Chapter 147

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 147

Chapter Title: Hope Devourer

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Kang Seol hoped that, in this moment, no brilliant light would spill from the chest he'd just opened.

A attitude completely different from his usual self.

Was it thanks to his desperate plea?

The chest revealed its contents with a somewhat underwhelming feel.

'It's here...'

Kang Seol's eyes locked onto one line as if piercing right through it.

[Acquired Hope Devourer.]

'It's here!'

The halved Lament was tricky to use right away, but Hope Devourer was different.

'And the new abilities are working properly.'

Since the Cunning Blood Snake could snag extra stat points, the gains from future stat acquisitions would be massive.

'Whew...'

Kang Seol checked the other gear first, saving the best for last like a gourmet meal.

'These stats plus expanded vision... Top-tier stuff.'

An option favored by knights and tank classes.

Helmets that covered most of the face naturally limited vision, but this expanded view turned it into a wide-open panorama.

Now for the finale—the item he absolutely had to get from this fight.

'This thing gave us hell...'

Kang Seol silently gazed at the jet-black armor. The reason the Black Knight had stood like an iron tower against their onslaught.

Back then, it had ground his teeth even as it sparked a sliver of hope.

Kang Seol quickly checked it out.

"...Perfect."

Without a second thought, Kang Seol equipped everything on Karuna.

Crackle...

As the Hope Devourer went on last, inky vein-like tendrils extended from it, linking to all of Karuna's armor.

'Already confirmed Inexplicable works on summons, so yeah. But all stats +10 from just one? What do the higher effects even...'

Pleasant thoughts would have to wait. Plenty left to do.

First, check all the messages he'd skipped while replying to Count Brispin.

A blue glow enveloped Karuna's body.

Another change, sort of.

And yet one more.

'A pattern on the sword.'

An eerie, mystical pattern was etched onto Karuna's Moonlight Sword by the Breath refinement.

Naturally, related messages had popped up.

The Moonlight Sword had clearly changed.

Best way to check? Read its info.

Overall stats had surged, description updated, but the new unique abilities stood out most.

'This... will definitely help.'

Not attribute damage, but attack power—plenty of skills would double up nicely.

Plus, with gear swaps on level up, the new unique reduced worries about rank drops.

'No more fretting over Karuna's weapon.'

But one final change remained.

The dark, swirling energy in Karuna's pupils.

Kang Seol read the details.

'This...'

'Night... Night? An attribute I didn't know? Then this... compound attribute?'

Kang Seol's face visibly brightened.

'Compound attribute?'

Kang Seol knew the perks of compound attributes.

But not every nuance and power of each one. So he eyed the title with mixed feelings—not pure joy or disappointment.

Having roughly sorted the chest's contents, noise echoed from the clock tower's spiral stairs.

"Snowman?"

Charmel's voice.

"Ah, coming down now."

"Um... Be careful moving."

"...Pardon?"

Kang Seol's head tilted at the odd remark. Only after Philia's explanation did it right itself.

"Tons of people downstairs... To see you."

"Right now...?"

"Count Brispin's dispersing them, so probably join up and slip out."

Only then did Kang Seol realize the chain of events in Ilia had been hugely disruptive, toiling everyone's nerves.

'Come to think, bells since earlier...'

Bells tolled ceaselessly outside the west sector.

Ilia's night shone brighter than ever.

Flinch...

Four chairs carved from crystal.

Split into pairs facing off, with a massive skull throne at their side.

"What's wrong?"

"...Nothing."

"Hmm... Doesn't seem like nothing."

"......"

The seated one shut out the nitpicker's feigned concern by closing his eyes.

"Tch..."

They appeared equals, but hierarchies subtly differed.

Still, the eldest-looking elder asked.

"Knight... Some trouble?"

"...Hardly."

"Heh... The past?"

"......"

The man's face crumpled.

A slight surge of energy, and the braziers roared fiercely.

Roar-!

"Heh heh, why the anger?"

"Why dredge up memories long lost?"

"A flower doesn't bloom alone forgetting its seed—must you deny?"

"...I'm no flower."

The watching woman spoke up.

"Old man, leave it. Focus on our business."

"Aye. Meeting ends here—eagerly await next."

"You forgetting the date, old man?"

"Heh... Memory fades with age. You'll see."

"No plans to age."

Shh...

Swish...

The four leaders rose, exiting the chamber.

Creeeak...

Light slipped through the door crack.

Illuminating the knight's face.

Karuna—another Karuna.

Unlike the Black Knight, his gaze was steadfast.

The eyes of one sure of his path.

His view reached masses of cultists.

Seeing him, they bowed low, murmuring.

"Eternal... Immortal..."

The other Karuna ignored them, heading to his quarters. Cultists everywhere—they were the cult's eyes, surveillance reaching even him.

"......"

This alone escaped their watch. His sole haven.

The other Karuna lifted his head slightly, gazing afar. The wall blocked his sight, but he wasn't seeing it.

A vision, or dream.

Or memory.

He muttered abruptly.

"Soon... Almost there."

Outside cultists chanted prayer's climax.

"Only one life endures forever!"