Chapter 660. The shadow sapling without an owner (1)
The palace of Azathoth was full of extraordinary things, but among them, the most alien and dangerous is the ‘Shadow sapling without an owner’.
A kind of sleeping pill that can put Azathoth to sleep with absurd power. At the same time, a raw material that supplies powerful magic power to primeval beings.
That was the power of seedlings.
But…
the real danger of these seedlings is that the surroundings of the seedlings become contaminated rapidly.
It’s not just about destroying the land or nature,
it’s about being able to corrupt people, animals, or… ‘upper divine beasts and deities.’
A shadow fell over Jinhyuk’s face.
If what they were saying was true, it meant that this canyon would soon be within the influence of the saplings.
It would be impossible to withstand unless the resistance to mental abilities was abnormally excellent.
“It’s fun.”
It’s definitely a dangerous situation. But at the same time, it was also an opportunity to secure seedlings that are not easily seen.
“Return our king, who has always been wise and benevolent. Please.”
“Now I have no one to trust and rely on. Except for you.”
“that’s right.”
Spirit beasts huddled around Jinhyeok. It felt pretty cute to see the whining of the little ones with a subtly different appearance from the existing Spirit Special Forces.
“okay. First of all, I’ll bring my kids too, so can you give us some shelter from the night dew? I’m fine, but I’m worried that the spirit beasts and the girls might catch a cold.”
Jinhyeok looked at a place a little away with pitiful eyes.
Elise and Behemoth were trembling there.
The Undine in his arms was also trembling violently. The gnome was barely sheltering from the wind and rain with a small mound of dirt.
“huh! A little further from here is our village.”
Salamander gladly invited you to the village.
[Affinity with the spirits increases by +10!]
Usually, an invitation to one’s home is a typical way to express intimacy.
It was the moment when he made the bed as simple as possible without intentionally turning on a stove.
‘I was going to use all my camping gear when I went to sleep after my night shift, but I’m glad I did. Because the timing is right.’
Jinhyeok once again praised himself for his perfection.
***
After a while, the party of the deceased person corporation woke up and arrived at the village inhabited by spirit beasts.
A spirit that does not easily reveal itself to humans.
The village where hundreds and thousands of such rare beings of nature were gathered really gave me a great shock.
It was because the spirits of the five elements as well as various divine and phantom beasts were living in harmony.
“I can’t believe there is a place like this…”
Pesis looked around with the most surprised face.
I explored every nook and cranny of the canyon for two months, but I couldn’t find a village inhabited by spirits on such a large scale.
No, I never even guessed that something like this would exist.
‘What is he really doing?’
The pupils of Pesis looking at Jinhyeok trembled slightly.
To spend a lifetime exploring hidden areas and be the first to reach the end for the honor. I gave everything for just that one thing.
He boasted that he had talent, hard work, and even passion… but Jinhyeok in front of him far surpassed that.
Isn’t Jinhyeok a combat type specialized in combat rather than exploration?
‘Ever since I first met him in the Empire, I knew he wasn’t an ordinary person… but the more I got to know him, the more amazing he is.’
And because a player of such great talent was with him, he was able to come to the village of spirit beasts.
Naturally, gratitude and respect spring up.
Chun Yoo-seong and Alice also looked at the spirit beasts with a mixture of wariness and curiosity with interesting faces.
Right then.
“Ukura you stupid fire lizard! Why did you bring humans to our sacred village!”
An elderly spirit-soo who looked like an elder came running, brandishing a staff.
It was a light spirit whose head was half naked.
Then, the chubby salamander who had been guiding the road a while ago hid behind Jinhyeok in surprise.
“Don’t just hit me, listen to me. This human is also friendly with the spirits!”
“what?”
The elder, who was about to blow the pot with his staff, hesitated.
Ukura let out a small sigh of relief and puffed out his shoulders.
“Did you see it? It’s not that I’m stupid…”
Scream!
“Quaaaaa!”
Ukura rolled over on the spot while holding her head.
“What does it mean to be friends with spirit beasts? How do you know if Lee Ja enslaves those spirit beasts, pampering them whenever necessary, and keeping them locked up like slaves at other times? I know because I’ve lived a long time, but this contemplative person eats everything around him except for himself and eats sweet water straight out… He has a face that looks like a demon king.”
The elder’s cane was directed at Jinhyeok.
Hmm.
Oddly insightful.
I stabbed the truth so accurately that I was at a loss for words for a moment. Even the opportunity to make an excuse disappeared as everyone next to him nodded in agreement.
If so…
“I’m not just going to stay for free. I know a way to purify the sapling’s curse, so how would the story be different?”
Now I have no choice but to go straight ahead.
At Jinhyeok’s words, the tumultuous surroundings became quiet as if cold water had been poured on them.
for a while too. The elder raised his voice once more.
“It is a lie! There’s no way that’s possible!”
“okay. By what means…!”
“How can you purify the curse if you haven’t even seen the King of Spirits?”
Even if you say it one hundred days, it is useless.
Jinhyeok activated a skill instead of words.
When ‘Tail of Plague’ was activated, ominous purple magic flowed out. At the same time, the power of ‘Seraphim’ was manifested on the other side.
Whoops!
When light and darkness collided, a gray reaction occurred in the middle.
I wasn’t sure, but there was some kind of neutralization going on.
“I can’t believe it…”
The elder’s mouth fell open.
The eyes were so startled that they looked like they would pop out at any moment.
