Chapter 275: Re-battle (4)

After the arrival of Marquis Lawrence, the head of the Imperial Magic Tower, and the combat mages.

The situation that had occurred in the outskirts of the slums was quickly resolved.

Stav, who had resisted to the end, was quickly subdued, and a small number of the masked figures, who had attempted suicide as soon as they realized they could not escape from the grand mage's interference…

"Kuh!"

"Ugh!"

"Hey, hey! Where do you think you're going! Stay still."

Their bodies had become stiff, with their entire bodies, including their mouths, wrapped up in threads of curse. They were then taken into custody after having all their means sealed by the mages who had joined soon after.

'It's still incredibly useful.'

Hesperon glanced at his right hand, which radiated a darker aura than before, and nodded.

It was true that the masked figures were careless at the moment right before their attempted suicides. But even considering that, the fact that he was able to completely subdue those who were at a considerably high level was all thanks to the increased output of the "Yearning Right Arm" which had grown.

It was also quite a gain that he was able to use more detailed curses, like the "paralysis" he had used this time.

-The situation is over! You saved me, thanks. Thank you, Riley.

-Haa— I'm glad it wasn't too late. …And this is my fault if you think about it, so I should be the one to apologize. I should've dealt with this thoroughly from the start to avoid causing any trouble...

-It's alright, it's alright. That's how things in the world usually are. It's enough if you did your best at that time. Now, let's deal with this to the best of our abilities...!

Hesperon, who was leisurely encouraging Riley who was blaming herself, suddenly stopped talking.

Then, his gaze turned back to his right arm again.

Sigh—

The dark aura of the curse was slowly rising.

The "Yearning Right Arm", which had been satisfied after devouring resentment, was slowly raising its head again, protesting.

-Hesperon? Why did you suddenly stop? Are you alright? Did you get hurt somewhere after all…!

-Ah, sorry. It's nothing. I just made eye contact with Stav for a moment. I just gave him a glare.

However, even while answering her words one by one, Hesperon stared blankly at his right arm, which was now starting to convulse violently.

'Ah, this is dangerous.'

His complexion was turning pale as the blood was slowly fading, unlike what he had told her.

Drip-drip—

He was the picture of serenity, but cold sweat was pouring down his face, and nosebleeds were dripping to the floor.

At that, several of the mages who were cleaning up the surroundings rushed towards him, but his mind was too focused to pay attention to them.

Whooosh—

Soon, the aura of the curse, which had seemed to be probing the situation, began to rage more and more violently.

"This is… a side effect."

Even in that situation, he maintained his composure using "Mind Hub" and frowned slightly as he carefully checked his body one by one.

Even though he had succeeded in using the curse through a contract, its very nature was a double-edged sword.

It was not even a normal curse, but a special existence that had gained spirituality and achieved a level of its own.

It was an ability that he should always be careful with unless he was someone like Undead King Hans, who completely ignored curses.

'...I definitely did use it too much this time.'

He had not just used the power, but he had also used it for defense and had collided directly with attacks infused with dark magic several times.

The shock that was filtered and transmitted was enough to cause damage to his internal organs, so what damage had accumulated in his arm?

Whoosh—

At that moment, the black dragon that had manifested sometime was staring straight at him.

Unlike its usual majestic appearance, its eyes were shining like a snake's.

Then, the curse, which had been limited to his right arm, began to slowly expand its territory.

"Tsk, I should have listened to the doctor and been more careful."

Hesperon quietly clicked his tongue at the behavior.

Of course, it was an unavoidable emergency situation this time, but he still needed to come up with countermeasures in some way.

He really didn't know what would happen later when the curse grew further.

"But, not now, you little rascal."

Crackle—

And as expected, the curse that was trying to expand its territory could not cross the shoulder line and was writhing repeatedly.

The bandage seal on his shoulder, as well as his "Curse Devourer" skill, which had been resisting the attempt to invade his body, began to fiercely resist.

'Now!'

Whirr—

As the curse paused briefly, according to his will, the bandage on his shoulder was instantly unraveled and then wrapped tightly around his right arm again in the blink of an eye.

Crack— Crack!

