Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: It's Okay Because I'm a Genius Even Though I'm on a Time Limit
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Abilities acquired through browsing don't wear out easily.
They lie dormant in the depths of consciousness, then rise naturally to the surface the moment the switch is flipped.
I spoke in a voice and tone that even I found cool, standing in a relaxed yet unflustered posture.
"You've finally figured it out. What's your name?"
"Baek Sa-young. You had your hat pulled low back then..."
"Right, Baek Sa-young..."
I paused as if savoring the name, then spat it out indifferently.
"Anyway, what brings you here?"
"Well..."
Baek Sa-young hesitated cautiously, not fully letting her guard down.
"Ah, civilian support duty?"
I took the lead.
"I heard Class A second-years were dispatched to investigate the missing persons case. Under Professor Lee Taek-jin, right?"
"Yes, that's right. Do you know him?"
Know him? Of course. I've even held his hand.
"A real blockhead, completely inflexible. Must be tough."
"Haha. A bit."
Thanks to that, the atmosphere gradually softened over time.
Dropping insider knowledge about civilian support and Lee Taek-jin was a good move.
On top of that, the forged black badge via manifestation.
Subtly flashing the Special Task Force emblem—a black background etched with the face of Chiwoo Heavenly King.
"...Actually, a Special Patrol Team was formed and patrolling the area."
The just-twenty-one-year-old Baek Sa-young was completely convinced.
It took less than five minutes for her to spill all the details.
"I see."
I stroked my chin with a grave expression, then casually opened my mouth.
"Looks like the missing persons case Class A is handling isn't just the work of stray Demonic Beasts. I can't go into details, but it seems connected to the demon I've been tracking."
"D-Demon, you say?"
Baek Sa-young's eyes widened as she asked back.
I didn't bother adding more.
I just stared straight at the giant tree ahead, implying our goals aligned.
"Then..."
"It's not certain, so better not report it yet. We'll know more once we check it out. Enough chit-chat."
I lightly patted Baek Sa-young's shoulder and walked toward the giant tree.
"A-Already leaving?"
Baek Sa-young called out urgently, but I didn't turn around.
...
She's probably feeling pretty conflicted right now.
Whether to report it as per the original plot.
Or to investigate closely with someone trustworthy before making a decision.
But I already knew the answer.
The Baek Sa-young I knew wouldn't ignore the possibility right in front of her and take the easy path.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before Baek Sa-young shouted.
"S-Senior! If it's not a bother, can I check it out with you too?"
Why not? Of course.
I cheered inwardly, but a sharp retort came out instead.
"Why ask me?"
"Pardon?"
"Don't you know civilian support agents have formal investigative authority during operations? If you want to, then do it."
"Ah..."
"We're operating under different orders, so there's no hierarchy between us right now. No need for permission."
In short, if you want, follow along...
Whew.
Even I thought it was X-factor charisma.
No wonder women—no, Baek Sa-young was smitten.
With that, I walked off without lingering.
Soon, hurried footsteps joined me at my side.
"T-Then I'll come along too. It seems like a bigger case than expected, but I'll do my best not to be a burden."
"Your posture's decent, at least."
"Th-Thank you."
I tossed out a curt word indifferently, and the corner of Baek Sa-young's mouth twitched.
At the peak of her yearning for the strong, even a casual compliment left her at a loss.
"Let's go."
Anyway, as planned, we joined forces and approached the giant tree.
I stopped at a distance where a door might be and dropped a hint.
"It's a Serang tree."
"You know something about it?"
When Baek Sa-young asked back, I explained it was a sacred tree housing Serangshin, the village guardian deity born from folk beliefs.
"But what's its connection to the incident? No traces, not even an entrance."
"That's why it's a Demonic Space. Objects imbued with strong intent, exposed to dense mana over long periods, can rarely create magical spaces."
"Ah."
"Search the base of the tree thoroughly. There might be clues to the Demonic Space."
I commanded naturally, and Baek Sa-young scurried off.
She swept her hands frantically over the ground, poking around, then shouted.
"Senior! Something's written here."
As expected.
It was a stone slab densely packed with indecipherable Hanja characters.
Baek Sa-young narrowed her eyes and read them down.
"1...03...2 years, so built in 1032..."
This would take all night.
Her fumbling was annoying, so I got to the point.
"If you wish to proceed to the Serangshin shrine, show respect."
"You read it already?"
No.
I already knew.
[Remaining Time: 26 days 8 hours 33 minutes]
I estimated the current time based on remaining time.
Pretty tight.
Generously, about 2 hours.
If I didn't wrap it up in that, one of the absent demons would return, and I'd have to deal with both.
So I set plausibility aside for now.
Normally, I'd have to put on a whole guessing game show here...
Instead, I picked up three nearby pebbles and stacked them on the stone slab.
"Senior, what are you..."
Rumble—
The stone slab sank with a dull sound.
"...Huh?"
"It's a superstition they held dear."
"A superstition?"
"There's a saying that stacking three stones and bowing three times when passing a Serang tree brings good luck. More importantly..."
I changed the subject and instructed her to message the Special Patrol Team.
Omit my existence—say they've found a suspicious location and plan to search, request backup if no contact in an hour.
I had to twist the progression, but since I'd match the ending, it was necessary.
"Hurry."
I swiftly grabbed Baek Sa-young by the scruff and shoved her into the hole.
* * *
Baek Sa-young and I entered the Demonic Space beneath the Serang tree.
