Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 24
Unlike Vernon who greeted them warmly, Seo-jin coldly took in the sight of the corpses scattered at Vernon's feet with a cold expression.
Corpses that had dried up like mummies after having their mana and blood absorbed.
Five visible to the eye alone.
Moreover, calculating from the residual demonic energy lingering in the vicinity, nearly thirty people must have fallen victim to him.
"Ugh, ugh."
Mustafa Jamal also realized that this carnage was the work of a black mage and his complexion hardened.
"Close your eyes!"
Paulo the old man blocked Evan and Colin's view, preventing them from seeing the corpses.
Then Vernon looked around at Seo-jin's team members and continued speaking.
"Hehe. An old man, a disabled person, and useless young siblings. To have survived this long with such trash. You must have considerable skill to speak so boldly to me."
Instead of responding to his words, Seo-jin quietly asked.
"...How many did you kill?"
"Well? Do you count every piece of bread you've eaten so far?"
"You seem like you would count them."
Seo-jin had met many types of people.
He had met many insidious bastards like this one whose exterior and interior were different.
Vernon twisted his lips meanly and held up his fingers.
"You caught me. The number I've disposed of with my own hands in this test site is 28. Coincidentally, if I deal with you all, I'll surpass the record set by the Sword Star. You'll become the final life to mark that monumental new record."
HWARYEOK-.
Black flames dancing fluidly from Vernon's grasp.
It was much more precise and delicate mana manipulation compared to mages of similar level.
He proudly waved the flames attached to his hand and asked.
"You said you're also a mage, right? Then you should know well what these flames signify."
Mustafa Jamal, being a mage, seemed shaken by Vernon's flames as his eyes widened.
'This isn't innate talent. Surely power gained by offering numerous lives as sacrifices.'
However, Seo-jin asked back without the slightest waver.
"You mixed in concentration-type black magic that momentarily raises mana precision. That power isn't originally yours, is it?"
When Seo-jin hit the mark, Vernon momentarily erased his smile and growled.
"...What are you talking about? This is power I've seized for myself."
"Is obtaining it by offering the blood and flesh of innocents also considered seizing?"
"Of course. That's the demonic path that black mages walk."
Vernon proudly straightened his shoulders.
He could act so confidently because he didn't know that in the distant future, those who walked that demonic path would all die having their souls sucked dry by demons.
"Aren't you afraid of what comes after?"
At Seo-jin's question, Vernon spread both hands and looked up at the sky.
"The Tower is vast anyway. There are no rigid rules or laws like in the outside world. It's a truly free world."
Madness dwelling in Vernon's blue eyes.
Through this, Seo-jin grasped his true nature at a glance.
"Aha."
'He was a crazy bastard outside too.'
Though he couldn't immediately check criminal records, he was certainly a serial killer who had committed murder multiple times.
For such a bastard, the Tower would be paradise overflowing with prey.
Seo-jin let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.
"This is the Tower's problem."
The Tower doesn't discriminate between good and evil.
It's a place that equally embraces young siblings fleeing war and murderers intoxicated with killing.
"Because it's too vast and free, it ends up embracing all sorts of vermin too."
CHIRIK-.
Black lightning sparking from Seo-jin's fingertips.
Vernon saw this and chuckled.
"Hah, Black Lightning. So you're also a black mage like me. No wonder I felt a sense of kinship."
"Don't treat me the same, you murderous bastard."
"With such pathetic beginner black magic, you can't..."
Just when Vernon let his guard down and relaxed, being careless about Seo-jin's Black Lightning.
FLASH-.
Black lightning flew straight toward Vernon.
KUGWAGWA-!
Black Lightning that advanced in a straight line, tearing through the swampland.
CHWAAAAAK-!
That Black Lightning tore apart Vernon's right arm, then blew away the forest behind him before finally disappearing.
PAJIK- PAJIJIK-.
Seo-jin clenched his fist to eliminate the residual current remaining at his fingertips and said.
"Even beginner black magic differs depending on who uses it."
