[Your understanding of swordsmanship has increased.]

[Proficiency in Demonic Swordsmanship, Slash, Mad Wind's Sword, and Transcendent Blade has increased.]

[The power of your Demonic Swordsmanship, Slash, Mad Wind's Sword, and Transcendent Blade has increased.]

[The MP cost of Slash, Mad Wind's Sword, and Transcendent Blade has slightly decreased.]

'Enlightenment!' Kang Oh's body shook with excitement.

He had taken his first step to becoming a Grandmaster. However, he was also given another unexpected present.

His black and gold ring glowed.

[Kunta's Golden Talent Ring has been activated.]

[A spontaneous quest has been created.]

[Enlightenment]

Kunta's talent dwells within you. Become enlightened once more. Then, you will receive a greater sense of enlightenment.

Enlightenment: 0/1.

Difficulty: Spontaneous.

Reward: A clue to another Enlightenment.

It had been a while since Kunta's Ring had activated. However, it was slightly different from the spontaneous quests he'd been given thus far.

Normally, the ring's spontaneous quests would give him a huge boost in proficiency, but this time, it would give him a clue to 'another enlightenment'.

That's why it was even better than normal.

Enlightenment was a huge part to becoming a Grandmaster, and Kunta's Ring would give him a clue to said Enlightenment!

'I've hit the jackpot!'

In any case, Kang Oh easily dealt with the attacking bandits. Perhaps it was due to the effects of his Enlightenment.

"Ugh."

"You monster!"

In no time at all, the bandits had been cut in half. Despite that, Kang Oh looked completely fine.

Gide furrowed his brow.

Kang Oh had looked visibly exhausted. But at some point, that exhaustion had washed off of his face.

'Why isn't the poison working!?'

The bandits would occasionally throw poison bombs, poison darts, and poison spears at him. Some of them had struck Kang Oh's body. However, Kang Oh showed no signs of being poisoned.

It was only natural.

Kang Oh was a Demonic Swordsman. As such, he was extremely resistant to curses and poisons.

Moreover, he had spent a lot of time with the Legendary Healer, Eder, and had taken several of his medicines. By facing the Basilisk and its Petrifying Poison, his poison resistance had gotten an even greater boost.

Most poisons wouldn't work on him anymore. Especially the poisons that the bandits were currently using.

"Brother," the three meter tall half-ogre, Mide, said. "At this rate, all of our men will die."

"I know."

"I'll take him on."

Gide bit his thumb. Then, he looked all over the place.

'No. Even Mide can't beat him. However...'

Gide stared at the entrance to their base. There was a witch inside with a piercing gaze.

He also saw the prisoners behind her.

"Mide."

"Yes, Brother."

"Don't fight that monster head-on. Exhausting him by whatever means necessary is the answer. Instead, focus on that woman and the prisoners. That may weaken him." Gide pointed at Tasha.

"Understood. Follow me, boys."

Mide led his direct subordinates and charged at Tasha.

Once he closed the distance, Mide raised his giant club into the air and forcefully swung downwards.

Whoosh.

His club let out a heavy 'whoosh' and pushed through the air. As expected of a half-ogre. He was born with incredible physical strength.

Tasha merely smiled. It was quite a brutal one.

"Good of you to come."

Kang Oh had asked her to protect the prisoners. If not for his request, then she would've gone out and killed all of the bandits already.

However, a portion of the bandits were rushing at her like moths to a flame!

It was as if they were pushing their heads into a tiger's gaping maw!

Whir!

Her snow-white hands were coated in red energy.

Fresh Blood Wave!

The red energy flickered and swept through everything in its way.

Bam!

Mide's body was pushed back, and his subordinates quickly caught him.

"Grr... Grr..." Mide's face turned red.

"I won't go easy on you next time." Mide fiercely swung his club.

Brown Bear's Aura!

A 'flaming' bear-shaped energy coated his club, which he then swung at Tasha.

"Hmph." Tasha snorted. She was about to dodge it, but then remembered that there were people behind her. If she dodged, they might get hurt.

"Everyone, go deeper into the cave! Hurry!" Tasha briefly turned around and yelled sharply.

The horned Forney Tribe and the rest of the prisoners retreated into the cave. However, there were two hundred of them, so they couldn't go very fast.

Meanwhile, Tasha gathered a ton of blood red energy.

The edges of her dress extended, transforming into a red veil that blocked Mide's aura.

Then...

The roaring Brown Bear's Aura struck Tasha's barrier.

Boom!

The aura transformed into flames, which spread across the ground like spider webs.

Mide kicked off the floor and charged like a bull.

He saw Tasha clearly. Her hair was disheveled, and both her hair and her clothing were burnt significantly.

"Huahk!" Mide fiercely swung his club.

Earth Crush!

Tasha crossed her arms.

Annihilating Thorn!

Red thorny vines surged from the ground and wrapped around Mide's body. However, Mide had the blood of an ogre flowing through his veins, a monster renowned for its great physical strength.

He ripped through the vines and then forcefully swung his club.

Bam!

Tasha fell to the floor.

"Haha. Boys, go and get them!" Mide yelled.

"Yes, sir!"

His direct subordinates went inside the passageway.

"Gyaahk!"

"N-No!"

The prisoners and the Forney Tribe screamed.

However, Tasha suddenly floated into the air.

Her entire body was coated in blood red energy. Tasha's eyes glowed red, and red bat wings protruded from her back.

Tasha's dormant demonic power had been released.

"I'll kill you all!" Tasha yelled brutally.

Flap! Flap!

She fiercely flapped her wings, and sprung forward.

Bloodstained Claw!

Countless red claws flew through the air.

Rip! Rip! Rip!

