Chapter 102
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Molting
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With a light laugh, it might have looked cute, but So-hyang did not underestimate its danger.
There was no room for taming or guidance. Even bound in a master-servant relationship, these demonic beasts were the kind that schemed only to devour their own master.
Inherent malice itself, born to devour humans and create suffering.
Even beasts that had tasted human flesh were undoubtedly dangerous. How much more so these demonic beasts, innately possessing the habit of coveting human spirit and flesh.
-Grooooar!
As expected, even after being thwarted once and clearly feeling inexplicable fear, its malice remained unbroken.
Bottomless Well. A well without a bottom.
From the mouth of the well, pitch-black hues erupted like groundwater reversing flow.
Once more, a dank, musty odor rose from the bottom like the walls of a well, and darkness began filling the empty air.
It wasn't as explosive or widespread as the initial expansion that occurred with its metamorphosis, but it was still just as threatening.
The unique peril of a Demonic Realm: occupying space, twisting its nature, and turning it into a territory under its control.
Of course, So-hyang was the exception.
"Hey now, where do you think you're going!"
So-hyang's hand gripping her Spirit Sword blurred, and with sharp slicing sounds, white lines crisscrossed, shredding the pitch-black space around the well.
If she cut off the expansion before it could cover an area equivalent to an entire city like before, she could block the corrosion without much burden.
Like wiping away filth before it dried and stained, or pruning overgrown branches before they thickened, it wasn't particularly threatening if the initial suppression was handled properly.
It required a warrior capable of Space Severing at minimum, making such early intervention nearly impossible—which was precisely why Demonic Realms were so fearsome.
"Sss... Tch!"
But not now.
"H-Huh... H-Huhhh...!"
The professors' legs gave out from the wave of relief, and they collapsed to the ground all at once.
Thanks to So-hyang's unbelievable display of divine prowess, there were no major casualties, but the danger of the incident itself was beyond imagination.
A Demonic Realm had formed in the heart of the Eternal Capital, right in the middle of the Academy.
And that Demonic Realm was born from the metamorphosis of the demonic beast they had secretly concealed and used as a space cutter.
In other words...
Even a warrior who had achieved the rare feat of severing space...
Who could slice away the Demonic Realm's corrosion spanning a thousand zhang in radius in one go...
With the inconceivable skill to finely control it without harming lives...
Without such a transcendent expert beyond the supreme level unleashing their power, there would have been no way to stop it.
Previous analysis had shown the Bottomless Well's growth potential was nearly zero...
As long as it didn't eat people, there was no way for the well's influence to expand, let alone evolve into a space-corroding Demonic Realm...
What use were such excuses now?
The incident had already happened, and the cause was undoubtedly their negligence.
Analysis results?
Hadn't those results been wrong?
Impossible by common sense?
Demonic beasts were existences that mocked common sense with their defiance of reason.
What could they say, even with ten mouths?
It was the product of inexcusable carelessness and an indescribable lack of safety awareness.
The professors simply bowed silently toward So-hyang in gratitude.
"We don't even know how to repay you... We are truly grateful—and apologetic..."
They knelt and lowered their heads.
The academy's students had nearly been slaughtered horrifically. Due to no one else's fault but those who were supposed to teach them.
If not for So-hyang... It was too horrific to imagine.
"Aw, come on, no need to bow so low. We all help each other out, right?"
Facing their reaction, So-hyang waved it off as if it were nothing.
How could anyone avoid mistakes entirely, or prepare for every possible accident?
Incidents were bound to happen, and since she could help, she did.
Good things were good in the world, weren't they?
People said nothing was free, but if you had the ability and leeway, there was no reason not to give without expecting payment.
It might be a life-changing favor to the recipients, but to So-hyang, it was just cheap kindness.
"-My goodness, Lady So-hyang..."
Seeing her smile brightly and brush it off casually, the professors' eyes grew misty.
True chivalry, rare in the world—a personality that loved helping others, evident in her every word and deed.
Her humility only amplified their gratitude.
A bit flustered by their almost worshipful gazes, So-hyang quietly spoke to redirect their attention.
"...Anyway, what should we do?"
She continued her rapid strikes at invisible speed without even breaking a sweat.
"Should I keep suppressing the expansion like this, or just smash it entirely?"
The usual ways to handle demonic beasts were isolation and sealing, but destruction took priority in some cases.
For instance, Demonic Realms.
Fragments of hell on earth, scattering widespread slaughter just by existing and gradually growing their territory.
Seeds of disaster that had to be destroyed, even risking magic backlash or rebirth as new demonic beasts.
That said, destruction was debatable only if there was a central hub spreading the corrosion; if the entire space had mutated, even that was impossible.
The North Sea far to the north, where ley lines and geology had transformed into ice essence, a perpetual frozen wasteland of eternal winter.
The great forests of the southern barbarians, harboring primordial ancients and untamed wilderness.
The western front beyond the Heavenly Mountains where the Demonic Cult resided, rampant with horrific remnants of past eras.
Compared to such great Demonic Realms, the Bottomless Well that had swallowed nearly half the academy upon metamorphosis was almost cute.
At least, being an entity that expanded from a central well core, it could be destroyed—and even peak experts couldn't crush strong foes like bugs.
Above all, with So-hyang and the general here, they could smash the well with Gang Qi right now.
