𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎𝟏: 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐤 𝟑
“Long time no see, Guild Leader Layla.”
“Where have you been!”
Layla hugged Siwoo tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.
The tears she had been holding back flowed freely.
The problem hadn’t been solved yet.
Just looking at Siwoo made her feel like everything would be resolved, and all the worries in the world would melt away.
“You came all the way from Germany to help. Thank you so much.”
“No, no. You helped us last time.”
“Is that comparable? You risked your life for an S-Rank Gate. I owe you a lot, Guild Leader Layla.”
“Just call me Layla. It’s strange when you use honorifics.”
Layla wiped away her tears with her sleeve and replied bluntly.
“Are you hurt anywhere? There’s blood on your shoulder.”
Siwoo grabbed the shoulder of Layla’s uniform and pulled it down.
Her beautiful skin revealed a bright red wound.
“. . . H-Hey! This is a battlefield!”
“That’s why it needs to be treated.”
Siwoo placed his palm on her skin.
Layla trembled as if she had been shocked.
As Siwoo’s warm hand touched her shoulder, accompanied by a brilliant golden flash, her skin healed cleanly.
“That’s amazing. . . Ah! Hunter Kang Yeo-hwa is also injured! She needs treatment too!”
“Yeo-hwa??”
Siwoo quickly headed towards the place she was pointing.
There was Kang Yeo-hwa, who was bleeding profusely from a wound inflicted by the monster’s tail.
She had fainted due to the impact.
“Oh, these damn things.”
Siwoo pulled down the clothes on Kang Yeo-hwa’s shoulders.
The uniform was already soaked in red blood.
“Do you know her?”
Layla, who had followed him, asked.
“Yeah. She’s my disciple.”
“Disciple. . .?? Are you referring to the Guild Leader of [Blue Moon Guild[?”
A powerful magic circle unfolded from Siwoo’s hand, emitting a golden light that warmly enveloped Kang Yeo-hwa’s wound.
Watching her expression relax, Siwoo sighed in relief.
At that moment.
『Ⱳհɑե ɑɾҽ ყօմմմմ.』
Balok’s murderous voice crushed Siwoo’s entire body.
The violent and sticky demonic energy was incredibly blatant.
Siwoo glanced at him.
‘𝙄 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙖𝙬 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧. . . .’
He was completely fine, without a drop of blood.
『Ƴօմ’ɾҽ եհҽ օղҽ ահօ հմɾե ʍҽ եհҽ ʍօօօsssե. Ɲօա Ӏ’ʍ ցօํղց եօ ƙํƖƖ ყօմմմմ ɑɑɑɑɑƖƖƖƖ.』
Balok scanned the surrounding hunters with his pitch-black eyes, like chaos itself.
The hunters’ spines tingled at his chilling aura.
A monster among monsters who had easily dealt with Felix, an S+ rank hunter, and Kang Yeo-hwa, an S-Rank hunter.
Balok’s appearance was the very definition of despair to the people.
“You talk a lot.”
Siwoo, who had finished healing his disciple, rose from his seat.
‘𝙃𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙅𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜-𝙜𝙪 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜.’
Overly concentrated magic and an alien instinct different from ordinary monsters.
“Are you a demon?”
【𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞. 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭?】
『Ƴօմ ɑƖsօ հɑѵҽ ɑ sեɾɑղցҽ ɑմɾɑɑɑ. Ƴօմ’ɾҽ ղօե հմʍɑղ.』
【𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞?! 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐤!】
“It’s okay. You’re both strange.”
Siwoo stopped the quarrel between the two dog-like beings.
“Hold on!”
Suddenly, Layla whispered and handed Siwoo the sword she had on her waist.
“What is this. . . ?”
“It’s a gift from Germany. Do you know Balmung?”
“Balmung??”
Germany’s sacred sword, Balmung.
A famous sword among the famous swords in the German epic poem 《The Song of the Nibelungs》, it is a holy sword that is a world-class relic.
“This sword is not an original, but a replica. However, it is the ‘No. 1’ replica, which is said to be the most excellent among all the replicas of Balmung, so you can be confident in its abilities. The original is currently damaged and unusable anyway.”
The silvery longsword with a simple design caught Siwoo’s eye.
By the way, not just anyone could make a replica.
