Chapter 80 – Day 80

Day 80

“An amateurish barrier.”

Crash-!

As soon as Cheon Seoa passed by, something invisible shattered and collapsed.

This was a barrier that prevented others from intruding, and at the same time…

“It’s used to devour and store human souls… isn’t it?”

Step-.

Cheon Seoa, who reached the bottom of the stairs, smiled slightly.

The place where Cheon Seoa arrived was a vast cavern that could not be imagined to be inside Gangnam Station.

The floor was densely covered with strange, incomprehensible languages written in human blood.

At the center of these languages, human souls were swirling, constantly wailing in agony.

Certainly.

“It’s true that monsters appeared on Earth due to the influence of the Beast. However.”

Swish-.

Cheon Seoa silently looked up at the cavern’s ceiling.
On the ceiling, there was something huge and black, from which a low but fierce growling sound, “Grrrr-,” continuously emanated.

“That is not such a monster, is it?”

Cheon Seoa, who had been speaking while looking up at the ceiling, now shifted her gaze towards the end of the cavern and continued speaking.

What Cheon Seoa’s eyes saw was something that was human yet not human.

Clearly, the outward appearance of the flesh was that of a human…

“The soul is melting away.”

The soul residing in that body was too alien to be called human.
No, beyond being alien, it was melting away just as Cheon Seoa had said.

Although it was desperately using the souls of other humans to prevent its own soul from melting away, even that wouldn’t last much longer.

[You… are….]

‘It’ opened its mouth to Cheon Seoa, who was looking at it nonchalantly.

In the two eyes staring at Cheon Seoa.
Through the slowly opening mouth, a voice so bizarre it was like scraping metal flowed out, filled with undisguisable questions.

[Who… are you….]
[How did you enter this place.]
[No, how were you able to enter this place.]

“Is that all you’re curious about?”

[I see. You were one of my kind.]
[You too were a cultivator pursuing immortality.]
[And yet….]
[How come you….]

Its expression gradually distorted, and confusion began to fill its two eyes.

The fact that the other person was here was proof that they too were a cultivator practicing techniques aiming for immortality.

But if so, then why.
As a fellow Repairer, why on earth-!

[Are you unharmed-!]

Kwaaa-!

As it shouted angrily, a strange wave of power spread in all directions.
Simultaneously, something large and black that had been hanging from the ceiling fell to the ground with a thud.

A massive something covered in black fur.
Through its slightly open mouth, it continuously emitted a low and fierce growl of ‘Grrrr…’. This was none other than the Black Blood Great Tiger, which the strange hunters on the ground had judged to be a ‘disaster-level anomaly’.

The Black Blood Great Tiger, true to its name of ‘Great Tiger’, boasts a considerable size.
Moreover, from various parts of the Black Blood Great Tiger’s enormous body, bluish blood continuously spurted out and splattered on the floor.

“How disgusting.”

That was the assessment made by Cheon Seoa as she faced the Black Blood Great Tiger.

Black Blood Great Tiger.
What Cheon Seoa saw was not a mere anomaly.
It was just a kind of puppet or familiar created by a Repairer.

However, its level of completion was absurdly low.

Influenced by beasts, this thing cobbled together from various anomalies that had started appearing on Earth could only be described as truly disgusting.

[Speak.]
[Tell me-.]
[Why are you.]

Slowly, the thing that had stopped beside the Black Blood Great Tiger that had fallen from the ceiling to the ground spoke to Cheon Seoa.

[Could it be possible that you’re unaffected?]
[Are you saying you weren’t influenced by ‘that day’?]

As it spoke those words, a faint madness was already gleaming in its eyes.

Cheon Seoa smiled at it and said.

Well…

“Are you that curious?”

Grrrr-.

Perhaps it thought Cheon Seoa was mocking its master?
The Black Blood Great Tiger suddenly let out a low growl.
It also twisted its expression towards Cheon Seoa as if displeased, to which Cheon Seoa smiled once again and continued speaking.

“It’s simple. My level isn’t so low that I would be affected by mere fragments of power scattered by such a beast.”

[What do you mean…?]

“In other words, I’m at such a high level that I can’t even be compared to the likes of you, who are merely at the level of a beast tamer.”

[…!]

Its eyes widened in shock.

It was an impossible thing.
An incomprehensible thing.

