Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Translator: Penny
Chapter 45
"Ugh, my back..." Baek Woon groaned, patting his lower back with a wince.
That blasted nephew of his had kept him up all night, boiling distilled water, filtering herbs through strainers, and devising magic arrays by consulting alchemical texts.
If this continued, he'd wear his body to a frazzle just making potions.
Lawrence, who was munching on dessert beside him, glanced at Baek Woon and asked, "Hey, Daoist. Why are you in the Western Continent instead of the Eastern Continent?"
"Hmm? No particular reason. I just find the Western Continent more interesting. And I've made some good connections here."
"Hmph─ what's the Eastern Continent like?"
Lawrence's casual question prompted Baek Woon to stroke his beard thoughtfully, reminiscing about his past.
How best to describe it?
"There are many rugged and towering mountains. The scenery is subtly different from that of the Western Continent."
"No, not that. Is it ruled by a king like ours?"
"Similar, but the Eastern Continent doesn't have as many separate nations as the Western Continent."
"So, just one country?"
Baek Woon nodded.
"A single Hegemon Nation's Emperor rules the entire continent. If there were surrounding empires, kingdoms, holy states, and city-states like those around the Kingdom of Astraria, our Emperor would have burned them all to ashes within a month."
"Is that even possible...?"
"It is."
There was no hint of falsehood or exaggeration in Baek Woon's eyes.
Lawrence swallowed hard, his curiosity rekindled. "Then, does the Eastern Continent's Emperor have many powerful individuals under his command?"
"There are countless. Daoists like myself are so common you could trip over them, and while they're different from Elena, there are also quite a few non-human tribes. And don't forget the exceptional warriors like Wolfgang and Wolf—they're abundant too."
"What about someone like Agron?"
"Agron..."
Baek Woon groaned, his lips twisting into a thoughtful grimace. It was a question he'd never considered before.
"I'm not sure if there's anyone exactly like Agron, but there is one truly formidable group of warriors."
"Oh, really? How strong are they?"
"Think of them as the continent's strongest warriors gathered in one place. I don't know if they're stronger than Agron, but there are dozens of warriors there who are his equal."
Lawrence's eyes widened.
"Dozens?! Monsters like him?"
"Indeed. If even three of them were to gather... they could effortlessly annihilate an entire nation."
"Are they like our kingdom's knight order?!"
"Similar. They are the Chwisol Warrior Corps, the Cheontae Kingdom's Emperor's personal guard."
Baek Woon spoke with a solemn expression.
"If you ever encounter someone claiming to be from the Chwisol, I implore you: do not fight. Flee. You will die."
"A-are they stronger than Vampir like Jacob or Elena...?"
"Hmm, what kind of race do you think sealed Elena and Jacob?"
"...Uh, Dragons?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, humans, humans. Elena is undoubtedly strong. If she fully recovers, she'll be overwhelmingly powerful. But Your Highness, the world is filled with countless powerful individuals and those who have reached the realm of Beyond the Heavens."
Those who reached the pinnacle of magic or swordsmanship were called "Beyond the Heavens," a title signifying they had transcended human limitations.
And as he said, across the continents, there were indeed individuals who aspired to or had surpassed this realm.
"Could there be anyone stronger than Agron?"
"He's only seventeen. Among Spirits, Demons, and witches, there are those who can obliterate mountains with a mere gesture."
"Ha... the world is full of extraordinary people."
"Of course, ha... This world is a boundless paradise where anything is possible. There are monsters as large as mountain ranges and fish bigger than ships. Your Highness, live with grand dreams."
"O─ Then unicorns must exist somewhere too, right?"
"Tsk, what nonsense is that? There's no such thing in this world."
Baek Woon replied with a serious expression.
Jacob walked through the mine's tunnels, his senses on high alert.
He had discovered traces of someone—or some group—who had passed through this path just a few dozen minutes earlier.
According to the villagers, mining operations ceased months ago. There's no reason for anyone to be this deep inside...
He briefly considered whether this might be Ananta's hideout, but dismissed the idea. The location was too exposed to the villagers' scrutiny.
However, if it were an evacuation point or escape route, that would change things.
Since such a route would only be used once, they could likely avoid detection for a single night.
If this place were frequently used, there should be signs of multiple people passing through. But as far as Jacob could tell, there were no traces of anyone leaving—only signs of people entering.
Jacob moved cautiously, mindful of any potential traps. Cold sweat soaked his back, and the strain of keeping all his senses heightened to their limits was rapidly draining his stamina.
"..."
Just then, a wide-open cavern appeared at the end of the tunnel. Jacob quickened his pace, reached the end, and cautiously peeked into the cavern.
At the center of the cavern, a massive hole glowed with light, and several figures were walking into it and disappearing.
A Gate!
Jacob sprang into action, determined to catch the last person entering.
The moment the last person's hem brushed against Jacob's fingertips,
Swoosh!
"Ugh!"
A sudden blade sliced through the air, severing Jacob's wrist.
Jacob clutched his spurting wrist with his other hand and hastily retreated a few steps.
How could I not sense even a hint of his presence, despite being exhausted?
"Well, well. Just as I expected, a little rat has slipped in."
Jacob turned his gaze toward the voice.
There stood a hulking figure, grinning widely, as if he had materialized from thin air.
His beard was wild and untamed, his hair a tangled mess. He was as massive as Agron, clad in clothing as distinctive as Baek Woon's.
But what stood out most was that the man was blind.
Jacob drew a dagger from his cloak and snarled, "How dare a mere human wound me?! I'll tear you to shreds!"
