Turning Point (1)
Seeing the message that popped up, Yun-seok gave a wry smile.
He didn't know the exact conditions for achieving the feat, but this made it impossible to refute what the holy knight had said earlier.
"Don't run!"
"N-Now's the time! We have to kill him while his power's drained!"
The holy knights shouted as they saw Yun-seok return to his normal form. It was a plausible guess and suspicion. Well, it wasn't exactly that his power had drained...
In truth, to use Demon Transformation again, he had to wait a full 60 minutes for the cooldown. Unfortunately, Shadowless Chant only reset normal skills.
"Kill him! We must kill him right here!"
The brief lull ended, and both sides charged at Yun-seok. The heretics no longer hesitated either. They'd held back on area skills out of concern for El's safety, as seen with the Demon King earlier, but now they prioritized killing Yun-seok over the shamaness's life or death, pouring in everything they had.
Slash! Boom!
Yun-seok slashed, stabbed, and slashed again at the enemies swarming from all directions. He waited endlessly for the moment when Demon Transformation's cooldown would end.
It felt long, but nothing was truly threatening. After the heretics' Demon King and the Trinity Church's secret weapon had both been shattered, that is.
How much time passed like that?
"What is that monster?! He doesn't even get tired?!"
Someone shouted upon seeing Yun-seok. The answer was simple: Yun-seok wouldn't die until his mana ran out. And in this fight, his regeneration outpaced the consumption—numbers alone couldn't change that.
Frankly, he could probably win like this, but it'd mean swinging his sword all day. And conveniently, the time had come.
Demon Transformation.
Yun-seok quietly recited the command in his mind. At that moment...
Crack!
Something shattered, and cracks spiderwebbed across the world. The holy knights, who had charged most fervently, froze in place.
"The Demon King... is back..."
"N-No..."
Yun-seok slowly raised both hands. They'd clearly seen what he'd done in that form for the previous minute—terror etched into their eyes.
Grip.
Ignoring them, Yun-seok clenched his fists.
Crunch! Cruuunch!
Everything twisted and rearranged. Dodge? Block? No one dared even think it. In their eyes, Yun-seok was an unstoppable natural disaster—something beyond that.
"R-Run!"
Without a word, they turned and fled. But it was too late.
Judgment of the Destruction Lord.
He hadn't used it before for fear of harming El and Rick, but now there was no need to hold back. In Demon Transformation, it cost no mana.
Whatever happened outside, the Force Shield would safely protect El and Rick inside.
Rumble! Groooowl!
Before the sky turned black and judgment descended, Yun-seok activated a supporting law.
Range of Judgment of the Destruction Lord increased 25x within the domain.
A massive premise he couldn't normally dream of. Thanks to Demon Transformation, no mana cost. But he couldn't stack more conditions. Despite high hopes from the no-mana-consumption description, it was more like recovering spent mana. No excess output possible. Note: Laws required at least 1 second of sustainable mana to activate.
Kaboom!
A single beam of light shot from the night sky to the ground. Due to Demon Transformation's Flames of Ruin trait? Since acquiring Heaven Breaking Divine Art and finding his color, the gray light of ruin now gleamed blackish-red. Color was the least change, of course.
Fwoosh!
Flames flickered on barren ground where none should burn. They spread, melting even rocks.
"..."
In one flash, a 500m radius lay in ruins. Only Yun-seok and the Force Shield-protected El and Rick remained unscathed.
But it wasn't enough.
Whoosh!
Yun-seok spread his black wings and soared into the sky. The vast plain stretched to the horizon, packed with enemies. Poor communication across the wide battlefield? Rear forces still surged toward the center where Yun-seok was.
ZZzt. Ziiizt...
The first Demon Transformation had mostly gone to the Demon King. This time, he'd test it properly. In the new minute granted—what could he do?
* * *
Unique Skill Demon Transformation has ended.
One minute later, back to normal, Yun-seok glanced around and stood still. No sounds rose from the surroundings. Naturally—no living souls remained. At least in the area his eyes touched.
"..."
Yun-seok released the Force Shield, freeing El and Rick inside. Rick, now on the ground, stayed silent for a long time. Like a soulless shell, he stared at the devastated plain.
He finally spoke after more time passed.
"...Are you Trejan by any chance?"
Trejan. The name of the god the heretics worshipped. Yun-seok had no idea why the question, but Rick's fear-filled face blurted more nonsense.
"Did you come to judge the fallen who dared seek forgiveness through the shamaness after stealing divine power?"
