Chapter 247.

The witch disappeared through the wide open door, but the team did not mindlessly wander in and instead exchanged glances with each other . They all knew that the witch should not be easily trusted .

“What are the chances that this is a trap?”

Jin Seyeon asked, but Kim Suho and Yi Yongha did not answer . Despite their urge to disbelieve, they weren’t left with any other choice at this point as they were mere intruders .

—You don’t need to worry .

At that moment, the witch spoke again .

—Our King loves challenges . He wholeheartedly welcomes worthy challengers . Once I confirm that you’re qualified, the King will gladly show himself and confront you, with the existence of the Tower at stake .

Though the witch sounded truthful, the team was still somewhat suspicious of her .

Jin Seyeon stepped forward and asked .

“How can we trust demons?”

—I shall ask you the same question . How can you trust humans?

“…What?”

—We can be as righteous as humans, as cowardly as humans, as evil as humans, and as honorable as humans . Of course, I understand that you’re prejudiced against us . You have experienced the madness of the Colosseum, after all .

The witch’s words flowed smoothly like a stream from a mountain river .

—But the Colosseum was only one of the series of ordeals designed to measure your capabilities . We’re more impartial than you might think .

Objections immediately popped up Jin Seyeon’s mind . ‘You can’t just kill someone and claim it was only a test . Also, it’s hard to believe that demons are as diverse as humans… . ’

Still, Jin Seyeon knew they had little choice but to follow the witch . Otherwise, they would never be able to proceed to the next step .

“What should we do?”

Kim Suho asked .

The trio exchanged glances and nodded their heads hesitantly .

“Black Lotus returned without dying . He wouldn’t have said what he said if this was a trap, right?”

Jin Seyeon’s reasoning was convincing .

“Then… . ”

“Let’s go . ”

The trio increased the magic power around their bodies . They surrounded themselves with all kinds of barriers to prepare for the worst, then slowly approached the gate .

Heavy footsteps echoed off the walls .

Their steps were filled with tension .

They marched forward courageously and entered the room behind the door .

At that moment, the witch’s voice blew past them like a bleak wind .

“…I welcome you, challengers who have come this far . ”

The other side of the gate was a distinctly different space .

What greeted them was a wide, circular lobby, and numerous demons standing in a line at its far end . Each demon gave off overwhelming presence as they stared at the trio .

Jin Seyeon bit her lips .

“Is this a trap?”

“No, they’re here to test you . Originally there were five, not counting me, but one of them I couldn’t control at all, so now there are just four . It’s good that the numbers are identical . ”

There were four demons excluding the witch; ten, if you include the monsters led by one of the demons . Unless the witch couldn’t count numbers, this was an intentional mocking on her part .

Jin Seyeon’s gaze suddenly sharpened .

“What are you… . ”

“Ah, the other one is already here . ”

Suddenly the witch shifted her gaze past them and put on a small smile . Kim Suho and the others also turned back after her gaze .

“…?”

There, a man whom none of them had expected to see here stood .

He had a gigantic physique made up of well-developed muscles that placed him in the same category as monsters, rather than humans . Even his steps were surrounded by an aura of arrogance .

“Long time no see . ”

The warrior whose every body part could serve as a lethal weapon, Cheok Jungyeong, looked down at them and broke into a smile .

“You, why are you here?”

Jin Seyeon asked .

However, to answer her question truthfully, Cheok Jungyeong would have to reveal that he was following Kim Hajin’s orders . Therefore, he chose not to answer .

“…That’s none of your business, archer . ”

He was simply embarrassed . These days, he never challenged Kim Hajin’s decisions and always complied with Kim Hajin’s requests .

[Energy Blast], [Secret March], and the equipment that surrounded his body… All were the fruits of his obedience .

“Kuhum . ”

Cheok Jungeyong let out a dry cough in embarrassment and stepped forward onto the battlefield .

**

Meanwhile, I was looking after Aileen as I watched the whole scene from afar .

“Aileen-ssi, how are you feeling?”

12 hours had already passed since Aileen began her recuperation .

Patient Aileen seemed to be feeling better as her sassiness had come back .

“Mm . I’m a lot better, but… I think I still, maybe, have some fever~?”

Was that a question or an assertion? She had quite a unique way of talking .

