NOVEL NEXT Chapter 116:
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“Th-thank you. It’s my first time witnessing the arrival of angels.”
The angel gracefully descended to the ground, wings outstretched. The radiant light emanating from his embrace was so dazzling that Seora momentarily feared her eyesight would be impaired. The beauty of an angel was truly awe-inspiring.
〖”Facing the Red Dragon alone with your human body is truly impressive, but be cautious not to be consumed by greed if you value your life. Excessive desire always leads to harm.”〗
Truly, angels possessed warm hearts. After expressing her gratitude, Seora took a step back, allowing the angel to approach the dragon.
“I never expected you to summon the heavenly army.”
In the sky, light and darkness engaged in a fierce battle. The sword pierced the dragon, while its teeth tore at the angel’s wings.
The clash between hope and destruction was akin to a mythical tale. The fight between the angel and the dragon, or rather, the devil, was so magnificent that it left one breathless.
“This is a mark bestowed by Archangel Michael. However, I never imagined that Archangel Michael himself would personally descend.”
“Oh, M-Michael? Where is he? Where is he?”
“The one who just saved you is none other than Archangel Michael himself.”
No wonder the radiance seemed exceptionally extraordinary.
“It’s my first time witnessing a physical manifestation of an Entity.”
“Same here. Normally, Entities cannot descend to the earthly realm… Perhaps it’s possible because this is Armageddon.”
Armageddon was the land where angels resided, their stage, and the battleground of angels.
There was indeed a distinction.
“But actual mythology and reality are not the same.”
“Yes, that’s correct. I summoned this army using my own powers, so once my powers are depleted, regardless of the war’s outcome, everyone will return to heaven. Moreover, the mana consumption is significant, so I cannot sustain it for long. That’s why I refrained from using this ability until the Dragon of Revelation appeared.”
Angels soared through the sky, thrusting their spears, while the dragon unleashed its fiery breath. Michael’s sword, engulfed in flames, cleaved through the dragon’s fire. Light and darkness clashed relentlessly, resulting in explosions of various sizes.
The unfolding war was not a mere masterpiece but a vivid reality. However, one could not simply stand by and watch. If the outcome ended in defeat, the Earth would be reduced to ruins, much like the desolate land they currently fought upon.
“Mr. Oliver, your mana consumption is substantial, so please remain here.”
“And what about you? Do you intend to intervene in this battle?”
“I hope the angels won’t mistake me for a sinner and strike me down due to my egregious sins of lust.” Observing Oliver’s embarrassment, Seora smirked. She patted his shoulder and stepped forward. “A Hunter’s life has always been a battlefield. Moreover, even a single person regaining their senses would greatly contribute to our forces.”
Ideally, Monique or Kang Sejun would be perfect, but since she couldn’t discern who had committed which sins, she would start with what she could dismantle.
“By the way, what does the color violet symbolize in terms of sins?”
“Greed.”
Greed. It didn’t seem to align with Monique, but Kang Sejun didn’t fit the bill either.
“Should I try something else? I’ll be back for now.” Seora ventured back onto the battlefield.
Was her intention to capitalize on the dragon’s fatigue from battling the angels and launch an attack? No, that wasn’t her plan.
Her goal was an unequivocal triumph. She would ensure that her name stood at the forefront of the list of contributors. She needed to show those fools who still clung to false hopes of overthrowing Song Hanna.
As long as I’m here, the Korea Association will never crumble.
“I suppose retirement is out of the question for the rest of my life.”
Despite uttering those words, the small human who interfered on the battlefield wore a bright smile.
***
Thud, thud.
Kang Sejun struggled to move forward, his face betraying signs of exhaustion. It wasn’t solely due to the seemingly endless expanse of this illusion, nor was it solely because of the energy-draining floor that clung to his every step.
No, could this illusion actually have an impact…?
Frowning, Kang Sejun pinched his nose, trying to ward off the nauseating stench of iron that permeated the air. A viscous liquid, something he didn’t care to identify, squirmed around his thighs, adding to his discomfort.
“I’ve never encountered an illusion like this before…”
With no place to sit and gather his strength, he remained standing, desperately catching his breath.
In the past, the illusions he faced in the “Path of Sin” had been manifestations of wrath and pride. The frustration of being unable to overcome the monster on the 11th floor had consumed him with anger, while the arrogance that he would surely emerge victorious had pierced through his being.
However, none of those past illusions had been as horrifying as this one.
“Ah, fuck this.”
As he stood motionless, something gently descended and bumped against his thigh. Its weight was substantial, causing a curse word he rarely uttered to slip from his lips. He didn’t want to see it; it was too gruesome. Yet, despite his resistance, his gaze involuntarily shifted downward.
