BSW 258

Kieaaaah—…….

With its mouth wide open, it let out a continuous scream as it slowly emerged from the egg. It sounded as if it were venting its rage—expressing the anger it had suppressed until now, the fury for its fallen kin.

The creature had an appearance similar to a Devouring Ghoul. A wide Helmet Bone, two long arms like a human’s, two wolf-like legs, and a wrinkled neck and belly. However, it was distinctly different from a standard Devouring Ghoul.

First, its size was absurdly massive. Even a large Devouring Ghoul could be as big as a house, but this one seemed twice that size. It was so enormous that the Devouring Ghouls that had formed the egg were pushed aside and fell to the ground by its sheer bulk.

Furthermore, it possessed tentacles, and their shape… was exactly like a sun. A circular center with countless spikes or long rods protruding from the perimeter. It looked almost like a golden crown—a tentacle of an offensively ornate design.

That tentacle was also gargantuan. Every time the flat, polished surface—resembling a gold plate—shivered and trembled, the reflected light felt as if it were scratching Ho-eun’s retinas.

If the Devouring Ghouls had a leader, he had expected it to have tentacles larger and more ornate than the Fan Type, but he never imagined it would be to this extent.

An overwhelming sense of pressure washed over him. A feeling similar to the intimidation he had felt when he first met Tae-muk coiled around his entire body.

He felt he understood why the creature had remained hidden inside the egg throughout the battle. Had it revealed itself for even a moment, everyone here would have realized that this thing was the ‘King.’

Yes. The King.

“…….”

Ho-eun’s eyes sharpened. That thing must not be allowed to live. At the same time, he realized that killing only that thing would be enough.

The existence of a supreme leader, a King, was actually good news. When he had killed the Tentacle Plant Monster, the ghouls under its command had stopped moving and become mindless; it would likely be the same this time.

“Sergeant! Seong-im! Please come with me!”

Calling the two, Ho-eun sprinted up the mountain. Gil-sang and Seong-im followed him without asking why. Panting heavily, Ho-eun climbed the mountain with all his might. Soon, he reached his destination.

It was where the machine gun was located.

The soldier gripping the trigger of the machine gun was frozen stiff, staring at the Solar-type Corpse-ghoul. Ho-eun squeezed himself between the soldier and the gun and shouted.

“Excuse me! Just for a moment, may I use this?”

Before receiving an answer, he grabbed the handle of the gun. Normally, he wouldn’t have behaved so rudely, but every second counted right now. He had to deal with it before the creature did something, before it left its position.

Noticing Ho-eun’s intention, Gil-sang plucked the soldier aside like a radish. Seong-im supported the machine gun’s ammo belt in her hands.

Ho-eun struggled as he aimed the machine gun toward the Solar-type. He didn’t think he could kill the creature with this. He didn’t possess such capability. However, if it was just the tentacles—if he could hit the tentacles—he felt he might be able to do something.

Once the muzzle was aimed at the creature, Ho-eun wrapped his index finger around the trigger. Then, [visit Read on Read BL Novelsour site[unauthorized copy]style="font-size:0;position:absolute;left:-9999px;">]without even taking a moment to steady his breathing, he pressed down hard.

Rat-tat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat-tat!

The machine gun fired with fierce momentum. Clink, clink, clink, clink. Bullets scattered like a dance, and white smoke billowed from the muzzle.

Ho-eun glared at the Solar-type without blinking once. Along the trajectory of the firing bullets, golden sparks flashed and vanished.

However, the bullets failed to reach the Solar-type. They merely slammed into the bodies or heads of other Devouring Ghouls.

Handling the machine gun was not easy. It was heavy, slow, and stiff—entirely different from a rifle or a pistol.

But Ho-eun did not feel disappointment, nor did he give up. He tracked the trajectory of the bullets with his eyes and made minute adjustments to the muzzle.

Then, just as one ammo belt ran dry. The final bullet fired tore through the tip of one of the creature’s thorn-like tentacles. It was a minuscule wound, but it had hit.

“I hit it…….”

Ho-eun muttered with a joyful face. Gil-sang and Seong-im’s eyebrows arched upward. Gil-sang quickly found a new ammo belt and loaded it into the machine gun.

Once the reloading was complete, Ho-eun gripped the handle firmly and shifted the muzzle ever so slightly. It was intuition. An intuition honed through countless hours of training. This time, he would surely be able to hit the creature’s tentacles.

Having completed his aim, Ho-eun looked at the Solar-type one last time. But then.

“…….”

Their eyes met. With the creature’s blood-red eyeballs.

It was strange. He and the Solar-type were as far apart as the opposite ends of the world, yet their eyes met.

But it was true. The exceptionally red eyes of the creature were staring directly at Ho-eun. That gaze was similar to the Fan Type he had encountered at the garrison a few days ago.

