By Zephyria 
The creatures were ravenously chewing through the soldiers they had just snatched away. The blood and remains of soldiers who had died before they could even react fell in wet, heavy thuds, mixing with the rain.
“…….”
Ho-eun could not believe the current situation. How could no one have known that so many Devouring Ghouls were lurking there? No matter how dark it was, no matter that they were up in the trees, there should have been traces. There should have been sounds. Even if he hadn’t noticed, there was no way Tae-muk had failed to perceive them.
Ho-eun’s eyes darted around in confusion, and he suddenly intuited a certain misfortune.
What if the Devouring Ghouls were incredibly intelligent?
For instance, perhaps they had climbed the trees using only their arms and legs to avoid leaving claw marks, or they had remained deathly still—without a sound or even a breath—while waiting for their prey, or perhaps they had waited for the rain to fall…
Having thought that far, Ho-eun swallowed hard. His throat felt tight. Despite being surrounded by water and rain, he felt a thirst as if he hadn’t had a single drop of water for days.
It was then.
“Fight! Fight! Draw your weapons!”
Dong-ja’s voice echoed through the sheets of rain. At those words, the panicked soldiers belatedly drew their weapons.
“Young Master! Let’s go! Hurry!”
Gil-sang also called out to Ho-eun. With wide eyes, Ho-eun kicked the horse’s flank. He began to gallop blindly, without direction or destination. Gil-sang, sword drawn, surged ahead of Ho-eun, while Seong-im followed behind to protect him.
“…….”
Even as he fled, Ho-eun kept glancing back. He couldn’t help it. Tae-muk and the soldiers were back there. Of course, Tae-muk was strong. The Crimson Rain Brigade was strong. They had always emerged victorious in battles against Devouring Ghouls, and he had never doubted that they would continue to do so.
But… this time, he was anxious. Dozens had already died. There was more human blood than in any battle Ho-eun had ever seen.
In every battle, the one on top has the advantage. Just as the Crimson Rain Brigade had once slaughtered the Devouring Ghouls in the lake. Now, it was as if the Crimson Rain Brigade had fallen into the lake, and the Devouring Ghouls were on land, slaughtering them with weapons in hand.
The creatures hung in groups of three or four on a single tree; they would slide down all at once and plunge their thick claws into the soldiers’ foreheads, chests, flanks, or thighs, dragging them upward.
“Aaaagh!”
“Ugh, aaaaagh! Here! Help me! Over here!”
“Kyaaaa…”
The soldiers screamed as they were dragged away, but the moment they reached the treetops, they fell silent. Afterward, the remains of the soldiers—blood, chunks of flesh, or other things—pattered down below.
The soldiers wielded their swords and spears with skill, but when four creatures descended, they could barely take down one or two. The Devouring Ghouls moved with extreme speed, agility, and precision. They were like well-trained soldiers. It seemed absurd to call creatures and monsters like Devouring Ghouls “soldiers,” but they truly moved without a single error.
The Crimson Rain Brigade was utterly helpless. Some soldiers tried to climb the trees after the ghouls, but since they couldn’t dig into the bark with claws or nails like the creatures, and had to keep two of their limbs gripping the tree, any attempt to swing a weapon was essentially an invitation to be captured. Indeed, those who climbed up never came back down.
Ho-eun chewed his lower lip.
There must be a way, some way… Ah, the archers! There were archers. They should be able to attack the Devouring Ghouls in the trees from the ground.
But why… why is no one firing?
The Crimson Rain Brigade utilized archers well, and they had always been a great help. But now, not a single person was firing an arrow. As Ho-eun wondered, he soon realized the reason.
“Ah…”
The archers were the first ones the Devouring Ghouls had taken. The creatures knew. They knew that in this situation, bows were the greatest threat to them.
“…….”
Ho-eun felt a dull ache in his head, as if he had been struck from behind. He didn’t know who the leader of those things was, but it was certainly an intelligent one. Intelligent to a point that was not just surprising, but repulsive.
That thing had to be eliminated. Only then would there be a gap to break through this situation.
Ho-eun scanned the treetops, searching for the Tentacle Plant Monster. It had to be nearby, somewhere. It would be waving its tentacles in the darkness, issuing orders.
But the creature was nowhere to be seen. Even if he found it, there was nothing Ho-eun could do. The Tentacle Plant Monster had always been Tae-muk’s prey.
In that case, where was Tae-muk…
Ho-eun turned his head toward the place where Tae-muk had last been. He thought that by now, Tae-muk would have pierced through the ghouls and emerged.