"Pfft, 'mere human'? Looks like you're just some subspecies trash. Mess with me and you'll regret it, pal."
The massive man strode toward him, his tattered robe billowing behind him.
"A subspecies? To me, a great Vampir?!"
Jacob didn't hesitate. He swung the dagger, aiming for the man's neck.
"...What...?"
He was certain he'd struck, yet there was no resistance at his fingertips. In any normal situation, that single strike would have severed the man's neck, killing him instantly.
"Heh heh heh... All done, are we?"
But his opponent evaded the attack by a hair's breadth, his hand twitching on the hilt of his sword.
Click.
"What the—cough!"
Jacob clutched his throat with his remaining hand.
With a single twitch of his hand, the man had already sliced beneath Jacob's jaw.
Jacob spat out gushing blood.
Dangerous.
Not his own condition, but the man himself.
He had to warn Elena and Agron about this.
"Why don't you hurry up and show me the power of that great Subspecies?"
The man suddenly appeared before Jacob, who was trying to flee, baring his dark teeth as he swung his sheathed sword back and forth.
Crack!
With each swing, Jacob's joints shattered, muscles tore, and his body slowly collapsed.
"Ghk..."
Jacob lay sprawled on the floor, bloodied and unable to offer any resistance or response.
It had all happened in an instant.
"Well, this feels like bullying a child with their hands and feet tied."
The man scratched his cheek and raised his sheathed sword into the air.
He aimed to crush Jacob's skull, which lay prone on the floor.
"Farewell, you Subspecies thing."
"Where do you think you're going?!"
At that moment, a pitch-black wind surged forth, engulfing the man's entire body.
But instead of being startled, the man spun several times, dispersing the wind with his robe.
He sniffed the air, analyzing the information carried by the wind.
"Hmm, that sweet scent suggests a young woman. But the overwhelming stench of blood, impossible to wash away, marks her as one of those Vampiric Demons."
Elena glared at the man briefly before bending down to tend to the fallen Jacob.
"E... cough... W-Weiher..."
"Hold still. I'll give you emergency treatment for now."
With a flick of her fingers, Jacob's scattered blood gathered and flowed back into his body.
Jacob felt his breathing clear as the wounds healed.
"Cough... Th-thank you..."
"Vampirs don't die until their thrall's parent is dead."
Elena rose, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the man.
"You dare harm my thrall? You must be insane."
"It seems all Vampiric Demons are as arrogant as you."
"At least I have the skill to back up my arrogance. Are you one of Ananta's assassins, like 'Six Fingers'?"
"Me? Heh heh heh... How dare you compare me to that pathetic half-wit?"
The man smirked and slowly drew his sword.
"I'm just a cleaner here to tidy up. My colleague failed to finish the job properly, so I'm here to take care of the loose ends."
"Who's your colleague? The drug dealer Kobuul? Ananta? Or perhaps Ink Moon?"
"Oh—you know more than I expected. This is... troublesome."
The man scratched his eyelid with his free hand.
"So you're an Ink Moon member."
"Correct. I came here to evacuate my Contractor, Ananta. And to kill vermin like you."
"But what if that vermin bites you to death?"
"Preposterous."
The man flicked his sword sheath with his finger, drawing the silver-white blade and pointing it forward.
Kugugugugugu...!
An electrifying aura erupted from him, unlike anything he had shown before, instantly dyeing the cavern pitch-black.
Elena unconsciously bit her lip.
Is this truly the power a human can wield?
"I am Heukchigang, Captain of the 1st Unit of Chwisol."
The monstrous sword energy radiating from his blade swept through the cavern, as if it could cleave the entire space in two.
"Hah..."
Heukchigang swung his sword, shaking off the blood.
The cavern was on the verge of collapsing after the dozens of exchanges they had traded in a short span of time.
If they unleashed any more sword energy, the entire place would crumble, burying their corpses beyond recovery.
"Heh heh heh, that was quite an entertaining duel for once," Heukchigang grinned, baring his dark teeth at Elena, who was bleeding profusely in a corner.
"Cough...! Ugh... You bastard...!" Elena hissed, pressing her hand against the gruesome gash in her side, grinding her teeth in fury.
This man wasn't just strong; he was overwhelming. Even though his body had grown dull from prolonged sealing and he hadn't fully recovered his strength, Elena had been utterly outmatched in their exchanges.
While Elena, a master of Blood Magic, excelled in large-scale battles rather than one-on-one duels, her defeat remained a defeat.
"If I had my way, I'd take your head as a trophy, but... I doubt my own body would survive the effort. Let's call it a draw."
Heukchigang of Chwisol exhaled sharply and sheathed his sword.
The circumstances were far from ideal for either of them to unleash their full power.
"Heukchigang of Chwisol, I'm pleased to have finally met a worthy opponent. I look forward to our next encounter."
He chuckled softly, using his sheathed sword as a cane as he limped toward the Gate.
Elena seethed with rage and frustration, but she lacked the confidence to stop him.
The first person she had encountered since Agron who possessed such overwhelming martial prowess.
I should be grateful that Master didn't cross paths with them.
She believed that if Heukchigang were to confront Agron, Agron would suffer significant harm as well.
What use is a servant who can't protect their Master?
Just then, a gust of wind brushed past her.
"Huh—?"
Before her confusion could dissipate, something charging like a rhinoceros slammed its fist into Heukchigang's shoulder as he tried to exit the Gate.
Crack!
"Ugh—!"
The Gate slammed shut, silencing Heukchigang's scream.
"Hmm, that felt good," Agron murmured, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as he watched his opponent vanish.
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny