Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Rage of a Human?
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In front of the window at Etoile.
Moon Byul was adjusting the window to make it wider.
Then, he sensed a familiar mana from beyond the window. It was Wisph.
"The Saintess has arrived."
It seemed like it was time for her to head out.
Knock knock.
Hearing the knock as well, Moon Byul leaped through the window.
Moon Byul had thought Han Yu Seong was calling him because the Saintess had returned, but the place he emerged was completely unexpected.
'An arena of some kind?'
"I-it's a person!"
"A person popped out of the Grimoire!"
People with their faces covered shouted "person" at him.
It was a strange situation, but Moon Byul felt secretly pleased to be called a person.
"That's right. I am a person."
***
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Moon Byul!"
"Whir whir!"
"It's been a while. Iru Ri, Wisph."
Iru Ri, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, looked the same as ever. But somehow, her voice carried a note of urgency.
"I-it wasn't me who called you, Moon Byul."
Turning around, he saw a flustered Han Yu Seong shouting at him from afar. They had agreed that if he knocked on the book again, Moon Byul would come out.
"I know. Was the timing bad, by any chance?"
"No! It's great!"
As Moon Byul gauged the mood, Iru Ri quickly answered.
"No! Go back to the Grimoire, and I'll call you later!"
Everyone was flustered by Moon Byul's sudden appearance, but Han Yu Seong was the most rattled of all.
He had a feeling that no matter what Moon Byul did in this situation, it wouldn't work in his favor.
Unfortunately, Moon Byul had no reason to listen to him.
"Why should I do that?"
"......"
"If it's a bother, you can wait in the back. This is a good chance to finish our last conversation."
For some reason, Iru Ri found him feeling awkward. His expressions were so human, his form so human-like; the only unusual thing was the robe adorned with moving stars draped over his body.
"You seem... more human now?"
"Is it that obvious? Haha."
While Iru Ri caught up with So Seori, So Seori closely observed Moon Byul, who was smiling and chatting.
'He's different from before, but what exactly?'
The Moon Byul she had seen through the CCTV monitor had felt ghostly. An oppressive sense of presence, perhaps.
But now, to her eyes, Moon Byul was unmistakably human.
'He's mimicking a human.'
Suddenly, So Seori recalled what Seo In Ah had said.
Just as the director had predicted—that he would gradually become more human—Moon Byul had done exactly that.
There was no trace of his former overwhelming pressure or power. Had he really become an ordinary human?
He looked like he might topple over if an S-rank like her just nudged him.
"Are you the owner of this unauthorized Grimoire?"
A white-haired little girl approached Moon Byul and asked.
Unauthorized Grimoire— she must mean the Cosmic Grimoire.
"If you're asking if I'm the owner of this Grimoire, then yes."
As Moon Byul made a grabbing motion with his hand, the Grimoire on the floor flew into his palm like a magnet.
"I come from the library on the 90th floor of the Akashic Tower."
The girl, who introduced herself as Aka Sik, bowed politely to Moon Byul.
"Wait, hold on—from the Tower? The 90th floor, even?"
"Yes."
As the surprised Iru Ri asked, Aka Sik glanced at her and replied.
"Pleased to meet you, Aka Sik. I'm Moon Byul. But is now a good time?"
I glanced at the people in the audience seats and Han Yu Seong. This didn't seem like the place for casual chit-chat.
Anyone could see it was a stage.
"Now that the auction has stopped, it's actually perfect."
She patted her chest as if nervous, then broached the subject with me.
"Um, I... I need to take that unauthorized Grimoire..., is that okay?"
She fidgeted with her tightly clenched little fists, constantly avoiding my gaze.
I could tell this girl knew asking me for the Grimoire was an unreasonable request.
More than that, an auction... Paddles raised in the audience seats, the stage.
I could roughly figure out where this was. It seemed I was the auction item.
What did they plan to do with a useless book they couldn't even read?
Or did they know I lived inside the Grimoire and wanted to buy me?
Either way, it had no purchase value.
As I mulled over these amusing thoughts, she pointed at the Cosmic Grimoire and spoke.
