70
“Ahhhhh!”
“Someone, someone stop that!”
“My eardrums are going to burst!”
As the gentle melody spread, guests covered their ears and knelt down.
Chae-chae-chae-chae-chae!
In various parts of the banquet hall, unexpected clashes occurred between the Ma-in, who intruded out of the blue, and the Hae Nam warriors.
However, the nightmarish melody not only affected the guests but also the warriors.
The Hae Nam warriors, overshadowed by the Ma-in, were mercilessly pushed back and fell.
At that very moment.
“Go───────!”
Suddenly, a lion’s roar filled with immense power echoed through the banquet hall. The magic of the melody was washed away by the roar of the lion.
The guests, covering their ears and kneeling, the faltering warriors regained their senses.
“Commander, protect the Pearl of the Sea God.”
“Yes, Grand Commander.”
The Grand Commander who roared, the Galaxy Stone leaped among the Ma-in.
Swish!
As the swords swung, a streak of blue light appeared on the bodies of the Ma-in.
Whoosh!
Subsequently, the Ma-in fell like a stack of hay, splattering red blood.
─♬♪♩
Once again, the nightmarish melody resounded. Followed by screams bursting out one after another.
Frowning, the Galaxy Stone searched around for the source of the melody, then stopped his gaze at a certain spot.
“There!”
The Galaxy Stone rushed towards the window of the hall covered by curtains.
Clang!
The sound of harp strings tearing. The magic line that flew from the window pushed towards the Galaxy Stone as if to split him in half.
“Hmph!”
The Galaxy Stone’s sword lightly cut through the magic line.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Dozens of transparent lines flew successively.
Without any hesitation, the Galaxy Stone dashed towards the lines as if to collide with them.
The blue blade slashed through, cutting off the lines.
Crash!
The Galaxy Stone charged forward as if breaking the ground.
With his fierce charge, behind the curtain, the Ma-in, the harpist of tranquility, Norton, swiftly plucked his small harp.
“Nightmare.”
Red blood lines emerged from all sides towards the charging Galaxy Stone, seeming to tear him apart.
“Just this much!”
The blue blade on the Galaxy Stone’s sword fiercely emanated a rough blue light.
A storm-like surge of blue light swept in all directions. Red lines were torn apart.
Watching the torn lines coming towards him, Norton’s mouth fell open.
“Oh no.”
Taaang──!
Following, the clash between the Galaxy Stone’s sword and Norton’s harp reverberated through the banquet hall with a deafening noise.
Norton smashed the window and flew outside. Following him, a meteorite leaped over the window sill and walked towards Norton.
“Boy, you must be prepared for ruining the event at your hometown, right?”
“···Indeed, it won’t be easy.”
Norton removed the glass shard stuck in his arm and shook his head.
Those who had survived the era of the great war were a vexing bunch of superhumans.
The Grand Elder’s Galactic Sword, Hwangan, was no exception.
The meteorite, emitting sharp magical power like a blade, was not an opponent to be taken lightly even for Norton.
“Pretending to be calm······!”
The frowning meteorite rushed towards Norton again.
A sharp magical sword fell towards Norton’s head.
Thud.
However, the magical sword did not reach Norton. It was blocked at arm’s length. The meteorite’s eyes widened as it realized what had blocked its sword.
“·····What!”
The wicked claws of a monster were blocking its sword.
And the magical blade seemed to melt into the monster’s claws as if absorbed.
“···Absorbed the power of the Galactic Sword?”
The bewildered meteorite muttered as it staggered backward.
─Grrr······
The meteorite looked at the monster, emitting a low-frequency wail, with a wary gaze.
“Krut’s modification has progressed this far.”
The monster was a Krut.
A ‘modified monster’ created by the mines to combat the superhumans.
And the creature now blocking the meteorite’s sword was a special individual with the ability to absorb magic.
“He’s specially prepared to face you.”
“Ridiculous!”
Klang!
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Krut blocked the charging meteorite.
“Then, watch from there, Grand Elder.”
Norton, with bound feet, moved towards the banquet hall.
