Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Run Away Right Now!
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In life, sometimes unavoidable things come crashing down.
No matter how much you twist and turn to dodge them, those kinds of guys that stick to you like a yandere stalker...
We call them haters.
Yeah. The haters were back.
"Why is it always me!?"
Sin Bihyeong clutched his head.
I mean, I'd cleared the yokai, and the exit worked perfectly like in the game, right?
So shouldn't they let me out now!?
"What's the problem this time?"
This living, breathing butterfly effect of a Half-Demon constitution seemed to have spawned yet another variable.
"Fine. Let me see what it is."
Sin Bihyeong ground his teeth and glared around.
He looked ready to smash through any variable that came his way and escape.
At that moment,
Shwaaa...
A sound like waves crashing on the shore echoed, and thick smoke rose around him like sea mist rolling in.
'This is...'
Sin Bihyeong had seen this scene before.
'Yokai trait.'
The Endless Death Line.
In the dream he'd seen the day he digested it.
It was exactly the same as that vision.
'Sigh. Of course.'
He'd half-expected it.
The thing that always shattered his calculations and created variables was his Half-Demon root.
Besides, it had even appeared in a dream back then.
This world inside the book he'd been swallowed into by a yokai was, strictly speaking, a space that wasn't 'reality' just like a dream.
'What is it this time?'
As Sin Bihyeong steeled himself,
Thud—.
Thud—.
Thud—!
A massive footfall echoed from beyond the fog.
'...What?'
The ground shook from mere footsteps.
Like a giant unintentionally shaking the earth, its enormity transmitted through the soil.
'This is on a whole different level from the first time.'
Soon, its shadow appeared in the fog,
and through the hazy surroundings, a darkness stretched toward the sky.
"......"
Sin Bihyeong looked up at the heavens.
Shwaaa.
A colossal Goblin emerged through the mist, draped in it like a cloak.
"What now?"
But unlike before, fear didn't cross Sin Bihyeong's face.
Maybe because he'd already seen a dragon as massive as a mountain range?
His mind settled into calm composure.
"......"
The Goblin that pierced the fog glanced at Sin Bihyeong for a moment, then turned its head.
A world of white.
The landscape not yet shrouded by the demonic power-born fog.
It stared at it silently,
Then—
Riiiip!
It tore it away roughly with its hand.
Krunch!
The white background tore in its grip.
Like ripping flesh from a living creature by force.
The Goblin stared blankly at the white liquid flowing like blood, smirked once, and popped it into its mouth.
Gulp!
A dissatisfied grimace formed at the corner of its mouth after swallowing.
Sin Bihyeong learned the reason from the system.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Yokai, 'Forbidden Book Catalog' partially digested.] 'Not satisfied because it wasn't the whole thing.'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Converting to Yokai Power.] He could feel his Demon Core growing in real time.
The shadow pooled at the bottom of his lower dantian was now surging like a black sea, sinking the yokai—Forbidden Book Catalog—into its depths.
Thump!
His heart pounded.
The blood that was half-human, half-yokai.
As the Demon Core grew, his heartbeat quickened, the throbbing growing louder.
As if his very existence felt suffocating, like a prison.
The Half-Demon nature was protesting, expanding its presence, demanding to be let out.
A hollow laugh formed on Sin Bihyeong's lips.
"Heh, damn. Aren't you me?"
His eyes hardened as he stared at the Goblin.
"You know my situation, right? Being a Half-Demon is dangerous if it gets out."
"......"
"So why are you trying to get us both killed? Huh?"
"......"
The Goblin simply stared down at Sin Bihyeong impassively, as if it knew nothing of such concerns.
Sin Bihyeong sighed deeply and scratched the back of his head vigorously.
"Sigh. Can't even talk to you. Like reciting sutras to a cow's ear."
Tsk—.
As Sin Bihyeong clicked his tongue,
Whoooosh—!
The massive Goblin opened its maw wide and crouched down, as if to devour him.
It was trying to forcibly seize control of his body.
'Heh. Ridiculous.'
The enormous maw closed in second by second.
Like a giant black hole striding toward him.
Yet Sin Bihyeong didn't budge.
Instead, he crossed his arms and glared at the Goblin with an irritated expression.
"Do I still look like that scared kid you used to bully?"
No.
He had changed.
"Formless Canvas."
The cultivation method engraved in his lower dantian.
He painted there.
'Draw Phantasma's image.'
How to draw it.
'Conveniently, one's right in front of me.'
The Goblin looming massively.
To crush it, he needed something even bigger.
'Might as well use this Bloodline Ability that handles Yang Energy since I got it.'
He drew the Sun into his mind's eye.
The upper part of his empty lower dantian.
A small but intense glowing orb formed there.
Fwaaah—!
Sunlight poured over the shadow pooled below in his lower dantian.
Sin Bihyeong felt it and raised his hand.
And then,
"Stop."
He slammed it down.
Kuuuung!
With a massive roar, the maw that had been about to swallow him crashed into the ground.
Right at arm's length.
Looking at the immobilized creature, Sin Bihyeong squatted down and peered into its eyes.
"Either way, you're me, and I'm you. Like it or not, we're stuck together."
Sin Bihyeong's eyes gleamed.
Not the cold ghostly fire of his Half-Demon nature from before, but a fierce halo like the sun.
"So let's not fight if we can help it. Got it?"
Perhaps overwhelmed by his aura, the sky-scraping Goblin began to shrink.
Like a mountain, then a boulder.
Eventually, down to Sin Bihyeong's size.
It dwindled until it turned to dust and vanished.
Thus, Sin Bihyeong surpassed his 'limit' once more.
