The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

Fwoosh…!

The Night Crow repelled the chilling energy with their flames.

Seol and Karen instinctively grasped what kind of power Incomplete Combustion was. They realized how they should use it and how to unleash its potential.

"Ugh, I don't know! Let's just charge!"

Paf—!

With a smile on her face, Karen covered herself in flames and charged forward. Although her action seemed reckless, the actual pressure they emitted was far greater than before.

Swish—!

Agony slashed down from the Night Crow's shoulder.

Clang—!

Yaksha and the Night Crow clashed swords.

Clang, clang, clang—!

Agony's jagged blade slid, scraping against Yaksha's sword.

Swish—!

Yaksha retreated after shaking off Agony. No noticeable damage was done to Yaksha's sword.

"Tsk…"

Yaksha was a Cursed Sword—far more vicious and powerful than Agony.

Fwoosh…

[Incomplete Combustion's effect increases.]

Fwoosh—!

An inferno flared up once again.

While fighting, he could see Chi Woo and Seol Hong pushing Yagwanggwi and Maegu back.

At this point, they should be able to defeat all other Ghosts besides Yaksha.

'We must suppress it no matter what.'

Swoosh…

Yaksha's stance shifted, extending its position into a seemingly relaxed posture.

It was completely different from the stiff posture it had been using.

"Huh? What is it doing?"

"Karen… be careful."

"Should I be careful?"

Karen didn't know, so Seol explained it in a way she could understand.

"Yaksha… is a sword."

"Ah, got it…!"

Yaksha is a sword. The body of the swordsman wielding it was also a sword. Even its movements were swordsmanship. The relaxed motion it just did was swordsmanship. They were small movements that shouldn't be underestimated.

'Those conspicuously careless movements…'

Seol recalled the warning about Yaksha.

The warning came from what he knew about Yaksha, plus the information Spectre had given him.

- Yaksha uses many forms of swordsmanship, but there will be three that you will most likely struggle to face. In the past, we managed to suppress it only through sheer luck—not because the Ghost Realm overpowered it. Yaksha's sword…

[Yaksha used swordsmanship beyond understanding.]

[You cannot understand it.]

The first of Yaksha's special swordsmanship.

- It moves ahead of perception.

A form of swordsmanship conveniently named Preemptive Sword.

Seol quickly tried to take back control from Karen to counter this, but for some reason, Karen didn't yield.

'Karen…?!'

It was already too late.

Swoosh—!

Yaksha's sword was already right before them, moving faster than what they could see or hear.

Clang—!

"Karen!"

"…"

Karen blocked Yaksha's thrust with a gauntlet she made with Incomplete Combustion. Yaksha's sword had been aimed at the Night Crow's neck.

"Just watch."

[Incomplete Combustion's effect increases.]

Fwoosh—!

Bang—!

Yaksha hurriedly withdrew its sword and launched another attack.

Swoosh…

Bang—!

'How fast…!'

Yaksha moved at a speed that defied all reason.

To call this technique 'fast' felt like an understatement.

If Seol hadn't been merged with Karen, the first strike would have taken his head.

Swish…

Bang!

Somehow, it felt like Yaksha's sword could only reach the Night Crow's armor.

'This is as if…'

It felt as if every part of the Night Crow that could be struck was wrapped in armor.

'This can't be…'

Fwoosh!

Fwoosh!

[Incomplete Combustion's effect increases.]

Incomplete Combustion continued adding layers of armor to the Night Crow's body.

Despite the thick layer of armor, moving wasn’t uncomfortable, and since the armor was made of fire, it didn't feel heavy either.

At this moment, the Night Crow had grown enough in size to be comparable to Jamad.

Now fully encased in a massive balloon-like armor, Karen laughed while weaning a helmet completely covering her face, "Kyahaha! It tickles!"

Whoosh…

Once again, Yaksha's sword rushed in.

They couldn't afford to be careless since it seemed like Yaksha could see gaps in the armor.

Karen flinched and hurriedly responded every time it launched a chilling attack.

'Maybe not…?"

Crunch…

- …

"You can't easily take it out, huh?"

Yaksha's sword had gotten stuck in the gaps of the armor that the flames had forged. Seol was impressed.

'This was planned!'

Since the trajectory of Yaksha's sword was unpredictable, Karen could only guess where it would most likely strike.

Swoosh—!

Yaksha quickly pulled back, but it was a bit late—Karen had delivered a swift blow.

Crash—!

- Cough!

"It's satisfying how it's screaming."

Yaksha's body spun and tumbled across the ground.

Crack…

It stood up, reassembling its broken bones as if it were a soft-body creature. It was a fight between monsters.

"Well done!"

"YEAH!"

