“Are those crazed people behind me part of the same organization that you’re in?” San asked as he pointed his chin towards his rear.

“No, they’re people that I’ve killed. They’re all under my control. You can think of them as contracted slaves,” Beckham replied.

“Contracted slaves?” San asked. Beckham nodded his head as he listened to San’s question. His forces, who were behind San and Biyeon, started creeping forward. Their movements were drastically different from when they were confronting the merchant convoy’s escort warriors. They were moving together as if they were being controlled by a single person.

“That’s weird. You don’t even know this basic concept? You guys have never died ever since you were summoned to this place?” Beckham asked with slight surprise.

“Hmm, we were pushed to the brink of death many times, probably more times than you’ve died,” San answered flatly.

For the first time during their conversation, Beckham’s eyes grew wide with surprise. He couldn’t understand how they hadn’t died at least once. Beckham knew that San and Biyeon were a cut above people like him. Beckham strengthened his grip on his weapons and spoke out, “The loser of an official match becomes the contracted slave of the winner. The term of the contract is one year. After one year, another b.l.o.o.d.y match is held. The side that perishes becomes the contracted slave for the other party. The higher achieving and stronger individuals have a large consortium of contracted slaves that they take around. You can control your contracted slaves through will alone. Additionally, the master becomes stronger because the contracted slave’s mind and body become mine. At the top is G.o.d, below that is the Apostles, and then the Disciples.”

“So, it’s like a pyramid scheme?” Biyeon sarcastically asked.

“Similar. It’s an effective scheme to spread one’s word and influence. It worked in our old world, why not here?” Beckham replied back.

Beckham’s party seemed to have finished their preparation and got into battle formation. With San at the center, they fanned out around him on both sides. Their formation would allow them to exert the maximum amount of force on their target within the shortest amount of time.

The contracted slaves raised their aura to their highest levels. They had already forgotten about the concept of death, so they pulled out as much energy as they possessed. Their auras would combine together to present a formidable force.

Beckham leaned forward atop his horse and glared at San. He had put his hat back on and seemed finished in preparation for the impending battle.

“Those guys are only a part of all the people that I’ve killed and enslaved over to my side. I’ve gathered roughly 200 of those guys, so I’m at the level of ‘Disciple’. In these parts, being a ‘Disciple’ is fairly high up the food chain. My G.o.d considers someone who has received his blessing as a ‘Follower’. If a follower can control at least 100 souls, one would then be considered a disciple. If one can acc.u.mulate over a thousand souls, one would become an apostle. A single apostle possesses the combat power to contend against a great clan by oneself, however, if you add the thousand plus slaves under an apostle’s control, the level of power becomes scary to think about. You guys have any thoughts on joining? I’m pretty sure you guys can start off as apostles,” Beckham explained.

“Is that right?” San responded while bouncing the end of his sword handle in the palm of his hands.

“This place is heaven on earth. Think about it! In this place, one can live forever, so there's no need to fear anything. Murder, theft, rape, drug use, cannibalism… whatever one wants is available without anyone looking over one’s shoulder. Isn’t this the best? It’s like a video game. Even if I die, only my ‘avatar’ dies. That’s it!” Beckham exclaimed.

“Must be nice,” Biyeon coldly responded.

“Of course! I retain all the memories of my past and my body is refined and stronger every time I’m reconst.i.tuted. I don’t know who made this place or this process, but that person must be a f.u.c.kin genius. I feel so alive and free. As long as I don’t go against my G.o.d, I’m free to do anything. I’ve realized that what G.o.d wants, I too want, so there’s no barrier or difficulty…”

“Quit your blabbering. So, which G.o.d do you serve?” San stated, cutting Beckham off. San started raising his sword.

The atmosphere’s temperature started rising. San looked at his surroundings carefully. He saw the four warriors from the Dong-Myung and Ki-Jang clan, who had been following the Essen convoy, coming down from a distant hill. He could even see the Essen convoy carriages cautiously advancing behind the four warriors. San’s lips tightened.

“Ha ha… you’re definitely overpowering. Do you really want to know? Kamije, the G.o.d of War, is the G.o.d I serve. After my first death, his seed was planted in my body. I had contracted with him. What say you? He’s the G.o.d of War. His influence and power are far and wide. Are you ready to taste his power through combat? I too have developed from three years ago,” Beckham stated.

“…” Instead of answering, San looked toward Gatan. Gatan was unable to focus as his attention was scattered around what he perceived as reality and fantasy. The aura that was exchanged between San and Beckham was something he couldn’t fathom. There was no way he could partic.i.p.ate in this fight.

Furthermore, small whirlwinds filled with dust and pebbles started forming on the battlefield. The previously clear sky was filled with ominous dark clouds, causing the entire area to fall into darkness. As the dark clouds rolled in, the sun’s rays started to disappear. It was as if the sky was screaming. Many of the onlookers felt that a demon G.o.d was descending onto this world. They could also hear distant sounds of thunder and animal cries. As all this was going on, San raised his arm toward Gatan.

“It would be best if you took your people over to that side,” San suggested aloud.

“Uhm… yes?” Gatan stuttered as he looked at where San was pointing.

“Go now. As soon as you can… if you want your side to survive!”

Gatan briefly stood dumbfounded and looked at San. San’s unyielding att.i.tude and expression made Gatan swallow his questions.