As if rebelling against it, black sparks flew, and his arm thrashed violently.

In response, the black dragon kept flickering on and off, like a fluorescent light.

At the same time, tremendous pain began to wash over his right arm, but his "Mind Hub" and "Soul Firewall" thoroughly blocked it, protecting his mind.

However, unlike his mind, the physical reactions that were directly affected by the pain were something he couldn't control.

He was not Halley, who was able to control every single muscle and cell.

His pupils dilated and the muscles throughout his body convulsed as his brain and nerves were occupied by the pain.

Contrary to his pale complexion, thin streams of blood flowed down from his mouth and nose, and his entire body was soaked with cold sweat, as if he had fallen into water.

About 5 minutes passed.

Was it because he had continued to rein it in with the "Chain of the Oath", which was connected to the curse?

The "Yearning Right Arm", which had been running wild, finally began to gradually calm down, and his body also slowly regained stability.

'Phew, it would have been hopeless if this had happened during the battle.'

He sighed in relief and rubbed his throbbing right arm.

Then, as he checked the condition of his arm, which had been carefully wrapped in bandages, and raised his head.

"Are you… alright?"

Marquis Lawrence, with a strange expression on his face, carefully spoke to him. He didn't know when the man had arrived here.

"Yes, I'm fine now."

He had often encountered him while learning magic at the imperial palace, so they were in a familiar relationship.

Perhaps it was because he was aware of Riley, who would become the next highest authority, but he would sometimes give him some advice.

"Hmm... It's alright if you say you're fine."

"Haha, but I'm late to greet you. Thank you for saving me like this. I was just feeling that I was in real danger."

"What do you mean, you were fighting well. I heard that it hasn't been long since you started training, yet you are already at that level."

He stopped talking as he continued to be amazed and then slowly scanned Hesperon again.

The dirt all over his body, the blood stains that were scattered everywhere, his pale complexion, his whole body soaked with cold sweat, and his muscles still trembling intermittently.

No matter how he looked at it, he did not look alright at all.

'No, even if it's not that, anyone would think that if they had seen him from before.'

Lawrence, who stroked his beard, narrowed his eyes.

The clash between the curse, which had lost control and was rampaging, and the will that was trying to suppress it in any way.

Just from the reactions of his body, he could easily guess the level of pain he had endured at that time, yet Hesperon's face was calm as if nothing had happened.

'His mental strength and self-control are unbelievable. What a waste, what a waste.'

His growth rate that he had been observing so far, and the fact that he had endured against Stav until he arrived.

If he had taken him as his disciple and taught him well, he could even be his successor…

'Hmm, should I bring it up later?'

But now was not the right time to bring that up.

It would be better to finish what he had come to do since he was here.

If he were to become ill due to a side effect, he would be blamed by the Crown Princess for putting him in harm's way after he had gone to all the trouble of saving him.

"That would never do."

"...Yes?"

"Come on, let's go now."

"Ah… Yes."

And so, Hesperon was forced to be hospitalized in the imperial hospital due to Lawrence's coercion.

And after Riley heard the whole story, she immediately decided to have him stay for a long-term hospitalization.

Along with worried nagging that she said was being transmitted through the "Chain of the Oath" asking why he had said he was alright.

A base that he had prepared on the outskirts of Seoul.

Tap-tap-tap—

The sound of fingers tapping the table scattered within the quiet room.

I was silently lost in thought, staring blankly at the monitor that had a report printed on it via a secure email.

'Auterica is now entering its final chapter.'

There were still quite a few minor matters left, but the events that would cause major changes in the world had been roughly concluded.

All that remained was for the avatars in their respective positions to steadily increase their influence and to successfully conclude the home theater.

'The biggest thing is the sanctions against the Hermanhart ducal family, but…'

Actually, even that didn't seem like it would last that long.

Riley was moving more actively than ever before, since she was really angry.

Although she was still at the Roselia Grand Cathedral, she had begun to show a large-scale movement by commanding her subordinate forces that she had gathered so far in an organized manner.

Not only the political and financial worlds, but also the academic world, the magic tower, and even mercenaries.

