44.2-24 Traces of the Vanished

The city was cloaked in darkness.Only the dim glow of streetlights flickered through the streets, and every window was tightly shut.It was as if the townspeople feared the night itself.

Damian silently scanned the surroundings.This wasn't just a village plagued by a few disappearances.That much was certain.

A hint of unease crept across the researcher's face.As he organized the documents on the table, he spoke.

"People are vanishing."

Leanne asked quietly beside him."Are these just simple disappearances?"

The researcher shook his head."No. This is not a simple case of people going missing."He pointed to a sheet of paper.

"In some cases, villagers disappear at specific times, in specific locations… only to reappear later.But when they return, they have no memory of what happened—or they're gripped by overwhelming terror."

Ian crossed her arms and stared at him."You're saying some of them actually came back."

"Yes," the researcher sighed."But they were no longer the same. They stand in a daze, as if possessed, or wake in the middle of the night screaming."

Leanne picked up one of the documents."Where exactly do they vanish from—and return to?"

"Always the same place."

The researcher pointed to a map hanging on the wall.A red circle marked the outskirts of the village—a long-abandoned research facility.

"This used to be an experimental site run by the Wizard Guild.The research was shut down years ago. It's been left untouched since."

Damian stared at the map.And then he realized something—instinctively.

This wasn't a naturally occurring phenomenon.Someone had reopened the rift.

A Rift Within the Ruins

The road leading out of the village toward the facility was rough.Gnarled tree roots sprawled over the path, and decaying stone buildings crumbled in silence.

"Not a welcoming place," Ian muttered, gripping her dagger.

She could feel it.This was no dead space.Something was still alive here.

Leanne quietly read the flow of the air.Her pupils flickered.

"There are traces of magic. And… someone tampered with them recently."

Damian felt it too.It was like an invisible fissure hung in the air.

Then it happened.

The ground trembled.A cold wind swept through.And something stepped out from the darkness.

At first, it appeared human.But upon closer look—it was not.

It had form, but no substance.A face, but no expression.It looked like a fusion of shadow and mist.

It slowly advanced toward them.

A Blade That Cuts Nothing

Damian drew his sword without hesitation and slashed at the figure.

But—

"…!"

There was no resistance.The blade merely passed through air.

Ian hurled a dagger.It, too, sliced through the air without effect.

"Weapons won't work."

Damian clenched his jaw.

The figure stared back, unmoving.And took another step forward.

Then, Leanne raised her hand and cast a spell.

A flash of lightning erupted—and for a moment, the creature shuddered.

Magic worked.

"It's not physical. It's made of energy from a dimensional rift," Leanne analyzed quickly.

Ian scowled."So Damian can't touch it?"

But Damian stood calm, gazing at his sword.He wasn't just a swordsman.He was one who had mastered "true cutting" in the Murim.

He recalled the form in his mind.

"Samjae Sword Form – Cut the essence."

He slowly raised his blade—and struck in a motion as gentle as slicing through wind.

This time—

The creature split apart.

Where there had been no resistance before, now there was contact.The creature collapsed, soundless.

Closing the Rift

After defeating the creatures, they realized the rift was becoming more unstable.

"We have to close it," Leanne said firmly."Or more of those things will keep coming."

Damian nodded."How?"

"I'll seal it with magic. You cut through the core with the Samjae Sword Form."

As Leanne began drawing a magic circle, the air vibrated—power concentrating around her.

Damian raised his blade, focused on the rift.He closed his eyes, steadied his breath—and slashed.

The space trembled.And the rift—closed.

But the real conflict had only begun.

As they emerged from the ruins,wizards and sorcerers were already gathering outside.

Their eyes were full of suspicion.

"This happened because of the Wizard Guild's old research!"shouted a sorcerer.

"Oh really? Then why did your side tamper with the magic again?"a wizard sneered.

Tensions grew.The occult organization's representatives tried to stay neutral,but even within their ranks, debates were emerging—should this research continue?

Leanne and Damian silently observed the clash.

This wasn't just another incident.

They both knew—it was merely the beginning of something much larger.

**

Chapter : The Descending Adversary

Night Assault

The forest was shrouded in darkness.But even in the shadows, something was moving.

