Chapter 170
BOOM—!
Black smoke erupted.
A shockwave rippled outward from the point of impact where Suho’s fist had landed.
[KRAAAAGH—!]
Zarvier’s scream of pain tore through the air.
A massive body trembling violently let out an ear-splitting roar.
And with that, Suho’s assault had truly begun.
BOOM! BAM!
KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRASH—!
Each blow was heavy, brutal.
Suho’s two fists, wrapped in a massive gauntlet, pounded Zarvier without mercy.
[Y-You bastard—!]
Zarvier didn’t just sit there and take it.
KRAK-KRAK-KRAK-KRAK-KRAK!
Dozens of giant tentacles rained down on Suho from all directions, striking him relentlessly.
Suho didn’t block them.
He withstood the ferocious barrage with his body alone and focused solely on attack after attack.
‘A head-on fight.’
Even with [Resilience], not all pain was dulled.
It still hurt.
His insides churned.
A rush of blood welled up in his mouth.
His HP bar was steadily dropping.
But Suho didn’t stop.
He had no intention of halting his assault.
This was a test.
His father was watching.
He had been given permission to let loose—his father would take care of the aftermath.
‘So I’ll show him.’
He’d proudly crush the task his father had given him.
SLASH!
Suho tore away the tentacles wrapped around his body and dove even closer, continuing his relentless barrage.
BOOM!
Strength.
And resilience.
It was a fierce, unrelenting brawl where neither side gave an inch.
This wasn’t the kind of fight you saw in a Hunter raid.
It was like two monsters clashing in a brutal deathmatch.
And they shared one thing in common—
Neither of them was truly alone.
KII-HEHEHEHE!
Skeletons swarmed from all directions to grab hold of Suho’s ankles.
But he ignored them and kept striking at Zarvier.
After all, the enemy was using the same tactic.
SWOOSH—CLANG!
Right then, Quay’s spear pierced through the air and landed squarely in Zarvier’s eye.
[KRAAAGH!]
Enraged, Zarvier grabbed Quay’s body and crushed it mercilessly.
But then—
SPLAT—!
[……!]
The tentacle that smashed Quay’s body exploded in that same instant.
[Harmakan uses Skill: Thorn of Agony on all shadow soldiers.]
[All pain and damage inflicted on Quay is shared with his attacker.]
All damage the shadow soldiers received would reflect back at their assailants.
Of course, differences in defense and health meant the results weren’t always the same, but Zarvier lost a tentacle from the blow.
And then—
SPLURT!
One of Zarvier’s wounds was forced open, black blood gushing like a fountain.
[Skill: Damage Amplification increases the damage taken by Maeryung illusionist Zarvier.]
As Zarvier gritted his teeth and tried to close the wound, Harmakan flashed him a wicked, mocking grin.
The contrast between the two was stark.
[You Maeryung traitor! Calling yourself a Grand Shaman—have you no shame—!]
BOOM!
Another of Suho’s punches exploded right into his mouth.
Zarvier growled, grinding his teeth.
[Kuh… You’re strong, I’ll give you that—but it won’t matter!]
The series of unexpected events had rattled him, but in the end, nothing had changed.
Thanks to the enhancements Sung Jinwoo’s illusion had made, Zarvier’s illusion circle was stronger than ever—and his confidence swelled with it.
[Heh heh… Pour all your strength into this fight! The more you give, the more exhausted you become, while I—! My mana continues to replenish nonstop, even now! Kuhahahahaha!]
His crazed laughter echoed across the sandstorm like thunder.
[In this illusion field, I am invincible!]
“Invincible, huh…”
Suho responded with a grin of his own.
He didn’t understand magic the way his father did, but he got the general idea.
“You’re draining mana from the Hunters trapped in illusions, right? Like batteries?”
He scoffed lightly.
“That’s why I already sent someone to deal with that.”
Time to remove the batteries.
* * *
FWOOOSH.
“Ghkk… Ghhk…”
Countless Hunters flailed within the illusion field.
Among them, the strongest—Im Taegyu—was still sobbing, holding his burning wife in his arms.
But his tears evaporated the instant they fell.
The heat was unbearable.
His entire body was covered in severe burns, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness.
He wanted, with all his heart, to die here with her—but the S-rank mana within him stubbornly preserved his life.
[Darling, I want to live. I need more mana.]
His wife, cradled in his arms, whispered even more sweetly to him.
[I need more mana.]
Her grip on him tightened.
As if she’d never let go until she’d drained every last drop of his power.
[Let’s die together this time, darling.]
Im Taegyu was actually relieved he had so much mana.
With enough of it, this illusion would never end.
Even knowing that death awaited him at the end of it—
If it was atonement for his wife, it brought him peace.
Even the boiling pain consuming his flesh felt beautiful.
And her soft voice, whispering in his ear again and again—he hadn’t heard it in so long…
[Darling, this time let’s die toge—]
[Oh, shut up with that.]
Tsk.
……!
Suddenly—
A tongue-click echoed through the air, though no one was there.
And then—
A sight Im Taegyu could not believe unfolded before his eyes.
