Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Single Number (3)
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Baek Jincheon couldn't get a read on what his opponent even was.
There was zero information to be gleaned from the name Kaisir.
But one thing was crystal clear.
This guy was on a whole different level from Kamun.
"……."
Baek Jincheon's gaze shifted to the area around Kim Gunja's sunken heart, scorched by the superheated blast.
Something utterly alien gleamed there, darker than pitch black.
...Scales?
He figured that's what had kept Kim Gunja from instant death.
Starting near his heart, the black scales were spreading bit by bit, infused with some unprecedented energy.
To an ordinary person, it might look like homunculus mutation.
But to the eyes of a Single Number like Baek Jincheon, it was something else entirely.
It was far too unnatural to be mere physical transformation.
...The very existence is changing.
Impossible by any common sense.
Yet it was happening right in front of him.
Some power beyond mana was turning Kim Gunja into something else entirely.
And that was the limit of what Baek Jincheon could deduce.
"What're you hesitating for?"
Kaisir gave him no time to think.
There was no reason for the incarnation of destruction to wait around with entertainment right there.
Shk.
Kaisir's form vanished once more.
"……!!"
Even Baek Jincheon, hyper-focused, lost track of him for a split second—so blindingly fast.
But Baek Jincheon had clawed his way through hellish battlefields.
He wasn't going down easy.
His hand, wreathed in pristine white flames, whipped out in a gleaming arc.
It clashed with Kaisir's pitch-black claw.
Or it should have.
If the flames Baek had unleashed hadn't been sucked straight into Kaisir's hand at the last instant.
"Kuh…!"
His heart sinking, Baek Jincheon yanked his hand back and dodged desperately.
Too late. The result was gruesome.
Krunch, slash!
Kaisir tore off Baek Jincheon's index and middle fingers.
Inevitable outcome.
The gap between mana-clad flesh and unprotected meat was vast.
Stunned, Baek Jincheon leaped back, opening distance.
"Mm."
Blood dripped from the mangled stumps.
Kaisir didn't pursue. He just frowned slightly.
Crushing the severed fingers in his grip, he showed a hint of regret.
"Still only this much, huh."
Disappointed at output barely half his prime.
Kaisir's true nature was dragon.
A frail human body couldn't yet unleash his full power.
The possession wasn't complete.
Baek Jincheon eyed him warily, cauterizing the wounds with white flames.
Sizzle!
Stemming the blood, he felt a chill down his spine.
Absorbing my aura...?
An ability straight out of nightmare tales.
Kaisir's heart was uniquely special among dragons.
That let him devour other dragons' hearts regardless of element—one of the powers Kim Gunja hadn't unlocked yet.
To ignorant Baek Jincheon, Kaisir just looked like a monster.
Realizing his own fear twisted his lips.
His pride shattered.
"Kuh, heh... heh heh..."
His face contorted.
After Bloody Day, he'd sworn no one would look down on him again.
So what the hell was this humiliation?
All that blood on his hands for this?
His gaze lifted to the night sky.
A man's face appeared.
The one who'd spoken of hope... only to leave despair behind.
Baek Jincheon's stiff lips parted slowly.
"...No. Like hell."
He'd do anything to claim the top spot.
No matter the foe, defeat wasn't an option.
"I am... White Flame Baek Jincheon."
With a scorching updraft, his body slowly rose into the air.
His whole form bathed in white light, the air expanded—boiled.
Resonating with his mana, the entire artificial island trembled.
Rrrumble!
The atmosphere warped.
Earth quaked, waves surged.
White flames from his hand ballooned in size instantly.
Night sky turned red; the island lit like midday.
A colossal orb of fire.
The Sun.
It fit the name perfectly.
Mana maxed out, a trickle of blood ran from Baek Jincheon's mouth.
Single Number.
A being who could unleash natural disasters prepared his ultimate against the worst foe.
Blood trickling, his lips curled up.
A smile of utter confidence in his power.
"Fall to hell, monster."
The island with it.
The sun began its descent.
To incinerate all below.
Kaisir laughed savagely, thrilled by the exceeding counterattack.
The grin of perfect entertainment.
"Kyahahaha! Excellent!"
His pitch-black form soared upward.
Toward the heart of infernal flames.
#
Off the West Sea coast.
Whoosh, splash.
Dozens of ships cleaved through night waves.
Aboard: a special forces unit of fully geared Awakeners, plus A-rank+ Hunters from various guilds.
An unprecedented op—might face a Single Number.
Government pulled every string for support.
Alpha Team leader Park Muwon addressed a woman.
"Thank you for volunteering."
The woman, Sin Yeji, shook her head lightly.
"No need. It's what I should do."
Worry etched her face.
Park Muwon pitied her.
Can't blame her.
He was shocked too.
Hero Guild's atrocities—from Kang Inhyeok and Kim Gunja's grudge—stunned everyone.
Sin Yeji, sole Hero Guild vet among volunteers, signed up first.
Normally ineligible, but...
Her rep, deeds, and ties to Kim Gunja got the nod.
Academy classmate who'd blocked a Gate Break together.
Now that guild was crumbling, comms dead mid-duel.
Her despair was obvious.
"He'll be fine. White Flame's strong, but not recklessly so."
