NOVEL NEXT chapter 78
Chapter 78
Almost all test takers settled in the forest.
Naturally, the evaluators’ focus could only be on that place.
They observed the dark forest through Gate Eye, which was activated for this test.
It didn’t take them long to notice the changes happening in the forest.
[Krrr!]
[Ahhhhh! Who, who’s there…!]
“Don’t panic! If you respond calmly, you can deal with it… Shhing!”
On the screen, test takers were either fleeing or trying to fight against monsters and creatures driven by their instincts, attacking them.
The images on dozens of screens were almost identical.
There were frequent interruptions and breaks in the middle of the test.
When the screen froze, it meant that a gate-eye flying high in the sky around the examinees’ necks had been destroyed.
In the case of the former, it could be seen as the examinee facing death.
“….”
Such incidents were happening throughout the forest.
The evaluators couldn’t contain their unease.
“Isn’t this… too dangerous?”
Until now, examinees who had been preparing themselves were expected to engage in fierce battles on the eve of the final test.
As a result, it was anticipated that even monsters drawn to their mana would get involved, leading to chaos on the battlefield.
Since setting up gates in the dense forest was meant to incite confusion, it could be said that this was the situation they desired.
However, the situation unfolding in the forest was far beyond their expectations and had reached an uncontrollable point.
They couldn’t just stand by and watch.
The supervisor overseeing the 5th practical exam spoke with added strength, “As the monsters’ behavior seems unusual, I will immediately deploy evaluators and assistants to the scene! Those at the scene should prioritize rescuing the examinees and identify the cause of the situation.”
“Supervisor, with our current staff, rescuing so many examinees will take time…”
“If the number of rescued examinees falls short, they will cover for it. They may have been caught off guard due to lack of practical experience and a lack of focus, but if they come to their senses and coordinate, they can defeat them. So, you all need to be their focal point. Understood?”
“Yes! Understood!”
Once the evaluators were deployed to the scene, they would quickly clear the outskirts of the forest.
The issue lay in the central part of the forest.
It would take time for their efforts to reach the center.
The supervisor, unable to shake off his worries, remained with the evaluators, staring at the screen.
“If the examinees come out to the outskirts, it will be easier to rescue them… Are the examinees from the Divine Inspection Department still fighting?”
“Yes, I will display it on the central monitor.”
The largest screen changed.
The examinee from the Divine Inspection Department, Do Gyunwoo, was shown in a video engaging in a battle with a female examinee.
The supervisor grimaced with displeasure.
“To think he’s only focused on taking the exam ticket in this situation…”
Do Gyunwoo had achieved the highest score in this exam.
Therefore, the supervisor and evaluators had been keeping an eye on him.
But the sight he presented now was only disappointing.
It seemed like he didn’t know whether to prioritize his own safety or the exam ticket.
Foolish hunters die early, and he showed no signs of foolishness.
It was at that moment the supervisor thought so.
“However, that examinee is quite remarkable. She’s fighting on par with an examinee from the Divine Inspection Department.”
“….”
One of the evaluators sighed.
The supervisor’s gaze shifted to the female examinee fighting with Do Gyunwoo.
She was the one holding the yellow exam ticket.
“It is indeed unexpected.”
The supervisor commented briefly.
The female examinee, Park Ji-hee, had not yet shown her true colors.
She had only recorded average grades like other examinees who had obtained yellow exam tickets.
However, it seemed that there had been a change in her state of mind, as she demonstrated a stark contrast in her abilities during the 5th exam.
She even evaluated other examinees as if she were an examiner herself.
“Hmm…”
It was exceptional for an examinee with a yellow exam ticket to demonstrate such skills.
The proctors took notice.
Therefore, they couldn’t help but feel somewhat intrigued by the two examinees they had been watching engaging in a battle.
They simply hoped that they would control their emotions and cultivate the ability to assess the situation.
Then, from the screen, the voice of Do Gyun-woo flowed.
[The target of the Mine Conference is the execution.]
[….]
[If it’s a six-legged horse, even more so. Isn’t that right, the doll-like girl, Lee Ga-hyun?]
With Do Gyun-woo’s decisive words,
The proctors momentarily doubted their ears.
They couldn’t understand what they had just heard.
“What… did he say?”
“Mine? That’s nonsense.”
“We must have misheard.”
“He must be cursing at us. Even so… his words were harsh.”
The proctors were at a loss.
Why would the doll-like girl, Lee Ga-hyun, be mentioned here?
It was nothing but nonsensical talk.
