Chapter 53

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 53

Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board

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The community was abuzz solely with talk of Kibo and Heka, Anonymous and Yumira.

'As expected, no info on Chao.'

Kang Seol had been stopping by the community every day just in case, but there were still no meaningful leads.

In the end, he had to circle back to that place.

The one remaining trace of Chao left in Nobira, the chaotic hub of information—her hidden lab in the mansion.

The area around the mansion was unchanged.

Overgrown weeds from lack of care, an eerie atmosphere. Even the broken glass windows were intact.

Chao must have prepaid a hefty sum, as no one else had come near the place.

Swish...

Kang Seol slipped quickly through the broken window. Since he'd done this once before, no tedious choices or prompts popped up this time.

Creeeak...

"Phew... Back here again."

The walls were plastered with indecipherable patterns, drawings, and distracting phrases.

Whoooong...

Whish—! Swish—!

Kang Seol's black energy summoned Karuna and Jamad.

"What now? You're not asking us to do that thing from last time again, are you?"

At Jamad's sharp glare, Kang Seol awkwardly looked away.

"Goddamn it, just handle this shit yourself next time."

Despite his gruff complaint, Jamad eventually started scanning the info from one corner, methodically.

Karuna silently stuck to the wall and checked the contents too.

Kang Seol and his summons spent over an hour like that.

Even if silent diligence is a worker's virtue, this was boring enough to make your mouth reek of halitosis.

That was why Kang Seol struck up a conversation with Karuna.

"Karuna."

"Yes, Master."

"Doesn't it bother you not having a sword?"

Karuna replied as if it were the most obvious thing.

"I can protect Master without a sword."

Hearing that, Jamad smirked.

"So loyal."

"Don't mock me, troll."

"That how it sounded? Pure compliment."

They bickered like this normally, yet synced perfectly in battle—what a mystery.

"Master."

"What? Find something?"

"Not that... This symbol. Feels familiar."

"Symbol?"

"Yes. Not sure where, but it's definitely in my memories somewhere."

The walls were covered in various symbols; they hadn't examined each minutely.

Since it was getting dull anyway, and Karuna seemed to have a lead, Kang Seol checked the one he pointed to.

A circular frame enclosing a bizarre flame shape.

"First time I've seen this one."

"Is that so?"

"But you're sure it's from your memory?"

"Yes. Something strong resonates from this symbol."

—However, memories before becoming an apostle are foggy like mist.

Karuna couldn't remember his past.

So for him to claim this symbol was familiar left Kang Seol puzzled, but also intrigued.

'Wonder what it says.'

Around the symbol was scrawled one of Chao's passages.

—What benefits does a summon's rank bring to unity with the summoner, and is it truly a reliable solution to overcome the instability of unity?

'What the hell does that mean?'

A passage alien as any extraterrestrial tongue.

Kang Seol irritably scratched his neck and checked the next bit.

—There are those seeking to exploit the Great Forest's life force. Life force is the source of vitality, often used by those rejecting death.

'Great Forest's life force?'

—Someone infiltrated the Great Forest. Remnants of the immortals? Or entirely different beings? If I can use them, I might gain a powerful shadow. The infiltrators reject death—they're surely necromancers.

Necromancers had infiltrated the Great Forest.

'Why?'

—What is their true goal, and where did the corpses they aim to revive come from? Worth investigating in time.

At that moment, an adventure was forcibly assigned.

"Huh..."

Should he rejoice at finding a clue, or be dismayed at the forced selection?

Kang Seol unwittingly glanced at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Karuna, who met his eyes with a resolute gaze.

As if they absolutely had to go there.

From behind, Jamad spoke.

"Seems the tin can's curious about that symbol. How about heading there next?"

Karuna glanced at Jamad, then back to Kang Seol.

"Yeah, let's go there next."

"Thank you, Master."

With Karuna's interest and no better leads, heading there now made sense.

But this adventure coincided with Nobira's low travel luck and the forced assignment—special circumstances.

'Low travel luck plus forced quest... Kinda uneasy.'

Of course, he had preparations for various issues, but anxiety lingered regardless.

'Gotta find Chao quick and get out of Nobira.'

Kang Seol resolved himself.

Faster than expected, word from Hamin reached Kang Seol.

On the night two days before transfer to the new adventure, Kibo's messenger from Hamin arrived.

"The items are ready."

"Can you tell him I'm coming now?"

"Of course."

Kibo's underlings were polite.

They weren't rude before, but post-Heka, even more so.

Yumira especially—despite her fiery rep, she bowed deeply to Kang Seol each time.

'Uncomfortable...'

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Fear or respect? Either way, not great.

Later learned Kibo had ordered it.

Anyway, Kang Seol was back at the place he first met Hamin. The chilly night air made the quiet street feel lonelier.

"You've arrived?"

"Hamin."

"No need to come inside. The items are complete."

Hamin emerged, hands behind his back.

Behind him, two cloth-wrapped items.

"Here."

Whoosh.

Kang Seol caught the lightly tossed items.

The helmet's name had changed, so Hamin's work seemed successful.

But oddly, Hamin hesitated with the most important item, the Moonlight Sword.

"...Hamin?"

"Let me explain the sword's issues."

"Problem with the Moonlight Sword?"

"Yes. There were problems, and remnants persist."

"What kind?"

Hamin eyed the cloth-wrapped sword with puzzled curiosity.

"Techniques of unknown era, inscribed spells, and magic. Despite high evolution, much is suppressed."

"Suppressed?"

"This sword suppressed not just its own power, but the wielder's too."

"...Possible?"

"I thought impossible until now. Glimpsing another wall."

As Hamin spilled Moonlight Sword details, Kang Seol grew suspicious.

'Come to think of it...'

Karuna was an early summon from the first adventure. Naturally weaker than later ones.

Yet no signs so far. He grew stronger uniquely.

Stats soared, battle savvy unmatched.

Kang Seol wondered if it was info gap from first-time Shadow Summoner training, or Karuna truly special.

And if special, why was his signature Moonlight Sword mere rare?

Such doubts arose.

Hamin gripped the sword firmly and said,

"Succeeded in removing many spells, but far more remain. Curious what it'd be like fully unsealed."

Then, something Kang Seol hadn't anticipated happened.

Hamin tucked the sword into his bosom and declared,

"Thus, I cannot hand over this sword yet."