Chapter 377
Chapter 377
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 377
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Yurim shook her body in surprise at my outburst.
“Why, why are you like this! Kang Seol!”
She didn’t know my exact condition, so she must have been burning with anxiety.
From the outside, I probably looked like some clown with a sunken stomach who couldn’t even get a bowl of porridge, so she might have judged my physical state to be the worst.
But right now, the mental blow was far more serious than anything physical.
- Toki, that was definitely my name in the outside world.
- All my reasons… it was you.
- Young man… don’t give up until the end. And while you’re alive, try to do good deeds from time to time.
“Huh… Hah… Hah…”
More of Toki’s actions and words flooded my mind.
‘I… I… what the hell….’
I had definitely seen Toki before.
It felt exactly like things that had really happened.
Sss…
Toki gave me a glance before glaring at Agras.
“What did you do to the boy?”
“Kekeke… Saying it like that makes it sound like I did something bad.”
“What bad guys do is bad. Isn’t that right?”
“I only bestowed a great future upon him.”
Wriggle…
“…A great future?”
“He had a special constitution from the start, but… I suppose you could say this Agras breathed life into that mystery.”
“I can’t understand a word you’re saying.”
“…You’ll find out once time passes.”
Clap-!
Agras clapped his hands and shouted.
“This Agras’s insight!”
[Agras uses the Black Hound.]
[Summoning the darkness-attribute Black Hound.]
[All damage from the Black Hound is proportional to the summoner’s stats.]
[All damage from the Black Hound is attribute damage.]
……
Kyung-!
Kurrrung-!
Three hounds the size of dining tables burst out, targeting Toki.
Since they were lunging from close range, it would be hard to respond.
“Fuuu…”
Toki didn’t use any abilities.
He dealt with the black hounds using only the martial arts ingrained in his body and quick improvisation.
Whip-!
Thwack-!
He lowered his body, kicked up a corner of the table, and launched it into the air.
Sss…
Paaaaang-!
With both hands gripping the table legs, he pushed the table forward with one foot.
It was a move requiring delicate control to avoid putting holes in the table.
Crunch-!
Kyung! Kurrung-!
After blocking one hound’s view with the table and stopping its simultaneous charge, Toki faced another.
Kurrrung-!
The hound bared its fangs and rushed in.
Sstab…
Toki sank low, pointing the broken table leg upward.
It all happened in a single motion, at an incredible speed.
It was as if he could read the flow of the battle.
Kieeeek-!
The hound’s belly pierced through.
Kwachijik-!
Darkness leaked out as it flew back.
Then, the other hound reached him.
Fwoooong-!
He easily dodged the swinging front paw and jammed the remaining table leg into the back of the hound’s neck.
Kwajiiiiik…
Fsssh…
Having struck a vital spot, the hound dissolved into darkness.
“Where are you looking?”
“Hmm…”
Agras had hidden in the massive body of one of the hounds and approached, appearing right beside Toki.
Whooo…
Agras’s hand turned pitch black. His black hand struck Toki’s abdomen.
“Krk…”
[Agras uses Night’s Curse.]
[Night’s Curse dyes the target’s body black.]
[Night’s Curse increases its effect by 50% at night.]
[The blackened target is influenced by the caster’s abilities.]
……
Sss…
Including his clothes, Toki’s abdomen turned pitch black, and he asked Agras.
“That’s a new power.”
“Exactly three minutes from now, you’ll be my puppet.”
“Ahaha… This is bad.”
Whooo…
Toki smirked.
“Ending it in three minutes might be a bit tight.”
“…What?”
Paat-!
Toki charged at the retreating Agras.
Puhwaaak-!
Black hands sprouted up like mushrooms, blocking Toki’s rush.
‘…Amazing.’
Kang Seol was admiring not Toki, but Agras right now.
In the time spent here, he had learned. So he could tell that every spell Agras was improvising was of quite a high level.
Especially those black hands—they displayed tremendous power for something just summoned.
Kwajijik-!
Kwajijijik-!
Their force shattered the cabin.
“It’s going to collapse, we have to get out.”
My body had no strength.
Yurim supported my struggling form and we escaped through the broken outer wall.
The outside air, felt after so long.
That damn Agras hadn’t even ventilated properly, so who knew how long it had been since I breathed fresh air.
‘That aside….’
Clap-!
Clap clap-!
Clapping echoed from inside the cabin. It was nearly half-collapsed, yet neither had escaped.
‘…Strong.’
Agras truly was the devil incarnate.
The insidious magic born from his deep and profound knowledge—things I couldn’t block even if I racked my brains at my current level.
