episode_0474
by fnovelpiaA completely sealed crevice.
Scouring the spot where it once existed, a sense of regret fills the mouth.
“Sigh…, couldn’t kill it.”
Even in magic sent from afar, there exists a personal touch.
And that touch revealed it all.
The jet-black spear that flew did not manage to pierce the enemy’s heart in the end.
“Was it the side…?”
The feeling is roughly in that direction.
“Well…, I guess that’s about it.”
They won’t die, but it’s going to hurt like hell.
Getting stabbed in the side with a knife really hurts.
I know because I’ve experienced it firsthand.
It’s a shame, but I’ll have to pay back the principal next time.
“Phew….”
Exhaling briefly, they turn their back.
An office enveloped in darkness and silence.
“Escaping this far was expected after all….”
There’s a high possibility that it’s a secret hideout disguised as an ordinary office by the hexagram.
“Is something missing?”
They lightly searched the office, but found nothing.
But that’s okay.
The fact that not even a speck of dust has settled means someone regularly visits to maintain it, so if they follow that trail, something will eventually come up.
“For now, let’s head back.”
It’s getting late.
Their physical condition is still not great.
While they managed to extinguish the urgent flames by utilizing some of the accumulated energy for attack and return, their insides are still filled with unresolved energies.
If they don’t deal with all of this by the end of today, their body might break down.
“Fly.”
They soar through the sky towards home.
Given their current appearance, they quietly open the door and slip inside so as not to alert Yoo Jung and Jung Hee.
“Hm.”
Quietly stepping in, a shadowy figure rushes at them with a flashlight on in the darkness.
Hop!
Hop!
Closing the distance with two jumps, on the final leap, the figure leaps high onto their shoulder.
Solid.
“You’ve grown a lot, our little shadow.”
Hop!
Indeed, they have grown.
Consistently feeding them various things has made them grow gradually, albeit slightly.
What used to be the size of a child’s fist has now grown to about the size of an adult male’s fist.
It’s not bad for now, but…
“…It won’t keep growing like this, right?”
They’re anxious.
What if they keep growing steadily and end up bigger than the building?
Hop, hop!
Whether the figure knows or not, it bounces around on their shoulder.
At this rate, one of their shoulders might collapse.
After patting the shadow’s head once, they sit in the corner.
Concentrating slowly, they examine their body’s energy.
“Hmm….”
Their insides are still boiling.
The heat emitted with each clash of energy affects their bones, organs, and muscles.
They ponder this for a moment.
“What should I do about this…?”
Weighing two options that come to mind.
The easy and safe path versus the difficult and risky one.
When laid out like this, it seems straightforward to choose the former if it’s a matter of numbers, but the outcomes differ.
The former is safe but offers minimal rewards, while the latter is risky yet potentially rewarding?
From this point on, the answer will vary depending on one’s personality.
“…Can’t just leave it be.”
Having staked their life, they barely survived and emerged victorious.
However, looking at it from another angle, it meant there was no other option but risking their life.
In essence, it was right before their clear defeat.
Risking one’s life is always a gamble, and the chances of success are barely even 50%.
They narrowly succeeded this time, but there’s no guarantee the same luck will come next time.
“Let’s try to fix this one more time during this opportunity.”
The easy way to solve the problem was to wait for Tamshik to digest.
By repeatedly feeding Tamshik and letting it digest, the issue would be resolved.
However, the only gain from this method would be small benefits obtained through Tamshik.
So, what about the latter option?
“I’ll rebuild my body with this energy.”
The navy blue magic taken from him differs greatly in nature from ordinary magic.
Unlike the airy sensation of regular magic, it possesses a high density almost akin to liquid and sticky viscosity that clings.
Due to these qualities, the strengths and weaknesses are distinct compared to regular magic.
While its diffusivity is lower than gaseous magic, its high density allows for easier shape-shifting and significantly higher sustainability.
I plan to utilize these properties to once again reshape my body.
Consider this for a moment.
The transformative art of reshaping the body involves breaking and restoring muscles and bones, repeating the attachment process.
However, what if the stickiness and restorative power of navy blue magic were added?
Attached bones would become much denser, and recovered muscles would adhere even more tightly.
A stronger, faster, tireless body.
This alone promises tremendous gains, but what I desire goes beyond this.
Through encounters big and small, certainty finally emerged in this battle.
What is that certainty?
“My current fighting style does not align with me.”
The transformation itself was flawless.
But the direction I set back then was the issue.
At that time, there was only one thing I desired.
To mold a body most suitable for wielding a sword.
“But that won’t do.”
The soul dedicated to swordsmanship and the magically gifted physique met.
Whether by luck or misfortune.
Uncertain how to express it, but it’s fitting to say it’s a destiny bordering on becoming a swordmaster.
For this, a freer blend of sword and magic is essential.
Yet, with my current body, it’s challenging.
More precisely, it’s sufficient for now, but to see it through, I feel a sense of dissatisfaction.
“A little change in the balancing part… and the durability of bones and muscles should be higher than now.”
An arrogant attempt to reach both ends with a body that falls short even when devoted to one.
