Chapter 138
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 138
Thirty minutes had passed since Baek Seung-woo was captured by the woman wearing the peacock mask.
The massive knight in armor trailing behind him was stuck at the sewer entrance.
More precisely, he had been ordered to guard it.
By his own lord, the Viscount, no less.
"What in the world is the Viscount thinking?"
Knight Commander Termiya.
She was the Viscount of Eports's most loyal hound and strongest right hand.
Knights, by nature, were those who carried out the commands of their superiors.
The chivalric ideals of protecting citizens and upholding justice came much later, long after the concept of knighthood was established.
She understood that fact all too well.
That's why she had faithfully obeyed every order without question up until now. But this oneshe simply couldn't fathom it.
"Mom! Get a grip!!"
"Run! The biggest tailor shop in the city is on fire!!"
"To think I'd live to see the North's downfall in my lifetime. Was the end of we who survived that harsh land predestined all along?"
"What the hell are you babbling about, you old coot?! Get on my back. We gotta run now!"
Citizens were fleeing.
Chasing after them were more citizens.
But a closer look revealed something off about the pursuers.
They resembled drunks or drug addicts.
Yet these people, fundamentally different, hid bombs in their bodies and charged in all directions.
Their fervent, mad gazestwisted convictions turned to insanitywere no different from those of martyrs.
Simply...
"They look just like religious zealots belatedly realizing their sins and seeking atonement in the flames."
The peculiar madness seen in those enlightened by ideology.
Denying their past lives and immersing themselves too deeply in newfound beliefs, leaking subtle insanityit reminded her of her childhood self.
Back when a ragged orphan in a dark alley was saved by His grace and became a knight trainee, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
"I know better than anyone how exhilarating it feels to be saved by another and embrace a new self... But ending up as a martyr? That's taking it too far."
Part of her wanted to stop them right then and there.
But disobeying the Viscount who had saved her would leave her too ashamed to face him.
So she abandoned chivalry.
She twisted the 'patriotism' of loyalty to lord and country. The people living on his land were her nation, after all.
So what if the members changed?
The parental instinct to die for one's child was something she, an orphan, could never understand.
Besides, she had no justification to interfere in their lives.
Truly contradictory emotions.
And such contradictions were precisely what 'he' loved most.
Thump!
Her heart pounded hard without her even running.
As sweat beaded on her forehead...
Termiya's gaze dropped to the ground.
No way...!
"Was 'guard this spot' not about the entrance, but keeping whatever's below from coming out?"
The knight commander instinctively sensed it.
Not only was her hunch correct.
Today was her execution day.
She felt a single sword down there.
Its edge so sharp it seemed it might sever not just this territory, but her very spine.
A terrifying sharpness.
In truth, deep in the filthy sewer, a man who had surpassed Sword and Man as Onereaching the realm equal to the sword itselfpanted heavily on the steep path.
"...Conditional, huh. It's mine by right, but this treatment grates. I'll forgive it for now."
"I thought it was that woman, of course. Why are you emerging from there...?"
"...Ah, right, the crazy fanatic was here."
Normally, he'd swing his sword fiercely at such an insolent blocker. But seeing the armored knight staunchly blocking the sewer exit, the man let out a chuckle.
Ha, a dry laugh echoed through the sewer.
It set off alarms in the knight commander's instincts.
Perhaps because of that.
No other sounds reached the areanot even breaths besides his.
Even the usual wind hushed before him.
In the sewer's deepest, dirtiest depths, paradoxically, the noblest and most exalted being briefly reclaimed his former glory.
Sword Saint.
His very existence was the king of all weapons.
The saint of swords had awakened in a distant land.
* * *
A long time had passed in the filthy nightmare.
Subjectively, it felt like nearly a month inside.
But in reality... about an hour? Hard to be sure, but probably 1 hour, 12 minutes, 31 seconds.
"Your ability is more useful than I thought. I've tasted many that interfere with dreams or sleep, but you're the first to make it feel so real."
The power to recreate the past through dreams and extract information.
Andrealphus had focused on intel gathering and trauma triggers, but from my perspective as the victim...
I liked the ability to 'recreate the past' via dreams itself more than those extras.
It was a hellish nightmare, but I was secretly glad to see them again.
Even if just in a dream, when they died, my heart shattered.
But since my heart had already shattered once, it let me realize I was dreaming.
It wasn't the same level of soul-crushing mental agony that made me want to die.
'Haha, must be because I've matured mentally.'
My heart ached, but my indomitable spirit never broke.
Never.
Even if it drove me mad instead.
I could say this with a smile.
"You... saw it, didn't you? Right?"
You saw it. You did.
My dirty little secret I never wanted to show anyone.
You saw itthat bastard did.
'What now, then?'
Corpses can't talk, so kill him?
No, this world has mystics that can see souls.
And I even have Demon Eye myself.
Torture him so he can't speak, then?
Cutting out the tongue and cauterizing the palate with fire doesn't sound bad.
But... if someone heals him with high-level recovery magic and he talks... Can't even imagine.
'Then what.'
Only one option left.
Step by step.
With each step, the surrounding air grew heavier.
Not mere mana pressure.
A simple ability: seize spatial control using basic domain or sanctuary principles, then fill it with my killing intent.
"You? What is this? What's with the killing intent?"
"What else? I'm indirectly telling you I want to kill you."
Demons, demon beastsanything tied to demons must die.
The moment the mask controlling me slipped, there were no more brakes. My mind filled with reckless acceleration, like a speeding car.
Consciousness tainted by murderlust gradually succumbed to madness.
'He saw it. Saw what I wanted hidden. Forced it outnot from my words, but by invading my mind.'
Kill him.
Kill him to seal his lips.
