Chapter 126
In Sokcho, Gangwon-do, Cheon Sa-yeon arrived in front of the gate entrance in a deserted forest and looked around.
"Hmm, what?"
An elderly man's voice came from behind Cheon Sa-yeon, who was looking at the tightly closed gate entrance. The old man with his back bent slowly approached with his cane.
"Who is it?"
"Hello, old man."
Cheon Sa-yeon turned to the old man and greeted him with a bright smile.
"I came to enter the gate."
"Gate?"
The old man scratching his grey hair at Cheon Sa-yeon's words asked, tapping the ground with his cane a couple of times.
"You, did you come here with Dong-gyu's permission?"
Dong-gyu-ra (라, an imperative ending suffix; used when someone giving order to younger than or the same age as the speaker; same with the suffix "-kun" in Japanese; here and here). He was probably referring to Park Dong-gyu (박동규), the master of the Cheongho Guild (청호 길드의) who managed this gate. It was one of the very small guilds that managed the C-grade gates.
"Of course."
He never even contacted him, let alone permission, but Cheon Sa-yeon answered yes without hesitation. Fortunately, the old man didn't ask further and nodded his head.
"Take care, young man."
The old man, who stuttered with his dry lips and delivered his last words, turned his back and went down the slope. The red light of the setting sun shone through the leaves swaying in the wind.
"...thank you, old man."
Cheon Sa-yeon, who answered in a low voice belatedly, raised his energy. In response to that energy, the gate slowly opened its mouth.
As he put his body on the surface waving with strange colours like the Milky Way, he felt the cold air that was distinctly different from before. Haa, white smoke spread out as he exhaled.
Udeug. (우득)
Footprints were engraved on the densely piled snow. A midwinter landscape filled with pure white snow spread before his eyes. A large building that was somewhat out of place appeared through the snow swaying in the wind.
Cheon Sa-yeon, who drew Lilith's sword from the inventory, looked up at the building. The pure white building that soared under the hazy sky showed the owner's determined nature as it was.
Two men with spears stood guarding the all-glass front door. The black mask they were wearing stood out in particular.
"Don't come closer."
As Cheon Sa-yeon walked to the front door, one of the men standing guarding the door opened his mouth.
"There are currently no guests invited. You are an intruder."
"If you come close, we will use force to suppress you."
The men with the spears who warned with a voice that was as high and low as a machine flashed menacingly. Cheon Sa-yeon, who looked at the gatekeepers for a moment, gently curved the corners of his eyes and smiled.
"You are not under mental control."
"I will say it again. If you approach any further than that, we will use force—"
Before he could finish speaking, the man on the right fell down. It was such a quick and neat skill that there was no blood on the blade. Later, the man on the left pointed the tip of the spear at Cheon Sa-yeon, but his arms were cut off in an instant.
"Kkuaaak!"
The man screamed at his blood-soaked arms. Blood splattered over the snow. After passing the man who was struggling while sitting on the floor, Cheon Sa-yeon slowly pushed the door.
Squeak.
Contrary to its gorgeous appearance, the unmanaged door moved slowly and stiffly. As he entered the hall with strong chandelier light, the black-masked person standing on the second-floor railing opened his mouth immediately.
"There's an intruder, my lord."
"Intruder."
"Intruder."
With those words, people in black masks that were hiding everywhere began to crawl out. Its shape was like a cockroach, and Cheon Sa-yeon sighed as if he was tired of it.
"I want to meet the landlord."
"Are you talking about me?"
A sly voice came from a short woman wearing a black mask standing in front of the stairs. The woman, who took a couple of steps forward with her hands behind her back, continued.
"Nice to meet you. Cheon Sa-yeon. No, I should call you Master Cheon Sa-yeon from now on."
"Right."
Cheon Sa-yeon tilted his head slightly. His dark hair fluttered softly in line with the action.
"Unfortunately, I'm not very happy."
"Not happy you said."
The woman tapped her black mask with her index finger.
"It's understandable. As she said, you'll get tired of all this."
"......"
"Tell me, Master Cheon Sa-yeon. How many times have we had this conversation? Do you remember? Can you count? When was the last time you came to this place?"
The questions that followed without a break were too light and sharp as if teasing him. Cheon Sa-yeon, who hid his eyes under his long eyelashes, opened his mouth.
"There is a misunderstanding. It meant I wasn't happy with a thief who stole mine at will."
"Haha, mine?"
As the woman, who laughed as if she had heard a very funny joke, looked around, people in black masks with weapons began to gather. Not only the first floor but also the stairs leading to the second and third floors were filled with the sound of footsteps.
"I think it may be an illusion. Master Cheon Sa-yeon, is there anything in the world that belongs to you?"
Dozens of people around him opened their mouths at the same time and uttered the same words.
"Everything would be just a dream to you."
Clack. The thick chains of the weapon held by the nearest man clashed and made a sound. It was a flail with a huge mace at the end of a grey chain. There was something sticky on the coarsely sprouted thorns.
"...I don't know how or what explanation you heard."
Cheon Sa-yeon held out his white hand and placed the blade on it.
"I live to protect everything I have."
Blood gushed out from the deep cut palm. Like a flower blooming in fertile ground, heat rose over the red blood.
"It's not really new, Samael."
Cheon Sa-yeon lifted his head and looked precisely at the man in the white mask among the countless people wearing black masks. Drops of blood that flowed from the long sword fell on the floor.
"You are in the past, in the present, and in the future."
"......"
"You will covet what I have. As always."
"Permit the use of abilities."
