The Place Where the Verdant One Sleeps
The purpose of a barrier is limited. To protect something, or to seal it away.
Cheon Ji-hoo had assumed the barrier enveloping this forest was meant to safeguard something. It muddled people's sense of direction and nullified most magic. Being inside it had little effect, but destroying the central trees would unleash a downpour... Those were the traits that had him pondering just what it might be protecting.
But contrary to his expectations, this barrier seemed designed for sealing, not protection.
Something lay dormant in this lush, verdant forest. With the core axes shattered by Cheon Ji-hoo, the barrier had weakened, allowing it to squeeze through the cracks and emerge.
Rumble rumble rumble—
The ground itself was rising, not footsteps shaking the earth.
Arms crossed, Cheon Ji-hoo wondered what manner of thing was putting on such a dramatic show. And soon enough, the ground beneath him trembled too, launching him skyward.
It was enormous.
He'd anchored his feet to the earth with magic and waited, and before long, the beast's massive body revealed itself. The spot where he stood was its haunch. Rolling his eyes toward what he guessed was its head, the first thing that caught his gaze was the horns branching out in every direction like tree limbs.
Beneath those haphazardly tangled vine-like horns stretched a long face. Its massive eyes gleamed gold. The facial structure and overall form resembled a stag's—were it not for the six legs and the pair of golden eyes on each side.
What kind of creature is this?
To require such size and a barrier this grand for sealing, it was no ordinary being. Comparable to a divine beast commanded by the gods. But it wasn't a god, and he'd hunted divine beasts a few times before, so there was no need for real worry.
As it turned its head, the surrounding trees snapped with loud cracks. Those touched by its horns withered instantly, crumbling to dust—it wielded some bizarre power.
Turning its golden eyes toward its haunch, it blinked at Cheon Ji-hoo. He met the monstrous stag's gaze with a impassive expression, arms still crossed.
The moment it flipped the earth and rose, he'd pinpointed the core's location. This S-rank rift's core was in its heart. Claim that heart, and he could close the rift.
But conversely, the beast before him looked somewhat useful. Every monster he'd faced in rifts so far had been utter trash...
Stags symbolize fortune. Deer wandering lush forests are harbingers of good luck, messengers of the divine—the symbolism was more than ample. Likely the guardian of this land...
"Still, guess I'll have to kill it."
Screeeeech!
Sharp wooden roots shot toward him from all sides. He dodged with Space Transfer, gaining distance, then rocketed into the sky at high speed, glancing back at the pursuing roots before turning his head.
The stag's maw gaped wide, gathering mana in its mouth. The sheer power warped the space around its jaws—refracting light itself.
Tsking at the sight, Cheon Ji-hoo halted midair and prepared his spell. Spreading his arms, the mana clump in the stag's mouth unraveled like thread, surging toward him from every direction.
Golden mana blades stretched like lasers from the front, while roots converged from behind. A razor-edge standoff.
But he didn't falter. Arms flung wide, he murmured low.
"Distortion."
Bluish magic circles bloomed instantly above his palms, warping the space around him and scattering the incoming roots and mana threads.
He followed up seamlessly with his second spell.
"Expansion."
Extending the range of the activated Distortion. The expanded warp spread slowly, twisting everything in its path—surrounding trees, approaching roots. Even the stag's expelled mana twisted apart before finally dissipating with satisfaction.
The stag gaped wide again to gather more mana, but Cheon Ji-hoo had vanished from its sight. It scanned around futilely.
Then a voice came from above.
"I've distorted your senses with Distortion too. Nice size on you, though. Where'd you come from? Not sure if you can even talk..."
If it was a guardian spirit ascended to divinity, it might speak. Right now, he lounged between its horns, atop its brow. Great view from up high, soft fur too—perfect for a nap.
"Anyway, let's get to it."
Cheon Ji-hoo rose, pressing a hand to the "floor"—the space between its horns, right on the brow. He inscribed a magic circle there with mana. A red one, drawn at blinding speed.
"What I desire is blazing flame and thunderous roar to deafen the ears."
Finishing the setup, he evaded another onslaught of roots with Space Transfer, relocating to a safer distance. Then he triggered the circle on the stag's head.
"Explosion."
A finger snap lit the fuse. The circle blazed. The light erupted into brilliant flames, igniting compressed oxygen in a massive blast.