Could it be that this young girl had surpassed the level he had achieved over a lifetime?
No, it was common knowledge that once a certain level is reached, physical growth stops, so one cannot judge a cultivator’s age by appearance alone.

However.

‘I’ve never seen her face even in the sect!’

It shouted inwardly.

Could it be a Repairer belonging to another sect?
However, if they had reached such a level of achievement at such a young age that their growth had stopped, it would be normal for their name to be known.

As its two eyes looking at Cheon Seoa were being tinged with confusion like before, it happened.

“By the way, what do you intend to do by gathering the souls of humans?”

Flinch-.

When did she move?

Its body trembled at Cheon Seoa, who had suddenly appeared right in front of it and asked a question.

More than that….

[They are merely materials.]

It corrected the ‘wrong word’ in Cheon Seoa’s speech.

What it was gathering was not human souls.
What it was gathering was just materials.

Collapsing. Crumbling. And melting.

[Materials to restore my soul to its original form. To its original shape.]

“Ah, I see.”

At its answer, Cheon Seoa nodded.

Certainly, from a Repairer’s perspective, ordinary people wouldn’t even be treated as humans.

But.

“The same goes for me.”

From Cheon Seoa’s perspective, a Repairman who had only reached the level of a Qi Gatherer was not considered a true Repairman.

No, their treatment was even worse than how Repairmen treated ordinary people.

It might have been different if the other party had at least learned magic engineering techniques.

“Moreover, you who have been influenced by beasts and can no longer be called a Repairman. How long should I continue to respect you?”

[…?]

At Cheon Seoa’s muttering, which was close to talking to herself, its brow furrowed.
What on earth was she talking about?

The moment it pondered this question, the Black Blood Tiger beside it moved.

Grrrroar-!

Suddenly letting out a thunderous roar, the Black Blood Tiger pushed its body and then rushed towards Cheon Seoa, swinging its massive front paw.

Whoosh-!
Bang!

As the Black Blood Tiger’s huge front paw swung through the air and slammed into the ground, a thunderous sound erupted and fragments scattered in all directions.

It momentarily showed a bewildered expression at the Black Blood Tiger moving without its command, but soon shouted at Cheon Seoa standing far away.

[You wench-!]

There was only one reason why the Black Blood Tiger would move or attack without its command.

It was when the opponent first showed ‘hostility’ towards it.

In other words, the Black Blood Tiger was now moving through the ‘self-protection function’ that had been implanted during its creation process.

How dare.

[Are you ignoring me-!]

Roaaaar-!

The roar it let out caused a strange wave of power to surge, just like before.

Certainly, at first glance, it looks similar to the spiritual energy of the Cultivators.

However.

“Perhaps due to the influence of the beast, it has become fundamentally twisted somewhere.”

As Cheon Seoa muttered this, she suddenly exclaimed, “Ah!” in a low voice.

Come to think of it, I lost the beast I had worked hard to collect in a trade with my sister.

And now, a Cultivator influenced by that beast appears before me?

If that’s the case.

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to use that Cultivator as material.”

As Cheon Seoa muttered this and looked at it, its body trembled under her gaze.

It doesn’t know why its body trembled.

But there was one thing it instinctively understood.

Danger.
Danger. Danger. Danger.

Right now.

‘I must escape-!’

Just moments after being angry, it made the decision to ‘escape!’ and began to flee from Cheon Seoa.

Originally, the Cultivators are a group that values their own lives above all else, as their goal is immortality.

The strength of the Cultivators was merely a byproduct that came along as they trained to extend their lifespan.

Meanwhile, Cheon Seoa smiled as she watched it turn its back on her and run away.

Indeed, truly.

“Did you think you could escape from me?”

The moment Cheon Seoa muttered those words and took a step forward.

Grrrr-!

The Black Blood Great Tiger roared loudly and charged towards Cheon Seoa.

It wasn’t out of any admirable intention to protect its master.
Rather, it was merely using the Black Blood Great Tiger to buy time for itself to escape.

Well, it wasn’t a living being to begin with. It was something close to a doll created for its master’s convenience, so one couldn’t say this method of use was wrong.

Cheon Seoa had also used her own dolls in this way in the past.

However.

“It’s somewhat unpleasant, I must say.”

Did they really think they could tie her down with such a crudely made doll?

As Cheon Seoa muttered those words.
Moreover, in her gaze as she looked at the charging Black Blood Great Tiger, there was an undisguisable displeasure.