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Each spirit carries its own ‘True Name,’ containing its essence.
It’s not just a simple name; it’s the power that sustains the spirit, the incantation that awakens its spirit.
【Anastasia】
The Berserker’s True Name flowed from my lips.
“aaah…”
In an instant, the Berserker’s screams abruptly ceased, as if lying. His body trembled, then turned towards me.
The spirit awakened by the True Name had returned. However, it was extremely unstable, akin to fragile glass ready to shatter at any moment.
Unless the fundamental cause of his madness was addressed, his mind would sink back into oblivion.
Swish.
My hand reached out to Anastasia. The spirit did not resist.
I plunged my hand into the darkened Anastasia’s body.
Without resistance, my hand grasped the ‘Pearl of the Sea God’ embedded in his chest and yanked it out in one swift motion.
In an instant, Anastasia’s body convulsed.
As the source of magic vanished, the vast magic that clung to him began to disperse all at once.
“Waaah…”
A blue current spread in all directions. Along with it, Anastasia’s once darkened body gradually regained its light.
[The corrupted spirit, Berserker, has been awakened.]
[Overall abilities increase dramatically due to an astonishing achievement!]
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Countless notification windows filled the status bar.
The experience points gained, boosting the overall levels of abilities by at least 1 to 2, were staggering.
“You really did it.”
Eunhoseong, who had approached unnoticed, expressed his surprise as he watched Anastasia, who was gradually being purified.
It was no wonder since there was no known method to reverse a rampaging spirit.
Eunhoseong couldn’t fathom just how remarkable the current situation was.
“Thank you; you saved the day with your support.”
“I could endure it thanks to your firm grip.”
“hahahaha, you’re modest.”
In truth, Eunhoseong’s ability to withstand the rampaging berserker was also influenced by the ‘Blue Elixir’ I had given him.
With enhanced magic power, he could hold out against the berserker for a longer period than usual.
Since it was a potion of an unprecedented level even in Eternity, Eunhoseong couldn’t help but be amazed.
Eunhoseong’s eyes, gazing at me, sparkled with curiosity.
Of course, there was nothing I would disclose. The truth about the spirits was knowledge gained from Eternity’s game, and the Blue Elixir was a potion that did not exist in this world.
– Wow!
A cheer erupted from the people who had just realized that the spirit’s rampage had ceased.
On the other hand, my expression was not as cheerful.
I was troubled by sending Han Seyeon alone to stop the Krutts.
Initially, I had planned to join her once things were resolved here, but it took too much time. And the problem was not completely solved yet.
Anastasia needed to expel all the saturated magic to remove the magic clinging to the creature. So, it seemed it would take a bit more time to settle everything.
“Well, it should be fine, but…”
I was aware that Han Seyeon had the advantage over the dark energy Krutts, but not seeing it firsthand made me a bit anxious.
I honestly didn’t know how much of the dark energy Han Seyeon could handle since I rarely saw her use it in daily life. Considering her previous rampage, I could only guess that it might not be at an extremely high level.
“I hope it’s not too late.”
Gazing at the distant mountain from Eunga, I narrowed my eyes.
***
Meanwhile, the mountain was being stained red with the fatigue of the Krutts.
“…This, this can’t be!”
The face of Yoo Hyuk, the central mine who led the Krutt pack, turned pale.
What were the Krutts?
The Krutts were life forms that the Mine Association had modified and enhanced into even stronger forms, born again.
Yoo Hyuk had led this Krutt pack, killing numerous supernaturals.
Among them were professionals who hunted mines and even supernaturals much stronger than Yoo Hyuk, but they all ended up being devoured by the Krutts without ever being able to lay a hand on them.
The Krutts, deadly weapons that anyone in the world could command to kill!
There were as many as 50 of these Krutts.
No matter how strong someone was, handling all these Krutts alone was impossible. It should have been beyond reason.
…But the results unfolding before their eyes were horrifying.
Boom!
As if chasing Paris, the moment Krut’s head burst open, blood and brain matter splattered as he fell.
