Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: The Shadow's Test
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Strain couldn't utter a single word at the sight unfolding before him.
"...The Flood Dragon."
The massive Flood Dragon's corpse was being dismantled by the soldiers.
The head that had screamed of doom was nowhere to be seen, vanished, and the body that had held infinite mana was being broken down scale by scale, bone by bone.
This wasn't remotely what he had imagined.
A ruined city.
A barren wasteland with not a blade of grass left alive.
Hell descended upon the mortal world.
He had assumed that much damage was inevitable once the Flood Dragon appeared.
But...
"What the hell happened here?"
One section of the walls had crumbled, but the city itself was intact. Instead, only the Flood Dragon lay dead and cold.
It defied all common sense, utterly incomprehensible to him.
"See? I told you!"
At that moment, Rinar, standing beside him, slapped his hands on his hips triumphantly.
His smug expression made it seem like he was the one who'd slain the Flood Dragon.
Strain silently looked down at the boy.
What was this unfounded confidence?
Did Seo Woojin possess something he didn't know about?
'No, impossible.'
For a mere child to know something he hadn't noticed? The odds were practically zero.
It was then, as Strain moved closer to the Flood Dragon's corpse for more details—
"Hm?"
Something was approaching at high speed.
No, "fast" didn't do it justice.
It wasn't on his level, but it was nothing to dismiss lightly.
'Who is it?'
Not a demonic beast or the Demon King's minion, at least.
No demonic energy at all.
If anything, it felt more like...
"Seo Woojin?"
He recalled the energy of Seo Woojin from the academy.
But he couldn't be sure.
It was far too different from what he'd sensed then.
To exaggerate slightly, the mana was several times stronger.
Strain heightened his vigilance slightly, focusing on the source.
After a brief moment, the owner of that mana came into view, closing in rapidly.
It was Seo Woojin.
'Incomprehensible.'
He seemed like a completely different person from the novice he'd seen before.
Not in appearance.
Face and body unchanged, but inwardly? A whole new being.
"Huh? Rinar?"
In the short time Strain had been lost in thought, Seo Woojin arrived.
Even seeing it with his own eyes, the speed was unbelievable.
"You..."
Strain approached Seo Woojin, who was smiling warmly at the boy beside him.
He reached out a hand.
Too many suspicious points; best to grab him and interrogate.
But his shadow missed.
No—Seo Woojin had dodged. That was more accurate.
A simple hand motion, yet across the continent, few could evade it.
Ten at most.
Seo Woojin wasn't among them.
Or so Strain had thought until now.
"Whoa, what was that for?"
Seo Woojin stepped back, startled, asking with a bewildered expression.
He'd been about to greet him when the sudden grab threw him off.
"Explain yourself."
Strain offered no justification for his actions, of course.
Instead, he posed his burning question.
A single phrase loaded with multitudes.
Embarrassment crossed Seo Woojin's face.
Seo Woojin was immensely relieved that the mana source belonged to a human, not a demonic beast.
Another monster on the Flood Dragon's level would have spelled trouble again.
But it was Rinar and Strain—fortunate indeed.
'He got back faster than expected.'
Odd that he'd come with only the Shadow Duke and left the Sword Sage behind, but the situation was mostly resolved anyway.
So he'd gone to greet them, only for the Shadow Duke's shadow to stretch out suddenly, prompting an instinctive dodge.
"Whoa, what was that for?"
Had his level not risen, he wouldn't have dodged.
The gesture was swift, laced with advanced technique.
Wondering if Strain was upset over his "mistake," Seo Woojin asked cautiously.
But Strain replied with another question.
"Explain yourself."
One word, but packed with meaning.
Why had magic activated here?
How had he dodged his hand?
How had he grown so strong so suddenly?
And how had he slain the Flood Dragon?
Seo Woojin scratched his head.
'What should I say?'
The dodge was easy to explain.
Just tell the truth.
But after that? Problematic.
Died once to the Flood Dragon, awakened 'Demon King Transformation' thanks to it, then killed it with that power?
And leveled up, so I could dodge your hand?
'Might as well ask to be killed.'
He still couldn't match the Shadow Duke.
The gap had narrowed, but not enough.
'A bit more growth, and...'
Then no need for excuses or tiptoeing.
For now, though, lies were necessary.
"Ah, well..."
He first recounted getting pickpocketed by Rinar and the scroll tearing.
Strain showed no reaction.
That wasn't what intrigued him.
