52
052 — Outcast?
Jin-woo looked puzzled as he saw Lin Shenlin and Mahiri.
"Were you the one fighting up there?"
"Yes, somehow it happened."
"Because of that divine artifact?"
"I was just thinking of poking around a bit to test the waters, but the opponent's reaction was unexpectedly intense."
Anyone would get annoyed if you poke at them like that when you say you're testing the waters.
However, even though Lin Shenlin was shooting sword energy and attacking, he was fundamentally a swordsman. If he flew away to escape, wouldn't he be able to escape sufficiently?
"Somehow, I ended up collapsing the Temple of the Sky a bit."
"What?"
"It wasn't intentional, but I blew a hole right through the center of the temple with my breath."
I don't understand how punching a hole in a building could be unintentional. When Jin-woo looked at her as if dumbfounded, Mahiri pouted her lips.
"The timing was just too perfect, what could I do. While I was bickering with Lin Shenlin, an opportunity arose to blast the temple refreshingly... How could I hold back from that!"
"Who just fires away the moment they see an opening? Normal people hold back just fine."
"Tch."
From the moment she suddenly approached, suggesting we rob the temple, I thought she was unusually hasty for a dragon. Is it because she hasn't molted, so her mind is still the same as when she was a hatchling?
"Companion?"
At that moment, Lin Shenlin said something. When I gestured to Kalesian, asking what he meant, he translated for me.
"He's asking if you're companions."
"Please tell him no."
However, before Kalesian could answer anything, Lin Shenlin's gaze fixed on Jin-woo.
Killing intent slowly revealed itself in his quietly observing eyes. His hand moved so quickly that you couldn't even tell if it moved properly.
Kwaaaaaa—!
Sword energy began pouring out like waves.
"Euak!"
"Jin-woo!"
Jin-woo hurriedly drew his sword and split the sword energy. Kalesian didn't stay idle either, shooting breath to counter the waves.
However, Lin Shenlin's sword energy shot out endlessly.
It was similar to the Black Knight from Belen Village, but the difference from that time was that his power wasn't from Erosion.
'It's impossible to find a weakness and break the flow like that time.'
In the end, he had no choice but to deflect or dodge.
Mahiri, holding Kalesian, ran while spreading a wall of Magi, and Jin-woo followed behind.
"What makes him so strong? He's incomparable to David or Johan, right? He seems stronger than the other S-ranks I saw during Ireland incident, too."
"He has the God of Sky's blessing. Lin Shenlin himself is also among the top Hunters who have learned martial arts."
In Hong Kong, there are many Hunters who were martial artists who learned martial arts in their previous lives.
Among them, Lin Shenlin was one of the top strongmen. His previous life's name wasn't revealed, but according to rumors, he learned martial arts with characteristics of demonic arts.
Jin-woo didn't know much about martial arts, but he had heard about the infamy of demonic arts.
Demonic arts possess overwhelming power that transcends ordinary martial arts and allows one to gain tremendous internal energy or destructive power with short training.
Instead, the side effects are severe, so the stronger you become, the more you lose your sense of self and become mentally unstable.
Moreover, in the end, you inevitably fall into Qi Deviation (Zhuhuorumo) where your internal energy flows backward or goes berserk. There's only a difference in how fast or slow it happens, but eventually reaching Qi Deviation is the same.
'But when you overcome that, you reach an incredible realm, they said.'
He only read a roughly explained post on Hunter Net Blind, so he didn't know exactly.
"Lin Shenlin is a sane Hunter, right?"
"Of course. A demon who has lost its sense of self cannot be recognized as S-rank, no matter how powerful. He is a martial artist who has already reached the level of Supreme Demon (Geukma)."
"He must have been quite remarkable in his previous life."
"On top of that, he has over 100 million contribution points... In this 3rd floor, he's truly the strongest."
The surrounding forest and buildings were all being swept away by the sword energy Lin Shenlin was casually wielding.
This side was fine because Kalesian was blocking, but even that barrier was precarious.
[The God of Sky bestows the supreme blessing.]
[May all things under heaven be free.]
'I agree with that.'
Receiving the blessing, Lin Shenlin agreed with the God of Sky's thoughts.
His words didn't truly wish for everyone's freedom. He wished for all things to simply frolic under heaven.
In other words, it was an ambition to make all things kneel beneath his feet.
This matched the disposition of both Lin Shenlin himself and his previous life. The reason he specifically chose the God of Sky and accumulated contributions was because of this good compatibility.
[Death to those who defy heaven.]
"I got it."
Letting the urging god's words go in one ear and out the other, Lin Shenlin swung his sword.
