50
050 — Golden Blessing
Jin-woo's sword was deflected by the golden aura.
Even when he concentrated more and swung his sword, the result was the same. The golden aura protecting the interior didn't receive even a single scratch from Jin-woo's sword.
Even though it was only a soul, the sword that had even cut down a dragon didn't work at all against the wall created by the golden apple.
'Something like... It feels like an eggshell or an egg.'
The golden aura surrounding the room was like an egg, blocking all external threats.
The difference from a real egg was that it blocked not only external threats but also prevented the internal Erosion from spilling out.
If only he could somehow break this shell, he could cut down the black flames.
'But only I know that fact.'
If the fairy inside knew that he could cut down the black flames, she might open the way.
But this place and that place were perfectly isolated by the golden aura, so no sound could get through.
In the first place, the fairy was in a nearly dying state. Her eyes had already lost focus, and her breathing was labored. Even if he conveyed his intentions through some method, it was questionable whether she could receive it.
'In the end, I have no choice but to break in?'
There were two choices. Either give up and return, as April said, or force his way through.
Naturally, Jin-woo chose the latter.
He swept at the golden aura, then soon deployed Dragon Sword.
Kugugugugu—
The earth shook and the sky trembled. Since all things in the world were made of Magi, nothing could be free from the gravity that dragons possessed.
The golden aura was the same. No matter how solid and high its level, its foundation was Magi. Before Dragon Sword, any Magi was bound to shake.
'Still, it's solid.'
It wasn't easy. The structure was incomparably sturdier than Johan's sorcery.
A divine medicine specialized in protecting something, was it? That thing, which had formed a solid bedrock with concepts and traditions accumulated over long years, wouldn't budge at all under ordinary circumstances.
However, it wasn't that no cracks appeared at all.
'I can see the timing bit by bit.'
A minute discrepancy. A trivial trace no different from a scratch. But it definitely existed and disappeared.
Finding that gap, Jin-woo raised his sword.
And finally struck down.
***
Before becoming a fruit, it was once a flower.
Before being a flower, it was a bud, and before that, it was merely a small sprout.
The fairy had been there since then.
Together with countless friends, in a beautiful field where flowers bloomed magnificently.
A fantasy garden where flowers sang and fairies frolicked.
She didn't know the flow of time and years. When she played joyfully, and it was time to sleep, it was night, and when she woke up to play again, it was day.
In such a beautiful flower field, a single stain began to spread in an instant.
Flowers screamed and fairies fled. All those who had played with her trembled in fear of the terrible stain.
'I have to protect them.'
She knew instinctively. She was the strongest among her friends. So she was the only one who could protect the flower field from this terrible stain.
The bud bloomed and bore fruit. The small fruit glowed with a noble and beautiful golden light, and she blocked the stain with that power.
As each day passed, the fruit ripened beautifully and the golden aura grew. But not to be outdone, the stain also grew in size and strongly pounded on the golden aura.
Open up. Open this place. Open up and be at ease.
'No!'
Still, she blocked it. No matter how painful it was, she didn't release her aura. She didn't succumb to the temptation to become comfortable.
She had no resentment about why she alone had to suffer like this. Rather, she was glad it was her and not her other friends. She didn't want her friends to bear such painful work.
However, if there was one thing she wished for.
'When... Until when...'
Until when would she have to stay like this?
When would she be able to return to those beautiful days?
At some point, she began counting days. She realized the flow of time that she hadn't noticed when she was happy, and was crushed by the weight of years.
She was tired now.
And.
—Kuwoong!
At some moment, the golden aura began to shake.
During countless years of wrestling with the stain, the golden aura had become incredibly solid. But no matter how solid something is, it's bound to break eventually.
Was that time now? She thought so.
'Huh...'
The man who opened the golden aura and entered was a man she'd never seen before.
Her eyes could no longer see flesh and mind, and what she could see was only souls.
A soul she'd never seen before. But somehow familiar.
"Is this it?"
The man swung his sword.
That sword was amazing. The stain that had tormented her for so long disappeared in one stroke.
Like being washed by rushing water, or swept away by strong wind.
The stain couldn't withstand the man's sword, and thus all the stains that had tormented her disappeared. The man before her eyes had swept them all away.
'Ah.'
The beautiful flower field of various colors returned to her eyes. The flowers sang again and she could see her friends who had been separated for so long.
It was all an illusion. A panorama of her life seen while dying, not reality.
But still, she was satisfied.
How fortunate it was to paint her final path with the scene she had longed for most.
There was no longer any reason to count days.
'Thank you.'
Unknown but familiar soul.
May golden blessing be upon his path ahead, who had saved her.
"......"
The rotten apple that had been stained with Erosion finally emitted bright light and disappeared. At the same time, the fairy who had been with the apple also disappeared.
Jin-woo, who had absorbed the black flames, sighed. But then.
Kugugugugugugung—!
A great vibration occurred. The golden aura remaining in the room was released after losing its owner.
The mighty Magi that had blocked Erosion for long years became a whirlwind and swept around. It destroyed all the ruins and escaped into the world.
