Chapter 142
Park Chan-woo’s story was undeniably captivating.
‘It’s a gamble.’
Yoo Jin-seo needed assurance—something solid.
Even if he was under her charm, other foxes could use their powers as well.
Especially ‘Aurum’, who, like her, was a Gumiho.
‘If by any chance Park Chan-woo falls under Aurum’s charm, I’ll have no way to stop it.’
As much as she hated to admit it, Aurum was several levels above her.
While she held superiority in the art of charm, if Aurum ever decided to eliminate her, it would be effortless.
That was why—
Yoo Jin-seo tore out half of Park Chan-woo’s [liver].
Likewise, she entrusted half of her own [liver] to him.
It was the foxes’ oath.
An absolute covenant that forbade betrayal and protected them from being charmed by other foxes.
Since both were foxes, no other fox could lay a finger on either of them now.
…Now only one question remained.
‘I’ll see for myself if you have the worth of a protagonist.’
The stage would be overturned.
The scenario flipped—main and supporting roles reversed.
It was practically a different story altogether.
But whether that story would succeed depended on everyone’s ability.
Especially the protagonist’s.
No matter how perfect the script, if the lead failed their role, the story would end in disaster.
Would he truly perform against the demon ‘Hwar yeong’?
‘I’ve told you her weakness. The rest is up to you.’
Honestly, she didn’t expect much.
She had given him the hint—but could he really end it quickly?
The Holy Sword could only strike one hundred times.
After one hundred hits, it would vanish.
Yes, a demon would die after ten strikes, but Hwar yeong and the rest had numerous subordinates under their command.
Alone, it would be difficult.
But with other Holy Sword users, it shouldn’t be too hard.
“I can’t understand this.”
“A fox who suddenly appeared is the protagonist?”
“Please explain the full story!”
…Of course, they were incredulous.
Even for a Gumiho, a “protagonist change” was unheard of.
And the difference in her attitude before and after that private meeting was too stark.
She hadn’t even told them what was discussed.
Yoo Jin-seo spoke calmly.
“It’s a test. To see what role suits this new fox.”
“Still, from the very beginning, as the protagonist…?”
“That’s something none of us have ever done…”
Even the foxes who had been with her for ages never dared take the lead role.
No one ever spoke of trying.
Yet she was now testing a complete stranger for it.
Their resistance was natural.
“…Just watch. You can judge afterward.”
Truthfully, even Yoo Jin-seo was half in doubt.
She was forcing it through, but if Park Chan-woo’s abilities were lacking, he’d never truly become the protagonist.
In the end, he needed to be strong enough to face Aurum.
‘Aurum is a monster.’
He wasn’t just strong—he was something beyond a fox.
His entire being was optimized for destruction.
The precision of his techniques could make one’s skin crawl.
He created his own techniques, broke his limits, evolved infinitely.
A fox whose main power was charm—but one who no longer needed it.
…Which meant—
Park Chan-woo needed to prove it.
That he could stand against Aurum.
If he couldn’t show that here, her bold plan would end now.
‘That damned fox—how did he even manage to get the lead role?’
‘He must’ve pulled some trick!’
‘Did he charm Lady Yoo Jin-seo?’
‘Cunning bastard.’
‘He’ll fail anyway.’
‘Not worth watching.’
The foxes’ eyes blazed with jealousy and disdain.
They simply couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
To them, Yoo Jin-seo was the ideal—one to admire and worship.
She had always been the protagonist, the saint, the leader with overwhelming charisma.
Yet after one private meeting, everything changed.
If this newcomer showed even a hint of incompetence, they were ready to tear him apart.
They watched closely as Park Chan-woo challenged ‘Hwar yeong’.
‘Let’s see if he can handle it alone.’
‘No one’s helping him.’
They lingered behind, unwilling to lend even a finger.
None wished to support the upstart who had taken the lead before them.
And then—
‘Ding!’
《The demon ‘Hwar yeong’ appears!》
《Hwar yeong is a fire-type demon. It attacks from afar under the protection of powerful vengeful spirits.》
《‘Hwar yeong’ and its followers can only be slain with the ‘Holy Sword.’》
Grrrhh!
Grrraaagh!
Zombies rose from the swamp—hundreds of them.
And behind them appeared the demon Hwar yeong.
‘Fwoooosh!’
—I’ll burn you all to ashes!
A creature of pure flame—a demon shaped of fire.
It hurled blazing fireballs like a storm.
To reach it, one had to cut through the ghouls first.
‘A fire spirit, huh.’
Seeing it, Park Chan-woo smirked faintly.
What the foxes called demons were in truth ‘spirits’.
After all, since these scenarios repeated endlessly, spirits made the perfect reusable foes.
‘All these demons are spirits summoned by Aurum.’
It spoke volumes about Aurum’s overwhelming mana.
Summoning spirits demanded tremendous magical power.
To sustain and resummon them endlessly—that alone proved Aurum’s mana was far beyond ordinary.
