Chapter 163
Chapter 163
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: Ghosts of the Past, Ties of the Present (2)
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Yeomyeong sat on the bed with his eyes closed.
Beyond the room's window, countless footsteps, Yosef's shouts, and Ballagu's panicked screams echoed.
The situation was far from quiet, and the mana rippling from his body was intensely turbulent, but...
Yeomyeong's mind plunged into a deeper stillness than ever before.
Heart's Throne Oblivion.
The profound truth he had grasped from the Wave Yang Art made it possible. In this moment, he was a pine tree in the typhoon, a rock before the waves.
How long had he been immersed in meditation?
At some point, the World Tree Crystal in his stomach melted, spreading throughout his body.
The World Tree Crystal was a pure crystallization of mana.
Unlike animal organs or fruits infused with mana—other spirit medicines—the crystal filled Yeomyeong's body in an instant.
Normally, one would have to wrestle with the World Tree's will to absorb the mana, but Yeomyeong was already acknowledged by it.
The pure mana settled obediently into his body.
Fortunately, his internal mana didn't rebel or hinder the absorption... but not everything went smoothly.
Yeomyeong was not the World Tree, and his flesh-and-blood body couldn't withstand the enormous amount of mana.
The moment the overflowing mana forced its way in, his capillaries burst first.
Then his muscles twisted, arteries tore, and internal bleeding erupted.
Blood poured from inside and out. His nervous system convulsed, white-hot agony searing his mind.
He should have stopped the absorption immediately, but Yeomyeong didn't suppress the mana—he simply let it flow.
A mad spectacle that other superhumans would call insane.
He simply endured. He held on, and on, until he forgot the pain of his body tearing apart.
Time passed until he forgot even his senses, forgot himself.
Then the mana began to firmly root itself throughout his body.
Life returned to flesh frozen in pain, torn vessels realigned.
Finally, intense light flowed from every part of his body, then melted away like wax.
Yeomyeong exhaled sharply, blowing away the last ripples of mana around him, and opened his eyes.
It was still night; the darkness filling the room reflected in his pupils as he sat on the bed.
A brief surge of accomplishment, followed by a slightly longer silence.
After a moment, Yeomyeong realized this darkness was not the natural gloom of night.
"...Mignium?"
No sooner had he spoken than the hem of a black dress fluttered in the shadows.
***
『Long time no see, my chosen one.』
"..."
Not borrowing Seti's body this time?
Mignium, even more fused with the darkness than before, appeared like a faint shadow.
Even so, Yeomyeong could see her clearly.
Because in Mignium's hand was a player's severed head.
"...Why are you here?"
『Have you forgotten who I am? Chosen one, I am no lowly god of this world who merely observes.』
"..."
『I have come to bestow a reward befitting your tribute.』
Tribute? As Yeomyeong frowned, she shook the player's head demonstratively and laughed.
『Master of fate who wielded three powers of the gods. The finest tribute.』
"...Powers of the gods?"
Mignium laughed silently in response.
『Eyes that objectively see all things in this world.』
『A body that grows stronger by simply killing anything.』
『A subdimensional space that holds anything without conditions.』
『If these are not powers of the gods, what are?』
Status window, experience points, and inventory.
Without any explanation, Yeomyeong instinctively knew what Mignium meant. How?
As a flicker of confusion stirred in him, Mignium approached with a strange smile and whispered while proffering the player's head.
『My chosen one, I meant to directly aid your choice...』
"...?"
『But you have already chosen the best. Very good. Without wasting time, I gladly bestow your reward.』
Mignium's hand brushed his cheek. No texture or warmth could be felt from the shadowy hand.
Yeomyeong silently looked up at her, then suddenly recalled the murderous intent he had seen within the Key of Bloody Tears.
Just before the secret relic's illusion ended, the image of himself as a cleanup crew member tossing a bag.
'...That bag was the inventory?'
How did the murderous intent know and choose it? As Yeomyeong's doubt deepened.
Mignium's shadow began to fade.
『To falter after just this moment—such is reality.』
"..."
Though she said that, no panic emanated from her.
Mignium leisurely tossed the severed player's head into the darkness, then whispered her final words in Yeomyeong's ear.
『My chosen one, since time remains, I shall give special counsel.』
『Never compromise. The gods of this land are watching you.』
***
The parting with Mignium was as sudden as the meeting.
Before Yeomyeong could ask what the gods were or how to use the inventory... she vanished from sight.
'...'
Yeomyeong took a slow deep breath and checked outside the window.
There, natural night darkness flowed, mingled with moonlight, torchlight, and electric bulbs.
The darkness of reality, not a dream. Yeomyeong rose, dusting himself off, and stood by the window.
The city was quiet, but far from peaceful.
Under the moonlight, fire scars were vivid across the city, and alleys brimmed with barricades.
A brief respite, or the calm before the storm.
Yeomyeong turned his gaze to the tent village in front of the inn. Fortunately, no major battles had occurred—the tents were relatively intact.