***
The banquet hall was a whirlpool of chaos. The haunting melody echoed. Guests collapsed, clutching their ears.
It took just a moment for the ordinary banquet hall to turn into a hellish scene.
“aaargh!”
“H-Help me!”
The mines were only after the Pearl of the Sea God. In the process of reclaiming it, they didn’t care if it bothered guests or superhumans from the Hae Nam clan.
“It’s strange; the defense is weaker than expected.”
Norton, standing on the stage, tore a harp string and smirked.
“Don’t you think you should think deeply? Surely you didn’t expect an attack.”
“Well, I suppose not.”
As Norton approached the Pearl of the Sea God, disregarding the words of the mines who had joined him on stage.
Thud! Thud!
Suddenly, the stage resonated softly. A burly man with a massive physique, Georg, approached lazily.
“Phew…”
Georg’s eyes, fixed on the pearl of the sea god, gleamed with greed.
However, his steps had to halt just a short distance from the sea god’s pearl.
Swish…
「ψ」
A massive pattern was blazing in the air.
Seal of the Demon Ward.
Even Georg, a master of martial arts, could not recklessly approach the Seal of the Demon Ward.
Looking at Georg, who stood a fair distance away from the Seal of the Demon Ward, Norton’s eyes gleamed with hidden intentions.
Georg, engrossed in observing the Seal of the Demon Ward, did not notice Norton’s eyes.
“Phew, can it be done?”
Georg, turning his gaze away from the Seal of the Demon Ward, inquired. Norton, concealing his gaze, replied.
“Yes, if you give me ten minutes, I can distort the Seal of the Demon Ward.”
“Phew, then proceed.”
“Understood.”
Recalling the Seal of the Demon Ward’s dissolution method he once saw in Macdowell’s library, Norton radiated his magic.
Vvvvvv…
A crimson magic circle rose in the air, resonating with the Seal of the Demon Ward. And then.
Crackle.
「ψ」
The runic characters engraved in the air began to transform gradually from the bottom.
***
…Meanwhile, amidst the sudden chaos, I and my companions rose from our seats.
“Let’s get out of the banquet hall for now.”
Amelia calmly assessed the situation and suggested, prompting nods from the group.
“Ugh, let’s, let’s get out quickly.”
Deoric clenched his ears and shuddered.
Elaine had a bear spirit doll tightly wrapped around her head, holding onto her ears and head firmly. Her complexion was as pale as if she was struggling. Eungaye also wore a deeply furrowed expression.
On the other hand, I, Amelia, and Hanseyeon were free from the influence of the banquet due to Norton’s ring.
Of course, staying in the banquet hall where chaos reigned was dangerous, so we decided to leave. However, not everyone shared the same thought.
“You go ahead.”
Brushing her tangled hair, Eungaye spoke. She chose to step forward rather than run away.
Eungaye turned her gaze to the center of the hall where the sea god’s pearl was.
Then, she urgently began to move her legs. I called out to her.
“Eungaye.”
“Why…”
Thwack!
I struck her stopped back of the head with a palm infused with energy.
“Cough! What’s······”
Despite staggering, as I tried to rise stubbornly, a forceful blow silenced me.
“······.”
“Let’s go.”
Leaving behind the astonished gazes of my companions, I lifted the fainted Eunga-ye up.
The Maids did not hinder us as we exited the banquet hall, solely focused on the Pearl of the Sea God.
Outside, in the garden, people who had escaped the banquet hall were fleeing in a rush.
I laid Eunga-ye in the shade and slumped against a tree trunk.
Deoric asked, bewildered, “Is it okay to sit like this?”
“What else are we going to do?”
“Well, escape······”
I chuckled and shook my head.
“It’s fine, just sit; it’ll be over soon anyway.”
“?”
It was when the group’s questioning eyes turned to me that the surroundings suddenly roared. The footsteps of the fleeing people had come to a halt.
I turned my head in their direction.
A red bridge leading to the main building beyond the banquet hall.
Eunga’s guards in blue attire were rushing towards us as if flying.
Leading them was Eunga’s elder, the Sea Sword Eun Hoseong.
