NOVGO.NET Chapter 988:
“Hoo…”
Mark Gorton watched Raon disappear into the forest and let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
‘Following him was worth it after all.’
He’d been afraid of getting in Raon’s way, so he had chased with everything he had. Even if it was only a little, he was glad he could help.
‘Now, what’s next…’
Mark Gorton kept tracking Raon’s presence as it moved deeper into the forest, his eyes constantly scanning the field.
Kwarurururung!
A bright yellow bolt crashed down from the darkening sky.
‘Magic? Sorcery?’
No—there was no time to think.
He didn’t know what had summoned it, but the lightning carried a force like a natural thunderbolt.
“Huuup!”
Mark Gorton planted his left foot and raised his sword, driving a Blue Thunder Sword Art stance into the falling lightning.
Kwaaaaaaaa!
His blue-gleaming blade split the yellow bolt and carved through the wall of monsters surging in.
‘I can’t relax just because I got the Lord inside.’
Mark Gorton tightened his grip on the Jade Dragon Sword, forged from dragon horn and teeth.
‘I need to clear as much as I can until the Lord comes back out.’
Raon would need room to save Merlin and escape. Mark Gorton had to dismantle the Net of Heaven and Earth as much as possible before that happened.
‘I really have to risk my life here.’
Raon had already cut down more than half of the monsters and Eden’s fiends that formed the net, but there were still countless enemies left.
Worse, the Eden executives feared Raon, so they kept sending subordinates and monsters forward. Hardly any of the executives themselves had died.
‘I need to deal with those bastards first.’
‘Avoid the Grand Masters. Prioritize the Masters.’
There was a presence with Grand Master-level power hidden within the formation.
Rather than forcing a head-on clash, it was better to cut down the Masters first.
‘Of course, the one I need to be most wary of is…’
Mark Gorton stopped thinking and raised the Jade Dragon Sword again, splitting another bolt that dropped from above.
‘The commander who’s calling down this lightning.’
From the mountain, he’d tried to locate the one controlling the Net of Heaven and Earth, but the commander had never revealed himself.
He was hiding near the monsters and directing everything from there, striking with lightning when least expected.
Kyagyagyagyang!
Mark Gorton narrowed his eyes, sweeping aside spears and arrows from both sides with Fighting Spirit.
‘The pressure of the Net of Heaven and Earth is still focused on the Lord.’
Eden’s fiends were clearly more concerned with stopping Raon than dealing with him. He had to take advantage of being ignored.
‘I’ll stop them no matter what.’
Mark Gorton moved toward the forest entrance, cutting down Eden’s fiends in green uniforms as they rushed in.
‘I can’t burn through all my strength.’
He settled into stance and regulated his breathing. This wouldn’t end quickly—he had to conserve power.
Kyaaaaaaang!
Just as he shifted to block the entrance again, two swordsmen in red orc helmets and a sorcerer in a black troll mask moved toward the forest.
The Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon.
It looked like the Eden executives were trying to send them after Raon.
‘They’re moving.’
Mark Gorton bit the inside of his lip and brought his sword down at the Crimson Twin Demons’ necks as they tried to slip inside.
“Eum!”
They sensed him at the last moment and twisted urgently, raising a wall of Fighting Spirit with their twin swords.
Jjeoeoeoeoeong!
Mark Gorton shattered their defense with the lightning-infused Jade Dragon Sword and cut deep into a shoulder.
“Keueuk…”
As he chased the retreating Crimson Twin Demons to finish them, a black mass surged in from the right.
The Black Soul Demon’s necromantic sorcery.
‘Dangerous.’
Mark Gorton’s expression hardened as he switched from offense to defense.
‘I don’t know what that does. Avoid it as much as possible.’
He cut apart the swelling sorcery and drove forward toward the Black Soul Demon.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
The Crimson Twin Demons, refusing to let him pass, struck down from behind with their twin swords. Fighting Spirit flared along the rusty edges, crashing toward him as if to split his Aura apart.
“I have a prior engagement.”
Mark Gorton angled his blade just enough to deflect the strike, then dashed to the Black Soul Demon’s left.
Kwaaaaaaaa!
