C463. Fragment (2)
A golden lightning bolt dyed the world illuminated by the sunset's glow for an instant.
Although that happened for just a brief moment…
KWAANG!
—The result was incredible to the point of disbelief.
The divine figure wearing a dark-toned helmet looked down in disbelief.
There was a hole.
A gigantic hole, deadly enough even for a Divine Blood bearer.
And as soon as he confirmed it…
Thud!
The body of the Divine Blood, which just seconds ago emanated an overwhelming presence, fell backward without resistance.
Seeing his companion fall, the other Divine Blood stepped back with his enormous body and stretched his tentacle-like hand toward him.
But…
[!]
As soon as he extended the tentacle, that Divine Blood understood.
The golden being that had killed his companion and that until a moment ago was floating in the air… was no longer within his field of vision.
And in the instant he understood it, he saw it.
The flash of a lightning bolt sizzling.
And then…
That was his end.
Peseok—!
The Divine Blood's head exploded, and his enormous body fell backward. With that, everything ended.
—Hoo…
Seolrang, who had eliminated both Divine Bloods without any effort, let out a light sigh while landing in the center of the crater.
“……Alon-nim.”
“What is it?”
“…I feel like… the standards I have for measuring things are breaking. What do you think?”
At the question from Evan, who was observing Seolrang's divinity in a daze…
“…I think so too.”
Alon replied, with an expression mixed with surprise and bewilderment.
‘…Does that make sense?’
Of course, Alon knew well that Seolrang had become stronger.
In fact, if it hadn't been for Seolrang's power when they ran into the first Divine Blood, it would have been almost impossible to defeat him.
Furthermore, at that time Seolrang had only just obtained that power.
Meaning, having passed so much time, it was logical to assume that she would now be much stronger.
But even considering that, this strength… was absurd.
His astonishment at that power beyond common sense lasted only a moment.
“Hmm… Anyway, let's go down.”
“Oh—yes, understood.”
Alon moved toward where Seolrang was.
As soon as he reached the crater, he heard Seolrang's voice.
“Master, I think these are not Divine Bloods.”
Alon stopped in his tracks.
“They aren't Divine Bloods?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Why do you say that?”
At Alon's question, Seolrang reflected for a few seconds and answered:
“Their bodies, in general… are weak.”
“Weak?”
“Yes. Compared to the Divine Bloods we faced last time, the difference is very clear. Besides…”
Seolrang diverted her gaze toward the fallen bodies.
Alon also directed his sight toward the beings.
And then…
“…”
He understood.
He understood why Seolrang had looked at them that way.
“…They have no blood.”
“Yes.”
Divine Bloods bleed. That is the same for any of them.
That is why, while they observed the bodies with doubt…
Crack—!
“Huh?”
The bodies began to deform.
Like crushing a can, their bodies began to wrinkle and shrink rapidly.
Before Alon or Seolrang could react, they contracted completely…
Crrrk—!
And then, emitting that sound, they transformed into compressed black spheres, which disappeared immediately.
“What…?”
How fast everything happened left Alon and the others paralyzed.
But only for an instant.
Alon recovered his composure and analyzed the situation coldly.
“If we consider the words those beings that looked like Divine Bloods exchanged, it seems the suspicious bandits that appeared near Colony… were here for this fragment.”
“I think so.”
Penia nodded.
“Then I resolved my matter and the Master's as well, didn't I?”
When Seolrang said that, Alon also nodded.
“That is correct.”
After all, they came to Colony to find that fragment.
Alon looked at the place where the beings had disappeared.
‘…What the hell were they?’
When Alon first saw those figures in black armor, he felt the same as when he encountered a Divine Blood.
But they were not.
Divine Bloods spilled red blood, but these did not.
Their bodies simply compressed into a black sphere and disappeared.
While he reflected…
“Evan.”
“Yes.”
“Didn't you tell me the other time about some beings with black armor?”
“Ah—yes, that's true. I think these might be those.”
Alon stroked his chin.
“…Didn't you say they were dangerous?”
“Yes, I said that.”
“…But to be dangerous, they were… too weak.”
Alon remembered what he had just seen.
Obviously, Seolrang had become stronger.
But even so… those beings had been absurdly fragile.
‘…Why are they supposed to be dangerous?’
While thinking that, Alon decided to put that matter on pause.
“Evan, when we return to Colony, gather information about those beings.”
“Understood.”
Alon directed his gaze to the fragment.
It was called a “fragment”, but its size was far from being one.
In fact, it would be more correct to call it a huge metallic structure.
While he was thinking that…
[…]
Fwoop—!