It was clearly underground, but as we walked, the enclosing dirt walls vanished, revealing a vast plain.
It felt like stepping into another world.
A sky and moon appeared before long, and a fresh breeze replaced the musty earth smell.
Baek Sa-young blinked in surprise and asked.
"Is this a Demonic Space... Like a Demonic Beast nest?"
I shook my head.
"It matches in terms of spatial expansion, but the essence differs. It's a magical space created between illusion and reality—literally."
Like intent materializing, but still just intent.
"Let's go a bit farther."
Baek Sa-young and I walked ahead.
After about 15 minutes in silence, we spotted something unusual and stopped.
Six wooden totems, each over 3 meters tall, stood in rows on either side, casting eerie glares.
Their trunks were inscribed with tiny Hanja, just like the stone slab.
No need to translate—I already knew.
To pass, show proper etiquette.
"Senior..."
"Hold."
I grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and scattered it through the space the totems encircled protectively.
Whoosh—
Something wondrous happened.
The dirt sprinkled upward crumbled upon hitting an invisible force, while the lower part passed safely.
But rushing through based on that alone would be a big mistake.
"Bow three times..."
The pattern would reverse at a certain point.
Lie down, stand up. Repeat three times.
"How did you get it on the first try... This defies logic."
I ignored Baek Sa-young's muttered doubt.
"Don't make a fuss. Hurry through."
"Ah, yes."
Passing the path the totems allowed, the surrounding air shifted completely.
The breeze touching my skin brought a prickling sensation and sticky discomfort.
"Demonic aura."
The moment I recognized it, the bushes ahead rustled not far off.
Rustle—
Two Grade 8 Demonic Beasts, revenants, burst through.
Human-like but with unusually red skin and large tusks piercing through their lips.
In a word, like Western orcs crossed with Eastern goblins.
Fairly intelligent, they lived in packs—which made them one of the Demonic Beasts demons favored.
"Senior, what should we do?"
Baek Sa-young whispered, having drawn a mid-length straight sword.
What else? You need to earn your keep.
Truthfully, I needed her strength from here on.
"Prove it. If you have the right to call me senior."
I patted her shoulder once more.
"Prove..."
Like a light switching on, Baek Sa-young's expression changed drastically.
The clumsy rookie vanished, replaced by a fierce swordsman emanating deadly intent as she charged like the wind.
Light yet stealthy steps closing in.
Leaping like a panther, her flame-ignited blade pierced one revenant's chest.
As the other charged with an axe, the attribute in her blade shifted.
This time, a sharp wind gale whipped out, grinding the embedded sword free before thrusting it into the attacker's gut.
All in the blink of an eye.
...Was that guy always that strong?
The protagonist was the protagonist, after all.
Her attribute conversion was more skilled than expected—I watched in fresh surprise.
"Maybe I was tense; it felt a bit rough."
Baek Sa-young scratched her head sheepishly, then her eyes sparkled.
"..."
"..."
Eager for a word, I brushed it off vaguely.
"Mind your left hand... The left is just for support."
For the record, I know zilch about swordsmanship.
Just armament carry.
...But geniuses are geniuses, huh.
"Ah, the basics of gripping the sword were all wrong. That's why the combos were unstable and slow..."
Baek Sa-young gazed at her hand with a dazed look, mumbling nonsense.
...Thought about snapping her out, but let it be.
['Greed' is clamoring that it's hungry.]
The guy who'd been quiet lately was rowdy.
Wait.
I approached the sprawled revenant.
['Greed' says to bring it closer.]
Like this?
As I brought my hand near per its words, a bizarre phenomenon occurred.
Suddenly, the center of my palm heated up.
['Greed' absorbs the demonic aura of the Grade 8 Demonic Beast 'One-Horned Revenant.']
Suuuuck.
A suction hard to describe.
Less like sucking in, more like calling forth?
As the peculiar, non-coercive pull activated, black smoke rose from the revenant's corpse.
Sssslither.
The smoke dove straight into my palm. A new message appeared immediately.
[Seal release rate increases.]
[Seal Release Rate: 0.5%]
0.5%.
Not bad for absorbing a Grade 8 Demonic Beast.
['Greed' yells that it didn't even tickle.]
...Got it, man.
Like a mother bird feeding her chick, I hurried to the other revenant.
Grrr.
It was still breathing.
A huge hole in its chest, but upon seeing me, it bared long molars, radiating savage demonic nature.
Of course, I didn't care.
"Be good nourishment."
I manifested a dagger and plunged it into its chest.
[Grade 8 Demonic Beast, 'One-Horned Revenant' defeated.]
[12 hours acquired.]
Then raised my right hand to absorb the demonic aura.
[Seal Release Rate: 1%]
My lips curved in satisfaction.
Gained time and absorbed demonic aura.
Talk about one swing, two kills—one stone, two birds.
As I stood after finishing, a prickling gaze hit me.
"I learned a lot. Thank you."
Baek Sa-young bowed deeply, head down for a while.
"Ahem."
I couldn't respond and gave a small fake cough.
It started as acting for the quest, but it was getting burdensome beyond what I could handle.
"...Almost there. Let's hurry."
I brushed off my goosebumps and walked quickly.
Not far off stood the Serang Shrine, housing Serangshin.
The end of the Demonic Space built on folk faith...
Amid the cluster of serene hanok houses, an ominous black aura flickered.