episode_0272

I lightly got up. As if nothing had happened, my vision cleared up and my body felt light as if I could fly. For a moment, I even felt like I was floating around as a particle.

“This is… ”

Golden waves were constantly swaying around me. I could immediately tell that these seemingly endless waves were the original blockade.

The true strength you realize only after being driven to the edge of a cliff.

I first examined the small cat in my arms. Its breathing was shallow and its pulse was so slow that I could not even detect it.

“… ”

He brought his palm up and gently stroked the cat’s body as if wrapping it around it. The full particles injected along with it were quickly restoring the vitality of its delicate body.

Soon, I heard the sound of comfortable breathing. Only then did I feel relieved and carefully placed the small cat on the round seat. And I prayed for two things.

I hope this child has good dreams. And… I hope he doesn’t feel too sad when he wakes up.

Only then did I turn around.

“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.”

“Uh, how… ”

What was in front of me was an ugly creature, staggering backwards. Its trembling eyes contained only fear. The arrogant attitude from earlier was nowhere to be seen.

“Impossible… How can a lower creature… have the power of the original… ”

Now, I think this is the last time I’ll be rambling on about these lowly creatures, so I feel a little sad.

It wasn’t that hard to catch up with an opponent who had lost his will to fight. I walked slowly and kicked Regulus in the stomach.

It was time to let go of old grudges.

“What are you doing… Ugh… !”

The witch fell to the floor, screaming in pain as she rolled over. As I watched her, a feeling of complete satisfaction seeped into my body.

-Pfft!

“Ugh… !”

“I thought you’d just abandon your body and run away, but this is unexpected. Oh, is it not possible? Because it’s within the blockade’s range?”

“Damn, how dare you… Don’t you dare clean those dirty feet right now… Ugh!”

I kicked her lower abdomen again and she screamed in pain. It was good that I didn’t have to control my strength. After all, it was impossible in the cradle.

“I should have beaten you harder last time. It was because it was Yena’s body.”

“Arrogant… Ugh… !”

“It’s okay. You can finish what you couldn’t do then today. Do you think so too?”

“Ugh, gasp… ”

“Bite it.”

I continued kicking indiscriminately. The intermittent screams were as sweet as a symphony.

-Thud, thud!!

“Ugh… squeak… !”

The sounds of bones breaking and internal organs being torn apart were dizzying. I stomped and kicked countless times. I controlled the intensity more delicately than usual and focused only on causing pain.

“Uh, uh… uh… ”

How much time had passed? Now, not even a scream could be heard. Regulus could not speak properly because his jaw was broken and his teeth were knocked out. His two pressured pupils were bulging out to a disgusting degree.

Does that mean that the witches’ unique regenerative abilities can’t be properly utilized now? It’s just a bit disappointing for me. Kicking the already crushed parts won’t cause any pain.

“Phew.”

“Ugh, uh… ”

I placed my foot on the witch’s head and pressed down hard. Her limp limbs posed no threat to me.

Letting go of the grudge is over. I have more important things to do. Anything more would be a waste of time.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god… !”

-Pfft!!

As he exerted his strength, the strange groans also grew louder. Soon, a sound like a watermelon exploding was heard, and then silence fell over the surroundings as if nothing had happened.

And from within the completely collapsed body, something that looks like transparent smoke bursts out. It disappears into the deep darkness of the underground cavern where no light reaches.

I followed it from a distance.

-Thump, thump…

And then a faint, regular sound, almost like a pulse, began to be heard. Dark red veins began to spread across the walls, and soon a disgusting space covered in pink mucus and flesh appeared.

“Is this… a nest?”

I frowned in disgust as I saw the fleshy fragments on the wall heaving as if breathing.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump…!

The further inside I went, the louder the heartbeat became. I could soon reach the source.

The floor was covered with flesh like a round carpet. In the middle of the wide space, an organic structure that looked exactly like a fountain could be seen. The only slight difference from a normal fountain was that blood was dripping instead of water.

The blood vessels that spread widely along the wall were converging at a point centered around the fountain. I approached it. Something surrounded by moist mucous membrane was continuously spurting blood.

The core of the nest.

And Regulus’s body.

“This is… ”

I walked towards the heart-shaped core. The inside of the core shook violently as if it sensed my presence.

I forcibly tore at the moist mucus surrounding it, and soon a bizarre organism that looked like an immature embryo emerged.

I pulled out the blade, and the embryo shook even harder. As if it was begging me not to.

Looking down at that pitiful sight, I lost myself in thought for a moment. The village raid, the warlocks’ raid, the leader who recognized my power and took me in, my admission to the cradle, the events that followed. And finally, until I came here.

Looking back, the existence of witches has always been intertwined in the twists and turns of my life. If it weren’t for them, I would have remained a country bumpkin in the outskirts forever. Family, and friends. Enjoying happiness with everyone for eternity.

But I would not have met the principal and his sisters, and I would not have seen the bigger world. I would not have had to do anything with the principal’s schemes, and I would not have had to fight to the death with Jin Ye-seo.

And I wouldn’t have been able to meet Yeonmin-ha.

All of those are precious memories to me now. Of course, that doesn’t mean I want to thank the witches in particular.

There is only one thought that fills my head.

It’s finally time to break this stubborn bad relationship.

