31
031 ― Barrier
When Cheon Ju-hyeok first drew his sword, Jin-woo thought that what was coming had come.
Since he had always kept the possibility of betrayal in mind, he responded without panic.
However, when he saw Cheon Ju-hyeok's blue flames, he couldn't help but be inwardly surprised.
'What is this?'
It was something he had never seen before. Clearly, Cheon Ju-hyeok's flames had looked ordinary just moments ago, but now other flames had appeared around them.
Chain-like flames were binding Cheon Ju-hyeok's flames in an X-shape.
Anyone could see that the two flames were completely different types. It meant that some other soul was dwelling within Cheon Ju-hyeok's body.
"Who are you?"
Jin-woo asked the chain-shaped flames. He wondered if they would answer just because he asked, but there was a reaction.
Cheon Ju-hyeok's neck creaked and moved like a crane fly, then his eyes rolled up to show only the whites. It was an eerie movement as if possessed by a ghost.
From that mouth, with Cheon Ju-hyeok's voice, a completely different person spoke.
"How did you know?"
Jin-woo's eyes narrowed.
***
The current situation was utterly terrible for Cheon Ju-hyeok.
His mind was still intact. However, his body was completely out of control and his mouth conveyed the words of someone else, not himself.
Thoughts sent by Johan from afar moved Cheon Ju-hyeok's mouth to deliver his own words.
Although Johan didn't know Korean, there were no language barriers in thoughts that conveyed will directly. Cheon Ju-hyeok's mouth, receiving Johan's thoughts, conversed with Jin-woo in a language he knew well.
"I am Johan. Have you perhaps heard of me?"
"Johan... Don't tell me the black mage from New York?"
"You know well. This will make things quick. Kukuk."
The controlled Cheon Ju-hyeok wasn't laughing at all, but laughter flowed from his mouth.
"What business does the notorious black mage have with me? Did David send you?"
"I did receive a request. So, how about you lend me your soul for a moment? I thought it might become a card to use against Shartia."
"So you were targeting Shartia."
He knew that New York viewed Shartia unfavorably. According to Kurenai Masato's words, they had distributed wanted posters throughout Tokyo's assassination guild.
However, Shartia was an S-rank Hunter like David or Johan. She was a fearsome existence to approach carelessly. So.
'Groundwork is necessary, is that it?'
A hostage could certainly be an effective means even against S-rank. Depending on their disposition, but S-ranks were ultimately human too. As long as they were human, they were bound to cling to affection and connections.
"Just lend it for a moment. I'll use it well and return it. Look, that Cheon Ju-hyeok over there has no problems other than being briefly controlled, right?"
Cheon Ju-hyeok screamed inwardly, 'This is having no problems?!' but it couldn't be heard by Jin-woo.
Jin-woo was confronting Johan through Cheon Ju-hyeok.
"I refuse."
A natural answer.
"Well, I expected that. It doesn't matter. I can just enforce it by force."
And the response that came back was also natural.
Cheon Ju-hyeok's body leaped up like a cannonball and collided with Jin-woo as is. To make such a movement when a sword was aimed at his neck - it was an action he would never take if he cared even a little about his own body.
Jin-woo's sword grazed his neck and blood flowed, but Cheon Ju-hyeok raised his fist without caring.
Kwaaang!
His hand exploded in the air as he tried to deliver a powerful blow to Jin-woo. Although Jin-woo managed to avoid it, he couldn't completely avoid the shockwave from hitting the air.
The shock transmitted through the air shook Jin-woo's bones and internal organs.
"...Is this Cheon Ju-hyeok's ability? He's certainly fierce for a B-rank."
Cheon Ju-hyeok's strikes that hit the air to transmit shock were not to be ignored.
Those hands and feet struck the air, targeting vital points throughout the human body like Jin-woo's temples, philtrum, solar plexus, and groin.
Moreover, the current Cheon Ju-hyeok didn't care for his own body and was solely focused on attacking.
All humans naturally have restrictions on any action due to the instinct to protect themselves. But a controlled puppet had no such thing.
The controlled Cheon Ju-hyeok rushed forward with force in his legs even when his muscles ruptured, and pressured Jin-woo with extraordinary movements even when his bones twisted.
A B-rank Hunter who attacked while destroying his body after releasing all physical restrictions could display A-rank level skills, at least momentarily.
"Hahahaha! You're holding up surprisingly well! I wondered why David was somewhat conscious of one E-rank, but you certainly have some skill!"