I simply stared at Aileen . Aileen, unable to withstand the silence, spoke first .

“…W-What I’m saying is, I’ll be fine if I have something to eat . ”

“Ah . Something to eat?”

I nodded . I had plenty of food on me, so much so that I didn’t even need to make them .

I took out a Lv . 5 Luxurious Chocolate and handed it to Aileen .

“This is… . ”

“It’s a first grade chocolate . ”

Aileen was cautious like a stray cat . She carefully took it .

She had to sniff the wrapper first before tearing it open and taking a bite .

Nom, nom—

I waited for her to finish the chocolate and spoke .

“Go back once you finish eating that . ”

“…Whaaa?”

Aileen, who was enjoying the aftertaste of the chocolate in her mouth, trembled slightly .

“W-What? You want me to leave?”

“Yes . ”

Aileen glared at me with a frown .

“Why should I?”

“Because you won’t be able to fight well in a place full of demonic energy . ”

While Aileen slept, I had time to think about why Aileen was the only one to suffer when everyone else was fine .

The answer was simple .

The problem was Aileen’s skill .

“I’m fine now . Can’t you see?”

Aileen suddenly began to stretch her body in an effort to prove she was fine .

One, two . One, two .

I stopped her midway .

“…You may be fine now, but once you get surrounded by demonic energy the situation will change . You shouldn’t use [Magic Power Amplification] so hastily . ”

I kindly explained to the naïve Player who thought of her skill as being all-powerful, and not about its repercussions .

Magic Power Amplification worked by absorbing the air around the user, then purifying and refining it to increase the output of magic power . Naturally, absorbing air filled with demonic energy, when she was already wounded by it, was dangerous .

“… . W-What? Are you saying that I’ll never get better?”

Aileen asked, trying to conceal her fear .

“No, you’ll get better if you rest well, in places like Baekdu Mountain and Kumgang Mountain . ”

“Aha,” She quickly regained her calm and let out a sigh of relief . “Phew . ”

Watching her like that, I began to wonder if she was really in her thirties . Her backstory was that she became a Hero at such an early age that she never learned worldly customs and social manners, but still… .

“So you’ll go back?”

“Well, I don’t have any other choice, but… ow . ”

Ouch, ow, agh .

For whatever the reason, she began to feign pain .

“I, I’m dizzy… . ”

“…Excuse me?”

“I need, I need sugar… . ”

Dumbfounded, I watched Aileen stagger .

“It’s my anemia… so dizzy… need chocolate… . ”

Because I was out of high-level desserts, I couldn’t give one to her even if I wanted to .

“… . ”

I continued to stare at her in silence, and suddenly she recovered from her ‘anemia’ on her own .

She let out a dry cough and spoke with gravity .

“You’ll be like this too when you’re my age . ”

“…Pft . ”

‘If she’s willing to go to such lengths, then I guess I have no choice . ’

I took out a [Random Dice] that I’d been saving for a while .

I rolled it with desserts in my mind and luckily received a set of chocolates, which was enough to satisfy Aileen’s needs .

“Woah!”

Aileen’s eyes quickly widened at the sight of the chocolates .

**

[Himalayan Mountain Range, the gym behind the inn]

Clang— Swoosh—

Metallic sounds of blades rang sharply in the gym behind the inn . A fierce duel between the teacher and student was currently ongoing .

“—!”

Chae Nayun swung her sword with a spirited shout .

The surface of her sword blazed up with azure magic power . The magic power surrounding her body was strong enough to shatter bones to dust .

Her skill with the sword was textbook-perfect, completely faultless . The magic power around the longsword soared like a waterfall and rushed towards its opponent .

And its opponent was an old man soon to be ninety years old .

Ordinary people would be astonished at this sight and accuse her of elder abuse .

Ssss… .

But the old man did not yield easily . He twisted his body, evading her blade .

The longsword had a long reach but also a long delay between attacks .

Therefore, he planned to evade her sword and counterattack during the gap in time .

However… .

“…?!”

Another sword shot up behind Chae Nayun .

The sword was made of azure magic power .

This was Flying Sword— a skill Chae Nayun invented using her past experience as an archer .

Heynckes’ intuition told him that this wasn’t the type of attack that he could block .