"Besides, that thing doesn't belong here."
"That would be a problem. This is my soul, you see."
It was the truth. My soul was bound to the Grimoire.
In fact, I was the one who wanted to beg them to take it away.
After all, I was the one who had spent over a century trying to separate myself from this Grimoire.
"It'll only take a moment! Please..., is there no way? M-Mr. Moon Byul?"
I'd expected as much, but she didn't give up after being refused.
On top of that, she was sweating like a terrified little girl.
'What about me is scaring her like this?'
It might have made sense before, but now I looked like an ordinary human. And I actually was one.
Her desperate appearance gave me pause, and I fell into thought.
Her words piqued my curiosity.
Why was she seeking the Grimoire from the 90th floor of the Tower?
Did this girl know something about the Grimoire?
I knew as little about it as everyone else here.
I'd just happened to pick it up, and my soul got tangled with it.
"How about this? If you invite me, I'll bring the Grimoire myself."
"Moon Byul! Holy Guard!"
While Aka Sik and Moon Byul talked, something sharp sliced through the air toward Moon Byul.
Iru Ri, who had been watching Moon Byul, noticed the slash and threw herself forward, deploying Holy Guard.
But Holy Guard shattered helplessly against the slash. It sharply cut Iru Ri's shoulder and severed the arm holding the Grimoire.
"Ngh."
Iru Ri let out a pained groan and staggered.
Thud. Thunk.
Moon Byul's arm hit the ground with a dull sound, and the Grimoire fell to the floor.
Moon Byul looked at his severed hand and the Grimoire with an emotionless expression.
Iru Ri clutched her spurting shoulder and dropped to her knees.
"Iru Ri!"
"Eh?"
"......"
The shocked So Seori rushed over, while Aka Sik looked around in confusion at the inexplicable situation.
Moon Byul quietly placed his remaining hand on Iru Ri's wounded shoulder.
Flash.
Light poured from Moon Byul's hand, stopping the bleeding in an instant. Fresh flesh regrew at an unbelievable speed, leaving no scar on her shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
"Moon Byul! Your arm!"
"I'm fine."
From Moon Byul's severed arm, not blood, but something black slowly oozed out. It was the energy of his true form.
It was merely a dummy doll's arm that had been severed; it hadn't inflicted any damage on Moon Byul himself.
"Something's up."
With those words, Moon Byul suddenly vanished.
"Huh?"
"Moon Byul?"
As the others wondered at his disappearance, he shifted to a higher dimension and looked around.
Lower dimensions can't perceive higher ones. To them, it would look like Moon Byul had vanished.
When Moon Byul reappeared and reached out, a bowler hat flew into his hand from somewhere.
It was the Helm of Hades.
In the direction the hat had come from stood Han Yu Seong.
Only then could people perceive Han Yu Seong, whose presence had been erased.
No one had noticed he was wearing the Helm of Hades. They realized the sudden, inexplicable attack had come from him.
"Han Yu Seong."
From his severed arm, the shape of a hand emerged.
The newly formed hand of Moon Byul was identical to the night sky. As he slowly extended his black fingers, the fallen Grimoire flew into them.
"You'd better explain yourself well."
Moon Byul's narrowed eyes and hardened expression bore an emotion that hadn't been there before.
It was rage.
***
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'What the hell is going on?'
The host, who had blacked out from shock, couldn't comprehend the standoff on stage.
Something was wrong here.
The foundation of the black market was trust. He would never tolerate this kind of chaos.
Moreover, what kind of disgrace was this in front of the world's elite tycoons?
He needed to step in and sort this out quickly.
"Han Yu Seong! You're here not as an S-rank climber, but as an exhibitor! You've scared the customers. I will take responsibility for this matter—"
"Enough."
At Moon Byul's single word, the arena fell deathly silent. Both the recovering customers and the host's people.
No one could open their mouth.
'Word of Command!'
So Seori had never heard such a coercive Word of Command before.
Word of Command was a form of magic that infused mana into speech.
Naturally, it had many limitations, and coercive commands consumed massive amounts of mana.
