novel
| ← Ch.147 | Ch.149 → |
***
As Min Sung looked at the Devil sitting on the throne, he thought about how boring and tedious his journey to the 50th floor was.
He was now at the end of the tiring Black Tower.
Min Sung took out his Orichalcum Sword form his item window in order to finish it off.
Whoosh!
The Orichalcum gave off a stronger magic spell than usual.
The Devil, who had his eyes closed, slowly opened them.
The Devil's eyes weren't red like the other devils.
It was completely black.
"... Black Slaughterer, " the Devil whispered as he got up.
Roarrrrrrrrr!
At that moment, the tower shook as if there was an earthquake.
The floors, walls, and even the ceiling were filled with black words of the Demonic language.
The sound of the Devil laughing spread throughout the inside.
Ho Sung Lee gasped.
It felt as though just his smile alone made his heart feel as if it was being suffocated.
Ho Sung Lee grabbed his chest and stepped back.
The earthquake-like shaking stopped, and the Devil walked over to Min Sung from his throne.
After leaving about a 5-meter distance from Min Sung, he stopped in front of him.
"... Long time no see."
"Really? I don't remember you."
In response, the Devil grimaced.
However, he soon loosened up his expression and grinned.
"I'm one of the 72 Devils. When I first heard that the Black Slaughterer appeared, I couldn't believe it. So it feels strange to see you right in front of my eyes. I still remember the past. I'm sure you do, too."
The Devil laughed at Min Sung.
It was a laugh that penetrated the abyss.
He felt as though his eardrums were about to blow, and his body trembled like a withering tree.
Bowl also trembled and clattered his teeth.
The only ones not trembling were Min Sung and Ssol, who was watching from a distance.
It didn't seem like Ssol knew the concept of fear.
On the other hand, Ho Sung Lee glanced at the Devil one more time and then closed his eyes out of fear.
His heart was pained just looking at him.
"What is this Black Tower all about anyway?"
Min Sung asked as he looked around.
"If I put it in human terms, it's a type of server test..."
"A test?"
Min Sung nodded and continued,
"So what's the main game?"
"It'll begin soon enough. Countless humans will shed blood, and their limbs will be ripped off of their bodies. The whole world will drown in blood, and fear, death, and chaos will ensue."
Min Sung looked at the Devil and smiled.
"I won't let that happen."
"The light will disappear, and on top of that, human bodies, blood, and cries of anguish will take over."
"Why?"
"..."
"What are you doing here?"
The Devil, who was three hands bigger than Min Sung, smiled at Min Sung.
His black teeth and gums showed.
"You probably know better than anyone why we're here."
A memory then passed through Min Sung's head.
Hell, where not a single piece of grass grew.
That place was the Demonic Realm.
There was no water, so he had to drink blood, and there was no food, so he had to eat flesh.
Those who lived there weren't particularly at peace.
The living beings of the Demonic Realm were all... greedy.
"That place is better suited for you. That's your world to begin with."
In response to Min Sung, the Devil's black eyes squinted.
"A place with human bodies and mountains of blood is where we belong. We will dominate the human world. We will rip human flesh and feed it to the monsters, and we will mix blood with alcohol for a celebratory festival. Chaos and death will ensue..."
"Stop your chatter, and let's go. My ears hurt."
Min Sung stepped forward while holding his ORichalcum Sword.
"... I have a question or you. How did you begin another life in the human world? You died in the Demonic Realm."
"I don't know."
Min Sung shook his head and knitted his brows.
Dealing with one Devil was easy.
After all, it was just one.
Before the battle began.
The Devil lifted his arm and showed his hand.
"I'm the Devil. Do you think you can kill me that easily? The passing of time is different in the Demonic Realm and the human world. That means we have more time to grow. You know how much blood and war we face. I became much stronger..."
"Shut up."
Min Sung swung his Orichalcum Sword.
A white magic spell charged toward the Devil.
Swooshhhhhh!
Boommmm, Kaboom!
A huge explosion could be heard.
The Devil's left arm was ripped off.
However, he recovered quickly.
The Devil shook his recovered arm around.
"Let me repeat myself. I watched my son die in your hands. And I know how many devils you've killed after that."
"..."
"Yeah, you're still strong. I forgot. Time is not on my side. You're very strong, indeed. I can't believe you're this strong when you didn't even try. Yeah, you can probably kill me. But... just like I said, this Black Tower is nothing but a test. The human world will soon become the Demonic Realm's territory."
Min Sung looked at the Devil with tired eyes.
