Illusion Demon (2)
“N-No way!”
Someone’s cry of alarm rang out, followed by the shrill wail of the mana detector in his hand.
Beep-beep-beep.
The signal meant only one thing: mana from the Illusion Demon had been detected from the pebble Kim Jehyun had pulled out.
“H-How...”
It was a question that spoke for everyone’s shock.
“There was a magic circle on the fish tank that blocked mana detection.”
The Illusion Demon had hidden the pebble inside the tank—the medium he used to cast his illusions.
“You... saw through it at a glance?”
“I’ve got a pretty good sense for mana.”
―Whoa.
A low murmur of admiration escaped the Chasers’ lips at Jehyun’s casual reply.
They’d heard the rumors of his genius, but they hadn’t expected this.
The way they looked at him now sparkled with even greater awe.
―Heh, look at him lying through his teeth without batting an eye.
‘I can’t exactly tell them about Dragon Eye, can I?’
Jehyun shrugged at Alkasha’s words.
That was right. He’d pierced the fish tank’s magic circle at a glance thanks to Dragon Eye. He’d passed it off as his keen mana sense, and the Chasers had bought it hook, line, and sinker.
‘Ah!’
―What is it?
‘Finding it with Dragon Eye is still my ability, so calling it a type of mana sense isn’t really a lie.’
―...Fine, your shit’s thick enough.
In a dark room, Lee Hyunwoo stood gazing out the window.
“The Illusion Demon accepted the offer.”
“...He had no choice.”
Lee Hyunwoo nodded at Shin Daeil’s words.
The Superhuman Association’s blade was tightening around the Illusion Demon’s neck. Their relationship with him had never been great, but this time, refusing their outstretched hand wouldn’t have been easy.
Refusal would have meant risking his life.
“Looks like even that bastard’s getting desperate.”
Lee Hyunwoo let out a smirk. Shin Daeil’s lips twitched in echo.
They pictured the Illusion Demon—the one who always acted so high and mighty—accepting their proposal with a face twisted in desperation. It was the kind of scene that made stifling a laugh impossible.
“Support him fully.”
“To the maximum... you mean?”
“Yes. Deploy the Amheondan.”
Lee Hyunwoo’s expression turned deadly serious at Shin Daeil’s question.
“This time, we must take out Kim Jehyun.”
The Black Snake Clan had nowhere left to retreat.
Ever since the Superhuman Chaos incident, their already tarnished image had been dragged through the mud, and even the VIPs were starting to cut ties.
‘Not like that... we can’t let that happen.’
Lee Hyunwoo eyed the pill bottle on his desk.
He was already hooked on the drugs supplied through the VIPs—he couldn’t live without them anymore. Without their backing, the Black Snake Clan’s collapse was only a matter of time.
And when the clan leader emerged from seclusion? What would he think of their utter ruin?
‘Kuh...’
Lee Hyunwoo shuddered at the thought of the clan leader.
He’d be the one to bear the full brunt of that rage.
Either way, retreat was no longer an option—even if their tracks got exposed in this mess.
They’d deal with that when the time came.
‘Using the Amheondan just once and discarding them... it’ll hurt like hell.’
No matter how resolute he was, the idea of burning that card after one use made his heart ache.
‘No. If no traces are left...’
It wouldn’t be easy, but a clean kill meant they could keep the Amheondan.
That would be the best-case scenario.
‘Even in the worst case, I don’t think the Amheondan will fail.’
The Amheondan were living weapons crafted for slaughtering mages. Equipped with anti-magic artifacts from the VIPs, they could pierce mage shields with ease.
“No matter how overflowing his talent... he’s still just a mage.”
Anyone who bleeds dies like a normal human.
With the Amheondan on the move, Jehyun had no way to block their blades.
‘Please, let it be the best scenario.’
Lee Hyunwoo had absolute faith they wouldn’t fail.
“It leads this way.”
Jehyun led the Chasers, pursuing the Illusion Demon’s trail.
Using Dragon Eye, he spotted traces at an astonishing speed.
“Looks like he stopped here for a bit.”
“He used this object as a medium this time.”
“The mana scent’s getting stronger. He was here recently.”
The Chasers watching Jehyun track the demon were dumbfounded.
Kim Jehyun—had he trained in tracking arts?
Even if he had, finding traces at this pace was no small feat.
He’d just scan the area upon arrival and pinpoint the Illusion Demon’s remnants.
‘This is insane...’
Kim Hanbyeol, who’d been leading the Chasers before Jehyun arrived, gaped at him.
He’d heard Jehyun was a brilliant mage, but this was beyond imagination.
And moreover...
‘His tracking skills outshine his magic!’
Even Gu Eunseong, the top tracker in the field, couldn’t match this.
Once-in-a-generation genius.
The word floated through every Chaser’s mind as they stared at him.
