Chapter 129

Audit Team of the Union (2)

"Hmm, indeed."

The auditors fixed their eyes on the blood flowing from my fingers.

'Did it work?'

After I was notified of the appointment location, I hid the Holy-propertied item on the restaurant's upper floor. Right at that moment, it was discreetly brought closer by using psychokinesis.

It was easy because I knew how far it had to be to make me bleed, and I even had a clairvoyance skill.

"Alright, it's understood. You have been chosen by a god... To think you have that kind of background. It's understandable that [The Observer's Eyes] didn't work."

The man who talked the most nodded in agreement.

Whoo!

A group of lights of alien languages appeared in front of me. It was their communication tool and data storage device.

And-

Paht!

It disappeared in an instant.

"The content of today's interview has been sent to Union Headquarters. I'm telling you in advance in case you're worried... but neither the Yuncans nor you that contacted with the deceased observer have been found to have conspired with Mercadius. There's no evidence to prove the charges."

I nodded in relief.

"You saw it right."

"The testimony today will be significant evidence. Thank you for your cooperation. We have submitted the report, so I don't think the Union will keep their eyes on you anymore. The entire administrative power of the Union on Earth will be focused on helping the dimension as much as possible."

Had it always been done like that?

The man continued, smiling.

"In other words... Even if we start something that doesn't involve the authority of the Audit team, it won't become a problem as long as we don't leave any evidence, you sly successor bastard."

"...?!"

At that moment-

Paht!

Before I could even respond, three members of the Albanos species took out one item each and activated it.

I also tried to use what I had in my hand immediately. It was a 'System' grade item exchanged with Adam's contribution of experience point.

But they were a little faster.

'Damn it!'

Pa-paht!

The flash swept the surroundings quickly. The opponent had moved first. When I came into contact with the effects of the Albanos' items, three system messages popped up in unison.

They were two EX-Class and one System-Class!

[Similar Dimension Generator (Rank: EX)]

-Item Description: Creates a separate temporal and spatially separated temporary dimension within the normal dimension. Consumes Mana Core in proportion to maintenance time and area.

※Tutorial import penalty has been temporarily disabled.

[Dimensional Shield (Rank: EX)]

-Item Description: Temporarily closes the dimension in which the user is located. It then prevents anybody from observing any occurrences happening within the said dimension and also prevents anyone from going back and forth in any way. Consumes Mana Core in proportion to maintenance time and area.

※Tutorial import penalty has been temporarily disabled.

[Sealing Flame (Rank: System)]

- Item description: Seals all items within the range of contact and applies absolute power to prevent their function from being performed. (One-time use item)

The scenery around us had suddenly changed.

The ordinary restaurant we had been sitting in throughout the duration of the interview had disappeared. In its stead, we were standing in the middle of nowhere with pale light flowing down all around us.

It was the effect of [Similar Dimension Generator].

Whoong!

I tried to operate the [Door of Hope] to escape, but-

-The effect of the selected item has been sealed.

It didn't work.

'Then!'

Immediately, I tried to use the inter-dimensional communication skill in the way Adam taught me to let him know about the current situation.

However, as expected, the returning message was...

-A dimension-wide barrier effect is preventing any form of inter-dimensional communication.

I could see how thoroughly they prepared.

The Albanos species removed their human forms and returned to their original bodies covered with crustaceans shells. The three of them assumed a formation that surrounded me. As they did, one of them spoke as if to mock me.

"You say you're meant to be the embodiment of the Igras-Sho? That's quite a creative and interesting nonsense, successor."

The majority of Adam's and my predictions had been proven wrong. Since our plans were based around those thoughts, the situation turned critical.

We expected that even if the audit team suspected my identity, they would not do anything right away at the very place we held the meeting at. They had to watch out for the Union as well.

We never thought that they would start a fight recklessly like what was happening at that moment.

'The items I've prepared are useless too!'

The gold flame hovering around my body was the effect of the last of their items.

[Seal Flame (Rank: System)]

Adding 'System' to the grade meant that it was an item that bypassed the rules and principles set by the system.

I had such an item in my possession as well. It was one of the artifacts I exchanged tremendous experience points for, but...

-The effect of the item has been sealed.

'Everything I've prepared is in vain!'

If the items of the same class collided with each other, the first one to be activated would emerge as the victor.

'The other two EX-Classes are... How'd they disable the penalty?'

I had no option but to pretend to be innocent until the end.