“This is just a taster, but the energy from the real seedlings will be much stronger and more extensive. Of course, it won’t be easy for me to purify myself. So… I have to find one item.”
“A shard of light?”
“Did you know?”
“It’s something we’ve been looking for for months, too, for purification. Of course, I haven’t had any success yet.”
fragments of light.
Only the ore containing the purest light was given the right to earn the name ‘Fragment of Light’.
So far, I have tried to become a fragment of light with many gems, including diamonds and meteorites, but no item that has obtained that qualification has ever been released.
Even though the spirits tried hard, they failed.
“We will find it.”
“Even those of us who have lived in this canyon for so long couldn’t find it. An outsider who appeared out of nowhere… can a human scumbag find that too?”
This old man has been ignoring people ever since.
No matter how much it is a race that has lived in a canyon and cut off from the world, racial discrimination was embedded in each and every DNA.
If it weren’t for the condition of raising intimacy, I would have plucked out all the precious little hairs left.
Jinhyuk tried to calm his itchy fingers.
“Then shall we make a bet? By granting any wish to whoever finds the light shard first in the next 48 hours? Oh, if you’re scared, of course you can say you can’t do it right now.”
“…you’ll regret that? We’re also picking out one or two places with high potential.”
“Then I accept it as a bet.”
When a confrontation is about to be concluded between the two races.
“Wait, that wish ticket. Does that apply to us too?”
Chun Yoo-seong, who was next to him, intervened.
Two glowing eyes.
It seems that this leech’s confidence has pierced the sky just because he got a new weapon. My skin was stinging from the heat of trying to attack him right away.
“Haha, my wish came true. This time, I will be of some help.”
Pesis also clenched her fists.
“Right of wish. Yeah… not bad.”
“If I find it, will you set me free?”
Frey and Behemoth’s eyes twinkled in different ways.
Lastly…
“The Contractor… Right of Wish?”
Alice’s expression, which had been consistent with a sullen attitude, changed 180 degrees.
Cuckoo Cuckoo!
A terrifying madness welled up.
The pupils that had half lost their reason were filled only with tenacity for the product.
[‘Treasury of True Ancestors’ is now open!]
“Which side is the fragment or Nabal buried?”
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a mountain, a field, or a canyon.
If you annihilate the area itself, the fragments inside will pop out.
If that didn’t work, I thought I’d get what I wanted without fail even if I overturned the stairs itself.
“…Something’s wrong.”
The elder realized a little too late that things were taking a strange turn. He recognized that if he made a mistake, his old home could disappear.
But it’s already too late.
The die was cast. Now the situation has arrived where you need to secure the fragments whether you are killed or eaten.
“start.”
The search for hidden fragments began with Jinhyeok’s laughter.
* * *
[You have entered ‘Yodleam Gorge’.]
The gate opened and a number of people appeared.
Sharply trained mana and body.
The spirit of the hunter, which had been built up through the battles before and after the birth, came out without filtering.
“You’ve come to all sorts of strange places.”
“I know. I can’t imagine coming back to such a halfway floor when I’m distracted by the attack on the second half of the 30th floor.”
“You understand. Since they are less skilled, they must be trying to eat bean curd here.”
“Do it. Stair attack isn’t something anyone can do. Besides, this gorge is a ruin where it has been concluded that there is no reward or quest.”
A man and a woman holding various weapons spoke one word at a time.
Unlike battlegrounds where you have to risk your life, most of the early 30th floor has been cleared. The relationship with the residents was well established, and there was no reason to be very wary, except for a few labyrinths and ruins.
“Can we just secure the target right away?”
“Among them, there are those whose identities have not been identified. There would be no reason to approach the client hastily, pushed back by his temper.”
The bossy man carefully scanned his target’s profile.
‘Jack Eden’.
He led a small mercenary unit, ‘Swing Bat’, and handled tasks that were considered impossible.
Among them, there were impregnable ruins, as well as S-class players who used to commit massacres.
A whopping 100% success rate.
It was possible because I believed in the intuition and instincts accumulated on the field rather than a tight-knit strategy. This time, of course, I intended to accomplish that goal.
however.
‘Strange.’
His name is Kang Jin-hyeok.
I’m sure this was the first time I’d heard the name, but somehow it wasn’t unfamiliar.
At the same time as I instinctively felt a strong sense of rejection, I had no idea how to approach it.
This is by far the first time something like this has happened since the beginning.
“I didn’t know Eden could be so cautious. Or was the reputation too exaggerated?”
“What’s so great about hunting down a few kids and university students, you’re so cautious. Make it look frightened.”
“If you are uneasy, leave it to us.”
The rankers that Seo Jeong-hee had assigned to her were killing it.
“These bastards tell the captain…”
“Where are you talking nonsense about being scared!”
The mercenaries belonging to the Swing Bat growled.
As the atmosphere began to escalate, Eden slowly opened his mouth.
“Don’t forget that I have the right to command.”
A life submerged in serenity.
As sharp needle-like magical powers were released, those who were killing them hesitated and retreated back.
“Sheesh!”
“It’s bloody.”
Not 1:1. Even without fighting, I could tell with my body.
But even so, he had no intention of following Eden’s orders.
Seo Jeong-hee promised.
Whoever captures Kang Jin-hyeok and Cheon Yoo-seong, who are the top targets, will be given 30 million dollars in cash, 10 million coins, and a holy relic of their choice.
With that amount of bounty, even if you change your name, you will be able to change it 10 more times.
