588

 [Chapter 158]

[Beyond Those Eyes (3)]

Rewinding time to the day when <Sword Empress> Hwang Jin-hee destroyed <Necromancer >'s legacy.

Why was the artifact used by Shin Do-rim there?

In the previous life.

The terrorist who used the remnants of the Mana Religion to resurrect the dead and half-destroyed the Yeongdeungpo area.

Eun-ha remembered the artifact used by <Underworld King> Shin Do-rim.

He couldn't help but remember.

The staff decorated with a crystal skull was quite eye-catching.

But the <Underworld King>'s artifact was actually <Necromancer >'s legacy.

<Madam > probably passed it to Shin Do-rim.

But how did <Madam > know there was <Necromancer >'s legacy in the library?

She wouldn't have accidentally entered a secret space with a sealed entrance.

What kind of relationship do <Madam > and <Underworld King> have?

And who is this <Necromancer > who was the source of <Underworld King>'s power?

<Madam >, <Underworld King>, <Necromancer >.

Eun-ha guessed these three people were connected in some way.

Therefore─.

"─What brings you here, Eun-ha."

"I have something I want to ask."

That day, Eun-ha sought out Hwang Jin-hee.

She, who was resting in the instructor's hall after finishing the purification ritual, didn't welcome Eun-ha standing at the door.

It was as if she was saying to just state his business.

She always maintained such an attitude towards Eun-ha.

"Speak."

"..."

Eun-ha was aware of why she treated him unfavorably.

It was simply that their personalities were different.

So he also inwardly felt uncomfortable with her.

Nevertheless, he looked straight into her eyes and─.

"─Please tell me about <Necromancer >."

"..."

<Necromancer >.

While mentioning that alias, Eun-ha tried to check her change in expression.

But she was also quietly looking into his eyes as if trying to grasp something.

"I heard you were acquainted with the owner of the artifact you destroyed today."

"If I had been acquainted with that guy, I wouldn't have destroyed those things. I only knew him professionally."

As if to say don't say that.

Hwang Jin-hee immediately frowned and answered.

Then she sneered.

"Looks like you've come to the wrong place. If you want to know about that guy, you should have gone to Baek Seo-jin. He would know more about <Necromancer >."

"That person... I don't even know his contact information."

"Hmm..., I guess you're not in contact with that guy."

Eun-ha spoke honestly.

To this, Hwang Jin-hee snorted.

She opened the door.

"─Come in. This isn't a conversation to have out here."

"Thank you."

That day, Eun-ha heard about a living myth forgotten by people.

<Magic King> Ban Ik-hyun.

The story of <Necromancer > who, in the end, couldn't control his own power and perished after violating taboos.

☆

Maybe it might be possible.

Eun-ha, who had been vaguely thinking, borrowed Buldak's power to make wings sprout from his back.

And he flew.

If this was possible, why didn't the crazy squid engage in aerial combat?

Because he was connected to Buldak through Pass.

Eun-ha didn't need to move the wings himself.

Buldak flapped the wings on its own.

So Eun-ha wondered why <Flame Demon> Kang Hyeon-cheol, who was Buldak's owner before the regression, didn't engage in aerial combat.

He soon found out the reason.

This... the control is tricky.

There were so many things to pay attention to.

Being able to read air currents to some extent was basic.

Of course, mana consumption was severe.

Even if he relied on Buldak for flight, Eun-ha had to constantly imagine the sensation of moving his shoulder blades.

Of course, for humans born to stand on two feet, it wasn't natural to move wings sprouting from their shoulder blades.

It wasn't adapted.

...I feel uneasy because my feet aren't touching the ground. And how do I swing a sword when my feet aren't on the ground?

It was difficult to maintain balance.

Focusing on his shoulder blades while constantly floating in the sky was just uncomfortable.

In the end, the joy of the first flight was short-lived.

Eun-ha decided to focus on chasing <Madam > to end the flight quickly.

The fortunate thing was─.

─Thanks to the Goblin Lamp.

Thanks to it, I don't have to struggle so much to catch <Madam >.

Artifact Goblin Lamp.

The artifact currently being used by Twenty-five had the effect of deploying a barrier magic made of fog in the area.

Beings trapped in the fog would get lost and wander around the area unable to get out of the fog.

So <Madam > ended up being caught by the Goblin Lamp.

But even so, as long as she was a Ma-in, she would eventually break through the magic.

I have to catch her before that.

So Eun-ha flew through the sky, leaving Twenty-five behind.

Eun-ha also got lost in the Goblin Lamp's effect.

In other words, no matter where he flew, he would get lost and return to a certain place.

Eun-ha used this to aim for <Madam >'s back.