"..."
Vernon stared blankly at his disappeared right arm.
Soon coming to his senses, he grabbed his bleeding shoulder and began screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Catch them! Take the rest hostage!"
At Vernon's command, his puppets that had been hiding nearby appeared and rushed toward Seo-jin's team members.
PABABAK-.
His team members who had already been modified into puppets following Vernon's orders.
"Hah, damn."
Paulo and the other team members immediately took combat stances and began resisting.
However, they were puppets made from the top-class climbers on the 3rd floor.
Despite the team members' resistance, they quickly surrounded the area.
"Haah, haah, keke."
Vernon regained his composure after confirming that he had successfully taken the team members hostage.
But the pain still remained, so Vernon barely held onto his severed shoulder and warned Seo-jin.
"If you move any more, they will die."
"..."
While Seo-jin hesitated, Vernon tore his clothes to bind his wound and spoke in a much improved voice as if he had regained his composure.
"Honestly, it was quite dangerous. I didn't expect you to be hiding such skills. But no matter how strong you are, you can't win while protecting such trash."
Then he approached Seo-jin and extended his intact hand.
"You'd better stay still. If you move even a finger, their lives will be forfeit."
Vernon extended his hand toward Seo-jin and swallowed his saliva.
'First, I'll absorb mana and blood from this monster-like bastard and heal my wounds.'
After that, the remaining small fry wouldn't even need attention.
Vernon confirmed that Seo-jin wasn't moving at all, then smiled wickedly and placed his hand on Seo-jin's body.
While doing so, he smiled inwardly.
'If I can absorb this crazy mage's mana.'
He didn't know exactly what level he was, but judging from the power of the black magic just now, at least level 50 or above.
If he absorbed all of this guy's mana, not only could he heal his wounds, but he might even reach the second job advancement standard.
SQUIRM-.
Just when Vernon was harboring big dreams and trying to absorb Seo-jin's mana and blood.
Vernon's face twisted upon confirming Seo-jin's mana transmitted through his fingertips.
"...What is this mana?"
A pitiful amount that didn't even come close to what he had initially expected.
Considering the power of the black magic just fired, the mana should be dozens of times more than now.
Seo-jin chuckled at Vernon's reaction and called the undead hiding in his robe.
"Baduki."
KEURREUNG-.
At Seo-jin's call, Baduki, who had been hiding in the magic circle with only his nose showing, revealed himself.
Simultaneously.
KUGUGUGU-!
A massive earth wall rose between Seo-jin's team members and Vernon's puppets, separating both sides.
Baduki's innate characteristic [Earth's Authority] had activated.
KUGUGUNG-.
Baduki erected walls in all directions to protect the team members.
Seo-jin nodded as he watched this.
'Baduki isn't just a simple undead but a Demonic Creature.'
It was easy to overlook since he had only shown himself hunting by chomping and munching on monsters until now, but Baduki was an undead refined from the corpse of Behemoth, the demonic beast that governs the earth, and was also skilled in magic.
'For such a Baduki, using earth-type magic is as easy as breathing.'
Having safely protected the team members by erecting earth walls with his authority, Baduki began his earnest hunt.
KRARARA-!
Baduki howled once loudly then rushed at the puppets like a mad dog.
JJYEOREOK-.
Baduki's mouth became several times larger than its original size and immediately swallowed one of the puppets whole.
KADEUK-.
When Baduki rolled the puppet he swallowed around in his mouth like candy and bit down, the protective barrier protecting him broke and he disappeared to the test site.
Three puppets remained.
PABABAK-.
Having lost the prey in his mouth, Baduki immediately rushed toward another one.
"UOOO!"
The puppets also let out beast-like cries and rushed at Baduki, but.
SWISHIK- SWIK-.
They couldn't land any effective hits against Baduki, who moved at unpredictable directions and speeds while freely twisting his joints.
"DIE-!"
A puppet that had been unilaterally toyed with by Baduki finally found an opportunity and launched an attack.
