C445
Kuououou--!
Cale was descending the stairs leading from the first underground floor to the second. He was assessing the vibrations he felt from outside.
‘It’s stronger than before.’
The Third Corps leader, Mol, and a Supreme Knight. Their battle had become more intense.
‘…Mol is worse than I thought.’
By this time, Mol should have defeated the Supreme Knight and entered this building. Cale had anticipated that. That’s why, after rescuing Choi Jung Soo, he planned to find a clue to stop the gray disease in this building, which Mol had turned into chaos.
‘Are Supreme Knights that strong?’
Well. The person who injured team leader Sui Khan was a Supreme Knight, and the person who kidnapped Choi Jung Soo is believed to be the best knight.
‘They’re strong.’
They are strong. They definitely weren’t using their full strength.
“Cale. As expected.”
At Sui Khan’s voice, Cale responded:
“Yes. They’re weak.”
Ssssh--
Fog enveloped all sides. The poisonous fog, which covered the first underground floor and began invading the second floor’s stairs. These poisons didn’t affect Cale, and all the knights guarding the first underground floor were paralyzed or lost consciousness.
‘Those guarding the first underground floor were weaker than I thought.’
Probably, the knights who went to look for the Five-Colored Family Wanderers, the Demon King’s army soldiers and estate soldiers, the knights who went to fight outside, and the knights who were recruited to protect the Pope… The strong knights were sent to those places, and the weak ones were protecting the basement, which was like a prison.
‘There are no clues about the gray disease on the first underground floor.’
That was the conclusion of Cale, who had checked everything while moving quickly.
“Euh-”
“Kueok, eek!”
Knights groaning everywhere, or trembling all over their bodies without even groaning. Cale’s impassive gaze passed over them.
“They’ve improved.”
When Cale casually said that…
Tac.
With the sound of light footsteps, Hong appeared from the fog, mischievously smiled, and then disappeared again into the fog.
Martial arts of the four families. It seems Hong had completely absorbed the nine kings’ poisons he received from them. On’s skill with fog had also improved, but Hong had improved remarkably.
‘I should properly examine them next time.’
As he’ll meet Ron soon, shouldn’t he talk more thoroughly about On and Hong at that time?
“Hmm.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Cale shook his head at Sui Khan’s question. He’ll have to talk about himself with Ron and Beacrox someday. Cale cut off the flow of his thoughts.
-Human!
Because Sui Khan, who was in the lead, raised his hand.
-There’s magic at the second underground floor’s entrance. It’s supreme level! It’s a locking spell!
Because Raon had sent a signal.
‘I came to the right place.’
Second underground floor.
-Human, I think I can break this locking spell. It takes a dragon or someone like Rosalyn to break it! Are there such talented mages in the Chaos God sect?
Choi Jung Soo must be here. No, it seems there are many secrets here. The reason they put weak knights on the first underground floor must be because they trusted the second floor’s locking spell.
Kuououou--!
As if the outside’s vibration had reached its peak, the underground ceiling trembled. And the vibration got closer. General Mol was approaching the building. At that moment, a gleam appeared in Cale’s eyes.
-Human, it will take about 5 minutes to break this silently!
At Raon’s words, Cale thought for a moment.
“…”
When everyone silently looked at him, he slowly opened his mouth:
“Do it quickly.”
5 minutes. Too long to wait. And they mustn’t be discovered before Mol reaches the building. If Choi Jung Soo is injured, they must prioritize escaping with him.
“Understood, human! Everyone, fall back!”
Cale looked at the locked door with a locking spell beyond Raon’s fluttering wings.
-Sniff sniff! Sniff, sniff sniff!
At that moment, The Sound of the Wind started smelling strongly.
‘Oh!’
And Cale startled. Because he heard The Sound of the Wind’s voice, different from before. The hoarse voice was urgent. A voice that seemed excited and urgent at the same time.
-I smell something from inside! I smell something!
It smells like a Sacred Object.
-It’s very strong!
-I don’t want to have this Sacred Object!
-I want to break it!
It was a first. That The Sound of the Wind reacted like this.
-I must break it! It smells so bad!
-It’s disgusting!
The moment she said that, Cale opened his mouth:
“Raon.”
“Yes?”
“Just break it.”
Raon, surprised, looked at Cale and flinched.
“Ah, understood, human!”
Cale seemed like he was going to break the door immediately if Raon didn’t act. And Raon also realized the urgency in him.
Uuuung--
The black mana surged.
-Sniff sniff, oh, this smell is so disgusting!
-I must break this Sacred Object!
While The Sound of the Wind expressed her voice stronger than ever… Cale’s surroundings turned cold.
-Ugh, I didn’t know it would smell like this!
The Sound of the Wind already knows this Sacred Object. Therefore, she must have used that expression. And the two Sacred Objects The Sound of the Wind has recently found are…
General Mol. And housekeeper Hitellis.