Prominence Lance

Using Buldak's power for a single point breakthrough.

Flames rose from the edge of the coldly blooming winter facing forward.

The flames swirling in the wind soon enveloped the entire sword and Eun-ha.

It created a single giant spear by itself.

Thus─.

"──!!"

Eun-ha pierced <Madam >'s left shoulder joint as she was flying defenseless.

Whoosh!

For a moment, flames raged.

As she fell to the ground after losing one wing.

The flames gradually took away her other wing as well.

─Thud!

Pierced by the giant spear.

The demon who lost her wings fell.

Like a bug crushed on the ground.

She trembled her arm that emerged from the pile of concrete.

"Ah.... Aah...."

<Madam > letting out short groans.

Gradually, the flames attached to the sword piercing her back disappeared into embers.

But Eun-ha, stepping on her back, gripped Winter Blooming Coldly in his hand─.

─These guys shouldn't be underestimated. We must attack whenever we can attack.

Until he could stab.

Eun-ha pushed Winter Blooming Coldly into the ground with all his might.

At the same time, he imbued mana into the blade and revived the dying flames.

"─Kyaaaaaaah!!"

<Madam > screamed but.

In the world trapped in fog, no one turned their heads at her scream.

☆

─What kind of Ma-in is this weak?

Though he took advantage of <Madam >'s carelessness.

Eun-ha, who subdued <Madam > relatively easily, couldn't hide his disappointment.

She can't be compared to the Nine Demons.

They weren't this weak.

Even Belphegor, who hadn't fully reached Ma-in status, wasn't this weak.

In the end, <Madam > was ambiguous to treat as one of the Nine Demons.

Also─.

─Have I gotten a bit stronger too?

Last year, after being injured in battle with Belphegor and hospitalized.

Eun-ha had been unconsciously feeling that he had become stronger than before.

Not only had his internal mana amount increased, but his mana efficiency seemed to have increased a bit too.

As if destroyed muscles grow anew and become firmer.

My mana circuits have expanded more than before.

Is it because of the gift?

There had been similar incidents before.

Then too, Eun-ha activated his gift and overworked his body.

And after his body was healed, he realized he had become stronger than before.

...Come to think of it, it wasn't just once or twice. Even before the regression, I would get somewhat stronger after overworking my body using <Berserk >.

Still, it couldn't match <Unknown >'s recovery and enhancement abilities.

Originally, <Berserk > was a gift that made one go crazy as they fought, gradually adapting to enemies' attacks and making the body respond to attacks on its own.

Though it had the drawback of eventually going crazy to the point of not distinguishing surroundings.

The ability to learn and cope with combat couldn't be reproduced with <Unknown >.

Could we say <Berserk > specialized in combat ability, and <Unknown > specialized in physical enhancement?

So maybe the body becomes stronger after using <Unknown > than after using <Berserk >....

I don't know.

Without comparison cases, I don't know what kind of gift I have.

Soon Eun-ha gave up thinking and turned his gaze to <Madam >.

By then, Twenty-five was already using binding magic on <Madam >.

"─I've bound her with magic in double and triple layers as you said, Master."

"Thank you, well done."

<Madam >'s condition was terrible.

Her wings were almost completely burned away.

Only very small scorched wings were sprouting on her back.

Nevertheless, the Ma-in's vitality was amazing.

Her wings were showing signs of slowly recovering.

─Mana Crusher

Eun-ha cut off the roots of her wings in one go.

Then <Madam > screamed at the sensation of her wings being uprooted.

"You..., you're... not even human...!"

"To deal with a Ma-in, shouldn't I become a demon like you?"

<Madam > shouted in anger but.

Eun-ha didn't waver.

He just looked down at her kneeling on the ground.

"Tch..."

Caught in Twenty-five's binding magic, she couldn't move from her spot.

So all she could do was look up at Eun-ha and spew curses.

Eun-ha kept looking at her still defying him and─.

"─Will you just talk, or should I make you spill it?"

"..."

"I understand very well that your power is stronger than I thought. But do you think you can face us with that?"

"..."

Us.

He had expected to some extent.

Eun-ha could infer that the being behind <Madam > Bebe had considerable influence and was large enough to form a force.

And perhaps─.

─There might be more Ma-in like <Madam >.

They might have amassed power beyond what he imagined.

Eun-ha could guess from her confident proposal.

"We are fully willing to accept you. So why don't you stop making such a scary face and release noona?"

<Madam > smiling gently.

The fact that she could smile gently even in this situation meant her forces were that strong.

She held out her hand.

He silently looked at that hand.

"..."

"Yes, that's it. If you just release me, I'll put in a good word with that person."

"That person... Come to think of it, it appeared in Dr. Deus' diary too..."

