Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Guild Master Ki So-young and Dangun Ji-hyeok (3)
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"I killed one mine in the Abyss. Well, it cleared a quest I was on, and I got greedy for the reward."
Yeah, that's where it all started. That idiot mine who tried to kill me and steal my letter of recommendation. A fool who couldn't properly gauge his own abilities or mine, blinded by greed. That guy was the beginning.
"The demon race member served by that mine—a gloomy bug known by that epithet—went to the mine I killed, who happened to be his brother, gave him the position of incarnation, and ordered him to kill me."
The explanation continued. From here on, it was exactly as reported in the news, which he already knew. I focused on the parts he seemed curious about.
"And that's how it happened."
Dangun Ji-hyeok's eyes flashed as he asked back.
"Can all demon race members forcibly descend into the bodies of mines who follow them?"
"......I'm not entirely sure, but it seems possible for incarnations. The risk is enormous, though. The demon race member who went after me probably won't recover. A part of its soul shattered, and I even took its unique ability."
"That power!!"
Dangun Ji-hyeok shot to his feet, shouting. Realizing his excitement, he sat back down and spoke calmly.
"The unique ability you took—can you show it to me?"
I shifted my gaze. To the system window. The reward I hadn't checked because I passed out after killing the mine.
I confirmed the message now. The messages scrolled open, and the top one caught my eye.
The Gloomy Pit had transformed into the Pit of Causality. The grade increase was only natural. After all, what I possessed was far greater and more magnificent than a mere demon race member without any authorities.
"I'll use it."
I looked at Dangun Ji-hyeok and activated the ability. A gray arrogance— the portion corresponding to demonic energy—spread from my body, beginning to erode the surroundings.
Crack!
Suddenly, a hole appeared beneath our feet, sucking us in instantly.
In a flash, the world flipped, and I, Dangun Ji-hyeok, and Ki So-young found ourselves in a new space.
It creates a dungeon. Artificially, if I willed it, I could use it for terrorism or kill someone without leaving evidence. It's even a kind of sub-space like a territory. Unless I use my power, no one can enter or leave.
Of course, I had no intention of using it that way if possible. But that didn't mean I wouldn't use it at all.
'If necessary, I'll use anything.'
I looked at Dangun Ji-hyeok. He was observing the space, taking it all in with his eyes. It was only natural for Ki So-young to look around in surprise as well.
How much time passed? Dangun Ji-hyeok finally looked at me.
"You possess demonic energy."
"Yes. I do."
"Are you a mine?"
A ridiculous suspicion. If I were a mine, no other mine would target me, and no demon race member would take the risk of descending just to kill me.
Well, even if that were the case.
"No. I just have a bit of a unique power."
The wings activated. Light and darkness. Good and evil. Divine power and demonic energy coexisted, revealing themselves.
Surprise once again flickered across Dangun Ji-hyeok's face. I figured showing this much would convince him.
His suspicion and distrust vanished in an instant. It was only natural. No demon race member or mine could possess divine power. They couldn't even use it to begin with.
Divine power and demonic energy are polar opposites, the ultimate antitheses. If someone tried to hold both simultaneously, it would cause a reaction hundreds of times more violent than the clash of sun and chaos that nearly killed me before.
I, on the other hand, inherited Lucifer's power, allowing me to wield such strength. Come to think of it, both chaos and arrogance were powers that defied all reason.
"Have you confirmed enough?"
It was becoming hard to maintain. Even with my ocean of arrogance converted entirely to demonic energy, it drained away rapidly. If it had been the sun (light) side, I might have endured with the Solar Heart Technique, but demonic energy was different.
"Sorry. That's enough."
I canceled the unique ability manifestation, and we returned to the restaurant.
"Impressive. To possess both light and darkness simultaneously......"
Was he thinking of something? Or did he know something?
Dangun Ji-hyeok looked at me with a strange gaze before speaking.
"You've satisfied my excessive curiosity so thoroughly that I should share something in return."
He reached into empty air. A sub-space opened, and an ancient tome appeared in his hand.
"Take it. It's an ancient tome related to your power. I've had it for a while but didn't see a reason to decipher it... Seeing your wings and power, it came to mind immediately."
I took the tome and activated Solar Eye.
'Hmm...... As expected, translation is too much to ask.'
