Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: The Clown Apostle
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Silence fell.
No one could open their mouth in the face of the miraculous sight unfolding before their eyes.
Even Seo Woo-jin, who had performed it himself, seemed unable to fully grasp the miracle he had achieved with his own hands.
"See? Didn't I tell you that you could do it?"
Only Van Slane wore a pleased smile as he praised Seo Woo-jin.
"Th-this is......"
Seo Woo-jin looked down at 'Karaniel'.
'It wasn't because of the sword.'
Of course, 'Karaniel' was a divine sword without equal in the world.
But slicing through that curtain of demonic energy just now had been achieved solely by Seo Woo-jin's own power.
'How is that possible?'
No matter how he thought about it, it was impossible at his current level.
It wasn't something he could do just because he had vast mana or a body that transcended humanity.
It required something more.
Something that would demand surpassing a wall no ordinary person could even dream of attempting.
And yet, he had done it.
It was no wonder he couldn't believe it himself.
"Don't forget that sensation from just now. It will surely help when the time comes to take one more step forward."
"...Thank you."
A realm beyond his own limits.
It had only happened once, and without Van Slane's help, he couldn't unleash it again.
But that experience would one day serve as a stepping stone to surmounting the immense, endless wall.
Seo Woo-jin bowed deeply to Van Slane with sincere gratitude.
He felt like he wouldn't even be able to sleep unless he expressed his thanks to someone who had helped him this much.
"That's enough."
With a hearty chuckle, he took a step forward.
"The path is open now. Let's go in."
Van Slane spoke to the others, who were still dazed, and entered through the severed curtain.
"Move out."
Ronaine snapped out of it late and gave the order, and the White Silver Knights began to stir.
Clank— clank—
As dozens of armored knights began to move, a heavy clamor echoed.
Seo Woo-jin took the lead and walked toward the forest.
'This......'
The forest was ordinary.
Aside from being shrouded in demonic energy, it was no different from any other forest.
"Is this the Forest of Death?"
Ronaine's mutter came from behind.
The silver medallions distributed by Crusiel were working properly; even in this thick demonic energy, the knights moved without issue.
"What would be best?"
"For now, shouldn't we split into two groups?"
Seo Woo-jin answered Van Slane's question.
Having this many people moving together wasn't efficient.
Given the terrain of the forest, the larger the group, the harder it was to respond quickly.
"Splitting into too many would be dangerous, so two groups sounds right."
Van Slane nodded, sharing the same thought.
"I'll take one group."
Excluding Van Slane, Seo Woo-jin was the strongest there.
Ronaine might be better in terms of leadership and command, but in pure combat, he was no match for Seo Woo-jin.
"Then you and Sir Ronaine will move together."
"That sounds good."
The group split into two.
The White Silver Knights and Crusiel agents mixed appropriately for balance.
"Take this."
One of the Crusiel agents who seemed to be the leader approached Seo Woo-jin and held something out.
'A cylinder?'
It was a metal cylinder about 10 cm long.
"It's a signal flare. Use it if you find something or need backup. The other agents have them too, so you won't run out."
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
There were no radios like on Earth, so he'd been worried about how to check on each other...
'This is much better.'
He had seen similar signal flares used in Demon Realm Heldein, so Seo Woo-jin nodded.
"Then we'll head out first. Stay safe."
Van Slane encouraged Seo Woo-jin and turned left.
"Let's go."
Seo Woo-jin headed right.
"Have you been here before?"
"Once."
Ronaine nodded at Seo Woo-jin's question.
He hadn't asked with much expectation, so the affirmative answer surprised him a little.
"It was about two years ago. I was assigned to investigate this forest."
"Ah......"
He had heard from Van Slane.
That multiple investigations and subjugations had been launched to uncover the cause of the ongoing disappearances.
But there had been no results.
"It wasn't like this back then."
"The demonic energy?"
"Yeah, that's part of it, but..."
Ronaine looked around.
"Still, there were plenty of living, moving things back then."
Only then did Seo Woo-jin realize something was off.
The chirping of birds.
The crying of insects in the grass.
Nothing could be heard.
With a doubtful expression, Seo Woo-jin immediately activated his 'Divine Dragon Eye'.
'Whoa, I didn't notice.'
There were no signs of life at all.
Excluding himself and his group, everything was 'dead'.
He reached out toward a tree in front of him.
Crush—
The tree, which looked fine, crumbled to dust without any real force applied.
It was a dead tree, devoid of any vitality.
Looking at the blackened, rotten interior, Seo Woo-jin turned to Ronaine and warned him.
"We need to be careful."
Now it truly lived up to its name as the Forest of Death.
"Understood."
Ronaine agreed with Seo Woo-jin and heightened his vigilance.
