Chapter 48: Demon Beast Subjugation (4)

Chapter 48: Demon Beast Subjugation (4)

"Oh my..."

Park Changhyun looked down on the corpse of Park Jungwoo.

A large scar was drawn across his chest in addition to the horrifying injury on his skull that sent shivers down his spine.

"Haa."

Even though Awakeners dying to the hands of monsters was so commonplace that counting was meaningless, looking directly at the brutally murdered corpse made his heart heavy.

"Do you know where the Awakeners that were with this man went?"

"I'm not sure."

Ohjin nodded his head with a perplexed expression.

Of course, it was not that he truly didn't know.

'They went that way.'

Ohjin confirmed the direction of Choi Jungchul and the bald man by using the stigma of the Hunting Dogs.

The place they were headed was the center of the city.

The direction precisely coincided with where the demon beasts had tried escaping towards.

"By the way, did you get into some sort of incident with this person? The atmosphere back then seemed a little serious."

"We once got into a short argument at the Association registration office."

"Ah, I see."

"Haa. To be honest, It's not like I had any affection towards him, but... looking at him in this state is making my heart heavy."

He exhaled out a deep breath.

Was it because he didn't think he would get done in by a demon beast?

He stretched out his hand at Park Jungwoo, who died with his eyes wide open.

"It's not like we're in a situation to collect his corpse, either."

After closing his eyes, he picked up the corpse and laid it down on the ground.

Rumble, rumble—

Black clouds slowly crept towards Park Jungwoo's left chest.

"..."

Ohjin looked around in worry that someone might notice, but it seemed like no one could, thanks to the effect of the trait 'Black Curtain'.

'At this point, I feel like people wouldn't even know if I used it in front of them.'

Once again, he could feel just how overpowered the Black Curtain trait was.

And so, the clouds of the Black Heaven converged on Park Jungwoo's left chest.

[The Black Heaven is absorbing the stigma of Scorpio.]

A blue message box appeared in front of his eyes.

'Alright.'

The stigma of scorpio.

It performed the greatest out of assassin-types, as it explosively raised the body's dexterity in addition to granting the ability to handle hundreds of different types of poison freely.

Though it naturally couldn't compare to the stigma of Lyra.

'The more, the merrier.'

It was a stigma that belonged in the 12 Zodiacs.

There was nothing bad about adding it to his collection.

"My condolences."

Ohjin momentarily offered a silent prayer as he bowed his head after absorbing Park Jungwoo's stigma.

Park Changhyun followed in his prayer while Ha-eun faced the other direction.

"...Well then. Let's take off."

"Yes."

They headed off; the atmosphere had become a bit darker than before.

Bang!—

"Kyarururu!!"

"Ohjin!"

"Yeah!"

A battle with a demon beast started once again.

It was a demon beast with four legs and arms like a mantis.

Flutter!!—

In addition, it was a flying type.

"You dare!"

Kwooong!!—

Park Changhyun stomped down hard as he swung his hammer.

Light poured out of the stigma of Taurus engraved on his left chest.

Crunch!—

"Kyarak?!"

Heavy shock waves struck the demon beast that was flying away.

The demon beast was buried headfirst into the ground.

"Let's take it out in one shot since it'll become bothersome once it flies!"

"Oki."

Ha-eun snapped her finger as she sprinted forward.

A net made of crimson flames covered the demon beast.

Bzzzzzzzt!—

A silver spear struck down on that same spot.

Blue lightning burned the demon beast.

"K-Kiruryk, kiruk!"

"One thing these bastards have in common is that they're damn good at running away."

The injured demon beast twisted its body up and soon flapped its wings in an attempt to escape.

Ha-eun ferociously bared her teeth as she aimed her hand at the escaping demon beast.

Crimson flames rumbled like they would explode at any second.

"Ha-eun, wait."

"Hm? Why?"

"Let it escape for a bit."

Ohjin carefully observed the demon beast.

'As expected.'

Once again, the demon beast escaped in the direction of the center of the city.

"Let's follow it."

"What are you planning to do?"

Ha-eun tilted her head and followed Ohjin.