"...!"

"It seems that person you mentioned is behind you after all?"

He gained another piece of information.

Eun-ha muttered indifferently while maintaining eye contact with <Madam >.

Her face, which had been smiling with satisfaction thinking he had accepted her proposal, froze for a moment.

Soon her eyes sparkled.

"─So you're the one who eliminated the New Humanity Project. As expected..."

"..."

"That person was very angry. But since it's already in the past..., yes, I can speak well about that too."

"Not needed."

"What are you..."

Eun-ha reached out his hand.

That hand wasn't towards <Madam >'s hand.

It was towards her face.

She made a flustered expression with her face half-covered by his hand.

To this, Eun-ha─.

"─I made you like this, and you think you'll speak well of me?"

"..."

"I never intended to let you speak comfortably from the start. How can I trust someone who works in the darkness?"

"You, what are you trying to do now...!!"

Stygian Eye

Eun-ha had intended to brainwash her and make her spill information from the start.

He just wanted to hear what she would say when cornered.

Thanks to that, there was some gain.

The existence of 'that person' was mentioned.

Finally, a clue to 'that person' hidden behind the veil was found.

"Dr. Deus is one thing... I wonder if magic that destroys the mental body would work even on you, a Ma-in."

Within the forces she spoke of.

<Madam >'s position was unknown.

But it wouldn't be as low as Dr. Deus at least.

"Aah..."

She tried desperately to resist after seeing Eun-ha's eyes.

But <Madam >, sealed by binding magic, couldn't withstand the continuous brainwashing magic.

Thus, finally─.

"─Aaaah..."

"Name."

"Bebebebebebebebebebe..."

"Not that, your real name."

"...I can't remember... It's been too... long, I don't know."

He succeeded in dominating <Madam >'s mind.

Even if there was interference like with Dr. Deus.

Twenty-five was nearby, so he could deal with it somehow.

Eun-ha decided to break down her wariness and gradually ask questions step by step to finally reach the keyword 'that person'.

"Then age."

"My public age is..."

"Not that, your real age."

"2000..., 6..."

"Born in 2006?"

"Yes."

"How old are you..."

But it was ridiculous from the start.

<Madam > was in a state where she couldn't remember her real name.

The age she stated didn't match her appearance at all.

7 years from <End of Century Destruction>.

So calculating her age would be roughly─.

"─Late 50s to 60s?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Is the magic not fully working..."

Eun-ha frowned.

For a moment, he had such a thought.

But the magic was working sufficiently.

It was possible considering that players who could handle mana tended to age relatively slowly.

But even so─.

─She's too young?

He had heard from Choi Eun-hyuk that <Sword Empress> Hwang Jin-hee also maintained her appearance using magic.

But <Madam > didn't seem to be using any magic.

Is it because she's a Ma-in?

Or... Is it because she's someone who works in the darkness? She might be lying in response, knowing how to deal with this situation.

The reliability of the information is questionable.

Eun-ha frowned.

Then he tried to distinguish truth from lies by asking other questions.

But most of it seemed to be true.

<Madam >'s life story was very realistic.

Anyway, he had been approaching superficially, but now he decided to dig deep inside.

"Who exactly is 'that person'?"

"That person is..."

"..."

"That persooooon..."

Finally, upon hearing the keyword 'that person'.

She showed an abnormal reaction.

Her body shook violently.

It was similar to the reaction Dr. Deus had shown before.

"─Twenty-five."

Eun-ha, who grasped this, quickly called Twenty-five.

Twenty-five, who was on standby, placed his hand on <Madam >'s head and cast magic.

But Twenty-five clicked his tongue and─.

"─Master, this isn't that kind of magic?"

"What? Then what is it?"

"It's not trying to collapse her mind, but it seems like someone is trying to control her remotely?"

"...!"

Twenty-five panicking.

<Madam > started convulsing.

Eun-ha immediately spoke up.

"Stop it, quickly!"

"I'm doing it now!"

It was an unexpected situation.

Twenty-five desperately tried to control her as she trembled violently.

Nevertheless─.

"─H-how is this possible!? She should be cut off from the outside world, so control should be impossible...!!"

"Ah...aaaah...aaaah...ah...."

Twenty-five's magic didn't work.

Finally, like a marionette with its strings cut.

<Madam > stopped convulsing and went limp.

And a moment later─.

"─Hmm...."

As if she had regained consciousness, she moved her body.

She lifted her eyelids.

Then, discovering Eun-ha looking down at her, she opened her mouth.

"─I wondered who was tormenting this child, and here's a little brat..."

""..."

"Yes, little one. Was this your doing?"

Grumbling.

As if imitating an old person's voice.

<Madam > cackled.