Chapter 159
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: Monocle of Dreamlike Illusions
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Hmm. Looks like it turned out well."
Just the fact that it generated two weapon skills was proof enough of its quality. Lee Se-hun dismissed the info window and then checked out the new skill he'd acquired.
A visual technique for observing dreamlike mana.
Adjust your vision to freely traverse the boundary of dreams. Prolonged use may cause your eyes to vanish.
• The denser the observed dreamlike mana, the greater the strain.
'...Freely traverse the boundary of dreams?'
Lee Se-hun stared at the Dreamlike Eye's effects in surprise.
For living beings, crossing the boundary of dreams was incredibly difficult. Even a slight lapse in focus could cause the body to be replaced by a dream and scatter, and once that happened, restoration was impossible.
That was why mages who studied dreamlike mana described reaching the realm where one could freely cross that boundary as true mastery—and now Lee Se-hun had suddenly acquired a power related to it.
'Did it develop from constantly using and observing dreamlike mana...? No, that doesn't explain how potent it is.'
Even if his soul had changed, could talent like this really emerge? After pondering for a moment, Lee Se-hun shook his head.
'Focus on the now for the time being.'
Deciding to test how the Dreamlike Eye activated, Lee Se-hun immediately triggered the skill.
Whummm.
Something surged up from around his solar plexus toward his eyes, softly filling the insides. It tickled faintly while also feeling like it was slowly gnawing away.
'If I let my guard down in this state, my eyes would probably vanish in a flash.'
Confirming he could only use it when his mind was sharp, Lee Se-hun gazed at the Monocle of Dreamlike Illusions through his altered vision.
A faint purple mist clung to the monocle, invisible to the naked eye before. Now, the dreamlike mana was clearly observable, and Lee Se-hun focused his gaze a bit more.
Shhh.
The surroundings gradually darkened, and the purple mist swirling around the monocle sharpened into clarity.
Lee Se-hun cautiously extended his hand, slipping his finger into the mist.
Whoosh!
His finger crossed the boundary of dreams and vanished completely from reality.
'Indeed... so that's how it works.'
Deactivating Dreamlike Eye in one eye to confirm part of his finger had disappeared into thin air, Lee Se-hun looked intrigued.
It blocked out the real world entirely, allowing the user to focus solely on the dream boundary. In other words, it prevented the mistakes a novice might make.
'Convenient, but dangerous if overused.'
The Dreamlike Eye was merely supportive; it didn't enhance the technique itself. Thoughtlessly stepping into the dream boundary could cost him a limb in the blink of an eye.
Moreover, mixing reality and vision—willingly or not—could destabilize the ability instantly.
"Whoa."
Pulling his finger out swiftly before it scattered, Lee Se-hun then deactivated Dreamlike Eye.
"Still, plenty of uses for it..."
Muttering contentedly, he picked up the Monocle of Dreamlike Illusions.
'Now, time to test this for real... Who'd be good?'
Since it pierced the target's inner world, using it carelessly could arouse suspicion—and above all, word of this item mustn't spread yet.
As he pondered, Lee Se-hun thought of the perfect candidate and made a call. Soon after...
Creeeak.
The door to the forging room—which he'd unlocked in advance—opened, and Louise entered, looking disheveled with a hoodie over her tracksuit.
"Oh, you're here..."
"Hey. Do you know what time it is?"
"Hm?"
Not even thinking to check the clock, Lee Se-hun finally glanced at his phone.
"4 a.m...."
He'd gone straight there after lunch with the Yeom clan, easily over 12 hours. Realizing this, he was mildly surprised, then pleased.
'Working that hard and my body's still fine. I'm really on track now.'
In the past, his mana and stamina would've flagged by now, leaving him a wreck. Seeing Lee Se-hun smile smugly instead of apologetic, Louise glared, then sighed deeply.
"So, what's the deal? If it's nothing, I'm seriously gonna kill you."
"Ah. Made a new weapon, need to check if it's good. Help me out quick."
"...You want me as the guinea pig?"
Lee Se-hun nodded nonchalantly at Louise's growing irritation.
"Yeah."
"You little..."
"Can't ask just anyone; it can't leak outside."
"..."
Louise paused at his explanation, frowning before sighing again.
"...Fine, fine. Hurry up. Got class this morning; need more sleep."
"Great."
With her consent, Lee Se-hun fitted the Monocle of Dreamlike Illusions over his left eye. The vision was far sharper than before.
Heavenly Eye's effects were amplified too, naturally reading various infos—and with his insight, even unmanifested emotional fragments became visible.
'Oh? She's holding back a laugh...'
Her face was blank, but her mouth and eyes twitched faintly, on the verge of breaking into a grin.
Feeling oddly annoyed, Lee Se-hun narrowed his eyes briefly before refocusing on the test.
'First, Dreamlike Eye.'
Whummm.
Dreamlike mana filled both eyes, tinting them purple. Once his vision stabilized, he activated the weapon skill 'Dreamlike Projection'.
Shhh.
Dreamlike mana swirled over the lens, compressing at the center before dispersing like mist.
"Ugh...!"
In that instant, Louise shuddered at the strange force bearing down on her, instinctively gathering mana before stopping.
'Hold it...'
Anyone else, she'd have blasted with Verbal Magic, but Lee Se-hun wouldn't harm her.
Accepting Dreamlike Projection without resistance, soon an image appeared in the monocle.
'Light?'
A glowing orb floating in space. As Lee Se-hun puzzled over the familiar sight, more scenes unfolded.
A hazy hospital room. A sleazy-looking young man and a girl in patient garb, with the orb between them.
'No way...'
His eyes widening at the unexpected scene...
"Gah! Aaaah!!"
Louise shrieked, surging her mana.
