Chapter 50
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 050
Chapter Title: Hallucination
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I need to buy some time to think first.
"Stay put right there for a moment."
"Understood."
The Iron Mask knelt politely. Keeping a close eye on his movements, Woojin quickly assessed the situation in his mind.
'What questions should I ask.'
Woojin's main interest was information. He planned to extract the details he needed right now through this back-and-forth.
He had to choose his words carefully. Too direct, and he'd arouse suspicion; too many questions, and he'd seem fishy.
In truth, he didn't need to ask that many questions anyway.
'If I rip out this guy's inner core and devour it, I'll inherit all his memories from life intact.'
But there was one small problem with that approach.
'I have to fall asleep first to glimpse the memories... and that means it'll take some time.'
Woojin had fought several battles today and even unleashed Lightning Strike, leaving him exhausted. If he slept now, he probably wouldn't wake until past noon tomorrow.
Information changed value by the minute.
The Dark Cultists had sent multiple spies to the pioneer city, and if they all went missing with no contact, they'd surely take action. Any intel he gained would fade fast.
'I need information I can use right now.'
With that judgment, Woojin asked.
"Did you bring any other forces with you?"
"Yes, it's just the five of us. It was a reconnaissance mission, so we didn't bring a large group."
It seemed they hadn't brought more companions. Woojin felt a twinge of regret at that.
'No more inner cores for me, then.'
He'd planned to hunt them down and kill them before they could flee if there were more... but these five Dark Cultists were all that had been deployed to the city.
With four already dealt with, the only prey left was the Iron Mask before him. It didn't look like he'd get more results tonight.
Woojin continued with his questions.
"What information did you gather on this mission?"
"...I'm sorry to say this, but I haven't received the intel yet."
As he spoke, the Iron Mask glanced warily at the witch sprawled face-down in the dirt and beckoned her.
"Selkie over there has it."
"Ah... I see."
Come to think of it, the Iron Mask and the witch hadn't had a proper chance to talk. She'd just returned to the rendezvous point when Woojin was spotted tailing her, leading straight to the fight.
That aside...
'Selkie? Is that the witch's name?'
It piqued his interest, but he couldn't waste questions on trivialities. More important matters came first.
"Where's your rendezvous point? Even if you succeeded in your mission, you need to pass the information up the chain to wrap it up."
"There's no set rendezvous."
"None? Why?"
When Woojin pressed, the Iron Mask explained without hesitation.
"We recently received a recall order. The Gatekeepers are to return to the sanctuary after completing their missions. We'll give our report in person there... Is this news to you?"
The Iron Mask added cautiously.
From his demeanor, suspicion had crept in mid-explanation. The questions Woojin asked pertained to orders that most Dark Cultists should know about.
Woojin responded offhandedly without much thought. He'd already secured most of the immediately useful info.
"First time hearing it. I don't care about that side of things."
"...True, you wouldn't need to concern yourself with the likes of lowly subordinates."
The Iron Mask muttered as if convincing himself. Whether Woojin's attitude seemed convincing or he was twisting the words to fit, he accepted it.
'What a dimwit.'
Maybe he could use this guy as an informant if played right. The Iron Mask held a fairly high position, so unlike Enoch, leaking info wouldn't turn him into a monster.
Woojin scratched his chin, pondering what to do with him... when a sudden curiosity struck.
"What's your relationship with Bow? Your fighting style seems similar to his."
"He was once my master."
Woojin was slightly taken aback.
'...What? Bow's disciple?'
He'd long thought their styles and skills were alike, but he never imagined an actual disciple. Why was someone like that here doing this?
"How'd you end up a Gatekeeper?"
The Iron Mask answered without hesitation.
"Bow... I realized there was no value in serving under that hypocrite. Nothing left to learn. As proof, I took both his eyes."
So the Iron Mask was responsible for Bow losing his eyes. Woojin tilted his head in puzzlement.
It was dubious all around. The Bow in Woojin's memories was no hypocrite, nor the type to lose his eyes to a weakling like this.
...Still, one thing was clear.
'Can't use this guy as an informant.'
Even a cool-headed man like Bow couldn't control him. A backstabber who'd strike his own master—better to just kill him and be done.
'People can't be fixed.'
Decision made, Woojin stepped forward. His pace was leisurely, like a stroll. The distance between him and the Iron Mask shrank.
The Iron Mask remained steadfastly kneeling. Woojin positioned himself behind his back. Then he swung his hand blade down on the crown of the man's head.
Crack!
The Iron Mask pitched forward.
The strike had barely missed. He'd reacted as if he had eyes in the back of his head. With eyes akin to True Sight, he'd sensed the ambush.
The Iron Mask scrambled up and clenched his fists. Seeing this, Woojin remarked.
"Daring to show such attitude to your superior?"
"You tried to kill me!!"
The Iron Mask bellowed. Crimson fighting spirit rippled around his body. In response, Woojin balled his own fists.
Whoosh—
Dark blue energy flickered around Woojin's fists. Spotting it, the Iron Mask's demeanor flipped. His extraordinary eyes detected traces of the technique.
"...You've learned Bow's technique."
The mark of the being he'd long hated. Seeing it ignited red glints in the Iron Mask's eyes.
Grind!
He crunched down hard on his molars. It wasn't just gritting his teeth—he seemed to be chewing some pill wedged between them.
The Iron Mask charged abruptly.
Woojin observed his movements to the end. The foe gripped his fist tight. Right hook—break the wrist as it came.
Snap!
But what flew in was a shin kick targeting his leg. Woojin reflexively twisted his knee, blocking with the thick bone of his shin.
He immediately countered with his left fist. But the Iron Mask had already pulled his head back. Woojin's punch fell short.
Satisfied with the exchange, perhaps, the Iron Mask spoke with a hint of laughter.