"...Lady So-hyang, if possible, could you hold it a moment longer?"
"I can, but what's the plan?"
"The Dean will arrive shortly. He can isolate and seal the entire site of the well, so you won't need to risk destroying the demonic beast yourself."
"Oh, the Dean, huh..."
An intriguing new topic appeared, and So-hyang's eyes sparkled with interest.
When discussing sorcerers' realms, the Academy's degrees were the standard.
Undergraduates.
Students from enrollment to graduation, trainees focused on studying basic sorcery knowledge and broadening their horizons.
Bachelors.
Those who understood the basics and overall systems of sorcery, beginning deeper study in specific schools.
Masters.
Those who delved deeply into a specific school, recognized as experts in that field.
From here, they could append "sorcerer" to their school (Alchemy Sorcerer, Banquet Sorcerer, etc.), the threshold to call oneself a true sorcerer.
And Doctors.
Beyond expertise to mastery, those who researched and created new theories past mere study.
A stage aiming to advance accumulated scholarship to higher realms.
Four stages: undergraduate, bachelor, master, doctor.
Unlike warrior realms, this measured scholarly achievement, not martial prowess or existential rank.
Even renowned doctors might struggle against first-rate warriors.
Of course, in prepared labs or workshops, or for combat-oriented schools like the War School, it differed...
Generally, sorcerers' achievements didn't equate to combat power.
But exceptions existed.
Those whose theoretical research reached extremes, upending academia and interfering with the world itself.
A realm of complete intuition beyond words, closer to philosophical enlightenment than scholarship.
Unexplainable uniqueness.
Transcendence achieved differently from martial arts, where personal insight surpassed world laws.
Equal to the radiant Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang and Seventy-Two Earth Killers in the night sky, their star positions.
Called Star Principles.
Naturally, sorcerers who attained Star Principles were seen as beyond the four stages, a stellar rank.
Known as Star Envoys.
The Academy's Dean was a Star Envoy who had attained Star Principles.
"Star Envoy... A Star Envoy..."
So-hyang couldn't hide her fascination.
Different path, but same rank as a Venerable—transcending mortality halfway.
The stage below struggled against first-rates, so what were Star Principles to leap straight to transcendence?
One question arose, though.
"Hmm, if the Academy has such a figure, why hasn't he shown up yet?"
Sword Venerable Namgung Geukbeon, leader of the White Path martial world and her drinking buddy, came to mind.
Not just same city—same province made physical distance meaningless.
They crossed small nations in a blink.
She still remembered his absurdity: craving Sichuan cuisine, slicing space to fetch it, only to bring back plain noodles and braised pork—then saying it didn't smell appealing.
Anyway, if the Academy's Dean was at such a realm, why hadn't he arrived?
He could've prevented the corrosion without her shredding buildings.
"-Th-That's... The Dean is currently on a trip to the western front..."
"...Ah, that makes sense."
Impressive he could reach the North Capital from there so quickly.
"Then I'll keep slicing away."
"...Yes, sorry for the trouble—"
"No, it's fine, quit fussing."
Even as So-hyang chatted with the professors, the Bottomless Well was relentlessly shredded without respite.
The Bottomless Well was going mad.
Try to seize surroundings—white metal chunks fly in, shredding its growing body.
Scatter demonic essence to entice the human with the metal—no effect, unmoved.
Whatever it did, it got sliced.
Struggle, sliced.
Do nothing, diced.
Just torn to shreds.
Utterly helpless.
-Grooooar...!
Fury boiling to fever pitch in its nonexistent head, a deep resonance erupted from the bottomless well's depths.
Anger, injustice, fear, absurdity, confusion... Newly sprouted ego, emotions without names yet swirled chaotically.
"Isolate... the entire site... seal... just wait a bit..."
It didn't know language but instinctively sensed intent: its tormentors planned to bind it, starving it forever.
-Groooooaaar...!!!!
Never. Absolutely never.
Never return to that state. Better to shatter.
Facing crisis, the Bottomless Well's nascent intellect spun fiercely.
Find a way.
Expand territory—gets severed.
Bewitchment—no sign of working.
Wait for the white-metal prey's power to wane—inexhaustible.
How? How to survive?
If can't hunt prey, flee.
But how?
Grown to dominate outside, yet essence bound to earthbound well.
Precisely: the bottomless void inside was its true body.
Then, why must that void stay in the well?
Survival instinct's frantic alarm bore fruit; with feeble intellect, it pierced limits in enlightenment.
-Groooooaaar...!
Immense vibration dwarfing before echoed from within, denser darkness surging like volcanic eruption.
A kind of molting.
Like crustaceans shedding shells after lifelong enclosure, dragging amorphous true body from under the well.
Lost protective shell—infinitely vulnerable, yet matchlessly free.
How to use this freedom?
Purpose clear.
Flight.
Never done before, but survival instinct taught naturally.
Live.
Flee terrifying prey.
Decision swift: upon molting, fled opposite So-hyang with all might.
The Bottomless Well was certain as it moved.
Success. Unknowingly, its molted true body was ideal for escape.
Piercing space, phasing through obstacles—maneuvering at divine speed surpassing peak experts' lightness skills.
Yes, grounds for such certainty.
"Well, well, you even know how to run?"
-Gr, Grooo...!?
But that certainty was crushed in So-hyang's amused grip, slamming to the ground.