Pop!
The scene vanished like a snapped thread. Confirming Dreamlike Projection had ended, Lee Se-hun looked at Louise across from him.
"You... what the hell's with that weird monocle? You weren't peeking into my thoughts or something, right?"
Did the target see the same scene during Dreamlike Projection? Grasping the situation quickly, Lee Se-hun looked sheepish.
"Well... you see..."
Though different from Violent Dog, her core mental image seemed similar—apparently, the moment she first learned Verbal Magic left a deep impression.
Feeling like he'd peeked into a diary, Lee Se-hun hesitated before answering.
"I'm grateful you think so highly o—"
"Die!!!"
After a brief commotion, having persuaded and sent Louise off, Lee Se-hun straightened his messy clothes and hair, lost in thought.
'Effect confirmed... Now, how to use it.'
Ideally, he'd entrust it to someone reliable and slack off, but sadly, no such talent was around him now.
Realizing he had only one option, Lee Se-hun sighed and pulled out his phone.
-"You've reached me."
A clear voice despite the 4 a.m. hour. Having called Ha Seon-woo, Lee Se-hun got straight to it.
"Got something useful. Wanna meet?"
-"...Yes. Heading there now."
No need for more explanation; the line cut. Satisfied with the prompt response, Lee Se-hun stood.
Stroking his cheeks and jaw thoughtfully, he murmured quietly.
"Slit eyes would suit it..."
France's Pabar Guild.
Led by veteran hero Maurice Pabar—rated quasi-S-rank—it was a mid-sized guild respected for both prowess and business acumen.
In the opulent mansion where its founder and current guildmaster resided, Maurice cautiously descended to the underground secret vault.
"Hoo..."
Did he tremble like this before his first battle? Steadying his pounding heart—unbecoming his age—he quickened his pace.
Clank!
Placing his palm on the blank wall triggered a mechanism, revealing treasures: resources, weapons, elixirs.
A typical secret vault, but Maurice ignored them, heading straight for a necklace on one side.
"..."
A lavish necklace embedded with purple gems. Breathing deeply, he equipped a faintly glowing purple gauntlet from his subspace pocket.
Concentrating, he reached toward the necklace.
Whoosh!
Purple mist rippled as an orb materialized in his hand.
A dreamlike orb blending purple and crimson. Clutching the mental image projector from the Valmut family, Maurice peered inside.
"Ahh..."
Within, a more powerful, overwhelming version of himself wielded force effortlessly.
Indirectly glimpsing the S-rank realm he'd chased for years, Maurice felt a profound fulfillment.
'Yes... this sensation...'
The elusive epiphany of breakthrough. Seizing the fragment for S-rank ascension, he swiftly stored the projector and rushed out.
'Quick... must ingrain this feeling into my body...!'
Previously bored with fruitless training, now he trained daily without fail, cutting sleep like in his youth.
The fulfillment of steady progress toward his goal had revived this stalled hero.
'Killing those three nuisances netted me this much... Maybe target that Lee Se-hun too.'
If success guaranteed solid rewards, it was worth considering seriously. Lost in happy fantasies, Maurice returned to his study from the vault.
"Subdue."
Six black-suited figures lunged as if waiting.
"Wha—"
Boom!
The study shook violently, dust settling to reveal Maurice pinned by weapons at limbs, back, and neck.
Any twitch could kill him. Panicking, he eyed his attackers.
"Sp-Special Task Force?"
"Mana freeze initiated."
A strange power from the weapons halted his mana completely.
Stripped of resistance in an instant, Maurice stared up at the Special Task Force in shock.
'What? Did they find out about the last ones? No, I erased all evidence...'
Thoughts swirled as a young man approached slowly.
Black hair, eyes gently shut. A purple-framed monocle with a chain on his left eye suited his calm face oddly well.
"Hmm..."
The slit-eyed youth fiddled with the monocle up close, and a chilling sensation enveloped Maurice.
His mind conjured his S-rank self—ecstatic even now. As Maurice dazed...
"Ew. This guy's terminal."
The youth shook his head in disgust and stepped back.
"Status?"
"Imagining himself as a demon. Basically a walking bomb."
Maurice gaped at the youth's calm diagnosis.
"Wh-what nonsense! Why would I become a demon?!"
"Not that shocking. Killing three innocent heroes makes you no different."
Maurice's blood ran cold as the youth casually exposed his secrets.
How did info leak? If fully exposed, what fate awaited?
'Epiphany... S-rank was so close...'
Indignation drowned guilt. As Maurice floundered, Ha Seon-woo beside the youth spoke.
"Maurice Pabar. You're under arrest for collusion with Myriad Demons' Mire..."
"...Evidence! Show me evidence!!"
Trembling, Maurice bellowed, glaring bloodshot at the agents.
"You dare do this to me, who's served humanity for decades without proof?!"
Thrashing like he didn't care if dismembered. The agents grimaced at his ugliness.
"Shall we look?"
The monocled youth scanned the study.
"Looks like it's in there. Let's check together."
The agents exchanged glances and nodded.
Entering the secret vault, Maurice inwardly sneered despite his aggrieved expression.
'They won't find that, no matter what.'
Valmut said even S-ranks couldn't detect it, proven when his wife wore it unnoticed at the charity gala.
'Plead insufficient evidence, then consult Valmut. They won't want collusion charges either.'
As he schemed, they reached the vault.
"Ah. That's it."
The monocled youth pointed straight at the purple necklace.
"..."
Maurice stared blankly, forgetting his facade. The youth strode forward and snatched it.
Click!
Clutching the mental image projector, the disguised Lee Se-hun gazed at the dumbfounded Maurice with a gut-punchingly infuriating smile.
"That do it?"