Lightning surged from his dantian. He drove a Sky-Piercing Thunder Art stance into the Black Soul Demon’s chest.
Kwaddeudeudeuk!
A defensive spell rose, but his lightning tore through the wall and left a deep gash across the Black Soul Demon’s chest.
“Keoheok!”
The Black Soul Demon clutched the wound and vomited blood. The flesh knitted itself back together as if by force, but the internal damage wouldn’t vanish so easily.
‘I can stop them.’
They were high-level Masters, but the gap in experience was clear. Even against both at once, he could win.
Pajijijijik!
Mark Gorton lifted the Jade Dragon Sword overhead. Blue lightning gathered along the blade, pressuring the Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon at the same time.
“T-this bastard!”
“How can he be so…”
They trembled, thrown off by the fact that their combined assault was being pushed back.
Jijijijijik!
Mark Gorton blocked the arrows and magic flying in from behind with a wall of lightning and pressed forward, driving the lightning blade toward their throats.
Kwaddeudeudeuk!
Just as his Jade Dragon Sword was about to shatter the Crimson Twin Demons’ twin swords and the Black Soul Demon’s staff—
Kuaaaaaaaang!
A chilling cutting sound rang out.
The wall of lightning shattered, and an eerily sharp strike speared into his waist.
Jijijijijik!
He tried to deflect it with the Jade Dragon Sword, but the power packed into the blow was far beyond what he could handle unprepared.
Kwaaaaaaaang!
Mark Gorton was sent flying, tumbling across the ground like a pebble kicked by a child.
“Keueu…”
He spat black blood and forced his head up.
Seueueueueu.
A tall warrior stepped up beside the Black Soul Demon—the one Mark Gorton had nearly killed.
Two pairs of scythes, each a different color, hung in his hands. His arms and legs were abnormally long. A mantis helmet covered his face, and when he scratched it, the sound was like wings fluttering.
“White Wolf Demon…”
Mark Gorton swallowed hard.
‘That monster was here?’
He’d assumed a Grand Master was hiding. He hadn’t imagined it would be that fiend.
‘Why did it have to be him…’
The White Wolf Demon was an Eden executive who had inherited the traits of the Giant Mantis Lord.
Unlike the Giant Mantis, which was pure ferocity, this one was cautious, cruel, and sharp-sensed—a nightmare opponent for a martial artist.
Seueueue!
The White Wolf Demon lowered his scythes as if Mark Gorton didn’t interest him and turned toward the forest.
“Keueu…”
Mark Gorton forced strength into his trembling legs and stood.
‘I can’t let him go.’
Raon was already on the edge because of Merlin.
If the White Wolf Demon slipped in and ambushed him while he was dealing with the Transcendant, even Raon could be seriously hurt.
He had to stop him, no matter what.
Kuuuuung!
Mark Gorton kicked off the ground and poured all his Aura into the Jade Dragon Sword, shaping the lightning into a single, focused strike.
“Foolish bastard.”
The White Wolf Demon made a wing-like sound and snapped his scythes up.
Kwaaaaaaaa!
A pure white Strengthened Ring flared above the rising blades, splitting Mark Gorton’s lightning and carving all the way across his chest.
“Keoheok…”
Mark Gorton spat blood and staggered back. As he forced his breathing to steady and tried to stop the blood pouring from his chest, strikes and sorcery crashed in from both sides.
Chiaaaaang!
The Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon.
They’d recovered while the White Wolf Demon created an opening, and now they were back on him.
‘Damn it!’
Mark Gorton clamped his left hand over his bleeding chest and retreated, barely managing to block their attacks.
Jjeoeoeoeong!
With his body no longer normal, even blows he would’ve easily deflected before were hard to parry.
Seueueueueu.
The White Wolf Demon, as if already considering Mark Gorton dead, turned again toward the forest.
It was the hunting instinct of the Mantis Lord’s bloodline—go after the most “delicious” prey.
‘Absolutely not.’
Mark Gorton’s eyes blazed. He forced back the Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon with a burst of Blue Thunder Sword Art Art lightning and sprinted after the White Wolf Demon.
“Stop!”
