Chapter 294
Chapter 294
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 294
Chapter Title: Heading North
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Seo Woo-jin was making his way north.
On his back was a massive load even bigger than his own body, and he wore a bright expression.
He was even humming a tune, which suggested he was in quite a good mood.
“Shut up.”
Diarok, walking beside him, snapped at him. Seo Woo-jin scowled and turned to look.
“If it’s so annoying, just go home. Why keep following me and nagging?”
Surprisingly, Diarok was still tagging along with Seo Woo-jin.
Seo Woo-jin had thought he’d head back after finishing his business at the Grand Cathedral, but Diarok looked ready to follow him all the way to Massive Guardian.
He’d considered shaking him off.
But Diarok seemed determined to pursue him no matter what, so he’d given up.
“I can’t stand to watch this.”
Diarok sighed at the nonstop humming.
Seo Woo-jin paid him no mind.
He figured if it really bothered him that much, he’d just turn back, and so he sang even louder.
“Tch.”
Diarok shook his head and cast a spell.
“Silence.”
It was a spell that completely blocked all noise from the target.
Thanks to it, no sound came from Seo Woo-jin’s mouth anymore.
Only then did Diarok look satisfied.
“Everyone thinks I’m only skilled in fire magic, but actually, I have proficiency in other spells too! Ack!”
Whack!
Seo Woo-jin punched him in the back of the head, and a yelp burst out.
The spell broke at the same time.
“Don’t pull any more stunts like that. If you interfere with what I’m doing one more time, I’ll bury you in the ground and leave you there.”
Crunch.
Diarok ground his teeth at Seo Woo-jin’s words.
But he didn’t attack.
He had a feeling he might actually get buried if he did.
Seo Woo-jin glanced at him briefly, then resumed walking.
“We’re already this far.”
A familiar city came into view.
It was the place where Johan ran his information guild.
That meant Massive Guardian wasn’t far off.
‘I can take care of some business here and make a real push for it—should arrive before the day’s out.’
It had been well over the week he’d promised to return.
Even accounting for circumstances, a promise was a promise, so Seo Woo-jin felt a bit guilty.
‘At least I was able to bring gifts.’
To make up for breaking his word, even a little, Seo Woo-jin had thoroughly looted Iyer’s vault.
Miteon, who’d been watching from behind, had even gasped and trembled.
But he couldn’t stop him.
What Seo Woo-jin had done for Iyer outweighed all those treasures.
In the end, Seo Woo-jin took everything he liked and set off for where his comrades waited.
“Diarok.”
Seo Woo-jin suddenly called out to the guy grumbling beside him.
“What?”
The curt reply came.
“How much time do you think Freyja has left?”
“Hmm, well.”
Diarok’s expression darkened slightly.
“From what I saw, not even a full year.”
Seo Woo-jin nodded at that.
That was actually a generous estimate.
Freyja’s condition was that dire.
She could collapse today and never rise again, and it wouldn’t be surprising.
“She must be weighing on your mind.”
“Of course. She might be gone for good.”
Seo Woo-jin hadn’t built any deep bond with Freyja.
A few days traveling together and some conversations—that was it.
He’d handled almost the entire fight against the Apostles alone, so there wasn’t much of a camaraderie.
Even so, Seo Woo-jin felt regret.
It was like losing a powerful asset.
It was such a waste for a transcendent powerhouse to fade away without ever fighting in the Descent War.
If she could just keep living, she’d be a huge help.
“Do you know what it takes to reconstruct a body, by any chance?”
He asked on the off chance.
“No idea. You’d be better off asking the Sword Ghost. We’re headed his way anyway.”
“True.”
Asking Ban Slaine directly would be the fastest, more than anyone else.
“But why stop in this backwater little town?”
Now Diarok asked.
It was a small border town with no distinguishing features.
He couldn’t fathom why Seo Woo-jin would bother visiting.
“Oh, just need to check something.”
“What—never mind.”
Maybe he realized he wouldn’t get an answer even if he asked.
Diarok didn’t press.
“Wait here.”
Seo Woo-jin said upon arriving at the information guild’s building.
“Aren’t you going in together? Standing alone in the street looks weird.”
“No, go wait at a nearby restaurant or something.”
Diarok tried to follow, but Seo Woo-jin refused.
The conversation he needed to have now was better with as few people in the know as possible.
“…Hmph!”
Diarok turned away with an irritated look.
When had he ever been treated like this?
But it was his own doing, so he had no choice but to obey Seo Woo-jin.
Once Diarok was gone, the building’s door opened.
Creak.
With the familiar rusty hinge sound, Johan appeared.
“Oh, you’re here. I’ve been waiting.”
