Chapter 259

It was all Ber’s scheme.

From the moment Suho received Kamish’s wrath as a reward.

From the moment the dagger that was Sung Jin Woo’s main weapon was finally in Soo Ho’s hands.

[Keeeeeek!]

As if he had been waiting, Ber began to harass Eugene Ho. 2

[Dagger! It’s a dagger! Regardless of the means and methods, somehow find and collect the skills related to the dagger!]

However, Yoo Jin-ho, who was suddenly grabbed by the collar by

Ver, was no longer the brat who used to be intimidated by Ver.

-Leave it to me. I’ll try to figure it out.

Now, looking at Ber and his eyes with the confident eyes of an adult who could trust him more, he asked this question instead.

-So what were your brother’s skills?

Of course, things like the Ruler’s Power and Shadow Power would be impossible, but other skills could be learned as long as you had ‘Rune Stones’.

To begin with, Sung Jin-woo and Sung Su-ho are just irregulars.

It was a daily routine for all hunters on Earth to search for runestones.

There was no other way to become stronger than with rune stones.

Given this reality, it was only natural that the price of rune stones would skyrocket.

Depending on the value and rarity of the skill, it was literally worth it.

‘Skill: Difficulty’

This skill is a top-tier skill that only a few assassination hunters in the world have, and its value is a treasure of a much higher grade t

han ‘Skill: Stealth’.

And these things are not even released into the market in the first place.

This was because it was much more profitable for the hunter or guild leader who obtained the runestone to learn it directly rather than selling it.

But that doesn’t mean that learning any skill at once would be an

astronomical loss.

It is common sense that assassination skills are more efficient when learned by assassination hunters.

That’s why, when a rune stone is discovered, it is usually kept in the guild’s safe until the right person for that skill is found.

And Eugene Ho ended up raiding their safe and finding what he wanted. 1

No, I’m correcting that.

I squeezed until I found it.

-I told you, if you squeeze it, it’ll come out eventually.

The voice of Yoo Jin-ho, who had become more mature and vicious, is still vivid in my ears.

[… … You’ve grown up well.]

Ber laughed sinisterly, muttering words that had several meanings.

And then I looked ahead.

[Use ‘Skill: Difficulty’.] 2

Choke choke choke choke choke choke!

The two daggers of the guardian were mercilessly slashing at the

enemies.

The speed gradually increased, until it eventually became difficult

to keep up with the eyes.

Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo!

Black trails filled the field of vision.

Along that trajectory, the bodies of high elves were being cut down mercilessly.

[Can you see, Your Majesty?]

Ver’s voice faintly echoed before that sight.

“Kwaaak… … !”

It was just beautiful.

The screams of the high elves bursting out here and there echoed like an opera. 1

Kkwarung!

Pfft pfft pfft!

The thunderbolts that crashed down upon their heads were like t

he sound of angels’ trumpets.

Hwaruk! Kwak hwak! Hwaruruk!

The beautiful Elvenwood was instantly turned into a sea of fire wi

th the flames of destruction.

[?? Killed.]

[?? Killed.]

[?? Killed.]

[?? Killed.]

… … .

[‘Protection: Protection of Gluttony’ increases experience points.]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

… … All of these things came together to create a fierce battlefield that looked like a majestic requiem, and Ber burst into laughter.

[Hear me, Your Majesty!]

And then he cried out.

Hoping that his voice would reach Sung Jin-woo in outer space.

[Look! Your son is following in the exact same path you walked!] 4

To Ber, all these things were prayers and sacrifices to the king he served.

‘Skill: Difficulty’ was Ber’s intention to raise it for Seong Jin-woo,

not Seong Su-ho.

at that time.

Shudder.

For a moment, Ber’s antennae twitched, and his eyes glared at somewhere. 1

[… … found.]

It is only natural that battles occur during war.

However, it would be problematic if you were so focused on battle that you forgot your original purpose.

[Foreign press!] 3

A battle is a battle, and Ber hasn’t forgotten the reason why Suho came to this suspicious city in the first place.

The fundamental reason why the area was turned into a field-type dungeon.

As Elvenwood burned, the location of the energy that had been hidden by the forest and trees was finally captured by Ber’s senses.