Suddenly, Blackie, who hadn't moved a bit inside the pocket, shot out.
“…Blackie?”
Penia was surprised.
It was logical.
Normally, when close to Seolrang, Blackie didn't even show a hair.
But the little one paid no attention to Penia; he looked at Seolrang with anxiety…
[Kkyu~!]
And as if he had made a decision, he let out a small cry and launched himself directly toward the fragment.
“Wait—”
Alon didn't even have time to stop him.
Blackie began to absorb the enormous fragment.
A sssiiii— sound resonated while the fragment was absorbed into his body.
“Uh—Alon-nim, shouldn't we stop that?”
Evan, who always made fun of Blackie, now spoke with urgency.
“I think so too, but… stopping it by force could be more dangerous.”
Penia replied.
And she was right.
If you forcibly interrupted an absorption process, side effects almost always occurred.
While they debated what to do…
[Kkyu~!]
Blackie absorbed the entire fragment —even with that size— in less than a minute.
Then he licked his lips as if it were delicious, and looked back at Seolrang nervously.
And then…
“Waaah! Blackie~!”
As if she had anticipated it, Seolrang picked him up and hugged him against her chest.
[Kkyuuu~!!]
“It seems there were no problems.”
Evan and Penia sighed, seeing Blackie being crushed as always by Seolrang's hug.
But…
“Hm?”
Penia fixed her gaze on Alon.
“Alon-nim?”
“…Yes? What is it?”
“It's just that… you were zoned out.”
“Did it show?”
“Not on your face, but your posture…”
Alon then remembered.
The instant Seolrang looked at Blackie.
It was just a moment.
If one wasn't observing her directly, they would never notice it.
Only Alon saw it.
That indifferent gaze that lit up suddenly… as if she understood something.
Alon silently observed Seolrang.
When it was all over, Alon decided to return to Colony.
Although the sun had almost set, he had mapped out the entire path, so if they hurried, they would arrive before deep night.
They set off.
When night finally came, they reached Colony.
As soon as they entered…
Evan spoke with confusion.
“What is happening?”
Alon asked.
“I think… an informant is calling me urgently.”
“An informant?”
Alon looked in Evan's direction.
There was a man with a mask, clearly from the Information Guild.
“I'll be right back.”
“I will wait for you.”
Alon decided to wait.
A while later…
Evan returned from a hidden alley where the informant had taken him.
“Alon-nim…”
“What is it?”
“It is an unexpected proposal.”
At Alon's look of doubt, Evan explained:
“Do you remember what I mentioned? That there was a Divine Blood who sold information to the guild.”
Alon nodded.
“That Divine Blood wants to meet with you to talk about the beings with black armor… called ‘Astarote’.”
“With me?”
“Yes.”
“With what purpose?”
“He didn't say. Only that he wished to converse about Astarote. As a precaution, I didn't answer yet. What do we do?”
Alon reflected briefly.
“…I will accept. I will see him.”
He needed information, and a Divine Blood cooperating with the guild would hardly attack him.
And even if he did, Alon trusted he could handle it.
“I'm coming too, Master!”
“Thank you.”
With Seolrang's shout, they left toward her guild house.
Upon entering…
“Ahh, I'm going to die…”
Evan complained as soon as he crossed the door.
“Master, I have something to do first. Go in without me!”
“Alright.”
Seolrang left, and Alon went up with Penia.
Then…
“Hm?”
Penia stopped.
“What's wrong?”
“I heard… a weird sound.”
“A sound?”
“Yes. Like a suppressed moan.”
Alon increased his hearing with magic.
Then he heard it clearly:
Mmfh—!!
It was a voice trying to say something with a covered mouth.
“It's coming from below.”
Both their attention was directed to some hidden stairs leading to the basement.
“Let's verify.”
“Let's go.”
It was strange that, in such peaceful times, someone would try to kidnap a member of the Golden Mane Tribe subordinate to Seolrang.
But just in case…
“It's closer!”
As they went down, the sounds became clearer and clearer.
And the closer they got to a door at the end…
Alon understood what kind of sound it was.
A sound that shouldn't be heard in a normal situation.
“Penia, wait—”
He tried to stop her.
But she had already opened the door.
And then they saw it.
“Br—Brother…?”
Karsem, half-naked, looking at Alon with trembling eyes.
“Uh…?”
And beneath him, in a similar state, Lime, Seolrang's secretary.
And in that instant…
Alon remembered something Karsem told him the previous day, something he hadn't understood.
“Yes, and actually, even when you don't come... he usually comes here at night.”
Now…
Now he understood perfectly.
Silence fell heavily upon the four of them.