There lay Yun Seora, covered in wounds, lifeless.
It was truly sickening.
“Yeah, this isn’t wrath or pride.”
Kang Sejun extended his hand and gently closed the eyes of the lifeless Seora, who had left this world without the chance to close her own. Even though he knew it was an illusion, his hand trembled uncontrollably. The chilling coldness unique to the deceased touched his palm.
Crack!
As if being burned, Kang Sejun hastily attempted to withdraw his hand, but something tightly gripped his arm with a thud. Yun Seora, her eyes wide open, glared at him with intense ferocity.
“It’s because of you.”
“… Yun Seora.”
“It’s because of you! I wouldn’t have had to die if you hadn’t been so consumed by greed! How dare you send me to that accursed monster on the 11th floor!”
His breath hitched as he witnessed her anguished cries.
“You killed me. You are the one who killed me! Your insatiable greed! Your greed took my life!”
A wave of nausea swept over Kang Sejun, causing him to clench his mouth shut. The pungent scent of blood permeated the air from his hand.
Greed. It was the sin he had desired most in this lifetime. When had his aspiration to bring peace to the world morphed into a craving?
“I don’t want to die. I want to live…! I don’t want to die. I have already died five times, why must I die again? This time, I was supposed to survive!”
“…”
“If I die, my aunt and brother will also perish. It cannot happen. I cannot die! Kang Sejun!”
The words uttered by Yun Seora felt as though they could drive him to madness. His throat tightened, making it difficult to breathe. Gasping for air, tears streamed down his cheeks. It was more terrifying than any illusion he had faced before.
Damn Satan. He knew all too well how to shatter a person’s spirit.
‘This is an illusion. Seora will be fine.’
With resolve, Kang Sejun pushed aside the illusion that clung to him and pressed forward. Finally, he understood the nature of the liquid that had reached his thighs. It was Seora’s blood. The bitter scent carried a profound sadness.
“Are you certain that I’llI truly escape the dragon’s onslaught?”
A heavy burden settled upon his shoulders. As the blood continued to flow down his body, Kang Sejun’s steps faltered.
“This is no ordinary Level 1 Demonic Boss. It’s a creature from the Labyrinth. Are you truly confident that I will emerge unscathed?”
“…”
“Heh, Kang Sejun. You can be quite arrogant.”
His mind wavered.
Yun Seora claimed that her mental barrier would hold even within the Labyrinth, but it was merely a possibility. She had never actually ventured into the Labyrinth herself. Just as he was trapped within this illusion, she might be suffering in some other corner of this twisted realm.
A cunning devil, a serpent’s tongue possessed by Satan.
In the midst of excruciating pain that threatened to shatter him and swallow him whole, Kang Sejun clenched his teeth. He couldn’t discern if the liquid streaming from his eyes was blood or tears.
No, he couldn’t remain here. He had to press forward. He had to keep moving so that the specter of the deceased Seora wouldn’t haunt him.
…But can I truly abandon this desire? Can I genuinely escape this place? Fueled by Yun Seora’s fervent plea to live, the desire to exist, body and soul, burned fiercely within him.
How in the world can I…
How?
【Someone has partially broken the horns of ‘Greed’. Awakened ‘Kang Sejun’’s mental strength has slightly recovered!】
“Ugh!”
With that brief exclamation, his breath returned. Like clumps of cream, the jumbled thoughts in his mind cleared away like dissipating fog.
Ah, I understand now. The shattered horns. Someone from the outside was attacking the dragon associated with greed.
‘You fool.’
A smile spread across Kang Sejun’s face, marred by blood and tears. He firmly grasped the blood-soaked arm of the illusionary Yun Seora, who was pressing down on his shoulder.
“I thought you would say something convincing, something that would make me believe you were Yun Seora, but I was completely mistaken. My mind must have been unraveling. I couldn’t even discern something as simple as this.” With a swift motion, he pulled her toward him, their gazes meeting intimately. Her bloodied form was a gruesome sight, but this was not Yun Seora. “If you were truly Yun Seora, you would have slain the wretch and escaped without wasting time blaming me.”
He was the same. Gritting his teeth, Kang Sejun forcibly averted his gaze from the illusion resembling Yun Seora and pushed it to the ground.
Someone outside was fighting to save them. It could be Oliver, summoning the angelic forces, or perhaps it was Yun Seora herself. No, she was undoubtedly present.
“Why do I trust her more than anyone else, even though this is the first time we have met in this life?”
With a faint smile, Kang Sejun began to forcefully tap into the mana that had been utterly nonfunctional until just moments ago.
He was the world’s sole ‘Omniscient Mage.’ If he couldn’t break through a previously damaged space, he should lament the years he had spent bearing that title and reputation.