That's why Word of Command was used for questions or contracts, not to force others.
Let alone using it on multiple people at once— she'd never even imagined such a thing. It wasn't that kind of magic to begin with.
'Damn, he's only human on the outside!'
So Seori changed her mind.
He might look like an ordinary person on the surface, but his essence was still the Moon Byul she'd first encountered.
She had no idea how he mimicked human form so flawlessly without any sense of incongruity.
But one thing was certain.
"I-I..."
Look at that terrified expression.
Han Yu Seong was screwed.
***
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Human survival instincts surpass magic.
Magic is the realm of mathematics, understanding, energy, efficiency, and imagination.
The tycoons in the audience were feeling the terror of death for the first time in their lives.
A very few people instinctively ignored Moon Byul's Word of Command magic and began moving one by one.
These lifelong tycoons, who had lived without restraint, couldn't even imagine being bound or restricted— that made it possible.
Ignoring Moon Byul's Word of Command was an inexplicable phenomenon born of human will and imagination.
It was a 'miracle' in the truest sense.
'G-Gotta run...!'
'What the hell is that thing!'
Auctions were the last thing on their minds now.
All that remained was the instinct to flee from the unknown predator before them.
Of course, Moon Byul had no intention of harming them.
But does a rabbit before a lion care about the lion's circumstances? It just runs for its life.
They simply wanted to escape the enraged unknown entity before them.
Flip flip flip...
"!"
The sound of pages rapidly turning echoed through the arena.
This was the moment the Cosmic Grimoire finally opened its mouth to the world for the first time.
Snap.
As Moon Byul, who had opened the Grimoire, snapped his fingers, countless magic circles began to appear.
First one, then two, six, twenty.
Mysterious magic circles manifesting endlessly.
"Haha."
So Seori let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
As an S-rank climber, she knew she was among the pinnacle of humanity.
She took pride in it and had confidence in her skills. After all, she was one of the people holding the line at the forefront against the Korean Tower's collapse.
Even she didn't think she'd lose to Han Yu Seong in a fight— she might get hurt, but not defeated.
Yet realizing she was mere prey compared to Moon Byul made her feel insignificant in that instant.
It was a feeling she'd never experienced before.
She thought that if there were beings like Moon Byul on the Tower's yet-unexplored upper floors, she could accept humanity's doom outright.
As she gazed at the magic circles filling the dark night sky.
Before she knew it, the darkened arena was as bright as if a night game were underway.
"No one move."
This time, it was less a Word of Command and more a declaration.
Even the few tycoons who had wrought small miracles were no exception.
Their minor miracles were ruthlessly crushed.
In the end, no one in the arena could move.
"Han Yu Seong."
Moon Byul slowly walked toward the terrified Han Yu Seong.
This time, even Han Yu Seong couldn't step back. His feet wouldn't leave the ground.
"I asked you not to cross the line."
The distance between Han Yu Seong and Moon Byul was just about four meters.
It was closing.
Step by step.
Moon Byul raised the hand holding the Grimoire.
"Is this your answer?"
Only after Han Yu Seong fell to the floor did Moon Byul stop.
***
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Chairman, um, over there."
"Yes, I see it."
Outside the arena, Kim Seok Hyun, the Climber Association Chairman waiting in standby, looked up at the night sky.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"......You mean that?"
He spoke of beauty, but it terrified him at the same time.
The chairman's skill pointed the way forward.
If the coin said to leave it be, how long should he? Until it crossed the line he'd drawn in advance.
The black market was a clear violation of that pre-set line.
Confirming Han Yu Seong's movements, Kim Seok Hyun had taken action.
That's why he'd come to the black market late at night with his agents.
'Should I have acted sooner?'
For the first time, the chairman doubted his own skill.
If this was the result right after arriving, wouldn't acting earlier have been better?
Anyone seeing the countless magic circles floating in the arena sky would think the same.
They were so dazzling that at a glance, they resembled giant lights hung in the night sky.
"We'll go in a little later."
He had no desire to vanish in a column along with the arena.