Just by breathing, the demonic energy naturally emanating from his body was sharply refined and reached his sword.
The shot demonic energy cut through forests, rocks, and buildings alike as it rushed toward the enemy.
Kwagwagwagwagwang!
"Do you have confidence in winning?"
Jin-woo asked from within the barrier Kalesian had spread.
"Umm..."
"You don't even have confidence, so why did you blast the temple with your breath?"
"I, I just wanted to slam into it refreshingly once..."
He was a reckless person, no, hatchling. Though his age was that of an adult, since neither his mind nor body had grown, he was no different from a hatchling.
Meanwhile, Lin Shenlin's demonic energy continued to pound against Kalesian's barrier.
Though it was called demonic energy, it was different from Erosion, so Jin-woo had no solution either.
Within the Magi that seemed like thin glass walls about to shatter any moment, Kalesian narrowed his eyes.
"Jin-woo."
"What?"
April wasn't at this location. Swept up in the chaos, she had already fled somewhere and was nowhere to be seen.
Stopping speaking through Mahiri's mouth, Kalesian spoke his true feelings at this very moment.
"I'll somehow handle Lin Shenlin. In the meantime, won't you go into the Temple of the Sky and bring the divine artifact?"
"You want me to bring the divine artifact?"
"It's something you refused once, but please think about it again. This is an opportunity that won't come again!"
In the middle of Lin Shenlin's killing intent pouring out like raging waves (gyeokrang), he was seeing something completely different.
Not a plan to escape this place or deal with the enemy, but a plan to rob the temple in this gap.
In one way, he's a sharp gambler, but in another way, he's just a dragon crazy about treasure. Maybe both.
"I made a hole with my breath. If you just go through there, you'll reach the room with the divine artifact quickly. Just slip in smoothly and slip out with it."
"But you said there's a guardian protecting it."
"That... Please handle it somehow."
That was something even Kalesian couldn't handle.
He could hold Lin Shenlin's ankle or create an excellent infiltration route into the temple, but he couldn't do anything about the guardian.
"You said even if an S-rank comes, they can't handle it alone. Is it right to ask an E-rank Hunter like me?"
"Haha, saying you're E-rank is quite a joke. I'm not swayed by rankings that the Management Bureau simply decided."
"Even if I'm S-rank, you said it can't be done alone. That's why you asked for my cooperation back then."
"Still, couldn't you somehow manage it?"
The God of Sky's divine artifact. What would happen if he could extract that?
Kalesian had said that even if the 3rd floor divine artifact disappeared, it wouldn't save Earth. He said the God of Sky's Erosion of Earth and the 3rd floor divine artifact were completely separate matters.
'But he said the God of Sky might shrink back a little.'
The situation was still no different from that time. The return was too ambiguous compared to the risk.
Rather, since it would make Lin Shenlin an enemy, the danger was even higher than back then.
However.
'I don't want to miss this.'
If now was truly the perfect opportunity, he didn't want to miss it.
The opportunity to land a blow on him.
[The God of Moonlit Forest cheers you on.]
[I'll push your back.]
A faint light wrapped around his body, then gathered around his heart to form power.
A power like a very small glass marble.
From it, he felt a blessing greater than anything he had received so far.
'Are you telling me to try it once?'
Even though they might have different names, they're fellow gods, yet helping to steal a fellow god's divine artifact?
Whatever their relationship might be, at least the God of Moonlit Forest and the God of Sky don't seem to be on good terms.
At this point, there was nothing left to hesitate about.
"Let's try it once. However, I'll receive proper compensation for helping you."
"I'll let you into my treasure vault. Take anything you like."
"Three things."
"...Won't two work?"
"Two plus point five with a small elixir thrown in."
"Keuk! Ah, fine."
Since the situation was urgent, it was inevitable that the contract would be concluded in Jin-woo's favor.
Actually, if he had held out more, he might have received three as originally proposed, but he decided not to be too harsh. After all, he had been treated to delicious meals.
"I'll go and come back, so be careful. He doesn't look easy."
"You be careful too! The guardian won't be easy either."
Chaeng-geuraeng!
At that moment, Kalesian's barrier shattered into pieces from Lin Shenlin's demonic energy.
Kwagwagwagwagwang!
Countless demonic energies poured down on where the two had been, turning the ground to powder.
The two who scattered and dodged in different directions each headed toward their goals. Kalesian toward Lin Shenlin, and Jin-woo toward the Sky Island.
***
'They're running away!'
Lin Shenlin also noticed that the two had split up.
