Chapter 473: Shadow (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 473: Shadow (3)
The shadows that had blanketed the surroundings returned to their rightful places.
The base of buildings, the ground beneath people’s feet, the space under the streetlights.
The false darkness vanished, and the gentle glow of streetlights and the moon filtered into the true night.
“Hoo… Now I can finally breathe.”
Kim Do-jin let out a deep breath, looking relieved.
Within the Shadow Walker’s domain, every inhale had felt as if a disgusting demonic energy was clinging clammily to his lungs, making it feel like he wasn’t getting any real air.
Finding some composure with a clean breath, he looked down at his body.
“…My body’s a complete mess.”
Every visible part of him was covered in wounds, big and small.
It was a sight that would make anyone gasp.
But what worried Kim Do-jin wasn’t his scarred exterior, but his interior.
‘My energy is boiling over.’
If he had to describe the inside of his body in one word, it would be ‘furnace.’
The energies he had recklessly absorbed were running rampant, seething within him.
His own energy, trying desperately to suppress them, was mixed in, turning his body into a terrifying, bubbling furnace.
And not just any furnace, but an unstable one that wouldn’t be surprising if it suddenly exploded.
‘I took in too much.’
This was the price for ignoring the warning message.
Reason whispered that he should focus on stabilizing his energy immediately, but his heart refused.
‘First, I have to crush that bastard.’
A grudge must always be repaid.
It was a conviction deeply rooted in him since his days as Son Si-woo.
‘I can’t show any weakness.’
He could show weakness to his allies, anytime.
But never to his enemies.
He had to be a powerhouse they couldn’t kill, no matter when or where they struck.
He had to completely shatter his opponent’s will with that image.
‘And if I can kill him, even better.’
He carefully controlled the amount of his own energy clashing with the rampaging navy-blue demonic power.
‘A little weaker.’
As the amount of clashing energy decreased, the surging heat also subsided.
He was using the principle of cancellation.
By matching the amount of conflicting energies, he could eliminate the resulting shockwaves.
As long as he hadn't finished things with his enemy, he couldn't afford to spend much time stabilizing his body.
So, he had no choice but to regain his stability with a temporary fix.
‘This should be enough to move for now.’
His self-assessment was complete.
Confirming that he could move without major issues, his gaze turned toward the long stretch of darkness.
That was the direction his enemy, who had chosen to flee the moment his position was exposed, was frantically running.
* * *
The moment he realized he’d been found, he bolted.
Click!
He threw the door open and immediately unleashed his demonic energy toward the limousine.
KABOOM—!
With a deafening roar, the limousine was engulfed in crimson flames, melting away.
It was a custom-made vehicle just for him, one he was quite attached to, but he had no choice.
‘I have to erase my tracks.’
He had used the limousine for every mission, and it was saturated with traces of his presence.
If the enemy got their hands on it, his identity could be exposed.
With a heavy heart, he wiped away his tracks and then rode the long shadows cast by the moonlight, moving swiftly.
‘He’s coming.’
Moving was the most annoying thing in the world.
But he didn’t want to die just yet.
The moment he died, his bitter revenge against the world and his own sweet dreams would all come to a halt.
“Keoheok, heok…!”
He couldn’t breathe.
His lack of stamina was dragging him down.
Just like Yoon Myung-ho, his stat growth was very similar to that of a mage.
His demonic power was insanely high, but his other stats were low.
It was only natural.
All he needed to move the shadows was his demonic power and his will.
But he didn’t stop.
‘Just… a little further.’
Thanks to his desperate sprint, the secret Hexagram hideout wasn’t far.
That was his destination.
‘If I can just get there, I can escape…!’
The hideout was equipped with a life-saving device for emergencies.
If he could reach the hideout and use it, he would survive.
With that thought, he forced his heavy feet to move, hopping from shadow to shadow for a short while.
“I… I see it…”
Through his blurry vision, drenched in sweat, he saw a dark, unlit building.
As the hideout came into view, a sliver of relief washed over him, and the face of his assassination target from moments ago surfaced vividly in his mind.
‘That monstrous bastard.’
He had been deceiving the entire world.
His magical aptitude aside, he was also profoundly skilled in swordsmanship.
So much so that it seemed as if he had spent his entire life swinging a sword.
That much was fine.
He was more skilled than expected, but not to the point where he was unkillable.
The problem was what came next.
‘What in the world was that power…?’
To devour a Divine Authority, a power bestowed by a god, of all things.
Wasn’t that an ability that was far beyond the norm?
The power he had devoured still hadn't returned.
At this rate, it probably never would.
It was a bitter loss, but he had swallowed his pride and chosen to retreat.
Part of it was because killing his target had become difficult, but there was something more important.
‘I have to report this.’
He had to tell the Boss.
He had to inform him of the extraordinary power Kim Do-jin had been hiding.
Arriving at the building that housed the hideout, he emerged from the shadows and hurried his steps.
