Fearsome Talent
Srurrrrk—
The terrifying burns that had covered the monster's body writhed with grotesque friction sounds. Charred skin flaked away, and fresh crimson flesh sprouted from the gaps at an unimaginable speed.
Tremendous regenerative power.
The creature roughly spewed hot white steam from its torn mouth, growling lowly. In just a few seconds, it had erased every wound and charged at me again.
[GRRAAAAAHHH!!]
Using its grotesquely long arms that dangled to its knees, it pounded the ground roughly, closing the distance with steps more bestial than any beast.
"Reload."
I leveled the Forbidden Book horizontally at it once more. Condensed mana swirled at the book's tip. I aimed at its forehead, finger on the final trigger.
"Fir—"
KABOOOM—!
Before the command finished, a deafening explosion battered my eardrums. A beam of light grazed past my shoulder, striking the monster's chest dead-on.
KABOOOM—! BOOM!!
It didn't end there. Sharp waves tore through the air like a downpour of rain, shredding the approaching monster's limbs. Caught off guard by the covering fire, I turned to spot the source.
Flutter, flutter.
Dozens of Forbidden Books that had followed me swam through the air. Their pages fluttered in unison, creating a bizarre mana resonance.
Whoooong—
The Forbidden Books began glowing brightly, each in their own color. From fully opened pages, spells erupted. Blazing red, freezing blue, air-slicing green, destructive yellow. Primary flashes erased the corridor's darkness, swarming the monster.
KABOOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!
An overwhelming barrage that allowed no evasion.
When the dust cleared, the creature's body was covered in wounds deep enough to expose bone.
"...They're useful."
Just moments ago, they'd been a nuisance I'd pondered shaking off. I hadn't expected these Forbidden Books to prove so helpful. The Cursed Lantern I trusted seemed even more worthless by comparison.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
As if reading my doubting gaze, the lantern flickered on and off in protest. Naturally, I ignored it. No time to fool around now.
Brrr—
The lantern trembled in indignation, seemingly convinced it hadn't gotten a chance to show me anything.
"Then you should step up yourself."
I pointed at the Forbidden Books blasting magic behind me, replying with a look that said, They handle themselves just fine—what are you doing?
Hearing me, it trembled briefly before starting its antics.
It shook and floated motionless in the air. The flame inside swelled, as if gathering power.
I was starting to wonder what it was up to, but unfortunately, I couldn't devote full attention to it.
[GRRAAAAAHHH!!]
The monster endured the magical barrage with regeneration, inching toward me.
Shifting focus from the lantern, I stared at the monster charging with grotesquely twisted joints and murmured lowly.
"Fire."
The Forbidden Book in my hand unleashed its pent-up energy.
KABOOOOOM!!
The monster's roaring, charging form evaporated into a massive pillar of light. Moments later, the blinding glow faded. Checking its state on the floor, I frowned involuntarily.
"Tch."
A sharp click escaped my lips. Despite its body reduced to rags beyond fatal injury, the wounds writhed endlessly, repairing themselves.
To break this deadlock, only two options.
Pound it relentlessly until its stamina gave out, or sever the root of its regeneration.
"Hmm...."
After brief deliberation, the latter was more efficient. Pointless attrition bred too many variables.
Our stamina might fail first.
So now, how to halt its regeneration. Unfortunately, I knew nothing—time to consult the expert.
"Juharin. Any way to stop that thing from regenerating?"
"W-way? I... I don't really..."
"You're a witch, aren't you? No curse to block healing?"
"There is, but..."
She trailed off, hemming and hawing. Her pride as a prestigious heir was nowhere to be seen—she just peeked at me, thoroughly cowed. I hurled a cold prod at her hesitation.
"Do it. Now."
"O-okay."
Flinching under my icy stare, she clutched her broom and began chanting hurriedly.
"Yucar!"
She swung the broom wide, unleashing an invisible wave that sliced the air toward the monster. Impressively sharp speed. The curse struck its pale hide just before full recovery.
But the result was pathetic.
Clang—!
With an unpleasant resonance like shattering glass, her curse didn't pierce the skin—it bounced off harmlessly and splintered.
"..."
I turned to her, at a loss for words.
"I-it can't be helped! It's common knowledge normal magic doesn't work on yokai...!"
Seeing her fidget and blurt excuses, I reached a conclusion.
This woman's useless.
"W-wait! Don't look at me like that! I can be helpful!"
Juharin pleaded, face flushed. Blushing in shame, she begged desperately for a chance—her desperation oddly mirroring the lantern's antics behind me. Hoping it was my imagination, I mustered patience one more time.
"Fine. Then halt its movements."
She'd dismissed other mages earlier, brimming with confidence in her skills. This should be easy.
But that hope evaporated fast.
"Prate!"
She stabbed the broom tip into the floor hard. Sharp thorny vines surged like a tsunami from all sides, constricting the monster. But those sturdy stems couldn't delay it even a second.
Crunch, rip!
A casual swipe from the monster tore them apart limply. Watching, Juharin's face twisted in despair.
"How am I supposed to fight a disaster-class like that...."
Tears even welled in her eyes.
Tch.
I clicked my tongue softly, turning to the monster as it rose, regeneration complete.
No choice. I'll handle it solo.
Juharin stared blankly at the man's back before her.
