Legends of Ogre Gate

Chapter 60: An Offer

Chapter 60: An Offer

If Dragon Lord Sima Zikang was shocked by the sight of dozens of cat-like demons racing down the slope, he didn’t show it. Before the first of the creatures could even get halfway down to the of the slope, he shouted, “Golden Dragon Squads 4 and 6, Pure Phoenix Squads 5 and 7, reform to the south!”

Four squads of fighters instantly ran to meet the cat demons.

Within moments, bizarre, otherworldly screeches filled the air, and blood began to splash. The Golden Dragons and Pure Phoenixes soon found that although the bizarre cats were ferociously strong and terrifyingly vicious, they could die just as any living animal could die.

However, the cat demons had not stopped pouring out of Geng Long’s painting.

“Dammit,” Sunan said. “How many of those things does he have?”

Dragon Lord Sima began to shake his head slowly. “There are already enough to threaten to overwhelm us. Any more and....”

The demons continued to pour out of the painting, accompanied by Geng Long’s maniacal laughter.

Sunan gritted his teeth. “Who is this psycho...?”

“The biggest bastard in the world,” Bao snarled.

However many cats the fighters killed, more popped up to replace them.

The lines were holding, but clearly wouldn’t continue to do so for much longer.

“Sunan,” Bao said, her voice low. “I think we need to use that technique.”

He looked over at her. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Sima Zikang turned his attention from the cat demons to look at Bao and Sunan. “Which technique are you talking about?”

Bao clenched her fists. “The technique we learned in the cave beneath Mount Fohe.”

“You learned a technique there?”

Sunan took a deep breath. “Yes. We saw an ancient battle. Or rather, participated in it. There was a war in which a dragon warrior and a phoenix warrior fought against an army from Emo Cheng. An army of demons. In the end, the dragon and the phoenix combined their power into a single strike....”

“And wiped out the entire army of demons,” Bao concluded. She took a step forward. “Sunan, are you ready?”

He gritted his teeth. “I... I don’t know. We’ve never even practiced this.”

“We practiced it on that ancient battlefield.”

“That wasn’t us! What if we can’t control it?”

A demon cat pounced onto one of the Pure Phoenixes and ripped his throat out. Two nearby Golden Dragons hacked the cat with their Ox-Tail Daos, killing it. Then they lunged to fill the spot vacated by the now-dead Pure Phoenix fighter.

“Dammit!” Sunan muttered. “Bao....”

“Look Sunan, you have to trust yourself. Be confident in your abilities and your skill. We did this before in that ancient illusory world. We can do it again.”

Sunan took a step forward. “Fine. Let’s do it. Let’s unleash the Dragon Phoenix Strike.”

Bao looked over at him and grinned. “You mean the Phoenix Dragon Strike? This was my idea.”

He chuckled. “Fine. The Phoenix Dragon Strike. Dragon Lord Sima, once we start moving, have the men make room.”

Dragon Lord Sima nodded.

Without any further discussion, Bao and Sunan began to accelerate into a run.

Behind them, Dragon Lord Sima called out, “Squads 4-7, Rippling Willow Formation!”

The Golden Dragons and Pure Phoenixes fighting the cat demons quickly began to execute one of the many maneuvers they had practiced. Even as Bao and Sunan neared, they formed a wedge shape, then surged forward, pushing the cat demons back in a sudden vicious charge forward. Then, just as quickly, they fell back, inverting the wedge shape to leave a wide opening in the middle.

The cat demons were taken by surprise. Even as their front lines scrambled to recover from the sudden charge, Bao and Sunan leaped into the gap that had been opened. They touched hands left to right, and then extended their other hands forward.

Neither of them spoke a word, much less shouted the name of the technique as had become the convention among Qi fighters.

As their hands shoved forward, a flood of Qi erupted out, two blazing streams of energy, one of which vaguely resembled a dragon, the other, a phoenix. The streams of energy combined, causing intense rumbling sounds to echo out in all directions. The ground trembled, and a powerful wind kicked up.

When the blast of energy slammed into the first of the demon cats, they trembled, and their eyes began to bulge. Then, after only a breath of time passed, they exploded into clouds of blood, gore and bone.

Then the cat demons behind them exploded, one after another.

The massive wave of energy surged up the steep slope, completely destroying every cat demon it touched, and also destroying any plants and vegetation in the area. Blood began to fall like rain, accompanied by the miserable screams of the cats.

Geng Long’s eyes went wide as he stood there, the scroll painting still held in his hand, still belching out more cat demons.

As the flood of Qi energy bore down on him, destroying every cat demon it touched, his jaw dropped, and his hand began to tremble.

It was only when the energy was about six meters away from him that he finally reacted, dropping the painting, planting his foot down, and then pushing backward in an attempt to evade the blast.

However, he was too slow. The scroll painting was caught up by the flood of energy and shredded into pieces, and then the blast slammed into him.

Geng Long let out a miserable scream as he was sent tumbling backward like a kite with its string cut.

-Thump thump thump-

He flipped head over heels, blood spraying out of his mouth, until he slammed into a tree. By that point, he was out of Bao and Sunan’s line of sight, but they could hear his cry, and how it was cut short with a thudding sound.

