Chapter 49: Hahahahahahahaha!!!

From the ritual vessels prepared for the ceremony, a pitch-black darkness surges, separating one world from another.  

The material is shadow.  

The foundation is this cradle.  

The offering to be presented at the ritual’s end shall be the lamb consumed by this dense darkness.  

Thus, a barrier was completed, one from which no one could escape.  

“What the hell is this now?”  

Though Imir, the next Supreme Leader of the Sect, had immediately fled the scene upon Cheon Ju-yeon’s warning, she hadn’t entirely abandoned her composure despite the urgency. 

Nor did she turn a blind eye to the situation out of fear.  

As a Guardian of the Sect who had reached the pinnacle of dark magic, she was not so ignorant as to miss the manifestation of a barrier emitting an immense amount of demonic energy. 

Imir halted her frantic escape.  

The situation was beyond unusual—it was an outright emergency.  

Though she desperately wanted to avoid returning, as a responsible figure, Imir took a deep breath and turned back to the place she had fled from.  

Even at a glance, it was unmistakably the aura of dark energy. 

While its form and nature differed from the dark magic used by the Sect, there was a risk that she, a dark mage, could be suspected if things went awry. 

Especially since she had plenty to feel guilty about at the moment.  

Returning to the scene, Imir gazed with a grave expression at the prison of demonic energy that had engulfed one side of the building. 

She had anticipated something would happen, but she never imagined it would take this form.  

Wooong—  

Goooooo—  

A pitch-black hemispherical barrier.  

Despite the chilling aura that could be felt from afar, the barrier’s range was relatively small. 

However, this very compactness likely made its binding power exceptionally strong. 

True to the nature of a barrier, it was designed for separation.  

It seemed nearly impossible to break this barrier from either the inside or the outside. 

Even for Imir, a Guardian of the Sect who had mastered dark magic, dismantling it would take days at the very least.  

“How on earth was this barrier created?”  

This realization sparked confusion in Imir.  

To deploy a barrier of such perfection would require a substantial offering or a large-scale ritual. 

While there was magic in place across the Academy to filter out hostile individuals, a high-ranking sorcerer could likely find a way to bypass it.  

But performing such an elaborate ritual within the Academy’s grounds without detection and achieving a barrier of this caliber was an entirely different matter.  

The components of this barrier leaned closer to sorcery, whereas the Sect’s techniques were rooted in dark magic. 

Though the specifics of how the barrier was formed differed, both were grounded in dark energy, making Imir particularly sensitive to it compared to others.  

Yet, despite being at the scene until just moments ago, even she hadn’t noticed the precursors to this division.  

Though she couldn’t immediately identify which lunatic had caused this, the secrecy of the act was so extraordinary that it almost elicited admiration. 

Of course, that was only true until the barrier had manifested.  

While lower-level students might not notice, the professors and the Academy’s monsters would surely grasp the situation quickly and rush to the scene.  

There was no escape.  

Hunters of S-rank or higher, and even greater monstrosities, were involved. 

If such monsters surrounded the area from all directions, even a Grand Archmage would eventually be captured.  

It seemed the one who deployed this barrier had come with a resolve to die. 

In other words, they were determined to kill their target at all costs.  

It appeared the caster had created a perfect barrier from which even they themselves could not escape.  

“They’re determined to take others with them when they dies.”

Though Imir couldn’t yet pinpoint the exact culprit behind this insane act, there were few lunatics who possessed both this level of audacity and skill. 

As a list of notorious criminal organizations flashed through her mind, Cheon Ju-yeon, the next Leader of the Jeyoungrak Sect, arrived.  

With the sudden situation and the arrival of her direct superior, Imir felt a sense of frustration but bowed her head respectfully.  

“This is all my fault.”  

She had been at the location until just moments ago, yet she failed to notice anything. 

If this had happened during a war or a mission critical to the Sect’s safety, it would have been a grave mistake worthy of execution, no excuses allowed.  

Imir, deeply remorseful for her failure, was about to explain the situation in detail and seek guidance on how to proceed when Cheon Ju-yeon, with an even graver expression, spoke first.  

“There’s no chance we’ll be misunderstood, is there?”  

“Well, that’s true, but…”  

“Then we wait here.”  

“…Pardon?”  

“It seems that, depending on the other party’s intentions rather than the Sect’s judgment, our fate will be decided. So, we should clear up any suspicions before they arise.”  

Imir was momentarily taken aback by an order that contradicted her own judgment but merely bowed her head.  

No matter how she thought about it, breaking this barrier within a single day using ordinary means seemed impossible. 

Its very structure was so rigid and formidable that it rejected any attempt to penetrate it.  

But she respected the future of the Sect.  

She trusted Cheon Ju-yeon’s judgment.  

Was there something different visible in her perspective? 

With a face as if she had encountered something indescribable, Cheon Ju-yeon, the next Supreme Leader, murmured:  

“Soon, it will surely emerge.”  