"Kill it for good!"

"Finish it off!"

Due to the spectators around them, it felt as if they were in an arena.

- Ah…

Suddenly, Yaksha grabbed its mask and let out a sound.

"Huh? What? You can talk?"

Karen calmly stood, waiting for Yaksha's reaction.

Swoosh—!

Yaksha lifted its head and said.

- Ah, it hurts, damn it.

"Is the mask the one speaking…?"

The mask glared at the Night Crow with angry eyes.

'It broke…'

Part of Yaksha's mask had broke. More precisely, it was the part of the mask covering the swordsman’s left eye, along with their eyebrow and forehead.

The skin that had been stuck to the mask was now exposed.

"Ugh… Disgusting…"

"What's what…?"

"What a disgusting monster…"

Those who witnessed the fight noisily chatted.

- Shut up…

Yaksha—the demonic spirit within the mask—shouted.

- I said shut up!

BZZT—!

Once again, the power of the Barrier Stone manifested.

Tsss…

"Run!"

"Wh-what?"

"Argh!"

While screaming, people fled from Yaksha's space. Soon, Yaksha's rampage began.

The surrounding scenery continuously shifted.

"Ugh!"

"Jamad! Are you okay?"

"It's trying to move to somewhere ridiculous."

"What…?"

"Stop it! It's dangerous!"

The Night Crow nodded and charged toward Yaksha.

- Hihi…

Yaksha greeted the Night Crow with a sinister grin.

[Yaksha used swordsmanship beyond understanding.]

[You cannot understand it.]

Swoosh…

The moment Yaksha's sword began vibrating, Seol recalled the second of Yaksha's three sword techniques.

- The second one is called Vibrating Sword. At the moment of clash, you're going to feel like you're being sucked in, so be cautious about engaging head-on.

Seol and Karen came up with the same countermeasure simultaneously.

Fwoosh—!

The giant armor surrounding the Night Crow dissolved into flames.

Fwoosh—!

Enveloped in flames, the Night Crow's sword thrust between Yaksha's ribs.

- Eek!

Clang—!

Yaksha blocked Agony exactly where the strike was aimed.

Swoosh…

"Ugh…"

All of Spectre's warnings were spot on. Even a slight clash with Yaksha's sword made you unable to move due to the strange energy it emanated.

The only fortunate thing was that it seemed Yaksha had to use quite a bit of mental strength to use such power.

Swoosh…

Yaksha asked.

- Hey, what's your name?

Karen and Seol hesitated. They weren't sure if Yaksha was addressing them, but it soon clarified its target.

- You, the demonic spirit.

Agony, who was wrestling against Yaksha's sword, opened its eyes wide.

【Huh? Me?】

- Why is a demonic spirit like you a subordinate of a human?

【But I’m not a subordinate.】

- You aren't a subordinate? Then what is it?

Agony fell into thought while blinking.

Agony briefly glanced upward as if it were unsure how to answer.

【Uh… do I have to answer that?】

- So you've been brainwashed.

Swoosh…

A small portion of Yaksha's main form started to emerge from its mask. Its black, sinister appearance was similar to when Seol had first encountered Agony.

- You're a demonic spirit. Have you given up on slaughter and torment?

【Agony isn't interested in that anymore…】

- You fool! You have that much power and don't even know how to use it! Hurry, take over that human's body!

Agony looked at the Night Crow, then replied to Yaksha.

【Uh… but won't he get angry if I do that…?】

- So you've been completely tamed. Listen carefully.

Whoosh…

A massive demonic spirit emerged from Yaksha's sword. It appeared like the embodiment of malice.

- There's only one path allowed for a demonic spirit. We have no choice. We're beings who were born out of malice, and we repay it with malice.

Yaksha looked down at Agony.

- If you refuse that, I'm going to devour you once this fight is over.

【Huh… but I don't want that…】

- Hihi… So, decide. Will you walk the path of a demonic spirit or become part of me?

As Yaksha threatened Agony, Agony carefully chose an answer.

【Agony… likes the old days.】

- What…?

【I liked the deaths that took place on the battlefield and rinsing my mouth with blood. Ah… those were good times.】

Yaksha and Agony were talking after being transferred to a wasteland.

【But… there are things in the world Agony likes more. I like it when someone wakes me up in the morning. I like falling asleep by the fire. I like flowers. I like diving too.】

Swoosh…

Agony emerged from the sword and grew, just like Yaksha.

Agony kept getting bigger.

【Agony likes things as they are now.】

Yaksha frowned and said.

- That doesn't change your nature. You were born a demonic spirit, so you will live as one forever.

Swoosh…

Agony kept growing.

