Chapter 150
Chapter 150
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: Parting the Demonic Veil
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Entry into the forest is impossible.”
One of Crusiel’s agents said.
“What do you mean? Impossible?”
Ronain’s eyes widened slightly.
He couldn’t believe the word “impossible” was coming from their mouths.
If they set their minds to it, Crusiel could slip in and out of foreign royal palaces like their own homes.
For such people to say not just “difficult,” but “impossible.”
It wasn’t surprising that Ronain was shocked.
“The agents who entered to investigate the forest are presumed dead, and we attempted follow-up measures but couldn’t pierce the thickened demonic energy.”
“What does that mean?”
“Correct. Our presence has been detected.”
He bowed his head with a somber expression.
“I’m sorry.”
The apology was directed at Ban Slaine.
It hadn’t been long since they’d asked him to leave this to them and go assist Seo Woojin.
But things had gone wrong, so he had no face to show Ban Slaine.
“Heh heh, it’s fine.”
But Ban Slaine shook his head with a kind smile.
Of course, he was a bit disappointed, but he wasn’t so lacking in self-control as to show it to a lowly agent.
Rather than regretting what had already happened, it was more urgent to decide what to do next.
“Is there absolutely no way?”
This time, Seo Woojin asked.
The Crusiel agent glanced sharply at him.
Seo Woojin tilted his head at the look but didn’t pay it much mind.
The answer came right away.
“Of course, it’s not that there’s absolutely no method. It’s just that we can’t use it.”
“What is it?”
He could guess.
And Seo Woojin’s guess was correct.
“Creating an opening with extreme power.”
Seo Woojin and Ronain’s gazes turned to the same place simultaneously.
Extreme power.
There was only one person here who possessed such a thing.
“Heh heh-”
Ban Slaine smiled good-naturedly, as if he’d expected it.
“Shall I open the path?”
“We would be grateful if you would.”
The agent looked as if he were pleading.
“Then let’s go take a closer look.”
Seo Woojin approached the forest boundary with the others.
‘Hmm…….’
It was definitely different in quality from any demonic energy he’d seen so far.
Gerald and Reina’s demonic energy had been immense, but the sea of demonic energy spread before them now was beyond imagination.
“Whoa.”
Even Ban Slaine looked shocked.
It was a level he’d never seen before.
“This is impressive.”
It was at a point where admiration slipped out instead.
“…Can you do it?”
Ronain, pale from the majesty of the demonic energy, asked.
His attitude was infinitely cautious, as if even asking was a grave discourtesy.
“It shouldn’t be too difficult.”
It wasn’t about eradicating all the forest’s demonic energy—just making a gap big enough for people to enter.
It was easy for Ban Slaine.
“But not everyone can enter.”
The amount of demonic energy was far greater than he’d thought.
Most people would stiffen up and suffocate to death the moment they stepped in.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Then a Crusiel agent stepped forward.
“Hm? You have a way?”
“This…….”
He pulled a palm-sized silver plaque from his bosom.
It was engraved with intricate geometric magic circles.
“Oh ho.”
Curiosity flickered in Ban Slaine’s eyes.
A complete layman in magic, he could still tell at a glance that it was no ordinary item.
“It’s an item enchanted with demonic energy resistance. Something the Sky Tower successfully developed recently. Carrying this prevents demonic energy from affecting you.”
It was astonishing.
How many knights and soldiers had died without resistance due to demonic energy?
With this, their forces could multiply several times over.
At least no one would die without a fight.
“How many? Enough?”
Ban Slaine asked urgently, thinking the same thing.
“It’s still a prototype, but Crusiel has been generously supplied. Enough to distribute to everyone here.”
Enough for the dozens in the White Silver Knight Order?
Ronain’s expression brightened.
“Distribute them.”
At Ban Slaine’s request, the Crusiel agent naturally began handing them out with his comrades.
“Here you go.”
One agent approached Seo Woojin and offered a plaque.
“Ah, I’m fine.”
But Seo Woojin declined.
He had no need to resist demonic energy.
In fact, inside it, he felt an indescribably cozy comfort, so it was better not to carry one.
“…Is that so?”
The agent gave Seo Woojin a strange look before turning away.
‘Odd.’
He’d felt it from the start, but their gazes toward him weren’t ordinary.
It was like they were observing him.
‘Why?’
There were plenty of reasons.
The greatest hero among heroes, recipient of the emperor’s full attention.
Crusiel, the empire’s secret intelligence agency, had no choice but to take notice.
But Seo Woojin had a hunch there was another reason.
‘…They still haven’t dropped their suspicions?’
He thought it had been brushed aside with Baek Si-woo’s corruption and Reina’s appearance.
He’d even met the emperor in person, so he figured the suspicions were fully dispelled.
Yet Crusiel still hadn’t let go of their doubts about Seo Woojin.
‘I need to be careful.’
He didn’t know how much they knew or to what extent they were watching.