However, Tae-muk was still surrounded by them.
“General…”
Ho-eun felt his heart sink. He feared something had happened to Tae-muk. For instance, that he was in a state where he couldn’t fight… The image of the injured Tae-muk he had once seen at the lake flickered before his eyes.
But looking closer, the corpses of Devouring Ghouls were strewn nearby. The Helmet Bones were torn, crushed, and shattered—clear evidence of Tae-muk’s work. It meant he was currently fighting frantically.
Indeed, the Devouring Ghouls that covered Tae-muk like a thick hill were heaving and writhing. Then, for a brief moment, Tae-muk appeared.
He was drenched in blood. Despite the torrential rain, the blood soaking Tae-muk would not wash away. It was because the blood of the ghouls, or perhaps Tae-muk’s own, was pouring out more violently than the rain.
Yet, the moment Tae-muk managed to take a single step, he was confronted by dozens more ghouls. Like waves endlessly surging upon the sea, the Devouring Ghouls poured in, and Tae-muk was constantly seized, trapped, and blocked.
It was strange. No matter how many ghouls there were, the other soldiers were fighting at most 1-on-3 or 1-on-4, yet Tae-muk alone had to handle dozens more the moment he killed dozens.
This was likely the intention of the Tentacle Plant Monster as well. A creature that knew archers were a threat could not have failed to notice Tae-muk’s aura. It must have realized that he was their leader and that his strength was the greatest.
Tae-muk would have to remain there, draped in ghouls, until every single one of them was dead or until he was no longer capable of fighting.
That meant that this time, Tae-muk would not be able to take care of the leader.
If so… we have to find that thing ourselves.
“…….”
Ho-eun hurriedly scanned the treetops again. Not here, not there… Ah, if there were even a handful of light, he felt he could find it, but it was too dark…
It was as he was glancing around, chewing his lower lip. Suddenly, the rain pouring over his head loosened. It was as if he had suddenly come under an umbrella. Just as Ho-eun felt the strangeness and tried to look up—
Kaaaaaaak!
Something sharp flew toward him. It was the claw of a ghoul clinging to a tree. It lunged straight for the center of Ho-eun’s brow. Startled, Ho-eun reflexively pulled the horse’s reins. However, the ghoul’s claw was faster than the horse’s stop.
He’ll be pierced.
He’ll die.
Terrified, he shrank his neck back. Then, a long, sharp flash of light sliced through the air with a whoosh. And with a slicing sound, like a radish being cut—
Kieeeeeek!
The ghoul’s wrist flew off. Hot blood splashed across Ho-eun’s face! The flash didn’t stop there; it drew another large arc in the opposite direction. This time, there was a crackling sound, like a pumpkin splitting open.
Khek…
The ghoul’s head was severed. The headless body of the creature slid limply down the tree and landed with a splat on the wet ground. A mixture of blood and mud splashed up onto Ho-eun’s face.
“…….”
Ho-eun froze, unable to even think about wiping his face. His head spun from the events that had unfolded in an instant. And before him, Gil-sang approached, holding a blood-stained sword.
“Young Master. Look only ahead, only ahead. Don’t think about anything right now, just flee.”
He spoke with a face more stern than ever before.
“…….”
Ho-eun didn’t answer; he only clenched his jaw tight and then released it. His pale jawline sharpened and then smoothed out again.
Normally, he would have repeatedly apologized and thanked him, but now, the words wouldn’t come. It wasn’t because he resented Gil-sang’s words. It was because he felt so stifled and resentful of his own position.
While the sharp teeth of the ghouls were chewing through the soldiers’ heads, while their sharp claws were hacking away at Tae-muk, he could do nothing, provide no help, and could only flee. And he couldn’t even flee properly, needing help like this.
It wasn’t the first time he’d been in such a position, but today his heart ached exceptionally. It was because it was the first time the Crimson Rain Brigade had shed this much blood.
“…Yes.”
Ho-eun nodded with a devastated expression. What could he do even if a fire raged in his heart? What could he possibly do? He was merely a sickly burden. Even if he stayed longer, he would do nothing but be a nuisance.
Perhaps leaving quickly was the best way to help. If he hesitated, Gil-sang and Seong-im would be put in danger.
Taking a deep breath, Ho-eun gripped the reins firmly. Just as he was about to kick the horse’s flank, flash! Lightning struck. For a moment, his vision turned white.
And within that white world, Ho-eun saw it.
A half-moon that had fallen from the sky, perched atop the highest tree.