“Oh, it’s Eunga’s elder!”
“He’s alive!”
“Why now, of all times······!”
The reactions of those who recognized Eun Hoseong varied from cheers to anger, but overall, there was a sense of relief.
The power behind the two characters “Sea Sword” was significant enough to reassure people.
Meanwhile, Eun Hoseong remained calm, as if waiting for an attack, showing no signs of surprise.
It was because the current situation had been prearranged according to a previously planned operation.
Then, suddenly, a clanging sound was heard, and a red light flashed across the entire banquet hall.
“What!”
“What, what is it!”
People inside the banquet hall screamed and recoiled in fear.
Some tried to approach again, but they couldn’t get near the banquet hall and retreated.
“That’s······”
“It’s a barrier.”
Elaine and Amelia widened their eyes in surprise.
I muttered what it meant to myself.
“It’s quick.”
It was a ‘distortion’ in the protective barrier. Now, nobody could enter inside except for individuals like me who possessed the ‘Ring of Norton.’
As I gazed at the banquet hall, Han Seyun, who had been sitting next to me, whispered in a voice only I could hear, “I’ll be back.”
Her gaze was directed towards the distant mountain, far from the silver town.
I clenched my teeth inwardly.
“Do you feel the tension here?”
In fact, the mines that invaded the silver town were not the only ones who had entered the banquet hall.
To ensure their safe escape, outside, the mines had hidden another force, the “Anti-Magic Entities” known as Kruts, who were immune to magic.
Judging by Han Seyon’s reaction, it seemed they were starting to move.
“Even though they are Anti-Magic Entities, magic affects them.”
Ironically, the Kruts, being Anti-Magic Entities, had significantly lower capabilities in other aspects due to their focus on countering magic.
For them, Han Seyon using magic was not just a threat but a disaster beyond measure.
“Don’t push yourself too hard. Once we resolve things here, we’ll leave quickly.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry.”
With a sly smile, Han Seyon stood up and disappeared from her seat.
Amelia, who was surprised by the barrier cast over the banquet hall, belatedly noticed Han Seyon moving and wondered in confusion.
“Where are you going?”
“Well…”
I shrugged and turned my gaze towards the banquet hall.
It was almost time for the highlight to unfold.
***
As the runic characters engraved on the Magic Seal reversed their shapes, a transformation occurred.
“Kkuuuhhh…”
“Kraaah!”
The energy of the Magic Seal that enveloped the pearl of the sea god spread throughout the banquet hall, causing those who had not managed to escape to writhe in agony and collapse.
Among them, the only ones standing calmly were the mines bearing the ‘Ring of Norton’.
“Oh! Finally…”
Georg’s eyes sparkled as he gazed at the pearl of the sea god.
“Kuhuhuhuhu.”
Laughter flowed incessantly from his lips.
The pearl of the sea god.
The significance that the celestial magical stone brought to the mines was immense.
For the mines, magic was the driving force that amplified their power, their sustenance.
And if it was the pearl of the sea god with vast pure magic, it was needless to say that it brought an incredible enhancement of magic if consumed.
“With just this, crossing the Seven Evils and becoming one of the Five Demons is not impossible!”
Georg, trembling, reached out for the pearl of the sea god, but suddenly stopped.
His skin trembled, and his face turned pale.
It wasn’t just Georg.
“Kraaah!”
“Kkuuaaah!”
All the mines in the banquet hall clenched their heads and rolled on the floor.
The magic of ‘Bongmajin’ began to reject them.
Thump, thump.
At that moment, passing by Georg, there was someone holding the pearl of the sea god. Georg’s face contorted viciously as he recognized who the opponent was.
“Norton, you…”
“Is this how far you can endure the Bongmajin? Indeed, the infamous reputation of Chilak was not false.”
Norton Macdowell.
As he held the pearl of the sea god in his hand, he licked his lips.
“Well, you’ve been through a lot.”
Norton swung his arm.
And then.
“aaargh!”
The power of Bongmajin doubled, causing the flesh on Georg’s body to melt away.