Rhythmic footsteps. A formation like an army.Goblins, kobolds, and orcs—marching together in an orderly line.Far too organized to be a mere horde of monsters.

Ian whispered,"This isn't just some random monster mob, is it?"

Cain, drawing his bow, muttered,"The goblins and orcs I know don't move like this. Not this... disciplined."

Rean frowned as she sensed the flow of mana."…There's powerful magic at work. Someone's commanding them."

Damien gripped his sword.His instincts screamed a warning.There—at the center of the formation—

And then, something stepped out from the forest's darkness.

Thud… Thud… Thud…

A towering shadow.Twice the size of a normal orc,Red skin, etched from head to toe with war markings.

Eyes blazing like blood,And a massive axe gripped in one hand.

Rean gritted her teeth."That one's magically enhanced."

Just then, a flash of light erupted from the opposite side.A wave of divine energy burst outward.

A man cloaked in light stepped onto the battlefield—A holy knight clad in silver armor, bearing a massive shield.

He unsheathed his sword and said calmly,"The air here reeks of corruption."

Ian whispered, eyes narrowing,"A holy knight? Don't tell me… he's on the same mission?"

The knight looked at Damien."You must be Damien."

Damien gave a short nod."Yeah."

"I'm Elion, of the Order of the Holy Knights."He glanced around and added,"I'll assist you in this battle."

Combat Begins – The Minions Attack

The goblins and kobolds charged in.

Ian moved first—slipping into their ranks like a shadow,his twin daggers flashing with lethal precision.

Cain fired arrows from the rear—each bolt piercing joints or weapons,slowing the enemy just enough for Ian to finish them.

Rean conjured ice barriers,disrupting their movement,cutting off their formation.

But that was just the prelude.

The orc commander raised his axe.

"RAAAAAHHH!!"

He brought it down—and the ground shook.A shockwave rippled outward,flinging the smaller monsters into the air.

Elion stepped forward, shield raised.The divine glow shimmered as he took the blow head-on.

Clang!

The force was immense,but Elion didn't move an inch.

Ian gritted his teeth."That thing hits like a siege engine!"

Rean quickly assessed."It's magically reinforced! Normal attacks won't be enough!"

Momentum Shift – The Coordinated Strike

Elion shouted,"I'll create the opening!"

He lunged forward,blocking the orc's axe and twisting—destabilizing the beast's balance.

In that instant—Damien moved.

He closed the gap in a blink.One strike. Then two. Then seven.

Slash-slash-slash-slash-slash-slash-slash!

Seven arcs of steel danced—Each carving into the orc commander's flesh.

But—

The beast still swung its axe.The momentum hadn't stopped.

Damien leapt back, breathing heavily.

Rean yelled,"You need to strike deeper! It's shielded by reinforced magic!"

Blade Guided by Mana

Damien inhaled slowly.

Since arriving in this world,he had learned to convert the Qi of the Murim into mana.And now, he let that current flow into his blade.

Like wind.Like water.Not brute force, but fluid rhythm—A cut that followed the world's breath.

He lowered his stance.

Elion blocked another blow—shaking the orc's balance once again.

And Damien struck.

Whoosh!

His sword traced a graceful arc,weaving a continuous rhythm—a pattern that flowed around the orc's movements.

The orc swung on instinct—but Damien's sword spiraled around the axe's path,redirecting it.

And then—The blade struck the orc's neck with pinpoint accuracy.

Shhk—!

A moment of silence.Then—

Thud…

The massive commander collapsed.

Aftermath – A New Suspicion

Seeing their leader fall,the goblins and kobolds fled in panic.

Damien slowly sheathed his sword, catching his breath.

Elion lowered his shield."That swordplay… that's no ordinary magic."

Damien simply replied,"It's a technique I learned."

Rean pointed at the orc's arm."Look at this marking."

It wasn't a tribal symbol.It was something… darker.

Elion's expression hardened."…This resembles the magical patterns we've seen in occult rituals."

Damien narrowed his eyes."Occult?"

Elion nodded."This wasn't a random monster raid.There's something else behind it."

The group exchanged glances—Damien, Rean, Ian, Cain.

This wasn't just a battle.Something far greater was stirring in the shadows.