'Will it come?'
The spectrum of his inner energy expanded.
The limit.
Last time, merely staring it down without yielding had granted him the Impenetrable Seal boon.
This time, he'd gone further and smashed it into the dirt.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Confirmed suppression of enhanced yokai trait.] [Acknowledged surpassing the limit. Victory in wager against self!] [Reward granted!] Sin Bihyeong eagerly awaited what reward would come.
But the message that appeared was,
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Confirmed as representative of Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.] [One subordinate member.] [Trait bestowed upon entity 'Eoduk.'] "Trait?"
As Sin Bihyeong voiced his confusion,
"Eh, Elder!"
Eoduk burst out from the shadows unexpectedly.
Didn't look any different?
"I-I-I..."
"Hey, calm down and speak. Your words aren't connecting."
Calming the overly excited Eoduk, he asked about the reward it had received.
"What's this trait?"
"About that... I don't know the details, but I can use some weird ability now!"
"Weird ability?"
"It's flooding my head! Info! It says it grows when it receives awe!"
...Hold on.
'Grows when receiving awe? Isn't that just...'
Eodukshini?
'There was definitely a yokai like that. Grows when feared, shrinks when ignored?'
...No way it got that power because of its name, right?
He hadn't thought about Eodukshini when naming it Eoduk?
'I just named it Eoduk because its fur was dark.'
Like calling a dog Blackie.
Sin Bihyeong looked at Eoduk with a mix of dismay and bewilderment.
"Uh... congrats."
"Thank you!"
"But what can you use that ability for?"
"Uh..."
"Uh?"
"Heh heh... Honestly, I don't really know."
Eoduk rolled around bashfully.
No... then why are you so excited?
"Obviously, if I get stronger, I can serve you better, Elder!"
His heart was in the right place.
As Sin Bihyeong swallowed a sigh and tried to praise Eoduk,
"Yeah, thanks..."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Confirmed growth of Night Parade subordinate.] [Unique Story ability, 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' unlocked.] What?
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Night Parade of One Hundred Demons Leader. Sin Bihyeong immediately checked the 'Leader' entry in detail.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Leader You are the master of the hundred ghosts and their representative. You can 'don' your subordinate yokai. 'Don? Eoduk?'
Sin Bihyeong turned to look down at Eoduk...
'That tiny thing?'
Eoduk, cat-sized, was barely big enough to drape over his neck.
'Don it? How?'
Grab and stretch it over his head?
As he pondered,
"Ooh! Elder! Something, something's happening!"
What the heck?
"Can you explain so I can understand?"
"Seems like I can do more things now! Elder!"
Eoduk's sparkling eyes turned to him.
"If I may be so bold, may I 'fuse'?"
Fusion.
A word no man in history could resist.
"Do it now."
The moment Sin Bihyeong gave permission, Eoduk's body shot up.
Not just jumping up, but stretching like cheese, enveloping Sin Bihyeong entirely.
The dim surroundings.
Yet strangely warm darkness.
Feeling it,
Step—.
Sin Bihyeong stepped forward.
Fwoosh!
And his appearance was markedly different from before.
"What is this?"
His overall look hadn't changed much.
But black shadows now rippled around him like heat haze.
The change from 'donning' Eoduk.
'...I can feel it. Eoduk's power.'
The Goblin born from the Ancient Relic.
Its power's essence lay in 'growing' objects.
Plus, the new trait enhanced its ability further.
'Limit increases with awe received. So that's what 'growing' meant.'
Sin Bihyeong experimentally gripped the Demon Blade stuck in the ground.
Shing.
The honed blade cut the air, scattering crimson-black light.
But in that instant.
Wuuung—.
Eoduk's power climbed the Demon Blade, transforming it into a pitch-black blade as its name implied.
Sin Bihyeong realized the Demon Blade's output was stronger than before.
'...No need to test; I can tell how much stronger.'
Because the Demon Blade's whispers reached him through Eoduk's power.
'Was mid-Hierarchy before; now mid-upper Hierarchy.'
Impressive power.
And that wasn't even the full extent of Eoduk's ability.
'Durability is auto-repairing.'
The Demon Blade, which had been gnawing at its lifespan, had chipped parts restored and cracks gleaming like new.
Sin Bihyeong gripped the Demon Blade joyfully.
"This is amazing."
He hadn't expected much.
But to gain such an ability.
Like back at the orphanage,
when the director left a gift by his bedside on Christmas, a day he didn't even know about Santa.
"Can't feel your yokai power anymore."
-Yes! I'm basically inside your Demon Core now. Seems your special traits apply to me!
"Good. Looking forward to working with you!"
-Leave it to me!
Sin Bihyeong grinned and raised the Demon Blade overhead.
Time to leave this space.
'I know how to swing it now.'
Thanks to the Demon Blade's whispers.
You suck at swinging, too much shoulder tension.
Accepting the feedback, he swung the Demon Blade.
Too clean a trajectory for a novice mere days into swordsmanship; it sliced the air,
Slash!
The blackened blade rent space, slowly concealing itself.
The path out of the yokai's domain opened.
"Let's go."
Recalling the draped Eoduk, Sin Bihyeong stepped into the rift.
His vision shifted in an instant.
The white landscape vanished, replaced by the silent library...
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Silent...
"Mmmph!"
Why wasn't it silent!?
Sin Bihyeong turned toward the sound with puzzlement.
Hwang Mina was bound with rope-like cords, glaring at him wide-eyed.
She chewed through the gag in her mouth forcibly.
"Pha! Bihyeong!"
Mina's shout snapped him back to reality.
"Run away right now!"
Apparently,
something had happened while he was in there.