Noeven annihilate his soul, erase the record of him seeing my memories from the world.
That's what I must do.
No matter what, pulverize from the soul.
Essence Absorption
The skill I'd had since possession.
Based on spirit and soul I couldn't fully grasp. I'd hesitated to use it for potential risks.
But no reason to hold back now.
Using an unknown skill matters less than surely killing the demon before me.
"You... You don't think that can hold me, do you?"
Caught off guard by the situation?
Or absurd at trying to bind him with a skill whose proficiency hovered near zero? Andrealphus forgot his elegant noblewoman act.
"If you thought that would work, you're mistaken."
"No way."
"Of course not. That dream was just a nightmare from some profound novel I read."
"This is a failsafe net of heaven and earth."
"I'm a noble baron. You're not even in my league... Huh?"
Her fingers pointed at floor and ceiling.
Shadows crept out, stretching hands in the cramped sewer.
"This is supposed to..."
Touching them stole his demonic energy.
Resisting dispersed the shadows before they could steal it.
"...catch me?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
"Seriously?"
"...No need for more words."
The sewer's poor ventilation trapped Andrealphus's stench too harshly.
The raw sewage smell rising was almost preferable.
No need to endure it longer.
To eliminate the source, I used Flash Step.
Surpassing space, hand coated in mana...
Squelch!
Pierced his gut, yanked out his long intestines like blood sausage.
"Uh...?"
"Conveniently, you skipped over my techniques and skills. So I figured closing the distance instantly would make killing you easy."
Flash Step, folding space to dash.
The cost twisted my ankle, but it let me subdue Andrealphus effortlessly.
Thuddropped the guts on the floor, looked up at the ceiling.
No sky visible through the blocked sewer.
But intense mana waves and sharp emotions from people above were clear. I'd dawdled too long here.
I wanted to escape the sewer immediately.
But since I was late anyway, a bit more wouldn't hurt.
"Right, Status Window?"
I stared blankly at the sky.
In that time, several people died.
Murders between remnants of the back world.
No reason or value to intervene, so I openly watched their deaths.
Ding!
A cheerful sound, blue window popped up.
[0.3% remains until Back World progress reaches 50%.]
[Upon reaching 50% Back World progress, it counts as clear and main scenario successdestroy the cursed Egg of the End!]
What do you want me to do?
No more following your words.
Old me would've pretended to comply while plotting betrayal behind your back.
But with one mask layer peeled, my exposed face prefers smashing annoyances outright.
Simpler that way.
"As if I'd do it."
Staying put, more people died.
A few corpses floated into the sewer, but the dead and the world held no interest for me.
At my demeanor...
Ding!
[Quest mutation confirmed. Adding new conditions.]
[Mandatory: Save at least 10,000 citizens...]
Seeing it grow bothersome, I was certain.
At first, something felt very off.
Knowledge in my head that shouldn't be there, memories that didn't surface.
I wondered if it was Eve's scheme.
[Adding time limit. Save approx. 10,000 citizens within 30 minutes...]
"Hey, you're not Eve, are you?"
If she wanted to screw me over, it wouldn't be like this. She knows my obsessions too well.
Given Eve's nature avoiding needless rage, the odds this blue window ties to her plummet.
[Time Remaining: 29min 17sec]
[Time Remaining: 29min 16sec]
Tick tock.
Clock sounds breeding anxiety.
This petty crap isn't Eve's style.
If she hits, it's big and flashy.
Not this sneaky bullshit.
"Cut it out."
Tick tock.
[Time Remaining: 27min 55sec]
[Time Remaining: 27min 54sec]
"I said cut it out."
Tick tock.
[Time Remaining: 26min 01sec]
[Time Remaining: 26min 00sec]
Hah, doesn't know when to quit, scratching my nerves.
No longer tolerating it, I activated my heart.
The source of heartbeats.
Symbol of life.
Beyond blood transport, hearts carry and store mana.
But my veins overflowed with solar energy, blocking that duty. Already clogged like cholesterol, no point accumulating more.
Any denser would've been severe hyperlipidemiano attempts.
'But even in this body, the heart symbolizes life... and will.'
Mana flowing through dantian and heart slowly accumulated, feeding on my will and growing.
Resolve.
The grandest mystery warriors harbor accepted my will, swelling vastly. As killing intent...
It manifested in the fittest form.
Heart as Slaughter.
The noble realm where harboring murder slays the target instantly.
Would it work on the system? Questionable.
[Status Window's firewall crumbling!]
[...!]
[...!!]
[...!!!]
[Connection to 'Main System' temporarily severed.]
At least it hit the Status Window.
Sensation of whatever linked to me blurring.
Neither good nor bad.
With hollow eyes sweeping the sewer, convinced no one could disturb me here...
I reached my right hand to my body.
Crack, crunch!!
Tore it apart.
Muscles ripped, joints popped.
The mangled body seemed ready to fall apart, but its owner seemed familiar with the sensation.
No this wasn't enough.
Grrrind!!!
Forcibly activated the rigid, diseased body.
Bones twisted in the process.
True energy filled veins, body wrecked by solar energy.
Body growing more wrecked by the minute.
Yet as flesh deteriorated, mind sharpened; instinctual crisis of potential death eroded reason.
"Yes... this feeling."
The old muscles and martial talent gone from this body.
But the sensation lingered, vivid as if felt moments ago.
Yes, this feeling.
Reliving comrades' deaths hurt less than beforetoo hollow.
But with bodily pain added...
Proportional to agony across my frame, the rush was indescribably exhilarating.
It hurts.
So much.
Yet this pain alone, amid the countless lies masked over me, was truly mine.
Proof I still existed as myself.
That's why I could smile, clinging to body and mind maddened by pain.