She had even requested the inquisition, telling the order about Stav who had become a dark knight, so what more was there to say?

'I accepted it readily since I also had a grudge against that side.'

It was a statement made directly by someone who had come as the representative of the Empire.

With that, there was enough justification for the order to intervene directly, right?

'And, if that's not enough, I can plant a few connections to the undead army on that side.'

If that happened… This can't be!

The prestigious ducal family was very easily becoming a traitor of humanity!

A traitor who had sided with the Undead King, blinded by power!

No matter how much they were the dukes of the empire, it would only take a moment for an entire family to be ruined.

If the imperial family turned their back on them, then their chances of recovery would be zero.

'But, come to think of it, it's not wrong either, right?'

And after thinking about it carefully, it dawned on me that it was not a false accusation.

It had already been confirmed that Duke Hermanhart was one of the executives of the Reverse of Heaven covenant.

What kind of people were the Reverse of Heaven covenant?

They were an evil group that had plotted to revive the Undead King, as well as open the gate to the abyss and release madness, and the sinking of the Enamel Continent and the great war in the Eon continent, right?

'I don't know to what extent he knew and cooperated, but anyway, the truth is still the truth.'

It no longer mattered if he had cooperated knowing that the continent could be destroyed, or if he had just tried to pursue his own interests while inciting an appropriate level of crisis.

Now, it had become a legitimate execution of justice.

'…I got sidetracked. Then, let's leave it at that for that side…'

My gaze turned back to the secure email on the monitor.

Then, the mood that I had forcibly raised to change the air dropped back down again.

The sender was Andrew Weaver.

He was a slave… no, a talent, who possessed the unique skill "Trajectory Observation", which was useful for gathering information.

And this time's report contained content that made me feel that hiring him was worth it.

'Yullyeongja…'

I suddenly recalled his appearance, which was a mess after he had been beaten up by Hans, when we had met in Japan.

And, I reminisced the past that had flashed by during the hospital terrorist incident just a while ago.

Flames, explosions, heat, screams, the smell of blood.

The voice that was calling my name, the eyes that were looking at me, the warmth, the memories.

"Hmph, haa—."

Along with a deep breath, the emotions that I had desperately buried due to the urgent situation began to bubble and boil.

The anger and resentment that I had buried in "Persona" began to slowly raise their heads, saying that it was not yet time.

'Yes, I have endured enough. It's about time that I start showing… results.'

The corners of my twitching lips slowly curved upwards.

Yullyeongja, head of the East Asia branch.

And that meant.

That he was the decision maker and chief of that terrorist attack at that time, right?

I didn't intend to end it with just him, but he would at least be a good appetizer to quell this thirst.

I closed my eyes and leaned back against the back of the chair.

The darkened vision, the small operating sound of the computer.

And.

"Hans."

In the room.

Darkness fell.

The deepest part of Auterica.

The Abyss.

It was always filled with chaos, with the standards of time and space, and matter and concepts jumbled and meaninglessly floating around.

It had always been like that, and it would always be like that.

Zap!

However.

A sudden anomaly began to occur in that place, which seemed like it would never change.

Sizzle—

Crackle— Crack!

The sound of something breaking and space shattering echoed.

No, perhaps it wasn't space that was breaking.

This was a place where even that concept could not exist completely, so perhaps even the fact that a sound was made was an illusion.

But whatever the reason, an unknown change was still continuing.

And, it finally spat out another anomaly there.

"Hmm."

A man, who suddenly appeared there, not knowing when he had been there.

Even in the space where everything was mixed up, he was not at all affected. He slowly looked around and made a low moan.

"It's a bust again this time?"

But he couldn't be sure yet.

Since this wasn't an official visit but an infiltration using loopholes, there had often been similar cases before.

Originally, security weaknesses were usually in these remote places where the administrator's eyes could not reach.

That was what the man, who seemed to be both ordinary and imposing, yet also blurry, was thinking.

The leader of Beoncheonhoe twisted his lips and opened his mouth.

"I hope there would be some useful gains this time..."

But, even before that word was finished.

"The XX-ed XXX is looking at you."

Thump—

The space shook with a strong pulse.