They didn’t believe Do Gyun-woo’s words and tried to laugh it off.
[…How did you know.]
“….”
Until Park Ji-hee spoke.
The control room was enveloped in an awkward silence.
“…Is it a joke?”
“It must be a joke.”
“A joke that suits a examinee from the Divine Sword Sect.”
“….”
The proctors dismissed it as nonsense.
They didn’t want to accept the fact that Mine had infiltrated the exam.
But they had to.
Because Park Ji-hee’s eyes had turned red.
“Mine….”
“….”
Unless it’s Albino Aine, even if genes are corrupted due to mana, red eyes won’t manifest in humans.
Yet, the fact that they manifested red pointed to her being Mine.
“How could Mine….”
“So, she really is the Doll Ghost!?”
The control room was thrown into chaos.
The fact that Mine, and even Doll Ghost Lee Gahyun, infiltrated the exam room left the examiners speechless.
However, they were academy instructors and hunters at the same time.
In this world, encounters with Mine were not uncommon.
Dealing with them was part of a hunter’s life, their destiny.
The shock didn’t last long.
The supervisor, who changed his expression as an instructor and hunter, instructed the examiners.
“Pinpoint the exact location of the Doll Ghost! Inform the examiners on-site immediately, and tell those closest to her to engage with her at once!”
Why was the Doll Ghost here?
What was her purpose?
And how did Shin Geomwoo of the Divine Sword Guild uncover the Doll Ghost’s identity in the first place?
It was all a mystery for now.
But the questions were not crucial.
What mattered was to bring her down and manage the situation unfolding.
There was no time to ponder.
The supervisor pushed aside the questions that arose in his mind for now.
* * *
She may be just a clone of Lee Gahyun, but she’s strong nonetheless.
Since revealing her identity, she didn’t hesitate to unleash Mine’s vigor.
Her blade swung fiercely.
Ping!
The glint of moonlight on the blade vanished quickly, disrupting my vision.
The blade that surely slashed with the military sword was suddenly thrust back at me, threateningly.
It felt like being trapped in an ant hell.
As if haunted by a ghost.
There must be a certain form and pattern within what seems like a simple attack.
If I continue this confrontation as it is, I’ll end up falling to her in the end.
Right at that moment.
Swish!
Lee Gahyun swung her right hand back with force.
Accustomed to exchanging blows, I instinctively moved my body.
Her lips caught my eye.
“…!”
A smile crept upon Lee Gahyun’s lips.
Something was amiss.
Vague unease engulfed me.
But I was already swinging the military sword down.
I couldn’t retract the sword, or I’d be vulnerable.
It was inevitable. I had to push through.
I exerted force on the military sword.
Swish!
The military sword deflected off the shield Lee Gahyun unfolded in front of her right hand.
She wasn’t holding the sword.
“Then where…!?”
A question flashed through my mind.
Meanwhile, a blade she held in her left hand was coming at me.
I had to parry.
When I made that judgment.
Crack!
Electricity grazed past the back of my neck.
Instinctively, evasion beckoned me to look back.
I yielded to the instinct’s call, twisting my body with my right foot to dodge the descending blade.
As I glanced back, a sword flew towards me from the darkness.
It was the sword Lee Gahyun had wielded.
Ping!
I swung the military sword to knock away the falling sword.
However, as if connected to something, the sword returned to Lee Gahyun’s hand.
Eunsa (銀絲).
It was entwined with threads boasting a strength like steel, as if it could snap.
It was the main weapon of the puppet girl.
“I thought you hadn’t noticed, but you’re quite adept at evading, huh? Sharp instincts.”
Perhaps because she had shown it to me once.
She no longer tried to conceal the Eunsa.
When she released the sword from her grip, the sword connected to the thread extending from her fingertips dangled in the air.
“Well then, shall we see if you can evade this too?”
As Lee Gahyun waved her crossed hands.
The swords, which had hung weakly in the air, suddenly sprang to life, aiming at me.
Swoosh!
It wasn’t just swords flying towards me.
Threads emerging from other fingers were also targeting me.
In the darkness, lines catching the moonlight faintly revealed themselves.
Enhancing my vision with mana, I could see the mana entwined in the threads.
“I can avoid it.”
Relying on my instinct to dodge, I saw the lines tinged with a blue light.
I swung my sword, cutting the threads or twisting my body to evade.
I lunged toward her, who was unarmed.
“Shouldn’t you watch your back?”
I approached her, narrowing the distance, but she showed no sign of being flustered.
Like a commander, she crossed her hands in front of her chest.
