𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖𝟖
「𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙧?」
The prisoner on the middle floor of the hidden floor I was about to visit now.
I didn’t know the number or identity, but what was certain was that an escapee had occurred there at a time that coincidentally coincided with my plan.
「𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜?」
It was quite ambiguous.
Of course, I was on my way to release someone there, but I didn’t intend to do it in such a conspicuous way.
Thanks to that, all the careful movements were in vain.
「𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤?」
If he also knows the secret of this barrier formation, he will inevitably target Hae Ga-ram first.
However, I don’t know what he’s thinking, so I can’t make a hasty judgment.
It is clear that every action from here on out will be a kind of turning point.
I decided not to make a hasty decision and hide myself with a concealment spell to watch the flow.
The commotion continues, and as expected of a special prisoner, there is still no sign of being caught.
After watching the whole process, I made a decision after much deliberation.
「𝙄’𝙢 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣.」
If this happens, it is almost impossible to touch Hae Ga-ram’s mask.
Rather, even if you are not sure, it would be better to take this opportunity to find a gap in the barrier formation.
I immediately followed the escape route that Do Ji-hwan had verified in the original work and arrived at the passage where a small boat for inspection purposes was prepared.
「𝙄𝙛 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝙜𝙖𝙥. . . . . . .」
Even if I don’t break the control of the barrier formation, there must be a way to get my body out.
However, the outer wall of the barrier formation that I actually encountered was far more solid than I had imagined.
「𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘.」
Even if I add the most powerful technique I can use now and the power of Geusdae, I’m not sure.
Just then, someone’s will was conveyed from the shadows. It was Eve, the witch’s voodoo doll.
『I think I can make a gap.』
“. . .How?”
Swish.
Poof!
I quickly called Eve, and Eve pointed to her body and told me the reason.
“The spell in the power source is resonating.”
The power source that Eve now has is definitely referring to the Yongcheon Talisman.
Only then was I able to recall the information about the Yongcheon Talisman that I had previously checked as an emotional function.
【Yongcheon Talisman】
▶A symbol with great power. The owner gathers the power of nature and continuously restores spiritual power. A special technique is contained inside the symbol.
A special technique contained inside the symbol, perhaps that was the key to escape.
“Can you understand the technique?”
“I can’t confirm it, but it seems to be the kind that absorbs the energy of the surrounding technique and blocks its operation.”
That means that the technique contained in the Yongcheon Talisman was also created for the purpose of interfering with the exercise of magic, just like the ability of this barrier formation.
And listening to Eve, it seemed that it could be used effectively even in the current situation.
“Then I’ll ask you.”
“Yes. However, there is a high possibility that I will be overloaded for a while after the activation of the spell. Are you okay with that?”
“It doesn’t matter. Do it.”
Of course, it would be unreasonable if there was no price to pay for touching a barrier of this level.
At my command, Eve quietly approached the outer wall of the barrier and began to exert her strength, and soon the technique contained in the power source, the Yongcheon Talisman, unfolded.
Whoosh.
Swish.
Za-bam!
Bam!
Eve’s body is cracking here and there because she used too much force.
However, she didn’t stop, and in the end, she was able to create a small gap in the barrier formation protecting this Yangcheolgung.
“. . .Before the barrier is restored, hurry.”
Swish!
Eve was sucked into my shadow as if she had collapsed, unable to even finish her words because she had pushed herself too hard.
There was no reason to hesitate. I nodded and quickly stepped forward.
At the same time, the screams of the guards began to be heard from the top of the passage.
Thud!
“He’s releasing the prisoners on the third floor!”
“Everyone, be prepared to die! We can’t let any of them out!”
When I heard them, I realized that the special prisoner on the middle floor had chosen a full-scale war.
「𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙨?」
Something was definitely strange.
If there had been such a huge incident, it would not have been mentioned in the original work.
Then, a scene suddenly crossed my mind.
「. . .𝙉𝙤, 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙄 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙩.」
The past memory that Hae Ga-ram, who appeared as an assistant to the protagonist in the exorcism 2nd installment, directly uttered.
『Do you think I’ve never failed? I also have a past that I desperately want to turn back.』
When I recalled it, I could naturally realize the identity of the special prisoner who was now shaking this Yangcheolgung.
「𝙑𝙖𝙨 𝙏𝙤𝙣𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙧.」
He was a skilled man who could exert most of his original abilities even within the barrier formation, and those caught in his forbidden spell would point their swords at Hae Ga-ram against their will.
「𝙒𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬? . . . . . .」
In the end, Hae Ga-ram killed all of her close aides with her own hands under the conviction that she had to fulfill her mission, and gave Vas Tony a miserable end.
However, the Hae Ga-ram of the future said.
Even if it was the right choice as a successor, she shouldn’t have done it. She realized it too late.
And if she could turn back time, she would definitely save their lives, even if it meant allowing Vas Tony to escape.
