Chapter 543
Runaan raised her gaze and swallowed dry saliva.
“This is…”
It is a room as dark as a moonless night.
No, this is not a room. It was a space so large that it was difficult to see at a glance, and the entire place was immersed in darkness.
In the wave-like darkness, a strong smell of blood flowed that was so strong that it sent shivers down my spine. My fingertips trembled from an unknown fear.
“Uh…”
Runaan bit her lip and turned around. Unlike the darkness lurking in front, I saw a blue space that gave a clear feeling.
There was a small house that seemed to be made of ice, and inside it were lined up dolls that looked like they were made of ice cream.
You can find out at a glance. Dolls representing the father, mother, Raon, and Gwangpungdae were standing there, revealing their individual personalities.
Lastly, my sword, Seolhwa, was floating in the air. It was a land that warmed my heart just by looking at it, unlike when I was facing the darkness.
“Come on.”
When Runaan stretched out his arm, the snowflake slowly sank and was caught in his grasp.
‘What on earth is this place?’
I had no idea why I was here or where I was.
I just instinctively knew not to approach the darkness.
“While eating with mom and dad… ugh!”
Runaan let out a low moan while stroking the snowflake. Previous memories came back, along with a headache that felt like someone was crushing my head.
‘pitching!’
that’s right. I wore Baphomet’s helmet.
It reminded me of Syria forcing Baphomet’s helmet on. Then there is only one answer. That dark space was clearly Baphomet’s domain inside the helmet.
Coooooo!
As Runaan grasped the Snowflake sword with trembling hands, a harsh sound arose in the darkness.
Coo coo coo coo!
The black earth cracked and something rose out of the deep darkness.
Kiiiiii!
It stood on the ground with a goat’s hooves, its waist was thin and straight like a human’s, and something like a child’s cry came from its head, which had long spiral horns.
Hwaaaaa!
Baphomet raised his gaze. A black flame burns in the oval-shaped eyes that rise upward.
“Ugh….”
Runaan pressed her chest with her left hand and her chin trembled. I just made eye contact with Baphomet, but I felt sick as if I had suffered an internal injury. It was an incredible momentum.
Wooooow!
Baphomet approaches, oppressing the darkness. Long strides. It seemed like I would reach this place without walking too far.
“Ah…”
Runaan took a step back, her lips trembling. Baphomet appears increasingly larger. I felt like I couldn’t win no matter what I did.
I knew it was a strong monster, but I had no idea it would be this overwhelmingly different.
‘What should I do…’
Uuuuuuung!
As Runan’s lips began to turn blue, the story gave off a clear sword. It was a serious sound that erased fear and awakened spirit.
Jeeeeee!
Seolhwa trembled with his blade as if telling him to go into the ice house behind him.
“Go to that house?”
Wooooow!
As if that were true, the story resonated even louder.
“okay.”
Runaan nodded and struck his thigh with his fist. I forced my body, which had become frozen due to the force of Baphomet, to move and entered the ice house.
‘It’s warm.’
Although the house was made of ice, the inside was warm and comfortable as if a fire had been lit.
But there was no time to enjoy that comfort.
Whoops!
Baphomet was approaching the ice house, showing strange energy waves.
As its hooves stepped on the green ground, darkness began to seep into my space, as if black paint had fallen on white paper.
“There is no point in hiding.”
Human language flowed from Baphomet’s mouth. His voice trembled slightly, as if a goat was speaking.
“The more you resist, the more painful it becomes.”
Its body grew to the size of the darkness and eventually swelled as if it could reach the sky.
“good night. “I will trample you like a bug.”
Baphomet lifted his leg. He hit the ice house with his house-sized foot.
“no. no way!”
Runaan held onto the snowflake tightly and shouted that it should never collapse.
Wow!
The moment Baphomet’s leg hit the ice house, I felt a strong impact as if the inside of my head had been hit with a hammer.
“Ahh…”
I fell to my knees without realizing it because of the pain that felt like my brain was being ripped out.
“If you come out now, I will kill you painlessly.”
Baphomet nodded while holding a dark red whip.
“I hate poetry.”
Runaan shook his head. The moment you leave this house, your body will be eaten by Baphomet. You have to endure until the end.
“Stupid.”
Baphomet furrowed his brows and struck down the whip that was behind his shoulder.
Paaaaaaaa!
A whip fell on the ice house, and a shock that felt as if the earth was being twisted swept over my son-in-law.
“Aaaah!”
Runaan let out a tearing scream and fell down.
