Chapter 139
Abelson was wandering near the village entrance with Bobo.
This was because Choi Hyun-seok hadn’t shown up despite the late hour.
‘Where did he go…’
He had promised to return to the village before sunset.
Yet he hadn’t appeared even as dusk was settling in heavily.
This was impossible considering Choi Hyun-seok’s usual behavior.
‘Even if he came back first because he was hungry it wouldn’t matter, but being late? Something must have happened.’
She hesitates, though wanting to search the forest right away.
How would she know where in this vast forest Choi Hyun-seok might be?
If their paths happened to cross, they might both end up struggling needlessly.
‘Let’s wait… Just a little longer.’
Just then, she saw someone entering the village entrance.
‘Those people…’
It was Nicolo and the warriors.
‘Was there a battle?’
Even from afar, their condition looked terrible.
With one woman and one man missing, something must have happened.
Abelson quickly approached Nicolo.
“Excuse me.”
Nicolo turned around.
Abelson’s eyes widened slightly upon seeing his face.
‘The wounds are severe.’
Their injuries were much more serious than expected up close.
To the point where they seemed to need immediate treatment.
“Are you the hero who was with Choi Hyun-seok?”
“Yes. What happened?”
“We encountered demon-folk.”
Abelson’s expression immediately became serious.
“I’d like to hear the details.”
Nicolo briefly explained what happened in the forest.
“…That’s how Ellis and Yakubu died. Only us three barely made it back.”
“You’re saying Choi Hyun-seok disappeared with that demon-folk?”
“Yes.”
Abelson sighed.
What on earth was he thinking?
He hadn’t defeated the demon-folk.
Nor had he been defeated.
Disappearing with a demon-folk?
‘There must be some reason.’
It wasn’t the first time Choi Hyun-seok had acted unpredictably.
But actions that initially seemed foolish usually made sense as time passed.
So this time too, there must be some reason.
“Let’s go back to the inn for now. Your wounds look serious, so I’ll treat them.”
“Ah, you can use healing magic?”
“Yes.”
“That’s fortunate.”
When it came to healing, Abelson was practically the best on the continent.
She was confident she could heal anyone as long as they weren’t dead.
Though their wounds were deep, she was confident she could make them as good as new in just a few hours.
“This is…?”
Suddenly, Abelson’s eyes narrowed.
‘The demonic energy is distorting.’
The demonic energy in the air was swirling.
As if being swept up by some massive force.
Abelson knew when this phenomenon occurred.
“A magic circle…”
As she muttered this.
Woong…!
The world began to turn black.
***
“Hurry! Let’s hurry up! Haha!”
At Choi Hyun-seok’s words, Jalmus frowned.
“Stop rushing me. We’re already going too fast.”
They were already moving at nearly full speed because he suddenly started whining about wanting to see his companions.
Yet he kept asking to go faster, which was irritating.
Regardless of Jalmus’s feelings, Choi Hyun-seok felt like he was going crazy.
‘Please go faster!’
He wanted to grab Jalmus by the collar and threaten him, but he couldn’t.
Given Jalmus’s personality, he might resist if he sensed something strange.
He couldn’t use force in a situation where every minute and second was precious.
“Damn it! Why did I think he was alone?”
Why didn’t he consider that there might be allies?
Simply because Abelson saw only one demon, he naturally assumed Jalmus was that demon.
But there was no evidence anywhere that there was only one enemy.
‘Please, I can’t be late…!’
Choi Hyun-seok kept running while praying he would arrive in time.
“Jalmus. Are we still far?”
“We’re almost there.”
“Okay, okay. Let’s hurry!”
Suddenly, Choi Hyun-seok’s face hardened.
‘The demonic energy is distorting.’
He could feel the demonic energy in the air moving.
As if following a massive flow.
It sweeps through like an unstoppable natural phenomenon.
“Oh, looks like the sorcery is starting.”
Jalmus said in a casual voice.
Choi Hyun-seok clenched his teeth while desperately feigning composure.
“Jalmus… Are we there yet?”
“Wait. It should be somewhere around here…”
Suddenly Jalmusâs eyes widened.
“Ah! There! It’s over there. Haha!”
That was Jalmus’s last words.
Crack!
Choi Hyun-seok twisted Jalmus’s neck 180 degrees right there.
Not satisfied with just that, he created a blade from his arm and completely severed the neck.
Demons are tenacious, so he wouldn’t feel at ease without doing this.
“…”
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Jalmus died without even being able to respond.
As if not even realizing his death, the severed head still wore a smile.
“Quick! Quick!”
Choi Hyun-seok activated his demonic energy.
[Crepitus Mode]
A modified fighting technique was created with Hemis’s help.
It’s characterized by rapid movement using demonic energy explosions.
Woong…!
The back of his calves transformed like the exhaust pipes of a jet engine.
Both palms changed into similar forms.
“Let’s go!”
Black flames erupted from the exhaust pipes, and Choi Hyun-seok’s body shot out like light.
Though his control ability was still lacking, his speed was absolutely exceptional.
“Stop!!!”
What he saw were demons wearing robes.
Two of them.
He planned to deal with them immediately without giving them time to respond.
“What are you!”
One of the demons blocked the front.
Instead of answering, Choi Hyun-seok twisted his body.
Kwaa!
The flames from his right leg intensified, accelerating him further.
The speed was almost 30% faster than what Choi Hyun-seok usually achieved using fighting techniques.
Looking at pure speed alone, it was close to Reidrun’s level.
Whoosh!