Swish.
Even while I was lost in thought for a moment, the gap in the barrier formation that Eve had opened was being restored little by little.
Outside, Jin-myeong’s evil hand is still shaking the Cheong family. It was time for me, who knew his true identity, to come out.
Now I have to forget all my worries and point my blade at the most dangerous enemy.
Even though I was aware of it in my head, my legs didn’t tremble for some reason.
「𝙃𝙖𝙚 𝙂𝙖-𝙧𝙖𝙢, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣.」
Besides, in fact, it has nothing to do with me.
She herself did not touch me, but her daughter, who would appear in the distant future, was one of the characters I was directly involved in developing.
When I thought about it that far, I finally made up my mind.
If I just pass this point, I will definitely regret it someday, just like Hae Ga-ram.
「𝙄 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣.」
I turned around and walked through the passageway to the upper floor again.
The footsteps that had lost their worries were much lighter than before.
The destination was simple.
「𝙄’𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙃𝙖𝙚 𝙂𝙖-𝙧𝙖𝙢.」
In the end, it was the moment when I repeated the choice I had thought of first.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
“. . .With this level of skill, you’ve been quiet until now.”
“Nonsense. It’s not like we can move rashly against a monster like you.”
In the main building located on the first floor. A middle-aged man and a girl with a ponytail were facing each other in the center.
And around it, several people were lined up, waiting unnaturally as if they were possessed by something.
“The requirement is simple. If you release me from Yangcheolgung, I will return all of them safely.”
“You’re trying to get away with this, and you think you can get away with it?”
“Of course, only I will be released. I don’t care what happens to those bastards who are running wild below. It’s not a bad deal, is it?”
Vas Tony had no intention of helping the other prisoners from the beginning. He just wanted to use them as tools to cause chaos.
At that malicious act, Hae Ga-ram’s expression naturally frowned.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”
“Then I have no choice but to die with them.”
Vas Tony was prepared for that as well. In the first place, Hae Ga-ram was an untouchable figure even with his special-grade quasi-entry level skills.
In order to escape from her grasp, he had to take a corresponding gamble.
Knowing that Vas Tony’s determination was sincere, Hae Ga-ram stopped talking and began to hesitate somewhat.
If she did not accept the conditions, Vas Tony would really be prepared to die together.
And the target of that resonance included Hae Ga-ram’s subordinates and Hae Un-hyeong, who had been by her side for a long time.
Hae Un-hyeong, who felt Hae Ga-ram’s gaze, opened his barely moving mouth and conveyed his firm will.
“. . .You must keep your mission. Don’t worry about us.”
“I know, so be quiet.”
It was not that she hesitated because she did not know it. In fact, for Hae Ga-ram, who had a cool intellect, such anguish was very rare.
「𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧. . . . . . .」
Unlike the other guards in Yangcheolgung, everyone here is a loyal subordinate who believes in her and has been with her.
Besides, Hae Un-hyeong was special among them.
He was a figure who had supported her, who had suffered many hardships since she was a child. In fact, he was like a real family member.
「𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙪𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢?」
As Hae Ga-ram hesitated, Vas Tony spoke with a somewhat impatient expression.
“The more you delay, the more disadvantageous it is for you, so I don’t intend to allow frivolous worries.”
As Vas Tony gestured, Hae Un-hyeong somehow raised his own dagger and pointed it at his neck.
“Choose. If you don’t release me, I’ll kill all of them and kill myself.”
In that urgent situation, Hae Un-hyeong also closed his eyes and prayed for his last wish.
“Please. If not, by Ga-ram-nim’s own hand. . . . . . .”
Hae Ga-ram felt her heart pounding.
Even the discipline of the family, which had been instilled in her head like brainwashing, was urging her.
When she looked closely, everyone, including Hae Un-hyeong, had already made up their minds.
If she hesitated here, it would be a betrayal of their determination.
“. . .Everyone, be at ease there.”
Hae Ga-ram, who had made up her mind, exuded a thick spiritual power and showed her murderous intent with anger.
Vas Tony’s face darkened at that, and he clicked his tongue and put everyone under his forbidden technique as a shield.
It was a desperate struggle, like a last hope.
“There are no wraiths bound by discipline, are there? Are you really saying that you will send all of them to the abyss of death with your own hands!”
“. . . . . . .”
Hae Ga-ram did not respond. She just raised her hand, reciting the mantra of the spell.
Eventually, she gritted her teeth and slowly waved her hand.
“Wait there. I’ll definitely tear you into a thousand pieces.”
Whoosh.
Bam!
A high-level attack technique containing intense spiritual power, and both Hae Ga-ram and Vas Tony now felt that they had crossed a river from which there was no return.
However, at a completely unexpected moment, a being appeared and blocked it.
Bam!
『Groooo!』
A huge figure with horns on its head and its whole body covered in shadows.
It was none other than Geusdae.
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