episode_0313

The departed souls transcended into pure white energy, rippling across the battlefield.

This is the breath of the world. Every life born into this world is destined to die, and those souls return to the universe, reborn as new life.

The endless repetition of life and death. A cycle too ambiguous to simply call reincarnation, yet it is the fundamental characteristic that sustains this universe. A rule that must be upheld.

And, somewhere on this battlefield, there existed a being who intercepted the flow of these souls and claimed them as their own.

Unlike me, who does not permit the reincarnation of the wicked. They intend to devour all the souls of the fallen soldiers, using them as offerings for a massive ritual.

My eyes, shining with pure white light, could see. My spiritual eyes, uniquely capable of seeing souls. All the surrounding souls were flowing in a fixed pattern.

‘To so openly reveal your position… you’ve got some nerve.’

The sunlight filtering gently through the clouds feels pleasant. I pushed off the ground with light, quick steps.

Tat-

Muyeongbobeop, Kway.

The surrounding scenery blurs, and my body flies faster than anything. It’s similar to the feeling I had when I time-traveled using the administrator’s power. Of course, compared to that, this is infinitely slower.

After a moment of sprinting through the air, I found where the souls were gathering. It was a forest. I stopped momentarily, my target before me.

‘It’s a trap.’

It was suspicious how openly they were luring me in. The entire forest is saturated with dark energy. The smell is so pungent that I plugged both nostrils with Aether.

Didn’t Nix say she took care of one named individual in a forest? That might have been the Forest of Illusion closer to the kingdom.

Even without Aether, I can sense similar presences, as a spirit, and there’s no way she wouldn’t have noticed this outrageous flow.

From a distance, it’s a breathtaking sight. A pure white current flows from all parts of the battlefield into the pitch-black forest. Up close, the stench is enough to make one’s head spin.

Psik-

I chuckled lightly and stepped into the forest.

‘If it’s a trap, so what?’

I drew up a large amount of Aether, scattering my presence around as I advanced. It’s the same method as Duke Darius’ trap. It means to kill anyone the moment they enter.

Pasak-

The withered leaves crumbled at my touch. Even the branches disintegrated into ash at the slightest touch.

I showed no caution whatsoever. Leaving magical traces, stamping clear footprints, not concealing a single sound.

“If you’re inviting someone, shouldn’t you meet them?”

I shouted without a hint of hesitation. I can sense two breaths from behind me. I extended my empty hands.

Ssaeaeak—

Two assassins wielding daggers lunged at me. I gathered Aether in my empty hands, forming the Muyeong Sword, and sliced them in one blow. Before the four pieces of their bodies even hit the ground, I dispelled the Muyeong Sword.

Blood splattered, flesh flew, and a loud commotion arose.

“Oh, what’s this? Were you the welcoming puppies? I accidentally killed you in surprise.”

Again, I flaunt my empty hands and advance, arms spread wide. My whole body is pretending to be unguarded. Anyone who could sense even a trace of my ki would have realized that there’s no place in this forest beyond my reach.

In other words, whether they strike now or later, they are as good as dead. If they have even a shred of wisdom, they will choose the path of quick death.

“If you don’t come out before I count to three, I’ll cut off your heads and shred even the souls that pour out from there. One-”

I didn’t hide my killing intent either. I will kill. I will kill if they attack. I will kill even if they stay still. Anyone here by their own will deserves to die, and even if they don’t, I will quickly set them free.

The dark energy filling this forest was quite welcome with my surging killing intent. Since things have come to this, I also drew upon the dark energy along with the Aether.

Black and white. A tactic I’ve been slowly practicing since Tier’s awakening. Where there is light, darkness is deeper, and where there is darkness, light is brighter.

“Two.”

Muyeongsingeom, unsheathe.

I gripped a pure white sword in my right hand.

Amyeonggwigeom, unsheathe.

In my left hand, I held a jet-black sword.

Light and darkness erupted endlessly from me. Standing amidst it, my body was ash-gray, like a sky filled with snow.

“Three-”

Simultaneously with my final count, dozens of assassins appeared from all directions. Each wielding swords, daggers, and axes, they rushed towards me.

Dozens of blows, each filled with a desperate resolve. The killing intent they emanated alone filled the space around me.

I, wielding the swords of black and white, danced in ash-gray.

Hwecheongeom, full bloom.

Each movement seamlessly connects. When thousands of sword strikes culminated in a single sword dance, light and darkness mingled throughout the world.

Pasasak-

All the assassins’ bodies were torn to shreds. Not a single drop of blood left behind; they all turned to ash and disappeared.

I turned around.

Chakchakchak—

“Kuk, kkkk… Khahahaha—!! Amazing, truly amazing! How is it that you continue to grow stronger each time I see you?”

A white-haired middle-aged man emerged from the shadows of the forest. I know his face. He seems to know me, too.

“Is it your first time seeing me in person?”

“Khkhkh, indeed. We were strangers before. I must greet you! Greetings, my name is Jeremy Ron Darius, ruler of Moriarty.”