His leg barely grazed past the demon’s head.
Partly because the opponent responded well, but largely because Choi Hyun-seok’s attack wasn’t as precise as he wanted.
‘Damn! The control isn’t working well.’
His proficiency with the transformation fighting technique using demonic energy was still lacking.
Especially since this was his first time using Crepitus Mode in actual combat, control was even more difficult.
Choi Hyun-seok had no choice but to release the technique.
“What are you!? You don’t seem human.”
“I’m the hero, you bastard!”
Returning to his original form, Choi Hyun-seok reactivated his demonic energy.
Reidrun-style Fighting Technique
Form 1 – First Battle Kill
He unleashed his strikes with everything he had without thinking about what came after.
While Choi Hyun-seok usually used excessive output, this time he raised it to truly dangerous levels.
The result was impressive.
Kwaaaaaaa-!
The upper body of the demon blocking the front flew away.
“Whew! Next one!”
He could feel his body creaking already after using just one technique.
However, this wasn’t the time to spare his body.
Choi Hyun-seok looked at the remaining one.
The creature was continuously pouring demonic energy into the ground with its hand pressed down.
“That’s far enough! Stop!”
Choi Hyun-seok kicked the ground.
Reidrun-style Fighting Technique
Form 3 – Fierce Charge
He charged forward with black flames.
He intended to ram into the creature and send it flying.
‘It flew!?’
The creature stood up from its position and flew straight into the air.
Choi Hyun-seok barely grazed its robe as he passed by.
Because of that, the robe came off, revealing pure white bones.
‘An undead?’
He thought it was a demon because it wore a robe, but the creature was an undead.
-You. Are you Choi Hyun-seok.
His body vibrated at the creature’s words.
It seemed to be transmitting sound using demonic energy.
“How is there not a single demon bastard who doesn’t know me!”
-If you came to stop the sorcery, it’s already too late.
“What?”
-It means the sorcery has already been activated.
The creature pointed to the sky.
“Before I knew it…”
Looking around, the surroundings had become dark and gloomy.
This wasn’t simply darkness from the setting sun.
Demonic energy had gathered to create a thick fog.
“Although I couldn’t activate it perfectly… This much should be enough.”
Due to Choi Hyun-seok’s interference, they couldn’t activate the magic circle 100%.
About 80% of the original power.
Even this should be enough to accomplish the goal.
“I don’t know how you found out and came here, but too bad. Kukuk.”
“Just wait. I’ll crush your skull right now.”
“I told you it’s too late. Even if I die, the technique won’t stop. What I’ve created with this magic circle is no different from a natural disaster. Even I can’t control it.”
As soon as his words ended, the ground began to shake.
Crack! Crackle!
Pure white hands broke through the soil from all directions.
***
Skeletons made of pure white bones like typical undead.
These creatures were crawling up from everywhere.
“Kyaaaa! Monsters!”
“S-save me!”
The village instantly turned into chaos.
Screams filled the air, and residents fled from the undead.
However, there was nowhere to run.
The undead were appearing everywhere in sight.
Clatter… Clatter…
An endless legion of undead.
Just counting the ones near the inn, there must have been hundreds.
That’s when Bobo, who was in Abelson’s arms, transformed into something massive.
“Kwaaaa!”
As Bobo, now as large as an elephant, roared, the air vibrated.
Whoosh!
With a swing of its front paw, skeletons were swept away instantly.
However, the empty spaces were quickly filled by other skeletons.
“What the hell!? What exactly is going on here!?”
“We need to escape first. Let’s get out of here!”
Nicolo and the heroes drew their weapons and cleared a path.
That’s when Sang-min called out to Abelson.
“What are you doing!? Run away! Hurry!”
“You go without me.”
Abelson shook her head.
“I need to stay here.”
There were still people here.
Choi Hyun-seok hadn’t arrived yet.
She couldn’t just run away to save herself.
“This isn’t the time for…”
“Sang-min! Shut up and just come!”
Nicolo roughly pulled Sang-min’s arm.
Sang-min had no choice but to turn away.
“These guys are endless. Just how far do they stretch!?”
“Damn… If only I was in better shape!”
Despite their current state, they were heroes with three years of experience.
Though injured, they weren’t weak enough to fall to skeletons.
The problem was there were too many enemies.
Since none of them were in perfect condition, they couldn’t maintain a long battle.
“Kraaaa!”
“No! Irfan!”
“Leave him! Just leave him! Just keep running forward!”
The heroes began falling one by one.
Deep down, they knew.
They were already doomed.
However, they couldn’t simply accept death.
They would struggle until the very end.
That’s what they had been doing for the past three years.
“Uaaaa!”
Leaving the retreating heroes behind.
Abelson steadied her breathing.
‘This is no time to hide my identity.’
Abelson doesn’t know any attack magic.
All she can do now is release overwhelming holy power.
“Ugh…”
Bright light burst forth from Abelson’s body.
Her body trembled from drawing holy power to its limit.
Finally, the moment came when she could no longer hold back.
She released all the power she had gathered forward.
Whaaaa-!
A massive wave of holy power swept through.
Not only the demonic energy in the air.
But all undead touched by the holy power melted away.
“…”
A moment of silence descended.
A huge path had opened before her.
However, that path didn’t last long.
Rumble rumble!
Clatter! Clatter-!
More undead than those that had just vanished began pouring in.
Since it wasn’t a proper attack magic, this was her limit.
Buying just a few seconds of time.
That was all Abelson could do.
“Ah, no…”
Despair settled on Abelson’s face.
