Chapter 430
Chapter 430
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 430
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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The very first time they encountered Karen wasn’t actually with Stallet and the Silk group.
It was a man named Benhu who had gathered them all together.
The situation when he and Karen crossed paths was somewhat sudden and chaotic.
“Huh?”
“…….”
Karen tilted her head at the sight of the heavily bearded Benhu. If he’d realized she was an investigator, he should’ve attacked or said something.
But Benhu said nothing, just staring intently into Karen’s eyes.
From the aura emanating from him, Karen instantly knew he played an important role here.
The clash happened in an instant.
Fwaaah—!
Sizzle…
“Ugh….”
Karen charged like a monster, but Benhu crossed his arms and slipped right past her, vanishing.
“…What, that was anticlimactic?”
Karen hadn’t planned to kill him anyway, for specific reasons, but she hadn’t expected him to bolt so immediately.
“Well, doesn’t matter. I slapped the seal on him.”
- Don’t kill them all. Slap on the seal secretly or let one escape and tail them. You have to do one or the other.
That was why Karen didn’t chase Benhu right away and targeted the other leaders instead.
* * *
It wasn’t until he reached the outskirts of Shurellen that Benhu caught his breath.
“Whew… That was close. Nearly died there.”
He’d survived this long thanks to his quick judgment and ability to gauge an opponent’s strength.
“What kind of eyes….”
Eyes were the mirror of the soul.
Benhu had learned from his master how to measure a person’s soul through their eyes.
By now, he could predict their capabilities with little margin for error.
‘How strong is he? That monster….’
The eyes of the investigator he’d encountered in the building were similar to his master’s. But that didn’t mean their levels were comparable.
It meant she was beyond anything Benhu could measure.
Both his master and the red-eyed investigator.
Sizzle…
Benhu ripped off all the beard covering his face.
“Ow ow… Left it on too long?”
The serious bearded man was gone, replaced by a man speaking in a somewhat lighter tone.
Few knew Benhu’s true appearance, including his master.
Aside from one or two who gave him orders, everyone remembered him by his fake guise.
He deceived people with both his false and true faces.
But no matter the appearance, Benhu never changed. His eyes stayed the same. Eyes were the mirror of the soul, and all of Benhu’s soul resided there.
- Benhu, survive like a lizard.
“I followed your orders, Master.”
Benhu muttered as he dusted himself off.
“They’re all dead by now, right?”
The subordinates he’d gathered.
Fearless, eccentric.
And strong.
But they were probably all dead now.
‘Even if they are, it doesn’t matter. As long as I survive.’
In an organization, what mattered wasn’t the limbs, but the head that gave orders. In that sense, Benhu had to live.
He’d survived today, too.
And tomorrow would come again.
“Hmm… So, what now?”
No signs of pursuit, and he’d escaped cleanly. He could go anywhere.
The job had failed, but he’d gained one crucial piece of information.
‘That special task force or whatever has a monster mixed in. Is he the leader?’
He didn’t presume to count the strong ones lightly. At least one, minimum.
‘Gotta relay the intel first… Guess I’ll head there.’
Moving alone was dangerous.
You needed a full hand of cards to discard them and survive again.
Prrr…
“Hya!”
Benhu mounted his horse and galloped through the night. For hours, he stuck to paths that wouldn’t draw attention.
Just in case his identity was exposed, he looped around extra. No signs of pursuit.
Prrr…
Benhu’s horse arrived at the cemetery.
He brushed aside the white funeral flowers and spoke toward the grave.
“It’s me. Benhu.”
Rumble rumble…
The earth rose, revealing a door and stairs leading underground.
“Come in, Benhu. The master is waiting.”
An old man with a lantern beckoned him.
Creak…
Thud.
The cemetery gate closed, and the caretaker appeared to fill the hole with dirt.
The two men walked in silence underground.
“You’re not gonna ask anything?”
“What right do I have to question you, Benhu? I’ll guide you to the master.”
“The job failed.”
“…The master will be disappointed.”
“Anyone else come looking for me?”
“No one. Not a soul.”
Benhu nodded. Seemed his subordinates were indeed dead.
The long underground passage ended at a large door.
The man clapped against it.
Clap… Clap…
“Master, Benhu is here.”
“Let him in.”
“Yes….”
Creeeak…
The door opened to reveal a cylindrical chamber. Walls lined with ossuaries.
It looked like a columbarium.
The ceiling and pillar edges were special glass, letting in outside light.
A man fiddling with an ossuary spoke.
“So, Benhu. What news do you bring?”
“News you won’t like.”
“Bad news, then. Speak freely.”
Benhu told the man without hesitation.
“Listen up. That special task force or whatever has a dangerous bastard planted in it.”
“Dangerous?”
“Yeah. Don’t know how the Silver Lion Society and Investigation Bureau recruited him, but… a real powerhouse slipped in.”
