Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: Found Him
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“We’ve found him.”
Kim Tae-jin’s eyes lit up at Seong Yura’s words.
“Where is he?”
“In a city called Jina-han down south. Couldn’t figure out why he went there.”
Honestly, she’d thought tracking down where Seo Woo-jin had gone wouldn’t be that hard.
It was just a matter of finding out his whereabouts, after all.
But she’d been wrong.
For some reason, not a single one of the empire’s countless nobles or knights would talk about Seo Woo-jin.
Not where he’d gone, not why he’d left.
No one would say a word.
It was as if they’d all made a pact.
In the end, Seong Yura had no choice but to ask the nobles of Aier who were supporting her.
Even then, it hadn’t been easy to get the information...
Until just moments ago, when she’d finally pinpointed Seo Woo-jin’s location.
“It’s far?”
“It’s the farthest south in the empire, but there’s a rail line connected, so it shouldn’t take too long.”
Seong Yura had already booked tickets for the train to Jina-han.
“But there’s a problem.”
“A problem?”
“Only two tickets.”
The tickets had cost more than expected.
With the money she had, two was the limit.
Of course, she could’ve solved it instantly by asking the other nobles for help, but her pride wouldn’t allow her to borrow money.
“Two...”
Kim Tae-jin pondered for a moment, then nodded.
“Then it’ll just be us two.”
Truth be told, Park Jin-han wouldn’t be much help.
The guy tended to act before thinking, which could drag them into unintended trouble.
Better to leave him behind in that case.
“And Tae-eun...”
She didn’t really matter either way.
She was always quiet and stayed in the background.
“You came to me thinking the same thing.”
Seong Yura grinned and nodded at Kim Tae-jin’s words.
“You’re definitely the easiest to talk to.”
“Whatever. When’s the train?”
“If we leave right now, we should make it.”
Faster than expected.
“Did you get permission?”
Heroes could go out casually, but anything beyond that was strictly restricted.
Sneaking out wouldn’t get them punished or anything, but there could be some kind of repercussions.
When he asked out of worry, Seong Yura nodded as if it were obvious.
“Of course.”
“Then let’s get ready and go.”
Kim Tae-jin hurried to prepare for the outing in the tight timeframe.
Seong Yura’s eyes grew cold as she watched him.
‘I’ll come find you soon, so wait for me.’
Her hostility toward Seo Woo-jin burned fiercely.
* * *
“Here it is.”
The soldier trembled uncontrollably in plain sight as he stood before a mansion, making no effort to hide his fear.
“Hmm.”
Seo Woo-jin tilted his head.
It looked far too ordinary to be where Reina and Baek Si-woo were hiding.
‘No Demonic Energy either.’
Reina could control hers skillfully, but Baek Si-woo couldn’t.
At this distance, the scent of his Demonic Energy should be palpable, but he sensed nothing.
“You sure?”
Seo Woo-jin eyed the soldier suspiciously.
Maybe he’d been led to the wrong place.
But the soldier nodded vigorously.
“O-of course! Why would I lie and get caught right away?”
He certainly didn’t look like he was lying.
‘So this must be it...’
He had no idea.
He’d just have to go inside and check.
“Go back.”
The soldier’s face lit up at Seo Woo-jin’s words.
He’d been worried they’d ask him to come in too.
But being told to leave felt like he’d been spared from death.
“Instead, tell that knight I was with earlier exactly where this place is.”
“Got it!”
Seo Woo-jin clicked his tongue as he watched the soldier happily turn and go.
‘Is he stupid or just naive?’
That soldier would definitely get caught the moment he left.
And punished.
He’d been involved with Rashid, after all.
Even if it was under duress, the incident was too big.
He’d let a Dark Elf into the city and handed over territory folk to Reina.
Not execution, maybe, but he could spend life without seeing sunlight.
“...Not my problem.”
He was just paying for his own actions.
Hiding his uneasy expression, Seo Woo-jin turned to face the mansion.
Still no trace of Demonic Energy, not even a speck.
“Let’s go in and check.”
He stepped inside the mansion.
Step-
“Huh?”
Just one step.
Yet Seo Woo-jin felt the atmosphere of the surrounding space shift.
“Well, look at this.”
Demonic Energy now rippled through the air, undetectable moments before.
It was so vast it felt like plunging into the ocean.
Madness, rage, malice.
A normal person would’ve vomited from the overwhelming negativity.
But Seo Woo-jin felt no effect.
No, he felt warmth.
As always, Demonic Energy was on his side.
“This is definitely the place.”
Some kind of magic or barrier must’ve been set up.
To keep the Demonic Energy from leaking and make it look normal.
“No element of surprise now.”
With defenses like that, they’d surely noticed him approaching.
“No helping it.”
Seo Woo-jin began unleashing the magic power he’d kept tightly sealed.
Crackle-
His rigid body loosened, magic power surging out.