Siwoo.
The name of the man who'd inflicted damage on the yokai with tremendous divine magic.
Normally, harming a yokai was impossible without high-grade mages. But Siwoo had done it. The yokai lay bleeding and collapsed from his spell.
Was he hiding his rank? Unlikely—her eyes were precise. The Heavenly Eye could peer through even a 9th Grade mage.
Which meant Siwoo had wounded the yokai at her own level. How?
She found Siwoo incredible.
Stingy with praise for others, right now she could only gape in admiration.
What's his real identity?
Not from a famous house—she'd have recognized the face.
Reaching 5th Grade at her age would've made him renowned, yet no rumors.
Only one possibility remained.
He was operating in secret, hiding his power.
Kaboom—!
The grimoires trailing him unfurled at once, unleashing dozens of spells.
She lost herself in the beautiful meteor shower of magic raining down.
How much mental fortitude to wield that many grimoires?
And the golden grimoire in his hand was no ordinary thing. Clearly a cut above the rest. Anyone witnessing that golden pillar's power would nod in agreement.
Yet such might demanded heavy tolls from the user. Typically, immense costs per activation.
"Fire."
Kaboom—!
But the Siwoo in her eyes showed no backlash. Second use she'd witnessed—likely more. How was he immune to recoil?
No way.
An absurd hypothesis flickered through her mind.
Impossible. Yet she had to confirm.
Why? Curiosity.
Peeking over Siwoo's shoulder at the golden grimoire, she took it in.
Her purple irises glowed bluish.
Heavenly Eye.
She beheld what ordinary eyes couldn't. Scrutinizing the grimoire, a sigh escaped her.
Ha.
Tiny fissures marred the grimoire.
So minute, only eyes like hers could detect them.
The cracks conveyed one truth.
The burden falls on the grimoire, not the user.
Why? The answer was simple.
The grimoires adored him.
Eager to be wielded by Siwoo, they redirected the recoil onto themselves.
Ridiculously absurd—enough for a hollow laugh.
Raised amid countless grimoires, she knew their arrogance better than anyone. Thus, she could state with certainty.
He wasn't human.
More precisely, no human could possess such talent.
To her, who believed talent was everything, it was the ultimate praise.
Juharin gazed blankly at Siwoo's back. Her heart tickled.
"Juharin. Any way to stop that thing from regenerating?"
He'd asked her.
"W-way? I... don't really..."
She could've cursed healing, but the opponent was the issue. Curses didn't work on yokai—common sense.
She tried anyway, as ordered. Predictably, it bounced off without piercing hide.
Pouting, she peeked at Siwoo, dreading harsh words.
Feared seeming like the lowly bugs she'd scorned.
But mercifully, he didn't snap. Expression sour, but no insults.
Gratefully, he granted a second chance—kindly, even!
Juharin was touched. Even squandering it, she didn't despair.
Siwoo...
He didn't rebuke her failures, silently battling the yokai alone.
So cool.
Her eyes glazed dreamily.
Sniffling one moment, Juharin suddenly stared at me blankly the next.
No clue why. Not that curious. She'd struck me as odd from the start, so her quirks didn't feel out of place.
Anyway, I turned back to the monster.
How to halt its regeneration.
Pondering that, a chill, heavy foreign weight settled on my right fingertip.
Glancing down, a Cursed Lantern had somehow nestled perfectly in my grip.
Fwoooosh—
Beyond the glass, ominous black flames flickered like those forged from the abyss.
Whoooong—
A subtle vibration hummed from its body, almost like a whisper.
"Ready to show me?"
Whoooong—
A confident buzz tickled my palm. I readjusted my grip and commanded curtly.
"Then show it now."
My words barely fell before the black flames exploded outward. A massive shadow surged from the lantern's base like a tidal wave, devouring the ornate castle corridor in an instant.
"Hahaha.... A 7th Grade mage...?"
The Necromancer's hollow, bitter mutter echoed from behind. His voice brimmed with irreversible defeat and plummeting despair.
"As expected...."
Juharin gazed at me, entranced and dazed.
Shiiiiek—!!
The encroaching shadow left no trace of the castle. Gilded walls and lofty ceiling evaporated into darkness. Nothing remained but chilling silence and pitch black.
Shadow Realm Engulfed
[GRRAAAAAHHH—!!]
Environment be damned, the monster roared and charged. Seizing the lull in Forbidden Book fire, it rushed me unhindered.
Pffft.
But it never reached.
Countless shadow hooks shot from the surrounding darkness, snatching and shredding its limbs in a heartbeat.
[KRAAAAAHHH!!]
As if such pain were routine, it writhed its severed parts for instant regeneration.
As it kicked off the ground again, the darkness was far swifter.
Sizzle! Rip! Siiiizzle!!
[GRRAAAAAHHH!!]
The monster's agonized scream mingled with gruesome sounds of raw muscle and bone tearing apart, echoing through the dark.
Merciless vivisection—shredding more brutally before regeneration could begin.
"As expected of you, Siwoo! You can deploy a domain!"
Domain? Is that what this is?
I glanced at the Cursed Lantern in my hand.
You... you're more impressive than I thought.
Brrr—
As if understanding the praise, the lantern quivered delightedly, vibrating with cute tremors in my palm.