Resurrection Chapter 15 - Will you be my partner?

“Let’s take care of this first before we go. How are you going to fight with that hand?”

I applied disinfectant and smeared a cream made from a healing potion onto his palm. Then, I cut a strip from the bandage concealing my magic sword and wrapped it around his hand to prevent pain while it healed.

“All done!”

As I released his hand, which I had been kneading like dough, Heesoo hyung clenched and unclenched his bandaged hand, seeming uncomfortable. I told him to remove it later once the wound healed, then stepped forward with vigor.

👑

My vigorous steps didn’t last long.

Due to the aftermath of possession, my entire body felt as heavy as a thousand tons. I secretly swallowed a painkiller, hoping it would have some effect, and pointed at the scene ahead.

“It looks like that’s the sanctuary, doesn’t it?”

Beneath a sky swirling ominously, ruins were scattered in a spiral pattern. Among them, something moved like a ghost—dragon soldiers, a sight rarely seen in ordinary dungeons.

「Dragon Soldier★: Born from the byproducts of dragons, these warriors possess exceptional combat skills from birth. They wield all manner of weapons with ease and are proficient in every killing technique a bipedal body can execute. Moreover, ordinary weapons can hardly scratch them. They neither eat nor drink, sleep nor rest, typically serving as gatekeepers for a dragon’s treasure. I won’t stop you if you wish to challenge your limits and reach greater heights, but if your goal is the treasure they guard, I strongly advise you to give up.」

Whoever wrote this monster alert was undoubtedly a monster enthusiast. It was filled with praise without a hint of strategy advice, which infuriated me.

In any case, the situation was grim. The alert didn’t mention that they moved in groups, yet the ones before us were a horde. Black-star monsters, unlike regular ones, were typically treated as dungeon bosses. And yet, here was a horde of boss-level monsters.

I pressed down on my throbbing temples.

“A frontal assault seems impossible.”

“Indeed. We’d need a large group to handle that number.”

“Like it or not, it’s just the two of us… so there’s only one option.”

Heesoo hyung’s face clouded with worry, but I continued undeterred.

“I have an Invisible scroll. We’ll use it to slip past their eyes and get into the sanctuary. Of course, we don’t know what’s inside, but at least there won’t be monsters.”

Like holy sites, sanctuaries varied according to each god’s taste.

Some were so terrifying that fighting monsters seemed preferable, while others served as shelters to avoid them.

Given that the sanctuary’s master was a berserker, hoping for the latter seemed unlikely. Still, if it wasn’t for the sheer number, Heesoo hyung could manage. The priority was getting into the sanctuary for the first time.

According to scholars studying transcendents, to them, humans were all the same. It didn’t matter much who was stronger or more capable. To gods, even the greatest human was a mere fly.

Thus, gods often chose their apostles carelessly. It was said that the first to enter a sanctuary was often made the primary apostle. So, getting Heesoo hyung into the sanctuary before some random interloper stole the spot was crucial.

Heesoo hyung knew this, so he didn’t oppose my plan to act as bait.

I pulled out the Invisible scroll and handed it to him, instructing him to use it after putting enough distance between us. Then I gripped my magic sword tightly. Heesoo hyung placed his hand over mine, holding the sword, and said.

“If possible, I’d prefer you didn’t use Levatein.”

Even in this situation, his concern for my scarred forearm was so typical of Heesoo hyung.

I gave a small smile and nodded. Only then did he release my hand and slip away, disappearing from my sight.

I wasn’t worried about whether he’d make it into the sanctuary or be chosen by the god. If anyone could, it was Heesoo hyung—he’d find his way and become the berserker’s primary apostle.

My concern was for myself.

‘The painkiller isn’t working well.’

The aftermath of possession was a kind of divine affliction that didn’t heal easily. A single painkiller wouldn’t make it go away quickly.

I took it hoping for a placebo effect, but even that was ineffective.

Every joint in my body felt like it was breaking, and I furrowed my brow. I wanted to dig a hole and lie down, but I suppressed the pain, straightened my hunched body, and walked forward.

As I revealed myself, all the dragon soldiers’ attention focused on me. I rolled my shoulders, positioned my magic sword forward, and stood my ground. Staring at the dragon soldiers approaching in neat rows, I let out a battle cry.

“Hraaah!”

It was a lackluster shout, but a black aura began to rise from the magic sword.

Honestly, without unleashing Levatein’s power, I wasn’t confident I could hold off the dragon soldiers with my skills alone.

I hadn’t been a magic swordsman for long. My magic and swordsmanship were mediocre. The Golden Emperor’s power covered for me somewhat, but whether such tricks would work against dragon soldiers was questionable.

Well, if it comes to it, I can use Offering.

With a carefree thought, I kicked off the ground and buffed myself.

“Haste.”

Instantly, my body’s reaction speed increased, making the dragon soldiers’ movements appear slower. But my already aching body screamed even louder in pain.

Ignoring the agony, I slid forward and lunged at the lead dragon soldier’s side. I raised my sword, slashed its armpit, and with the momentum, cleaved the shoulder of the one charging behind it.

Thwack!

Normally, the dragon soldier’s arm would have been severed, but only blood spurted out. Their bodies were so tough, they might as well be made of diamond. Only a magic sword could make a dent—ordinary steel would have bent.

I wasn’t exactly grateful for that fact. People don’t tend to appreciate what they have, do they?

“Wave.”

As Haste’s effect waned, I cast another spell, causing the ground to ripple and the dragon soldiers to stagger. Unlike cockatrices, these physically superior creatures didn’t fall.

Taking advantage of their stumble, I cast another spell.

“Enchant.”

As my mana drained, the magic sword gleamed black like obsidian. With the enhancement, its attack power should have increased.

I steeled myself for an all-out battle against the dragon soldiers. My swordsmanship wasn’t enough to handle them, so I allowed their attacks to hit non-vital areas.

Thanks to the Golden Emperor’s blessing, , I wouldn’t die from excessive bleeding unless it was a fatal wound. Besides, I couldn’t attack without allowing their strikes.

A dragon soldier’s sword grazed my forearm, and I thrust my blazing magic sword under another’s jaw. As it spewed bloody foam and collapsed, another slashed my back.

I rolled forward to avoid deepening the wound. It still hurt like hell since I’d been hit, and rolling in that state was excruciating.

Gritting my teeth, I used the momentum to stand and slashed another dragon soldier’s throat. Its neck split open, and I was drenched in the gushing blood.

Fortunately, dragon soldier blood wasn’t acidic like a dullahan’s. It was said to have regenerative properties and was sold at a high price.

Licking the blood on my lips, I spun around. Allowing a sword to pierce my abdomen, I dove into the enemy’s embrace. Trading flesh for bone, I stabbed precisely through its chest, shattering its heart and mana stone.

Crack!

The mana stone shattered inside the dragon soldier’s body. Using its collapsing body as a shield, I charged at the next one without pause.

Astonishingly, one leaped into the air without a running start, flipping over my head.

A chill ran down my spine. I shoved the corpse aside and rolled on the ground. Before I could stand, another dragon soldier pierced my thigh with a spear.

“Aaaaaagh!”

With Heesoo hyung gone and the Golden Emperor quiet, recovering from possession, I screamed freely. Tears welled up from the pain, but instead of crying, I swung my sword, slicing the thigh of the one that speared me.

As it retreated to retrieve its spear, I tore the last Invisible scroll I had.

Sssss…

The scroll’s magic activated, and my figure vanished.