Even with a mythical-grade unique ability, translation seemed beyond it. Maybe my proficiency was lacking.
But the moment I saw the illustrations in the tome, I was certain.
'This is it.'
It was the tome that later revealed details about the being called Lucifer and his legacy, the wings.
"It seems just what I needed. Thank you."
I immediately stored the tome in my inventory. We'd exchanged what we intended to give and receive.
"Let's eat first and talk more. I'm hungry."
Dangun Ji-hyeok said this and casually ordered food. The prices were exorbitant—over a million won per serving—but neither he nor I would flinch at that.
I ignored the surprised looks from the two as I calmly scanned the menu and picked what I wanted. Truth be told, among the three of us, I had the most wealth.
How much was in my account right now? Of course, using it properly was tricky. Transferring it to my account would inevitably expose my identity, so I had to be cautious.
The conversation continued. From trivial matters to minor curiosities about each other. It flowed naturally until it reached my heroic tale(?). An E-rank hunter who not only survived a mine but even attacked a demon race member!
There was still business to discuss, but in the atmosphere where everyone was postponing it until after the meal, when that topic arose, I seized the moment, my eyes gleaming.
'Now's the time.'
This was the perfect timing to toss out the bait.
"Ah! Come to think of it, there was something strange. I was too exhausted and out of it at the time to think straight......"
I trailed off, frowning slightly and tilting my head. Dangun Ji-hyeok's eyes lit up at the mention of the demon race.
"Did you hear something? From the demon race member?"
"It seemed like I heard something from the demon race member. But I'm not sure if it was from it or the mine incarnation. Things were so chaotic then."
Dangun Ji-hyeok's eyes sparkled. A sign of interest. It made sense—he needed even the tiniest scrap of info, whether from a mine or demon race member.
I smirked inwardly.
'He bit.'
Unfortunately, it wasn't the info he wanted. This was fake news mixed with truth. Unrelated, but if it dangled in front of your nose, you'd think it fit anywhere.
I put on my best acting performance and spoke.
"It said... a monster wave would start in about a week."
Dangun Ji-hyeok lost interest upon hearing my words, his excitement fading. He checked his phone for the date, nodded, and said,
"Yeah, it's about that time. I thought it'd be next month, but sooner than expected. Is that all the info?"
"No. This wave is different. The imoogi that's been piling up karma for millennia on Baekdu Mountain might appear on the battlefield."
Dangun Ji-hyeok's face hardened. It was warranted—the imoogi was a disaster officially recognized by the system.
Calamity-grade monsters. These five beings, each claiming a region of Earth, possessed irreplaceable power.
To put it in perspective, it would take at least five future SSS-rank hunters to even challenge one. They could alter terrain, infuse surroundings with their power, and even the system deemed them unkillable.
'That's why those two SS-rank hunters catching an imoogi was a miracle.'
How they did it remained unknown. Aside from rumors that the imoogi they faced was somehow off, no details were released.
'Will it be the same this time?'
That's why I was torn. Should I tell him this? Or stay silent?
Who weakened the imoogi and sent it into the monster wave was unknown even before my regression. How it was possible was a mystery.
The imoogi erected a formidable barrier over the entire Baekdu Mountain upon appearing—one even SSS-rank hunters struggled to breach.
Of course, no one knew for sure. After the barrier devoured hundreds of high-rank hunters on its first appearance, access was forbidden.
It wasn't called a calamity beast's domain for nothing. The governments of China, Russia, and Korea banned entry into imoogi territory. Approaching might awaken it and trigger a wave.
"Imoogi? The one I know?"
"Yes. But it's not certain. Can't trust what mines or demon race members say. Still, it bothers me."
Dangun Ji-hyeok nodded gravely at my words. If the imoogi truly appeared, it would threaten the nation's survival.
But this info alone wasn't enough. I'd foreshadowed the imoogi's emergence. It could mobilize hunters worldwide for the wave.
That would complicate Tower of Ascension shares immensely. It needed to be composed solely of Korean hunters.
"Ah! I also heard its power has weakened. Didn't get details, but right as I arrived, it said the imoogi's power had greatly diminished and it would appear in this wave to rebuild its karma."
Dangun Ji-hyeok fell deep into thought, and Ki So-young pondered my words as well.
Their silence lasted until the food arrived, and only then did the conversation resume.