Chapter 158: How to Kill Nothingness

Episode 158

[…At this moment, a ‘Void Eye’ has appeared in front of the newest member of Hunter Team 6.]

The scene of Kim Jinsung intentionally allowing the ‘Void Eye’ to form was broadcasted live throughout the New Continent via ‘Sselephone’, the exclusive internet network of the Sselepoh continent.

[This means that the newest members of Hunter Teams 1, 2, and 6 are now facing ‘Void Eyes’.]

[We expected Teams 1 and 2 to encounter them, but Team 6 is a bit unexpected. Does he know how to deal with a ‘Void Eye’?]

Both the caster and commentator were very calm. Their passionate voices from the Colosseum survival broadcast were nowhere to be found.

There was a reason for this.

First, the viewers were all New Continentians.

The people living on this continent were mostly skilled hunters from Earth, experts in dungeons.

Therefore, there was no need to make a fuss over something like the ‘Void’. The viewers were all professionals who already knew what the ‘Void’ was.

[We both expected Juan and Luca wouldn’t bother eliminating the rifts, right?]

[They were both capable of clearing level 18 dungeons alone before joining Triunfo. They must already know how to deal with ‘Void Worms’.]

[But Team 6’s Alopsky is a bit unexpected. According to the information provided by Triunfo headquarters, his highest record is only clearing a level 10 demon world dungeon! And he has no record of clearing the Tower of Trials.]

[Hmm…]

The commentator’s expression hardened. Based on his records, Alopsky didn’t seem to be skilled enough to handle a ‘Void Eye’.

[…This means it’s one of two possibilities. Either he really doesn’t know anything and let the ‘Void Eye’ form without doing anything.]

[Or he’s a hidden master who hasn’t revealed his true skills yet.]

[That’s right! But honestly, those kinds of characters only appear in comics and novels. It’s not like that in reality.]

[Speaking from experience…?]

[Hahaha, that’s right. But personally, I’m hoping Alopsky from Team 6 is a hidden master like in the novels. It’ll be more entertaining that way.]

The commentator tried to stay positive.

There were people watching the broadcast with serious expressions.

It was Hunter Team 6 of Triunfo.

They had finished their training, had dinner, and gathered in the lounge to watch the first match of the ‘Newbie Showdown’.

“Damn it… Why did he just let the rift open?”

“Maybe he knows how to deal with it and let it open on purpose?”

“He couldn’t have been spacing out and missed it, could he…?”

“No way! The team leader wouldn’t have picked someone that clueless, would he?”

The murmuring team members all glanced at Ricardo, their team leader.

Ricardo, however, remained silent, watching the TV screen without any change in expression.

“Renzo.”

Aster called out to Renzo, who was sitting far away.

“Yes, Vice-Captain.”

“When were you able to eliminate ‘Void Worms’?”

“Exactly two months ago.”

“So… a year after you joined?”

“Yes.”

The team members’ expressions grew even more serious.

Even Renzo, considered the most promising prospect in Team 6’s history, had only been able to deal with ‘Void Worms’ after over a year of training. There was no way Alopsky, who had only been with them for two days, could handle them.

But Ricardo’s expression remained unchanged.

‘Alopsky definitely let the rift open intentionally, knowing what would happen.’

Ricardo saw great significance in that scene, which everyone watching the broadcast was aware of.

‘And judging by how he defeated Jason yesterday, he doesn’t seem to lack the skills to deal with Void Worms.’

Ricardo had become certain of one thing while watching Alopsky’s duel yesterday morning, where he single-handedly defeated four opponents.

Alopsky hadn’t shown his full potential yet.

‘My gut feeling tells me Alopsky can easily defeat Void Worms if he knows how. The question is, does he know?’

The problem was that the difference between knowing and not knowing the method was huge.

Even someone twice as strong as Alopsky could die helplessly if they didn’t know the method.

That’s what the ‘Void’ was.

* * *

‘…They’re the same.’

Kim Jinsung thought as he looked at the overwhelming number of Void Worms before him.

Their appearance, color, and even their slow attack speed were exactly the same as before.

‘Can’t I still deal with them with force?’

He tried to block one of the slow-moving purple projectiles, just in case.

He was a completely different being now compared to his time in the Colosseum finals.

All his stats had increased almost tenfold, and the skills and traits he possessed were much more numerous and powerful.

Naturally, the amount of mana he could infuse into his sword was incomparable to before.

But…

‘…As expected.’

He chuckled, looking at the holes that had appeared on his sword.

He had infused his sword with maximum Dark energy while blocking the purple projectile, but the result was the same as before.

‘They can’t be defeated with force.’

[No, you have to defeat them with force.]

‘…?’

Kim Jinsung looked puzzled at Dantalian’s sudden words.

Hadn’t he said something different during the Colosseum finals?

