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During the operations meeting, Hwang Jiho said something after concluding that Uma was using Gulaganna’s power.
— I’ll deal with Uma on my own. The one who can surely catch him is I.
Baekho-gun, Jeokho, and the other tigers will be catching those who will attempt to perform rituals.
That variable is volatile, so we don’t know when that would end.
Jukho will not be moving outside the bamboo forest, while Eunho will be outside Eungwang High dealing with the TC Group.
Therefore, it wasn’t strange for Hwang Jiho to conclude that he should confront Uma one-on-one.
Listening to Hwang Jiho’s words, Eunho said something.
— Hwangho-nim will be fixing any variable that goes wrong. Wouldn’t it be cumbersome to deal with Uma after that?
— You haven’t forgotten my power, have you? In case of emergency, I can change the position of my main body and take down Uma again.
— Uma is someone that even Jecheondaseung couldn’t deal with alone. Gulaganna is a bull that can dry up the land. It’s not a good look for you, Hwangho-nim. You might get hurt.
Eunho seemed worried about Hwang Jiho, but there seemed to be no intention to stop him.
Eunho trusts Hwang Jiho’s power even though he’s worried that he’ll get hurt.
The other tigers seemed to feel the same way.
‘They never think that Hwang Jiho would lose.’
I honestly agreed with them.
If everything goes as planned and Hwang Jiho deals with Uma without his energy waves being consumed prior, he will surely win.
Even if Uma borrows Gulaganna’s power, they’d still be fighting in the territory of the Tiger Clan.
If Hwang Jiho fights with full force, he would never lose to Uma.
But there was a good chance that Hwang JIho would get hurt.
Hwang Jiho seems to think the same.
He’s an arrogant tiger who knows his strength, but he can still judge a situation clearly.
— It’s a big fight. Don’t think that I wouldn’t have the determination for it.
Hwang Jiho would stare me down every time I get hurt, but now the old man is saying he’s determined to put himself in harm’s way.
I tried to bring up every scolding that the old man had given me before, but I decided not to waste my time because he looked like he was on the verge of laughing.
Still, I couldn’t have not said anything.
— If the other side finishes earlier, I can join you. Then you won’t have to deal with Uma alone.
— Increasing variables in complex plans will increase the risk. You can’t go unless you’re sure that an army won’t be coming.
Hwang Jiho shook his head.
Has he experienced something similar?
His words sounded particularly heavy.
The other tigers’ faces were also shaded as if they knew what he meant.
Hwang Jiho continued speaking.
— In Mesopotamian mythology, hundreds of people were killed when Gulaganna descended on Uruk. The damage only increased until Gilgamesh went to cow-hunting himself.
Hwang Jiho was right.
It was Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, who overthrew Gulaganna.
Hwang Jiho is in the position of the King.
— The king can defeat him once he comes forward and conquers. Don’t worry.
Hwang Jiho kept laughing as he spoke.
He knew that he might get hurt, so I don’t know what the old man was smiling about.
And there was a loophole in his words.
‘Gilgamesh conquered Gulaganna, but he didn’t do it alone.’
In the myths, there was a person who suggested Gilgamesh a way to subjugate the Bull of Heaven and even helped the king execute it.
Gilgamash’s close friend Enkidu, the creation of the Goddess Aruru.
Enkidu suggested a way to take down Gulaganna.
While Enkidu catches the tail of the bull, Gilgamesh would knife through his neck, horn, and tendons.
‘Hwang Jiho is going to think that he’ll deal with Uma alone. That’s why he didn’t talk about Enkidu. But someone has to catch Gugalanna by the tail to get things done properly.’
I was reminded of two tigers who could play the role of Hwang Jiho’s own Enkidu, a close friend and comrade.
Baekho-gun, the best martial artist of the Tiger Clan, will not lose the tail no matter what.
For Jeokho, he could hide behind the smoke and approach Uma unnoticed.
But it’s unsure if Baekho-gun or Jeokho could arrive on time.
I was left with no choice.
‘That’s why the silver hero asked me for a favor.’
The Silver Hero said that Hwang Jiho would be in danger and asked me to do something.
— If everything goes according to your plan, there will be a moment when Hwangho has to fight alone on Mt. Cheonik. Don’t let Hwangho deal with the enemy alone.
— …I will also do my best to not let that happen.
— I know. But you might not be able to move after dealing with Pungbaek and Usa. If you use up all your energy in the fight, you’d think that you’d be a burden and you’re considering the option of not going.
The Silver Hero seemed to see through my thoughts.
I was going to catch the tail of Uma.
