Chapter 485 – Brief Interstice (1)

The moment when Lee Si-heon departed.

“Come, gather. Let’s initiate the meeting.”

At Gu-seul’s clapping, all the shadow warriors, including Camellia, rallied.

But it wasn’t just them.
Some officers, those who had surrendered entirely to Lee Si-heon, and even Hong-Yeon, who was diligently working on the development of Zone 1, briefly showed themselves in Zone 3.

“Now is a critical juncture, as we all know. We face numerous problems.”
“What time? What problems?”

At Mary’s inquiry, Gu-seul ceased her applause and spoke solemnly.

“The issue, is His Majesty’s absence from this place.”
“……!”

The surrounding atmosphere abruptly turned heavy.
The fact that the most volatile Zone 3 among King Mokryeong’s territories has managed to maintain its form is due to him suppressing the frequent rebellions.
Most of the burdensome tasks that required substantial manpower and administrative duties fell on Lee Si-heon.
Behind the loyalty of many was Lee Si-heon, working tirelessly from dawn till dusk.

“Rebellion, we can suppress on our own. Administration, money? Now we have other talents.”

Gu-seul turned her gaze to Dongbaek.
Dongbaek, realizing her words referred to him, blushed modestly.

But.

“However!”

Gu-seul, raising her voice, looked at Hong-Yeon.
Hong-Yeon spoke after a clear cough.

“Hmm… Do-won, in other words, if the news of His Majesty’s vacancy reaches the ears of the Flower and the World Tree. You’re saying it’s a grave issue?”

Gu-seul nodded her head.
The assembly laughed bitterly amidst the somber atmosphere.

“The power of the eighth leaf, it’s as if it’s solely withstanding with His Majesty’s strength.”
“……Si-heon was that formidable. Ah, that, I mean. His Majesty, His Majesty!”

Words that would irritate the ears of the officers.
Mary, who had been mumbling, hastily corrected her words.

“Nevertheless, we are not the ones who falter.”

Four World Trees. There is one Tri-Aspect who will act as an informant.
There are strategists and individuals capable of managing funds throughout the history of the Tree Clan.

But even this isn’t sufficient.
Flower, World Tree, and ATU are by no means easy opponents.

“…So, I called you. Enter.”

-Thump.

Two figures entered as the door opened.
A man with striking yellow hair and tanned skin, and a red-haired lady confined to a wheelchair appeared.

“At least similar to me. They are the ‘genuine’ ones who have struggled in the shadows.”

Once held enough power to sustain a king.
Moreover, Lee Si-heon’s conquest was delayed for several months solely by information warfare.
The Tree King who appeared in a flash and then vanished.

“I don’t think my brother would appreciate this.”
“I had no choice. His Majesty is absent, and we need to conceal it, but this is your area of expertise.”
“That’s true.”

Tae-yang, chuckling, stroked Aori in the wheelchair.

“Are you ready?”

“Aori, brace yourself!”

Aori extended her arms, bending her prosthetic limbs into position.

Mok Tae-yang and Aori,
True vassals of the second King Mokryeong.

They unveiled their forms once again.

* * * * * * * * * *

【Hot, ha!!】

The king’s son-in-law, cradling the crown in his arms, shouted with exhilaration.
Dressed scantily, he hopped about until his underwear was exposed, then, while soaring through the sky, he stuck out his tongue with all his might.

【Our meeting was hellish, let’s never see each other again!】

A silhouette darting towards the pinnacle of the tower.
The king’s trial.
What they first seized from me was the crown and the power of King Mokryeong.

‘You’ll rue this.’
【 Neener neener!! 】

The king’s son-in-law, soaring on a fluffy cloud of cotton candy.
Given that his vehicle of choice was cotton candy, it seemed that the cotton candy he had devoured at the amusement park last time had left a lasting impression.

– Wooooo!

Emerging from the realm of illusion.

In that instant, I could confirm that my body’s magic and abilities had significantly diminished.
It was because the foundation of my body had been relying on the king’s power, but in truth, that was not entirely a disadvantage.
When I regained my senses, the first thing I did was to let out a hollow laugh.

“Ha.”

I clenched my fists in a rough manner.