BOOM—
A deafening roar and gale-force winds raged. The explosion rocked its head violently; trees rooted deep in the earth scattered like autumn leaves.
Cheon Ji-hoo extended a hand, deploying Barrier to repel the storm and debris.
As the dust settled, the stag came into view—grotesque, one horn blasted clean off its brow. Instead of red blood, a clear, watery fluid oozed from the wound.
"Hm."
Cheon Ji-hoo eyed it curiously. Not a magical construct, and who had sealed it? All he knew was it brimmed with mysteries.
Honestly, he'd love to capture and study it.
"Can't be helped..."
He spread his arms wide, drawing a magic circle. Killing it outright would be tough. The Explosion had only blown half its head off. More spirit than beast, it was already regenerating—though the broken horn didn't regrow.
It looked dazed from just waking, but its power rivaled a dragon's. If it spat dragon tongue and magic recklessly like a true dragon, it'd be a real pain.
The circle between his outstretched arms glowed green. Triangles overlapped circles; runes spun into a halo of light. Vast mana surged from his body, heating his circuits red-hot. He exhaled to cool them, a faint smile on his lips as he prepared to cast—
A stray thought brushed his mind.
-I don't want to die...
A clear wave of will. Cheon Ji-hoo withdrew the spell that would have obliterated the area, crossing his arms to regard the stag. It had flattened itself to the ground, trembling.
Even a near-divine beast couldn't defy primal fear. Cheon Ji-hoo sighed, tsked, and lowered his mental barriers. Tracing the thought wave's path, he linked channels with the stag via Link—a spell connecting minds to share intent. He rarely used it; dropping barriers was risky.
But here, it was just them. Anything else would've died in their scuffle anyway...
"Hey, can you hear me?"
-Uh, wha? How, human?
"Linked our minds with Link. I'll ask questions. Answer."
-Fine, whatever...
One good hit had tamed it. Realizing it couldn't win, it pressed its head to the dirt, forelegs covering its eyes. Was this a stag? More like a scaredy-cat.
"Who are you?"
-I've... lived here forever. Lived here...
"Name?"
-Dunno. Just lived here... Can't even remember what everyone called me. Slept too long...
For the first time, Cheon Ji-hoo felt a weight lift from his chest. Finally, something answering honestly. Even if it wasn't human. Smarter than most people, at least.
"This forest had an elaborate sealing barrier. For you?"
-Seal... seal... Uuuaaaah—!!
The word "seal" triggered a mind-shattering scream. The flattened beast rose, spewing hostile mana everywhere.
Cheon Ji-hoo retreated, assessing. Had the clarity been just from the hit?
The stag was off now. Boiling with negative mana emotions. Its golden eyes ran red; frigid energy sucked life from nearby trees.
-Must die! Must die! MUST DIE—!!
A torrent of dark feelings flooded the link—dense negativity that would've driven others mad. This was malice. Implanted malice, bursting forth now.
Cheon Ji-hoo scowled. The emotions pouring from it were rage. Its speech was childlike; it had likely lived peacefully here, as it claimed.
Someone had tainted it with negativity, implanting the concept of "death." To rampage madly. To obey.
The stag went berserk. Everything around withered. Disaster descended. Its wound's fluid turned to blood; red flowers bloomed on its horns.
Flowers bloom not ten days red—its glory was already fading. Shattered trees toppled; its hatred and fury turned on Cheon Ji-hoo.
The link held.
"Yeah... must be fate."
Your appearance before me. The intense demonic aura. A clue. Demon King ties, those emotions too.
The core in its heart pulsed wildly, spewing demonic energy and mana, drawing earth's power. Red flowers bloomed in the air, filling the space—beautiful, yet laden with malice, weighing on the mind. All the more so receiving its feelings directly.
"I beseech you, heavenly emissaries."
Murmuring, he slashed a hand through the air. A golden halo materialized behind him, tracing geometric runes. Crosses overlapped, circles nested, triangles formed hexagrams—vast mana quaked the heavens and earth.
"Holy Binding."
Holy magic unfurled from the halo; thick chains lashed out. Clank rattle— they shredded the red flowers, coiling tight around the stag. Chains devouring demonic energy and mana. No brute force could break it—for a while, at least.
Cheon Ji-hoo approached the bound stag. It snorted wildly, red eyes blazing hate.
He reached out, gently placing a hand on its brow, exhaling deeply.
"I'll make it quick and painless."
It'd hurt like hell. But it wouldn't die.