Sprinting along with the escaping demon beast, they confirmed its movements.

And then—

"...Huh?"

—Ha-eun narrowed her eyes as she looked down on the demon beast.

'Did she notice as well?'

"There's... something weird with that thing, isn't there?"

"Right?"

The escaping demon beast slowed down its pace as it twisted its body left and right once they were a certain distance away.

That's right—

It was as if it was 'waiting' for Ohjin and his party to catch up.

'I'm certain now.'

Ohjin clicked his tongue and raised his arm to aim at the twisting demon beast.

Bang!—

Crackleee!—

"Kirrruk!"

The demon beast collapsed on the spot.

"There's this and also how they appeared one at a time since the beginning. Ohjin, is this... perhaps?"

"It's probably exactly what you think it is."

Demon beasts that appeared one at a time sporadically, despite the fact the entire city was under their control.

...How they escaped towards the center of the city in the middle of a fight once things got dangerous.

'They're luring us.'

The monsters were trying to lure them towards the city's center.

'Do demon beasts possess this kind of intelligence?'

Ohjin furrowed his brows in confusion.

Demon Beasts.

Also known as mutant monsters, they possessed several times the amount of fierce temper compared to normal monsters.

It meant that they lacked intelligence in return for their power.

'But they're luring us in a direction like they're throwing bait?'

He felt some kind of premonition.

...An unpleasant premonition that felt like wet clothes sticking to his skin.

"Hm. I don't understand what's wrong."

Park Changhyun scratched his head.

The demon beasts were moving so meticulously that even Park Changhyun, who had quite a lot of experience, wasn't able to notice.

They were only able to notice their weirdness because it was Ohjin, who was better at 'deception' than anyone else, and Ha-eun, who was once active in the frontlines.

'If they're doing the same thing to other Awakeners...'

The possibility that other Awakeners were heading towards the center of the city without even being aware was high.

'Is that also why Choi Jungchul was headed to the center?'

Judging from the demon beast's actions, that possibility was high.

"Ohjin."

"Yeah."

He nodded his head as he looked back at the stiff-faced Ha-eun.

With them being certain that the demon beasts were luring Awakeners towards the center of the city—

"Mr. Changhyun. Let's return."

"Huh?"

Park Changhyun looked back at Ohjin in confusion.

"We're returning already? But everyone's stamina is still full..."

"Since the start, the demon beasts have been luring us to the center of the city."

"Demon beasts had that kind of intelligence?"

"It's not for certain. But just in case, I believe going farther inside is too dangerous."

"However... the remaining demon beasts..."

Park Changhyun flapped his mouth with a doubtful expression.

"We're not returning completely. Let's take out the demon beasts around the edges of the city."

"Hmm."

"Sweeping up the demon beasts is important, but isn't preventing the demon beasts from escaping Sokcho to other cities also important?"

He convinced Park Changhyun with adequate reasoning.

"...Your words have grounds. I understand. Then let's move to the edge of the city."

Fortunately, Park Changhyun accepted the suggestion without any more complaints.

* * *

"Then shall we go right away?"

"Ah... before that."

Ohjin turned towards the center of the city.

There was something he had left to do.

'I can't miss out on the stigma of Aquarius.'

Smirk—

A sly smile was placed on his face.

"I'll go and inform some other groups that we think that the demon beasts are luring other Awakeners towards the center of the city."

"Ah. Then I'll go as well."

"I wanna go too."

Park Changhyun and Ha-eun stepped closer to him.

"No. I'll go alone. I can escape into safety the fastest in emergency situations, after all."

He had repeatedly displayed his overwhelming mobility using the wire shooters during their battles; It was unlikely any objections would be voiced.

"Hm. I guess you're right."

"..."

Indeed.

The two people nodded their heads in acknowledgment.

"...You should escape immediately if things look wrong, okay?"

Ha-eun approached him with a worried expression.

Ohjin smiled and nodded his head.

"Don't worry. I'm confident I can take care of my body."

"Here, promise with me. Return without getting hurt."

He locked his pinky finger with the one Ha-eun held out.