SLICE.
His wife’s head was severed.
[Ah.]
“…Huh?”
Im Taegyu’s eyes filled with horror.
THUMP. ROLL—
Her head dropped to the ground and rolled away.
So easily. So pointlessly.
FWOOOSH!
Her body vanished in blue flames like a lie.
At the same time, the wife he had been holding began to crack apart.
SLASH-SLASH-SLASH-SLASH-SLASH-SLASH!
Then, just like that, his wife’s body shattered and vanished in his arms without resistance.
“Aaah… Aaah… No…”
Im Taegyu knelt, his hands fumbling through empty air, unable to accept what had just happened.
And there—an unexpected figure appeared before his hollow eyes.
Shadow Assassin Kira.
He stood, dangling the dagger that had just ended the illusion, clicking his tongue as he looked down at Im Taegyu.
[How pitiful. An S-rank Hunter, reduced to a wreck, clinging to a memory. As if love ever meant anything.]
“…You bastard!”
At the sight of the one who had ‘killed’ his wife, bloodshot fury returned to Im Taegyu’s vacant gaze.
Killing intent surged.
His powerful hand lashed out, seizing Kira by the throat.
With a snap, Kira’s neck was twisted.
But he didn’t die.
Even with a broken neck—
[Hmm. As expected from an S-rank.]
He remained calm, mocking.
[If you’ve still got this much strength, maybe try finding your son instead of wasting time on me.]
“…!”
At the word “son,” Im Taegyu’s eyes flew wide.
[If you’re like this… then what do you think your son’s trauma looks like?]
“…!”
The mention of his son shattered the madness clouding his vision.
“No… Do-Gyun…!”
[That way.]
FLASH!
Im Taegyu didn’t hesitate. He ran in the direction Kira pointed.
Left behind, Kira watched him go and gave a shrug.
[…Well, there are parents like that.]
Figures I’m the only one cursed with bad ones.
Anyway.
[Hope you catch him. That kid… I could never keep up with him.]
Leaving those words behind, Kira vanished into the air once more.
Then he began visiting other Hunters trapped in illusions, mercilessly killing their phantoms.
He didn’t care for the victims’ feelings or struggles.
He showed no mercy.
* * *
Meanwhile—
Im Do-Gyun was, once again, running for his life.
From the illusion of his mother chasing him.
[Do-Gyun…]
“Uwaaaaaaah!”
[My sweet boy…]
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
He ran, and kept running.
Pushing himself as hard as he did during training with Ammit.
His speed had long surpassed that of an ordinary E-rank Hunter.
But so too had the speed of the motherly illusion chasing him.
The memory of being chased—etched deeply in his mind—had taken form.
A desperate chase unfolded within the sandstorm.
Watching from afar, Kira had quickly given up trying to save Im Do-Gyun and turned his attention elsewhere.
Saving other Hunters was far more efficient.
He left the boy’s rescue to his father, Im Taegyu.
“No…”
Just as Kira planned, Im Taegyu finally found Im Do-Gyun.
And his face turned to despair.
“Not again…”
Once more, his son was being hunted.
By his wife.
His mother.
And once again, Im Taegyu stood at a crossroads.
To save his son, he would have to kill his wife with his own hands.
Again.
Of course, his mind knew the answer.
Just like last time.
No—this time it was only an illusion.
Even back then, his wife had already become a monster.
But sometimes, knowing the truth doesn’t make the choice any easier.
“Do-Gyun…!”
Still, just like before—
He didn’t hesitate.
SWOOSH—!
Im Taegyu sprang forward.
Chasing after the distant figure of his fleeing son.
But—
Something was wrong.
His son’s speed was extraordinary.
‘How?! Do-Gyun’s only an E-rank Hunter!’
He was closing the gap, but slowly.
This was no ordinary speed.
“Tch…!”
Worried he might not make it in time, Im Taegyu raised his bow.
He drew the string, aiming at the illusion of his wife who was rapidly catching up to Im Do-Gyun.
No—this wasn’t his wife.
‘It’s a Mistborne.’
Once someone becomes a Mistborne, they’re no longer human.
They’re a beast.
Nothing more.
SWOOSH—!
He loosed the bowstring, and mana-charged arrows flew.
They pierced the Mistborne’s heart.
“Huff… huff…”
Im Do-Gyun finally stopped running and gasped for air, turning around.
“A-Ah… Dad…?”
His eyes widened as he saw Im Taegyu.
Relief flooded Im Taegyu, and he collapsed to the ground.
But even then, his eyes stayed locked on his son.
“…Are you hurt?”
The overwhelming relief welled up into tears.
And far above, another figure observed the scene.
—Hmm.
‘Sung Jinwoo’ watched Im Do-Gyun with curious interest.
To think he’d witness something like this.
—…An E-rank Hunter, huh?
Strange. He felt a little too familiar.
He chuckled softly.
FWISSH.
He waved his hand, forming a new illusion circle in the air.
And then—CLUNK.
A ‘door’ opened.
[Would you like to enter the Shadow Dungeon?] (Y/N)
