Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Fishing for the Big One (2)
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Belial took the communication item from me right away and vanished. Her role was simple: tail Cardinal Aoira and eliminate any potential variables.
If the Saintess was going to do something to Min Chorong here, Cardinal Aoira would surely make a move. Even if she planned to offer her up as a sacrifice, only he could perform the descent ritual with that sacrifice.
So it was essential to pinpoint his location.
'Only Belial can tail him.'
Of course, her stats were pathetically weak compared to her days as a so-called goddess—a mere speck of dust. But she possessed the cheat ability called Nothingness.
The authority governing the concept of nothingness. It could be seen as boasting overwhelming destructive power, and that's the only side she'd shown so far. But true to its nature as an authority, it was a power with an absurdly broad range of applications.
A perfect example was how it could erase her presence, aura, mana—everything—allowing flawless stealth.
That's why I'd chosen her to shadow Cardinal Aoira. I'd considered handing it to Cyhan at first, but even an S-rank hunter had a high chance of being detected against a powerful demon. When she volunteered herself, it sealed the deal.
In exchange, Hunter Cyhan was assigned to protect Min Chorong. Truth be told, she was the one in the most danger in this whole plan.
Cyhan was capable enough to shield Min Chorong from the Saintess's eyes. Even in the worst-case scenario, he could hold out and keep the two of them alive until reinforcements arrived.
The Legion and I were the backup. We'd step in and handle things if they went south.
Of course, if Cardinal Aoira and the Saintess synced up perfectly and took the bait, we'd be the ones cleaning up that mess too.
Nibelung was our ace in the hole. He'd focus on one-shotting someone if needed, so I had to trust him. In the end, he wasn't joining the op. He'd monitor from afar and only lend his power if things truly got dire.
I just stayed put, watching the situation intently. The Legion faced off against the woman, while Min Chorong tried to hold him back. Our eyes met briefly, and she nodded with resolve before heading inside.
The real fishing had begun. Waiting for the fish not just to nibble, but to bite down fully.
On the third night of the Holy Spirit Festival, transitioning into the fourth day. That's when it all kicked off.
Ruins. The mansion looked like nothing more than that from the outside, but the interior was surprisingly tidy. Enough to make you wonder why the Saintess had chosen this as a meeting spot.
Min Chorong swallowed hard and stepped inside. A vast space greeted her, and at its center sat a beautiful woman sipping tea at an incongruous table.
Nobility. Purity. Beauty. Charisma. Every flattering descriptor fit her. No matter how rotten and filthy her insides were, on the surface alone, Saintess Isabel perfectly played her role and basked in popularity.
She was a contender for second place in the 200-year history of great hunters, right after the inaugural Saintess.
Such a woman now turned her gaze to Min Chorong. A small, artificial smile curved her lips.
"You're here. Come, sit."
The command was imperious and arrogant. Min Chorong had no choice but to obey.
This so-called final showdown was essentially in that woman's hands. At least until Shin Juha's plan took effect.
With that thought, her tension eased a bit, and Min Chorong carefully approached and sat before her.
"I'm sorry for calling you out to such a remote place so late. There's something we absolutely need to discuss alone."
"Not at all. I'm grateful you summoned me. It's not easy for us to sit down like this and talk, is it?"
Isabel smiled. Hidden behind it was a faintly twisted expression.
Min Chorong's polite words boiled down to: We're not the type to meet like this, so why'd you call?
"Hohoho. That's exactly why we should meet once more. The tournament ends in just a few days—we might never get another chance. Just like with that woman who was my friend and rival! Your aunt, right, Miss Chorong?"
Isabel wasn't one to take lightly either. She was saying: You're destined to fail and crumble like your aunt anyway.
They'd traded jabs once each.
"Sigh. What's the point of this verbal sparring?"
Isabel dropped the pretense first and got to the real purpose of the meeting.
"Curious why I requested this private audience?"
"Yes."
"Simple. I need you, Miss Min Chorong, more than ever."
Isabel's gaze sharpened. The atmosphere flipped.
"Sigh, what a mess. My original plans fell through, and now the losses are piling up."
Isabel irritably hurled her empty teacup to the floor and spat out her words roughly.
Benevolence, gentleness, love, devotion—all the emotions befitting a Saintess—vanished in an instant. The mask had slipped off.
"Every scheme I laid to kill you went to waste. Do you know how much prep I put in? You never even stepped out of that damned barrier. Ugh. If only you'd died cleanly back then, this would've been so much easier."
Killing intent. Irritation. Rage. Explosion. Negative emotions flooded her face, revealing her true self.