His sword naturally turned toward Jin-woo.
He didn't know the reason, but what the God of Sky was urging him to kill was Jin-woo, not Mahiri.
Even if just to shut up the god who was chattering enough to give him a headache, Lin Shenlin tried to finish off Jin-woo first.
"Hey, your opponent is me!"
However, Mahiri and the young dragon interfered with that. Lin Shenlin had to dodge the breath they shot out for now.
Hwareureureureuk!
The flames shot by the Red Dragon destroyed the ground and covered the entire world with fire.
Abnormal heat that exceeded natural heat penetrated Lin Shenlin's protective energy and tried to cook his body.
"Heup!"
He spread his demonic energy to protect his body from the heat.
By then, Jin-woo's figure was no longer visible. The world had changed into a circular arena covered with fire.
What was there was only himself, Mahiri, and the young dragon.
"Tsk."
No matter how much Lin Shenlin was S-rank and had 100 million contribution points, Mahiri was also S-rank. The young dragon sitting on her head was also called young, but was a dragon who had lived in the 5th floor.
He couldn't ignore that and chase after Jin-woo.
[The God of Sky is enraged!]
'Stop getting so angry. I'm the one actually fighting.'
Tired of the god's voice gnawing at his mind with continued hysteria, Lin Shenlin raised his sword imbued with demonic energy.
***
Jin-woo chased after Poldere, whom he had parted with earlier, and asked to borrow Golong.
He was already trying to evacuate immediately as part of the city collapsed.
"Wh, where are you trying to go!"
"To that island up there."
"To the Sky Island? Are you crazy?"
Poldere looked at Jin-woo with eyes asking if he was sane.
"Don't you see Lin Shenlin destroying the whole city right now? If you go into the Sky Island without permission, you'll incur his anger even more!"
"That's exactly why I need to go now. When Lin Shenlin comes down from the island, and is on the ground."
Now he really looked at Jin-woo like he was looking at a madman. Poldere shook his head, saying no way.
"No way, no way! I'm going to evacuate far away with Golong and come back when things calm down. You think I'd go to a dangerous place like the Sky Island?"
"Take this."
"What... Oh, gems?"
He took out several gems that Kalesian had given him as gifts at the luxury goods store.
These were gems that Kalesian, who was even more strict about gems than other luxury goods, had carefully selected and gifted. They had enough brilliance to make a merchant's eyes spin.
"Keuk, kheuheum..."
Still, to Poldere, who seemed to be pondering, Jin-woo said.
"I'm not telling you not to run away, just cross by the Sky Island on your way. I'll jump off on my own in the middle."
"If it's just that much..."
Poldere snatched the gems and quickly put them in his subspace pocket, then grabbed Golong's reins.
Peolleok! Golong spread his wings and flew high into the sky, heading outside the city, avoiding the chaotic area.
The Sky Island was slightly overlapping the flight path, and there Jin-woo just jumped off.
"I was going to lower the altitude to make it easier to jump... Hey, hey! You already jumped off?"
He was thinking of flying lower to make it easier to jump, but Jin-woo had already jumped off before that.
Seeing him jump without hesitation from such a high place, Poldere made a dumbfounded expression. Then he shook his head and whipped Golong's reins.
"Why are there so many crazy people in the Gate?"
Tsk tsk, clicking his tongue, he moved away with Golong.
Meanwhile, Jin-woo landed on the Sky Island and immediately headed toward the temple.
It was a building that felt somewhat like a Middle Eastern temple, built with white bricks that had a slight sky-blue glow.
The roof of the central main building was round and bulging, and there was a hole punched right through that round roof.
'Is that where the breath was shot?'
According to Kalesian, it wasn't shot just anywhere. He said it was shot precisely, aiming at the room with the divine artifact to create a path.
If he jumped through that hole in the roof, it would be a straight line to the room with the divine artifact.
He who had climbed up to the roof by kicking off the temple walls looked down through the hole that was punched through.
Then suddenly.
[The God of Moonlit Forest anticipates.]
[The God of Ice Valley rejoices.]
[The God of Forge suddenly opens his eyes.]
[The God of War watches with interest.]
[The God of Iron Gorge (Cheolhyeop)......]
Messages from all sorts of gods were heard.
The God of Moonlit Forest was one thing, but it seemed all the other gods were watching, too. Were they all munching on popcorn together or something?
No, more than that, among all these gods, not one was trying to help the God of Sky. Rather, there were only reactions of watching with interest or giggling that it was amusing.
'God of Sky, are you an outcast?'
Well then. He who let out a hollow laugh jumped down through the roof hole.