Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Exposed Identity
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Just before Choi Juwon entered the gate.
"Hmm... I could handle trash like you lot anytime, but there's no reason not to use a method that lets me fight with the advantage."
-Pshk
-Pssshhh
-Puk
"Grraaaah!"
"Kyaak!"
Countless disciples were drained of their life force by Dertod and died. Of course, tentacles flew toward Kim Siyeon as well. Beside her were Baek Hyunseo, Lee Haru, Yoon Seulgi, and Seo Yerin, whom she often hung out with.
-Shwaaa!
-Pa-crash!
Kim Siyeon tried using her shield, but it shattered pathetically, and the tentacles hurtled toward them at terrifying speed.
-Pshk!
And the moment it pierced the foremost Kim Siyeon.
-Hwaaaak!
-Pang!
The area was suddenly enveloped in light, and the tentacle was repelled. At the same time, a powerful defensive barrier formed around them.
-Tiiing
-Ting
-Ting!
The tentacles battered the barrier repeatedly, but the formidable ward refused to break. As time passed, the tentacles withdrew to drain others.
"Hah... hah... hah... What the hell just...?"
Kim Siyeon stared at her abdomen. Just moments ago, she was sure the tentacle had stabbed her, but upon checking, it had only slightly torn her clothes. It hadn't penetrated her flesh.
-Shwaaa!
A white light shimmered on her arm, and the bracelet she wore disintegrated.
"Th-this...?"
It was the artifact Choi Juwon had given her on her birthday.
- "Kim Siyeon, it's your birthday today, right? Here, take it."
- "Wow, this bracelet is so pretty!"
- "It's called the Survival Bracelet. It disappears after one use, but you'll find a use for it someday."
- "Huh? Something this pretty vanishes when used?! Then I won't use it!"
- "It auto-activates in specific situations, so it'd be hard not to."
- "No way... It's so pretty... I'd be heartbroken if it vanished..."
"Sob..."
Was it shock from nearly dying? Or guilt surging toward Choi Juwon? Tears streamed down Kim Siyeon's face.
An artifact embedded with a barrier strong enough to block attacks from monsters emerging from a black gate. Even a layman could guess its immense value from that power alone.
A man who casually gave such an absurdly priceless gift as a mere birthday present, without fanfare. And thanks to him, her life was saved.
"Hic... sob..."
Kim Siyeon bawled. Those around her hugged her, looking puzzled.
As time passed, Yoon Seulgi quietly asked,
"S-Siyeon... What was that magic just now...? We survived thanks to it..."
Kim Siyeon sniffled as she replied,
"It's thanks to an artifact Instructor Choi Juwon gave me a while back. That saved us."
A hush fell over the group.
Baek Hyunseo clutched her necklace tightly. It was also an artifact from Choi Juwon. One that cast healing magic when infused with mana.
With a somber expression, Baek Hyunseo said,
"Instructor gave us so much for our sake. Knowledge, artifacts... If it weren't for the artifact from Instructor Choi Juwon, we'd all be dead right now."
No one could refute Baek Hyunseo's words. How could they? They'd seen the horrific tentacles bearing down on them firsthand. And outside, countless disciples were still dying in real time.
If the Survival Bracelet Choi Juwon gave Kim Siyeon hadn't activated, they would have been the ones screaming in agony as they met their end.
"Sob... sob..."
Deeply shaken, Kim Siyeon kept crying.
One fortunate thing was that their hiding spot was a cave. The powerful barrier still held. And their presence was concealed within the cave.
As soon as the monsters rampaged, Kim Siyeon and her friends had fled into the cave they'd spotted right after entering the gate. They hadn't thought they could exit via the gate inside—it was obviously sealed by demonic energy anyway. They'd simply sought a place to hide.
Without the artifact, they'd have died miserably trapped there. But that single artifact turned the spot into an impregnable fortress.
Kim Siyeon murmured,
"If... if I make it out alive... I'll sincerely apologize to Instructor..."
Lee Haru quietly spoke from beside her.
"Can we... really get out of here?"
Her question silenced everyone. Behind them loomed the gate blocked by demonic energy.
