Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Naga Queen (3)

Nagas flocked from everywhere. Unlike the ghouls and vampires that vanished when the Jewel of Darkness broke, they didn’t die.

However, they were just alive and not a threat. Their attack power was almost lost.

If Kang-jun wanted to, it would be a one-sided slaughter. However, they were only ordinary troops while the naga queen was still alive.

"You will die before the wrath of the nagas.”

Supak!

Flashes of sharp spears aimed toward him.

Kwaang!

The earth, rocks and pillars supporting the fortress were broken.

Just looking at the upper body, the naga queen was slender. She was only four metres tall, so she wasn’t gigantic like the ghoul lord.

Due to the fact that her lower body was a long snake, she ended up being a similar height to Kang-jun.

Her whole body was bloody. A portion of her waist seemed to be cut off due to Heksia’s whip.

Nevertheless, the strength in her eyes hadn’t died at all. It was like she was going to wield the spear until her last breath.

Kakang! Kang!

Kang-jun had already experienced the power of her spear while battling her clone. He knew the pattern and was confident that he could win if facing a clone again.

However, the original was on an entirely different level. It was the same spear but the power itself was different. It felt like he was facing a brick wall.

Kakang! Kakakak! Hwiririk!

‘Ugh!’

Kang-jun used his sword to block the offensive but was eventually blown away.

He hadn’t been pushed back by the power.

Normally, she would be beyond the level of Kang-jun but at present, the naga queen had received a fatal blow from Heksia and lost a lot of strength due to the destruction of the Jewel of Darkness.

Nevertheless, her spear seemed like it was alive and fooled Kang-jun.

Kakang! Kakakak! Hwiririk!

After a few strikes, she either pushed Kang-jun’s sword back or used the rebound to deal a blast of power.

The surging blows gave him no room to breathe!

Kang-jun moved desperately to avoid any damage.

A decisive blow would damage him, so Kang-jun used his experience to avoid and respond to the naga queen.

And once in a while, Kang-jun struck back.

It wasn’t simply due to his superior agility and reflexes but also his footwork. It was hard for the naga queen to predict where Kang-jun would move to.

Whenever she missed Kang-jun’s movement for a moment, there would be a flash. The flash would deal considerable impact to the naga queen.

It was the same this time as well.

The naga queen staggered.

"Ugh! You have pretty amazing swordsmanship. However, it is still insufficient. If I had a little more strength left, you would already be dead.”

Just like the clone, the naga queen had pride in her spear. At the same time, she was curious about Kang-jun’s swordsmanship and felt like competing.

Kang-jun stared at her silently. In fact, he had no energy to answer.

He didn’t know how many attacks he had received. He also couldn’t count how many times he had used Heavenly Cut.

The problem was that he now had no more black magic energy! He had potions but he would by pierced by the naga queen’s spear before he could drink it.

'Shit! She is really strong. Despite being injured, she can still do this much damage.’

Anyway, he had survived so far.

His black magic energy was depleted but he had half his health remaining. He was pushed by the naga queen’s spear but he never received a decisive blow.

How long could he endure like this?

This was a place where one couldn’t escape unless one side was killed. Otherwise, it would be impossible to escape outside the barrier.

Of course, it would be possible if he died. In that case, he couldn’t come back again.

He had heard it from Heksia, so Kang-jun knew that if neither of them died, he would be trapped in this state. He might not be able to wake up from Hwanmong. He would become trapped in the world of Hwanmong.

Therefore, he had to finish it quickly.

Kill the naga queen, even if Kang-jun himself had to die.

Of course, Kang-jun was thinking of killing the naga queen.

He didn’t want to die if it wasn’t needed. He would fight.

Kang-jun’s eyes gleamed as he gazed at the naga queen.

At that time, the naga queen’s eyes also shone like she had the same idea.

“I will send you away now, human sovereign.”

"Those are my words.”

Kang-jun’s sword and the naga queen’s spear collided.

Chang! Chachachang! Kakang!

Kang-jun blocked the naga queen’s spears while counterattacking at the same time.

After a while, Kang-jun grasped the naga queen’s attack pattern just as the queen’s energy had fallen.

Kang-jun’s sword sliced the naga queen’s right forearm.

Chwaack!

"Ugh!"

Her spear fell to the ground from the shock.

“Ah.”

The queen seemed more confused about dropping the spear than the pain. Kang-jun grinned and stabbed his sword toward her chest.

At the same time, the naga queen extended her left hand.

Syuk!

She was holding a long awl reminiscent of a sword and stuck it in Kang-jun’s chest.

Puok!

“Ugh!”

It pierced the Ghoul Lord’s Heavy Armour and he was hit by the naga queen’s hidden weapon. Fortunately, the awl hadn’t reached his heart. 

It was because Kang-jun’s sword had also penetrated the naga queen’s chest. It was also near the heart.

Both of them stopped instinctively.

Churuk!

Blood spurted from Kang-jun’s and the naga queen’s chests.

Neither wound was fatal. However, once damaged, they were vulnerable to lethal damage. If either of them used a little more strength, their opponent would die.

The problem was who would be killed first.

‘This!’