“This guy’s a real nasty piece of work.”
Jehyun clicked his tongue as he followed the trail.
Who knew how many victims the Illusion Demon had claimed so far?
Even after Jehyun started tracking, traces of over a dozen more devoured dreams lingered.
He needed to catch the bastard before more fell victim.
“We’re getting closer... Should we call the Association?”
One Chaser hesitantly asked Jehyun.
Normally, they’d ask Kim Hanbyeol, their nominal leader, but somehow, they’d turned to Jehyun.
Subconsciously, they saw him as the one in charge now.
Kim Hanbyeol seemed to accept it as natural, waiting for Jehyun’s word.
“Hmm.”
Jehyun pondered briefly.
He didn’t know the Illusion Demon’s full power, but judging by the lingering mana, it was at least 7th Circle.
In a fight, protecting the Chasers while battling wouldn’t be easy.
‘Tracking his trail alone should earn enough contribution anyway.’
Decision made, Jehyun spoke.
“Yes. I’ll contact Chief Kang Byungwoo.”
He notified the Superhuman Association they were closing in.
Then, they took a short break awaiting backup.
“Mage Jehyun, did you study tracking separately?”
Everyone’s eyes locked on him at the question.
They were dying to know if he’d formally trained, given his eerie speed.
‘The vibe here... if I say no training, it’ll disappoint them.’
Their gazes held a hint of letdown already.
So Jehyun added a little flair.
“Actually, I got a chance to learn basics through some connections.”
“Ooh... as expected.”
“So you self-studied from there to this level?”
“Yeah. Turns out I have a knack for it.”
Once he started, the words flowed easily.
The Chasers’ faces lit with awe.
“Incredible... self-taught, no less.”
“Magic too—you’re a real genius!”
“Uh, Mage Jehyun. If I ever need tracking help, can I call on you?”
“Of course.”
Jehyun agreed without thinking.
Little did he know, it would later bring him a tremendous stroke of fortune.
They were chatting amiably when—
Shaaaa...
A chilling presence prickled from afar.
‘Hm?’
Only Jehyun sensed the shift.
‘What’s this...?’
It was an unfamiliar aura.
His mana sense could detect ants 100 meters away, yet these slipped in undetected until now.
Like jelly swimming through water? Ghostly, ethereal.
Jehyun sharpened his senses, eyes narrowing.
‘...!’
He realized: over 30 entities were stealthily closing in within 100 meters.
Impossible to sense with normal perception.
‘What the hell?’
Jehyun grew wary.
Kim Hanbyeol noticed the subtle change. “Everything okay?”
“Ah! No, all good.”
Jehyun shook his head, then sent a telepathic message to Kim Hanbyeol.
Kim Hanbyeol’s eyes twitched at the sudden voice in his head, but recognizing Jehyun, he composed himself.
Jehyun handed over an artifact that auto-deployed a shield. It should hold if they became targets.
He stood, walking toward the approaching foes.
The stealthy presences halted abruptly.
No hint of panic.
‘Pros.’
Whatever their goal, it wasn’t friendly. The faint, nauseating stench wafting from them confirmed it.
Swish.
Assuming they were made, they revealed themselves, encircling Jehyun.
Clad head-to-toe in pitch-black robes, only their eyes visible. They gripped thorny weapons glowing purple.
“Gasp!”
“W-What the—?!”
The Chasers gasped at the sudden appearance.
Jehyun confirmed his hunch: they were after him.
They’d approached spread out, so a surprise attack might miss some. He’d gone to them to ensure none escaped.
‘That faint sense must be from those robes.’
A dim, ink-like aura from the black fabric repelled ambient mana.
Anti-mana material. A normal mage wouldn’t have noticed until they were upon them.
“How... did you know?”
The apparent leader rasped, voice like scraping metal—chilling.
―These aren’t normal lifeforms.
Jehyun nodded at Alkasha.
“How? I just did. But who the hell are you?”
The man’s red eyes curved into crescents, a gruesome smile.
“Does a dead man need to know? Want it anyway?”
Jehyun scowled.
Mistaking silence for fear, mocking laughter echoed from the robed figures.
“Fine. I’ve decided.”
“...?”
Jehyun’s scowl vanished, lips curling into a smirk.
“Decided what?”
“How to deal with you lot, obviously.”
No point talking to mutes—capture first, interrogate later.
His magic incantation computations finished during the chat.
First time using this power, so it took a bit longer.
But soon, a flick of the wrist would suffice.
‘Manifest Nightmare of the 13th Month.’
Nightmare of the 13th Month
Jehyun elegantly traced patterns in the air, like an orchestra conductor’s baton—grand, mesmerizing.
The robed assailants lunged in panic, but they were a beat too late.
Saya Princess’s hallucinatory power, Nightmare of the 13th Month, fused with Jehyun’s magic and descended upon them.