Though Ratkin corpses piled where outer tents should be... this exceeded expectations.
'...Things worked out well.'
Yeomyeong sighed in relief and stepped into the hallway.
The moment he opened the door, someone outside flinched in surprise and raised a gun. A girl with sky-blue eyes, a shade lighter than Seti's.
Seeing her, Yeomyeong asked.
"Neti. On night watch?"
"Huh? Yes, sister takes over in ten minutes... Wait, brother-in-law, you fully digested the crystal?"
Yeomyeong nodded, and Neti whistled softly.
"Not even an elf... What's the secret? I still haven't fully digested the spirit medicine from underground."
"...It just worked when I tried."
"Ooh... Worst answer ever. If you weren't brother-in-law, I'd shoot you."
She smirked and approached, then suddenly whipped her head away and backed up.
"Ugh, brother-in-law, what did you do? The smell..."
"Smell?"
Yeomyeong finally checked his body.
His clothes were covered in black stains, reeking like dried blood and filth.
"You really took that spirit medicine properly... Urp!"
"...That bad?"
"My nose is gonna rot! Shower before seeing sister! I'll grab clothes for you."
Neti pinched her nose and shoved his back. Yeomyeong headed to the bathroom, tossing questions in between.
"How long was I in the room?"
"Roughly two and a half days? Precisely... let's see, about sixty hours since Ballagu got chewed out by sister."
"Any attackers in between?"
"Ratkin came twice. Kids waited in alleys and fired signal flares—minimal damage."
No major incidents, unexpectedly. Yeomyeong swallowed half relief, half worry, and entered the shower.
"Use all the soap, wash properly, then come to the first floor!"
Taking Neti's urging as cue, he started showering, but the caked blood and filth wouldn't wash off easily.
Not ordinary blood and dirt?
A first for him, but using two bars of soap got him somewhat human again.
Anyway, after showering, Yeomyeong changed into the clothes Neti left by the door and went downstairs.
In the first-floor hall, the group Neti had gathered sat around a table.
Ballagu rubbing sleepy eyes, Yosef cleaning his pistol, Pinel leaning crookedly against the wall... and Seti.
"Yeomyeong, how's your body?"
"Thanks to you guarding."
Had she stood watch without sleep for two days? Deep fatigue etched her face.
As Yeomyeong reached for Seti's hand with affection.
Neti, carrying a bowl of potatoes and spam, smacked his hand.
"Skinship only when alone! Dinner and debrief first!"
"..."
At her sister's remark, Seti and Yeomyeong chuckled and sat side by side.
As he began eating potatoes.
The one-armed elf, Pinel, spoke.
"East Palace Lord and Ratkin legion have seized most major city strongholds. Northern station, sewers, central market..."
"West Palace Lord is missing. His mage corps defected to South Palace Lord. South Palace Lord is holding out in the palace... but meaningless."
"Most Ratkin are deployed to restore the northern station and garrison. That's why this inn still holds."
Two days' situation report. Yeomyeong devoured his plate to fill the gap, as if catching up on meals.
As quick-witted Ballagu headed to the kitchen, Yeomyeong asked his retreating back.
"Underground armory?"
"They took it. Ratkin are pulling out weapons."
"...Tanks too?"
"Tanks? Not sure. I only scouted from afar... But Ratkin probably can't operate tanks. Lack the brains."
No tank fights, then? Yeomyeong drummed the table, eyes gleaming.
Moments later, as Ballagu returned with a plate piled with spam, someone knocked on the inn door.
*Knock knock.*
"...I clearly said no entering the inn."
Thinking it a tent woman or kid? Ballagu set down food and approached the door.
But the superhumans, including Yeomyeong, reacted differently. All narrowed eyes at the door, sensing something.
*Knock knock knock!*
The knocks grew more urgent.
Ballagu opened the door to reveal a woman holding a child—the same one who fired the first smoke bomb.
"Selina, breaking rules like this? I said only for emergencies..."
As Ballagu began lecturing, the woman called Selina cut him off urgently.
"I-It's an emergency! Real emergency! Look, look at that!"
She flailed, pointing at the sky.
Following her gesture, something blocked the moonlight that hadn't been there before.
A massive circular magic circle wreathed in blue flames.
"What the hell..."
Ballagu, who could read magic circles from slave days as a mage's lackey, swallowed hard.
"Uh, everyone? You need to see the sky outside now."
All in the first floor exited the inn and looked up as Ballagu explained in a trembling voice.
"If my eyes are right, it's a magic circle woven from revival of the dead, corpse manipulation, and wide-area... spells."
Ballagu seemed incredulous himself, but Yeomyeong was certain of his interpretation. Those blue flames were unmistakably Kahal Magdu's.
"...How long until that magic circle activates?"
The answer to Yeomyeong's question came not from Ballagu, but unexpectedly.
*Groooaaan...*
Beyond the inn entrance, the roughly buried corpses began rising in grotesque poses.
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