Given their abilities, he couldn’t be too cautious.
Resolving to hide himself as much as possible, Seo Woojin approached Ban Slaine.
“You don’t need one of those either, it seems.”
“Thanks to you, I’ve gotten much stronger.”
Seo Woojin smiled faintly, and Ban Slaine chuckled.
“There’s some reward for pushing this old body so hard.”
He was genuinely pleased with Seo Woojin’s growth, whom he’d trained personally.
“Actually, I’ve been looking into ways for you to get stronger.”
Seo Woojin nodded at that.
The day they began the northern subjugation.
Ban Slaine had spoken of a D-rank hero who slew the Demon King.
And promised to find that method and teach it to him.
Time had passed, many things had happened, and he’d forgotten, but Ban Slaine still remembered.
“I’m fine…….”
“And I’ve had some success.”
“What?”
Seo Woojin’s eyes widened.
The records from then were said to be lost, making it hard to find.
He’d thought uncovering the method would be difficult.
He’d hoped for it once, but now it wasn’t desperately needed, so he’d let it go.
Seo Woojin was growing strong fast enough without it.
He was about to say no need to bother, but……
‘Success?’
He hadn’t expected it at all.
That Ban Slaine hadn’t forgotten the promise, and had actually found the method.
As Seo Woojin stared in surprise, Ban Slaine patted his shoulder with a kind smile.
“Once this is over, let’s have a serious talk.”
“Ah, yes.”
He nodded quickly.
The chance to get even stronger than now.
Seo Woojin suppressed his rising anticipation.
“Everyone is ready for entry.”
Then Ronain approached and reported.
The White Silver Knight Order and Crusiel stood in rigid formation, faces set.
Ready to charge the moment the path opened.
“Then we should get moving.”
Ban Slaine slapped his waist and stood.
‘His body’s young again, but…….’
Seo Woojin swallowed a laugh inwardly.
His actions still didn’t match his youthful appearance.
In the meantime, Ban Slaine reached for his sword.
“Hm?”
But he paused mid-motion.
Then he looked at Seo Woojin.
“Is there a problem?”
Slightly tense, Seo Woojin asked, but Ban Slaine shook his head.
“Not a problem.”
After a brief thought, he smiled and continued.
“You try it.”
“…Pardon?”
Seo Woojin thought he’d misheard.
It made no sense.
But Ban Slaine repeated it, as if he hadn’t misspoken.
“You open the path.”
A hollow laugh escaped him.
The curtain of demonic energy, barely manageable even in the realm of superhuman extremes.
How was he supposed to pierce it?
“I can’t…….”
“You can.”
He tried to refuse, but Ban Slaine spoke with utter certainty.
“With your current power, it’s more than enough. Of course you can.”
He couldn’t fathom the basis for that judgment.
Seo Woojin tried to refuse again.
He had no desire to embarrass himself in front of everyone.
But he sighed at Ban Slaine’s steady gaze.
“I’ll try.”
“Good decision. I’ll tell you how.”
Seo Woojin realized he’d said it to impart a lesson.
Refusing direct sword instruction from Ban Slaine would be foolish.
Ssssh-
‘Karaniel’ was drawn.
The black blade rippled with purple mana.
Knights exclaimed in admiration at the sight, but Seo Woojin had no attention for that.
“Focus.”
As Ban Slaine said, Seo Woojin closed his eyes and concentrated.
“Start by perceiving the space before you.”
He wanted to use ‘Dragon Eye.’
But he knew Ban Slaine wanted him to do it with his own abilities, no skills.
Only his innate power.
‘Perceive the space.’
In the darkness, Seo Woojin erected a virtual wall.
The curtain of demonic energy blocking the forest boundary.
He already felt it with his whole body, so imagining it was easy.
“Think of what’s before you as a single thin sheet of paper.”
Was that possible? But surprisingly, imagining it that way was simple.
The massive wall became a paper-thin sheet.
The power emanating from it was still immense, of course.
At that moment, Ban Slaine’s palm touched Seo Woojin’s back.
Flinch-
“Don’t move. Feel the flow of mana.”
His mana flowed into Seo Woojin’s body.
Then it circulated.
Not just rushing through his body.
Ban Slaine’s mana roamed his entire form, following set paths.
‘Ah…….’
Amazingly, the more it moved, the stronger and denser the mana grew.
‘What is this?’
He nearly opened his eyes in shock.
But he calmed and circulated his own mana along the same path.
Then his already near-infinite mana began to swell enormously.
To the point where his perfectly tempered body might collapse.
“Urgh!”
Seo Woojin gritted his teeth against the bursting pressure.
“Remember. What you’re cutting isn’t the demonic energy—it’s just a single sheet of paper.”
Mindset was key.
Following Ban Slaine’s words, Seo Woojin swung ‘Karaniel.’
From left to right.
Slowly.
So slow it might induce yawns.
But……
The result was astonishing.
Craaaaaack-!
The curtain split.