Chapter 106 #35 The Witch of the Ice Castle (1)
“You think just sprinkling that antidote will end it? Are you certain?”
If I said no, they'd tear me apart on the spot. Truth be told, I had no such certainty myself. How could I guarantee a hundred percent success on something I hadn't even tried?
But the system wouldn't mark it as a key item for no reason. Sure, its explanations were always half-assed, but the system never lied—it always spoke the truth.
I nodded. Yuseonje responded to my answer.
“Then can't we just head to that spire right now and spray the damn thing?”
“It's not that simple. Anything you take out of here freezes solid immediately.”
If you didn't close the door properly, ice would creep in like some kind of contamination. This room wasn't entirely safe either.
“The antidote might be different, but we can't risk experimenting with our only vial.”
“So how the hell do we spray it on the witch of the tower?”
I felt a twinge of discomfort at the title, but I let it slide. Looking around at the group, I explained.
“Simple. Lure the witch here to this room. The moment the room gets destroyed, everything inside will start freezing—so we'll spray the antidote the instant she arrives and the room shatters.”
Silence fell over the group at my explanation. Yuseonje shot me a look like he couldn't believe I was serious. What a pain in the ass.
Even Lee Hyewon, the team leader, wore a similar expression.
“Is that even possible?”
Well, yeah—the room and the tower were filthy far apart.
This room was on the left side of the castle. The tower sat at the far right end, the most isolated spot in the entire fortress.
The castle was massive, so even within its walls, the distance was considerable. And dragging the target all the way here? This room was buried deep inside the castle too.
Still, I had a rough route mapped out.
“Exit through the upper corridor from here, and you hit the banquet hall right away. Circle left out of the hall to the garden. Scale the walls from the garden, and you'll reach the door into the tower.”
Everyone nodded like they got the picture.
“So who does the luring...”
Oh Hyojun, who'd blurted that out without thinking, clamped his mouth shut as eyes turned to him. No surprise—the lure was the riskiest role by far.
You had to draw the boss's attention solo and drag it here precisely. High difficulty all around.
But we had a cheat-code lure.
“We'll use Agent John's sand to draw her out.”
The kid in the tower hadn't reacted to the sand scouting it so far, but if we attacked? That might wake her. Han Seohyun nodded at my explanation.
“If the antidote works, subduing her will be easy.”
Her rampage now was just mindless fury. Once subdued, no issue. And...
“If it fully takes effect and she calms down, give me a moment alone with her.”
“A moment?”
“Yes.”
She wasn't a monster—she was human. One who'd lived in agony her whole life. Surrounded by people who wanted to exploit her, she'd become a monster just to survive, but she never wanted to hurt anyone.
I'd learned that studying the demonized. Their powers were almost instinctual—reacting naturally to threats. She'd suppressed every urge to avoid harming people.
She'd yanked out her own fangs, hoping only to be loved.
That heartbreaking effort had been undone by a single drug.
“If she becomes a threat, take her down anytime. Clearing the gate is priority one. But if the antidote subdues her without killing, we don't have to end her right away.”
Maybe a brief conversation was possible. But I couldn't say that outright.
“I'm also curious what happens when a boss monster's hostility vanishes.”
Lee Hyewon finally nodded in understanding.
“Fair point. If her hostility truly fades... yeah, worth checking out.”
Not personal sympathy, but research for the good of all. That was the key to swaying Team Leader Lee Hyewon.
The support team nodded easily too. Han Seohyun would follow me regardless. Only one left.
“If she senses you're about to attack, she'll counter instantly.”
I nodded.
Unexpected. The guy who always nitpicked me was on board for once. Well, the tide had turned my way anyway.
“We'll start the op tomorrow. Rest up tonight, see you all then.”
I headed back to base with the group. After a solid dinner, I lay down.
━Why'd you even ask for time? You know words won't get through to her anyway.
'I've already heard her voice—in the lingering thoughts.'
━Lingering thoughts?
'Right, you weren't there. When I touched the key item, I saw what happened here. And at the end, I heard her voice.'
━Heard her voice?
'Yeah. She was in agony. Begging someone—anyone—to stop her.'
That voice had been so desperate, my chest still ached thinking of it.
━So what'll you say if you meet her? We still have to kill her to escape this place.
'Even if it comes to that, I want to tell her. None of this is your fault. It's the bad people.'
It wouldn't sit right with the raid team here to kill her, but I wanted to comfort her.
Call it hypocrisy if you want.
I just couldn't let her go without anyone mourning her.
'Just... it's too cruel for no one to grieve her death.'