Clueless take on White Flame; Sin Yeji glanced island-ward, nodding politely.
"Thanks. Hope you're right."
Then—
Ships rocked violently.
A deckhand yelled.
"Brace yourselves!"
"What's happening?"
"Dunno! Waves turned wild outta nowhere! Radioing now... H-huh?!"
Deckhand's eyes bulged; everyone aboard mirrored it.
Dark sea blazed like day.
From a searing colossal orb.
"W-what the hell...?"
"...The sun? God, a human did that...?"
"...Should we turn back?"
Awakeners sobered up.
Obvious culprit.
White Flame Baek Jincheon.
Furious for unknown reasons.
But one reacted differently.
Sin Yeji.
"N-no... Uncle...!"
Park Muwon grabbed for her—too slow.
Flight deployed, she rocketed toward the island.
"Sin Yeji! Dangerous! Come back!"
No chance she'd hear.
Watching her go, Park Muwon bit his lip.
"Damn it..."
Truth: wanted to bail, mission be damned.
But not so pathetic as to flee blind.
Especially after a rookie charged in.
Eyes on falling sun, he bellowed.
"Full speed ahead!"
#
"Impossible..."
Baek Jincheon deflated.
Utterly absurd result.
"Not bad."
Kaisir smirked wickedly, sated by the feast.
Daylight island plunged back to night.
Kaisir absorbing all Baek's power into his heart.
After devouring dozens of red dragons, why not this?
"How......"
Pride, ego, all strength spent—Baek's shoulders quivered faintly.
Kaisir materialized before him, trailing afterimages.
More scales now.
Absorbing Baek's power accelerated possession.
Grinning arrogantly down, Kaisir declared.
"Twas entertaining."
Crunch, slash!
Both arms ripped off, Baek spewed blood, plummeting.
Boom!
No resistance; Kaisir sounded disappointed.
"Out of gas already?"
Fun fizzled fast.
Then, city lights twinkled beyond the sea in his view.
"Oh...?"
Excitement reignited.
Fwoosh!
A feeble flame like a lighter grazed his cheek, scattering.
Gaze downward.
"Cough... don't you... look away... from me..."
Baek Jincheon propped his mangled stumps with flames, staggering up.
Kaisir's smile deepened.
"Gotta finish strong."
Landing, he reached for Baek's neck—
"Uncle! No!"
Twitch. Kaisir's unstoppable hand froze.
Not his will.
Deep-buried consciousness stirred.
How...?
Sin Yeji landed before Baek, Demon Eye spotting Kim Gunja's changes, hesitating.
But only briefly.
Arms wide, she cried.
"It's over! No killing! You're not that guy! Right?!"
Twitch, twitch.
Kaisir glared at his rogue hand.
Alarms blared in his mind.
The wench was waking the sunk consciousness.
So close—no interruptions.
"...Dangerous."
Action swift.
Sin Yeji couldn't react.
Blackened handblade severed her neck in a flash.
Her head should have flown.
If not for interference skewing the strike to empty air.
Defiant hand—Kaisir's face twisted demonic.
"You... worthless cur!!"
Since possession began, Kim Gunja wrestled the encroaching darkness.
—What drives you to such desperation for strength?
Alone, he'd endured by repeating Ma Ilcheon's question.
—I asked thy reason for this frantic pursuit.
His answer:
—I want to protect. Myself, and my people.
Not mindless destruction.
Protect what mattered.
Kim Gunja's conviction.
Groooowl—
His consciousness rose against Kaisir's murderous intent toward Sin Yeji.
"Useless bitch...! I'll kill you!"
Panicked, Kaisir lashed out wildly—but attacks veered from her.
Boom! Boom! Kablooey!
Surroundings became hellscape.
Limp Baek Jincheon blown away by backlash.
Asphalt shards laced with power lacerated Sin Yeji's face and body.
She neither closed eyes nor dodged.
She knew.
This wasn't her uncle.
But.
—Probably gonna change a lot from now on.
Still.
—Might get uncomfortable being around me. So if it does...
They'd promised.
—Nah. No matter how you change, never uncomfortable.
Sin Yeji's lips parted slowly.
"Grandpa said you were a grandson to be proud of... whether crying, laughing, or sulking... so..."
Twitch. Twitch. Twitch.
"Grahhh! This body's MINE!!"
Kablooey! Boom!
Amid devastation.
Sin Yeji swallowed tears, pressing on.
"No matter the change, you're still you... gotta be. Right...? Huh? Monster Uncle."
Her lips whispered softly once more.
Then, Kim Gunja's deep-sunk will fully surfaced.
Fwaaah!
Majesty Ring blazed intensely.
Processes executed swiftly.
"These lowly scum...!!"
Boom! Boom!
Fwoooosh!
Mighty power fled; scales receded from Kim Gunja's body.
Broken once more, he staggered.
"U-Uncle! You okay?!"
Tearful Yeji supported him.
Kim Gunja gazed at her weakly.
Seeing her tension, he smiled faintly.
"...Told you not to call me monster."
That broke her; tears flooded.
He patted her back gently.
Dreading agony, Kim Gunja glanced skyward.
White flakes drifted down.
White Christmas.
The snow piling on his head felt warm, cozy.