“Narita Florine Naifrantz.”

I scattered my swords in the air and brushed the ash from my shoulders. As I wasn’t wearing the Muyeong Armor, my white silk clothes were slightly stained. My eyes narrowed.

“This was a favorite garment… it pains me. Do they usually offer greetings like this in the empire?”

“Set aside the meaningless wordplay. I’m overcome with emotion merely from seeing you with my own eyes… I’m so thrilled-!!”

“Are you not aware of the situation? You’re going to die now.”

Duke Darius covers his mouth, indulging in a persistent chuckle. It was quite a loathsome sight. Except maybe for a woman, that old man makes me want to tear him to pieces right now.

“Khkhk… that remains to be seen.”

“You’re confident?”

“It seems you don’t know exactly what I was doing here.”

Uuuung—

Black droplets rise from the surroundings. A pungent, musty smell emanated. If I weren’t blocking my nose with Aether, I would have vomited.

‘This is… blood?’

Black blood. Cursed blood left behind after a being steeped in dark energy died. Having encountered information on Moriarty’s leader several times in Akasto, I remembered some of his methods.

Duke Darius is a blood mage. A descendent born with vampire genes, possessing numerous abilities related to blood manipulation.

At the peak of blood magic like him, anything related to blood becomes possible. He can transform it into mana with arbitrary properties to cast magic, engage in mind control, summoning, witchcraft, and even healing.

Abilities that can be activated instantly, without any delay or small motions.

Ddugeun—!!

“Kuluuk-”

The first one was a curse.

I coughed up black blood. Pain spread from the inside of my body. It felt like something was tearing through my insides.

I looked at the pool of blood. Two or three red frogs were jumping around. Blood and frogs. A possibility arose in my mind.

“Ten Plagues…!”

“Knowledgeable! Yes, from the moment you entered this forest, the spell was already activated. Khkh… you are already a dead man!”

The things wriggling in my stomach appeared to be frogs. I extended my palm, gathering Aether, pressed it against my stomach, and pressed hard.

Florine Martial Arts, Baekhonkyung.

A powerful shockwave struck my body. Since I had drawn up Aether to its limit, only the frogs inside my body received the full impact.

After confirming their movements had stopped, I immediately dashed forward.

Taat—!

“K, Khkhk… to suppress the second plague like that…”

“If I kill you, the warlock, will this plague end?”

Hwecheongeom, unsheathe.

Kaang-!

I immediately swung my sword at Duke Darius’s neck, but a shadow soldier appeared to block my attack.

“The spell that has already been activated won’t end even if you kill me…!!”

“…Indeed.”

Then the third and fourth plagues began. Lice and flies appeared, covering my body. Before I felt disgust, I created a barrier of Aether from within my skin.

Muyeonggab Attribute Conversion, Flame.

Bright red flames engulfed me. Sparks are flying. The insects were burning and falling. Breathing fire, I ran again.

Kaang-!

“Kkhhugh…!”

Once again, I swung the Hwecheongeom. However, Duke Darius persistently escapes. The fifth and sixth plagues followed.

Jjeojeok-

My fingers turned black. Purple spots bloomed on my white skin. A dizzying pain came along with it. My body was rotting from the extremities, and that made it difficult to even hold my sword properly.

But that’s no reason to stop. I clenched my fist and lunged into the middle of the shadow soldiers.

Florine Martial Arts, Ilwoon.

Pure white Aether created a circular wave that shot out from my fist. A group of shadow soldiers were pierced through in a single blow.

“Stop… Stop it!! Even after bearing six plagues, why do you not stop?!”

“Because it doesn’t hurt.”

It’s a lie. It hurts. But my mind’s eye looked beyond the forest, towards the black star in the sky. Eve, inside that, has endured far greater pain.

Therefore, I cannot stop.

“Stop it—!!”

This time, three plagues struck simultaneously. Hail fell, locusts swarmed over my body, and a sudden darkness enveloped me, obscuring my vision.

My skin has been necrotic for a long time. The hail caused by the plagues couldn’t be properly blocked even by the Muyeonggab. As a result, every time a hailstone hit, holes were punched in my skin. Locusts swarmed through those gaps and devoured my body.

Only pain filled the darkness. I hear a sound. Dugeun, dugeun. It was my heartbeat.

“This… this is the end…!!”

The tenth plague was activated. My heart stopped. My whole body goes limp. I can’t breathe.

I collapsed on the forest floor.

All according to plan.

‘Soul Release.’

I materialized and freed myself from my dead body. I spread Aether throughout my body and reconstruct my physical form.

“Wh, what…!!”

“The tenth plague is complete death. That is, this curse is completed by death. I just died once, so it doesn’t affect me anymore.”

My original knowledge came in handy for once. The way to break the curse of plagues is to survive all ten and then die and revive.

I drew upon the Aether and dark energy, grasping the Hwecheongeom in my hand.

“What’s next.”