“……”

How long has it been since my headache disappeared?
My mind was completely clear.

The torrent of worries that had incessantly muddled my mind for years seemed to finally cease their rampage and sink to the depths of my unconscious.
I stood and savored the tranquillity.

‘It’s okay.’

My personality is intact.
It’s even clearer, actually.
Due to the characteristic of Heavenly Demon’s Magic, which requires soothing the mind… the efficiency of magic would be far superior to when it was combined with the crown.

“… Ebony.”
“Yes?”

I adjusted my expression, tensed my shoulders,
and gave a wide smile before patting Ebony’s back.

“Let’s go.”
“Oh, okay!”
“I’ll explain slowly. Since it’s your first time… Oh, right.”

The lower and middle sections of the tower bear a striking resemblance to a dungeon’s structure.
I first handed an artifact, which I had taken out from my backpack, to Ebony.
A necklace plated with a magic-infused gemstone. They were rarely up for sale in the market, so I could only procure one.

“This belongs to you.”

Instead of tossing it, I held Ebony’s wrist and gently passed it to her.

“What’s this?”
“A protective amulet. It will be useful in many ways.”

And now, there’s no need for me to hold onto this either.
I transformed the mistletoe that was in the form of a ‘sword’ I had brought into a bracelet and handed it to Ebony.

“……?”

Ebony looked up, wondering what on earth this was.
She would know it since she had seen it beside me a few times.

“If we stay together, you’ll quickly learn how to use it.”
“Uncle… you don’t need a sword?”
“Me?”

I unfurled my hand into a fist; this was always my forte.

“Don’t worry. Let’s move.”

Stretching my foot forward, Ebony followed suit, wielding her sword. The darkness pervading the cavern, an environment strikingly similar to a dungeon, was dispelled by my magic.

– Hmmm, hmmm!

Ahead, a pure white orb of light materialized, and not long after, a monstrous figure emerged from the shadows.

– Thuk, thrruk!

A singular insect tumbled down from the cave’s wall, rolling across the stony ground. A scarab with numerous legs and a pair of pincers. I halted Ebony in her tracks, my gaze fixed intently on the creature.

“What’s going on?”
“Just a moment.”

The overturned insect writhed on the ground, emitting a pitiful cry.

– Kiik! Kiik!

Momentarily, the space around the insect blurred, and its legs began to enlarge, growing as massive as those of a mammal.

– Krrr!

The insect, initially unable to handle its own size, grew hundreds of times larger and charged at me.

“…!”

Taken aback, Ebony recoiled, a grimace of revulsion etched on her face. The sight was undeniably grotesque. I stopped Ebony as she reached for her sword and delivered a swift kick.

– Faam!

The insect’s head exploded, spewing out green viscous fluid. Its large antennae squirmed, and its pincer-clad mouth opened and closed in a ghastly rhythm.

– Kreuk!!

As if on cue, the insects on the floor began to surge upward. Each creature bore a form never before seen. The insects, now evolved into demonic beasts, held onto their original forms but bore a more ferocious disposition. They resembled ‘infant’ monsters, forced to grow beyond their time.

– Keek!

I crushed another approaching insect underfoot and signaled to Ebony. It was precisely as we had practiced. As though she had never been startled by the monster’s appearance, Ebony sprang into action, her movements fluid and decisive as she swept across our surroundings.

The cave, now filled with the corpses of insects, was quickly engulfed by a nauseating smell.

“…Is it over?”

Drenched in green ichor, Ebony turned towards me, her face impassive.

“Well done.”

– Kiik.

There was still one insect hiding away in a corner, hissing as if ready to tear our heads off at any given moment. As Ebony started to move again, I extended my hand and unleashed a jet of black flames.

– Kik?

The insect recoiled in surprise, soon engulfed by the flames and screaming in agony.

– Kiieeeeek!!! Kiek!!! Kieeeeek!!

The monster writhed in the flames, reveling in the pain as it burnt to a cinder. Ebony watched this spectacle and returned to me.

“That was… magic, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I felt the surge of magic.”

Though the power output had been lowered, the manipulation of the technique was still executed perfectly from my hands. My master had always considered the destructive power of magic to be excessive, but with proper control, it could be moderated as such.