Cheon Ju-hyeok stopped punching and took a posture of gathering his fingers to flick.
When he struck the air with that.
"!"
A wind bullet like an actual bullet shot toward Jin-woo's brow.
Although he managed to avoid it, he could dodge it because he knew the angle of the finger striking the air - if he had been ambushed unknowingly, he might have been hit without fail.
"What are you doing? That Easterner won't stop unless you kill him. How about swinging your sword?"
Part of the reason Jin-woo was momentarily pushed into defense was also because he wasn't swinging his sword.
Jin-woo was pondering.
'Can I do it?'
Cutting down Cheon Ju-hyeok with a single stroke was easy. But Jin-woo was considering cutting out only Johan's soul, not Cheon Ju-hyeok's flames.
Until now, when cutting blue flames, there had been only complete severance. It wasn't that he hadn't tried cutting off just the tip or various other methods. But such moderation was completely impossible.
'Just kill him?'
Should he cut him down with a single stroke as usual? That would be easy. In the first place, Jin-woo had no obligation to be sad if Cheon Ju-hyeok died.
Such an easy thing. Facing that easy thing, Jin-woo pondered. In the midst of this, he recalled having tea with the God of Ice Valley earlier.
[ The God of Ice Valley watches. Whatever you choose is your choice. ]
Jin-woo made his decision. In the end, he chose the difficult path on purpose.
Kwaang!
After avoiding Cheon Ju-hyeok's fist, he covered his face with his palm and pushed him against the wall. The wall crumbled and Cheon Ju-hyeok's body was embedded in the wall surface.
Even in that state, Cheon Ju-hyeok flailed his arms and legs, somehow targeting Jin-woo's arms, brain, and heart.
But Jin-woo's sword moved first.
Hwaryuk―
Flames blazed. Jin-woo's sword, which had penetrated the realm of souls, grazingly cut a small flame.
So as not to touch the inner flame, only cutting out the outer chain flame.
'Did I succeed?'
There was a reaction. Cheon Ju-hyeok's arm, which had been flailing wildly, dropped powerlessly.
Jin-woo released his face and stepped back three steps. Embedded in the wall, he didn't move.
Observing his condition for a moment.
Thump―
His chest could be seen moving slightly. His heart was beating.
***
"Hmph, did he kill him in the end?"
Johan laughed softly and was pleased with Jin-woo's choice.
It was obvious that Cheon Ju-hyeok had died. There was no way an E-rank would have a method to resolve that situation without killing.
How could that bastard Kang Jin-woo do anything about an S-rank black mage's curse? Moreover, he wasn't even a curse mage but a swordsman.
"What a shame― If Kang Jin-woo and Cheon Ju-hyeok had been inseparable friends, the reaction would have been much better."
This kind of thing was a minor hobby for Johan.
Using soul chains to bewitch people into attacking comrades or murdering family.
The idea of using Kang Jin-woo to shake Shartia was something he had proposed in the first place.
But Cheon Ju-hyeok and Kang Jin-woo had met less than a day ago, making their relationship too ambiguous to call them comrades.
That's probably why Kang Jin-woo could cut down Cheon Ju-hyeok so easily.
"Such a shame, so disappointing. Don't you think so too?"
At Johan's question, the chipped sword hanging at his waist trembled its blade brrr.
Since it was wrapped tightly in chains without a scabbard, the trembling blade collided with the chains, making an indescribable, eerie metallic sound.
Kiing― Kiing― it went.
It was a sound as if the sword was wailing.
"Hey, Elf. What are you so sad about? Life, no, sword-life should be lived boldly. Rather than being abandoned in some empty countryside warehouse, wouldn't it be better to massacre a village or two and become a famous demonic sword? I've elevated your reputation."
Kiing―
The sword was still crying. Johan, who had been sincerely trying to persuade the Ego Sword, snorted boredly at the sword's persistent attitude.
Notoriety was much better than anonymity. That was one of the mottos he truly believed in.
"Well fine, anyway I've identified the location... Wait. But why isn't the soul used for the chain returning?"
Johan, who had been scratching his brown hair, noticed something strange.
Soul Chain was an evil technique that bound the opponent's soul to dominate their body and mind. Though it was a technique that boasted absolute power, it couldn't be used carelessly.
It could only be used on opponents who were significantly lower in rank than himself, and at the same time, Johan had to use part of his own soul as a cost.
Because of this, he couldn't go around dominating everyone he saw. The amount of soul cut for the Soul Chain would weaken the main body's black magic by that much.