[My Lord! I have found the gate! I can feel a total of three gates under the ground!]

There was someone who responded to Ber’s cry before Suho.

“How dare you!”

Fores gritted his teeth.

Then, he stretched out his arm, which had been cut in half by the

Guardian’s sword, and wrapped it around the neck of another high elf who was burning and screaming next to him.

Kkwaduk!

… … ?!

As if an apple had been plucked from a tree.

Fores, who lightly snapped the neck of his fellow tribesman and ripped out his head.

Then something amazing happened.

Swaaaah!

Through the throat of the high elf whose head had been torn off, the spirits inside burst out like a fountain.

Just like when you shake a cola and open the cap.

Numerous spirits burst out as if they were exploding, and began to swirl around Fores’s arms and body.

Crunch! Crunch!

Then, the other high elves who were fighting Suho also started to follow Fores.

He personally tore apart the corpses of his own kind, whose shells had been damaged beyond use by Suho’s attack, and sucked out the spirits inside them.

Grrrrrrrr!

Then, at an astonishing speed, the bodies of the high elves here

and there began to grow larger and swell.

It was as if it was a giant, old tree that resembled an elf.

“Three, my goodness… … !”

It was a sight that might at first glance seem beautiful, but at least not to the eyes of the elf Sirka.

It was so horrible it made me sick.

“It wasn’t just one! How many spirits could possibly be in one body!”

“Haha. Young elf. What are you so afraid of? Didn’t you know that

this is the kind of relationship we have with you elves anyway?”

Fores’ smile was strangely twisted as he looked down at Sirka’s terrified appearance and laughed heartily.

As a fellow elf, it gave me goosebumps.

‘That’s not an elf.’

He, or rather ‘they’ were something imitating an elf.

Now I understand.

In the first place, they probably didn’t need eyes.

Their bodies were already filled with countless eyes, peeking out

at the world outside.

It’s so full that even a small hole would cause it to pop out!

‘That’s a high elf?’

If such a horrible thing were a high elf, he would absolutely refuse.

Sirka shuddered as she remembered her own desire to become a high elf, even if only for a moment.

“Guardian! These guys are a horde of spirits! They’re much worse than the ice golems we saw in the Echo Forest…!”

“How dare you compare us to the likes of ice golems!”

Kuwaang!

“… … !”

Are you offended by Sirka’s words?

The giant palm of the enraged Fores tore through the wind and fell vertically from the sky.

bang-!

A hideous palm filled with the eyes of countless spirits struck Sirka as if it were catching an insect.

But fortunately, at that moment, two black shadow soldiers stood up in front of Sirka.

[… … Hmm. Is this it?]

[It’s easy.]

Grid and iron.

They stood side by side, armed with large shields and full body armor, blocking Fores’ palm.

Sirka’s eyes widened as she looked at that sturdy back.

For reference, Grid and Iron were the high priests and priestesses of the Foreign Church until recently.

In their eyes, the sight of the high elves being devoured by spirits seemed a little different.

[Still, it’s a bit novel to think of putting a foreign press slate in your eyes. Do you see something different when you do that?]

[Instead of losing your eyesight, maybe you can see the foreign appearance directly?]

Kwaaah!

Meanwhile, as the size of the forest grew, an enormous pressure weighed down the grid and iron.

“Sirka! Freeze it!”

Sirka suddenly came to her senses at the sound of Suho’s shout and displayed her ‘Blessing of the Cold’.

Whioo- damn it!

Then a bitterly cold blizzard blew in, freezing Fores’ hands and arms.

At that moment, Suho flew over the frost-covered arm and slashed down with his sword.

Crunch! Crunch!

As the blazing hot sword collided with the rapidly frozen tree, Fores’ arm was instantly broken.

[It’s no use!]

WHEEWHAAAAH!

At that moment, countless spirits burst out from the broken arm,

shouted in one voice, and attacked Suho’s body all at once.

Elvenwood, where the forest is burning and lightning strikes.

But despite that, there was still a reason for them to smile.

[we are!]

[Don’t die!] n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Swaaaah!

“Suho!”

Seeing Suho being devoured by countless spirits, Cha Hae-in, who was fighting with the trees, came running, shouting in an urgent manner.