"...?"
"They used her selfishly, made sacrifices. This child did nothing wrong. So please..."
"Wait, what are you talking about? Why would you think I'm Trejan?"
Rick answered cautiously.
"That bracelet... I saw it in a book while investigating them."
Pure. One of the Trinity Relics called treasures of heaven. He'd recognized it late and jumped to weird conclusions. Even so...
Yun-seok shook his head in disbelief.
"It's just an item I got by chance."
"But how do you have such power..."
"Things happened. Anyway, I'm definitely human, so drop the misunderstanding."
Not a proper explanation. But sincerity in Yun-seok's tone convinced the hesitant Rick.
"...I see. Yeah, that makes sense. Sorry."
"No need for apologies. How's El?"
"...Worsening faster than expected. Better start the ritual ASAP."
"Need anything else for the ritual?"
"Just my life."
"...Then, I leave it to you."
"I entrust her to you."
Rick didn't know Yun-seok. Why he'd saved El, why save her. Nothing. Yet he asked Yun-seok to care for her. Because he seemed trustworthy in their short time? Probably not. Simply, no one else could protect this lone child in this cold world, motives be damned.
"If she wakes, please don't tell her about me."
"I won't."
"Alright, let's begin."
Rick laid El down and started the ritual. Even sacrificing his life, his eyes were calm. Yun-seok suddenly wished he'd talked more—not to uncover identity, but just to talk. No time now, though.
"..."
Yun-seok quietly stood guard during the ritual. How much time passed? As the endless night faded and the hidden sun crested the horizon, a voice came from behind.
"This... is unfair."
Kanna Blitz. She stared intently at Yun-seok from a few steps away.
"When I desperately prayed for salvation, no one came. Why..."
She said nothing of Yun-seok's identity or the Trinity army wiped out overnight. Just gritted her teeth.
"That child has so many who want to protect her, right?"
Her shoulders trembled. Her expression desperate, on the verge of collapse. But with final pride, she held back tears and asked again.
"What did I do wrong?"
"You did nothing wrong."
"Then why only that child..."
"..."
Yun-seok had no words. Even in the original history, Rick Gersey would've given everything for El. Sure, someone tried for Kanna—3rd-class holy knight Wellington fought and died for her. But how to say it? That she wasn't saved because he lacked power?
"If we'd met sooner, would you have saved me too?"
Yun-seok nodded. Mission or not, trial or not, no reward—he wouldn't have stood by seeing her.
"I see. Yeah... of course. Khuhuhu..."
Overwhelmed by sorrow, Kanna sobbed, head bowed. When she lifted it, tear-streaked, she smiled.
"This life... I was unlucky."
Whoosh!
Kanna stabbed her heart with the silver sword. Yun-seok couldn't stop it. Her form was an illusion. Her real body somewhere unseen.
Flash!
The silver sword pierced fragile flesh. And that instant, Kanna's apparition vanished. Like winter snow melting in spring.
* * *
After Kanna vanished, something massive and unknown possessed El's body. Simultaneously...
Thud.
Rick's form hit the ground. No longer healthy—a desiccated mummy corpse. Yun-seok checked his pulse: no heartbeat.
Yun-seok carefully lifted the body.
"..."
Rick had asked: Don't let El know about him. Maybe he knew. That after the ritual, he'd meet a gruesome end like this.
Dig. Dig!
Yun-seok buried him deep. The ritual succeeded—El soon stirred weakly.
Had Rick's sacrifice replaced her eyes? "N-No. Here..." Wearing an eyepatch, El clutched her head, looking around.
"Uncle, what about Uncle? Was the dream real? No, right? Right?"
"No such person here."
"But this place is definitely..."
"Kanna Blitz told me about Rick Gersey. Said he was still merc-ing fine when they met by chance. No way he'd be here."
El believed the lie without doubt. Relieved, truly happy Rick lived well.
"Then it was just a dream. Really, really glad..."
After, Yun-seok took El to the mountains. There, they spent the remaining time. Heretics and Trinity swept clean—peaceful days of hunting, washing, sleeping, chatting with El, training.
Such routine, and day 45 dawned.
Yun-seok climbed the peak, gazing at the plain.
"..."
Ironic. The plain, scarred and tangled in destruction, looked so peaceful.
Swoosh.
Wind blew up from below.
Unique Difficulty Clear Reward: 2,500,000 MP granted.
Tower of Heaven takes notice of you.
Special reward just for you granted.
Time to go home.