Samael commanded in a calm voice, whose relaxed appearance he had seen before had disappeared. Energy began to flow from those with various weapons.
"Kill him."
Kuung!
As soon as those words were finished, it was a huge man with a flail who ran to him. The flail wielded by a man over 2m tall smashed the floor where Cheon Sa-yeon had just been standing.
Cheon Sa-yeon, who flew with a light movement, jumped back again as soon as his feet touched the ground. A new attack flew towards Cheon Sa-yeon as he moved.
Various abilities, such as bright yellow lightning bolts, ice awls, exploding stone fragments, and sharp shards falling from fans, acted solely to kill Cheon Sa-yeon according to Samael's order.
Mental abilities such as hallucinations, sensory amplification, and hypnosis were also poured, but no one did any harm to the SS-rank Cheon Sa-yeon. Rather, those who came closer than necessary were engulfed in fire and screamed or had their body parts cut off.
"Guaaak!"
Kuung, clank!
Half of the right leg of the man who was wielding the flail was cut off by the sword he wielded. The man lost his balance and fell and missed his flail. Red blood, fire, and screams filled the wide hall.
Even while wielding the sword, Cheon Sa-yeon's black eyes constantly moved. The man with a big cut in his chest asked in a calm voice instead of moaning in pain to Cheon Sa-yeon, who had avoided the lightning by gently bending his head.
"You can't concentrate."
Shortly thereafter, the one whose face was engulfed in fire said.
"Are you looking for Talented Han Yi-gyeol?"
Those who wield weapons took turns opening their mouths.
"Are you anxious?"
"Do you think Han Yi-gyeol is among us?"
"Or, I have already taken his mind away with my ability."
Cheon Sa-yeon blew off the woman's head, moving his mouth in an attitude that it wasn't worth listening to.
"Noisy."
Kugung!
The floor cracked and the walls shattered. Cheon Sa-yeon smiled softly as he felt the building shake with a roar.
"I'm worried about Han Yi-gyeol?"
Through the drops of blood, Samael could be seen, protected by those wearing black masks. At the same time, for the first time, a wound appeared on Cheon Sa-yeon's cheek. Minor injuries gradually increased from the endless attacks.
"Well. Does it look like that?"
"...you know something."
Samael, who noticed something in Cheon Sa-yeon's attitude, said in a voice full of interest.
"No wonder you would let him go easily."
"Didn't you also not take the items from Han Yi-gyeol on purpose?"
Cheon Sa-yeon roughly wiped the blood flowing down his cheek with the back of his hand.
"You must have missed me so much."
"Ha..."
Shaking his head lightly and exhaling a long breath, Samael touched the mask with a slightly trembling hand. From the moment they met each other until now, the corner of Cheon Sa-yeon's mouth raised as if he knew what Samael's actions of constantly touching the mask were.
"I guess it bothers you. The scar on your face."
Samael, who had been touching the mask as usual, stopped all actions at that question. Unlike before, there was strong malice in the air surrounding him.
Just when Samael's eyes that were visible through the gap in the mask shone with an uneasiness, a person wearing a black mask came out of the hallway and ran to Samael.
"My lord."
"...say it."
"A body and injured bodies were found. The location is on the first and second floors. The body is number 23. The injured are number 34 and number 89."
"Hm."
Samael, who remembered the orders he had given to the three, immediately nodded his head.
"Han Yi-gyeol moved."
He didn't think he would standstill, but he was more aggressive than he thought. Was it because there was a hostage?
"Find him. And bring him."
"Yes."
In those words, 20 people standing around Samael moved at the same time. The speed of wielding Cheon Sa-yeon's sword, who noticed them scattered all over the building, increased even more.
Piing!
A rope shot with a crossbow wrapped around Cheon Sa-yeon's left arm like a snake. For a moment, the smile disappeared from Cheon Sa-yeon's face, who had struck down the axe that was coming at his neck with his sword.
He grabbed the rope around his arm with force.
"Huh, gasp!"
The person holding the crossbow who was trying to pull Cheon Sa-yeon was swept away by Cheon Sa-yeon on the other hand, and his neck was blown away. Cheon Sa-yeon wrinkled his straight brow at the endless waves of enemies.
When one side was already attracting attention, the situation would be more complicated if the other was caught. Before that, Han Yi-gyeol...
"...-yeon!"
Cheon Sa-yeon was keenly aware of the faint voice that was heard between the sharp sound of swords clashing with each other and the screams.
"Cheon Sa-yeon...!"
It was Han Yi-gyeol's call. Cheon Sa-yeon, turned quickly, kicked the ground, and started running somewhere. Cheon Sa-yeon, who relentlessly cut through those who stood in the way, cut off the arm of the one who finally grabbed the chain.
"Keuk..."
Han Yi-gyeol, who was about to be dragged away forcibly by the enemy after being caught in a chain, spat out a dry cough and looked up at Cheon Sa-yeon. Behind him was Edward.
Cheon Sa-yeon, who carefully looked at the bright red cheeks and thick leather leash on the neck, the handcuffs on the wrists, the injured arm, and the swollen ankle, spat out his first words towards Han Yi-gyeol.
"You're acting like a joke, Han Yi-gyeol."
Han Yi-gyeol breathed a sigh of relief and accepted it.
"Why are you picking a fight again?"
"Hmm."
Cheon Sa-yeon smiled an unknown smile and reached out to Han Yi-gyeol, who was sitting on the floor. Cheon Sa-yeon's hand, which had been cut by his sword that remained, and Han Yi-gyeol's hand, which was heavily damaged and bloody to escape, met.