Chapter 40
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 040
Chapter Title: Sense of Déjà Vu
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Everything has its priorities.
Though he wanted to interrogate the mage right away, there was something even more urgent to handle first.
It wouldn't take long.
'No way it's broken, right?'
Woojin examined the spear. Earlier, it had been indirectly scorched by the lightning bolt, charring the bandages he'd wrapped around it in multiple layers until they were pitch black.
He carefully peeled off the outer layers one by one.
Fortunately, the long spear inside still gleamed with its iridescent light. Weapons infused with such potent divine power didn't break easily.
Woojin gripped the spear shaft lightly with both hands. A warm heat pulsed against his palms, seeping into his body like a soothing balm.
'This is good stuff.'
It wasn't just his imagination—the spear's divine power was actually flowing into him. Thanks to it, his body, wrecked from unleashing the lightning bolt, began to recover bit by bit.
The sensation felt oddly familiar.
Like downing a steaming bowl of hangover soup after a night of heavy drinking. It was a silly comparison, but it was exactly that feeling...
'...Hold on, I'm absorbing too much.'
Woojin snapped back to his senses.
At this rate, he'd devour all the divine power from the weapon he'd gone to such lengths to obtain. He'd already consumed so much in a trance-like state that the light emanating from the spear had noticeably dimmed.
Better not drag this out—time to deal with it.
He aimed the spear tip at his target, then hurled it with all his might. The spear whistled through the air in a straight line.
Splat!!
A red trail slammed into the rift core. The blade sank deep. The black heart pulsed wildly like it was throwing a tantrum, but the outer shell gradually turned ashen and cracked open with sharp fissures.
Seeing this, Woojin finally relaxed.
'Purification successful.'
He'd worried that absorbing too much divine power might cause it to fail... but that fear proved unfounded.
He kicked the rift core with his foot, and it crumbled like white ash from a burned briquette. After confirming it, he stored the now-depleted spear on his back.
'Things are going smoother than expected.'
Not only had he destroyed the rift core, but he'd also siphoned some divine power from the spear, restoring his body just enough.
But there was still a problem.
'It's about to collapse.'
After the rift core was purified, the spiderwebs underfoot weakened rapidly. On top of that, the lightning bolt had scorched them, leaving the whole network melting away.
He needed to get down fast.
The issue was the cumbersome baggage: the mage with his hand severed and bound. He couldn't carry the guy and tightrope-walk like he had on the way up.
'How should I get down...'
Woojin pondered while scanning below. His eyes swept over the spiderwebs and nests scattered everywhere.
'...Yeah, that could work.'
He had a plan.
Woojin scooped up the bound mage under his left arm and leaped straight down. Fierce winds clawed at his body. The two men plummeted into the deep darkness.
"Urk, mmph—!"
The mage mumbled something, but with his mouth gagged, Woojin couldn't make it out.
One thing was clear: the guy was terrified. If they kept falling, the scrawny mage's body would shatter like a cheap porcelain doll.
Of course, Woojin had no intention of letting that happen. He'd gone through too much trouble to capture him alive.
Grab!
During the fall, he snatched pre-spotted spiderwebs or braked with his feet. He controlled their speed just right. Before long, the two men landed safely on the ground.
But a foul stench assaulted his nose. The mage's pants were soaked.
"Ugh... you filthy bastard."
Woojin cursed as he tossed the mage aside. The man rolled pathetically across the dirt floor. Since things had gone this far, it was time for the interrogation.
Rip!
He yanked off the bandage gag. At the same moment, the mage bit down hard on his own tongue.
"...Gah!!"
After mangling his own tongue, the mage screamed wildly. It seemed like a suicide attempt... but it was just idiotic. Tongues lacked major blood vessels, so biting one rarely killed anyone.
So Woojin just watched without intervening. The mage chomped a few more times before giving up and lowering his eyes.
With the self-inflicted torture over, it was time for the real questioning.
"Who are you?"
He repeated his initial question. As before, the mage stayed silent.
"...Man, you're really into this secret society role-play, huh? Fine. Keep it up."
Woojin grinned and extended his index finger.
Crackle!
A crimson spark danced wildly at his fingertip. He'd toned down the power as much as possible—not lethal, but plenty shocking.
The mage's eyes widened, and he hurriedly opened his mouth.
"Wait... Gaaah!!"
Zzzap—!
The electrified finger touched the mage's wrist. The man convulsed violently, foam bubbling from his mouth.
Woojin pulled back. The exhausted mage's head lolled to the side.
"Still alive?"
"..."
"This guy's got nothing to say again."
Woojin reached out once more. The mage jerked his head up and yelled.
"Stop!!"
"Stop what, punk? We haven't even started."
Zzzap—!
Lightning crackled again. Woojin carefully zapped him just enough to avoid killing him, extinguishing the sparks at the right moments.
