Chapter 88
Chapter 88
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Accepting Olka's Deal
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kwadudududu!
“Ugh!”
The pressure crushing Olka's telekinetic barrier intensified.
Buried in the ground, he began to feel the squeeze from all directions.
It was, of course, a phenomenon from Geon-woo's telekinesis.
“Milady!”
“I'm fine! She can't do a thing to me with this!”
At her guard's call, Olka gritted her teeth and puffed up with bravado.
Kwajik! Kwajijik! Pasususu!
In that instant, the limbs of Geon-woo's elite jiangshi snapped, their ends crumbling to dust.
Geon-woo sensed that the skin and extremities disintegrating into powder posed a greater threat than the mere fractures.
‘Not disintegration, but decomposition?’
- It seems that way, my lord.
Ilryeong responded immediately to Geon-woo's thoughts.
‘A fight we've started—we have to see it through. Plus, a chance to probe mind power in more detail.’
- Haven't you already awakened to it yourself, my lord? Do you really need hers?
‘It’s not fixed to one form. Remember Asmodeus's Perben? It erected a wall infused with unyielding will.’
- And you built an arch bridge over it, shattering that will.
‘True, it was a decent counter, but pure improvisation that luckily worked.’
- So you're using her for practice now?
‘If that's all she's got, it's nothing to worry about.’
- But...
‘If she's hiding something, we'll clash eventually. Better to gauge her strength beforehand, before any trump card flies.’
Strictly speaking, Geon-woo's current level remained untested.
He had no idea just how far his newfound realm extended.
That made him cautious, but clashing with Olka revealed she wasn't much of a threat so far—leaving him with some leeway.
“Chaaat!”
Kwajijik! Kwaduduk!
While briefly conversing with Ilryeong, Olka's guard flashed blue eyes and bellowed.
In that moment, several elite jiangshi bodies crumpled under the crush.
They had barely withstood Olka's power when the guard disrupted their balance.
“Ugh.”
Geon-woo frowned at the guard's exploits.
Kwarurung! Kuguguguk!
“Whew, this is brutal.”
“Tell me about it.”
At the same time, one wall collapsed, revealing Muhammad and the bio-armor implanteds.
“We take him, right?”
“Pretty sure. Leader said she'd handle the woman.”
Muhammad pointed at Olka's guard, and Cheon Su-wan nodded.
“This is embarrassing. How many of us piling on one guy?”
Tucker followed, mock-scratching his carapace helmet.
“Don't like it? Bail.”
Ivan shoved Tucker aside as he appeared.
“I'm not so lame as to let personal grudges mess up the op.”
“Good to hear.”
Tucker and Ivan took positions beside Muhammad and Cheon Su-wan.
But their free movement ended there.
They too froze, caught in Olka's telekinesis.
“Grk, heavy.”
“At least we can breathe and talk.”
“Everyone, careful! The armor's acting up!”
“Can't have it shatter like this without a fight.”
“Power up! Resist!”
“Grk, handle it yourselves. Put what we've learned to use!”
Moreover, exposed to the mind power laced in Olka's telekinesis, their armor edges powdered away.
“Hraaah! You first!”
Yet Muhammad didn't forget why Geon-woo had summoned them.
He thrust his arm toward Olka's guard, his claw-like hand elongating to clamp the guard's shoulder.
“Grk!”
“Zaike!”
Olka's eyes widened in shock—her telekinesis pierced.
“Come here!”
“Grk! How dare you!”
Kwadududu! Kwadududu!
Muhammad yanked the guard closer with his claw, but Zaike maxed his telekinesis, twisting Muhammad's arm.
It wrung like laundry gripped from both ends.
“Kraha! Think that'll work?”
Muhammad's arm twisted wildly but held without breaking.
“Th-this!”
Instead, Zaike was dragged toward Muhammad, drawing Cheon Su-wan's strike.
Shiiik! Puk!
“Grk!”
Cheon Su-wan's skewer-arm pierced, but Zaike barely deflected it with telekinesis, dodging a fatal wound.
“Whoa, clone?”
“Nah, like molting? Look, left the shell behind.”
“Yeah.”
Ivan and Tucker marveled at Cheon Su-wan's new form.
In the space dominated by Olka's telekinesis, he struck Zaike near-perfectly.
He shed a carapace husk in place, core shifting to attack.
A new secret technique never seen before.
“Let's go! Raaaa!”
