Chapter 240
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 240
Chapter Title: Lesson 46. Union Founding Festival - 7
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There are limits to sudden accelerations.
Ban Yu-won wanted to scream, Why the hell did you pop out of nowhere? but he desperately held it back.
Whatever the Chancellor's motives, he was grateful for the intervention.
There was no way he could expose Light in this state to others.
And considering what Light had to do moving forward, that was even more true.
"Grr... grrr..."
Light had dropped his sword and was clutching his head with both hands, writhing in agony.
The necklace was shattered, and both souls it had contained were now absorbed into Light's body, locked in a fierce struggle for dominance. Ban Yu-won's All-Reading Eyes could see it all clearly.
His ancestor, trying to erase Light's ego and rebirth him as the king to continue the royal line.
And the dragon's soul, severed by the ancestor's Dragon Slayer Sword but always waiting for a chance to revive!
[I am the guardian who protects humanity. Will you tolerate an alien intruder? I'll erase every trace of the curse you left behind.]
[My beloved child who inherits my blood. The time has come to liberate your suppressed self. Feel the dragon's blood flowing within you. Accept the dragon's soul.]
"Huh, it even comes with voice service."
Light's mouth opened on its own, alternating between creepy voices.
As Ban Yu-won had realized before, neither side was on Light's side—but compared to before the necklace broke, the situation was actually better.
The Dragon Slayer Sword was one thing, but I had no clue how to even touch that necklace... Then Aire stimulated Light with dragon magic, causing the dragon soul trapped inside to go berserk.
Aire must have hoped Light would push out his ancestor's soul on his own, but she didn't know about the dragon soul sealed in the necklace.
It wasn't like there hadn't been a chance to tell her.
But Ban Yu-won hadn't expected her to act so extremely—and since she clearly inherited dragon blood, he hesitated, unsure how she'd react to hearing about the dragon soul in the necklace.
I should have trusted Aire and been more upfront.
Too late for regrets now.
First, he had to deal with Light right in front of him, then formally apologize to her later.
The problem was how.
"Master, you gonna help?"
—I've fulfilled my role by hiding their unclean legacy from prying eyes. The rest is yours.
He tossed a word at the massive eye, but the response was as expected.
The Chancellor seemed to know something about Light's ancestor but had no intention of saying more or interfering further.
He'd paid the entry fee; now he demanded Ban Yu-won show his skills.
No choice. He'd have to push forward as planned.
"Light, can you hear me?"
"Grrrrraaaah!"
"This is your chance while they're out of the necklace. Let's rip both out and seal them away."
"Krrrrraaaack!"
His words weren't getting through.
Worse, Light perceived Ban Yu-won's approach as a threat and unleashed a surge of rampaging magic at him!
[Curse]
The eerie magic filling the air and engulfing Ban Yu-won was clearly readable as a curse.
The Dragon Slayer Sword on the ground rattled wildly, resonating with the curse's magic—meaning the sword was controlling Light's instinct-driven magic.
"Tch, so it was this one after all."
The best counter to a curse was another curse.
Ban Yu-won swiftly selected effective concepts from within him, infused them into his Yu-won Energy, and activated them through the Origin Sword.
[Curse, Judgment, Rebellion concepts activated.]
The moment the golden wave overflowing from the sword tip raced through space and clashed with the curse from the Dragon Slayer Sword.
Ban Yu-won activated the Gap right on time, bolstering its depth with Yu-won Energy for reinforcement, and shot forward like an arrow.
Slipping through the gaps in the rampaging magic, he embodied the very concept of "gap."
[Wait, at this rate, he'll—]
[I won't be toyed with by you anymore!]
The ancestor's soul panicked upon sensing Ban Yu-won's approach mid-clash, while the dragon soul—unable to communicate until now due to its seal—mindlessly lunged without thought.
Reaching Light, Ban Yu-won grabbed the Dragon Slayer Sword lunging at him perfectly.
He barely suppressed the sword's violent rejection of an unauthorized wielder with the concept of Dominion, resisting the magic trying to burn his mind and body with Adamant.
I can't hold this for long. Time to settle it.
He pulled a candy from his pocket and popped it in his mouth.
One hand gripping the Dragon Slayer Sword, the other seized Light's face and lifted it.
In the trembling pupils unable to focus on Ban Yu-won right in front of him, he read Light's will—still faintly resisting.
It might sound ridiculous coming from someone with countless dark histories of his own, but... she'd held out well so far.
Time for a reward.
—Hoh.
No need for commentary.
Ban Yu-won cast aside hesitation and kissed Light.
It would have been better if it were the Light from the start of break, but this was the only way to restore her to that state...!
"Mmph?!"
The change was dramatic.
Light's wavering eyes snapped sharply to center, locking onto Ban Yu-won.
Her pale skin flushed beet red, as if she might burst into flames.
This reaction was definitely Light.
He couldn't even guess how long it had been since he'd seen the real Light.