An immense pain ate away at my brain, as if I had been whipped myself rather than an ice house. It hurt so much that I wanted to rip my flesh off.
‘I understand now….’
This house is my spirit and the dolls in it are the people I cherish.
Now I was waging war with Baphomet over my own body and values that should never be taken away.
“Come out.”
“Ugh…”
Runaan stood up, relying on the folktale.
‘Absolutely not.’
I have work to do.
He must cut off Syria’s head, save his mother and father, and repay the debt he owed to Raon.
Lastly, I wanted to spend more time with Gwangpungdae, so I couldn’t collapse here.
I got up from my pain-ravaged body with the intention of holding on even if I had to die.
“You’re so stupid.”
Baphomet laughs and strikes his whip repeatedly. Whiplash falling like a shower, pounded mercilessly on the ice house.
Kwagwagwagwagwang!
Every time the whip hit the ice house, I felt pain as if my bones and flesh were exploding.
“Keuuuuuuu!”
The pain is so severe that my hands and feet cramp and my head feels dizzy. I felt like I wanted to go out and die.
“It’s too late to regret it. “I just got excited.”
Baphomet seemed to enjoy Runaan’s screams and even used magic as he struck down his whip, which was wrapped in a stronger spirit.
Coo coo coo coo!
The whip felt like cutting flesh with a heated knife, and the magic felt like piercing vital points with a cold awl.
As the pain overlapped, my current body, which was my soul, split apart and blood began to flow.
“Ah…”
Runaan looked up at the ceiling of the ice house with a pale face. Cracks, big and small, were sprouting in the once strong house.
‘It’s because of me.’
It was clear that cracks were forming in the ice house as my mind was collapsing from the pain.
‘I have to endure it…’
I knew I had to endure it, but I couldn’t find an answer to how long I had to endure it and how to overcome that monster.
Runaan pursed his lips and raised his head. The entire space was immersed in the darkness of Baphomet, and even this ice house was on the verge of breaking. I thought everything was over.
‘Still holding on…ah!’
When I decided to hold on once again, Baphomet’s sharply sharpened whip struck the center of the ice house.
Kwaaaaaaaa!
The ceiling collapsed as the ice broke, forming deep cracks.
“I can see it now.”
Baphomet poked his eyeballs through the hole in the ceiling and let out an eerie laugh. The guy extended his finger into the ice house.
“It is over.”
“Ah…”
Runaan knelt down as he watched Baphomet’s finger getting closer.
I wanted to endure until the end, but it was impossible to hold on as the ice house collapsed. My spirit crumbled and the ice that held my home melted.
Coo coo coo coo!
Baphomet’s giant fingers approached, completely collapsing the ceiling of the ice house.
“Sorry.”
Runaan turned around. I closed my eyes while hugging the cute dolls.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
The moment I thought about death and bit my lip, Raon’s sonorous voice was heard from the doll.
“You held on well. Runaan.”
“uh?”
When I opened my eyes, the doll Raon was holding jumped into the sky.
Sigh!
Raon’s doll pulled out a toy-like sword and cut off Baphomet’s finger as it broke through the ice house.
“Kwaaaaaak!”
Baphomet’s fingers, thicker than the pillars of the castle, split apart and he took a step back.
“let’s fight.”
Raon’s doll landed on the floor and turned around. He nodded with confident eyes like the real Raon.
“I can win.”
* * *
Raon turned his gaze away from the embarrassed Runan and looked at his own hands.
It had two fingers, like mittens, and its arms and legs were short. It was literally a doll made of ice cream.
‘It’s probably because I entered Runaan’s mind.’
Since this was Runaan’s mental world, it seemed like she had changed into the image she had left here.
-Uhehehehe!
Lars looked in this direction and pointed a round finger.
-It really suits you, you dirty bastard! It would be great if it was like that in real life!
The guy seemed genuinely happy and burst out laughing, ignoring the serious situation.
‘Just look at yourself and laugh.’
Raon shook his head. Ras did not exist in Runaan’s mind at all, so he was floating in the air like a pea-sized piece of cotton candy.
To be honest, it wasn’t strange to see it as dust.
-Huh?
Lars blinked as he looked at his own body.
-What is this?! Why did the main king become so small?
The guy jumped up and said not to ignore the Lord of Wrath, but he was no better than a flea.
-No, this is not important right now! Ice cream girl!
Lars flew to Runaan and waggled his tail.
-Don’t worry! From now on, this king will help you!
“Am I really Raon?”
Runaan ignored Ras and approached Raon.
“okay.”
