Chapter 110
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Kang Seol's shoulders looked heavy.
Whirlic—!
Karen and Karuna were summoned without regard for their master's intentions.
"......"
There, lying in front of Kang Seol as if asleep, was Mirei.
Her body was riddled with arrows.
With the shadowy blackness gone, her rotting, decayed flesh was laid bare.
Karuna stepped forward and lifted Mirei's corpse into his arms.
"Where shall we take her, Master?"
"Karuna."
"Shouldn't we bury her?"
"Yeah."
Everything worth remembering about this place was already gone. The wooden house, the surrounding environment—all of it.
Kang Seol chose a suitable spot and laid her to rest.
He built a small mound and stuck a broken piece of wood on top. The names of Mirei and Sodin were carved into the wood fragment.
"What about this one? Leaving it for the beasts feels a bit..."
"Might as well bury it with her."
The corpse Karen had brought was Malacus.
Kang Seol felt nothing for the other hunters, but he took interest in Malacus, whose eyes were now closed in death.
Especially his final words.
—When you bastards took my parents, my eyes, and my life, Dir stayed by my side. He became my light in the darkness.
'You bastards... What did the Shadow Summoner do to him?'
Whatever the story, from Kang Seol's perspective, he was the enemy. Moreover, the enemy who killed his ally, Mirei.
Of course, Mirei hadn't had long to live anyway, but in the end, she hadn't survived the day because of Malacus.
Kang Seol wasn't pitying the enemy right now.
It was that strange feeling Malacus gave off that nagged at him.
Why had he become so twisted?
"No idea."
"Master, that... body of yours... you okay?"
"Oh, this."
Whirlic...
Kang Seol and Jamad's bodies separated in an instant.
[Deactivating Night Raven form.]
[Job: Shadow Summoner status.]
Jamad rubbed his stiff neck.
"Moving someone else's body is more tiring than I thought."
"Next time, I'll move it myself."
"You think you can?"
"The sensations are completely different now. I'll need time to adapt, but I can't rely on you to control it forever."
"Do as you like."
Karuna said to Kang Seol,
"Mirei has passed. Such a shame."
"Yeah, she's gone. We got pretty close in the short time we had."
"She was a good person. Reliable, too."
"If I'd met her sooner, or if I hadn't headed to Yog'natun... would things have turned out differently?"
"That's impossible to know. No one can peek at the other side of fate. And... didn't you save many people in Yog'natun?"
He was right.
Kang Seol only had one body, and regretting past choices wouldn't change anything—the time ahead was what mattered.
Karen piped up brightly to lighten the mood.
"What's past is past. Let's check out what this villain had on him!"
Yeah! Right! Everyone around Snowman ends up dead anyway!
Snowman has the blessings of Conan and Kim Jeon-il!
They all drop dead! So it's no big deal!
Fr, counting survivors is easier lol
Kang Seol chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah, gotta prep for the next adventure anyway."
"Alright! Here we go, opening it up."
Clank—!
[Checking villain's possessions.]
[Level up.]
[Acquired stat points.]
[Rich Man's special ability activated.]
[Acquired additional stat points.]
[Acquired Crying Laughing Belt.]
[Acquired Gale Ring.]
[Acquired Clear Mind Helm.]
[Acquired Letter Wishing Someone Would Read It.]
[Acquired 10 platinum coins.]
[Acquired 37 gold coins.]
[Acquired 1 silver coin.]
[Acquired 1 Large Red Potion.]
[Acquired 12 Medium Blue Potions.]
...
A leather belt adorned with laughing and crying faces.
Sometimes, you can actually hear laughter or sobs from it.
Base Effects: Strength +5, Agility +2, Stamina +8
Special: Successful attacks increase all stats by 1 for 1 minute. Stacks up to 7 times; stacking doesn't refresh duration.
'Nice options.'
Stats go up just from hitting?
7 stacks total ain't bad...?
Universe gets 15 stacks tho... plus a ton of other options.
Don't compare legendaries to treasures;
Leather... leather... leather means...
The leather belt naturally went to Jamad.
"Ahem... well, you earned it."
As Jamad pocketed the belt, Karen chimed in jealously.
"You jealous of that?"
"Jealous? Who's jealous..."
A ring containing a light breeze.
The power within is calm, but when unleashed, it can surprise everyone.
Base Effects: Agility +2, Stamina +3, Intelligence +3
Special: Movement accumulates wind. At max, unleashes gale, boosting movement speed by 30%.
'Stats are meh.'
Karen reached for it first.
"So this one's... uh... mine, right...?"
"Not great for a knight."
"Yeah, that's what I meant... uh... then this too...?"
"Hmph, take it."
Jamad snatched the ring.
When slipped onto Jamad's finger, it stretched snugly.
"You have that armor! Room for a ring?"
"There's space inside."
"...Fair enough."
Space behind the pillar.
Space inside the armor lololol
Awkward... lol Karen could wear gloves with rings inside too
Karen glared at Kang Seol.
"Something going on between you two? Feels like you're pushing stuff his way... You've changed, Master."