It swiftly overtook the surrounding space.
Reina’s presumed Demonic Energy, the madness, the malice.
It all became purely Seo Woo-jin’s domain.
“Come out.”
His voice infused with magic power made the mansion shake.
The sheer force was too much for the building.
Dust and stone fragments rained down with a hiss.
And then...
“You actually made it here?”
Reina appeared.
Pale skin, silver hair.
Her beautiful face had one difference from before.
“Leg still not healed?”
She’d lost one leg to Martes’ magic.
Plus, her back had been sliced by Yorn’s sword.
He’d thought she’d recovered by now, but surprisingly, it was still the same.
“That damn woman’s handiwork is sharper than I thought.”
Reina smiled thinly as she replied.
But unlike her smile, the killing intent within was thick and horrifying.
“How’d you find this place, though? Who told you?”
“Told me? The stench of Demonic Energy was so strong, impossible to miss.”
Seo Woo-jin played along with Reina’s words for now.
‘Just until backup arrives.’
Roanin or the White Knight Order wouldn’t be huge help, but better than fighting alone.
At least they could distract Reina.
“Your tongue’s gotten sharper too. You used to be so cute, barely able to speak when we first met.”
Reina’s tongue flicked across her lips.
It was seductive, but Seo Woo-jin didn’t flinch.
The pressure radiating from her was no joke.
One moment of carelessness, and his head would roll.
“How boring.”
Reina’s expression hardened at Seo Woo-jin’s lack of reaction.
“Anyway, perfect timing. I had some questions for you.”
She’d tried to kidnap him originally because there was one thing she wanted to know.
“How’d that idiot Gerald die? Tell me if you know anything.”
Seo Woo-jin shook his head at Gerald’s name.
“No idea.”
It was true.
Gerald had fled from the Grand Duke and him, then just dropped dead out of nowhere.
Seo Woo-jin wouldn’t have known if his level hadn’t gone up.
“You’d better think carefully before answering.”
Reina naturally didn’t believe him.
“Believe me or not, your call.”
She let out a short laugh as he shrugged.
“Fine, I pushed too hard? Should’ve just caught you first and asked.”
The Demonic Energy thickened.
Sizzle-
The sticky Demonic Energy soon solidified like a real substance, binding Seo Woo-jin.
Crunch- crackle!
Immense pressure crushed down on him.
“Shall we have a nice, deep talk...?”
It was then, as Reina smiled and spoke.
Crack!
The Demonic Energy split.
It tore apart like paper, her Demonic Energy sliced clean and parting to the sides.
“...That sword?”
‘Kara-niel’.
The black divine sword pointed straight at Reina.
“Love to talk. Let’s do it.”
‘Swift’!
Seo Woo-jin’s body turned to light, charging at Reina.
“Where!”
The unexpected speed startled her, but not enough to freeze her.
Still, she had no confidence in pitting her nails against ‘Kara-niel’s blade.
Slash!
She dodged to the side swiftly, but severed silver hair drifted to the ground.
Reina’s pupils slit vertically, long and narrow.
She was truly enraged now.
“If you’re cocky just because of that junk, you’re mistaken!”
Blood-red Demonic Energy gathered in her hand.
In an instant, a basketball-sized red orb formed.
“Blood Terror.”
The red orb shot toward Seo Woo-jin.
A simple attack.
Not particularly fast, moving in a straight line.
But Seo Woo-jin was shocked.
The orb’s speed outpaced even his ‘Swift’-enhanced body.
‘Can’t block that.’
It’d pierce his body before he could properly raise ‘Kara-niel’.
Speed at its peak was a weapon in itself, unstoppable.
Of course, that didn’t mean there were no options.
Seo Woo-jin activated ‘Divine Dragon Eye’.
All surrounding information flooded his mind in an instant.
Air currents, Demonic Energy density, magic power flows.
The ground beneath his feet, tiny pebbles, blades of grass.
‘Divine Dragon Eye’ saw it all.
Amid the headache-inducing torrent of data, Seo Woo-jin desperately searched for one thing.
The optimal evasion path.
Didn’t need many.
Just one.
A spot to dodge the red orb called ‘Blood Terror’.
And he found it.
Seo Woo-jin’s foot moved.
Tap-
Just one step.
Yet he effortlessly evaded Reina’s ‘Blood Terror’.
“You...!”
Even a Guardian shouldn’t dodge her attack so easily.
But Seo Woo-jin did.
Effortlessly.
It meant only one thing.
‘No way that guy’s on par with the Guardians?’
Impossible.
Reina quickly dismissed the thought.
Impressive move, sure, but he wasn’t at the transcendent realm yet.
Coincidence or luck made far more sense.
But she had to admit Seo Woo-jin was different now.
Wariness finally etched into Reina’s eyes.
Seeing it, Seo Woo-jin smiled and asked,
“My turn for a question. Baek Si-woo—is he here?”