Splatter! Thud!
“aaargh!”
Maein, bound by darkness, crumpled like a crushed fruit under a cider press.
Shooosh─.
Between torn muscles, charred bones were visible, blood flowing like a waterfall.
However, the woman perpetrating this showed no emotion.
As if dealing with trash rather than a living being…
Rumble!
Yoo Hyuk’s body trembled like a pine tree.
‘What is that? It’s not just a simple witch.’
Darkness flowed from the woman.
Into that darkness.
With a light gesture.
Dozens of maeins and masus, who had never faced resistance, were crushed and torn apart without a fight.
“Ugh!”
“Urgh!”
Terrified Kruts defied orders, maeins retched. Some even collapsed in fear.
But the woman’s steps did not falter.
She walked leisurely as if taking a stroll.
Darkness spread like a spider web along her path, swallowing everything on the ground without a trace.
As she disappeared, the sound of crunching, like beasts devouring meat, sent shivers down the spine.
“This is insane…”
Yoo Hyuk’s face was engulfed in terror.
Instinctively, he knew.
“…There’s no way to escape.”
Touch and die, avoid and still perish!
Yoo Hyuk gazed at the approaching woman with trembling eyes.
She was no human.
That thing couldn’t be human.
“The monstrous wench…”
Muttered Yoo Hyuk as he drove his fist into his own chest. Blood sprayed from his lips, and veins bulged a sickly white. And then, the transformation began.
Crack! Thud!
Bones and flesh twisted, Yoo Hyuk’s body grotesquely inflated.
His size tripled, his lower body and head turning into that of a horse.
It was the result of Yoo Hyuk offering his body to the demon he had contracted with, Ouroboros.
“Krrr… Devour her, you monstrous wench!”
Once a mid-tier maein, Yoo Hyuk had now surrendered to Ouroboros. His physical abilities surpassed even high-tier demons.
Power surged through his entire body. At this level, even facing that monster, he couldn’t be defeated.
Yoo Hyuk’s knees bent, his animalistic leg muscles swelling like balloons.
Whooosh─!
Yuhyuk’s body, pounding the ground, appeared in front of Han Seyeon in an instant.
The beast’s maw opened wide, ready to devour Seyeon.
Yuhyuk was determined to grab Seyeon and chew her up.
Crunch!
Yuhyuk’s steel-like teeth aimed at Seyeon, snapping shut like lightning. However, those teeth missed their mark by a truck’s length.
“What’s going on?”
Yuhyuk was momentarily bewildered, not understanding what had just happened.
Why was his vision spinning?
Why was he looking up at the sky?
He saw the body of a monster torn apart at the neck.
No… that was his own body.
Darkness enveloped his sight.
And that was the end of it.
Yuhyuk’s head, torn at the neck, was swallowed by the darkness.
***
“······.”
The darkness that had spread like a spider’s web was absorbed beneath Seyeon’s feet.
As if questioning when and what had happened, everything around her was neatly arranged.
Just a bit odd that blades of grass and rocks weren’t rolling around.
From Noble mtl dot com
Seyeon, gazing at Haenam Hill, smiled faintly.
“Hyesol is truly remarkable.”
The ominous aura that had been present near Eungga had vanished completely.
Whether someone had dealt with it or not was anyone’s guess.
“Should I wait?”
Since he would arrive soon, waiting here would allow Hyesol and her to return alone.
Seyeon, smiling, soon had to abandon her plan. Her gaze shifted to somewhere in the mountainous forest.
Finally, having found something, she disappeared into the darkness of the dense forest.
***
Georg was lazy but surprisingly shrewd, especially as a mine.
He always stationed mines to gather information in case his doppelgänger was in trouble. Kim Dohyung was one of Georg’s spies.
Within a radius of 3km, Kim Dohyung could keep an eye on everything happening.
The ability he contracted with the demons, Aiul, was the 【Eye of the Devil】.
Of course, there were various constraints, but Kim Dohyung successfully kept an eye on everything that happened at Haenam Hill this time.