Bleeding openly, he brought his sword down onto the White Wolf Demon’s scythe.
“This bastard…”
The White Wolf Demon frowned, seemingly surprised that Mark Gorton’s charge had only grown fiercer despite his injuries.
“I made a promise to the Lord…”
Mark Gorton’s gaze didn’t waver under the White Wolf Demon’s murderous intent.
He gripped the blue-gleaming sword with both hands and stomped as if to shatter the earth.
“No one crosses this path before I die!”
—
“Will he be alright?”
Krein smacked his lips as he glanced back at the Head of House residence, now far in the distance.
“The Lord’s expression looked really serious…”
His brows dipped with worry.
“Well, I haven’t been in the Light Wind Palace long, but I’ve never seen him make that face before.”
Trevin let out a low groan, concern plain in his voice.
“I’ve watched Raon since I was a trainee, and he’s only made that expression a few times…”
Dorian scratched his cheek, saying something serious must’ve happened.
“Yeah. It was serious.”
Burren nodded calmly.
“I even wanted to follow him.”
He clicked his tongue, admitting he’d considered it.
“You considered it, so why didn’t you go?”
Krein tilted his head.
“Because the Guardian was behind Raon.”
Burren shrugged like it was obvious.
“That person values Raon more than his own life.”
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
“The Guardian’s trying to get stronger for Raon’s sake too.”
Martha clicked her tongue, as if Krein should’ve known.
“The only ones who train more than Raon in the Light Wind Palace are the three of us and that person.”
Her smile was small, but real.
“Yeah. You don’t need to worry.”
Runaan looked up at the purple-tinged sunset and nodded.
“They’ll both come back smiling.”
—
“Hoo-euk…”
Mark Gorton spat purple blood, his face devoid of any smile.
‘At this rate, I really am going to die.’
He could still block the Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon, but every strike from the White Wolf Demon felt like it could sever his soul.
If his focus had slipped even once, his head would’ve been gone long ago.
‘The Lord didn’t make us do concentration training for nothing.’
It had felt like hell then. Now, it was keeping him alive.
Kyaaaaaaang!
As he parried the Crimson Twin Demons’ blades and cut apart the Black Soul Demon’s sorcery, the White Wolf Demon’s scythe fell.
His skin screamed. There was no safe angle—no way to evade.
‘If I can’t block it…’
Attack.
Mark Gorton recalled what Raon had drilled into him and brought the Jade Dragon Sword down into the incoming scythe.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
The collision bent the Jade Dragon Sword as if it might snap.
The weapon itself was compensating for everything he lacked. If it weren’t for the blade Vulcan had forged from dragon horn, he would’ve died long ago.
“You’re a persistent bastard.”
The White Wolf Demon waved a hand in irritation. His scythes fluttered like insect wings.
‘What—ah!’
Mark Gorton caught the motion and threw himself left.
Paaaaak!
Too late.
His waist was carved open again, blood pouring out.
“Keoheok…”
He tried to seal it with Aura, but the cut was too clean. The bleeding wouldn’t stop.
“It’s over now.”
“Leech-like bastard!”
The Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon surged in, throwing sword strikes and necromantic sorcery to finish him.
‘No time to breathe…’
Mark Gorton couldn’t even staunch the wound. He raised his sword and blocked.
‘My head’s spinning…’
His vision blurred. His thoughts thinned out. He was losing too much blood.
Seueueueueu!
This time, the White Wolf Demon didn’t turn toward the forest.
He approached slowly, like a predator savoring the end.
He was going to finish it himself.
‘Better this way.’
Mark Gorton let out a thin, broken laugh.
‘I bought enough time.’
He didn’t know where Raon was now, but he was sure Raon would save Merlin and return.
[White Wolf Demon! Don’t worry about the dying bastard—chase after Raon Zieghart!]
A clumsy voice rang out from above.
If he was barking orders at the White Wolf Demon, he had to be the commander who’d formed the Net of Heaven and Earth.
“Tsk.”
The White Wolf Demon clicked his tongue as if agreeing and turned away.
‘Not yet…’
If the White Wolf Demon went in now and ambushed Raon, Mark Gorton wouldn’t be able to close his eyes even in death.