‘Didn’t you say I needed a special enlightenment to kill them when I faced the Void before?’

[That’s correct. You can’t defeat them with force alone without enlightenment.]

‘Then…’

He thought for a moment and asked,

‘Are you saying I need both enlightenment and force to defeat them?’

[That’s right! You’re quick to understand. Now, let me explain this ‘enlightenment’.]

Dantalian began his explanation.

[First, you need to understand the concept of a ‘Mana Subspace’. ‘Mana’, not ‘Dark energy’.]

‘Why does it have to be Mana?’

[Because they won’t die if you use Dark energy for the method I’m about to explain. They’re monsters born in the demon world, so they have resistance to Dark energy.]

Dantalian continued,

[So, how do you create a ‘Mana Subspace’…?]

‘Like this?’

[……!!]

Kim Jinsung extended his hand and created a small Mana Subspace the size of his body.

Dantalian fell silent for a moment, stunned.

[…Did you already know?]

‘Well, I figured it out.’

Kim Jinsung avoided mentioning his ‘Master of Mana’ trait.

Dantalian’s voice was filled with admiration.

[As expected, you always exceed my expectations. Then I just need to tell you the method. Let me ask you a question first.]

Kim Jinsung focused on Dantalian’s words with a serious attitude.

He now knew that this was Dantalian’s unique way of explaining things, starting with a question.

[What is the Void?]

‘Void? Didn’t you say it was nothingness?’

[Yes, nothingness. Those swarming Void Worms before you can also be considered beings of nothingness.

Think about it. What’s the point of throwing punches, swinging swords, or using elemental attacks against empty space?]

‘Of course, it won’t deal any damage.’

Kim Jinsung already knew this.

[Then let’s approach it from the opposite perspective. What’s the opposite of Void?]

‘Opposite… Fullness?’

[Yes. In one word, it’s existence. This is the fundamental strategy for defeating Void Worms.]

‘Strategy…’

Kim Jinsung fell into deep thought. Dantalian waited patiently, seeing him lost in thought.

Kim Jinsung finally spoke,

‘…Are you saying I need to completely engulf a Void Worm with my Mana?’

[That’s right! As expected of the one I chose! You’re very quick-witted! Hahaha!]

Dantalian laughed heartily with joy.

Kim Jinsung, having found the answer, immediately put it into practice.

‘It’s easy to trap them with Mana.’

He lightly gestured towards the nearest Void Worm.

His Mana surged from his hand, completely enveloping the Void Worm.

‘…Oh!’

The Void Worm’s body started to become translucent. Kim Jinsung was inwardly surprised and focused on continuously injecting Mana.

As the ‘quality’ of the Mana surrounding the Void Worm increased, it became increasingly transparent.

A few seconds later, the Void Worm became completely transparent.

Kim Jinsung then retracted his Mana.

[Well done! That’s how you defeat a Void Worm!]

Dantalian congratulated him with joy, but Kim Jinsung still looked puzzled.

‘Did I really defeat it?’

The notification that always appeared when he defeated a monster didn’t appear this time, no matter how long he waited.

[Hehehe, you don’t seem to feel it, do you?]

‘…Yeah. I have no way of knowing if it’s dead or if it reappeared somewhere else.’

He replied, looking at the swarming Void Worms ahead.

How could he be sure that the Void Worm he had just trapped hadn’t reappeared among those hundreds of others?

[If you’re doubtful, try defeating the ‘Void Eye’. You’ll definitely feel it then.]

Kim Jinsung looked at the ‘Void Eye’, then leaped high into the air without hesitation.

He reached above the ‘Void Eye’ in an instant and unleashed all his Mana, enveloping the entire Void Eye.

‘I need to defeat it as quickly as possible.’

Otherwise, he would be in danger of being counterattacked by the surrounding Void Worms.

His all-out effort was definitely effective.

The ‘Void Eye’, trapped within his Mana, started to become noticeably transparent.

But it was definitely different from the Void Worm from before.

Despite the fact that he was pouring in much more Mana than he had used to defeat the Void Worm, the Void Eye was stubbornly holding on, refusing to disappear.

Kim Jinsung gritted his teeth.

“Just die already, you stubborn bastard!”

He shouted and unleashed every last drop of his Mana.

The moment his MP bar hit zero,

he saw the Void Eye become completely transparent.

‘Did I defeat it?!’

At the same time, a welcome notification appeared before him.

—

▶ You have defeated a being of evil.

▶ Acquired the ‘Void’ trait.

▷ Void: Allows you to use all attacks and skills in a Void state. Enables you to damage other Void beings.

▶ The following beings have been added to the list of transformable creatures in the ‘Creature Clone’ skill:

– Void Worm, Void Eye.

—

“Yes!”

Kim Jinsung shouted with joy.

—