As Mol is on the surface, this smell must be from the housekeeper. And Choi Jung Soo is believed to be here.
This is the first time The Sound of the Wind has said that a Sacred Object smells bad and must be destroyed.
And the housekeeper might be using it on Choi Jung Soo right now.
Everything is an assumption, but Cale concluded it was an almost certain assumption by observing the flow of events.
‘I must hurry.’
Cale, suppressing his urgency, observed his own body. If the situation isn’t good, if it’s an emergency… He’ll use all his power, whether it’s ancient power or any other.
Team leader Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Jung Soo.
The Chaos God sect. I can’t leave them like this. Unlike the cold atmosphere surrounding Cale, a fire burned in his eyes. Seeing this, Sui Khan’s expression also gradually hardened.
‘What’s happening?’
It seems something he hasn’t noticed has happened.
‘Has Kim Rok Soo, no, Cale, gone crazy?’
Kim Rok Soo, as a rookie, as someone weak, when he went crazy, he would launch himself without hesitation. Seeing those eyes, team leader Sui Khan unconsciously put his hand on his sword sheath. Because he had to act if necessary.
* * *
“Don’t you plan on talking until the end?”
Hitellis waited for the answer from the Wanderer, whose body was completely tied to the wall with iron chains.
“…….”
But the Wanderer, eyes closed, didn’t say anything. Drop by drop. Drops of blood fell from his legs. He had dozens of small superficial wounds all over his body, except his face.
‘Even though he’s injured, he doesn’t speak.’
These wounds aren’t simply sword cuts. Wounds inflicted by a blessed sword containing chaos power cause terrible pain.
Step step. Hitellis approached him. Someone whose body is tied to the wall and can’t move. He also had a muzzle in his mouth.
“Open your eyes.”
That was the answer. The answer that he’ll tell everything.
“Then, you won’t suffer terrible pain anymore.”
She stopped one step away from him. And extended her hand.
There was a small vase on the altar. A wide-mouthed vase contained gray water, and a small dagger was submerged in the water.
“The greatest physical pain you’ve experienced in your life.”
She took the dagger in her hand.
“You don’t want to experience it again, right?”
Hitellis would prefer this Wanderer to surrender willingly. If necessary, she’ll use the Sacred Object according to the Pope’s order, but that’s the last resort. Offering a final proposal before the end isn’t a bad idea.
Forcefully. She pressed the dagger firmly against the exposed skin through the Wanderer’s clothes. If she stabs it a little more, a wound will be made, and he’ll feel the ‘greatest physical pain he’s experienced in his life.’
“It’s my first time seeing someone endure this pain so many times. Are Wanderers really different?”
In fact, she was recognizing this Wanderer.
“Normally, we say great pain is as painful as dying. And you’ve already experienced death once.”
A Wanderer must die to be able to be a Wanderer. Therefore, the worst physical pain a Wanderer has experienced is related to death mostly. This Wanderer must also be like that.
“But, why are you smiling now?”
He’s smiling despite having a muzzle. The sight of him drooling while smiling was quite unpleasant. But he was definitely mocking Hitellis.
“You’re not someone who should commit suicide.”
Therefore, Hitellis also removed his muzzle. Because it’s the end. Hitellis made a final proposal to him, who still wasn’t opening his eyes or giving any signs.
“Tell me what you know. Then you’ll be able to escape this terrible pain, a pain that doesn’t let you die but makes you experience death again and again. You could experience hundreds, thousands of times more than the dozens of times you’ve experienced so far. That would be too difficult, right?”
When Hitellis’s calm voice filled the prison…
“Puhr.”
The Wanderer laughed.
“Ha, ha ha-”
He couldn’t help but laugh. Hitellis thought it was arrogance. She thought he was simply enduring. Because there’s no greater pain than death.
“Don’t you mind experiencing the moment of death again and again?”
That’s when. A voice, not laughter, came out of the man’s mouth. A broken voice. With that voice, the Wanderer, Choi Jung Soo, said:
“…I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t know me.”
Yes. Choi Jung Soo thought they didn’t know him. If the pain he felt each time a wound was made wasn’t the greatest physical pain, but mental pain… Then, Choi Jung Soo might have spoken. When he realized that all his relatives and family had died… The pain Choi Jung Soo felt then was so deep and great that he still can’t measure it. But when he really died-
‘I saved him.’
No, it’s not that he saved him. Anyway, well. Did Kim Rok Soo save him back then?
“…Idiots.”
You don’t know. Choi Jung Soo changed his destiny for the first time at that moment. Will he kneel if he feels that pain dozens of times? He can’t. Because that would be betraying what he did in the past. Choi Jung Soo can’t bow his head because of this pain.
“…You’re stubborn.”