It is an item that can only be crafted by the best relic hunters recognized by the state or government.
The crafted replicas were treated almost the same as the originals and were awarded to the most prestigious hunters in their respective countries.
“It’s not bad. . . Why are you giving this to me?”
“It’s a thank-you gift for saving people in Germany last time. The president of the Hunters Association asked me to give it to you. He said it’s non-refundable.”
Siwoo chuckled.
For him, who loved swords, such a gift was hard to refuse.
『Ƭհɑե եհํղց ƒҽҽƖs ɑղղօყํղց.』
Balok let out a faint malice and glared at Siwoo and Balmung.
It seemed that he instinctively felt aversion to the aura emanating from the holy sword.
That sword must never be used.
His demonic instinct warned him.
Balok moved to cut off Siwoo’s arms, just as he had done to Felix.
However, Siwoo’s arms were intact.
“What are you doing?”
Siwoo tapped his shoulder with Balmung and stared at his opponent.
When he had swung the sword, Balok’s arms had fallen to the floor.
『Ƴօմ’ɾҽ ղօե օɾժํղɑɾყყყყ.』
Balok showed signs of anger for the first time.
However, Siwoo glared at Balok with an indifferent expression.
“You must be slow.”
Balmung’s blade, swung again, left a blue trail as it cut the monster’s body into three pieces, piercing and exiting through his forehead.
While the demon’s body was regenerating.
“Layla. Take the hunters and run away. Find the scattered hunters too.”
“Got it. I will do as you say.”
Layla followed Siwoo’s words without hesitation.
In any case, if she stayed here any longer, she and others would only become a burden.
Layla carried Kang Yeo-hwa on her back and signaled to the other hunters.
『Ⱳհҽɾҽ ɑɾҽ ყօմ ɾմղղํղցցցց.』
Balok spread his palms towards the hunters who were trying to escape.
Siwoo swung his sword and cut off the monster’s wrists.
『Ƴօմ ƙҽҽթ ցҽեեํղց ํղ ʍყ աɑყყყყ. Ӏե’s ɑղղօყํղցցցց. . . !!』
At that moment,
『Ʋաɑɑɑɑɑɑɑɑɑհ.』
Balok grabbed his head and began to vomit.
Black and sticky liquid dripped from his mouth and hands, splattering on the floor.
『Ɲօ. . . Ƭհํs ํs ʍყ ҍօժყყყ. . . Ӏ հɑեҽ ํե. . . .』
His body twisted and his eyeballs rolled back.
Strange screams and the sound of bones breaking echoed endlessly across the field.
His wings were pulled out and new wings grew.
A new tail grew along with a lot of blood and flesh, as the previous two fell off.
『Ƙҽ, ƙҽ, ƙҽҽҽҽҽҽƙ. . . .』
He made a sound similar to a beast’s growl and staggered to his feet.
His whole body was soaked in black liquid and blood.
Hideous, large wings and a furry tail.
Horns much longer and thicker than before.
『Ƙҽ, ƙմ, ƙҽҽҽҽҽҽҽƙ. . . Ƴօմ ժɑɾҽ աɑƙҽ ʍҽ մթթթթ.』
Veins bulged on his forehead and his eyes turned red.
As if the momentum and aura he had shown so far were nothing, a violent demonic aura surged around him like a tsunami.
Layla and the other hunters covered their mouths with their hands, unable to breathe properly under the pressure.
The primal fear that lay deep in the human unconscious.
The extreme darkness consumed their bodies and minds, gradually growing larger as it divided them.
『Ƙҽҽҽҽҽҽҽ, ʍყ ղɑʍҽ ํs ƁɑƖօƙ. Ɑղօեհҽɾ ղɑʍҽ ƒօɾ ժҽsթɑํɾɾɾɾ.』
Balok soared into the air with his pitch-black body.
His silhouette against the sky was the very image of the devil seen in movies and books.
【𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐩 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡.】
“Indeed.”
Pre said in a serious voice.
Siwoo drew his magic power from his dantian and circulated it throughout his body.
A pleasantly warm sensation spread through his aching muscles.
『ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ!!!!』
At that moment, the monster roared at the ground.
The hunters who were trying to escape fell to their knees and bowed their heads to the ground, blood gushing from their eyes and noses.
