The Glow of the Mad Sorcerer (6)
Oh Hye-seo turned her head to look at the monster behind her, Seo Eun-hyun, and rapidly spun her thoughts.
And right then, at that exact moment, she calculated the perfect “deception” she had to perform.
“Kheuk, Seo Eun-hyun!”
First she made her face wear a look of sorrow.
And spoke in a voice that clearly wished she didn’t have to.
“Kill… me…”
Drip… drip… drip…
Tears streamed from Oh Hye-seo’s eyes.
She moved awkwardly and lunged at Seo Eun-hyun as if trying to attack.
Flash!
A phantom form burst from her palm and charged straight at him.
‘He’ll think something’s off.’
That would be the perfect victory for her.
She knew Seo Eun-hyun very well.
In fact, many male employees at the company liked her in secret, and Seo Eun-hyun was no exception.
Oh Hye-seo knew that fact better than anyone.
‘Come on, Seo Eun-hyun. Notice something is wrong. Hesitate even for a second before attacking me.’
The pitiful colleague manipulated by the ruthless Seo Hyeol was exactly the story she wanted to show him.
After he asked what was going on, she would say she was being controlled by Seo Hyeol.
Then she would tell him how to break Seo Hyeol’s brainwashing, and he would force her to do it.
‘After that I’ll remove the seal, report that Seo Hyeol has me, and my companions will come to rescue me. We’ll join up naturally.’
Oh Hye-seo smiled with satisfaction at the flawless plan in her mind.
And she cried again, shouting.
“Kill me, Seo Eun-hyun…!”
[Understood.]
“…?”
Seo Eun-hyun tore apart the phantom form Oh Hye-seo had sent him and, without the slightest hesitation, swung his black ghost blade straight at her.
Oh Hye-seo desperately dodged the ghost blade.
This space was created by twisting the outer edge of the Underworld Realm.
To control this space from the center required a soul-state existence.
Normal physical force could not touch it.
But because she was in a soul state, Oh Hye-seo understood that if the black ghost blade touched her, it would be catastrophic.
‘That ghost qi, that curse! If I touch it, my soul will rot…’
She broke out in cold sweat and frantically turned her head.
‘What the hell? Why is there zero hesitation? No, wait. Does she really think I betrayed her? No way!’
Oh Hye-seo cried out, voice trembling.
“Release me, Seo Eun-hyun! Seo Hyeol made me do it! He forced me to attack you…!”
Kwa kwa kwa kwang!
Still talking, Oh Hye-seo threw a Taiji form that rose from both her palms toward Seo Eun-hyun, then used the recoil to fly backward.
Chiiii—
However, Seo Eun-hyun, who took not a single wound from her attack, walked calmly through the white space and emitted thirty-eight light rays.
[That’s right. I’ll help you. Rest well.]
Booong!
Without the slightest hesitation, Seo Eun-hyun scattered curse marks toward her.
Black curse lines rained down like arrows.
Oh Hye-seo gritted her teeth.
‘That idiot! In the company I even told him we’d have lunch together and he told me to eat alone! He really thought I was saying “kill me”! This worthless piece of trash!’
Now that she had revealed she was being controlled, there was no reason for her to attack if she were sane.
Oh Hye-seo turned her head.
‘Maybe because he fought Seo Hyeol and decided he couldn’t save me after learning how terrifying the guy is!’
She made her decision and bit her lip again.
“Thank you, Eun-hyun. To break Seo Hyeol’s technique I need to unravel the one hundred eight yin-yang five-element threads and the demonic seal Ohaeng Hyeoljubeon inside my body, then sequentially remove the four seals in the ritual. It looks impossible. Help me!”
[That’s right. It does look extremely difficult. I’m not confident. Go well, Oh Hye-seo.]
‘If you don’t know how to break it, ask Kang Min-hee or someone smart! I even gave you the clue!’
Booong!
Oh Hye-seo barely dodged the curse marks, sweat pouring down her face.
‘That worthless bastard. He’s trying to kill me! Did he learn a demonic art and go mad? What happened in those hundred years to break him this badly? The past is also blocked by thick fog…’
Gulp—
Oh Hye-seo changed her plan.
‘That lunatic. He kept sticking something in his shoulder and now he’s gone completely mad.’
Oh Hye-seo rolled her eyes.
‘I’ll abandon Seo Eun-hyun for now. Since this madman is here, there’s no way to join my companions. I’ll have to wait for a chance and merge through Jeon Myeong-hoon or the smarter Kang Min-hee.’