“…Details.”
Benhu recounted what happened in the place he thought he’d sprung a trap.
“Jian, thanks to your plan, I lost all my men.”
“It was the council’s plan. Not mine to begin with. Surprising, though. For you to come fleeing here in a panic, it must’ve been that dangerous. Stronger than you, right?”
“Yeah. Don’t know how strong. Just know he’s stronger than me, and I’m not dumb enough to fight.”
“You should learn how to fight stronger opponents someday… You’ll be forced into it eventually. No time to practice then.”
“Practice next chance I get.”
“Planning to run forever, huh.”
“Busted? What can I do, that’s how you taught me, Master.”
“Your master’s already faced those kinds of opponents plenty of times….”
Tap…
A presence came from somewhere.
No, not quite a presence… a sound, subtle.
“A tail?”
“Nah, nothing. Look there.”
Benhu pointed at the ceiling exposed through the glass, where something perched on the window kept pecking at it.
“Just a bird.”
“…Benhu.”
“What, Jian?”
“Looks like a tail after all.”
“…What?”
“There’s faint poison scattered here. No living thing’s ever approached.”
“…What? Then that’s….”
Tap…
Tap tap tap…
Tap tap tap tap tap…
The number of birds grew.
He figured mere beak pecks wouldn’t shatter the ceiling, but he hadn’t expected this many crowding it, so no certainty.
Crack crack…
A crack formed in the glass.
Soon, the ceiling collapsed.
Crash—!
Large glass shards fell, shattering and scattering across the floor.
Barefoot, one step would’ve cut you.
Rustle…
Rustle rustle…
The flock returned to the columbarium, gathering together.
“…Crows?”
All pitch-black crows.
They soon turned to smoke, forming a shape.
Kang Seol appeared there, dressed in investigator uniform.
“How… No tail!”
Kang Seol pointed to his inner pocket.
Benhu startled, rummaged inside, and felt a button-like seal in his hand.
“When the hell did this… Ah! Damn it….”
Only then did he realize the seal had been planted during the clash with Karen. He shrank back, glancing sheepishly at Jian.
“Guess that’s how it went.”
“…Benhu, remember what I said earlier?”
“What?”
“That day you’d be forced to fight a stronger opponent.”
Benhu looked into Kang Seol’s eyes at Jian’s words.
“Heh….”
He recoiled in horror.
“You saw the eyes. What do you see?”
“N-Nothing… Absolutely nothing. Never seen this before….”
Different from Karen.
With her, he couldn’t predict strength. With Kang Seol, he couldn’t even tell strong or weak.
“I know, Benhu. He’s strong. Really strong. I can feel it just standing here. No need to look in the eyes.”
“…….”
“If he’s not attacking rashly, he probably wants to talk.”
Jian asked Kang Seol.
“Right? What do you want?”
“Submit quietly. Spill all you know, and I guarantee your life.”
“First time facing an investigator in person, but you talk pretty textbook.”
“That’s why it’s textbook.”
“…And if we refuse?”
“I’ll capture you by force.”
“Meaning you might kill?”
Kang Seol grinned.
“If you resist, I’ll kill whichever of you is less useful.”
Benhu panicked at his words.
“Jian! The subordinates…”
“Subordinates are useless. I can feel it… Crows… Crows… Mind if I see the seal?”
Ting—!
The seal Benhu tossed landed in Jian’s hand.
“…So you’re the one. The guy who killed Tekon and his men.”
“Tekon? Who’s that?”
“The toad.”
“Oh… Yeah. That’s me.”
“Listen, I’m not like Tekon.”
“Looks the same to me.”
“…….”
Jian didn’t argue.
“Benhu, what now?”
“What do you mean, what?”
“Gonna run again?”
“…What’re you gonna do?”
Jian clenched his fist at Benhu’s question.
Crash—!
All the ossuaries in the columbarium shattered, bone dust spilling to the floor.
Shoooo…
“We fight. For the organization. You run, like always.”
“…You looking down on me?”
Benhu bristled at Jian’s words and took a stance.
“I’ll fight too. Gonna give it a shot.”
Jian told Kang Seol.
“That’s how it is.”
Kang Seol replied coldly.
“One of you dies.”
“Bring it!”
Fwoosh—!
Benhu released smoke.
Confirming no poison, Kang Seol stood still, waiting for the attack.
Jian’s voice emerged.
“Looks like you picked the wrong battlefield.”
[Jian uses Bone Assembly.]
[Summon bone dust or bones into familiars.]
[Familiar stats determined by injected mana.]
[Weak to divine power.]
Clatter…
Bones rustling busily.
Clatter—!
[Jian uses Bone Centipede.]
[Sacrifice moving bone familiars to summon Bone Centipede.]
[Bone Centipede moves fast with powerful jaws.]
[Bone Centipede resists magic.]
Rumble rumble…
Sound of countless legs moving at once.