It was in that moment that the blast of energy faded away, and the fighters relaxed the ready stances they had assumed, before looking around. The few cat demons that hadn’t been caught up in the blast were being dispatched by the Golden Dragons and Pure Phoenixes that were near the outskirts of the blast radius.

At the entrance to the ravine, the fighting had stopped. Bandits and Demon Emperor soldiers alike were looking over toward Bao and Sunan, and the blood-soaked ravine wall, their expressions that of shock and horror. Even the Golden Dragons and Pure Phoenixes fighting on the front lines were clearly shaken.

As for the Golden Immortal, his eyes were wide and, although no one could see it, his hands were trembling.

A short moment of silence followed.

Bao and Sunan were breathing heavily. They had just unleashed a powerful cathartic attack that had killed nearly a hundred or more cat demons, draining them significantly. However, they still had a bit of energy left to fight.

The silence was broken by Dragon Lord Sima. “Push the attack! Elephant Crushing Formation!”

A cheer rose up from the Golden Dragons and Pure Phoenixes, and battle cries began to ring out as they executed the offensive formation, pushing hard against the bandits and soldiers.

Bao’s eyes flashed with flames of fury. “If Geng Long didn’t die, then I’m going to finish of the job.”

Without another word to Sunan, she sped up the slope.

Sunan looked at the fighting, then turned his head to Dragon Lord Sima.

Sima Zikang quickly assessed the battlefield, then said, “The Golden Immortal is fleeing. The battle is ours. Go.”

Sunan nodded, then sped into motion after Bao.

**

Geng Long was no fool. He had grown up on the streets of Yu Zhing, stealing, scheming, plotting, conniving, and even murdering his way into positions of power. Eventually he wormed his way into the Bone Slicers, where he felt right at home.

When Bao and Sunan unleashed power that seemed to surpass the level of mortal beings, Geng Long was temporarily stunned into immobility. By the time he regained his senses and attempted to evade the blast, it was too late, and he was thrown back violently from the edge of the ravine.

Thankfully, he had chosen to wear his Bone Slicer armor for the battle, something he rarely did. He prefered to slink in the shadows and slice throats, not fight on a battlefield. It was his decision to wear that armor that saved his life. Not only did it provide a level of protection from the tail end of the blast of energy, it absorbed some of the force of the blow he sustained when he slammed into a tree a few meters away from the edge of the slope.

By that time, the pain wracking through his body forced him into a position of clarity. His reactions were now as quick as ever, and because of the intense sensation of deadly crisis that rose up from the pit of his stomach, even quicker than normal.

He slammed into the tree with a grunt, but even as he fell toward the ground, twisted his body. Landing in a crouching position, he didn’t hesitate for a moment to burst into motion. Drawing upon the energy in his body, he moved with speed that surpassed even the best Qinggong techniques of the Pure Phoenix Sect.

In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

**

Bao leaped onto the south ridge only to find it completely empty, other than the blood and gore left behind by the slain cat demons, plus the shredded remains of the scroll painting.

However, in the distant trees, she noticed a blur of motion, and instantly began to race in that very direction.

A moment later, she heard breathing and footfalls behind her, and identified them as Sunan. However, she didn’t take the time to look back, instead keeping her gaze focused on the spot where she’d detected motion moments before.

Drawing upon the Qinggong techniques of the Pure Phoenix Sect, she raced through the scattered trees, heading in a generally southeasterly direction.

It took only a few moments to reach the spot where she’d seen motion. However, nothing was in sight.

“Damn you, Geng Long,” she muttered.

Sunan stopped next to her. After looking around vigilantly, he said, “No clue which way he went?”

“None. That bastard. One of these days I’m going to skin him alive. Then he can join those cats of his in hell!”

**

The Bone General had just finished a noon meal of roast chicken, and was looking out over the Fei River. That was when he noticed a Zhen Bird flying toward him from off in the distance. His eyes narrowed, but as the bird neared, his expression turned into something more like a sneer.

Just as the Zhen Bird was about to land in front of him, it blurred, transforming into the Love General. This time, she did not wear the form of a human, but rather, assumed her true form, that of a powerful Ogre.

“You look much better that way,” the Bone General said. “In this form, you’re truly beautiful.”

She ignored his comment. Smiling slightly, she said, “I came to inform you that your pet humans just led an all-out assault on Sunan and the girl.”

The Bone General’s brows furrowed. “And...?”

“Oh it was a failure. I can’t believe you lent your Slinkdemon Scroll to that two-bit thief you let join your Bone Slicers.”

“Geng Long used the Slinkdemon Scroll? Then how could the battle have been lost?”

The Love General looked out at the waters of the Fei River. “Oh, Sunan and the girl destroyed the demons and the scroll. It was quite spectacular. Plenty of blood. You probably would have enjoyed the scene.”

Rage flickered in the Bone General’s eyes. “And Geng Long?”

“Escaped. Barely. Along with that cousin of his.”

“Why didn’t you help them!?” the Bone General growled.

“And do your job for you? No.” She looked back at the Bone General. “I’m here today to make an offer.”

--

Get behind-the-scenes info based on this chapter, plus material for you Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate session here a the Bedrock Blog!