Kang-jun was surprised by the unexpected situation. It seemed to be the same for the naga queen.

Both of them stood still like they were stone statues.

Kang-jun thought inwardly.

'What happens to the mission if we die at the same time? Achievement?’

The 14th mission had popped up just before he fought the naga queen.

[Mission 14] Destroy the wounded naga queen

-Compensation: experience, 10,000 nodes, 60 large moonstones.

Therefore, Kang-jun’s level would rise immediately after killing the naga queen.

He wouldn’t die if he levelled up. But what if he died before that? No, what if they died at the same time?

However, there was no such thing as simultaneous death. Even if someone died 0.1 seconds later, there was always a difference.

If he died first, he would receive no experience. The mission would be a failure and he wouldn’t receive any compensation for his achievements.

Therefore, Kang-jun couldn’t move forward recklessly.

On the other hand, the naga queen couldn’t believe this situation.

No matter how injured she was, she never imagined that a sovereign who wasn’t even an army officer would be a match for her.

She also couldn’t move recklessly. Even if she stabbed first, Kang-jun would dig in his sword and both would eventually die.

‘I don’t want to die. I can't die.’

As a member of the Second Demon King’s army, she would resurrect in front of the Second Demon King immediately after dying.

It wasn’t a complete resurrection but a resurrection of the soul.

The Second Demon King would need to pour a large amount of magic power in order for her to regain her power. However, the Second Demon King was in a war and couldn’t afford to lose such large amounts of magic power.

At the very best, he would use a limited amount of power to turn her into an evil spirit. Just like the ghoul lord.

She would go through a horrible punishment. The Second Demon King gave terrible punishments to the lords who were defeated.

There were cases in which a lord was separated from their subordinates for hundreds of years, given all types of torture and discipline, or confined for thousands of the years in the Aok prison.

The Second Demon King didn’t forgive defeat.

Particularly, she had always been a non-compliant queen, so she was likely to receive a penalty beyond her imagination.

The naga queen trembled at the thought.

She couldn’t die. She absolutely couldn’t be defeated. She didn’t want to suffer the terrible punishment of the Second Demon King.

‘No, I have to get away from him even if I’m dead...’

However, that was impossible.

She was Queen Melinad of the nagas. She was defeated in a war with Second Demon King and swore a pledge of eternal loyalty on the condition that he spared her people.

It was her sacrifice to save millions of nagas. As a result, she became a member of the Second Demon King’s army.

Since then, the Second Demon King broke his promise to her by sacrificing many nagas on the battlefield.

Melinad had been deceived by the Second Demon King but there was nothing she could do as a member of his household.

Her pledge. Due to the eternal bond, she couldn’t escape from the Second Demon King unless he freed her. Even dying wouldn’t allow her to escape the curse. 

If the Second Demon King won this war, he might reward her by freeing her. The Second Demon King was harsh to the loser but generous to the victor.

Thus, Melinad couldn’t die here.

She suddenly gazed at Kang-jun and said.

"Please just die."

Kang-jun was dumbfounded. Death. She was asking him to die.

“I want to ask you that. Can’t you give up and die?”

"I can't do that."

“That is the same for me.”

Kang-jun snorted.

How could he just die here?

Even if it was inevitable that he would die, he wouldn’t give up his life himself.

Both of them were silent for a while.

Melinda didn’t say anything more because she knew her words were ridiculous.

However, they couldn’t stay in this state forever. They couldn’t relax for fear that the opponent would stab them deeper.

In the end, Melinad opened her mouth again.

"It is a little odd to say this but you will revive if you die. However, I am in a very miserable situation.”

Kang-jun didn’t respond. Nevertheless, Melinad continued. She said that the Second Demon King would subject her to a terrible punishment if she was defeated.

‘What? Appealing to my pity now?’

Of course, Kang-jun had no intention of giving up his life no matter how much pity he felt for Melinad. He had a vague expression in his voice as Melinad kept on talking ardently.

"Then why did you join the Second Demon King in the first place?”

"I had no choice in order to save my people. I should have just died then."

Melinad’s expression was filled with remorse. Millions of nagas had died and now there were only 800 people remaining. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn’t have made the agreement. At least her soul wouldn’t be enslaved.

“It is naive to believe in the promise of the Demon King. Anyway, that is your problem.”

“......”

"The situation won’t change even if I die. I will just come back and kill you.”

Then Melinad’s expression changed.

"No, the situation won’t be the same if you come back. I made a mistake today.”

She was convinced she wouldn’t be defeated again.

“Nonsense! More commanders will come and you will be defeated eventually.”

“Bah! You are delusional if you think you can win.”

"You will know if I am delusional or not when I come back.”

Then Kang-jun suddenly knew what to do. Continuing this conversation was of no use. Kang-jun didn’t intend to die and it was the same for the naga queen.

The situation had to change.

Time passed as they held onto the weapons stabbed in each other’s chest.

He didn’t know how much time passed.

“......!”

Kang-jun suddenly made a strange expression and unexpectedly, he opened his mouth.

“I will release you under one condition.”

Melinad’s eyes widened. Kang-jun stared at her and asked,

“Do you want to become my subordinate?”