Yoon Seulgi whispered,
"No one can get out... Black gates can't be opened by anyone..."
In that moment of despair.
-Paaaang!
Brilliant light emanated from the gate, and a large figure burst out.
-Thud!
"Kuh... fuck..."
The one who emerged was a man.
-Clang
The mask he wore fell to the ground.
-Thump
The man hurriedly picked it up, but Kim Siyeon had clearly seen it. The familiar face of the man. Choi Juwon's face beneath the Masked Instructor's mask.
"Huh...?"
"I-Instructor...?"
Baek Hyunseo beside her also recognized the silhouette beneath the Masked Instructor's mask.
"I-Instructor Choi Juwon?"
Choi Juwon scanned his surroundings, belatedly adjusted his mask, and spotted them.
"Fuck."
He spat irritably, then questioned the girls.
"Where are my disciples who came in with you lot?"
Kim Siyeon whimpered,
"I-Instructor Choi Juwon... I-I'm sorry for misunderstanding... I missed you so much, really, I'm so sorry..."
Baek Hyunseo grabbed his pant leg, tearfully pleading,
"Instructor... There's something I really need to tell you, just hear me out for a sec..."
But Choi Juwon shook off their hands and urgently demanded,
"Shut the fuck up and tell me where my disciples are, you bitches!"
His shout left the girls stunned, their hands trembling. Kim Siyeon pointed outward and said,
"O-out there..."
Hearing those brief words, Choi Juwon immediately bolted outside.
-Kwaaaang!
Choi Juwon used the recoil from Release to propel himself outside in an instant.
-Whiiiing
Floating in the air, he quickly scanned the surroundings.
'Fuck...'
All that met Choi Juwon's eyes were corpses or the fallen.
'Too late... I was too late...'
Choi Juwon despaired. No one could have predicted a black gate here. This was just a C-grade gate. Normally, nothing dangerous would happen to his disciples, even if it killed him. The disciples he taught were strong.
But the black gate born from the worst misfortune had driven everyone to death.
'There might still be survivors... Park Hye-yeon... Where's Park Hye-yeon?'
Without realizing it, Choi Juwon kept searching for Park Hye-yeon. Was it because her situation resembled his own? For some reason, he desperately hoped inside that she hadn't died.
-Paaang!
To find her, he used Release once more, soaring higher into the air.
Then, he sensed a massive mana flow from the forest.
'Found her.'
Choi Juwon swiftly cast the spell and charged toward it.
'What the hell is that freak?'
As he drew closer, a monster came into view. A vampire-like hybrid covered in tentacles on its back.
The clearer its form became, the more Choi Juwon recognized it.
'Dertod, huh... Fuck...'
Fortunately, Park Hye-yeon was alive.
Voices drifted from afar.
"Do you know what I hate most? Weaklings. What I despise even more are the weak ones who struggle pathetically to survive. Deluding themselves into thinking they're noble..."
"D-don't... insult..."
"Filthy monster... I've seen plenty like you before... Every one of them was irredeemable trash. Born with power, yet..."
"How dare a mere human spout such nonsense. Pathetic worm. I'll gouge out your eyes and sever your limbs one by one until you die. I'll make you writhe in agony until you beg to live. No, until you beg for death. I'll kill you horrifically."
At that instant, Dertod swung a blade made of its own blood toward Park Hye-yeon's eye.
'No, I can't be late.'
Choi Juwon desperately sucked in the surrounding mana.
Then he unleashed it rapidly at Dertod.
-Kwaaaaang!
The mass of mana struck Dertod. Then he cast a severing spell.
-Slash
Dertod's arm was sliced off.
"Grraaaaaah!"
Dertod writhed in pain from its severed tentacle.
"Hah... hah..."
Covered in sweat, Choi Juwon panted raggedly as he glared at Dertod.
"Don't expect a clean death. I'll rip you apart piece by piece."
Dertod gathered demonic energy at the stump of its arm.
-Squirm
In an instant, its arm regenerated. With a cold expression, it addressed him.
"Damnable human. Arrogant after landing one surprise attack. Insolent fool. I'll torture you to death in agony."
He replied with killing intent directed at it.
"Try it if you can, you bug."