[Your Majesty-!]

Berdo’s flagship flew towards Suho.

In the center of it all, the spirits whispered in unison in Suho’s ears.

[Hehehe. If you put a foreign news stone in your eye, you might be able to see foreign news?]

They were laughing at what Grid and Iron had said.

[Can’t you think of the opposite case?]

‘The opposite? No way?’

At those words, Suho realized an important fact.

“Surely, through your eyes, foreign media are seeing this side… 2

… .”

Swaaaah!

At that moment, the spirits scattered in all directions and attacked Suho.

Hurrah!

The crimson shadow that had been wrapping around Suho’s entire body repelled the men.

Then the spirits immediately changed direction and chose the next best option.

It’s Sirka.

A descendant of Shilad, the king of the Ice Elves.

[Young elf.]

[I’ll give you a chance.]

[Become one with us.]

“… … ?!”

Swaaaah!

Sirka’s pupils dilated.

Sirka’s body froze in front of all the strange things rushing towards her.

But then.

What came out of Suho’s mouth as he urgently reached out his h

and towards Sirka was not Sirka’s name.

“Silard!”

At that moment.

[‘Skill: Unknown’ is activated.]

Flash!

Suho’s spirit, who had barely managed to grab Sirka’s hand, fell downwards.

* * *

A distant darkness.

Or somewhere in the halo.

In the midst of the raging storm, the spirit of Suho was trapped.

But even as he was tossed around in the storm, Suho just closed his eyes peacefully.

[… … Long ago, the Ice Elf warriors who went into battle in the War of the Lords were always accompanied by the protection of the Ice Spirit.]

A voice was heard towards Suho.

[When a bow or any weapon is held in their hands, all their attacks are imbued with the ‘Curse of the Cold.’]

‘… … Shilad?’ 1

Soon, Suho realized the identity of the voice.

Ah, it worked.

This was the world of the King of the Snowmen, the Lord of the Cold.

[When we were hit by an arrow we shot, the area froze, and when we were cut by a swinging blade, no blood spurted out, and a cold, cruel chill penetrated the blood vessels in our bodies through the cut surface.]

But Suho still had his eyes closed.

The shield was not visible.

Only his calm voice was telling Soo-ho the old story. 1

[As the attacks piled up like that, the enemy would eventually slowly freeze to death. Everyone was afraid of us. … … However, this is only a story about elven warriors who use spirit magic. On the other hand, the elves who were eaten by spirits said it was a miserable

experience.]

Suho suddenly remembered.

If you are an elf possessed by spirits, haven’t you already fought them in the Ice Elf Sanctuary on Facade Island?

At the time, Essil said she clicked her tongue as soon as she saw them.

-What a sight. The snowmen were eaten by ice spirits? How weak were they in their lifetime?

Elves, who are experts at spirit magic, are not only not able to command spirits, but are instead having their souls eaten.

Isn’t this a truly absurd situation?

But now, things are very different from then.

Silad’s voice continued to be heard.

[At least here, the high elves of Elvenwood were not eaten by spirits because they were weak. Rather, they accepted the spirits by their own choice in order to become even stronger.]

‘… … .’

Suho, who was trapped in the storm, finally opened his eyes.

Beyond that, the figure of Silad was visible.

[Perhaps the guys’ original purpose was to accept the ‘primordial darkness’ rather than the spirit into their bodies. That way they could become monarchs. However, in order to do that, they would first have to find out where the primordial darkness is.]

The expression on Shilad’s face as he looked at the storm that had engulfed Suho was… … a little bitter.

No matter how I looked at it, this wasn’t normal spirit magic.

[Foreign correspondent? Putting such a suspicious object in their eyes. Even those fools would never do something like this. Clearly, some bastards must have tricked them into doing it.]

Whioo-

As Silad reached out, a pure white wind swirled and seeped into the storm that engulfed Suho.

And when Silad grabbed his hand again, the will of someone who had been swept up in the storm blossomed into a small ice flower.

Silad clicked his tongue as he looked at the shabby ice flower.

[It’s been a while, Fores. My stubborn friend.]

[… … .]

When no answer came, Silad’s expression slowly grew angry.

[Tell me. Who are the ones who raised you in this fishbowl?]