A mere moment ago, it was nothing but a commonplace C-class fireball imbued with magic.

“I’ll explain later.”

Gentle taps on my head, then I found myself kneeling before Ebony. I wiped her cheek with a sleeve of my Black Dragon robe.

“I could purify you completely, but you’ll need to adjust to this. For a while, we’ll proceed as we are. Can you comprehend that?”
“S… Silence.”
“What’s wrong?”
“No, it’s just that you seem… calmer than usual.”

Not cold, but serene. Her perception is sharper than I anticipated. As Ebony pointed out, my current mood is surprisingly pleasant.

It was essentially the first moment I had escaped from the grip of that insatiable lust. I rose to my feet and pressed on.

“Let’s carry on. It’s likely to feel like this for a while.”
“Ah, yes!”

The structure up to the fourth floor is a replication of the existing dungeon. The fifth to ninth floors were similar. The challenge is the yet undetermined floor. All we need to do now is proceed with the intention of slowly acclimating our bodies.

“Don’t expend too much energy.”

Our pace of advance is sufficiently swift as it is.

Should we expedite our conquest and allow those three to emerge? I’ve considered it, but I need to exercise caution since I’m not sure what impact my progression could have on the tower.

‘Everything is in order.’

I found myself silently praying.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“At last, you’re trying to consume this.”

The early-stage tower assault commenced triumphantly. However, we found ourselves struggling as early as the second floor.

A respite location, prepared ahead of time by preceding hunters. Sansuyu, reluctant to unpack, was dumping rice cakes from her pack into the pot.

“What’s so special about Tteokbokki… No, I guess it’s this level of tenacity. Did you climb to that rank?”
“I’m not sure.”

A ‘Hunter’ cheerily readying the red chili paste.

– Thump-thump-thump-thump!

It’s no trivial matter to hold a Bursta in hand and fervently shake it. Her eyes seem to glimmer, too. It’s remarkable how the chest piece of her armor jostles. Star gazed at the spectacle in awe and admiration.

– Bubble-bubble-bubble.

A ‘Hunter’ bobbing her head cheerfully as she watches the non-stew Tteokbokki boil. Swinging left to right, she seems ready to burst into a dance if a lullaby were sung. Se-Young cracked a smile.

“Isn’t she adorable?”
“Se-Young, what’s so pretty about those two pieces of armor… I’d understand if it were what’s inside them.”

A fairy endowed with a generous bust. The fairy soon starts to devour the perfectly cooked Tteokbokki.

Se-Young and Star exchanged glances, shrugged, and then seated themselves beside the fairy.

“Is it really that tasty?”

– Pop!

The Tteokbokki the ‘Hunter’ offered slipped into Se-Young’s mouth. Moderately spicy, refreshingly sharp… a familiar taste.

The experience was strikingly similar to those academy days when they’d share the delicacies brought in by the students.

“Tteokbokki….”

“Hm?”

“Is it… tasty?”

The ‘Hunter’ stammered, his voice filled with anticipation.

“Ah, delicious indeed.”

As ‘Star’ savored the fishcake, the ‘Hunter’ abruptly lifted the pot, and it fell from Star’s grasp. The ‘Hunter’ placed the pot next to Se-Young and himself, picking up another piece of rice cake.

“Hey, why! You can’t hog it all!”
“…A Tteokbokki heretic.”
“No, hey, come on…”

Showing a bit of temper, holding a grudge over such a trivial matter. Star was about to cross her arms in disbelief when –

-Boom!

A massive roar reverberated within the confines of the dungeon. Waves of magical energy, unlike anything they had ever experienced, expanded outwards, sending a shiver down their spines, the goosebumps spreading like wildfire.

It was as if the stagnant dungeon had been revived, thrust back into action. The tower, too, began to transform abruptly.

“What’s going on?”

The first to respond was Star, her eyes narrowing. Se-Young set down the wooden chopsticks she had been holding and turned to her spirit.

“What is this?”

【It seems the tower has begun to fulfill its purpose. It’s using its powers.】

“What?”

【In other words… to explain this.】

-Gulp.

In this tense moment, despite the tower’s alterations, the ‘Hunter’ remained fixated on the Tteokbokki in the pot.

【A king has entered this place.】