She didn't bother hiding anymore, unleashing her honest thoughts. Rising from her seat, Isabel approached the pale, frozen Min Chorong and whispered softly.
"So for my sake, for my disciple's sake... just die already."
The moment Isabel stepped back, a forced divine transfer magic circle hidden beneath Min Chorong's chair and carpet activated.
"Finally rid of that annoying bitch."
With those words, blinding light engulfed Min Chorong. No—it sucked everything atop the summoning circle inside.
The chair, the carpet, the teacup, even the shadows.
In an instant, Min Chorong vanished. Isabel burst into mad laughter, as if a blocked path had cleared—like a woman driven insane.
Bang!
And that variable was more than enough to spur the watchers into action.
-Hng~ Not Cardinal Aoira. This guy's asleep. No, the connection's cut. It's a different puppet. Wrong trail.
Before Belial's report even finished, a burst of light erupted from the mansion as Min Chorong was transferred away.
"Damn it."
Nothing ever went exactly as planned. It always got annoyingly twisted. I clicked my tongue and had no choice but to move.
The moment the light flared, the Legion panicked and tried to rush inside—only to be blocked by the Saintess's loyal attendant, of course.
"Chasing after a death trap like an idiot. Didn't I tell you not to come?"
She spun two daggers deftly before lunging at the Legion with clear murderous intent. A blatant ambush.
"...Hup!!!"
But the Legion was a genius who'd awakened his talent and honed himself relentlessly, vowing never to crumble weakly again.
In an instant, a holy, radiant light enveloped his body.
Clang! Clang!
The two daggers were blocked by the Legion's raised arms.
But the woman showed no disappointment. She retreated swiftly, gripped her daggers in reverse, and her eyes gleamed.
"Impressive, a cut above. I heard you were just F-rank. Lies, then."
The Legion had grown. After recovering from the dungeon black hole incident, he'd thrown himself into training before becoming a bodyguard, so he hadn't retested his rank. No wonder her info was outdated.
"Makes sense. The Saintess candidate's guard wouldn't be sloppy."
"Grrrrr!! ...How dare you!!"
But coldly put, the Legion was still weak. His opponent seemed beyond B-minus—a powerhouse. Too much for someone who'd only awakened his potential a few months ago.
Holy power gleamed white on her daggers, buffs layered on, and she prepared to charge.
"Curse your master as you die."
Thud!
Watching her close in at blinding speed could've instilled mortal terror, but the Legion didn't retreat. He was a castle. An impregnable iron fortress.
Ever since unleashing his unique ability's true power, he'd blocked attacks from Kanggeo, a top-tier Unique-rank.
The sacred bastion dwelled in his flesh. Just once. Block just once.
The Legion believed. Hold for one strike, and he'd handle the rest.
He compressed golden energy, wrapping it tighter around his arms. He'd never fall or crumble again.
He swore it. No more being the weakling who only lost.
Golden barriers formed on his hands. Sacred dagger met sacred shield.
Crack! Crunch! Clang!
The shield shattered, but the Legion weathered the attack.
"Hmph. You can't block forever!"
She sneered and pressed her assault. But it was too late.
"...Foolish... pathetic."
The Legion lowered his arms, abandoning defense. The woman tilted her head. Had the guy lost it? Daring to insult her on the brink of death!
She'd dismember that massive body right now, make it a footnote in the Saintess's legend...!
Her thoughts ended there. Naturally. A severed head couldn't think.
"Don't focus on just one thing."
A black blade sliced her throat, and her vision dropped. Death came.
A B-rank hunter. Even stronger now, I couldn't take her lightly. Full effort for a sure win.
But her excitement and carelessness changed the outcome. She hadn't anticipated anyone else. She died like that.
Pathetically mundane, if anything. The woman whose name we didn't even know perished.
"We're going in. Legion, take point."
Now I had to prepare for an S-minus fight.
"Today, we kill the Saintess."
Officially, F and E-minus ranks killing an S-rank Saintess. Unthinkable.
But we had to do it. To save Min Chorong, the sooner the better.
I gripped a spear from my inventory. Time acceleration kicked in, startup surging to 5% in under a minute.
'Definitely stronger now.'
Before, it took just over a minute for 5%. Plenty of margin now.
I readied the glowing Longinus Spear for a throw, nodded, and the Legion flung the door wide.
Inside the ruins, the woman—drunk on madness and thrill—sipped tea, then widened her eyes at the intruders. She'd never dreamed they'd kill her subordinate and come for her.
That's what made it a perfect ambush. I grinned at the fallen woman called Saintess.
"Nice to meet you, you piece of trash."
And without hesitation, I hurled Longinus at her.