Fortunately, when the person caught in the Soul Chain died, the part of Johan's soul used to form the chain would also be recovered, but...
'What? Why isn't it returning!'
But now it wasn't returning. No matter how long he waited, there was no movement.
He wondered if it had already returned without him noticing, but his soul was still partially severed.
'What really?'
His head spun rapidly, unable to understand the reason.
This was the first time such a thing had happened. Suddenly, chills ran down his spine and he felt an ominous feeling.
"Fine. Once I catch that bastard Kang Jin-woo, I'll find out."
Whatever it was, it was certain that it was connected to Kang Jin-woo. Perhaps it might be his ability.
Even while enveloped in an unidentifiable ominous premonition, Johan continued with his work.
"Good, Elf. Since we've identified the location, send wind spirits to set up a barrier in the vicinity. I'll give you 30% of my Magi, so set it up properly."
Normally, he would just charge in. What would an S-rank be afraid of when just one E-rank was cowering?
But the strange feeling made him unusually cautious.
Black mages were also a type of mage, so building a stronghold had better odds than charging into enemy territory.
This time, he planned to use the Ego Sword's wind spirits to deploy a large-scale barrier throughout that area.
Kiing―
The sword cried softly in protest, but Johan lowered his voice and growled threateningly.
"Hey, if you don't listen, I'll tie you to a stone and drop you into the ocean of our world. If you don't want to spend eons of time on the ocean floor of a world without the World Tree, you'd better listen."
Kiing......
As the sword cried sadly, wind flowed from the blade. Countless wind particles, lower wind spirits, began to spread through the passage and deploy the barrier.
***
The higher the rank of spirits, the more their self-awareness grows, and they can exist as independent entities.
Conversely, the lowest-ranked spirits had almost no self-awareness and were a collective that couldn't become independent.
Like floodwater filling a maze, the wind particles filled the passages and followed their master's commands.
Set up a barrier with a wide radius centered on the designated location, and transmit all occurring information to the master.
The spirits faithfully executing the command eventually gathered in the room with the altar, which was the strategic point.
This place was the purpose of the barrier and the most important location. The place where the master had commanded them to somehow bring back all information.
"He's asleep. His physical condition is... Not very good."
There, Jin-woo was laying Cheon Ju-hyeok down and giving him first aid.
Due to exerting abilities beyond his own limits, not only was the skin on his hands and feet peeled off, but there were also places where bones were twisted and muscles were torn.
Despite the terrible wounds, the fact that he was sleeping peacefully suggested that the aftermath of being controlled was that severe.
Fortunately, there was a potion basket that Shartia had prepared, and Jin-woo finished treating Cheon Ju-hyeok with it.
In the midst of this.
"Hm?"
He discovered the wind particles.
Amorphous particles without a fixed form. Those things that looked like just wriggling green lights could also look like fireflies at first glance.
"Spirits... Perhaps?"
Spirits he had only heard about in stories, and among them, they looked similar to lower spirits.
'Spirits at this timing?'
He couldn't help but feel uneasy. No matter how he looked at it, it could only be seen as Johan's doing.
Though black mages who played with souls were incompatible with spirits, it wasn't entirely impossible if they didn't care about means and methods. For instance, using items.
'Since it might be reconnaissance, I can't just let them be...'
Jin-woo reluctantly drew his sword.
With his power to cut blue flames, he could probably cut spirits too.
However, even though he drew his sword, not the slightest hostility appeared from the spirits.
No, rather.
'What?'
The spirits were circling around Jin-woo, welcoming his presence.
Jin-woo opened his palm. Then the largest among the small spirits, the leader of the group, descended and nestled on his fingertip.
As the green light tickled his finger, everything about the barrier spread around the area entered Jin-woo's mind.
***
"What! How does that make sense!"
Johan grabbed the Ego Sword as if he would break it, his face red with anger.
"What do you mean the entire barrier was taken over!"
It was because he heard that the barrier, into which he had poured 30% of his own Magi along with the Ego Sword's power, had been transferred to the enemy along with its ownership.
It was an impossible thing. Spirits belonged entirely to spirit mages, and even when encountering other spirit mages, they prioritized their contracted spirit mage.
That's why he could entrust his Magi to spirits with peace of mind.
'The spirits prioritized that bastard Kang Jin-woo over their contractor?'
Johan was beyond anger to the point of being dumbfounded at this unprecedented event. Even the Ego Sword was confused by this first-time occurrence and could only cry kiing kiing.