Yet even that Agras was pulling out all his tricks against Toki.
“Krk… You bastard…”
Kwaaaaaang-!
Finally, the cabin that couldn’t hold out exploded.
Fsssh…
Dust and floating debris briefly obscured the battlefield.
“That’s… Agras’s true form…”
Yurim couldn’t tear her eyes from the fight either. There was too much to catch her gaze.
Above all, Agras’s appearance drew the most attention.
A monster with a body swollen like a tumor, enveloped entirely in black energy.
A devil wearing human skin like a mask.
‘Agras….’
The true form of the one who devoured the sorcerer Snowman and conducted dangerous experiments.
Yet even that Agras seemed unable to believe the current situation.
“This can’t… be.”
“Conversation ends here. You’re subject to summary execution.”
“What kind of… insane power is this?”
The devil’s cry was close to a scream.
Toki… looked like an angel sent from the heavens. His body was shining darkly.
I knew the words contradicted, but that’s how it had to be described.
‘Incredible….’
Had I ever felt such a clean, warm energy before?
Black energy gathered in Toki’s fist.
“This isn’t power.”
“…Not power?”
“It’s the conviction of the veil that embraces the darkness.”
Toki drew back his fist.
Then came a noise and shock like a cannon firing.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaa-!
“Kr… Aaaaaaak!”
Swept into the dark light, Agras lost his form. But only for a moment.
Agras became a mummified human shape clinging to bones, as if abandoned for centuries.
Step…
Step…
Paaak!
“Krk…”
Toki grabbed Agras by the throat.
The picture of overwhelming strength.
A question burst from his mouth.
“Where’s that child?”
“Huh… Huuu…”
Agras looked like he’d breathe his last any second.
“Answer me, where is that child right now?”
“Kek… Kihehehehe… Too late… It’s already far too late…”
“…….”
“I coveted that child’s body too, but it’s already in His hands. It’s been… so long since then.”
With the eyes of a dull serpent, Agras left his final words.
“The most… painful reunion awaits you all…”
“…Spouting nonsense.”
Thud…
As Agras breathed his last, the black energy spreading over Toki’s body naturally dissipated.
Sss…
Toki took off his overcoat.
Step…
Step…
He walked toward me.
“You must be cold.”
He draped the coat over me.
“…Let’s go.”
Where to.
Where could I go.
I didn’t have the wings you all had.
That’s why I’d been abandoned in hell time and again. Always greeting the darkness with twilight.
After sending Yurim away like that, the place I stayed was the darkest.
That was the price I paid over those years, protecting my friend.
“To the veil.”
“The… veil…”
I first saw them when I turned nine.
And now, eight years later, I could finally approach them.
“We go together, boy. Yurim, support him.”
“Yes!”
Yurim’s voice brightened.
Was she happy to be with me?
‘Warm….’
Toki’s coat he’d given me.
The warmth from Yurim leaning against me.
The world telling me I hadn’t been abandoned again.
Maybe all paths connected like this. Maybe we all stood on the same road.
Road…
Road, huh…
It felt like I’d forgotten something important…
[Mid-level Insight activates.]
[Nothing is discerned.]
[Mid-level Insight fails.]
* * *
The veil’s hideout was hidden deep in a mountain valley.
This was just one hideout; only a very few knew the main base.
Rustle…
As we brushed snow off and entered the mountain valley cave, familiar faces greeted me.
“Huh? Who’s this? No way… it’s that kid from back then. You’ve grown so much!”
“Hmm? Who?”
“You rockhead. We saw him once! Remember, the friend of Yurim’s when we clashed with Jamad. …The kid we left behind there.”
“Ah, that time…”
Jilliac suddenly recalled our past, that unpleasant parting.
Paaak-!
“Jilliac, what are you doing?”
There was a reason Toki asked.
Jilliac had hugged me fiercely.
“You’re safe, good job! Great job! And you’ve grown so splendidly on top of that!”
“Let go, you lunatic! Anyone would think it’s your little brother! Ugh… Always so needlessly sentimental…”
Kiri shook her head. Then she asked Toki.
“What’s the plan?”
“We take him to the Master.”
He pried me from Jilliac’s arms and led me forward.
“Whether this child stays with the veil or lives another life is for the Master to decide.”
Who was this Master they spoke of.
I moved to the inner sanctum with Toki leading me and Yurim stuck to my side.
Sss…
A dangerous aura seeped out from behind the crude door.
“Master, we’ve arrived.”
【Come in. Send the child alone.】
From inside came a voice mixing a child’s and a devil who’d seen all the world’s hardships.
“But…”
Yurim started to protest but bit her lip and said.