Raon nodded in a calm tone.
Runaan bit her lip and clenched her fists. Water as clear as dew rose over her blurry eyes.
“You held up really well.”
Raon tapped Runan’s shoe and smiled. It’s not just something you say.
It’s amazing that Runaan, who hasn’t yet fully opened her mind, has survived so far. I was truly impressed.
-After all, he is the king’s subordinate! I am proud of you!
Lars said well done and patted Runaan on the shoulder.
“But what is this?”
Runaan raised his finger and pointed at Ras. She tilted her head as if she couldn’t hear Lars.
“….”
Raon looked at Lars blankly and shook his head.
“I don’t know either. “I think it’s the dust that came with it?”
-Yaaaa! Explain it properly!
Lars wrung his hands and screamed.
“Anyway, it’s not the dust that matters now.”
Raon pushed away the screaming Ras and looked at Runaan. The height difference was so great that it took a while to even look at them.
“We can’t get out of here unless we kill that Baphomet.”
“huh. Then together…”
“No, you have to catch it.”
Raon shook his head.
“My me?”
“This is your mental world. You are the host and I am the guest. “You are the only one who can reliably kill that monster.”
“Ah…”
Runaan’s lips trembled as she watched Baphomet slowly rise up. An expression crushed by fear. It looked like he had been hit hard before I came.
“I don’t know how to overcome that…”
“It’s okay.”
Raon kicked off the ground and stood on Runan’s shoulder. He smiled, giving her the energy of a cartoonist.
“Like I said, this is your world. “It is a place where mental strength is more important than auror and physical martial arts.”
“Yes…”
“If you have overcome Syria’s brainwashing on your own, you can easily win.”
It’s not a lie. That Baphomet was clearly a strong entity, but Runaan’s mental power was no less than that.
If I had my back and a little help, I could have won.
“really?”
-That’s right! It’s that big, but it’s empty inside! Mint chocolate ice cream without mint!
“It’s big, but it’s empty inside. “It’s mint chocolate ice cream without mint.”
Raon encouraged Runaan by reciting Ras’ words exactly.
“after.”
Runaan’s mouth rose. She gave a small smile and clutched the snowflake tightly.
“okay. “I will believe it.”
“Then let’s go out.”
“huh.”
Runaan nodded, opened the door of the broken ice house, and went out.
-Yaaaa!
Lars approached Raon and screamed.
-That’s what the King said! Think about copyright!
‘What matters is who did it. ‘It’s important that Runaan gained courage.’
-Keueuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
.
“dare!”
After Baphomet regenerated his hands, his body grew larger. It seemed as if this world itself had been eaten by Baphomet.
“Ugh…”
Runaan let out a low groan as if he was being crushed by the power of Baphomet, who dominates the darkness.
-Things that don’t really matter in nature only swell in size. Think of it as cookie-and-cake without the cookies!
“Runan. People who don’t have anything to do just inflate their size like that. “It’s cookie-less cookie-cutter.”
-Don’t copy me!
Lars screamed as if he was going to kill me and grabbed my collar.
“okay.”
Runaan nodded with blinded eyes as if she had overcome her fear at those words.
“I’ll trample you!”
Baphomet raised his huge foot and struck Runaan.
“Runan!”
“huh.”
Runaan kicked the black ground. The light yet mysterious walking technique pushed away the sticky darkness and added wings to her back.
Wow!
Baphomet’s huge feet only broke the empty ground.
Boom!
Runaan stepped on the cracked ground and moved to the left side of Baphomet.
“Think of the strongest warrior you’ve ever seen. Or you can think about a future where you become stronger.”
Raon comforted Runaan’s spirit by giving her advice on images that she had personally realized.
“That is fixed.”
Runaan answered firmly and stepped forward with his left foot. As if running along the ground, he quickly approached Baphomet and struck down a fierce sword strike.
Sssssssssssssshhhh!
The energy of frost that bloomed from the blade of the fairy tale surged endlessly and split Baphomet’s ankles.
“Kaaaaaa!”
Baphomet’s ankle was torn, and darkness, not blood, flowed from inside.
‘The movement now…’
The footwork was like Taehwabo and the swordsmanship was like watching a cartoon ball.
‘Is it me?’
Now Runaan seemed to be painting me with the image of a strong warrior.
‘Why on earth…’
There are countless warriors stronger than me, so I don’t know why they thought of me.
I wanted to ask why, but I didn’t want to take away Runaan’s concentration, so I just cheered her on.
“You’re doing great! A little faster, a little stronger!”
“huh.”
