I’m Not a Regressor - Chapter 221

Chapter 221: Intermission - Reunion (3)

O-Oh, what the hell is that?!

Ha-eun cursed as she stared at the hordes of demonic beasts flooding towards them, so densely packed that the pristine white snowfield was no longer visible. The number of demonic beasts she had faced when trapped in the Demon Realm before was considerable, but this was on another scale entirely.

"Could all the demonic beasts near the First Fissure have gathered here?

Even if their attempt to enter the Demon Realm had alerted the beasts there, meeting all of them sounded absurd. It's like the entire 400,000-strong army swarming towards a single collapsed section of barbed wire fencing.

"This is my first time seeing something like this."

Shaolin said as he swung his sword, neatly decapitating a charging demonic beast.

Passing through the First Fissure into the Demon Realm was dangerous, of course, but it had never been this chaotic before. If beasts gathered in forces like this whenever someone tried to enter or leave, how could the handful of Awakeners like Megrez, who lived there permanently, survive?

"The elder Megrez said that usually, only demonic beasts within a 12-hundred-meter radius would notice if someone tries to breach the gate."

"This looks like way more than 1-2 hundred meters, though."

The undulating wave of beasts spread out for kilometers, far beyond just one or two, filling the surroundings.

"And also"

Ha-eun squinted and gazed at the horde of demonic beasts filling the snowfield.

"They don't appear to be heading toward us.

In fact, the demonic beasts close to them were rushing right by them. The demonic beasts close to the gate started to align themselves in front of the gate, seeming indifferent to them. A lengthy, side-by-side row of demonic beasts formed on each side. The beasts knelt with their heads lowered deferentially, like servants awaiting the arrival of their king.

"What are they doing?"

Ha-eun stared blankly at the kneeling horde.

"Could the Snake be coming through the gate?"

Allen muttered just then.

"What do you mean the Snake is coming through?"

Ha-eun threw a fireball toward the horde of demonic beasts and turned her head toward Allen.

"I once heard something from Megrez a long time ago. It was that the only time demonic beasts guarding the perimeter of the Demon Realm gathered in one location was when their master, the 'Snake,' personally visited outside of the Magic Realm."

"So, does that mean the Queen of Snakes is there?"

"No, that's"

Allen frowned in confusion.

"I received a report just this morning that the Queen of Snakes is currently in South America."

"South America?"

"Yes. A region completely under the control of the Musca faction."

"Then what on earth are we to make of that?"

If the Queen of Snakes was in South America, who could the beasts be expecting to emerge from the gate?

"I don't know. There's almost no information about the Serpens faction."

As the Black Star Organization had only recently been recognized as a global threat, detailed intelligence about them still remained scarce.

"In any case, as we are now, it is too dangerous to take the direct route through them. We should retreat and"

"We can't." Isabella shook her head resolutely. "Time is of the essence. We cannot afford any more delays."

Even now, the wounded Ohjin could be drawing his last breaths. "But"

"Then I will go alone if I must."

....

Allen watched Isabella recede as she strode forward. She would have no compromise.

"You didn't need to follow me."

"After being entrusted by Deneb, I cannot simply abandon you both. And" His voice was low. "I understand well the absolute agony of knowing someone precious is dying."

Allen gazed regretfully into the distance, as though recalling his past. An unmistakable grief shone in his eyes.

"Thank you."

Isabella replied softly.

Allen effortlessly cleaved through two beasts swooping at them with large wings.

"The passage into the gate itself shouldn't pose much difficulty, despite the number of demonic beasts."

The snowfield was choked with beasts, their count staggering, but the party gathered here could easily raze nations if they so wished. Water may fill a vessel to the brim, but a needle can still pierce through. Breaching their ranks would not prove challenging, as long as they didn't have to turn to a defensive stance.

"The issue is breaking through quickly before we're surrounded."

"A large one is coming up on the left!"

Allen's head turned after hearing Shaolin's cry.

"Kroar!"

A demonic beast with immense aura was sliding his way down fast, letting out a ferocious roar as it hurried towards them

"I'll take that one."

The aura the demonic beast emitted seemed far from ordinary.

Allen, with his sword clutched, blocked the charging beast's path. It looked to be about 50 meters in size. The demonic beast's long, snake-like body was covered in green scales, with four sets of fiery red eyes.

"A Basilisk."

The appearance of a single one of these powerful demonic beasts could take out any one city.

"Heup!"

Allen gripped his white, frost-rimmed sword and charged at the Basilisk.

"There are too many here!"

Shaolan shouted as he grimaced, holding off beasts from the right. Though not Basilisks, the demonic beasts were uniformly mighty and infamous. They crashed upon them like a tidal wave.

"Put me down."

Ha-eun slapped Isabella's back.

"But"

"I can't fight properly when carried."

Isabella nodded and lowered Ha-eun to the ground.

"I'll hold off the ones coming from the right. Unnie, break through the front!"

"Got it."

The left was guarded by Allen and Shaolin, while Isabella and Shaolan held the right. With the horde of demonic beasts split into two, they had less numbers directly ahead where the gate lay.

"Raaargh!"

"Kyaak!"

The demonic beasts charged with maddened roars.

"Get the hell out of my way, bastards!"

Ha-eun roasted the head of a pouncing demonic beast with flames and raced forward.

'Ohjin.'

Watching the gate loom closer, she bit her lips tight.

'Noona is coming to save you.'

Please, please, please.

"Please be alive... Ohjin."

Since she returned after leaving Ohjin behind in the Demon Realm, the tears she had contained flowed from her eyes and down her cheeks.

She had told others with confidence that Ohjin would have made it out alive, but deep down, a part of her couldn't erase her fear of never being able to see him again.

What if she could never see him again? What if she could never be embraced by him again?

Every time she had these thoughts, she thought she would lose her mind from the overwhelming anxiety.

"Ohjin, Ohjin, Ohjiiiin!"

Ha-eun raced toward the dark gate, yearning for him while she desperately shouted his name. There was only 20 meters between her and the gate.

Just two or three more steps, and she could go to the Demon Realm where he was trapped.

"Noona most certainly will rescue you!"

Her suppressed emotions erupted, and tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Please... please, I only ask that you be alive Ohjin..."

As though her anguished pleas had been heard, right before the jump into the dark gate, the gate rippled. An enormous beast emerged from within. The wicked chimera had an eagle's head, lion's body, and serpentine tail.

And

"Ohjin, Ohjin! Youhuh?"

Seeing Ohjin sprawled casually atop the chimera, munching on chips like a jobless deadbeat, Ha-eun's expression twisted in confusion.

"What the fuck?"

Why is that shitbag lying there like that?