He had made a mistake by assuming Chae Nayun wouldn’t have a trick up her sleeve because of her denseness . Things wouldn’t have turned out like this only if he payed attention to the flow of magic power in the atmosphere .

‘At any rate, it’s impossible to block in this position… . ’

Dozens of magic blades rushed to Heynckes’ vital points in accordance with Chae Nayun’s will .

Yet, the Lord of Steel did not give up . Heynckes brandished his sword forcefully .

His fortitude brought about his Gift . The steel of his blade resonated with Heynckes and blazed up .

KWAAANG—!

The Nine Star’s Steel Spirit stopped Chae Nayun’s secret technique . Every single one of Chae Nayun’s magic swords bounced off Heynckes’ Steel Blade, and heavy silence slowly descended in the gym .

“… . ”

“… . ”

No human could possibly show off such skill barehanded . The Steel Blade moved autonomously to block Chae Nayun’s attacks . Therefore, it was Heynckes’ defeat, for he failed to keep his own words .

Chae Nayun said in all seriousness .

“One telling blow . I won . ”

“…You’re right . And I lost my precious lifespan thanks to you . ”

Although Heynckes sounded as if he was blaming her, a smile was on his face . Chae Nayun responded with a respectful nod .

“Old man, I… learned a lot from you, in many ways . ”

‘In many ways’ .

Her words were charged with meaning .

“I’m glad . ”

“…Yeah . ”

She had recently come to realize the true meaning behind Heynckes’ words .

Kim Joongho, who took Chae Jinyoon’s body, insisted that he owned the corpse of a devil .

As much as it was easy to piece together those two facts, it was difficult to believe the woven truth .

“Follow me . ”

Heynckes entered the inn . Chae Nayun followed behind him .

“A promise is a promise . I’m an honorable man . ”

Heynckes said as he handed Chae Nayun an old compass . Chae Nayun’s eyes widened .

“This is…?”

“It’s a compass that bears my will . ”

Nine Star Heynckes’ life was filled with items that encompassed his ‘Will of Steel’ . Heynckes called them his comrades, and they were clever and dependable .

Heynckes had received countless help from his comrades . The Steel Blade kept him away from defeat, and the Steel Shield protected him from the attacks of Djinns and monsters . The Steel Pin embedded in his back and his waist helped him achieve immunity against all kinds of magic, and his Steel Heart offered him an indomitable will .

It was all thanks to his comrades that Heynckes could become an honorable member of the Nine Stars .

“He’s a friend of mine who helped me trace villains in the olden days . He’s seen Kim Joongho before, so he’ll gladly tell you where to find him . ”

“… . ”

Chae Nayun understood the meaning of the ‘steel magic power’ embedded in the old compass . It meant Heynckes was entrusting her with his friend whom he had spent half of his life with .

“He’s rather precious to me . Be sure to return him . ”

Heynckes said gravely, to which Chae Nayun nodded .

“…Thank you . ”

She bowed forward, with all her feelings of appreciation .

Then, she turned back on the spot .

There was nothing she needed to pack since she came barehanded .

She would leave barehanded as well .

“Chae Nayun . ”

“…?”

However, when Chae Nayun grabbed the inn’s doorknob… .

“Don’t turn away even if the truth is not what you think it is . ”

A voice as solemn as steel stopped her .

“Accept what you witness with your own eyes and your own heart . Don’t give up . That’s the only way you’ll become stronger . ”

His advice fit his nickname—Steel Spirit—perfectly well . Chae Nayun nodded, with her back still against him .

“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind . ”

Chae Nayun opened the door and took a step into the snowy field outside the inn . But before leaving the inn for good, she decided to leave one last message .

The message was directed to her friend, Yoo Yeonha .

[I’m about to find Kim Joongho . I’ll bring him with me to see you . ]

Because the weather was clear and there was no snowstorm, the message was delivered successfully .

Chae Nayun once again thanked Heynckes for installing wifi for her sake .

…

…3 hours .

Chae Nayun walked towards the direction shown on the compass . For 3 hours she walked and walked .

The road was rugged . She almost fell down a cliff hidden from view by snow, she was ambushed by the notorious ‘Himalayan Mountain Tyrant’, and nearly became a snowman, quite literally, when she got surrounded by a blizzard .

