Necromancer Pursuit (5)
"Gaaahhh!"
"I'll ask three times, no more. Who taught you necromancy?"
"What bullshit... Gaaahhh!"
As Eunhyeon drew his sword and began grinding his heel into the gaping wound piercing Marius's shoulder, the necromancer let out another agonized scream.
"Looks like you're not getting it. Want me to rephrase the question?"
"Urgh... You bastard! What the hell are y—"
"Media. Where is she?"
"...!"
Marius froze at the direct mention of her name, his eyes widening in shock as he stared at Eunhyeon.
"H-how do you know that name...?"
"I said three times only. Where's Media? Tell me that, and I'll kill you quick and painless."
With those words, Eunhyeon stabbed his sword into Marius's side— the opposite flank from the shoulder he was still crushing underfoot.
"Gaaahhh!"
"Don't talk this time either, and you'll lose an eye next."
"Stop, stop! You fucking psycho!"
"You're the psycho. You massacre everyone, then expect to walk away unscathed?"
"Urgh..."
Marius writhed in agony but couldn't resist Eunhyeon's torment. With both arms and legs severed by Eunhyeon, all he could do was scream amid the searing pain ripping through his body.
"Was it fun?"
"Gaaahhh!"
"Was it fun?"
"Agh... ughhh..."
Marius couldn't even answer properly. Blood gushing from his mangled body and the overwhelming pain had shattered his mind, leaving him drooling helplessly as he exceeded his limits.
"There was a kid trembling inside the warehouse."
Renat flinched at Eunhyeon's quiet mutter.
"First words out of their mouth when I opened the door? 'Please don't kill me.' A child begging on their knees, hands clasped, snot and tears streaking their face."
Renat's face twisted as if recalling the moment.
"Don't move."
"Eek...!"
Renat, who had been eyeing a chance to ambush Eunhyeon, froze solid at his icy warning.
"You have no mercy. You're dead anyway. But tell me where Media is, and I'll make it easy."
"...Bullshit."
"Gaaahhh!"
"Won't even abandon him and run? Not loyalty, then. Must be part of some plan."
Eunhyeon bore down harder on Marius's pierced shoulder, sending the necromancer into convulsing screams.
"Kgh..."
"No idea what that psycho bitch is scheming next, but you've just given me more reasons to kill you both."
These two had already racked up countless victims and posed a danger simply by existing—they couldn't be spared. Eunhyeon's instincts screamed in alarm. Still, he hadn't killed them yet for info on Media.
Renat glared at him, frustration evident despite her sealed lips. Was it Eunhyeon's warning, or some restraint? No—pure terror had locked her body. His gaze, devoid of humanity and laced with contempt, soured her mood further. And seeing Marius—reduced to meat under Eunhyeon's foot, called "it" instead of a person—made it clear he held no goodwill toward them.
"Stop... stop! Med—mmph...?"
Finally breaking under the pain, Marius unconsciously tried to spit out her name, but only his lips moved soundlessly. Panic twisted his face.
"Eh...?"
He'd yielded to Eunhyeon's threat, but no voice came. Eunhyeon scowled, reading the disturbance.
"Soul curse, huh? Her favorite trick."
Eunhyeon was now certain Media lurked behind Marius. With a curse barring him from spilling her secrets, there was nothing more to extract.
"Goodbye."
"Damn it!"
Clang!
The metallic clash rang out as Eunhyeon's sword— inches from Marius's throat—ricocheted away. Renat, overcoming her fear, had drawn her dagger from her waist and lunged, ducking to parry while countering at his neck with blinding speed.
What...?
Renat's first thought was something's off. Her timing exploiting the gap, her body moving faster than ever despite the terror, the dagger slicing toward his throat—all perfect. But locking eyes with Eunhyeon's impassive stare, her blood ran cold. Time seemed frozen; she tried to halt, but her body ignored her.
Eunhyeon wasn't fazed. He'd sensed her via detection from the start. Effortlessly, he seized her dagger arm mid-thrust, dropped his sword grip, clenched his fist, and slammed it full-force into her gut.
"Guhhk!"
Her body bowed like a bowstring, launching into the air—but Eunhyeon yanked her trapped arm, dragging her down. Dazed from the single blow, she lost her grip on the dagger. Eunhyeon caught it mid-fall and plunged it deep into her other side.
"Kyaaahhh!"