“Alright,” Gatan replied. He then swiftly gathered the remaining escort warriors and led them to the area San designated. All the while, the contracted slaves on either side of San stayed silent. Only the wind seemed to be picking up speed… As Gatan was moving, he could hear San’s voice clearing coming through into his mind, “Make sure to secure your people behind trees, rocks, and close to the ground. If you can, try to seek the low ground, lower your posture, and try not to move no matter what happens.”

“Alright.”

“Also, these guys aren’t living beings, so no matter what you see or hear, don’t be surprised…”

“They’re not alive?” Gatan exclaimed as the strength of the whipping winds drowned out San’s last words.

Biyeon walked along the left side of the contracted slaves. Her hair swirled around near her neckline due to the wind. Her clothes started conforming to her body, showing off the lines of her body. A whitish aura emanated out from her body. Amongst the darkness, her body shone brightly, and her immediate surroundings were illuminated.

San raised his sword and lowered his posture, ready to pounce at any moment. His focused eyes were peering at the crazed contracted slaves, who seemed to be filling themselves up with frenetic energy. Soon, white aura burst out from San’s body as well. Immediately, a tremendous amount of energy was expelled around his immediate vicinity.

Burst-

From the sky, a lightning bolt struck down. The presence and will of a G.o.d, who was using the eyes of the 20 contracted slaves to perceive the battlefield, was felt. The G.o.d of War, Kamije, combined the separate bodies and powers of his disciple Beckham and the 20 contracted slaves, uniting them as one. San felt that this battle would be tricky. He was going against a G.o.d who was used to controlling the will and body of others on the battlefield.

Thus, the battle between a G.o.d who controlled 21 separate beings as one and two people who lived under the principle of free will started. A chaotic battle soon commenced.

***

“They’re really planning on fighting all of them?” Dongyoung murmured quietly with a nervous expression. He started taking out his own weapon. He put on a pair of gloves optimized for close-range combat, took out a weapon that looked similar to a modern handgun, and put on his defensive gear atop his outer clothes. He wasn’t sure if he was going to be of any help.

“What the h.e.l.l are those?” Dongha exclaimed with a face drained of color. She also started preparing herself for battle. Unconsciously shaking her head and with trembling fingertips…

“This… what the h.e.l.l…” Gibin stuttered, bewildered at what he saw in front of him.

The battle was already in full swing. What they saw was beyond their wildest imaginations, going beyond their experiences and understanding of what combat was…

Episode 3. Book 2: Search – Chapter 4

San maintained his composure and focus as he moved his body to the side. He’d have to first start off with some data gathering. The enemy formation revolved around Beckham at the center. 

Biyeon observed the enemy formation and movement from a further distance. Both San and Biyeon didn’t rush their movements. Their traditional battle strategy was rather simple: set up a plan, execute/do the plan, observe the reaction and results of the plan, and then rinse and repeat. However, they sometimes changed up the process for guerilla warfare tactics by first executing/doing, observing, and then planning. They would decide on their course of action based on what they felt conformed most to the situation at hand.

Biyeon didn’t know what the enemy possessed nor their combat strength level. Since there wasn’t enough information to make an informed traditional battle strategy, they’d have to go with guerrilla warfare. She conferred briefly with San. 

All the while, in front of them, a single monstrous ent.i.ty was rapidly forming. It was the first time seeing this formation for the battle-seasoned San and Biyeon.

‘Is this what they call a weaponized group ent.i.ty…’ Biyeon thought as her eyes sparkled with interest. The enemy formation slowly started to mobilize against the two. A bystander would probably only see a bunch of individual people on horses surrounding a single person. In other words, their formation seemed like a typical bandit formation strategy of surrounding their target.

However, if one looked closely and concentrated on the s.p.a.ce between the individuals, one would be able to see a web of faint lines that connected the individuals together. Millions of these lines crisscrossed each other and formed a sort of invisible membrane.

Once all the lines were formed, the 20 contracted slaves seemed to form a single ent.i.ty, as if they were all within the clear membrane of a jellyfish’s body. The centermost slave’s body became semitransparent and a pudding-like sticky substance seemed to form between the slaves.

Using a technique close to that of modern MRI technology, Biyeon scanned this new ent.i.ty and instantly frowned. This ent.i.ty was a new life in itself. Using the slaves’ bodies and horse, the ent.i.ty made a completely new creature, an ‘ad hoc networked creature’. The network structure combined individual living elements to create an entirely new living ent.i.ty. Though the ent.i.ty was made up of individual parts, the connected parts didn’t affect the overall ent.i.ty.

A fleeting emotion of surprise pa.s.sed Biyeon’s face. In total, this new ent.i.ty possessed 40 eyes, 80 legs, 40 arms and hands that held weapons, and the combined offensive and defensive combat power of 20 individuals. Furthermore, their connectivity to each other would further enhance the range of their attacks and defenses, making the ent.i.ty much stronger than just the sum of its parts.

[Now I’ve seen everything.] San muttered in their private channel.

[This ent.i.ty is the same as a 300-hundred-meter-tall monster. Furthermore, many of its parts are specialized in their own way through the inherent skills of the individuals.] Biyeon replied.

[I wonder what it can do… I guess we’ll just have to find out, right?]

[Be careful.]

Flash-

Without any forewarning, San dashed into the ent.i.ty. Though it was a sudden attack, the ent.i.ty quickly reacted. The closest slave horseman faced the incoming San head-on with a raised long spear. The other horseman to his side threw their weapons at San. Three swords and two spears welcomed the incoming San.