“Then, goodbye.”

-Phew!

“Squeak!!! Squeak!!! Squeak!!!”

The witches’ characteristic screams rang loudly in my ears. I paid no attention and focused on delicately tearing apart the embryo.

“Squeak… Squeak… ”

And the screams died down in an instant. The witch’s body was surprisingly weak.

It was a very absurd end for such a powerful enemy. They talked a lot about being inferior creatures and such, but in the end, they were just mere living beings.

Well, I guess they never thought that someone would come here and target them.

“Hoo… ”

Only then did I let out a sigh and look around. The golden waves that had been surging around me were also gradually subsiding. The veins and flesh of the nest that had lost its core were also rapidly withering away and disappearing.

And I have one last thing to do here.

As I looked around, I soon discovered a space where dozens of giant membranes were hanging. After tearing off a few, the corpses of grotesque creatures that I couldn’t tell were human or demonic creatures rolled down with a thud.

Its appearance is exactly like the bizarre demons we saw in the First City. Perhaps Betelgeuse was continuing the biological experiments it was conducting here.

I felt a little anxious. I was worried that the captain and his sisters might have already ended up in that situation.

I absolutely cannot believe what they say about the witch clan…

“Hoo, hoo.”

I searched for them endlessly, tearing at every layer of their film.

And by the time I had torn about 30 layers of the membrane.

I finally found what I wanted.

“Ah… !”

I gave a slight exclamation.

A look that clearly shows a nervous personality, and roughly trimmed hair.

I saw a familiar face sleeping in a pocket filled with an unidentified liquid.

“Chief… ”

I pulled him straight out of the liquid. The spot where one arm had been was empty, but the rest of him was fine. He had a faint pulse and was breathing.

Only then did a sense of relief begin to settle in my body. My throat was choked up because of the overwhelming emotions. Although we had only been apart for a few months, I felt as if I had not seen him in decades.

If we just take him outside like this, he’ll definitely recover, except for one problem.

“… But why are you naked?”

I grumbled lightly. The captain was tearfully happy, but it wasn’t like that. And there was a bigger problem.

If the captain is like this… what about the older sisters…?

“… ”

I looked around hurriedly. Fortunately, I was soon able to find a few pieces of clothing that looked like rags. They must have belonged to someone who had already died, but I was in no position to choose now.

I picked out a suitable one and put it on the captain’s body. Then I tore off the remaining film, looked for my sisters, and repeated the same thing exactly three times.

“Sisters… ”

I tried my best to avoid eye contact with my sisters. Surely they wouldn’t scold me for something like this. Considering their personalities, they might actually use this as an opportunity to tease me…

“Sehwa noona… that’s it, Chaewon noona… that’s it, Jin noona… that’s it… ”

The older sisters were also sleeping, breathing lightly. Unlike the captain, their limbs were all intact.

Now that I think about it, the witch said she was doing interpretation or something. Earlier, she was fighting against the fleshy things that looked like the captain’s clone.

I guess that’s why I kept it in its original condition as much as possible. In any case, it’s fortunate for me.

I carried them out. The flesh and blood vessels of the nest had already shrunk to the point where only traces could be discerned. The living corpses had long since found peace again.

Even if we kill the witches with this, they won’t come back to life.

I finally found the little sleeping cat and put it in my arms. Then I climbed the slope with them all on top and headed towards the ground.

I found a suitable rock and put the captain, his sisters, and the little cat down behind it. Then I raised my head and looked up at the sky for a moment.

“Ah… ”

And in the dazzling sunlight, I let out a small exclamation without realizing it.

The golden waves had dispersed and disappeared. The cloudless sky was clearer than ever. A gentle breeze blew pleasantly and the chirping of birds resonated sweetly in my ears.

The world was peaceful as if it had never been like that before. So much so that the fight just now felt like a lie.

-dump.

And then, without any warning, I suddenly lost my balance and fell to the floor.

I sat down and looked down at my legs.

-Pass…

My body was crumbling like sand. Half of my left ankle was already shapeless. The scattered particles were scattered and sparkling in the sunlight.

“… ”

I stared at it blankly. The price I paid for going beyond the limits of my body had finally come.

There was no disturbance in my heart. What disturbance could there be when everything had already been completed?

Yeah, it’s really over.

***

“Which side?”

“Definitely in this direction… ”

Four women were walking briskly. All of them were seriously injured, but they were the clear winners of this fight.

But instead of the joy of victory, his face was filled with a certain eagerness and impatience.

“Ugh, gasp… ”

The black cat, panting for breath, muttered.

“What on earth were those golden waves?”

She remembered the golden waves that had come at the moment of life or death. They had wrapped around her comfortably and instantly restored their depleted wells. And on the contrary, the demons fled in fear, and the twin witches were so shocked that their bodies were frozen and they couldn’t even use their magic.

As a skilled soldier, she succeeded in turning the tide of the battle without missing the gap. She immediately stabbed the witches in the head and left the scene to her adjutant as she hurriedly entered the city. Then, she encountered three female students heading somewhere.

They too, with the help of the golden waves, had each turned their defeat around and slaughtered the witches.

“… It’s definitely Hyun-i’s power.”

Baek Seo-yeon muttered as she answered. An anxious look was evident on her face.