Witch's Descent
Im Seol-hwa looked down at the woman who had collapsed to the floor.
The person who had been desperately explaining to her just moments ago.
But now, there was no reaction at all.
"Hoo..."
Im Seol-hwa let out a sigh.
"I need to cut her limbs first and then think about it."
She picked up the sword.
"Sorry. Really sorry..."
The sword's edge pointed toward the arm.
"Since you're emitting the scent of a witch right now, I can't just leave you."
At that moment.
"..."
Kwoong.
The floor trembled very slightly.
Im Seol-hwa's eyebrows twitched.
"?"
Kuuuung!
This time, it was clear.
Black mana erupted from the floor.
The body of the fallen woman.
Black mana slowly rose around her.
"What the..."
Im Seol-hwa backed away.
Black mana enveloped the woman's body.
In an instant.
Kwaaaaang!
It exploded.
"..."
Im Seol-hwa covered her face with her arm.
A storm of intense mana swept around.
And from the center.
Slowly.
The woman stood up.
Her head was drooping.
White hair covered her face.
"..."
She said nothing.
Im Seol-hwa gripped her sword tighter.
"Don't get up."
The woman didn't answer.
Instead.
Swish.
She lifted her head.
Her red eyes appeared.
Im Seol-hwa's expression hardened.
It was different from the eyes just a moment ago.
Not eyes full of fear.
Not eyes pleading for her life.
Just...
Like she had found an interesting toy.
She was smiling.
"..."
"Huhu."
The woman's mouth curved up.
She looked at her own hand.
She moved her fingers.
She turned her arm.
"Surprisingly okay."
"..."
"Who are you?"
Im Seol-hwa asked.
The woman didn't answer, instead she looked around.
And discovered the black scythe that had fallen to the floor.
She slowly reached out her hand.
"Coming out feels refreshing."
She swung the scythe a few times.
"Hmm."
And looked at Im Seol-hwa.
"Interesting."
"..."
"A pretty strong human, huh."
The witch lightly tapped her chest.
"Perfect for venting anger."
Im Seol-hwa's gaze changed.
"You..."
The witch laughed.
"Now you know?"
"Witch."
"Correct."
At that moment.
Kwang!
Im Seol-hwa disappeared.
She folded space and closed the distance in an instant.
The sword flew towards the witch's neck.
Kaang!
The witch blocked the sword with the scythe.
The two weapons clashed, sparks flying.
"Fast."
"Shut up!"
Im Seol-hwa pushed the sword.
But the witch was smiling.
"However."
The witch twisted her wrist.
"Strength is lacking."
Kwa-jik!
Im Seol-hwa's sword bounced to the side.
At the same time, the witch's scythe slashed through the air.
Im Seol-hwa twisted her body to avoid it.
Skak!
Part of her clothes was cut.
"..."
Im Seol-hwa widened the distance.
Space Separation: Isolates target areas into an alternate sub-dimension to prevent collateral damage to the real world.
The surrounding space distorted.
The world split like transparent glass, completely separating the two into different spaces.
"In here, no matter how you rampage, there's no effect outside."
The witch looked around.
"Ability to separate space?"
"Yes."
"Useful."
Im Seol-hwa stood her sword up.
"But you can't leave here."
"Really?"
The witch smiled.
"Then let's see if I can go out."
She dragged the scythe on the floor.
Chi-iik.
A black trail remained on the floor for a long distance.
Black Night: Plunges an entire space into absolute, blinding darkness.
Instantly.
Light disappeared.
Complete darkness.
Im Seol-hwa's vision became useless in an instant.
"..."
In front.
Behind.
Nothing visible.
"What the..."
"Now your space has meaning?"
The witch's voice came from all sides.
"It's just that darkness has entered the space you created."
"..."
Im Seol-hwa swung her sword.
Thong!
It cut through the air.
"Here."
Voice from behind.
Im Seol-hwa turned her body.
Too late.
Kwaaang!
The black shadow whipped her side.
"Kuhak!"
Her body flew.
Im Seol-hwa twisted in mid-air and landed.
Immediately, she created a sword.
Sword Rain: Conjured dozens of floating swords that rain down on her opponent.
"End it!"
The swords rained down on the witch.
Kwakwakwak!
The swords shattered the floor and walls.
However.
"..."
The witch didn't move.
She just raised her hand.
Dark Shadow: Animates floor shadows into serpent-like tendrils to devour or shatter incoming attacks.
The shadows on the floor came alive.
Serpent-like shadows shot up and swallowed dozens of swords.
Jjeojjeojjeok!
The swords broke one by one.
Im Seol-hwa's face hardened.
"..."
"My swords."
"You tried to kill me like that?"
The witch tilted her head.
"Disappointing."
"Shut up!"
Im Seol-hwa rushed again.
The sword and scythe collided repeatedly.
Kaang!
Kaang!
Kaang!
Im Seol-hwa's swordsmanship was fast and accurate.
But the witch blocked each one.
And.
Kwaang!
The witch's kick landed on Im Seol-hwa's abdomen.
"Kuhak!"
Im Seol-hwa was pushed back.
The witch slowly followed.
"You."
"..."
"Weaker than Han Seon-yul."
Im Seol-hwa froze.
The witch continued without any hesitation.
"That man was a monster."
She lifted the scythe.
"You are only this much?"
"..."
"Han Seon-yul is."
Im Seol-hwa gritted her teeth.
"He was just my senior."
"Really?"
"I didn't particularly respect him."
Im Seol-hwa raised her sword again.
"He was just... someone I fought with."
The witch smirked.
"However, I'm angry."
"Of course."
Im Seol-hwa's eyes turned cold.