"This is the true power of True Sight."
"...Yeah, I know."
It was like fighting someone who could see the answers. A familiar sensation from sparring with Bow. The Iron Mask had somehow matched that prowess through trickery.
But the side effects were severe.
Black veins bulged on the back of his hands. Likely backlash from the mystery pill and overreaching skills.
'Leave him be, and he'll die anyway.'
Not a surprising outcome anytime soon.
Chatting casually with such leisure, the Iron Mask seemed oblivious to his condition. He was euphoric, like a drug addict.
But the power gained in trade was the real deal. Woojin felt curiosity stir. There was one thing he wanted to confirm through those eyes.
"Look at me."
Woojin leaned his head forward slightly, as if inviting a closer look at his face.
The Iron Mask voiced confusion.
"...What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. See anything?"
"Nonsense!"
The Iron Mask lunged again.
His two fists multiplied like splitting. From two to four, four to eight... Not literally, of course. It was a technique creating multiple afterimages with physical force for strikes.
Woojin dodged busily, parried and deflected, then abruptly stomped the ground with his right foot.
Thwack!!
A sharp crack rang out. Woojin's extended low kick smashed the foe's thigh.
"Guhk!"
The Iron Mask stifled a scream and staggered back. The afterimages he'd conjured vanished like mirages. Rather puzzled by this, Woojin asked.
"Why didn't you dodge? With True Sight, you should've seen that coming."
"...Shut up!!"
The man roared at the top of his lungs and charged once more.
Thud, thud, boom!
Each step cratered the earth. His footsteps brimmed with malice. That weight poured into his fists.
Having failed with combos, he seemed intent on heavy single blows...
Not a good choice.
Thud!
A scaly hand easily seized the incoming fist. The panicked Iron Mask yanked desperately, but it held firm.
Once grabbed like this, True Sight meant nothing. Woojin hammered the foe's torso with his free left hand. Muffled screams erupted in succession. Not aiming to kill yet, he moderated his strength.
"Gaaaargh..."
Foamy spittle trailed from under the mask. Woojin deemed him subdued and removed the Dark Cultist's mask.
'...Surprisingly ordinary-looking.'
An older man, quite aged. Poor complexion from the drugs, and a knife-carved tattoo on his forehead resembling an eye. Aside from that, a forgettable face.
Woojin grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up.
"See anything now?"
He asked again. The Iron Mask shouted in agitation.
"You've been asking what to look at since earlier?!"
"My inner world of imagery. If your True Sight is real, you can see it... Prove it."
Hearing the same thing repeatedly, perhaps—the Iron Mask suddenly grew defiant.
Fine. Take a good look.
He poured strength into his eyes. Squeezing out his last focus, he stared intently at the man before him...
...Pitch black.
'What is this?'
Perplexed, the Iron Mask looked around. Nothing but inky darkness everywhere. Like sinking into black ink.
As he scanned...
He spotted a tiny creature. A green mantis the size of an index finger. The Iron Mask easily recognized it.
'...A mantis?'
A single small mantis.
It looked starved, skinny and gaunt. It bobbed its head frantically, surveying surroundings, seemingly terrified.
What could it fear so? He soon learned.
Crunch!
A mouse appeared from nowhere and bit into the mantis. It flailed its forelegs in desperation. But as the mouse clamped harder, the mantis's body snapped in two.
The mouse vanished.
...Then another mantis appeared.
Identical to the last. It scurried away in panic. Another mouse pursued. The mouse was far faster than the fleeing mantis.
Crunch!
The mantis was devoured again.
Then another mantis emerged. The cycle repeated unchanged. It was getting tedious. How long did he have to watch this?
Just as he thought that...
Shhhwing!
The mantis flared its wings wide. Head held high, scythe-like forelegs raised. The mouse hesitated and halted.
Conflict in the mouse.
This little bug wasn't so easy after all... tougher resistance than expected.
...Find other prey.
The mouse backed away slowly. But another guest lurked behind it. Sensing wrongness, the mouse looked up.
A cat gazed down. It opened its jaws and crunched the mouse's head.
Screeech!!
A death cry. The mouse's body went limp. The mantis had feared the mouse, but it too was mere weak prey.
The cat sauntered off.
In the vacated spot lay the half-eaten mouse corpse. Hunger gnawing, the mantis crept up and tore into the flesh.
Its size grew slightly.
'The more it hunts, the stronger it gets.'
Realizing this rule, the mantis's fear gradually turned to thirst. To seize power, it needed more prey.
The mantis piled experience through countless deaths. No need to fear failure. It could always restart...
Suddenly, the Iron Mask felt dread.
'...When did it grow this big?'
A gigantic mantis was devouring a bear. That frail little bug had become the forest's apex predator.
After consuming all the meat, it meticulously licked scraps from its scythe forelegs. But its hunger persisted.
Needed more food.
The mantis turned its head this way. Locking eyes, the Iron Mask stumbled back.
'...No way... It couldn't.'
Impossible.
Yet his body was already airborne. The mantis had closed in instantly, snatching him with a foreleg. Like pulling out a long-saved snack.
The mantis's jaws parted wide. Rows of teeth within welcomed the Dark Cultist.
"...Gaaaaargh!!"
Suddenly, the Iron Mask screamed. Woojin flinched back in surprise.
'Whoa.'
Why the sudden outburst?
Woojin meant to ask, but no chance. The Iron Mask's head lolled sideways. Breath stopped—he was dead.
'Couldn't withstand the drug rush.'
After the narcotic stimulant, his condition had steadily worsened. Corroded by the drug, his breathing had weakened; death at any moment wasn't odd.
He never got the final answer... but no real regret.
'Just a junkie's hallucination anyway.'
Had to be.