Oh Hye-seo decided to revise her plan and spread both hands.
Wi-ing—
A Taiji form rotated between her palms.
“Blood Sound Ghost Valley Maze, change.”
Paaaah!
The white space twisted violently and a hundred li separated Seo Eun-hyun and her.
The Taiji spun once.
Another hundred li opened.
It was the Blood Sound Ghost Valley Maze of Seo Hyeol.
The technique twisted the outer edge of the Underworld Realm into a special inner space.
Originally Seo Hyeol could only create the maze, not control it.
All he could do was open and close the door and grant administrator rights.
Even the person who received administrator rights could not freely manage the space.
To control it, a special condition had to be met.
And Oh Hye-seo could control this space as if it were her own using her own authority.
‘I have to get far away from Seo Eun-hyun and trap him in another space. If I don’t leave right now, Seo Hyeol might do something else to my body.’
Kkuguguguk!
From afar, the space was visibly bending under enormous gravity.
Oh Hye-seo pursed her lips and extended both hands.
The space moved, nullifying Seo Eun-hyun’s gravity.
“Huk… huk…”
She broke out in cold sweat.
‘Because she’s at Integration realm? Forcing gravity is hard. Still, since gravity is sealed, I can’t chase her with Flight Technique…’
That was when.
“…Eh?”
Oh Hye-seo blinked twice.
Seo Eun-hyun was already right in front of her.
[Don’t worry. I’ll free you.]
Booong!
Seo Eun-hyun raised his arm.
Kwa aaang!
The arm laden with black curse marks slammed into the white space.
“W-what…!”
Oh Hye-seo stared in disbelief and bit her lip.
‘He didn’t even use Flight Technique. He just flew here with nothing but the Sword Drawing Technique?’
Wi-ying!
She spread both hands and summoned the Taiji again.
The Taiji spun rapidly and the distance between them began to grow again.
One hundred li, two hundred li…
Three thousand li!
‘If it’s this far, without Flight Technique…’
“…Is it an illusion technique?”
But contrary to her wish, when she blinked again, Seo Eun-hyun was suddenly right in front of her.
“Eh? How? Without Flight Technique…!”
[I’m just fast.]
Seo Eun-hyun reached out toward her with perfect calm.
Oh Hye-seo’s face turned pale.
Even though she was emotionless, she still had desires.
Basic desires such as hunger, lust, and sleep were present, and above all the survival instinct of a living creature was complete.
And the basic desire to live and the resulting fear were unavoidable for any living being.
Oh Hye-seo held her breath from the fear born of survival instinct and spread both arms.
[Phantom, Glass Peacock!]
Flash!
A pure white light shot toward Seo Eun-hyun.
However, Seo Eun-hyun enveloped himself in hazy fog, and the Glass Peacock’s light scattered uselessly.
Oh Hye-seo stepped back and kept pulling phantom strength.
[Phantom, Black Ghost Black Tortoise!]
The black qi of the Black Tortoise that commanded the ten thousand ghosts seemed to blanket the surroundings.
But when Seo Eun-hyun emitted thirty-eight light rays, the qi of the Black Tortoise recoiled in fright and tried to flee from him instead.
[Phantom, Chaos of Destruction, White Heaven Evil Demon!]
The power of the White Heaven Evil Demon, symbol of order, and the Chaos of Destruction, symbol of chaos, condensed in Oh Hye-seo’s palms.
Oh Hye-seo collided black and white qi.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa!
The qi of great chaos seemed to fill the white space.
But the next instant.
[Taesan.]
Flash!
[Yeolje!]
The great chaos qi was completely shattered and scattered.
[Phantom, Blue Phoenix.]
Wi-ying—
Blue wings seemed to burst from her feather husks and twisted the space.
At the same time, the Blood Sound Ghost Valley Maze twisted, trapping Seo Eun-hyun inside the maze of the twisted space.
‘It’s the phantom technique of Blue Phoenix, famous for the space maze. Combined with the power of the Blood Sound Ghost Valley Maze, the space is twisted a second time… It won’t come out for a short time…’
Kwa ching!
And the hand of Seo Eun-hyun broke through the white space.
[O… Hye… Seo…]
“Hic… hic…”
Oh Hye-seo used the space maze to re-seal Seo Eun-hyun, then used the technique of the Blood Sound Ghost Valley Maze to widen the distance between them.
And she reinforced her body with the power of the phantom Tae-ho and fled, trying to break the space with the power of Blue Phoenix and escape to the outside.