"I don't know what you're talking about. The evidence that my body carries the Igras-Sho's divine power is on my hand. It's clearly visible right here..."

"Don't be ridiculous. You were saying that you have three holy scars on your body? I enjoyed the sloppy show. Did the idea of pretending to be chosen by the god of magic come from the Yuncan's head?"

He meant Adam.

"They obsessively dug only into biotechnology. Hence, they wouldn't have known. The Yuncans' experience of being involved with higher beings is much more infrequent than ours. It was a hasty play produced by mediocre knowledge. What kind of mortal in the world can survive three holy wounds all at once?"

"...?!"

"If all the holy wounds were real... It would have already turned your entire body into jelly and melted you down into a puddle of your own innards. It was hard trying to bear listening to your nonsense!"

But this scar was actually real, and I was definitely alive.

What was the truth?

"... I don't know why you're saying that, and I don't know why you're using this incredible amount of experience points to catch me."

I tried to drag on more time, but it didn't work out, just like my initial plans.

"This nonsense stops now. I'll tie you up over and over until you can no longer move and give you a grand tour of our dimension."

Low giggles echoed across the temporary dimension.

"Don't worry about dying. You'll live in our hands for a very long time- Wishing that you had rather died in this confrontation!"

I held my sword in my hand. I couldn't hear even the shortest mental waves coming from it, and at that moment, it was just like any ordinary sword. Even when I injected Mana into it, it did not cause an amplification effect. I squeezed the purple sword energy forcefully and wrapped it around the blade.

That was when their attacks bombarded me.

Shhhhhh!

Boom-boom-boom-boom!

all aimed at me. The SSS-Class defensive items were also impossible to be activated, so I had to black their assaults using raw Mana.

Zoom!

White rays brushed past my shoulders. Swallowing the screams, I scattered sword energy as hard as I could to fight back. The Albanos beings immediately summoned a white smoke and bounced off the purple storm.

Boom boom boom!

"The more you struggle, the worse the situations you'll have to go through!"

The ice spirits summoned by the enemy collided sharp debris against each other and swirled it around nauseatingly. A flame that split into three strands over it tried to swallow me. Attacks waited for me in every path I tried to take. There were no gaps to recite spells. All I could do to respond to their barrages was to scatter sword energies instantaneously.

As numerous exchanges of attacks took place, I noticed slight bewilderment in their voices.

"What... With all the items sealed, how can he still do this?"

However, the progress of the war was already clearly leaning toward the opponent's side.

The siege was getting narrower.

It had reached a point where there was no way to escape horizontally, leaving me with only one path to retreat to.

Swish!

[Stardust Wing] had also been sealed. Instead, I jumped high to widen the distance.

In retaliation, one of the Albanos swung his hand, releasing a long metallic object which stretched out fast enough to leave an afterimage in my eyes.

'Damn it!'

It inevitably gave me a wound around my ankle.

Ch-ch-ch-ching!

Pain immediately wrapped around my whole body.

"Keup!"

My view felt like it had been reversed. Instead of rising up, I was falling straight to the ground like the meteor strikes we duplicated.

Boom!

The metallic object that wrapped my ankle contracted flexibly and pulled me down. As a result, a disastrous collision occurred against the white-covered floor. However, the pain from the energy that was being carried through the steel-like item and being coursed through me was much worse than the pain from the crash. It felt like it was trying to burn and blow up all of the veins and body systems in my body.

"Aaargh!"

The terrible pain made me think it would make my brain crumble into fragments, even minuscule specks of dust.

Blood filled my mouth. Damn it, where in the world did my 'adequate luck' go? Our plan failed terribly in the end!

"He gave us a lot of trouble."

As if he finally had the room to breathe, Albanos, who held a long metal whip in his hand, murmured.

The person next to him agreed and replied to his remark.

"I'm glad we finally caught him. If he had grown a little more, things would have been a lot harder for us."

"... yeah, that's right. Look at him. He still hasn't lost his mind. I can't believe he's actually holding out against something that can knock a dragon out in a second. These successors are only getting worse as their generations pass."

With my mind slowly losing its consciousness, I heard the slurred sound of words pouring.

I maintained my consciousness as best as I could as I asked myself a single question:

'Will there ever be a chance for me to escape if I get dragged to their dimension?'

Adam told me to avoid being taken away at all costs. He said that there might be a chance if I was still on Earth, but if I were to get locked up in their dimension, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it since they're a member of the Union.

I had to find a way out before it was too late.