He greeted Seo Woo-jin as if he’d known he was coming.
‘As expected.’
Johan had clearly tracked all of Seo Woo-jin’s movements.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have timed his appearance so perfectly, right after Diarok left.
“Come on in.”
Seo Woo-jin nodded and stepped inside as Johan held the door wide.
‘Impressive skills.’
He’d moved at speeds ordinary people couldn’t follow.
Yet Johan had tracked his path perfectly.
Seo Woo-jin didn’t know how, but it was clear you needed real talent to pull that off.
Impressed once more, Seo Woo-jin entered the building.
Nothing had changed much.
The number of hidden figures was exactly the same as before.
‘Even Crusiel’s agents.’
No. 36 was still lurking on the ceiling, just like last time.
Seo Woo-jin considered acknowledging him but sat down instead, then looked at Johan across from him.
“You’ve accomplished a lot.”
Johan spoke first.
“Captured an Apostle, stopped a war. You’ve resolved so much in such a short time.”
His voice held genuine admiration.
It was hard to believe one person had pulled off such feats so quickly.
“Just got lucky.”
Seo Woo-jin downplayed it, and Johan chuckled.
What Seo Woo-jin had done was the stuff of legends.
It wasn’t something luck alone could achieve.
“Is that so?”
But he didn’t push flattery further.
He’d probably judged Seo Woo-jin wasn’t the type to like it.
“By the way, why has Duke Diarok of Reninstang come all this way?”
Johan asked.
He already knew Diarok was following Seo Woo-jin.
But he had no clue why.
He’d gathered intel and tried hypotheses, but nothing stuck.
“I don’t really know either.”
Seo Woo-jin was in the same boat.
He’d asked several times, but Diarok gave no answer.
Just vague stuff like “it seems fun,” never the real reason.
“Want me to dig into his background?”
Johan suggested slyly, but Seo Woo-jin shook his head.
“Better not poke the bear. Nothing good will come of it.”
If Diarok found out someone was investigating him, he wouldn’t stay quiet.
“Tch, yeah, figured as much.”
Johan gave up quickly, as if it was just a casual offer.
“Too bad, though. I went out of my way to pinpoint that Apostle’s location, and you missed him.”
Seo Woo-jin looked sheepish as he said it, but Johan shook his head.
“The situation didn’t cooperate—what can you do? Luckily, we’ve nearly tracked the escaped Yudain. We’ll handle him next time.”
“…Already?”
It had only been a few days since Seo Woo-jin let Yudain slip away.
Even he had no idea where the guy had gone.
Yet Johan had already pinned him down, astonishingly.
“I make my living off information. This is the least I can do, right?”
Seo Woo-jin couldn’t help but admire as Johan laughed heartily.
He’d known the man was capable, but he exceeded even his expectations.
“I’ll send someone as soon as it’s confirmed.”
“Please do.”
Seo Woo-jin nodded with a hollow laugh.
“Oh, and one more thing I need.”
“Cardinal Lupera?”
Spot on.
Johan’s talents went beyond mere information gathering.
He might even excel more in other areas.
“Yes.”
As Seo Woo-jin confirmed, Johan stroked his chin beard thoughtfully.
“I figured you’d ask, so I’ve already taken steps……”
He trailed off, suggesting things weren’t going smoothly.
“Her trail’s gone cold. Looks like a third party’s interfered.”
“Third party?”
“The most likely is an Apostle with spatial manipulation abilities. Gerald had that power. But he’s dead, so……”
“Could be a mage?”
Some mages could use teleportation magic.
But Johan shook his head.
“We considered that and investigated. No traces of mana at all. Just the repulsive stench of demonic energy.”
That pointed straight to an Apostle or a follower of another Demon King.
“Any Apostles with that ability?”
“None known.”
Johan shook his head firmly.
“But I have a hunch, so give me a little more time. I’ll find her for sure.”
Seo Woo-jin had more questions but held back.
He figured there was a reason Johan wasn’t saying more yet.
“Got it. Guess I’ll wait at Massive Guardian then.”
“It won’t be long. We’ve mobilized the whole guild—we’ll have it soon.”
Seo Woo-jin nodded at the confident expression, like he was saying to trust him.
“Sounds good.”
He didn’t need to pressure or rush; Johan would handle it.
‘That leaves……’
Tracking Baron or Yudain was no small task.
But Seo Woo-jin had something even more important.
Snap!
He flicked his fingers, and No. 36 passed out.
As the same thing happened again, Johan looked displeased.
Seo Woo-jin ignored it and spoke quietly.
“Did you look into those past heroes who were summoned?”
The ones who’d defeated the Demon King and won the Descent War.
He needed their aftermath stories.