Jian and Benhu sought an opening in Kang Seol, but found none.
So, they’d go with the basics of a pincer: simultaneous attack.
And Benhu had the perfect ability for it.
“Jian! Now!”
Benhu burst through the fog, eyes wide, appearing right in Kang Seol’s face.
His power was his eyes.
Eyes that could do many things.
His best: sealing an opponent’s movement.
[Benhu uses Heart Demon Eye.]
[Opponents meeting Heart Demon Eye cower temporarily, unable to attack.]
As described, attacks impossible, but defense allowed.
No counterattack ever. Perfect for probing, ultimate first strike.
Zero risk.
Zing…
His clouded eyes locked on Kang Seol’s.
“Got you….”
In that instant, Kang Seol’s eyes turned to ones evoking primal terror.
[Second ability of Dragon Blood Eye revealed.]
[Dragon Blood Eye immune to harmful eye effects.]
[High chance to induce mana backlash on eye-attack users.]
[Mana backlash consumes 12x mana of the ability used, inflicting equal damage.]
A nonexistent risk suddenly appeared.
Crackle…
Veins bursting in his eyes, Benhu staggered.
Not intentional, but he’d inflicted fatal damage on himself.
Kang Seol rewarded Benhu for revealing the new ability with a kick.
Bang—!
“Gah….”
Crunch—!
Benhu hit the wall, and daggers flew, pinning his limbs.
Thwip thwip—!
Stab…
“Arrrgh—!”
Benhu screamed in unbearable pain. Jian, expecting a joint attack, did something unexpected.
“Don’t kill me. Kill that guy.”
Kang Seol’s fist stopped before Jian’s face.
“…What?”
“I know more. He’s worthless.”
Rumble…
Releasing the Bone Centipede, Jian said.
“Impressive. That demo was enough. Got plenty of info.”
“Info?”
“You’re ridiculously strong, huh? If we’d fought, I’d be dead.”
Jian waved dismissively and backed away. Benhu yelled.
“You! What the hell! You said we’d fight….”
“If I hadn’t, you’d have run.”
“…What?”
“See, told you to practice. Ignorance hurts.”
Crunch…
Zing—!
Fwoosh…
“Guh… Ack….”
A bone spear pierced Benhu’s chest.
“You… You… What’re….”
“This is how I survive.”
“…….”
As Benhu’s eyes lost life, Jian spoke.
“His master’s eccentric and strong. Think you can win? Ah… Damn….”
Whoooosh…
A round eyeball formed from Benhu’s blood.
The grotesque eye scanned around, then fixed on Jian and Kang Seol.
- How dare you… kill my disciple… Jian, why is Benhu dead?
Jian hastily dissolved the spear in his hand.
Shoo…
“Oh, that? This guy just killed him.”
- Why are you still alive?
“Captured. Save me.”
Suspicious, but used to Jian’s tone, the eye’s owner glared at Kang Seol.
- You… Do you know what you’ve done?
“You involved in this too?”
- This?
“Homm.”
- …And if I am?
“Come find me. Anytime.”
- You bastard!
Jian grinned cheekily.
“I’ll wait! Save me for sure! I’ll be waiting!”
- Shut up, Jian! You’ll pay too!
Slither…
The eye vanished.
“Phew… What now. He hates me.”
“Why so cooperative?”
“You’d kill me otherwise?”
“…….”
“And… living one more day is my creed. Deal with the council later.”
Council.
The eye user’s master.
Kang Seol asked Jian, who seemed to know plenty.
“They’ll come rescue you?”
“Who knows? Probably try. Planning to transport me?”
“Yeah.”
“They’ll definitely raid. Ask what you want now.”
Before taking this weirdo, Kang Seol resolved his biggest question.
“Homm.”
“Homm? Oh….”
“What substance is Homm?”
“Drug, duh.”
“No, I saw it used to enhance bodies. Lie, and you die.”
“Scary… Anyway, you. You’ve taken it too, right? Didn’t you know?”
“What’re you talking about?”
“You smell similar… Wait, let me sniff. No! Let me taste blood.”
“…….”
“No funny business. Hurry.”
Slice…
Kang Seol cut his palm, letting blood drip.
Slurp…
Jian tasted it, eyes widening.
“See? You too.”
“What the hell have you been….”
“Didn’t take it? Then why the similar taste? Weird?”
As Kang Seol frowned at Jian’s teasing.
‘…Ah.’
Something flashed in his mind.
The familiar scent from Homm and their blood.
Unpleasant yet nostalgic winter memory.
A wound received, a wound healed. A dream.
“No way. The ingredient in Homm and your drug is….”
Kang Seol glared at Jian, eyes wide.
“Not Atromil, right? Heavily modified, but… it’s Atromil.”
“Yep! Atromil!”
Jian’s lips curled up.
“Also known as giant’s blood.”