This was the first time Yun Jin had ever faced a true spirit-type monster.
Even Selene, who was a phantom, still had a body. These things didn’t.
They moved without weight, without breath, without presence—and that made it almost impossible to land a blow.
Mana Eyes can’t see them. Was it because of its skill?
He didn’t have time to find the answer.
A sound struck from behind. Heavy and warped, like a scream coiled inside the air.
But Yun Jin had already prepared. His body was under [Aura Surge], and his reflexes followed through without hesitation. He moved.
Arc Lightning.
His fastest form carried him through the space. The blade swung forward as he closed the gap.
It met nothing.
He stopped.
The next scream didn’t come from behind.
It came from both sides.
AHHH!
The pressure cracked across his body like glass under stress. His ears went deaf. Blood streamed down the side of his face. His organs clenched, and his vision blurred under the force.
There are two!?
His head throbbed. A pulse rang in his skull like it was about to split. But he stayed standing.
Yun Jin didn’t know how lucky he was.
This scream did more than harm the body. It struck the soul. Most fighters would have fallen before they even understood what was happening.
If I can't find where you are...
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
He calmed his breath and stopped searching for a shape.
Then I will find where you are not!
Yun Jin exhaled, releasing his mana into an ice mist that spread from his body. The air filled with a thin layer of white fog. It was not truly cold and had no effect on even the grass.
But what it revealed was the void, the empty space where the invisible banshee hovered.
There you are!
His form vanished.
The first banshee twisted its head, searching for the source. But its search ended in silence.
It was already dead.
Split cleanly in two.
It didn’t even know what killed it.
The second banshee opened its mouth. A sound began to form in the back of its throat.
An ice blade struck first.
It didn’t stop the attack, but it threw the creature off balance. Its mouth opened wide, and the scream ripped free, but Yun Jin had already seen the motion.
He stepped away from the blast.
Arc Lightning.
The banshee vanished like mist torn apart by wind.
“Demons sure are troublesome,” Yun Jin muttered, exhaling slowly.
He steadied his breath and let the Qi flow through his body. The damage from the scream started to mend.
He remembered something from Ardent’s books.
Demons are the most dangerous enemies you can face. Especially spirit-class.
He didn’t know much beyond that, but the fight proved enough.
If he hadn’t been fast enough or if he didn’t have the right tools, he would have gone down.
Yun Jin kept his gaze fixed ahead. He had only cleared the garden inside the gate.
Beyond him lay the shattered remains of an ancient altar—pillars broken in half, carved slabs overturned, rubble scattered like the bones of giant palace.
Imps prowled among the ruins, and gargoyles perched on toppled columns, utterly unaware of the havoc he had wrought.
Where are the banshees?
He would not advance until he could target them. If they joined the demons here, even he could be overwhelmed.
He stood in silence, listening for the slightest whisper of movement. Then the earth trembled under a distant thud. The tremor grew into a low rumble.
Little by little the noise grew until the ground trembled beneath Yun Jin’s boots. He planted his sword in the earth, ready for the rift’s boss monster. His eyes narrowed as the source of the tremor came into view.
At first, he thought it was a boulder. Then he realized it was a leg, thick as a tree trunk and coated in stone and dirt.
Yun Jin saw Merlin astride the creature’s shoulder, staff raised high and a grin on his face.
“Earth golem version 1, I hereby command you. SMASH!” Merlin shouted, his staff thrust forward!
New name!