【Agony doesn't plan to live forever. I was born a demonic spirit and will die as Agony. I don't want to follow the path of a demonic spirit anymore.】

Agony glanced at Seol.

【I like to see him smiling. Agony will follow Agony's path.】

- You cannot change.

【Change? Has Agony changed?】

Agony tilted his head before concluding.

【No! Agony is currently changing!】

GUOO…

Agony kept growing.

Now, it was even bigger than Yaksha's true form.

Agony's existence was a miracle born of small miracles.

Although its cradle was death, its grave was life.

It could no longer be defined as merely a demonic spirit.

【I'm Agony! I was born on the battlefield…!】

Crunch—!

Agony pressed its forehead against Yaksha's.

【I'm going to save the one who's trapped and crying inside you. So don't even think of giving me orders.】

The citizens of Khan and others who witnessed the scene felt a greater fear from Agony than Yaksha.

【How dare someone who's even smaller than me…】

- What…?

Crash!

Crash—!

Agony reared its head back and slammed it down repeatedly.

- Ugh!

【Agony Headbutt! Agony Forehead Hammer!】

Only when Yaksha could no longer endure Agony's harassment did it return to the sword, and did Agony return to the sword as well

[Incomplete Combustion's effect increases.]

Fwoosh—!

Upon seizing the moment, the Night Crow gathered flames from inside.

- Ugh… Agh!

Yaksha withdrew Vibrating Sword and clutched its mask.

At that moment.

BZZT—!

" Seol! Prepare yourself!"

Whoosh…

At that moment, there was a sensation as if the ground beneath them was collapsing.

The ground had disappeared.

'What…?'

Upon looking around, he noticed that the clouds were now lower than eye level. Yaksha used the power of the Barrier Stone to transfer them to an absurd height.

'Damn it…'

There was no way he could save everyone while falling.

Swoosh—!

The group began falling.

However, it didn't seem like Yaksha had intended this transfer either.

BZZT—!

Another transfer occurred mid-air.

It had already been hard to breathe, but now, it felt as if their chests were about to explode.

Veins were bulging on Jamad's forehead. He was trying to stop the transfer and the rampage.

'Here…'

They were transported to a pitch-black space.

Where were they?

Everyone struggled to breathe.

In the darkness, Seol spotted a glowing light.

It was massive. And it was getting closer.

'No way…'

Seol realized they were underwater, and the approaching light was actually the eye of a giant deep-sea fish.

Creak…

As the deep-sea fish opened its mouth, the entire space holding back Yaksha was being sucked into its maw.

BZZT—!

Just before the fish could close its mouth, they managed to transfer again.

As they landed on solid ground, Jamad collapsed.

Cough…

"It's rampaging! Seol."

"Jamad!"

"The next one… I won't be able to…"

The power of the Barrier Stone went berserk.

Amid the unexpected situation, Seol quickly searched for the source of the trouble, Yaksha.

And he became speechless at what he saw.

Crash—!

Crack!

Yaksha was hitting its own mask.

"AAAHHH!"

Yaksha kept pounding its mask with its fist.

"ARGH!"

"That…"

"AAAAHHHH!"

It was crying.

Tears were dripping from the eye holes of Yaksha's mask.

"AAAHHH! GET OUT! GET OUT!"

Seol's heart sank.

It was a sight he didn't want to face but one he absolutely had to.

To save it, he had to meet it.

Drip…

Yaksha stopped moving.

Swoosh…

It began moving strangely.

It brought its hands together and spread its legs shoulder-width apart. It was a basic stance, like the first one you learned while holding a sword.

It should have been laughable, considering that the result of this fight would decide Khan's future.

However, neither Seol nor Karen laughed.

They also took up their stances.

Swoosh…

Spectre's last piece of advice.

- When I grabbed Yaksha… I felt something strange—a pure energy that didn't belong to him at all. That's why I named it Yaksha's Three Swords. If you sense an odd presence coming from him…

Clack…

'It's coming!'

WHOOSH—!

A huge wind pressure was accompanying the slash coming at them.

[Yaksha used Exceptional Skill: One-Mind Cut.]

[Cut your target.]

- Keep in mind that you might need to retreat for now.

'The Sword of One Heart…!'

Spectre was wrong.

This wasn't Yaksha's swordsmanship. It was the unique swordsmanship Seol's piece, which had now become Yaksha's body, used.

CRASH—!

The ground that had been gouged showcased the power of the Sword of One Heart.

Layer by layer…

As Yaksha was being peeled away, the being Seol had been seeking finally emerged.

Seol asked.

"Your name?"

"I… don't… know… ah… ugh…"

Grind…

Upon hearing that response, Seol clenched his teeth hard.

"I'm going to save you…"