However, she turned around at the sound of a chill.
Dudu du du du du—
Nineteen heads dangled, thirty-eight eyes wept blood tears, and a giant with the body of starlight advanced toward her, blooming strange black flowers across its entire body.
Oo ooo—
Kki ya aaaa—
Hua aaaa—
Strange ghost valley sounds decorated the surroundings of the giant.
“Get… get away…!”
Finally Oh Hye-seo’s composure collapsed.
“Get away, you monster…!”
Dudu du du du—
She summoned countless phantom forms and threw them at the monster.
However, it was useless.
The qi of Black Ghost Black Tortoise was chewed up by the mouth, the chaos of Destruction was polluted by curse, the White Heaven Evil Demon’s chaos was eaten by white flowers summoned, and the power of Glass Peacock was blocked by hazy fog.
The maze of Blue Phoenix was simply pierced, and the power of Tae-ho was also useless.
Dudu du du du—
Oh Hye-seo was now right behind her. She threw a black dragon form at the hand reaching for Seo Eun-hyun.
But Seo Eun-hyun caught the dragon’s jaws and tore it apart, then began chasing her madly again.
Uuuung—
Something was caught in Seo Eun-hyun’s palm.
‘Dangerous…! Dangerous! He’s trying to throw something! If I touch it I’m in trouble…!’
She read the flow of heaven and earth energy and realized Seo Eun-hyun was about to throw her something “dangerous.”
‘I’m really in danger! No way!’
[Chongcheon!]
“Kyaaaaaaaak!”
Seo Eun-hyun threw something at her, and Oh Hye-seo screamed in pain as if her entire body was being carved up.
Kwa ak!
And finally, Oh Hye-seo was caught in the giant’s palm.
***
‘Finally caught.’
I sighed and glared at Oh Hye-seo.
She looked as if she was about to faint.
The soul-shredding from Chongcheon must have been extremely painful.
‘Good. Then now…’
I poured ghost qi into her body and began distorting the space through the center of this space, Oh Hye-seo.
Kkugugug—
‘This space was created by borrowing the outer edge of the Underworld Realm. So…’
It should be possible to move with my talent.
Kkugugug!
The white space moved.
It twisted.
I recognized my scattered companions and began calling them one by one.
Pa at!
The first to arrive was Jeon Myeong-hoon beside me.
Next came Kim Yeon, then Oh Hyun-seok.
Paa at!
The last one to appear was Kang Min-hee.
‘Somehow, except for Kim Young-hoon, everyone gathered.’
[…As you all know, Oh Hye-seo brought us into this space. She also caused trouble in Black Ghost Valley.]
“O-Oh Manager?”
“For real?”
Jeon Myeong-hoon and Oh Hyun-seok were surprised, and Kim Yeon looked a little flustered.
And Kang Min-hee folded her arms and clicked her tongue.
“Hear the reason. From Earth, you at least spoke well.”
I looked at Oh Hye-seo and asked.
[That’s right. I’m curious too. Why did you betray us?]
“….”
Oh Hye-seo was a strange person.
She was always calm and her will was always stable.
Her will, though thin, did not hold the terrifying mind of Seo Hyeol.
If anything, Oh Hye-seo’s mind was like a barren desert, far from Seo Hyeol or Goe-gun who turned the world into dirty filth.
That was why I did not know her true nature until she acted directly on me.
‘In fact, I still don’t fully understand.’
What was the principle of her actions and why did she betray us and attach herself to Seo Hyeol?
To my question, Oh Hye-seo smiled faintly.
Chill!
“Huhu, you have indeed been in close contact with Hye-seo for a long time.”
And blood light burst from her soul.
Chwa aaak!
I tried to seal Oh Hye-seo with ghost qi, but realized it was impossible.
I was pushed back by the blood light and eventually lost her.
‘This space is responding to this light!?’
Red light gushed forth and Oh Hye-seo’s shadow twitched, becoming “Seo Hyeol.”
Seo Hyeol gently wrapped his arms around the shoulder of the Oh Hye-seo I had lost and pulled her into his embrace.
“I will return Hye-seo. While I briefly took her body outside, I realized the ability itself originates from her soul. It seems she herself is necessary.”
[You…!]
And Seo Hyeol moved his hand.
[Open, Takhon Salmok.]
Paaa at!
Blood light spread around, and Seo Hyeol’s terrifying mind spread across the white space.
[Close your eyes and seal your consciousness!]
I shouted urgently to the surroundings.
It was Seo Hyeol’s mind.