The next morning, the operation hit a snag from the start.
“We can't attack the witch with the black sand?”
Yes. It's like there's a barrier—attacks just don't land at all.
Lee Hyewon relayed Han Seohyun's note.
“Some gates won't progress until you trigger them. Maybe waking the tower witch requires a living being approaching.”
“Meaning someone has to head to the tower.”
Figures. Things had been going too smoothly.
I stood up.
“No choice. I'll go.”
No one else in the DPS lineup fit the lure role anyway.
Yuseonje was a glass cannon—out. Han Seohyun lacked stamina—out. Lee Hyewon had to command the rest—out.
Couldn't shove supports in either.
Just me left.
Han Seohyun glared with obvious displeasure, but he literally had no voice to argue. I saw him scribble something, but I was already on my feet.
“I'll be right back.”
He tossed his pen aside and blocked my path, shaking his head seriously.
“No other way, Agent John.”
Han Seohyun slammed his staff on the floor in frustration. That thing cost a fortune. Wonder who he takes after—such a temper.
“Just luring, that's it. If you're worried, support me with sand.”
Whether he hated it or not, the call was made.
I headed to the tower amid the group's send-off. Nothing happened en route.
Having scoured the castle already—and seen the path in the key item's vision—I reached the tower without a hitch.
Like everywhere else, it was frozen solid. The difference...
━Mana density is insanely thick here.
'Tell me about it.'
Probably from the top-tier monster nearby. Mana levels were off the charts.
At the tower's summit, I stood before the solidly frozen ice door.
I steadied my breath a few times, then opened it. The door parted smoothly at my touch, as if expecting me.
Unlike other ice, this was crystal-clear and sparkling. White curtains draped elegantly, and beneath them lay a woman with closed eyes.
Stepping inside changed everything.
Like ripples in a still pond, the surrounding mana began to shift.
“Haa...”
The temperature plunged, my body shivering violently. Frost bloomed instantly on the once-beautiful ice. Mana swirled around the woman on the bed.
In a blink, she stood with eyes wide open.
“Shit.”
Like a ghost from a horror tale, her eyes snapped open. She smiled at me.
Ice spears launched from all sides. I threw up a shield to block them, channeling mana into my feet and bolting for the window. The bars—once iron—were now ice.
I smashed through. My body plummeted below. Just before hitting ground, I summoned wind to slow my fall.
“Ngh.”
Too late—the impact jarred me. But with the witch glaring down in rage, no time to hesitate.
Black sand appeared beside me, batting away incoming ice chunks.
“Thanks, Seohyun.”
I shook it off and leaped along the garden path. The plants were all iced over—not ideal, but the shortcut required it.
“Ngh!”
A massive wall erupted ahead.
Thought I'd shaken her? No chance. The witch who'd frozen the castle now hovered in the sky. At her gesture, the garden flipped upside down.
Trees and flowers rooted in the earth floated into the air en masse.
Hesitate here, and I'd be skewered.
I kicked off the ground, launching skyward. As if reading my mind, a massive sand eagle materialized. I mounted it.
The densely packed sand held firm even with my weight.
It rocketed forward at blinding speed.
“Ugh!”
Even mid-flight, projectiles chased us.
━Her momentum is insane.
The awakened witch embodied terror.
The eagle's flight was precarious. Bulked up to carry me, it couldn't dodge nimbly.
I hugged its back tight and glanced behind.
Cold sweat poured despite the freezing air that fogged my breath. Tension slicked my palms.
Kyyyaaah!
I expanded my shield as the witch's ear-splitting shriek tore the air.
Then—a colossal mana surge from behind.
I whipped around in horror.
Nothing but a sky full of blinding white spears.
“Shit.”
Can't dodge that.
I drew mana from my bracelet. Output at 30 percent. Shields layered at max.
The spears fell at her command.
Thud-thud-thud-crash.
The world became a hail of ice spears, shattering everything. The lovely garden turned to rubble in moments.
Her spears hammered my shields like divine judgment.
“Urgh.”
Shields held, but the force crushed through—flesh compressing, bones rattling. The eagle, unshielded, took direct hits. Sand pierced and scattered.
Finally, it collapsed into loose grains.
“Gah!”
Without it, I slammed into the ground, skidding with all that momentum.
Shield covered front only—bare back hit dirt. Pain exploded, breath catching. Head throbbed from the impact. Ears rang with tinnitus.
━Move!
Ray's shout got me shoving off the ground with my left arm. Body creaked, but no stopping.
Ahead, the banquet hall entrance loomed.
Only halfway there.