"Well then. I'll contact you a little later."

Ohjin raised his arm and aimed it at a nearby building.

Bang!—

Using the wire shooter, he flew from building to building.

Once he got on top of a suitable building—

Owooong!—

—he activated the stigma of the Hunting Dogs.

"Sniff, sniff."

Countless smells dug into his nose.

He found Choi Jungchul's smell amongst them.

'That way.'

It wasn't that far away.

Ohjin's eyes shone sharply.

* * *

There, at the center of the city that became ruins.

A middle-aged man was surrounded by dozens of demon beasts with his characteristic sly smile on his face.

"He, hehehe! It's unbelievable, no matter how many times I look at it."

He carefully held out his hand towards the demon beast that didn't show any movement—as if it was a doll.

Pat, pat—

The demon beasts that looked no less hideous than normal received his touch like docile sheep.

"To be able to truly control demon beasts...!"

Choi Jungchul's body shook from the thrill.

The black marble held in his hands was shining out an uneasy light.

'If this strength is with me...!'

Grip!—

He clenched his fists and burst into laughter.

"Huhu. Life truly is a blessing in disguise."

Three months previously...

His life had hit rock bottom.

'Because of that goddamn bastard...!'

Grind—

His insides twisted in fury as he recalled Ohjin's face.

"Fufufu. Well, I was able to meet that being thanks to him."

It was when he was wandering around after having lost everything.

Inside the Pandinus guild office he visited to grasp at straws, he met one man.

A man named Arshad Khan.

Choi Jungchul recalled his meeting with that man.

-You are looking for a place to take you in?

-Y-Yes, that is correct!

-Hmm.

The man with bronze skin put on a fishy smile while nodding his head.

-Very well. However, there is one condition.

-Condition...?

-You simply need to take this and move according to my orders.

What he received was a star relic imbued with a black star's powers. That star relic possessed the power to control those violent demon beasts to the point where they turned more docile than dogs.

'No, that is nothing but a portion of the power this star relic possesses.'

"Hu. Huhuhuhu!!"

Choi Jungchul lovingly stroked on the black marble as he laughed.

-Once the black stars cover up the night sky, this unreasonable world will meet its end.

Those words that Arshad Khan had recited like a chant floated around his head.

They were words that were dismal and ominous, but—

'Whatever.'

—to him, whatever the black stars were wasn't important.

What was important to him was...

'The opportunity to take revenge against that bastard.'

Choi Jungchul's eyes shone as he grasped the black marble.

"Demon beasts, continue to lure Awakeners towards the center of the city!"

Flap!—

Making an unnecessary pose, he gave orders to the demon beasts.

"Krrrrrru!"

"Karak!"

The demon beasts that hadn't shown any reaction growled out as they spread out in all directions.

"Sir Jongchul."

At that moment, the bald man who was by his side carefully spoke.

"What is it?"

"Will that Jungwoo bastard be okay?"

"Again with that nonsense."

The bald man bit his lips with a nervous expression.

"Do you know how much money that bastard has borrowed from me?!"

"Haa. Didn't I explain once before?"

Tch, tch—

Choi Jungchul clicked his tongue.

"In order to avoid suspicion, there needs to be a victim on our side as well."

They couldn't let the Pandinus guild be pinpointed as one of the culprits of the 'massacre' that would happen soon.

That operation needed to be finished with them being one of the victims of the incident.

And in order for that to happen...

"Whoever it is, at least one of us will need to be sacrificed."

"..."

The bald man scratched his head.

"Well, there's no need to be that worried since I've intentionally left him alive with adequate amounts of wounds."

Signs of injury could be left, but there was no way he would die.

"Hm. I understand."

"Well then, I'll leave surveilling the surroundings until the Awakeners gather to the center to you."

"Understood."

The bald man walked away.

Once around 15 minutes passed by...

"Huff! Huff! S-Sir Jungchul!!"

"What is it this time?"

He furrowed his brows as he looked at the bald man who was gasping for air.

"H-He died!"

"Who died?"

"J-Jungwoo!! That bastard died!!"

"What?"