'...!'

Bearing the pain that made me feel like my body was being split into several thousand pieces, I stared at them with flickering sight.

I lowered my gaze and looked at my finger.

On it were small marks that looked like spider bites, three side by side.

The words left by the great being lingered around my head.

'Three times. I'll give you three chances to call my name. Put it in your tongue and lips at the most desperate moment.'

I could hear Adam's words like a hallucination as well.

'if you call the name of that god, in exchange for granting a wish, the scar will disappear one by one. It means you can make up to three wishes.'

And I heard what he said as a warning, too.

'There is no guarantee how your wishes will come true... and the most tricky part is what happens in the case that you have used all three chances. Nobody really knows what's going to happen then.'

My contemplation did not last that long.

Rather than being their plaything forever, I would rather...

"Keup!"

I pushed my broken teeth with my tongue, and I said one syllable at a time.

"I... G... RA..."

"Tough bastard. I can't believe he's still wriggling."

"But what is he saying?"

My lips were shaking.

"S..."

I spat out the last syllable.

"... SHO!"

In my head, a sound of bird-like whisper permeated.

'In the end, we will meet again.'

And the darkness sucked me in.

*

"How do you like it?"

Secretary Kim was showing a newly renovated room to an unidentified guest brought by Seo Jin-Wook.

A bald foreigner who introduced herself under the name of Euclid looked around the room as if she wasn't really that interested.

Then she nodded.

"The place I've stayed so far was enough as well."

"But you're the Guild Master's guest, so I should pay attention to your needs. He did say you would be staying here for quite a while... so I did some renovations to make you feel comfortable during the extent of your stay."

"Yeah, I'm going to be here for quite a long time. What's the average life expectancy of the people around here?"

Secretary Kim, who could not understand the meaning behind her words, tilted his head.

Why was she curious about the average life expectancy of Koreans?

"Maybe a little over 80."

"80 years, huh. Well, if he's an Awakened of that level, he will live several times over that... but I guess that's fair."

"...?"

The guest that arrived that time had a strange way of speaking and an unusual mental state that Secretary Kim could not comprehend, much less get used to.

Secretary Kim, who grasped her point by having a few conversations, tried not to pay too much attention to her every word and explained the objects all over the room.

And her reactions reminded him of his long-standing question.

'Where the hell did she come, and what kinds of things was she doing? At first, I thought she was a foreign monk, but I definitely don't think that's the case.'

Seo Jin-Wook introduced her only as a 'quite long-stay guest,' as he did to Adam when he came.

He couldn't help but remember what she said after greeting him on the first day she saw Secretary Kim as well.

'Hmmm... there's nothing to copy from this face.'

Secretary Kim, who felt a strange sense of defeat rising for some reason even though it were meaningless words, did not reveal it as he was a professional.

After that, he helped Euclid get used to the house. It was all because he had to teach her from one to ten as if she had been living in ancient forests. He even had to teach her how to turn on the faucet!

'I thought she was an alien or something.'

She had to be taught how to operate most electronic devices too.

"You are familiar with TVs, right? But this model is a bit different."

"Oh, that! It was totally amazing and fun. How do I turn this on?"

"Here's the power button. It looks different, but the color is the same, right? If you press this..."

The moment the light returned to the vast TV screen-

"Now, after turning it on like this, if you change the channel like this as... you... wish...."

Secretary Kim's words slowly slurred while explaining everything.

"... Huh?"

Euclid's expression, as she was watching the screen together with him, also stiffened.

"What is that? Is that a common occurrence in this world?"

"No, that's also a first for me..."

The news special, which began after suspending regular broadcasting, was broadcast live on the scene of a building where a luxury restaurant in Seoul was located.

"I repeat once again. As of now, a radius with the span of a kilometer from the Cheongdam intersection has been completely sealed off! Nearby citizens are to evacuate immediately! And according to the government's recommendation, all Seoul citizens should not move from their current location but wait until a separate announcement has been made!"

Behind the back of the reporter, who was staring at the camera with a pale expression and a sense of urgency in her eyes, was the reason why Secretary Kim and Euclid couldn't help but freeze.

On top of the building in issue, ferocious darkness was gathering. It was strangely fluctuating domineeringly and malevolently. Nobody could logically explain why they felt that way, but everyone who was watching it with their own eyes recognized it the same way. Darkness was coming from somewhere far away in an aggressive manner. Then, it reached out its hand to the ground.

Seven different hands slowly sank into the building.