"Master! The divine medicine's Magi is being released! You must enter meditation immediately! Breathe as much as possible before it all disappears!"
April shouted in a muffled voice. Looking at her, she was covering her nose and mouth, showing her will not to absorb the golden aura as much as possible.
Such an upright woman, even at times like this. She must have wanted to take even a little of the divine medicine's aura that had been released arbitrarily.
Jin-woo smiled bitterly and deployed Dragon Sword again. There was no need to absorb it through his nose and mouth. He had this sword.
Kuuuuuu—!
The golden Magi that had been released like a whirlwind gradually changed its flow and began pouring toward Jin-woo.
'This is...'
But the real thing wasn't the Magi itself. Of course, the amount of Magi was tremendous, but what was more important was the will imbued in it.
A strong will of protection began to settle in Jin-woo's body.
***
Sky Island. In the temple built on that island, Lin Shenlin was panicking.
[The God of Sky is enraged.]
Because the God of Sky he served was suddenly pouring out inexplicable rage.
He was momentarily flustered, but he could soon guess the reason for the anger.
'Is it because of that gnat?'
There was a being circling around the island with invisibility magic cast.
'A young dragon. Was it Mahiri from New Delhi... What on earth is she thinking, circling around?'
He clicked his tongue and slashed at the sky. His sword, filled with magical power, cut through the void and flew toward the young dragon and Mahiri.
But the creature dodged like a ghost and breathed fire at this side.
Kwagwagwang!
"Tsk."
It wasn't difficult to dodge, but the very fact that he had to dodge was annoying.
No matter how young, a dragon was still a dragon. If he was hit by the flame breath it spewed, even his body, wrapped in a protective aura, might melt.
'Does he want to fight me?'
He thought so, but the dragon just circled around as if scouting and shot flames when he might be forgotten. He didn't seem to have any intention of engaging directly.
What exactly was his purpose?
'Seeing that he even cast invisibility magic, his purpose is definitely impudent.'
Come even a little closer to the island. I'll shoot you down immediately and shake out your intentions.
But the dragon was also sufficiently wary of this side and didn't approach the island beyond a certain distance. He was just shooting breaths and magic from afar.
'Annoying.'
That appearance was just like a gnat, and Lin Shenlin was very stressed.
In the midst of this.
[The God of Sky is enraged.]
Even the so-called god was throwing a tantrum and nagging at him, making it even more tiring.
'I want to quickly chase him away and rest.'
Lin Shenlin extended his ki sense while handling his sword at the temple entrance.
His ki sense, which filled the entire area, caught the gnat-like being circling around the island. The young dragon and its tamer who were scouting while watching for an opportunity.
'If you're not going to leave, just die.'
Lin Shenlin began shooting attacks filled not with restraint but with killing intent.
But since the opponent was also an S-rank Hunter, she wasn't easily caught.
The dragon also didn't land on the island to attack head-on, so the long war of nerves continued.
[Follow the god's rage!]
'I am doing it!'
Even though he was already fighting, Lin Shenlin frowned and swung his sword at the urging. However, the young dragon maintained altitude while dodging skillfully.
[Kill him now! Before he rises further!]
'...? What are you talking about?'
Only then did Lin Shenlin notice a strong sense of incongruity.
It seemed the target the God of Sky was talking about wasn't the young dragon in front.
The emotion he felt from him was closer to impatience rather than anger.
***
The will of protection settled in. That will devise various ways to protect Jin-woo.
Jin-woo realized that options had been given to him.
The first was to protect space.
Like the golden apple and the fairy had done, protecting a certain space. A golden aura deployed in sphere form would block all enemy attacks.
'That would be useful?'
He thought of mages specialized in defensive magic. They were welcomed in any party and were reliable ones who protected comrades.
There were several such people in Tokyo's Shirata Guild, and Jin-woo knew they were very welcome beings.
The second was to protect the body.
Among Hong Kong's Hunters, those who reached a certain level wore what was called a protective aura—hard, high-density Magi covering the skin to protect themselves—and it felt similar to that.
Jin-woo, who had directly felt the golden aura, was certain. That aura would be superior to any Hunter's protective aura.
'That's good?'
This was also excellent.
Since he used a sword, Jin-woo's body was easily exposed to enemy attacks. If he could protect his own body, he would become safer and have more variations in combat.
No matter which he chose, there would be no loss, only gains. Could there be another such happy worry?
The last, third option was to protect the heart.
It didn't simply mean protecting an important internal organ.
The heart was not only the center of the body but also the center of Magi—that is, the center supporting the mind. It was especially important to Jin-woo, who had obtained Dragon Sword and gained a dragon's power.
The core organ encompasses both body and mind.
Jin-woo's heart absorbed vast Magi, hoping for his body and mind to reach the level of his soul. That was a phenomenon similar to the dragon's molting that Kalesian spoke of.
Only when the three aspects are achieved at equal levels would complete life be accomplished.
'It's not like real scales will fall off, right?'
Jin-woo chose the last option without hesitation.