It was a confident strike aimed at an unavoidable direction, but.
KKULLEONG-.
Instantly, one part of Baduki's body sank like slime, avoiding the attack.
He had freely adjusted the positions of bones and muscles to eliminate the impact point.
"Wow."
He had only sent him on auto-hunt so didn't know how he fought, but seeing it now, he was completely a spiritual being.
Before long, Baduki had eliminated all four puppets and sent them to the test site.
KEUR- KEUR-.
Baduki, who had quickly dealt with the puppets, prostrated before Seo-jin and panted.
"What is this exactly..."
Vernon looked at the tail-wagging Baduki with a dumbfounded expression.
The puppets he had painstakingly brainwashed, made from the finest materials available in this test site, had all been defeated by such a dog bastard.
It was an absurd result that was hard to believe even seeing it with his own eyes.
"Well done. Go inside and rest."
Seo-jin patted Baduki's head and sent him back, then looked at Vernon and said.
"Do you finally understand the situation now?"
"..."
An insurmountable gap in class.
Vernon glared at Seo-jin while gritting his teeth so hard that his gums bled.
How could such a result come about?
Where did such a monster spring from?
What about all the efforts he had made so far, the infinite power that person had promised?
Seo-jin looked at Vernon and shrugged his shoulders.
"There's no need to feel so wronged. To be like me, you'd have to die once and come back to life."
"Shut up."
KKULLEOK-.
"I said shut up!"
At the same time, Vernon's skin began bubbling and turning black.
As his emotions became intense, the demonic form hidden within him began to spread out.
Black magic's true side effect.
'Soul Harvest' had begun.
He looked at his strangely changing body and screamed in surprise.
"What, what is this, why is this happening?"
To this, Seo-jin tilted his head slightly and answered calmly.
"Why? It's just the destination of all the sins you've committed so far. That's how demons are originally. When there's nothing left to suck, they just spit you out."
CHIRIRIRIK-.
Black lightning emanating from Seo-jin's hand.
That mana, more refined and sharp than the previous Black Lightning, clearly carried killing intent.
Vernon was horrified seeing this.
"Su, surely you're not trying to kill me?"
"Why? Are you scared now? After killing so many people until now?"
Once 'Soul Harvest' symptoms begin, there's no way to reverse it.
Having their souls stolen by demons, they become monsters that destroy everything they see, and when they exhaust their strength, they cause mana rampage and devastate the surroundings.
Literally a walking time bomb.
Before that happens, their lives must be ended to completely remove the mana circuits.
And it's not just to prevent Soul Harvest that he's doing this.
Bastards who cause such harm to society should be killed and eliminated.
As Seo-jin approached step by step, Vernon rolled his eyes frantically and thought up excuses.
"If, if you kill me, you'll also become a murderer! The same as me!"
"..."
When Seo-jin didn't budge, he attempted negotiation as if he had found an opportunity.
"If, if you just spare me, I'll give you all the mana stones and research journals I've collected, ah, and even the sacrifices I gathered to consume later!"
Seo-jin looked down at Vernon groveling at his feet and asked.
"Really?"
When Seo-jin showed a reaction, he grinned and answered.
"Of, of course. I'll support you with all my material and spiritual resources. If you want, I can even introduce you to the one I made a contract with..."
"Actually, I'm not interested."
"You son of a..."
Seo-jin looked down at the bastard whose mask of false smiles was completely breaking and swung his hand.
SEOGEOK-.
When the thin Black Thread shot from Seo-jin's finger grazed near his heart.
"KKEUEUK-."
He collapsed with a thud.
Multiple mana circuits that had been tangled around his heart area were severed, causing instant death.
Completely disappeared life signs.
"..."
Seo-jin confirmed that his mana heart had completely stopped, then completely destroyed his upper dantian that was connected to the demon's contract.
PEOEOK-.
Finally.
[The 3rd floor climbing test has ended. Survivors will be transported to the waiting room shortly.]
Simultaneously with Vernon's death, an announcement echoed through the test site.