‘The moment I kill Hwar yeong, Aurum will know. That the protagonist had changed.’
So then—‘Let’s make it flashy.’
He intended to provoke Aurum.
He had to make both Yoo Jin-seo and the gathered foxes ‘remember’ him.
That he was the protagonist.
Not a fake—but the ‘true’ protagonist’s arrival.
Fortunately, Hwar yeong wasn’t all that powerful.
Judging by its mana—‘Between level 50 and 60.’
Stronger than him, yes, but not by much.
《119 challengers follow you.》
《1 ‘Gumiho’ follows you!》
《‘Holy Sword User’s’ stats greatly increase!》
《All attributes +50!》
The Holy Sword’s power—the more followers, the greater the stat increase.
Especially at low and mid levels, a +50 across the board was enough to overcome more than ten levels of difference.
‘If it can only be slain by the Holy Sword…’
He nodded.
Then he would clear this entire trial with the fewest strikes possible.
‘[Heaven’s Wrath].’
‘Kwaaaaang!’
《‘Heaven’s Wrath’ descends from the sky.》
《‘Magic Crit (32%)’ applied.》
《‘Magic Double Casting (25%)’—the spell manifests twice!》
《The ‘Holy Sword’ is imbued with ‘Heaven’s Wrath.’》
‘Zzrrrk!’
‘Crackle!’
Lightning coiled violently around the sword, burning with destructive power.
‘As expected, durability doesn’t drop.’
Imbuing magic usually consumed durability.
But the Holy Sword lost durability only when striking its target.
Even after the double-cast, its durability remained 100.
—Burn to death!
Park Chan-woo watched calmly as the fireballs rained down from above.
He even looked unbothered by the ghouls charging toward him.
Then, aiming right at their center—
‘Ku-rung!’
He drove the storming Holy Sword into the ground.
In that instant—
‘Zzzrraaaaak!’
‘Kwaaaaaaaaaang!’
—
“……”
“……”
The foxes were silent.
Even Yoo Jin-seo said nothing.
Before their eyes, Park Chan-woo stepped forward.
‘What was that just now?’
‘Did he imbue the Holy Sword with magic?’
‘Is that even possible?’
They had never seen such a feat before.
The idea of enchanting the Holy Sword had never crossed their minds.
And with a single swing—that fox incinerated hundreds of ghouls and even Hwar yeong itself.
‘How could a fire spirit be burned to death?’
‘This doesn’t make sense.’
It was absurd—unexplainable.
Yet they couldn’t deny what they had witnessed.
“Oh, thank you! You saved us!”
“Holy Sword users!”
“Sir Park Chan-woo!”
Relief spread across the faces of the survivors.
Thanks to him, they had cleared the first trial without major casualties.
The message confirmed it—Hwar yeong’s defeat by Park Chan-woo.
And before anyone realized, he now stood at the center instead of Yoo Jin-seo.
《185 challengers follow you.》
《1 ‘Gumiho’ follows you.》
The number of followers rose rapidly.
Not just because he’d slain Hwar yeong, but because they had begun recruiting quietly and strategically, in line with the plan made back at the temple.
The formation was changing—more and more challengers breaking away from other groups to join behind Park Chan-woo.
‘He’s strong enough… but…’
‘He’ll struggle at the second trial.’
The foxes were aware of the shifting situation.
But they didn’t interfere.
‘Ding!’
《Welcome to the ‘Sky of Spirits.’》
《Reach the end of the ‘Sky of Spirits’ and defeat the demon ‘Cheon-ryeong.’》
《All spirits must be eliminated to proceed.》
《They can only be defeated using ‘Silver Arrows.’》
“Spirits?”
“Where are they?”
“There’s a bow and arrows here, but…”
Before them was a cliff—and beyond it, nothing.
No path forward at all.
‘Only veterans know where the spirits hide.’
Yoo Jin-seo bit her lip.
What he showed during the Hwar yeong fight had been impressive, but the second trial wouldn’t be easy.
Even if she wanted to help, the method wasn’t simple.
The spirits floated high in the sky—barely visible.
She and the other foxes could only hit them through experience.
But then—
“Hm.”
Park Chan-woo casually picked up the bow near the cliff.
He notched an arrow and released it without hesitation.
‘Whooosh!’
‘Thunk!’
《You hit the ‘First Spirit’!》
《The ‘First Stair’ appears.》
《Climb the stair and hit the ‘Second Spirit.’》
A staircase of clouds formed before them.
He climbed it and fired again.
‘Whooosh!’
‘Thunk!’
“……?”
“……What?”
The foxes tilted their heads in disbelief.
How could a first-timer hit invisible spirits hidden so high above the sky?
But to Park Chan-woo, it was simple.
“Father, just a little to the left. Yes, right there.”
Above the clouds, Cygnus was watching over him—guiding his aim.
‘Whooosh!’
‘Thunk!’
‘Whoooooosh!’
‘Thunk!’