The blade buried so deep it vanished, wrenching a shrill, piercing scream from her.
"Urgh..."
"You cursed by Media too?"
"..."
Her silence suggested maybe, but Eunhyeon couldn't be sure if it was defiance or the curse. He hoisted her captured arm high and kicked her body with all his might, sending her flying amid a spray of blood.
"Urgh..."
She tumbled, the dagger tearing her insides further, face contorting in unimaginable agony. Using her unstabbed side and arm, she struggled up, gripped the hilt with her other hand, and yanked it free.
"Gaaahh!"
Blood gushed massively; dizziness nearly blacked her out. But with astonishing willpower, she endured, took deep breaths, and glared at Eunhyeon. Channeling mana into her palm, she pressed it to the wound—drawing his interest.
"Oh?"
Dozens of thin threads from her blue-mana-wrapped fingers wormed into the gash, wriggling to stitch it.
"Wondered how you pulled off those human-beast hybrids. You know the body inside out."
Renat shuddered at how he'd instantly grasped her intent, staring harder.
"You're a doctor, aren't you?"
"...!"
Her blatant flinch confirmed it for Eunhyeon. Threading mana to suture wounds was pure surgical skill—medical arts. And manipulating dozens simultaneously showed exceptional talent.
"Necromancer playing with death, doctor toying with life. Perfect match."
"What do you know...!"
"Don't need to tell me. Don't wanna know."
"Kuh... heh heh..."
Sudden laughter bubbled from under Eunhyeon's foot. Marius, mangled into meat, convulsed with mad giggles.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Eunhyeon frowned at the unhinged behavior.
"Eunhyeon! All beasts cleared!"
Perfectly timed, Riod, Iliana, and Elenoa rushed up. They froze at the sight: a limbless torso pinned under Eunhyeon's foot, a woman slumped far off.
"...What the hell?"
"Riod, take the woman alive. Need to interrogate her."
Unsure if she was cursed too, torturing Renat for info was worth it. Marius was useless under the curse—no Media secrets. He'd planned to kill him quick, but the sudden cackling unnerved him.
"Silver hair, crimson eyes, hatred for necromancers, ruthless killer for your goals—kuh heh, kahahaha!"
"What the...? Limbs gone, now he's lost it?"
"I... dunno. Doesn't look sane..."
Iliana muttered, scowling at the trunk laughing maniacally underfoot. Elenoa shared the bewilderment.
"Yes! It's you! She warned us! Said you might come sniffing around our necromancy! Kahahaha!"
"...Wasn't the curse supposed to block spilling her info?"
"Don't dare speak Her name so casually!"
Despite his state, Marius's fury was real—face twisted like he'd devour Eunhyeon if he could.
"Her curse? I begged for it myself—lest I blaspheme Her name. It's Her grace, Her gift! How dare you utter it, you arrogant fool basking in Her favor!"
"Shut your mouth."
"Gaaahhh! Ah, haha, hahahaha!"
Eunhyeon crushed the shoulder wound harder; Marius's scream morphed into laughter.
"...Total fucking psycho."
Iliana grimaced in disgust; Riod and Elenoa wore matching sour expressions.
"Don't want Her 'favor.' Wish She'd vanish from my sight—and this world—forever. Speak. Where's Media."
Woooong...
"This is...!"
Iliana sensed the anomaly first. Eunhyeon should've caught it, but with Riod and Iliana nearby, he'd focused on Marius—creating a tiny gap.
A massive gate ripped open in the air; all four stared. Iliana detected surging mana and cast Dispel to counter, but it held firm.
"My Dispel isn't working...? Impossible!"
"Goddess, this is... "
Eunhyeon muttered aloud at the colossal gate looming from the sky. The others ignored "Goddess," too fixated.
Child's thought is correct. That's... akin to our authority. A fragment of the divine.
Fuck...
Verdandi didn't scold his curse, staring at the gate alongside him.
"Open!"
Eunhyeon's mind snapped alert at Renat's shout.
"Riod! Kill that woman! Now!"
"Damn it!"
Riod drew and charged instantly. It was a team blunder. Eunhyeon had subdued her once, assuming no more tricks—same for the others. Who'd guess Renat wielded otherworldly power like him? He should've prioritized killing the Media-linked threat over intel.
Too late. The aerial gate creaked open; the calamity within began emerging.