For this, it must be firmer, tougher, and more resilient.
His magic could enhance these features further.
I even have an elixir to greatly boost physical recovery.
Hence, I shall attempt it.
The ultimate physique envisioned in my mind.
For this, I…
“Huff….”
Crack!
“Gah…!”
Once again, I chose the path of hardship.
* * *
The man gazed down at the Shadow Walker lying motionless in the organization headquarters’ infirmary.
“Huff… hoo…”
Though his wounds had barely healed, he remained unconscious.
Shockingly, a spear lodged in his side had caused immense pain.
“Pain…”
He wondered.
The Shadow Walker was endlessly lazy and slothful.
Perhaps that’s why he could become a disciple of sloth, but he certainly wasn’t unfamiliar with pain.
Or rather, he had experienced more pain than most, leading to his current state.
And yet, was he unable to regain consciousness due to just one spear in his side?
“There’s something here.”
Leaving the infirmary, he immediately reviewed the CCTV footage capturing that moment.
A rupture forming in the air.
The Shadow Walker hastily escaping from it.
And a jet-black spear piercing through the closing rupture just before vanishing.
“Hmm…”
From the moment he escaped the rupture, his body trembled in fear.
In other words, he had already experienced a shocking defeat and fled in haste.
“Defeated by Kim Dojin…?”
That, too, was hard to believe.
He was a disciple of sloth.
Simultaneously, one of the six leaders guiding the Hexagram.
Although he was relatively weaker among them and seemed more suited for the role of a hitman than a leader, they had sought a new replacement. Still, it was an undeniable fact that he far surpassed the S-rank stipulated by society, no matter how talented he was perceived to be, he still considered himself a novice.
Already having the power to defeat a Shadow Walker… It seems like the opponent is growing at a pace far beyond my expectations.
“Could it be that I might be caught off guard if I remain complacent?”
It’s an unexpected turn of events.
The moment when one’s desired ideals crumble to pieces.
Even now, it remains the same.
“How amusing.”
He still doesn’t consider himself as someone who would destroy the grand picture he paints.
This is both confidence and arrogance.
Therefore, while being confident, he resolved not to let his guard down.
He decided to properly assess him.
He decided to stop the casual observation method of sending a few people to test him.
“I should also warn that woman soon.”
He wanted to make it clear this time.
Despite having enough power and political influence to place allies in key positions, he still needed to caution the woman who was weighing her options without clearly revealing her intentions, disrupting the organization’s plans and even exposing the organization’s identity.
It’s definitely necessary to issue a warning.
Half-hearted submission, immature rebellion.
What remains at the end is a gruesome death.
* * *
Jongno-gu.
Amidst the bustling crowds on the streets, ominous sounds spread.
Crackle!
Simultaneously, sharp lines are drawn in the air.
Harbingers of a crack.
Detected through a sudden increase in magical energy levels, alarm bells ring out.
Beep beep beep!
“A crack all of a sudden?”
“Oh, what’s happening with the crack?”
“Ah, what’s this commotion about now?”
People stopped in their tracks, each expressing their discontent.
Then, as if familiar, they slowly moved away from the area where the broadcast was coming from.
They had learned from long experience.
That merely the signs of a crack no longer posed a significant threat to them.
As long as they didn’t insist and simply avoided that area, no danger would come to them.
However, this time was different.
Crackle!
Crackle!
Lines drawn in the air spread rapidly.
And finally.
Crash!
The drawn lines shatter into pieces, revealing a massive crack.
A sudden surge in magical energy levels unlike anything seen before.
Simultaneously, awakening individuals and hunters in the vicinity receive red message boxes.
“The Gate of Hell and its gatekeeper have appeared.”
Beyond the widening crack, tumultuous metallic noises can be heard.
Clang!
Clatter…!
As if thick iron chains were being dragged along the ground.
The sound draws closer, and finally, another sound strikes their ears.
Growl!
A beastly howl.
Those who heard it realized then.
That something was amiss.
“What’s… something feels off?”
“I have a bad feeling. Let’s run, okay?”
“Move aside!”
“Don’t block the way, move!”
Chaos that began to escalate rapidly.
The hastily dispatched association staff tried to contain it, but it seemed challenging.
Meanwhile.
Whoosh!
Something bursts out from the crack and shakes the ground.
It was a foot.
Easily appearing to be 3 meters in length.
With five sharp claws that could easily tear through dozens of humans.
One side of the beast’s foot, with red fur fluttering in the wind like flames.
Whoosh!
Another foot lands on the asphalt road, shaking the ground.
Growl…!
Next, the head is revealed.
Black-red mane.
Red eyes filled with malice.
A nose wrinkled as if smelling a foul odor.
Thick, sharp teeth that could easily crush thick steel in one bite.
The head of a giant dog emerges from the crack.
And not just one, but three heads.
Upon seeing this, the hunters gasped, naming it.
“C-Cerberus…!”
Located in southern Greece, the dungeon ‘Hell Gate.’
There, the boss Cerberus revealed itself in the heart of Seoul.
Clang!
Rattle!
Dragging along the chain that bound the “Gate to Hell” it was supposed to guard.
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