"Then let's keep moving."
What Seo Woo-jin needed to find now were the bodies of the Crusiel agents.
Not for recovery.
The reason he was searching for them was the leader's conviction that Crusiel agents would have left clues about the enemy's base even in death.
A survivor would be ideal, but...
'Hard to expect that.'
Now that he was inside, he understood.
One of those Apostles was in this forest.
Monsters that couldn't be stopped without a guardian-level powerhouse who had reached the transcendent realm.
Such a being was here.
No matter how elite Crusiel was, the odds of any surviving against them this long were near zero.
'I hope at least the bodies are intact.'
Even with 'Divine Dragon Eye' active, nothing was detected.
To find their base, even the smallest clue was essential.
Seo Woo-jin moved carefully, scanning the surroundings.
How much time had passed?
Suddenly, Seo Woo-jin stopped.
"Halt."
"...Did you find something?"
Ronaine, following behind, asked cautiously.
His face was stiff with tension.
"Don't you sense something?"
Seo Woo-jin frowned and pointed to one side.
But Ronaine tilted his head.
He hadn't sensed anything at all.
"That's strange."
Nothing was visible.
It still looked like an ordinary forest on the surface.
Yet his instincts kept warning him.
Something was definitely there.
Narrowing his eyes, Seo Woo-jin drew 'Karaniel'.
Then...
"Tch."
A tongue-click echoed.
"Draw your swords."
At the same time, Ronaine ordered his men.
Shing—!
The sound of swords being drawn rang out in succession.
The White Silver Knights and Crusiel.
The two forces guarding the Empire began to solidly back Seo Woo-jin.
"Who's there?"
Seo Woo-jin narrowed his eyes and glared ahead.
"I didn't think you'd spot me like this."
Rustle—
Space split open, and someone stepped out from between.
He wore baggy, multicolored clothes and had makeup on his face.
"...A clown?"
His mischievous smile resembled a typical clown.
Except for the sharp teeth visible between his exaggerated red lips.
'Like something out of a horror movie.'
His appearance was that eerie.
"How did you notice me? Huh? You don't look like you should be at that level."
The way he tilted his head side to side was grotesque.
"Reveal yourself."
Seo Woo-jin felt sweat trickling from his hand due to tension.
The others hadn't noticed yet, but this guy was truly strong.
Probably an Apostle like Gerald or Reina.
Otherwise, he couldn't emit such a horrific aura.
"Me? My name's Luinbali. You're Seo Woo-jin, right? Isn't that right?"
Luinbali.
It was a name Seo Woo-jin had never heard before.
But not for the others.
"Luinbali! That demon is here!"
"Damn it, battle stations! Battle stations!"
Ronaine and the knights were horrified.
"Fire the signal flare! Before that mad monster moves!"
Crusiel didn't hesitate a second and launched a flare skyward.
Fwoosh— bang—!
Red smoke signaling an emergency painted the sky.
"Huh? What's that? Smoke? Cool!"
Luinbali grinned brightly at it.
Revealing teeth like a beast's.
"Is he famous?"
Seo Woo-jin asked Ronaine without taking his eyes off the clapping, delighted monster.
"...One of the 13 Apostles and the Empire's archenemy."
The number of people brutally slain by Luinbali's hand exceeded ten thousand.
Over a decade ago, the demon had massacred an entire city.
To the Empire, he was a greater foe than the Demon King who hadn't even descended yet.
Naturally, the Empire had mobilized every guardian to eliminate him.
But they failed.
They simply couldn't find him.
Whether he ascended to the heavens or sank into the earth.
Unable to even find traces, they had no choice but to halt the pursuit after over a year.
To think that monster was here!
"Kyahahahaha!"
The one laughing and clapping at the smoke was the owner of such infamy.
Seo Woo-jin gripped 'Karaniel' tightly.
'Now's the time.'
Was he off guard, or just an idiot by nature?
He was still fixated on the smoke, ignoring Seo Woo-jin.
This was the chance.
Seo Woo-jin recalled the moment he sliced the demonic curtain.
The sensation that he could cleave even a mountain with one swing.
Without Van Slane's help, perfect replication was impossible.
But he vividly recalled it, retraced it, and honed his sword as close as possible.
Woooom—
Mana circulated along the path Van Slane had taught, growing in magnitude.
One loop, two...
Up to the limit he could handle alone.
Rumble rumble rumble—!
The ground beneath his feet shook.
The surroundings warped from the overflowing mana.
"Huh? What is it?"
Only then did Luinbali look this way.
But it was too late.
Seo Woo-jin was fully prepared.
'Slash.'
His mind filled with that single intent.
The sword, infused with his unbreakable will to cleave the foe, tore through space.
Craaaack—!