If he'd known it'd be this effective, he would've done it ages ago instead of overthinking—Ban Yu-won felt a twinge of regret.
"Mmmph?!"
—Long time no see, Light. Focus from here on out.
"!"
Unable to speak with their mouths sealed, he transmitted his will via telepathy learned from Dokgo Yeon.
Light nodded faintly amid her panic at the voice echoing in her mind.
But when Ban Yu-won aimed the Dragon Slayer Sword at her abdomen, she panicked intensely.
"?!"
—It'll hurt, but endure it. This is the only way to drive the souls out of your body.
That's right.
Ban Yu-won's plan was to use the holy sword's soul-sealing power to extract the ancestor's soul.
Of course, he hadn't planned to do this mid-tournament, nor wish for "harm yourself with the Dragon Slayer Sword" after winning the masked ball.
He'd intended to borrow the sword via wish and infuse it with concepts for change—but Aire's unexpected exploits accelerated events, forcing this reckless move.
—Expel the intruders!
"!!!"
Stab. The Dragon Slayer Sword pierced Light's abdomen.
That instant, an extreme reaction erupted within her.
[Insolent fool—do you think you can wield the Dragon Slayer Sword?!]
[Not twice... never!]
The clashing souls suddenly united.
Light's hand overlapped Ban Yu-won's on the sword hilt.
Gripping it tightly, she unleashed her magic.
The Dragon Slayer Sword's true power—soul seal—activated.
Sensing Light's will, Ban Yu-won smiled faintly.
[You think a brat who couldn't even resist me properly, with such a tiny soul, can drive me out?!]
[If that's your will, I won't hold back. I won't die—you will first!]
They'd been so wary of him, yet now they didn't even grasp what his power was.
Ban Yu-won hadn't kissed Light to restore her mind.
To interfere with the concepts inside her.
[Holy Spirit]
[Demon Spirit]
When he first encountered them via the necklace, he was annoyed not knowing which to target—but now, they stood out clearly, perfectly readable.
Ban Yu-won widened his eyes and unleashed his authority.
In close contact with Light, the Origin Sword's power to read and manipulate all concepts swept through the two unwelcome guests invading her internals without mercy!
[Whaaat—?!]
[No, stop, I hate this!]
Unable to resist Ban Yu-won's authority, the two souls were sucked into the Dragon Slayer Sword in an instant.
Confirming no traces remained in Light's body, he swiftly withdrew the sword.
"Kuh... ugh—!"
Light let out a scream-like groan.
Ban Yu-won passed her the Life Candy from his mouth; instinctively grasping its nature, she bit and swallowed it desperately.
Good, at least I successfully extracted them from Light.
Of course, it wasn't over.
As long as Light and the Dragon Slayer Sword were master and weapon, any souls dwelling in it could still affect her.
To alter the sword, he pulled two prepared concepts from the Code Core—
"!"
—...Light, could you calm down a bit?
Whether to forget the pain or not, Light clung desperately to Ban Yu-won.
Even as he tried to pry her off, she ignored him, sucking fiercely at his lips like an octopus sucker.
With the necklace shattered and both souls gone, all restraints lifted—Light was becoming more feminine in real time, making Ban Yu-won feel increasingly strange.
No, I can't let this happen. Calm down, calm.
He somehow soothed her, guided both her hands to grip the Dragon Slayer Sword, and bestowed the long-preserved [Synthesis] and [Concept Conversion].
He'd planned to grant just 10 each to check the status, but the result was an overwhelming success without needing that.
[Mutant authority manifests: Target's concepts combine into a superior concept. Mutant depth reaches 80.]
[Kaaaaah!]
[Aaaah!]
The dragon slayer and dragon—opposing souls—were forcibly synthesized, losing their original forms, wills, and histories, leaving only an intense aura.
The "[Kill Dragon]" concept dramatically converted, amplifying the dragon aura of its wielder.
The mutant authority blessed the dual changes, rebirthing it into an even stronger concept.
Somehow, it had evolved into something even more dangerous-looking than the Dragon Slayer Sword.
—Amusing. Truly befitting a creator's craft.
"Satisfied?"
—Exceedingly superb. Await your reward.
With that, the massive eye closed its lid.
Sensing the dark space would lift, Ban Yu-won hurriedly separated from Light. She absorbed the completed True Dragon Sword into her body, flashed a faint smile, and collapsed unconscious.
The next moment, everything returned to normal.
"Yu-won, watch out—huh?"
[...?]
[What?]
[No way, is that time-space transcendence?]
Perhaps the Chancellor had even compressed time.
As everyone who hadn't noticed the Chancellor's eye on the ceiling or Ban Yu-won's scheme in the created space panicked, he turned to Judge Xenon and said,
"Both opponents are unconscious."
"—Indeed. I declare victory for the Ban Yu-won & Aire pair."
Xenon announced curtly.
Ban Yu-won felt Aire's sharp glare stabbing his cheek but decided for now to brazenly smile it off.