“Yes. You know that well.”
Fuu. Hitellis sighed. Because she thought she could no longer talk to the smiling Wanderer. Therefore, she took a Sacred Object out of her chest. It was a small carousel.
“You’ll regret this.”
“I won’t regret this.”
A muffled voice, a torn voice, but very upright. Hitellis admired that, but it wasn’t as important as her work.
“We’ll see if you regret it or not.”
After saying that, she closed her mouth.
Forcefully. She stabbed the dagger deeper.
Tuuk. A drop of blood flowed.
“…….”
Choi Jung Soo gritted his teeth. Because he was enduring the pain, he hadn’t overcome it.
Tok. And the moment that drop of blood touched the closed eye piece on the small carousel…
Flash!
The closed eyes opened. And the carousel automatically began to spin. The eye statue slowly rotated in a circle.
♩♬♪
And strange music began to play.
“!”
Choi Jung Soo stopped. He couldn’t exactly see what was happening because his eyes were closed, but he felt chills all over his body the moment he heard the music.
‘This is-’
And this music…
‘This isn’t music!’
Yes. He perceived it as music, but it isn’t. Because he couldn’t recognize what kind of music it was. He simply felt something gradually squeezing him.
‘Ah.’
They’re gazes. Something squeezing him are gazes. Although there was only darkness because his eyes were closed, Choi Jung Soo felt gazes following him.
Above? Below? Left? Right?
No. Everywhere. They’re watching him everywhere. It’s not a single gaze. As if there were no darkness, increasingly intense gazes are felt everywhere. And they’re getting closer.
♩♬♪
The music continues. However, he gradually couldn’t hear anything. And he also couldn’t smell anything. He simply felt his body being invaded by an intense gaze.
‘!’
Choi Jung Soo realized that something big was happening to him.
“…….”
And Hitellis looked at him indifferently. The music filling the prison. She was listening to it, but wasn’t affected. Because she was the owner of the Sacred Object. But those who aren’t the owners will feel extreme confusion upon hearing this music. Those who offered ‘blood’ will be gradually consumed by chaos. Trapped in a swamp they can’t escape.
‘He’ll lose his mind.’
And when the music ends… He’ll become an existence like a puppet moved by the Sacred Object’s owner.
♩♬♪
As the music flowed, the Wanderer’s face turned pale. And his eyelids trembled slightly.
‘It’ll end soon.’
Hitellis anticipated the result based on the previous reactions. She opened her mouth:
“Open your eyes.”
Not yet. He hasn’t been consumed yet. But seeing his trembling eyelids, soon this Wanderer will follow her will.
“Open your eyes.”
Heoek. Huk. The Wanderer’s breathing intensified. He’s struggling not to open his eyes.
♩♬♪
The sound of the music intensified. It’s the final stage. Now, that person is my puppet. Hitellis opened her mouth:
“Open your eyes.”
And…
“!”
The Wanderer abruptly opened his eyes.
Mischievous smile. The corners of Hitellis’s lips unconsciously curled upwards. Because bringing down a proud person was quite fun. The more she recognized her opponent, the more exciting the situation became. Hitellis was going to look at the Wanderer who had lost his mind…
“!”
And she stopped. At the same time he opened his eyes, she felt a powerful energy.
Kwaaaaaang---!
A great boom. From the end of the prison. From where the entrance door is. But an even more powerful energy than that boom. Hitellis felt her entire body tremble because of the energy coming from the end of the hallway.
♩♬♪
The music was still playing. But…
“K, kha ha, keok, ha, ha ha-!”
The Wanderer laughed. He was laughing while being oppressed by chaos. Without realizing it, Hitellis turned her head towards him.
He must be feeling the chaotic gazes consuming him. The Wanderer seemed to be enjoying himself while feeling enough fear to lose his mind.
His eyes were very clear. Although his entire body and facial muscles were trembling and convulsing from the fear of chaos… His clear eyes. That was a strong conviction.
“…To-to-”
He couldn’t properly speak. Choi Jung Soo couldn’t speak now. In fact, even though his eyes were open… He couldn’t see anything. No, he couldn’t see reality. He could only see the eyes looking at him. Hundreds, thousands of eyes were looking at him regardless of above, below, left, or right. And did that gaze have the power to drive people crazy? Choi Jung Soo felt he was being consumed by chaos. It seemed something bad was going to happen to him. It seemed he was going to reach an end worse than death. But…
‘Too late, idiot!’
He felt chills all over his body.
♩♬♪
It wasn’t the chill he felt at the beginning of this music, due to the tens of thousands of eyes squeezing him.
A familiar energy.
An energy more unrestrained than usual.
Although it seemed similar, it was different from the fear of chaos. Full of energy to dominate.
‘This guy!’
Kim Rok Soo. Cale. His friend had arrived.
.png)