"You just keep on talking."
"But I've fulfilled my duty in this Black Tower, which was made for testing purposes. You could say finding the Black Slaughterer was more than I expected to accomplish."
"..."
"I'm fully aware that you probably won't let me live."
"..."
"But today isn't the day I die. We'll meet again soon. I can't let you kill me here. I, the Devil!"
"So what's your point... ?"
"Don't kill me."
"..."
A cold air blew between the two.
***
The American hunter master, Ethan, explained the situation to the world hunters just as the robed man, Jae Hyuk Han, instructed.
As soon as he explained that Samchunkyo wanted to kill Min Sung Kang and that they had to follow along, the world hunters didn't hide their troubled feelings.
They knew that they had to obey Samchunkyo since they ate the item, but they felt burdened that they were planning something against a strong hunter like Min Sung Kang.
"If Min Sung Kang clears the tower and arrives back at the assembly, World Hunter Team A must lure Ho Sung Lee and the pets away. I want the search team and the avant-garde teams to become Team A."
Ethan used his hands to divide the teams.
"And the back group is Team B, and you must block Min Sung Kang's view and distract him."
The world hunters looked at each other.
They had mixed emotions.
"We won't have to participate in the battle. Once we fulfill your duties, step out."
In response, the world hunters looked a little more comforted.
"We don't have much time. We have to figure out how to split up Min Sung Kang's party and how to distract him."
Ethan continued with a stiffened face.
"If Samchunkyo loses... we'll all die."
The world hunters grew pale.
***
Ji Yoo Kim, who was watching the Black Tower from afar, showed a dark face just like the weather.
Below Ji Yoo Kim were rough waves.
Crash!
Thunder and lightning continued.
The lights were already on on the 50th floor, but her eyes still seemed worried.
Ji Yoo Kim held her two hands together as she watched the Black Tower and then turned to the assembly.
When the lights on the 50th floor turned on, the vibe of the assembly changed.
She caught on that this progress wasn't something she could look at as favorable.
Ji Yoo Kim was forbidden from entering the assembly.
As she looked at the assembly with a stiff face, she heard footsteps.
She was in an area in the mountains where very few people passed.
'So who... ?'
Ji Yoo Kim turned with a startled look on her face.
Rustle-!
"You're..."
Ji Yoo Kim stared at the man in front of her with widened eyes.
It was the robed man, Jae Hyuk Han.
He took off his hood.
On his closed eye, a huge scar could be seen.
And the open eye met eyes with Ji Yoo Kim.
Ji Yoo Kim instinctively flinched and stepped back.
Rocks fell from the edge of the cliff.
She looked down below and then glanced back at Jae Hyuk Han.
"... What do you want?"
Jae Hyuk Han fixed his gaze on Ji Yoo Kim and sighed.
He then responded.
"If Min Sung Kang returns to the assembly, I'll kill him. We already have a plan, we just have to carry it out."
In response, Ji Yoo Kim glared at Jae Hyuk Han.
"So you want to get rid of me first?"
Instead of responding, Jae Hyuk Han took out his sword from his item window.
Ji Yoo Kim clenched her teeth.
"I'm the commander of Korea. If you kill me..."
"I don't' care."
He continued with a machinic tone,
"I don't care who you are."
"Why do you want to kill me?"
"I just have to eliminate variables. Nothing else."
"I can't believe you're killing hunters when we should be banding together... On top of that, the hero who cleared the tower..."
Ji Yoo Kim clenched her teeth.
"You should be ashamed of yourself."
She then yelled loudly.
"Hero... ?"
Jae Hyuk Han smirked and continued,
"That only applies to those who are living."
Ji Yoo Kim scoffed and laughed bitterly.
"Min Sung Kang will soon clear the tower all by himself. So you probably won't be able to kill him so easily."
"He'll be very tired."
In response, Ji Yoo Kim's eyes shook.
"No matter how strong he may be, he'll be tired after clearing the last floor."
She gulped.
"It's possible as long as we find the right moment. After all, he's just human. And Samchunkyo is much more powerful than you think."
Ji Yoo Kim's breathing quickened, and her eyes widened.
"No, he won't be killed by you. There's no way he'll be defeated by you, who only act on your own selfishness."
Jae Hyuk Han laughed bitterly at Ji Yoo Kim.
"I'll send you to the afterlife soon enough. Wait for him there. It won't be long."
Ji Yoo Kim pulled out her Silver Rapier from her item window.
| ← Ch. 147 | Ch. 149 → |