***

#Cheon Ju-yeon’s POV

Even if you place a paper box under an elephant’s leg, you wouldn’t say you’ve trapped it.  

That was the situation.  

The small, pitch-black hemispherical barrier and the pillar of light still soaring into the sky.  

As the radiant brilliance merged with the dark energy, it evolved into something instinctively more destructive, sending shivers down the spine.  

The thought that whatever was inside would simply fizzle out didn’t cross her mind—not even slightly.  

***

“What thoughts ran through your mind when you slaughtered Lord Marnoi? You didn’t even leave his body behind.”  

Baek Yu, the Slaughter Lord of the New Sect, grimaced, his hands twitching with rage.  

His movements, filled with fury, resembled the ferocity of a beast ready to pounce.  

“I don’t know how a brat like you could commit such a heinous act. It’s probably just foolish, self-righteous justice or you being played by others, so I won’t expect a voluntary apology.”  

While keeping an eye on the blonde girl standing dazedly to the side, Baek Yu glared at Shin Yuseong’s face and declared solemnly:  

“I’ll tear you apart just as you did to him. The truth of that incident will come crawling out amid your pain and screams. You’ll atone by dying alongside your comrades!”  

With that, he drew a jet-black sword from his waist, assuming a battle stance.  

***

The Hero, Shin Yuseong, furrowed his brow.  

He couldn’t make sense of what the man was saying.  

First of all, who the hell was Marnoi?  

The bit about being played by others probably wasn’t referring to a weekend dungeon party.  

Why was this guy suddenly deploying a barrier and acting like this? 

The situation was hard to comprehend in many ways.  

Well, he wasn’t an idiot, so he understood that the other party held a grudge against him.  

Perhaps it was the remnants of the criminal organization whose hideout—a derelict factory—he had burned down recently, or maybe a friend of the dark mage locked away in the Blue Magic Tower’s secret lab.  

He didn’t know exactly what this guy was, but he clearly understood that the man was angry at him for some reason.  

The part that was hard to grasp was why this guy had chosen this moment to show up.  

It wasn’t so much anger at having his birthday interrupted as it was sheer disbelief.  

“This is ridiculous.”  

At the muttered words of the pink-haired female student beside him, he felt an odd sense of familiarity.  

Nod.  

Hmm, nod.  

The Hero and the Goddess (possessed) didn’t need to explain their identities to understand each other’s feelings.  

What a pitiful sense of timing this guy has.  

Even a one-on-one fight would be tough, but to show up when it’s two against one?  

“Seriously, why come now? What a hassle.”  

***

At the Hero’s nonchalant words, Baek Yu, the Slaughter Lord of the New Sect, twitched his cheek.  

What an arrogant brat.  

He didn’t know what gave the kid such confidence, but once his flesh was torn, he’d surely snap out of it.  

Oh, I was spouting nonsense.  

I was too cocky. 

I need to face reality…  

Fine, I’ll at least let you repent before you die.  

But despite these thoughts, Baek Yu didn’t let his guard down.  

He had already thoroughly investigated his opponent and was calculating the potential losses.  

He had even meticulously planned the ritual date and the placement of the offerings to deploy this barrier.  

Having arrived here on a critical mission for the Sect, he couldn’t afford to fail due to impure intentions.  

“No need for words.”  

There was no point in further verbal sparring.  

All that was left was to punish the fools who still hadn’t realized their wrongs.  

Drawing his pitch-black blade, Baek Yu exhaled and activated the formation powered by the divine artifact.  

“Hungry Ghost Path, unfold.”  

The ravenous ghost shall crave the blood and strength of its foe.  

Soon, that power shall come to me.  

“Greed.”  

This barrier was a divine technique, far beyond petty sorcery like the Great Absorption Method.  

It siphoned the vitality of those trapped within and made that energy entirely his own.  

Amplified twofold—  

Thump.  

Thump-thump!  

“Hahahahahaha!!!”  

As the pitch-black energy surged and his body’s strength amplified, Baek Yu felt ecstasy.  

My goodness, to think his body could be filled with such power!  

Not just his physique, but even his inner energy output was twice—no, more than that—stronger than usual.  

He felt confident he could tear apart anyone who came his way.  

He had been granted the power to do so!  

But at the same time, Baek Yu began to feel a sliver of doubt about the overwhelming energy now coursing through him.  

Wait, isn’t this effect a bit too strong?  

3BH, 4BH, 5BH…  

(*Battle Harmony)

His combat power kept rising without any sign of stopping. 

Baek Yu paused, then began to feel fear.  

What is this? 

Is this truly the power of the divine artifact?  

Or was it something else?  

By now, his strength had grown sixfold stronger than usual, and Baek Yu, now thoroughly bewildered, stared at those trapped within the barrier.  

“…Huh?”  

The effect was too good, but for some reason, something felt terribly wrong.  

To be continued.