Buoyed by Muhammad and Cheon Su-wan, Ivan roared and surged forward.
Pudududu! Ppaduk! Ppagaak!
“Brutal! Even I admit it's crude, but hey, same here.”
Ivan bulked up, brute-forcing through Olka's telekinesis with raw physical power.
Tucker shook his head at the sight but resisted the same way.
“Come here, punk!”
“Don't run!”
Ivan and Tucker, bodies massively swollen, closed in and seized Zaike's arms.
Zaike resisted with full telekinesis but couldn't overcome four.
“Grrrrk!”
Zaike's feet lifted as his arms pulled apart.
Muhammad's claw still gripped his shoulder, Cheon Su-wan's skewer his side.
Pasusus.
Yet as the four implanteds fought valiantly, the elite jiangshi—and Muhammad and Cheon Su-wan's bodies—shed dry sand nonstop.
Olka's decomposition power gnawed at them.
But.
“Why?”
Olka's pupils shook violently.
Her gaze fixed on Geon-woo, arms crossed opposite.
No sand fell from him, no matter how she looked.
Her decomposition didn't affect him.
Udududuk!
As if awaiting her reaction, Geon-woo rose.
A ripping vibration echoed as Olka's telekinesis tore from his body.
Kwajik!
Olka's throat—mere three steps away—fell simply into Geon-woo's grasp.
“Mind power, was it? Or heart force?”
Geon-woo pulled her face close, questioning.
“Agh!”
Olka writhed, groaning under his presence.
“Milady!”
Zaike wailed and struggled at the sight.
But the four implanteds held firm.
“The key is mutual interference. And if so, whose is stronger—or denser.”
Geon-woo muttered like to himself.
Olka's telekinesis: primary force. Its decomposition: higher realm, one step up.
“The issue after awakening mind power.”
“How... so easily...”
“Lower realms limit the power itself, not the means to wield it. I was primed to use it perfectly. Just didn't know till now.”
Geon-woo met Olka's eyes.
In that instant, she sensed he'd snap her neck.
Like swatting a pesky fly.
To him now, that's what she was.
“W-wait. Henesis's essence—plus Henesis's rights! All yours!”
“Milady! No!”
As Olka shrieked her new deal, guard Zaike bellowed.
Kwajijik! Kwaduduk!
“Grraaah!”
With a gesture, Geon-woo summoned earth to entomb Zaike.
Only his arms protruded—like a pillared prisoner silenced.
“Henesis's rights? What's that?”
Geon-woo eyed Olka.
“A right to own and rule territory—if capable.”
“Need that? Power lets you anytime.”
This world ran on might-makes-right.
Why bother with "rights"?
Geon-woo's puzzlement was natural.
“True... but easier, more efficient rule? Wouldn't hurt.”
“Efficient?”
“Rightful claim brings world aid.”
“From the world... that's...”
- Likely system support.
Ilryeong aided Geon-woo's thoughts.
‘Seems so. Then this...’
- Accept. Status window buffs, basically. My lord.
‘Mm. Let's hear details?’
Geon-woo nodded, releasing Olka's throat.
“Tell me about these rights.”
“Th-thank you.”
Olka rubbed her neck, bowing deeply.
* * *
“Henesis's essence, plus her governance rights?”
“And a friendly alliance with me—for your aid, Geon-woo.”
“Confident you'd claim Peniel's seat with my help?”
“Of course. Already competitive for succession. Improved? Victory assured.”
“Better allied with Peniel's head than her underlings.”
“Hohoho. Naturally.”
“But trusting that needs safeguards.”
Geon-woo agreed Olka in power suited him.
But she needed binding.
“Don't you already have it?”
Olka countered, feigning confusion.
“Ugh.”
Geon-woo looked troubled.
Her "safeguard": clinic supplements.
Even teaching her jiangshi arts meant nothing without herbs to learn and sustain.
Thus, she'd never betray—for ongoing practice.
“Someday, no meds needed.”
Geon-woo muttered at her.
“But till then? Betrayal impossible. And even then, no reason to ditch an ally.”
Olka spoke truth.
No denial of his scenarios—just appeal to mutual benefit.
Geon-woo smirked.
“So, spare harsh demands thinking ahead?”
“Hohoho. Grateful for consideration.”
“Fine. Deal. Can't prepare everything now. Solid trade regardless.”
Permission fell from Geon-woo's lips.
“Thank you. Truly.”
Olka bowed deeply again, eyes brimming with gratitude.