Chapter 377

Chapter 377

Chapter 67: Rewards from the Past (3)

In an instant, a thrill surged up to my head, and I almost bit down hard to suppress it.

I had to exert all my strength to control my body’s reactions.

‘Calm down, don’t show that you’re agitated.’

I had never told my party members about this peculiar ability that Rice Cake possessed.

There wasn’t an efficient way to utilize it, so I just let it slip by.

So at this point, probably only I and Rice Cake knew about this vision.

‘I must not let them find out that I have a way to chase Omby.’

Whether I strike the back or the front of my opponent, it’s a foolish choice to reveal my hand.

I maintained a calm expression as much as possible.

I could confidently say that no one there noticed my agitation.

‘If anything, this guy knows my emotions.’

I fixed my gaze on Rice Cake and slowly regulated my breathing.

After hearing about Omby, I had been constantly pondering.

How could I find its true form?

‘And to think I already had the means to do it.’

Who would have thought that the warmth I whimsically picked up one day would return like this?

‘They say you can’t foresee the near future of a person.’

A solution came through an unexpected creature at an unexpected moment.

I wondered why I hadn’t thought of using Rice Cake’s eyes.

Omby’s puppet was different from the one made by Agnotia.

The fact that the puppet spoke directly meant that there was an entity conveying intentions through it.

I should have deduced the connection between the puppet and its true form.

Despite the complexities, the first thing I had to say was clear.

I glared at Rice Cake with sharp eyes and spoke.

“Next time, when I tell you to back off, you back off.”

If I’d made a mistake, it could have been truly fatal.

I didn’t have the leisure to continue the fight and protect others from Omby.

Fortunately, its real target was me.

If it had charged at Rice Cake, could I have completely shielded it?

‘In my current state, I can’t guarantee it.’

Chiding it, emphasizing that point, Rice Cake nodded vigorously.

Promising to obey next time, it wagged its tail excitedly, looking at me with bright eyes.

Indeed, I was angry about its sudden action.

But it brought the solution I desperately needed, and with that endearing gesture, my anger seemed to melt away.

‘This must be what’s called a lucky charm.’

It once saved my life, and now it brought a way to save the Earth.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a lucky charm.

I patted Rice Cake’s neck with a much softer touch and asked.

“And the wound?”

Rice Cake barked joyfully as if pleased by my calmed demeanor when I heard a familiar voice from behind.

“I already applied potion, okay? Geez, I don’t know what you find so endearing about it that you even bother applying potions!”

Grumbling.

While complaining verbally, it was busy tending to Rice Cake—of course, it was Kim Yul.

Just as I was about to respond to him, Yang Taeho, who had been watching Omby on my behalf, spoke urgently.

“That one looks a bit weird.”

I immediately turned my gaze to where Omby was tied up.

Trembling, quivering.

As if seizing, Omby, having lost both arms, suddenly opened its mouth wide.

And then, it started to swell rapidly, like bubbles forming from foam.

“Brother, sir!”

Kim Yul, who was relatively further away, shouted urgently while protecting Rice Cake.

Yang Taeho, who was closer to Omby than I was, raised his shield, blocking my path.

Simultaneously, Omby, which had lost its human form, exploded.

Boom!

The power itself wasn’t that great.

But it couldn’t be dismissed as insignificant because bits of flesh and sticky black blood splattered in all directions.

“Tsk.”

Thankfully, none of us got covered in the remains.

Before it exploded, golden glass crystals blocked our path like a barrier.

Thanks to this, we avoided getting covered in the filth.

After the explosion ended, I stared intently at where Omby puppet had been moments before.

‘By self-destructing like this, it must mean it had no way of escaping from the crystallized restraint.’

If it could’ve escaped, it would have attacked me again.

Had it charged sneakily, it wouldn’t have been easy to dodge.

‘It was impossible to overwhelm it.’

Its overall reaction speed was slightly faster than mine.

Yet.

‘I could respond sufficiently.’

The puppet itself was a downgraded version, but the endless evasion training I’d done contributed as well.

Not just the enhanced sight, hearing, and touch, but even a faint sense of smell.

Whenever it seemed like bugs were scritching, entering my perceptual range,

Omby would appear from that direction.

During training, Shamel or Greterman would sneakily and quietly harass me, improving my instincts.

Looking at just today’s battle, it seemed quite hopeful.

But my expression remained far from bright.

‘Even if I find the true form, can I win against it?’

No matter how well the artificially created puppet performed, it’s fake.

Its true power should be a notch higher than this.

Unfortunately, my combat sense isn’t something that can catapult in a short time.

It’s improving steadily with time and effort, but.

‘I can’t level up like some game character.’

I’ve reached the conclusion that I need a raid team, as killing Omby alone is too hard.

‘I’ll need the Apostles’ help again this time.’

They won’t have their authority leaked even if they contact Omby.

‘If that were possible, it would’ve sought the Apostles instead of me from the start.’

The Apostles who use powers similar to mine and have similar physical abilities.

They will become invaluable aids whom I can rely on.

‘I should involve the Apostles in training from now on.’