"Because you killed people."
She rushed again.
This time, the space itself moved.
Swords sprang from all sides.
The witch swung the scythe to knock them all away.
But at that moment.
Im Seol-hwa appeared behind the witch.
"I got you."
She stabbed the sword in.
Kwa-jik!
The sword was embedded in the witch's shoulder.
"..."
The witch looked at her shoulder.
Blood flowed.
And.
She laughed.
"Huhu."
She pulled the sword out as is.
"This much is necessary to be fun."
Mana exploded.
Kwaaaaang!
Im Seol-hwa flew as is.
"Kuk!"
The witch extended the scythe forward.
Dark Eclipse: Concentrates darkness into an expanding sphere around the scythe and releases a destructive shockwave.
The darkness gathered around the scythe.
A black sphere quickly grew.
Im Seol-hwa's expression hardened.
"..."
That's...
Kwaaaaa!
The sword wave swallowed the entire space.
Im Seol-hwa tried to avoid by folding space, but.
"Too late."
Kwa-jik!
The sword wave swallowed her.
"Aaaaak!"
Her body rolled on the floor several times.
The sword fell from her hand.
Clang.
Im Seol-hwa tried to stand up.
But her arms didn't have strength.
"..."
The witch stood in front of her.
"It's over."
Im Seol-hwa gritted her teeth.
"Still..."
"Still what?"
The witch lowered her head.
"Want to get up?"
The shadows wrapped around Im Seol-hwa's body.
Dark Shadow Palm: Crushes a target into the ground using dense shadow hands/energy.
Kwa-jik!
Im Seol-hwa's body was slammed to the floor.
She didn't move.
Completely defeated.
The witch looked down at Im Seol-hwa for a moment.
"After all, humans are boring."
At that moment.
"..."
The witch's expression distorted for a moment.
"..."
What?
She grabbed her head with her hand.
"This is..."
Her body shook.
"Is this the limit..."
The witch's pupils returned to normal for a moment.
"My body..."
And then it turned red again.
"..."
Annoying.
The witch clicked her tongue.
"It's a feeling. I'll let you go."
With those words.
The strength faded.
Thud.
Her body collapsed to the floor.
"Ugh..."
Her head felt like it would split.
She opened her eyes.
"..."
Where am I.
The moment she tried to stand up.
"Don't move."
Familiar voice.
She turned her head.
Im Seol-hwa was leaning against the wall, sitting.
Her condition was terrible.
Her clothes were torn, and her face was full of wounds.
"Seol-hwa-ya?"
Im Seol-hwa looked at me.
She didn't say anything for a while.
Then.
"..."
"You came back."
"What?"
"You."
"..."
Im Seol-hwa narrowed her eyes.
"The person who was moving your body just now wasn't you."
I couldn't say anything.
"It was a completely different person."
"..."
"Speech, eyes, actions."
Im Seol-hwa said firmly.
"There is a witch inside you."
My heart sank with a clang.
"Witch...?"
"Yes."
Im Seol-hwa examined her own wounds and said.
"She is an existence connected to the Rift."
And looked at me.
"The witch brings calamity. Just by appearing, countless people can die."
"..."
"Then."
I asked with a trembling voice.
"Han Seon-yul also..."
"That's not you who killed him."
Im Seol-hwa answered immediately.
"At least the witch that came out after you lost consciousness did it."
"..."
"And now I understand."
Im Seol-hwa looked at me.
"Why you were desperately trying to clear your name so desperately."
I lowered my head.
"You believe me?"
"Completely no."
Im Seol-hwa was honest.
"But at least I believe that you are not the same existence as that witch."
"..."
"Thank you."
"Instead, clearing your name won't be easy."
"Why?"
"People don't judge by the truth."
Im Seol-hwa smiled bitterly.
"Look at what they want to believe."
"..."
"Even if you say you didn't kill Han Seon-yul, if the fact that the witch moved through your body is known, it's the same."
She pointed at me.
"Whether the witch killed or you killed, in the end, it's what happened through your body."
I closed my mouth.
"So for now, hide that you are a witch."
Im Seol-hwa opened her inventory.
One small artifact appeared.
"Take this."
"What is this?"
"Appearance-altering artifact."
She handed it to my hand.
"You can change hair color or eye color. At least you can hide that you are the same person as the one caught on CCTV."
I stared at the artifact for a long time.
"..."
"Thank you really."
"Thank you, then pay me back later."
"With what?"
"By surviving."
Im Seol-hwa stood up from her seat.
"And contact info."
"Huh?"
"Let's exchange."
She took out her phone and exchanged numbers.
"If something happens, contact me."
"Got it."
"Especially if the witch appears again."
Im Seol-hwa paused for a moment.
"Don't try to solve it alone."
"..."
"I'll try."
"Not trying, a promise."
I smirked.
"Alright. Promise."
There was a moment of silence.
"Then go."
"Yeah."
I stood up.
"Seol-hwa."
"Why?"
"Just now... sorry."
Im Seol-hwa smirked.
"Because it wasn't you."
"..."
"But."
"Then it's fine."
With those words, we parted.
There were many twists and turns, but it seemed resolved well.
I returned home.
"..."
Today was too long a day.
I threw my body on the bed.
Then.
Tuk.
A sound of something falling to the floor.
"Huh?"
I turned my head.
There was a black envelope lying there.
"What is this?"
I picked up the envelope.
No sender was written.
Instead, a strange pattern was engraved in the center of the envelope.
I slowly peeled the seal.
And took out the invitation letter inside.
The moment I read the first sentence.
My eyes widened.
― The sanctuary of the witches, Walpurgis.
And below.
We invite you
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