He didn’t let his guard down.
He absolutely could not stop until he was certain he was safe.
Entering the unlit office, he immediately opened a desk drawer across the room and grabbed a round object.
“Got it…!”
It was a sphere covered in bizarre drawings.
The organization called it a ‘Life Saver.’
Because, true to its name, it was a device that could save one’s life in a critical situation.
Its effect was simple.
All he had to do was squeeze the hard sphere and break it…!
Crack!
A rift formed.
Not a rift to a dungeon teeming with monsters, but one leading to the Hexagram headquarters.
The Life Saver’s real name was the ‘Artificial Rift Generator.’
It was a state-of-the-art invention created by Hexagram’s technicians after extensive research on the rifts that led to dungeons.
Seeing the rift, just large enough for one person to pass through, he finally managed a smile.
“I did it…!”
Now, if he just passed through this rift, he could shake off his pursuer.
As he thought that and was about to take a step…
“Ah, I’m late.”
Kim Do-jin, who had entered the building a step behind, scowled as he looked at him.
A small rift had formed right before his eyes.
He didn’t know how it was made, but it was clearly for escape.
No matter how fast he moved now, he would be too late.
His opponent only needed to take one step to be inside the rift.
The Shadow Walker immediately covered his face with a shadow to hide his identity and turned around.
This was a first.
An all-out assassination attempt had never failed before.
For him, it was a blow to his pride.
Before stepping into the rift, he spoke to Kim Do-jin.
“…Next time, I’ll be sure to kill you.”
Hearing this, Kim Do-jin’s lips curled into a smirk as he retorted.
“Do you think there’ll be a next time?”
“……!”
Noticing something was off, he immediately threw himself toward the rift.
Dizzy from the floating sensation of his body being lifted, he looked back at the world outside the rift.
What he wanted to see was the disappointed face of Kim Do-jin, having let him slip through his fingers.
But that wasn’t it.
What he saw was Kim Do-jin’s confident expression.
And.
‘A spear…?’
A single spear, aimed right at him.
Kim Do-jin’s thought process was incredibly fast.
The moment he saw him standing before the rift, he discarded the option of running to catch him.
Instead, he drew upon his power.
Exactly half of the man’s navy-blue demonic energy and half of his own energy.
‘I just thought of a good idea.’
A revolutionary method that would resolve the instability in his body and either kill his opponent or inflict a massive injury.
What grew from his wicked intent was a long spear.
A truly sinister spear, covered from tip to handle in black demonic energy that dripped to the floor.
‘His demonic energy has high viscosity.’
Whether it was because of his Divine Authority, the man’s demonic power had properties similar to a highly viscous liquid.
Perhaps that was why.
It was much heavier and had stronger cohesion than demonic energy that was closer to a gaseous state.
And what was one of the advantages of such a property?
‘It has strong restorative power.’
No matter how finely you cut it or twisted it, it could quickly restore its original form if willed.
Kim Do-jin planned to use this property to strike him.
The energy contained in this spear belonged to that man.
If he threw this into the rift, wouldn’t the energy naturally return to its original owner?
“You can go, but you should take your things with you.”
He refined the shape of the spear.
The tip became sharper, and on the opposite side of the long, central blade, he honed two more barbs.
To inflict even greater pain when the embedded spear was pulled out.
Finally, he imbued it with his will.
‘This spear will absolutely hit its mark.’
The weapon of Odin, the supreme god of Asgard in mythology.
A sure-hit spear, known to always pierce its target and return to its owner’s hand when thrown.
「Gungnir.」
As he launched the jet-black spear through the rift, Kim Do-jin added one last comment.
“Here, you forgot your power.”
The jet-black spear barely passed through the nearly closed rift and furiously pursued its master.
Just as the man, having arrived at the headquarters a step ahead, was about to let out a sigh of relief…
SHWAAK!
The jet-black spear shot out from the rift that hadn't fully closed and flew toward him like an arrow.
“Huk…!”
The Shadow Walker gasped in horror.
He tried to twist his body to dodge it somehow, but it was futile.
As if equipped with a homing function, the jet-black spear twisted its tip exactly as much as he twisted his body.
Then, without giving him another chance to evade, it rushed forward and embedded itself in his side.
CRUNCH!
The spear plunged deep with a gruesome sound of tearing flesh.
“Kuaaaargh—!”
As he screamed from the agonizing pain that ripped through his side, organization members from nearby rushed over.
“Lord Shadow!”
“He’s in bad shape. Get him to the infirmary, now…!”
His consciousness began to fade.
It seemed the defensive barrier he had deployed with all his might had saved his life.
He was still severely injured, but thanks to his subordinates arriving just in time, he would be able to receive treatment before it was too late.
Relieved by this fact, he was slowly closing his eyes when he felt it.
‘That damn… bastard.’
He felt a part of his Divine Authority returning to him.