As soon as I thought that, Kim Yul, who had crouched beside me watching the epicenter of the explosion, trembled.

“What, what was that? Just now?”

“… Did it creep you out? It seems it wasn’t just me.”

Yang Taeho, who stood beside me, rubbed his arm while commenting inexplicably.

Watching the two of them, I felt slightly surprised.

‘It seems their instinctual domain is fairly trained too.’

They reacted instantly as soon as a red light was cast on their peaceful lives.

‘They must be of that degree if they are to be in my party.’

I nodded in satisfaction at their reactions.

That’s when the cleanup team dispatched by the association arrived.

And that marked the end of the battle that had unfolded in downtown Seoul.

* * *

After wrapping up the scene, I headed to the guild.

It was to check the news from other regions.

The Palao Guild had branches worldwide, so news gathered quickly.

With a tense heart hoping for the best, I checked the situation briefly.

“Phew.”

Fortunately, there were no major incidents.

The total number of Holes marked in the sky hadn’t increased, and there was no report of a new legion appearing.

Only then could I relax a bit.

I leaned back into the chair, releasing the tension from my rigid posture.

As if waiting for that moment, Rice Cake, who had been quietly sitting beside the chair, got up and energetically wagged its tail.

As if saying it wanted to play now that the work was over.

“Bark!”

Thanks to the Magic Tool, Rice Cake had returned to a small dog size, so I lifted it up.

Allowing it onto my lap, it excitedly placed its paws on my torso, licking my face.

The wet drool was bothersome, but this noble creature seemed to want to, so I decided to allow it once.

While gently strokeing Rice Cake’s fur, I picked up my phone.

I pressed a familiar number and called.

Instead of answering right away, the signal tone dragged on.

Just as I was about to hang up, thinking there might be a busy affair,

“Hello?”

Rashar’s voice came through the signal tone.

“Where are you?”

“Near Ansan City in Gyeonggi Province. There was a Hall generated this morning, so I was dispatched.”

Receiving the call meant they had finished closing and exited, I suppose.

It was good timing.

“Are you tired?”

“No, it’s not. It wasn’t a high-grade Hall.”

“Then, let’s meet. I need a favor.”

“Is it urgent?”

“No, I’ll send Gilenios for now, so come by after you’re done.”

“It might take a while to finish the report…”

“Take your time finishing. It’ll take me about an hour too since I need to travel by vehicle.”

Rice Cake lacked the status to withstand Gilenios’s transport yet.

So, I had to travel by vehicle.

“Got it.”

“Alright, see you soon.”

After ending the call, I stood up with Rice Cake in my arms.

“You heard it all, right? Go wait for Rashar.”

Gilenios, poking its face through the air, spoke with a spiteful tone.

“Yes, yes, as you command.”

Ignoring its habit of grumbling, I got into a vehicle with Rice Cake.

After leaving Seoul, I arrived at the vacant lot I visited daily for practice.

I put Rice Cake down there and said.

“Return to your original size.”

Considering the tasks ahead, staying in its main form was preferable to being small.

Without fuss, Rice Cake returned to its original form.

It had grown so much that even when on all fours, its eye level was similar to mine.

Soon, its shoulder height seemed to reach 2 meters. To think this was its undeveloped size.

‘The original body I saw had shoulder heights of 4 to 5 meters.’

In the brief moment I was thinking, Rice Cake rubbed its face against me affectionately.

‘Still quite the affectionate one.’

When I’d return home or be beside it, Rice Cake would always stick to me like this.

Seeking warmth or expressing affection?

Having grown familiar with Rice Cake’s behavior, I stroked its neck and finalized my thoughts.

‘I need Rice Cake’s ability to find Omby’s whereabouts.’

The problem is that to share Rice Cake’s special vision, I need physical contact.

I would only have access to that vision when physically in touch with Rice Cake.

After experimenting several times, I’d confirmed it with Rice Cake.

‘If I want to use Rice Cake’s eyes when encountering a new puppet, it means I must constantly stay with it.’

Taking something along isn’t problematic.

Rice Cake mostly obeys me and can be sized down, after all.

The issue lies in the risk of Rice Cake dying if I face Omby again.

Rice Cake is an invaluable asset that I must never lose until Omby is eliminated.

“So, what choice do I have?”

With a soft murmur, my divinity began to move.

“I should at least ensure you can protect your own life.”

“Woof!”

Having returned to its original form, the response was more resonant.

When it’s possible to use authority, it should aid in securing its safety rather than hindering.

Plus, I had extra authority to spare thanks to the newly absorbed status.

‘Though I’ve never imbued a beast with status, and it’s uncertain…’

Given its intelligent nature, it seemed feasible enough.

The sense of faith was quite substantial.

I transferred my status to Rice Cake.

Damned System

New Elements & Characters:

백설기 = Rice Cake (it)

김율 = Kim Yul (he)

양태호 = Yang Taeho (he)

옴빈 = Omby (it)

아그노티아 = Agnotia (her)

라샤르 = Rashar (he)

길레니오스 = Gilenios (it)

백설기’s unique vision and Omby puppet’s connection to its true form and characteristics are crucial elements to the story.