Daldal: Main story

Chapter 143

"Ugh!"

Eun-oh, struggling to maintain his balance while clutching his side, suddenly faltered, his foot slipping on the uneven terrain.

The pain in his side continued to flare up without hesitation. Fortunately, he wasn't stabbed too deeply and the bleeding wasn't that bad.

Leaning heavily against the rough surface of the cliff, he took a moment to catch his breath. Meanwhile, the clashing of blades and the screams resonated incessantly, vividly conveying the intensity of the battle unfolding behind him.

Yeoul, who had been at the forefront, urged Eun-oh with urgent cries, signaling the need to escape from the area quickly.

Eun-oh, leaning on the cliff with his left hand, moved forward slowly, trying to put distance between himself and the chaotic battleground.

He was told to wait where there were horses. He had to get there. If he rested there, Young Master would surely come.

He tried to suppress his anxious feelings, but...

"Aaargh!"

Eun-oh unconsciously turned around. The screams and cries seemed to grab hold of his mind. What if those screams were Young Master's voice? The thought kept crossing his mind.

As Seo Hwa Noona had said, Young Master was a renowned swordsman, unparalleled in the entire empire. Still... Even if that were the case, facing a multitude of armed opponents alone was no easy feat.

"Just a moment..."

In an instant, Eun-oh realized something and hesitated.

Yes, twenty. He had counted twenty Yokai this morning. One of them died by the knife while standing next to him, so nineteen. The leader lost consciousness, making it eighteen.

But how many were there just now?

"Huh?"

His head snapped up. Eun-oh looked at the dark cliff. How many ambushers had come down from there earlier? He tried to recall. One, two, three, four... Six. He distinctly saw seven going up, but only six came down.

That meant one of them must be hiding.

"...No"

Eun-oh turned towards the rendezvous point. As he did, Yeoul rushed over, grabbing his sleeve.

"Yeoul, someone might be up there on the cliff. I feel it. Young Master might not know. We need to tell him."

Yeoul vigorously bit the hem of his pant, advising against it, warning of the danger. He was telling Eun-oh not to go, to leave it be.

Yes, there might be a chance of survival. Young Master was strong. But there could also be dire consequences. Eun-oh couldn't ignore the possibility of tragedy.

No matter how much Yeoul resisted, a small creature facing the strength of an adult is virtually powerless. Eun-oh pushed aside Yeoul's objections, turned around, and quickly returned to the battleground. His slow pace worked in his favor, making the way back shorter.

Upon returning, the situation at the battleground was truly chaotic.

Lifeless bodies scattered everywhere, and the clashing sound of metal tearing through flesh showed no signs of abating.