Erhil (4) - Reverse Heaven Defies All Principles
Reverse Heaven defies all principles. Unique abilities, magic, sword aura, protective energy... It nullifies everything powered by mana or its derivatives. The powers and laws of this world cannot withstand Reverse Heaven.
But that doesn't mean Reverse Heaven is omnipotent. Starting from the rank called High Grade, it can't resolve everything on its own.
Those who reach the realm known as High Grade dye the world with laws drawn from their own imagery, overwriting the world's principles. Black Energy is the power that drags them down to death.
A power that gathers Reverse Heaven's energy in one place and shakes it violently from within.
Black, impure power coalesced in my hand.
The snake thrashed wildly. Erhil's mana field began snapping apart in pops.
Kim Ara wouldn't be able to move for a while. She hadn't fully awakened her power yet, and Root Force was a tricky energy to handle anyway.
But it didn't matter. It was over now.
I stirred my Nian internally. Then infused Reverse Heaven into my legs and leaped with all my might.
The shadow snake twisted its body. But my body was already touching the snake's trunk.
My hand touched the snake.
Thud.
A light sound rang out. But the power contained within was anything but light.
The Black Energy, compressed by Reverse Heaven, pierced through everything in the shadow snake and burrowed into its interior.
A rampage starting from the inside. Reverse Heaven causes everything to flow backward. As if only itself is the absolute truth, it rejects all other mana.
That's why it's called Reverse Heaven.
Chapter 1.5: Shadow Snake Subjugated!
5,000P awarded!
Shadow Snake defeated in a single strike! Unbelievable record achieved!
Rewards upgraded!
2,000P additionally awarded!
5,000P Exclusive Technique Creation Ticket awarded!
-Kieeeek!
The shadow snake screamed. Kim Ara and Erhil shifted into combat stances. But I stayed put.
This was the snake's final phase. I knew from its reaction that this outburst came right before it stopped breathing.
Ridiculous.
I looked at the snake. Just one strike. I'd expected it, but seeing it firsthand felt different.
-Kieek! Kiak!
The writhing, screaming shadow snake spewed black blood and began to collapse. A last burst of strength.
Thud!
The shadow snake crashed down, kicking up dust everywhere. I gazed at it warmly.
Earlier, when I'd appraised the vinyl, it came out as D- grade. Skinning this thing for armor should net at least C grade. And the shadow snake had an inner core. I couldn't use it myself, but I could trade it for something better.
And above all, the real prize was elsewhere.
I eyed the reward window with satisfaction. The points were more than satisfying. I'd been struggling with point income lately.
...?
I paused while checking the points. The influx was way more than expected. Where'd this come from? I'd look into it later.
I turned to the Exclusive Technique Creation Ticket. This reward satisfied me too.
Learning footwork techniques has been slow, but this'll patch things up for now.
Status window.
Name: Lee Seoha
Strength: 3 | Agility: 5 | Stamina: 6
Mind: 5 | Dexterity: 5
Conceptual Stat
Reverse Heaven: 2
◈ Talents
「Viewing(-)」, 「Inexplicable Talent(A-)」, 「Handiwork(B+)」
◈ Techniques
「Black God Martial Art(?)」, 「Ikar's Advanced Spirit Control(C)」, 「Black Island Swordsmanship(D)」
◈ Constitution
「Reverse Heaven Body(S-)」
Compared to last time, the status window had a few additions. I looked at Black God Martial Art(?) under Techniques. A question mark floated where the rank should be.
This...
In Epic World, such ranks existed. It was the very Thousand-Year Martial Vein that Kim Seohyeon wielded. And the mid-boss tier character possessed it.
I stared at it for a moment before turning away. I felt eyes on me.
"...What was that power just now?"
Erhil's eyes were strange. Her pupils trembled, but the emotion I read was different. To take down that snake in one hit... as expected of the top student.
This wasn't the reaction I'd anticipated. Her gaze bordered on shock. She seemed to have grasped some extent of my power.
Did Melani tell her?
Did the Transcendents have some network or community? Melani lived in a dimension separate from the Heavenly Demon, as far as I knew.
"It's mine. More importantly, Erhil, help me move this thing."
"Eek, it's super gross though..."
If Erhil wouldn't help, then Kim Ara or I would have to carry it. I looked at the shadow snake. Definitely. The thing spewing black blood in gushes was an eyesore.
"Guess no choice then."
I crushed the gem the instructor had given us.
"Huh? Calling the instructors?"
"Yeah. Shadow snakes get used for all sorts of materials anyway, so better to give some away and get help."
Erhil looked genuinely sorry at my words.
"Then I'll take it from my share. I didn't do much anyway."
"Me too..."
Erhil and Kim Ara said. I shook my head. These things needed to be clear-cut.
"I'll deduct from my share. I called them."
"R-Really?"
Erhil's lips curved faintly upward. Makes sense. Shadow attribute monsters like this get used in magic reagents. Rare and hard to obtain.
I smiled at Erhil and Kim Ara.
I haven't even started squeezing value out of them yet.
This cleared any debts of gratitude. Erhil and Kim Ara were good people. Clearing this early meant they'd be useful later. The corpse might fetch a high price now, but down the line, I'd get bones for scraps. By then, it'd be too late for regrets.
That thought was interrupted by noise from above. The instructors had finally arrived. I sighed inwardly.
-Hm?
I summoned the Black Heaven Demon Sword with Nian. It flew into my hand at my will. Using Nian, I inspected the snake's corpse. Reverse Heaven was long depleted after one Black Energy.
The inner core's pretty far off.
I went to where the inner core was and pierced the snake's hide with the Black Heaven Demon Sword.
Slice, slice.
Every cut spilled black blood.
"Eugh."
Erhil made a weird noise at the sight of the blood. Right, she hated this stuff. I held back the stench and used Nian to extract the inner core.
Phew.
-That's not what that power's meant for originally.
I ignored the Black Heaven Demon Sword. It was right to use it efficiently depending on the user.
I shook the blood off the inner core and placed it in the wooden box I'd brought.
"This defies reason..."
Seo Wooju muttered as he stared at the shadow snake's corpse. The snake, bleeding black and dying, was grotesque in itself.
"How'd you take it down?"
"Kim Ara blocked the shadow snake up front, Erhil restricted its movements, and I finished it."
Seo Wooju looked at Kim Ara and Erhil. They nodded. No pressure from anyone.
Hm.
Seo Wooju eyed the shadow snake. Its size, the chilling mana from the dead blood—nothing ordinary. Even he, at peak condition, might lose 5 out of 10 fights against it.
Taking down a beast like this right out of the gate.
Even he—or any team of famed students since Korea Hero School's founding—couldn't pull this off easily.
"So, what score will we get?"
"Full marks, obviously," the assistant said to Erhil.
"Especially this shadow snake. It might've become an Imoogi soon. Report to the principal, and you'll get something good."
"For real?"
"Yes."
The assistant, expert in monster ecology, was convincing. Still, best to hand the corpse to a professor for precise inspection first.
Instructor Seo Wooju told the group that.
"Good. Oh, any assistants need these scales?"
"Selling?"
"Kinda, but we're beat. Was gonna ask you to help move it."
"...I see. I'll talk to the monster ecology professor. He's got a great grad student who'll preserve the body intact."
"Ah, then a few scales for him."
"...Not a bad choice for the prof either."
"..."
Lee Seoha gave Instructor Seo Wooju an exasperated look before speaking.
"So, what's our score for this exam?"
"Monster exam's comprehensive."
Seo Wooju pondered briefly. What they'd shown far exceeded his passing threshold.
"30 out of 10."
Seo Wooju chuckled as he said it.