And the information he gathered was incredibly shocking.
“This can’t be happening.”
Norton betrayed Georg. And the leader of the Dawn Guardians, who suddenly appeared in the impregnable Bongmajin, had his throat cut.
The corrupted spirit that absorbed the Pearl of Hae Shin was thwarted by Eun Hoseong, who should have been lying in bed, and regained control by a certain man.
Kim Dohyung, piecing together the information, quickly grasped the situation with just these clues.
“Someone knew all along!”
Georg aiming for the Sea God’s pearl. Norton betraying Georg. These were all well-known facts in advance.
And they were being used in reverse.
From the beginning, they were all mere pawns in someone’s hands!
“Who are you.”
Kim Dohyeong quickly turned his head.
To figure out who would benefit the most in this situation.
Was it Haenam?
No.
He sought revenge through this incident, so he could not gain any benefit.
The Dawn Guardians? Not them either.
If the Dawn Guardians had moved in an organized manner, there would have been no doubt.
Seo Harin acted alone.
For past vengeance.
“Is Seo Harin the mastermind behind this?”
Capturing Norton to settle a debt with Eunga?
No. Kim Dohyeong shook his head.
It was a well-known fact that Seo Harin was not that kind of person.
She was not so ruthless as to bet on someone’s life.
“Then who on earth······!”
Suddenly, the face of the man who revived the spirit’s legacy flashed through his mind.
There was only one person who had benefited this time.
He settled a debt with Eunga, quelled the turmoil, and maybe even controlled the spirit.
There might be something more that he didn’t know.
The possibility was low, but the only person that came to mind immediately was that one person.
“Ihaesol.”
As a figure featured in The World’s headlines, Kim Dohyeong, who dealt with information, quickly recalled Ihaesol’s face.
“First, I need to inform everyone about this.”
“Who are you going to inform?”
“Well, Geo······”
Kim Dohyeong’s voice was cut off as he spoke. He turned his head with a stiffened expression.
In front of the dark forest.
A woman was smiling broadly.
“When did you arrive?”
Kim Dohyeong was so startled that his heart seemed to drop. He had not sensed her approach at all as she came closer. But despite his surprise, his expression remained calm.
“Of course, it’s information that needs to be reported to our headquarters.”
“Headquarters?”
“Silver Blades’ Shadow Member, Eun Hyeokjun.”
“Hmm, I guess Silver Blades have a spy too, right?”
“!”
Kim Dohyeong’s eyes, unable to hide his expression, flickered. He immediately composed himself and said,
“What are you talking about? Mine? I am a person of Eunga. If you doubt, you can check my magic.”
Kim Do-kyung extended his arm with a sleeve. As if asking to check the magic.
He was confident because he was hiding his magic skillfully. And.
‘If you come to check, I will kill you.’
Anyway, it was time to run away now. There was no need to hesitate.
Step by step.
Whether to check the magic, the woman approached Kim Do-kyung.
Five steps······
Three steps····
Two steps···
‘Just one more step.’
A discreet magic was woven into Kim Do-kyung’s hand. Then, just in front of the attack range, the woman suddenly stopped walking. Then she smirked.
“But it’s strange, isn’t it? You killed someone before coming here.”
“···What?”
As Kim Do-kyung’s eyes shook, the woman, Han Seyeon, smiled brightly.
“There’s a smell of blood. From the person who was lying down when you passed by.”
Han Seyeon raised her index finger.
Kim Do-kyung’s expression froze as his gaze followed the finger. It was the blood of the Silver Sword Corps member he had killed a while ago, still on his sleeve.
“···Huh?”
At that moment, as Kim Do-kyung looked down at his sleeve, a puzzled expression crossed his face.
The ground······
Was pitch black.
Like a black canvas.
‘This is······’
It was a moment when Kim Do-kyung narrowed his eyes in an inexplicable sense of unease. Darkness swallowed him.
“Ahh!”
With that final scream.
Kim Do-kyung disappeared.