He stifled a sigh.
'...What am I even doing?'
This wasn't his usual gig, and it soured his mood. Maybe he should quit now and hand him over to the Holy Knights.
He mulled it over briefly, then decided to see it through.
'Gotta rack up some experience with this stuff.'
For some reason...
He had a feeling he'd encounter situations like this repeatedly in the future. He couldn't rely on Holy Knights every time.
For now, he'd zap him until the mage begged for mercy.
"Hah, heuk... spare me!"
The mage gasped and pleaded. Woojin tilted his head. Hearing the plea felt... anticlimactic.
'A few more zaps, then.'
Thanks to the divine power he'd absorbed from the spear, his condition had improved enough to keep going.
About ten minutes later...
"...Please..."
The mage muttered blankly. Woojin extinguished the sparks.
Truth be told, he was nearing his limit too.
Toning down the lightning's power wasn't easy. It was like wrestling a wild horse desperate to bolt.
After all that effort, time for results.
"Who are you?"
"E-Enoch. I'm a mage."
"I can see that. What's your affiliation? How'd you get the ability to control spiders? Lie, and it'll get fun again."
Under the threat, Mage Enoch glanced warily and began explaining.
"He called us the Gatekeepers. Gatekeepers of the Night. But there's a derogatory term people use... it's..."
"Dark Cultists?"
"...Yes, that's right."
Enoch nodded with a startled expression. Woojin had guessed on a hunch, and it hit the mark.
Woojin asked his burning question.
"What are the Dark Cultists up to?"
"...I don't know much. Really. Please believe me... I only became a Dark Cultist recently."
A low-rank with no intel.
Woojin scratched his chin and glanced around. Charred spider beast corpses everywhere—hundreds, by rough count.
"For a low-rank, don't you have too many troops?"
"Well... I got lucky. They said my ability is rare. So I received a lot of support and built up my forces."
The talent to subjugate spider beasts.
Thanks to this rare gift, Enoch got plenty of aid. Eggs from his superiors, which he hatched himself to establish a presence around the rift core.
Curiosity piqued as he listened.
"How'd you get that talent? I've faced plenty of beasts, but I've rarely seen anyone dominate spiders like that."
It was a power the monsters he'd fought deep in the Demonic Realm possessed—the spider queen and her generals. How did this scrub inherit it?
Enoch answered readily.
"When you receive baptism... Urk!"
Or tried to.
Enoch suddenly dry-heaved. As Woojin opened his mouth to comment... the mage's face began to twist grotesquely.
"Agh, guuaaah!!"
Enoch clawed at his face, howling. His skin tore open, revealing clusters of black button-like eyes beneath. Something was bursting out from inside him.
Soon, his back split wide, and a massive spider dragged itself free—like molting skin.
The result was a grotesque hybrid of man and spider. The former Enoch bared its vicious fangs.
"Kieee— Kwek!"
The spider's roar cut short. Woojin's machete cleaved its forehead.
Thud.
The spider corpse toppled like rotten timber. Dead. Woojin stared down at it.
"...Ugh, damn. That startled me."
He'd killed it in shock.
Woojin stood dazed for a moment... then let out a deep sigh. He hadn't anticipated this kind of gag order.
A curse.
A seal to prevent information leaks. It triggered the moment secrets spilled to outsiders.
'All that work for nothing. No useful intel.'
No helping it. How could he predict a perfectly normal person turning into a monster out of nowhere?
As he thought that...
'...Wait a sec.'
A strange sense of familiarity washed over him. Thinking back, he'd experienced something similar before.
'Abomination.'
The Golden Beetle's sons, suddenly turning monstrous. Recalling that... Woojin drew the dagger from his belt as if entranced.
Slice!
He sliced open the spider monster's chest. Reaching inside, he pulled out what his instincts had suspected: a grotesque lump like a red walnut.
'Inner core.'
Humans didn't form inner cores.
But Mage Enoch's corpse held one. Just like the Abominations before...
Woojin tucked it deep into his pocket, hoisted the spider monster's corpse over his shoulder, and trudged toward the exit.
He gave Alber a rough report.
When he said he was exhausted from the day's events and needed rest, the expedition commander readily provided a guest room.
Woojin lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling... then rummaged in his pocket and pulled something out. The inner core from the spider monster—once human.
'...Let's try it.'
He chewed and swallowed the inner core, then closed his eyes. Exhausted in body and mind from the ordeal, sleep crashed over him like a wave.
Soon, he fell into a deep slumber...
And found himself in a black void. A place filled with pitch darkness, devoid of any light. But Woojin wasn't surprised.
He'd half-expected this.
Gradually, colors bloomed in the darkness like spilled ink in the air. The memories of Dark Cultist Enoch unfolded before his eyes.