"After that, I sent Rinar to Rimartan to handle things. Then the Flood Dragon attacked out of nowhere."
"Who stopped it?"
"...Beats me."
Seo Woojin averted his gaze, mumbling.
"You don't know? Do you expect me to believe that?"
"I did block it at first."
He repeated what he'd told Mohiadin.
Struck by the Flood Dragon's forepaw, lost consciousness; woke to find it already dead.
"I heard some 'being' with black wings killed the Flood Dragon."
The 'Demon King' form Seo Woojin that Mohiadin and the knights had witnessed.
"Wings?"
"They said it was covered in black hide, with three pairs of wings sprouting from its back. Horns on its head too."
Strain's brow furrowed at Seo Woojin's words.
Seemed like he was rummaging through memories for a matching figure.
"The lord, knights, and soldiers all saw it, so you'd get details faster asking them."
Seo Woojin continued calmly.
But Strain had no intention of bothering.
Or perhaps he had another way.
"You've grown much stronger. The Flood Dragon battle?"
Strain changed tack.
Now about Seo Woojin's transformation.
"Partly that, and I've hunted quite a few demonic beasts lately. Around two hundred, I think. Leveled up a ton."
Strain eyed him briefly and nodded.
"Not bad."
Seo Woojin's eyes lit up.
Casual tone, but acknowledgment from the Shadow Duke himself.
Honestly, it felt pretty good—
Bam!
Mid-smile inwardly, Seo Woojin blocked Strain's shadow with his drawn 'Rune Dea.'
"...What do you think you're doing?"
This was different from before.
That had been a mere grab; this was a clear attack.
A split-second slower, and his arm would've been gone—the force was that immense.
Eyes narrowing, Seo Woojin demanded. Strain replied nonchalantly.
"Time to test your strength. See if you're worth anything."
"Ha..."
A sigh escaped.
Good that he hadn't pieced it together.
But unprovoked attacks and tests weren't welcome.
Seo Woojin gathered his mana.
Thanks to absorbing the Flood Dragon's heart, it had surged beyond compare.
Never felt lacking before, but now? Another dimension.
Feeling his mana swell endlessly, he ignited his aura.
"Perfect. I wanted to check myself."
How strong he'd become.
The gap with the guardians.
Unplanned, but no reason to refuse.
"You'd better watch out. I've gotten a bit stronger."
Seo Woojin kicked off the ground.
* * *
Rinar couldn't follow the unfolding fight.
After some cryptic exchange, they'd suddenly started battling.
Just moments ago, he'd been thrilled at the prospect of heading to the capital with Seo Woojin.
Complete the mission, get taken along—that was the promise.
Become a hero at the academy.
His dream was within reach.
So he'd stayed quiet amid the boring talk, not wanting to risk annoying them and canceling the deal.
'But why?'
He saw Seo Woojin spewing blood, soaring through the air.
Boom!
Dozens of shadow spears chased him.
"Mister! No, Hero!"
Rinar cried out in shock.
Too fierce for a joke.
"Urk!"
Instantly, black flames enveloped Seo Woojin's sword, slicing the shadows.
A swish echoed.
"Excellent!"
Strain shouted excitedly.
Unlike his usual chilling tone.
'He seems... thrilled?'
Shadows cloaked him, but Rinar somehow pictured Strain smiling.
"Try this."
Strain's shadows coalesced into a perfect blade form.
"Dark Shadow Blade. Block this, and the test ends."
Shadow sword.
Rinar didn't know, but it was also called God-Slaying Blade.
The Dark Shadow Blade, said to slay even gods, hurtled toward Seo Woojin.
"Damn it! You really trying to kill me?"
Seo Woojin cursed.
The power within was beyond imagination.
But no intention of taking it lying down—he activated a skill.
"Sky Sword!"
Dozens of massive swords materialized in the air.
Each brimming with immense mana.
Blue aura-blades clashed with the oncoming Dark Shadow Blade.
KABOOOOOM!!!
A colossal explosion erupted.
"Gyaaah!"
Rinar couldn't withstand the shockwave, flung backward.
Even from afar, it dazed him.
Sand clouds towered to the sky—no way he could endure.
As death flashed in his mind, a shadow tendril wrapped around him protectively.
Strain's consideration.
How much time passed?
The shielding shadow faded, revealing the surroundings.
"Ah."
Rinar gasped.
His idol, Seo Woojin, lay collapsed on the ground.
And Strain...
Shadows peeled from his body, staring down in shock.