However, if I went there when I already had my strength depleted, I could be a burden and Hwang Jiho would get more seriously injured.
But the Silver Hero spoke firmly.
— Uma has another weapon other than Gulaganna’s power. You must go.
In response to the Silver Hero’s words, I am now at the place where Hwang Jiho and Uma are.
I came all the way here by saving my strength.
The usage time of my Player Identity light skill remained little.
I had to grasp the location of the two using Cheon Dongha’s power, and I used Jeon Muyeong’s light skill to approach without getting discovered.
Just in time, Hwang Jiho and Uma were colliding.
Uma’s tail was in front of me unprotected.
However…
Just before I caught the tail with my hand, my light skill was deactivated.
‘Just a little more…!’
Hwiiik!
Uma sensed my presence and jumped far.
With my overall ability alone, it was impossible to keep up with Uma.
My hand that failed to catch the tail was left in the air.
‘I can’t use my light skill. I have to catch his tail with my own strength!’
But the tail wasn’t the immediate problem now.
Uma, who recognized me as the weaker target, immediately swung his dual swords at me.
The two swords flew eerily toward my neck.
Hwang Jiho was quick to rush toward me, but Uma was faster.
I immediately took out and materialized an item card.
Fwaaat! Kwang!
Before the swords reached my neck, the Sangbosimgeumpa blocked the attack by a close call.
The Sangbosimgeumpa was barely squeezed between my neck and the two swords.
I might’ve been decapitated if I were a millisecond late.
“You dare look away when you are against this body?!”
Hwang Jiho’s rod flew toward Uma’s head.
However, Uma lifted one of his swords reflexively and prevented the blow.
“…Looks like I have to add one here.”
Fwaang!
Uma swung both his swords and pushed Hwang Jiho away.
Then, the sword changed shape and turned into an animal.
It was Uma’s ride, the Byeoksugeumjeongsu which can move freely in and out of water.
It showed its teeth and rushed toward Hwang Jiho.
He could’ve summoned it to run away from Hwang Jiho earlier.
There was only one reason why he’d only call it now.
He wants to eliminate me.
“Jogangryeob’s weapon and Hwangho’s seal! I didn’t know the Tiger Clan prepared this much.”
Although the Sangbosimgeumpa in my hand was black, Uma recognized it immediately.
He even saw the golden seal on my wrist.
I tried to shake him off with my weapon, but the power difference was so severe that I was easily pushed back.
Scratch…
I was increasingly pushed, and the handle of the Sangbosimgeumpa was about to press my neck.
As he was wringing his hands, Uma clasped the handle of the Sangbosimgeumpa.
“This weapon doesn’t suit a tiger. All the more to humans!”
Uma wants to reclaim the Sangbosimgeumpa.
My neck might fall off the moment I let go of it.
Hwang Jiho was a few steps away, facing the beast called by Uma.
The beast’s leg was broken and its face was smashed, but it was successfully holding off Hwang Jiho.
Hwang Jiho was looking at me nervously.
I might be distracting him.
‘At this rate, I’m nothing but a hindrance!’
Creaaak!
The Sangbosimgeumpa seemed to scream at Uma’s touch.
It might’ve been taken away immediately if the weapon wasn’t fiercely resisting like this.
Uma’s energy waves climbed up slowly on the weapon’s handle.
“This is indeed the pitch made by Taesangno-gun.”
Uma’s appearance began to change little by little after he said that.
I noticed what he was trying to do when I saw his blue-gold tail turn white.
He will show his true appearance and give off maximum energy waves.
The true appearance of Uma is a huge white cow.
In the Journey to the West, Uma faced the large army in his true form.
‘Uma still hasn’t done what the Silver Hero said he’d do…!’
My head was spinning.
I might have to put out everything I’ve hidden in the background.
At that moment…
Shwiiiik!
Someone else with dual swords rushed toward this side.
The movement of the swords that came for Uma’s neck was something I knew well.
I’ve watched it for almost ten years.
Shwiiiing!
Uma blocked the dual swords with only one of his, but the attacks didn’t stop there.
“Huuaaaah!”
Someone threw a fist at Uma’s head with a strong shout.
Uma let go of the Sangbosimgeumpa to block the attack.
I’ve seen that fighting technique, which wasn’t even any martial art, several times over the screen.
Taaang!
And finally, someone came in between me and Uma.
The man in an Eungwang High coat showed his back as he held a huge shield.
He was the first person I talked to in this world.
With the black snow still falling, I felt like I was losing my sense of reality.
Joo Soohyuk, Maeng Hyodon, and Yoo Sanghoon were in front of me.
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