Still, Chae Nayun walked tenaciously and arrived at the destination marked on the compass .

“Ha, I don’t even know what to say . ”

A wave of blank amazement encompassed her .

This was definitely a spot no one could find . There was a cave covered in snow, set halfway down a cliff .

“Huup—!”

Chae Nayun wove a rope out of magic power and jumped down the cliff, and entered the cave .

Tududu…

Chae Nayun advanced through the snow . A faint light emerged from somewhere deep within the cave . With her perfect eyesight, Chae Nayun spotted Kim Joongho—something that could be Kim Joongho, to be precise—lying on the floor next to the light .

“…!”

At that moment, her heart pounded violently .

She couldn’t hold back any longer .

This story had tormented her for too long .

The damned tragedy that had changed her life and her values entirely .

She ran frantically towards its end .

**

[28F — Demon King’s Castle]

Now that the test was over, everyone was busy catching their breath .

The format of the qualification test which began three hours prior was simply a one-on-one fight .

The list of matches were pretty interesting . Cheok Jungyeong was up against a demonic summoner who controlled mystic monsters, Kim Suho fought against a warrior wielding a double-edged axe, and Jin Seyeon and Yi Yongha faced twin magicians together .

After a three-hour brawl, the winners were finally decided .

The humans were all alive but the demons were either dead or passed out .

Of course, Kim Suho and others weren’t unscathed; in fact, they were barely breathing .

“Piece of cake . ”

Only Cheok Jungyeong boasted . However, contrary to his words, Cheok Jungyeong appeared completely beat up too . He had just fought against two demons in a row and the side effect of his skill was worse than he expected .

“Everybody, congratulations . The King has acknowledged you as worthy challengers . ”

The witch spoke a moment later .

The team wondered whether they should be happy or sad .

“Kuhahaha—! Good!”

Except for one— Cheok Jungyeong .

The witch ignored Cheok Jungyeong’s loud laughter and continued .

“But the King does not appreciate a fight in which one is against many . He longs for a just, impartial duel, one against one . ”

Cheok Jungyeong gave a smile of approval . The Demon King’s taste suited his own .

“Therefore, I shall rank you accordingly and determine the order of challenge . Only when the Player before you loses, you may challenge the King… . ”

‘I’m definitely the first,’ thought Cheok Jungyeong .

He had defeated two demons already: ‘Kain’ the puppeteer, and ‘Klemo’ the summoner .

His contribution was definitely unrivaled by others .

But the name that came out of the witch’s mouth was a completely different one .

“Player MasterHolySword . ”

“…What?”

“Kim Suho, you’re first . ”

Kim Suho’s name was announced out of the blue .

Cheok Jungyeong immediately rebelled .

No, he tried to rebel .

But his senses, including his sight and his hearing, stopped functioning all of a sudden . Cheok Jungyeong wriggled, surrounded by dark emptiness .

“Now, the castle gate will close . ”

The witch’s voice wobbled in his head, and… .

“Huua!”

‘Kim Suho’, not Cheok Jungyeong, opened his eyes with a cry . He was now surrounded by a mysterious scenery .

“This is where you will stay . ”

The witch reappeared quietly and explained .

“…Huh? Stay?”

The witch nodded nonchalantly at his remark .

“Yes . Right now, the Demon King is away at a banquet . But I cannot allow you, a challenger, to lose your sense of urgency . ”

The witch looked at Kim Suho and continued .

“So I shall provide you with an opponent for a practice match . Choose any opponent you’d like . But you need to decide right now . ”

The suggestion was all too sudden .

Kim Suho frowned slightly .

“I didn’t anticipate this… . ”

“You need to answer now . ”

The witch pressed him coldly, and Kim Suho began to contemplate .

Jin Seyeon, Aileen, Shin Jonghak, Cheok Jungyeong, Kim Junwoo… dozens of names popped up in his mind, but the one he finally chose was… .

“Black Lotus… . No, wait . ”

But he immediately shook his head . Black Lotus had already withdrawn from his match against the Demon King . ‘More importantly, I don’t think I’ll be able to even have a conversation with him,’ thought Kim Suho .

His next choice was, in a sense, only natural .

“Kim Hajin . I choose Hajin . ”

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