If I stared too long, I would be brainwashed by his Takhon Mancheon in an instant.
That was when.
Chill!
“The Blood Sound Ghost Valley Maze is a kind of ‘shortcut’ using the outer edge of the Underworld Realm. The destination is not the Myeonggwi Realm but… the Blood Sound Realm.”
Kkugugugug!
Far away, a crimson [World] appeared.
“Just while I recover my realm… How about taking a Blood Sound Realm tour? Huhuhu… For three or four thousand years, that should be fine.”
I tried to resist the crimson [World], but a powerful attraction from the [World] continued.
‘Impossible! Leap!’
I struggled with all my might to escape the attraction.
That was when.
Wi-ying—
A strange Taiji form rose from the hand that had held Oh Hye-seo, and my entire body was enveloped by the Taiji as if it were a tumor.
‘This is…!’
[Seo Hyeol…!]
I bit my lip hard.
‘Was the plan too well made!?’
I was supposed to go to Black Ghost Valley where the outer edge of the Underworld Realm had strong power.
Originally Oh Hye-seo was supposed to reveal herself in front of me and invite us here.
I was supposed to catch her and contact her.
All were things he had not expected.
***
Seo Hyeol hugged Oh Hye-seo while looking down at the group of Seo Eun-hyun who were falling toward the crimson abyss.
“Originally I was going to send only the monster to Hye-seo, but… it seems I have to send more people than expected. I never imagined you would be caught right here in front of everyone without even having the chance to fight the monster. You really are incompetent, Hye-seo.”
In Seo Hyeol’s arms, Oh Hye-seo rested her head on his shoulder and smiled slyly.
“…Lord is amazing. Pretending to use me as bait while planning to send my companions to another realm whenever you want.”
“Huhu, it’s thanks to Hye-seo following my thoughts well. Because of that, she was able to send the mad sorcerer who had been in contact with Hye-seo for a long time, who couldn’t even resist, downward.”
“By the way, how did you do that?”
“In Hye-seo’s soul, the powers of the phantoms are somehow fused, right? It’s a technique that extracts the power of Taiji from that fusion and binds the opponent. Want me to teach you?”
“You’re going to teach me something weird again?”
“Huhu…”
That was when.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!
A giant of starlight extended its hand from below and pierced the space.
It was Oh Hyun-seok.
[O… Hye… Seo…! What are you doing…?!]
“Oh my, Brother Hyun-seok. You don’t have to go that hard. Just come down.”
[You… What would your father think! Stop it right now!?]
“Ahahaha, my father?”
Kkwa deu deuk!
And another giant crawled up beside Oh Hyun-seok.
It was a lightning giant with six arms.
It was Jeon Myeong-hoon.
[Manager Oh… Did you betray us…?!]
His eyes were shooting out crimson lightning, and his shadow had become six and was fluttering wildly.
But that was not the end.
Kki ya aaaa—
Aaaa—
Uuuuuuu—
Ghosts numbering in the thousands appeared, and from their center a big-arm ghost stood up.
It was Kang Min-hee.
[You wretch… I’ve been watching you since I followed you around the company. I knew you were a crazy woman…]
“Ahahaha, Min-hee. Right now you look even crazier than before, don’t you?”
Oh Hye-seo laughed loudly at the three monsters.
However, she suddenly flinched and looked down.
Real!
Pure white consciousness threads stretched everywhere, binding the three monsters and Seo Eun-hyun who was falling toward the Blood Sound Realm.
Kim Yeon was holding back the fall of the restrained Seo Eun-hyun.
[Wait… Let’s go up and see…]
Jeon Myeong-hoon muttered while shooting crimson lightning from his eyes.
And to make it worse, a large centipede emerged from Seo Eun-hyun’s Donyun and began spitting venom.
It was literally a scene as if the monsters were crawling up from hell.
Seo Hyeol and Oh Hye-seo both smiled with masks.
“Huhu, Hye-seo. Then shall we try to stop these monsters from coming up?”
“You won’t hit my back?”
“There is no such thing.”
“…Let go first.”
Oh Hye-seo prepared the technique after leaving Seo Hyeol’s arms.
Seo Hyeol also spewed blood-colored light.
Oh Hye-seo created the form of the phantom black dragon, and Seo Hyeol created a giant sea dragon.
It was a magnificent scene as if two sacred dragons were blocking the monsters trying to come up from the bottom of hell.
“Go!”
Seo Hyeol and Oh Hye-seo threw their strength at the monsters climbing from hell.
Sacred light descended on the monsters.