Some died, coughing up blood.
Only hunters of high rank, such as Layla, barely held on with faces contorted in terror.
“So this is his true form.”
Siwoo poured his magic power into Balmung.
A blue sword aura rose from the ordinary sword, and a faint and brilliant magic circle began to surround the sword.
『Ƙҽ, ƙմҽϲƙ! Ɠҽե ɾํժ օƒ եհɑե ժɑʍղ եհํղցցցց, օɾ ყօմ’ƖƖ ժํҽҽҽҽ!!』
Balok’s body plummeted towards Siwoo.
A sonic boom occurred and shock waves shook the ground.
Kwagagagagagagaga!!!
Supersonic speed, tearing through the atmosphere.
Balok’s hard, double horns faced forward.
His opponent’s body would not be embedded here, but would explode without a trace, leaving only a bloodstain.
『Ƙҽƙƙҽ, ƙաɑɑɑɑɑɑհ!』
The two enormous auras clashed.
ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡzzzzeeeeeeeeeng!!!
A beam of light that had started as a single point swelled up in an instant.
A vast light that turned the earth yellow and a deafening roar that came belatedly.
Layla, who had been shivering from the tremendous shock, hurriedly raised her head.
Her gaze fell upon Siwoo, who was standing still in the posture of swinging Balmung.
“Ah, damn. . . It hurts.”
Siwoo frowned at the tremendous shock transmitted to his palm.
The skin on his palm, which had been completely peeled off, revealing the bone, quickly healed.
Thanks to the continuously rotating heel and magic shield, he and Balok would have been blown to pieces and burned together if not for that.
He turned his gaze back.
“But how do you kill that thing?”
The monster’s body, which had been split by the blade and melted by the frictional heat, was reuniting.
【𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞.】
“I was just saying.”
Siwoo put the sword back in his waistband and ran towards Balok.
『Ƙҽհํ, ƙմ, ƙմհɑհɑհํ. . . !』
The Demon of Strength swung his arm like a whip, even though it had not fully recovered.
Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!
The ground was smashed and the arm burst.
Balok swung his other arm repeatedly.
[Song of Iron: Divine Shield]
A steel-gray shield that sprang up from the ground blocked the monster’s arm.
Khwajijijik!!!
Siwoo approached the monster’s immediate vicinity.
It was common sense that if you landed a critical hit while rushing like this, the battle would become even more one-sided.
However, Balok’s body rapidly contracted and quickly returned to its original form.
『Jմsե ƙํժժํղցցցց.』
As if he had been trying to lure Siwoo in, the monster smiled, revealing his sharp teeth.
Balok’s hard fist struck Siwoo’s face.
Pa— — — Aaaak!
『Ƙմհํ, ƙմհํ, ყօմ’ѵҽ ҍҽҽղ ƒօօƖҽժժժժ!』
Siwoo’s body flew dozens of meters from the Demon of Strength’s kick.
Balok did not wait, but kicked the ground and poured all his magic power into his mouth.
ㅡㅡㅡKwagagagagagagagagaga!!!
A tremendous roar reminiscent of a dragon’s breath scorched the area.
Black smoke bloomed across the land.
In the meantime, an intricate magic circle appeared.
As the circuit, which was a mixture of geometric magic, emitted a bright yellow light with magic power, a bolt of lightning struck down at the coordinates calculated by the caster.
[Thunderbolt: One Flash, Great Enlightenment]
Kuwag— — — —Aaang!!
A magnificent thunderbolt turned the surroundings gold and burned Balok’s body into black ash.
Siwoo gasped for breath and circulated his magic power again.
Blood was flowing from his mouth and nose.
He had only roughly restored the urgent parts, so the minor injuries here and there were still there.
“Ha. . . Damn. It’s really hard to fight a demon.”
Siwoo staggered to his feet again.
A completely different fighting style and mindset from humans.
It seemed like it would be nice to fight with all his might and kill him right away, but it was an impossible plan unless Balok’s magic power ran out, as his body would regenerate right away.
“Not all demons are like this, but is it because this isn’t an S-Rank Gate?”
【𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟎% 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭.】
“10%.”
Siwoo wiped away the blood dripping from his nose.
“I guess it’s time to turn on the switch after a long time.”
