gyo-ha raised his arm to block it, but the overwhelming force drove him into the ground.
Kwang!
A deep crater formed beneath him.
Gyo-ha shook his head, got up, and looked at Myeong-gong.
More precisely, he looked at the chest where the Red Blossom Palm had struck.
Myeong-gong’s blood stained chest.
Flesh and fur were tangled together, but Myeong-gong appeared unconcerned.
He had not even attempted to defend himself.
He had good reason not to.

‘…He’s tough.’

The strike had only damaged his hide.
Even that shallow wound was rapidly healing.
Myeong-gong roared once again.
Kung!
He closed the distance in an instant.
Gyo-ha moved to avoid his attacks. Even as he evaded them by a hair’s breadth, he continued striking with his fists. However, none of his blows landed properly. Myeong-gong’s body was tougher than expected.
At that moment.
Flash!
Lightning erupted from Namgung Hyeok’s sword and pierced sharply toward Myeong-gong’s flank.

“Heuaaaap!”

Kwajik!
Lightning engulfed Myeong-gong’s body.

Boundless Firmament Sword Art.
Thunderlight Flash.

It was a clean strike from Myeong-gong’s blind spot.
However, Namgung Hyeok’s expression was grim.
Chijijik.
As the lightning faded, black smoke rose.
A gamey, burnt stench assailed his nose.
Beyond the smoke, Namgung Hyeok saw a pair of gleaming blue eyes.

[That gave me quite a jolt.]

Myeong-gong smiled savagely.
Buung!
Myeong-gong’s claws swept toward Namgung Hyeok.
At that moment, Gyo-ha stepped in front of him.
Kwang!
Both of them were hurled backward, but Gyo-ha’s intervention allowed them to avoid the claws.
The two staggered to their feet.
Myeong-gong didn’t give them time to recover.
Myeong-gong smacked his lips and spread both arms wide. Gyo-ha’s eyes widened when he saw the stance.

‘Danger!’

“Fall back!”

The moment Gyo-ha shouted, Myeong-gong opened his mouth wide. This time, pressure on an entirely different level came crashing down upon them.
Sound-Shattering Roar!

[Awooooooooo!]

A massive shock wave engulfed them like a tidal wave.