“Don’t be rude to the Master, Seol.”
“Yeah. Can you let go now…?”
“Oh… Did I hold too tight…?”
Yurim and Toki stepped back, and I opened the door and entered.
And then…
“…A ball?”
【Not a ball!】
I’d forgotten the warning not to be rude and was rude right away.
I couldn’t help it.
A black ball was sitting there.
Short limbs, round body.
Its size was about the same as mine.
If I hadn’t looked closely, I’d have thought it was just a fat person.
【It’s Bitan!】
Zzt…
‘Huh?’
Déjà vu again.
So annoying.
【I am Bitan! Here, they call me Master because I’ve lived a long time!】
“…You’re joking, right?”
Bitan sighed and approached me.
【Bitan, as a veil executive, must check the past even of a child brought by Toki.】
“I don’t mind… but how do you check?”
Sss…
A cute hand grabbed mine.
【Bitan will read everything about you. Don’t resist, or we’ll both get tired.】
“There’s no way that’s possible…”
Whoooo…
Black energy poured from Bitan’s body, flowing into my ears, nostrils, and mouth.
“Kraaak!”
【Just a bit… endure it, the memories…】
- Goodbye! Go! Yurim! Don’t ever come back!
The memory of sending Yurim off with a smile.
- Steel yourself.
The memory of Jamad grasping my fate.
- Right, today’s your ninth birthday. Happy birthday.
The painful yet relieving two years with Gorum.
- Of course, you idiot!
Time with Santos.
- Die in agony, or survive and become my body.
And the memory of falling into hell again as the price for saving Yurim once more.
Whoooooo…
The black energy gradually subsided.
【Ughhh…】
“…….”
【Uuuuhhh…】
“…Are you crying?”
Bitan shed round tears.
【So sad! So horrific! You should’ve told Bitan first! Before dinner!】
“…….”
【Did you tell Yurim? About your past.】
I shook my head, and Bitan placed a hand on my shoulder.
【Don’t tell Yurim. She might faint. That child likes you a lot.】
“Yurim likes me?”
Right, that’s why she came to save me.
【Yeah. I thought age would change her, but even on missions, she searched for you bit by bit. I thought she’d given up…】
Bitan made a tearful face again.
【Who’d have thought something like that happened there. Bitan didn’t know. Hmm… No helping it. Here!】
“……Yes?”
【Bitan is fluffy, you can use me!】
Bitan spread its arms wide and closed its eyes.
“You mean hug you?”
【Darkness is more comforting than dazzling light. It embraces everything. Use Bitan.】
Poof…
The round ball was fluffy.
No embrace could be more comforting.
I rested inside it.
【You saved Yurim again this time. And thanks to you, we took down that troublemaking Agras too.】
“…Agras, what was his true nature?”
【A wraith. A rogue sorcerer’s soul hopping bodies. And… a lackey of the Faces.】
“…The Faces?”
【The Jamad who sent you to hell was one of the Faces, and there were tons of other villains. That’s what the Faces are, the group they belong to.】
“…I see. Is the veil opposing them?”
Bitan pondered briefly before answering.
【…Strictly speaking, the veil shares roots with the Faces. The veil’s founder once shared their ideals.】
“Then…”
【Of course, now we hold completely different ideals.】
That was a relief at least.
Being cared for by the monsters who’d turned me into wreckage might be worse than death.
【We’ll stop the Faces. Hiding in the darkness… secretly! And you’ll soon be one of the veil too.】
“I don’t have much power.”
【Power isn’t what matters! In the end, it’s conviction and will! Boy! Bitan peeked at your past. In your 17 years, you saved Yurim twice. And in exchange, you went to hell. Why do you think that is?】
“…….”
【Why did you save Yurim?】
Why, you ask…
Of course.
“Because it was the obvious thing to do. Saving Yurim.”
【Obvious?】
“I thought I had to. Because we’re friends.”
Bitan grinned.
Its fangs gleamed.
【Conviction and noble will aren’t born overnight. They must be forged like a blade. Few in the veil were strong from the start. Now, time to check your power.】
“Sorry in advance.”
It extended its hand like before.
Fwooom…
The dark energy entered only through my mouth this time, churning my insides.
【In the past, the veil suffered a great defeat against the Faces. Many died, and we had to hide for a while. We lacked power! But Bitan believes our future will…】
Whoooo-!
‘Ugh….’
Bitan’s darkness spread through my whole body.
It found everything hidden in my veins and throughout my body.
Bitan’s eyes turned perfectly round.
【…Huh? Th-that is… this…】
[Dark Blessing activates.]
[Dark Arrangement awakens!]
……