“…….”

Ho-eun breathed in ragged gasps. Was it angry about the wound on its tentacle? Was that why it was glaring like that?

…So what if you glare.

Gritting his teeth, he pressed the trigger even harder than before. Tu-du-du-du! Tu-du-du-du! The bullets fired with a thunderous roar, every single one flying perfectly toward the creature.

Gil-sang, Seong-im, and the nearby soldiers all held their breath, hoping the bullets would harm the creature. However.

“Ah…….”

Not a single one of the hundreds of fired bullets reached the creature. This was because the surrounding Devouring Ghouls climbed up the egg and threw their own [visit [unauthorized copy]our site]bodies in the way, volunteering as shields for the King.

“Damn it!”

Gil-sang ground his teeth and clenched his fists. Ho-eun also frowned. If the creature started using other ghouls as shields, killing it with a gun was impossible. He knew this well, having experienced it during the battle in the fir forest.

After a moment of contemplation, Ho-eun suddenly looked at Gil-sang.

“The cannon. Please fire the cannon at it.”

As Gil-sang was about to order another soldier, that soldier provided an answer prematurely.

“They say the shells are all gone. We can no longer fire the cannon.”

Now that he thought about it, the sound of the cannon had stopped at some point. Ho-eun closed his eyes tightly and opened them again. He rubbed his face so hard with his palms that his nose turned red.

What should he do now? What could he possibly do? While he was staring at the riverbank with a bleak expression, pondering his options.

“…….”

He saw Tae-muk, along with Dong-ja and Byeonguk, reaching the immediate vicinity of the creature. However, neither the surrounding ghouls nor the Solar-type seemed to have noticed their presence. It was because their attention was stolen by the bullets Ho-eun was firing. Seeing this, a strange light flickered in Ho-eun’s eyes.

“…….”

I have to keep their attention on me.

Ho-eun tightened his grip on the trigger he had been holding loosely. Then, he fired again—tu-du-du, du-du-du. The bullets slammed into other ghouls instead of the Solar-type, but it didn’t matter. He just needed to hold the creature’s gaze.

Thanks to that, the three were able to reach the base of the tower made of Devouring Ghouls without significant interference. Seeing this, Ho-eun fired the bullets even more fervently. By then, the soldiers on the plains also began to charge toward that location.

Everyone knew instinctively. That the Solar-type was their King. And that the King’s neck had to be severed.

The Devouring Ghouls only noticed Tae-muk, Dong-ja, and Byeonguk when they began to climb the tower. The creatures attacked them fiercely, baring their claws and teeth. Like a surging black tide, Byeonguk was the first to be swallowed up and disappear among them, followed by Dong-ja.

“…….”

Ho-eun bit his lip in worry, but he did not let go of the gun. Because Tae-muk was still climbing the tower.

Even with one Devouring Ghoul clinging to his shoulder and another to his thigh, Tae-muk climbed the tower with long strides. It would have been easier if it were a real tower, but because it was a tower made of the bodies of ghouls, every single step was incredibly difficult. The creatures gaped their mouths wide, aiming for his limbs.

Still, Tae-muk climbed. He climbed without rest. Ho-eun could see him becoming drenched in blood by the second.

Just then, one Devouring Ghoul dropped from above, opening its mouth wide toward Tae-muk’s head.

“No…….”

The moment Ho-eun muttered unconsciously.

An arrow flying from below pierced through the ghoul’s palate and went straight through the crown of its head. The ghoul failed to reach Tae-muk and fell straight down to the ground with a thud.

After that, a barrage of arrow attacks poured down upon the ghouls rushing toward Tae-muk. There were even soldiers who threw axes, swords, or spears. Perhaps thanks to that.

Tae-muk finally reached the feet of the Solar-type Corpse-ghoul.

“…….”

Ho-eun held his breath. In that instant, he imagined many things. He imagined Tae-muk ripping off the creature’s Helmet Bone or crushing its skull. He imagined this cruel and vicious battle ending in victory and peace returning to the world.

Tae-muk plunged his hand into the side of the ghoul the Solar-type was standing on, then used it as a foothold to launch himself upward. He reached out toward the creature’s ankle. Just as his hand was about to snatch the ankle.

“Uh…….”

Suddenly, the Solar-type leaped far downward. Due to the abrupt descent, Tae-muk grasped the empty air instead of the ankle and slid down. However, he did not fall. He slowed his descent by slashing through the Devouring Ghouls with his sword.

“…….”

As Ho-eun watched Tae-muk with concern, the earth [Read [visit our site]on Read BL Novels]shook with a loud thud. The Solar-type had reached the ground. Seeing this, Ho-eun quickly grabbed the machine gun again.

The creature was now completely exposed without a single shield. It was an opportunity. Ho-eun pressed the trigger hard.