Even one minute—no, even one second—he had to hold him back.
‘I can move. I have to, no matter what.’
He burned the Crimson Twin Demons’ and the Black Soul Demon’s movements into his mind.
If he cut them down quickly, he could chase and delay the White Wolf Demon for just a bit longer.
‘Footwork first—euk!’
He tried to shift with footwork, but his body didn’t respond.
All he could do, through the blur, was defend.
‘If my body won’t move…’
Mark Gorton bit his lip and raised his head.
‘Then I’ll stop him another way!’
He pushed the Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon back by a fraction with lightning flaring along his fingertips, then straightened his back.
“White Wolf Demon! Are you afraid of me!”
He spat the name and twisted his lips into a taunt.
“You keep running away. You’re not a bug for nothing!”
He demanded the White Wolf Demon fight if he wasn’t afraid and raised the Jade Dragon Sword.
“Crazy bastard…”
The White Wolf Demon’s lips curled as he raised his scythe again.
“I’ll cut that mouth straight off!”
[Stop wasting time! Go into the forest!]
The commander’s voice came again.
“White Wolf—”
[I’ll finish this bastard off!]
Mark Gorton tried to call him again, but the entire dark sky flashed red.
A massive bolt slammed down, swallowing his vision.
Kueueueueueu!
Mark Gorton sucked in a breath as lightning filled the world above him.
‘This… is a true lightning?’
It was nothing like what he’d been shaping.
It was deeper, more magnificent—powerful, flexible.
‘And…’
It was free.
Unlike his swordsmanship, which forced lightning into a stance, this lightning could extend anywhere it wished.
‘Right. Lightning is originally…’
It falls from the sky. It goes anywhere.
‘Then my swordsmanship…’
The moment he understood that both lightning and the sword that drew it had to be free, everything he’d been holding in his mind sank away.
In the empty space, one line remained.
A line so free it could reach anywhere.
Seueueueueu!
Mark Gorton lifted the Jade Dragon Sword with exhausted fingertips and closed his eyes, recalling the blue line etched into his mind.
Kwarururururung!
A blue light that dyed the entire world bloomed above the sword, and a thunderous roar echoed as if the sky itself were collapsing.
Pajijijijik!
The commander’s lightning didn’t strike Mark Gorton.
It swirled around him instead, flashing red as if it had become his strength.
“B-block it! Block it now!”
The White Wolf Demon sensed danger and raised both pairs of scythes, firing red and blue strikes.
Two Aura Rings twisted together, forming a giant scythe.
“This bastard!”
“What are you doing now!”
The Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon felt it too. They poured everything they had into their ultimate techniques.
Chi-iiiiik!
Mark Gorton didn’t retreat a single step.
He drew down the Jade Dragon Sword from above his head.
Blue Thunder Sword Art’s ultimate technique.
Thousand Manifestations of Divine Connection.
What Mark Gorton unleashed wasn’t swordsmanship or martial arts.
The belief he’d built until now shattered under blue lightning.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
The White Wolf Demon was torn apart by countless lightning streaks that seemed to carve the sky itself.
And the very existence of the Crimson Twin Demons and the Black Soul Demon was erased.
Huuu-uuuuk!
(T/N: Finally! Mark achieved his enlightenment!)
Mark Gorton felt the power surging within him, resonating with the heavens and the earth, and raised the hand that held the Jade Dragon Sword.
Woooooooong!
The commander of the Net of Heaven and Earth seemed to finally recognize him as a threat, focusing the pressure of the formation on him.
Kugugugugugu!
The Eden’s Fiends and monsters forming the formation also began to surge toward him instead of chasing Raon.
“Haaa…”
Mark Gorton straightened his slightly bent back and stood up. Terrible pain engulfed his mind, his body trembled as if he would collapse at any moment, and countless enemies stood before him, but he felt like he couldn’t lose to anyone.
Kuuuuuung!
Mark Gorton stood before the entrance to the forest where Raon had gone and took a battle stance. He unleashed the ambition boiling in his chest toward the fiercely surging monsters and the great army of Eden.
“Come! I am the Guardian of the Lord of Light Wind Palace!”