"Kuhahk!"

"Ugh."

Mide's subordinates were ripped apart.

Tasha landed on the floor, and then spun around.

Blood Storm!

A raging tempest of blood red energy swept through them.

Bam!

"Guahk!"

"Ugh!"

The bandits screamed in agony.

Countless shards of light flew through the air, which were absorbed into Tasha's body.

"Stop right there!" Mide rushed at her.

"You smell good." Tasha stared at Mide and licked her lips. His blood smelled so sweet.

* * *

"Guaaahk!"

Gruesome cries echoed throughout the entrance.

A short while later...

Mide ran out of the entrance.

Swoosh!

A blood red spear flew through the air, and pierced through Mide's body. Then, thorny vines surged from the ground and wrapped around Mide once more.

Tap, tap.

Tasha walked out. There was an ominous vibe surrounding her.

"L-Let me live..." Mide desperately yelled.

"No! Everyone, save Mide!" Gide urgently yelled. The ringleaders that'd been ordered to 'standby' quickly rushed into action.

However, Tasha was too fast for them.

Stab!

She thrust her hand into Mide's chest.

Suck!

Mide's body began to shrivel up. The more it did, the healthier Tasha's face and body became.

This was Blood's power, the reason she was called the Great Forest's Demon.

The demon's instincts, which had long since laid dormant within her, had been brought to the surface.

"Let him go!"

"You demon!"

The ringleaders' weapons pierced Tasha's body. However, her rippling body was made up of blood. She was essentially immune to physical attacks.

Tasha smiled frighteningly.

Blood Storm!

Boom!

Blood red energy spread outwards, sweeping through the ringleaders and any nearby bandits.

Gide's face stiffened.

'Impossible!'

Tasha was showing power on the same level as Kang Oh. In other words, they had two monsters on their hands.

'Damn it. I have to get away.'

Gide decided to escape. However, that would prove difficult.

Why?

Kang Oh repeatedly swung Sarahoff, and charged at him like a bulldozer.

He took advantage of Tasha halfway reverting to her demonic state. Once they turned their attention to her, Kang Oh wasn't pressured as much as before.

Kang Oh immediately headed for Gide.

Mad Wind's Sword!

Demon Sword Sarahoff broke apart any obstacles in his way.

"Stop him!" Gide urgently yelled.

However, Kang Oh's blade was too fierce for them, keeping all the bandits from approaching him.

"Damn it!"

He couldn't just sit there and die. Gide pulled the chakrams off his waist.

Gide was an expert in throwing four chakrams at once. And with this skill of his, he had made all of the bandits submit to his rule.

"Huahp!"

He threw two first, and then threw two more after.

Whoosh!

The four chakrams let out a fearsome 'whoosh' as they aimed for Kang Oh's legs, his back, and his head.

Kang Oh's eyes gleamed.

The trajectory of the chakrams, as well as the different areas they were aimed at, made them difficult to block.

Of course, that made it just as difficult to wield them.

But to Kang Oh, who possessed Hyper Intuition, they weren't all that hard to block.

Kang Oh knew that the chakrams would come at him wherever he felt cold.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

He instantly deflected all four of the chakrams.

"No way!" Gide was taken aback, but he immediately manipulated the chakrams once more.

However, Kang Oh had already closed the distance.

Sarahoff, which had gotten that much faster by using Mad Wind's Sword, ripped through Gide.

"Kuhaahk!"

Gide's face contorted in agony as he was ripped apart by Kang Oh's blade.

"Grr!"

Gide unleashed his final, desperate counterattack.

Whoosh.

Four chakrams flew at Kang Oh in different directions simultaneously.

However, Kang Oh pretty much had eyes on the back of his head. Before they made contact, Kang Oh ducked.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

The chakrams flew over Kang Oh's body and struck Gide.

"Kuheok."

Gide's eyes rolled back into his head.

At that moment...

Transcendent Blade!

The world gradually slowed. Within that slowed world, Kang Oh swung Sarahoff normally and slashed Gide's neck.

Bam!

Gide's neck spurted shards of red light like a fountain.

His body fell backwards. Thud. He didn't stand up again.

* * *

Gide and Mide had been killed by Kang Oh and Tasha's overwhelming strength.

The bandits no longer had the will to fight. They quickly ran away.

"Kyaha!" A bestial cry escaped Tasha's lips.

She flew through the air like a butterfly, picking off the bandits that ran away.

Kang Oh used Switch to wield Demon Sword Ubist once more.

Weapon Bombardment.

He threw Ubist first, and then followed it up with Sarahoff.

It was extremely difficult to use Weapon Bombardment with two weapons. He had to focus all of his concentration on controlling his weapons, and it took an extreme toll on his MP and Stamina.

However, there was nothing better when it came to finishing off the retreating bandits.

In the end, they had killed most of the bandits. There were less than 100 of the original 500 bandits left.

"Hoo." Kang Oh took a deep breath.

Fortunately, things had gone well. He had also gained Enlightenment.

However...!

Tasha suddenly attacked Kang Oh.

Bloodstained Claw!

A refined, sharp claw flew at Kang Oh. It was too quick for him to dodge.

Bam.

Shards of light fell from his body.

Kang Oh bit his lip and raised his twin demon swords.

"Grr." Animalistic cries kept flowing out of her mouth.

'Did she lose it?'

It seemed like her demonic instincts had taken over.

"Return to your sword form."

Kang Oh deactivated Demon's Descent.

However...

[Your control over the Great Forest's Demon, Blood, has weakened.]

[You cannot deactivate Demon's Descent.]

[Warning! Suppress Blood. If you cannot, Blood will be completely unsealed.]

"Damn it!"

The battle wasn't over yet.