Runaan dodged Baphomet’s whip with his fierce eyes that seemed to have returned to normal and cut off his shin.
Coo coo coo coo!
Baphomet could not withstand the impact and fell backwards.
“Now.”
Runaan nodded and extended a frost sword strike towards Baphomet’s heart. The blade of cold energy rose like a spire and fell in a semicircle.
“go away!”
When Baphomet exploded, a powerful wave spread and Runaan was pushed back.
Wooooow!
Baphomet’s size decreases rapidly. It returned to its original appearance and wrinkled its entire face. He seemed very angry.
“I will kill you!”
Baphomet gritted his teeth and struck down his whip. The power of the whip was reduced, but its speed was faster than before, and the fierce martial arts techniques were imbued with it.
“It contains the secrets of pleasure, change, and happiness. “If you look carefully at the end of the whip, you can avoid it.”
“okay.”
Runaan nodded and dug into the whip filled with speculation. He approached Baphomet with a rain-like trajectory of whips.
“I won’t suffer anymore!”
Baphomet stepped back, as if he thought Runaan’s sword was dangerous. They poured out whips and magic one after another, making it completely impossible to approach.
Coo coo coo coo!
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the space where magic and speculation were fluctuating.
‘If things continue like this, Runaan is at a disadvantage.’
Runaan spent most of her mental power protecting the ice house. If time drags, her concentration will first drop.
‘Then it would be right to help in another way.’
Raon covered his mouth with his outstretched hand and gave strength to his stomach.
“There is no use struggling like that to get out! “Because your partner is already dead!”
Raon raised his voice and said that Syria outside was already dead.
If I think about the case of the Dragonian I met before, the monster inside the helmet and the Ghost of Eden outside were able to communicate to some extent. It will definitely work.
“Don’t lie!”
Baphomet struck his whip more harshly, as if to stop his nonsense. The snake-like curve of speculation tore the floor mercilessly.
“Ugh…”
Runaan was doing her best to walk, but the gaps were disappearing more and more.
“Think carefully. “If your partner was outside, how could I, a stranger, come in here?”
Raon laughed as he told the truth.
“There is no such thing as lies. “Your mate is dead to me.”
“Everyone shut up!”
Baphomet’s movement grew and the scale of magic expanded. It was an offensive of tremendous power, but on the contrary, an invisible gap appeared.
Ugh!
Runaan didn’t miss that moment and kicked the ground. He cut through the darkness with the sword of the tale held in both hands and plunged the sword into Baphomet’s neck.
“Ouch…”
Baphomet pulled out his sword and tried to back away, but Runaan never let go, even biting his arm with her teeth.
Kwagwagwagwa!
The cold that bloomed from the tale spread down Baphomet’s neck, and his whole body began to turn blue and freeze.
“I, I, humans…”
Baphomet trembled with his wide eyes as he watched his body harden in the cold.
‘It worked.’
Baphomet’s mental power was stronger than Runaan’s, but he was unable to take advantage of it because he was shocked by the news that Syria was dead.
I was glad that the psychological warfare worked.
Sigh!
Runaan bit her lip and completely cut off Baphomet’s neck. It turned into dust and disappeared, as if it had never existed in the first place.
Wooooow!
The darkness of Baphomet that had been coloring the entire world also crumbled into particles and melted away.
“good job.”
Raon got down from Runaan’s shoulder and patted her ankle.
“….”
Runaan did not answer. As Baphomet died, the remaining energy descended on her, giving her new strength.
It reminded me of a time when I held a Dragonian Lokta and gained enlightenment.
“Good.”
Raon smiled as he looked at Runan in a trance. I wanted to give her a gift that helped her overcome the pain, and I was glad it went as planned.
-It’s amazing.
Lars sniffed as he looked at Runaan.
-Seeing that little boy grow up so well and overcome hardships makes me proud… Huh?
“hmm?”
Raon blinked, looking at both hands. The energy left behind by Baphomet came down not only to Runan but also to me, giving me strength.
-Why are you eating that?!
‘I think something came to me that Runaan couldn’t fully accept?’
It felt like the energy that Runaan could not digest was seeping into me. I felt the world of my imagination becoming bigger and stronger.
“After all, people should do good things…”
– The king!
Lars screamed loudly.
-You also did a good thing! The words you comforted the ice cream girl were all the king’s, so why are you the only one who treats them like this?
‘You are not human.’
-That’s racial discrimination!
‘Now you’re speaking properly. That’s right. It’s not racism, it’s race…’
-Shut up!