You've been hogging everything till now...
Oppa changed!(He didn't)
Jamad... what kind of life have you lived...
A helm made for paladins who dislike confinement. Not very practical, but elegant.
Base Effects: Strength +7, Agility +4, Stamina +7
Special: +5% Elemental Magic Resistance, +10% Mental Magic Resistance. Stays on body unless directly struck in combat.
Karen's hand crept toward it.
She glanced warily at Karuna.
"Can I... have this?"
Karuna shrugged.
Karen's face bloomed like a flower.
"Hehe... Knew I could count on you, Karuna!"
Breaking: Karuna gets zilch
Karuna will remember this.
Two knights, bad luck lol
Loot distribution gonna explode from now on.
Snowman working his ass off to feed the kids ㅠㅠ
He's the breadwinner of our generation. How about running to your parents and giving them a big hug?
They'd hate it?
That's on you...
A bunch of miscellaneous items poured out as well.
Fitting for a perilous adventure, the rewards were all top-notch, and the haul was solid.
Perhaps his heavy heart had lightened a bit.
Kang Seol examined the final reward with a faint smile.
Something is written on the letter.
Special: Unknown.
'What's this?'
Couldn't tell from the outside.
Kang Seol eyed the letter curiously and unfolded it.
"......"
Crooked handwriting.
Yet traces of pressing down hard with the pen.
And the contents within.
"...It's Malacus's letter."
"What? What's it say? Lemme see."
Kang Seol read on.
"Hello, I'm Malacus. I can't see. Please forgive the messy writing. ...What?"
"Keep reading."
"I was the heir to a minor noble house in Timbrian... What does this say? Hei... r? Yeah, heir. At least until recently."
"Aha, so the noble hunted down Shadow Summoners to fulfill his family's vendetta?"
"I'll keep going."
How did you come by this letter? I plan to carry it always—even in sleep or fierce battle. If it's in your hands, either I gave it to you unwillingly, or...
"Meaning I died by your hand."
"Ugh... creepy."
Whatever the outcome, I accept it. I have a story for you.
Kang Seol grew increasingly curious about the letter's contents.
Malacus still remembered that day vividly. His happy home in flames, his father—once a knight—and his mother—a mage—slaughtered mercilessly.
"Don't! Mom! Dad!"
"Oh... there's a child in the mansion. Shall we kill it?"
"No need. I don't want to do anything unnecessary. We've got what we came for—let's go."
An ambiguous height. A genderless voice.
The robed figure turned to leave the mansion.
Malacus lunged at them.
"Why! Why kill my mom and dad!"
"...Hm? Bold child. Why? To resurrect them, of course."
"What?"
Whoooosh...
Young Malacus couldn't believe his eyes.
His parents' shadows rose.
"L... L... Lies..."
"Now your parents can live forever. No need to grieve."
"You bastards! Bring back my mom and dad!"
Malacus charged.
"This brat..."
"Agh!"
Malacus was flung back, tearing off the assailant's glove.
A black rose tattoo on the back of the hand. Even as he fell, Malacus burned it into his memory.
'Black rose...'
"Annoying. Gouge out his eyes. He saw what he shouldn't have."
"Yes!"
Sizzle—!
A hot poker seared Malacus's eyes.
"Gaaaaah!"
"Weakling, want revenge on me?"
"I'll... k-kill you... it hurts... I'll find you all..."
"...I'm a Shadow Summoner. Won't tell you my name—find me yourself. Grow strong and come... then."
Young Malacus could no longer see the figure.
No, with his sight gone, he couldn't recognize anyone before him.
So he desperately memorized other details.
The scent from their body, the modulated voice.
He had to remember. Everything.
Black rose tattoo—he wouldn't forget.
"I'll let you join your parents. Forever..."
"Kid, blind as you are, you'll have to beg to survive. Heh heh..."
That's how they left, according to the letter.
Thus ended the tale of Malacus's past.
Kang Seol gripped the letter tighter.
"So that's what happened."
"Yeah... Revenge ultimately destroyed him."
Malacus's words echoed in his mind.
—All Shadow Summoners must die by my hand.
Consumed by madness, he saw every Shadow Summoner as an enemy.
—...I'll free all shadows from you. That's the way to save them.
Did he truly believe that was right?
Kang Seol continued reading.
"Black rose tattoo on the back of the hand. Androgynous voice, not tall stature. Chemical scent from the body. I remember it all. I've infused the letter with that person's scent."
"Let me smell... Huh? Yeah, there's a scent."
"Distinct one."
A strange aroma wafted from the letter.
One you'd never forget once smelled.
"You'll guess why I left this letter. Damn..."
"Oh..."
If you're not a Shadow Summoner, please find that person. Not to kill them—to free my parents from that monster's grasp. You who read this...
The letter ended there.
I hope you're not a Shadow Summoner. Please, send my parents to where they belong. Young Malacus prays earnestly.
This was written by the young Malacus, before vengeance consumed him.
[Obtained information on hidden adventure 'Stockholm Syndrome.']
[Sudden adventure will trigger if conditions met.]