Snap!
The sound came from behind at that moment.
The trees tied with silver threads were falling overhead.
I sprang from my position, leaping in sync with the falling trees.
I climbed onto a fallen tree on the ground to avoid the danger.
“Fighting here would put me at a disadvantage.”
There were too many terrain features around her that she could use as silver.
I could now spot the blue lines drawn here and there among the trees, perhaps set as traps.
If I had passed without noticing the silver threads, I could have been torn apart.
“It’d be best to change the location.”
I mentally scanned the map of the forest.
After a day of skirmishes in the woods, I was well-versed in the surrounding geography.
It wasn’t difficult for me to think of a favorable location.
＜Water King Style Attack Form 11＞
Lion Shatter
A sword technique blending strength and supremacy.
Leaping from the tree trunk I had been standing on, I forcefully struck the ground.
The mana imbued in the sword cleaved the ground, causing it to collapse.
───!!
It was a technique that consumed quite a bit of mana, but its destructive power was equally immense.
Igahyun retreated to avoid the aftermath of the attack.
It was the direction I desired.
＜Water King Style Attack Form 5＞
Lion’s Roar
I dashed towards Igahyun.
With each straight line I advanced in, the power of the Lion’s Roar increased.
Creating a trail like lightning, I swiftly caught up with her.
＜Water King Style Attack Form 6＞
Lions Rampant
Not giving Lee Gahyun a moment to think,
I relentlessly unleashed my attacks.
In terms of weapon performance, the Military Blue Sword excelled.
When I aimed to strike with the Military Blue Sword, her twin swords couldn’t easily parry.
“Kuk!”
The composure vanished from Lee Gahyun’s face.
Furrowing her brow, she widened the distance to turn the tide.
It unfolded as I had hoped.
“Here…”
“Now, can’t bring down the trees?”
We stood on the field.
This was where we clashed yesterday, becoming targets for examinees in a battle for conquest.
“I was wondering where you were leading me, but was it here all along? Did you think I wouldn’t handle silver threads properly here?”
Lee Gahyun snorted.
The silver threads at her fingertips spread out on the ground.
“But unfortunately, what now? My silver threads can do this too.”
“…!”
Lee Gahyun raised her hand sharply.
At that moment, the ground in front of her tore apart.
Chunks of soil, maintaining their form, fell over my head.
‘I didn’t anticipate this.’
I never imagined.
While in the game Lee Gahyun could throw terrain features using silver threads, digging up the ground was never mentioned.
But the field was more advantageous to me than the forest.
On the field, with open surroundings, I could swing my sword freely from anywhere, not needing to consider obstacles.
Crack!
Instinctively dodging,
I avoided the falling chunks of soil and leaped across the field.
Lee Gahyun also rushed towards me.
Shiiik!
Lee Gahyun swiped the air with her hand.
Strands of threads crossed in an X shape, attempting to block my path.
Merely slashing wouldn’t cut it.
＜Water King Style Attack Form 2＞
Lion’s Stance Shake
Pulling out the mana from within my heart.
I swung my black blade, cutting through the threads imbued with mana.
The threads that slipped from her hands turned into mana and dissolved into the air.
Ping!
I opened my hand, extending the silver threads, blocking Eunsa’s punch.
Eunsa parried my sword.
Right after, she delivered a roundhouse kick to my side.
Avoiding a fatal blow, I defended and was pushed to the side.
She followed up with a sword strike to keep the momentum going.
Ping!
The twin swords clashed with the military sword.
The metallic clash reverberated in the surroundings, filling the air.
Hwaaack!
The night sky lit up at that moment.
Light burst out unexpectedly.
“It seems Eunbi safely evacuated the children and came to help.”
It was Goeunbi who shot the arrow.
A signal flare.
Hwaaack!
Once again.
The night sky flashed for an instant.
The light from the explosion on the field illuminated the surroundings brightly.
Under the light, the blood vessels on Eunsa’s red eyes and face were vividly visible.
＜Water Dragon Style Attack Form 3＞
Lion’s Iron Piece
Igahyun paid no attention to the light illuminating the night sky.
It seemed as if it didn’t matter, as if it was simply written by examinees to illuminate the darkness of the forest.
In fact, there was some truth to that.
Even if expecting something different, just illuminating the darkness was enough.
“The next time the light bursts.”
Igahyun pierced my abdomen.
Lowering my stance, I struck the ground.
Once again, a fierce battle unfolded.
Chyurk!
Igahyun’s blade grazed my cheek.
The grazed cheek stung.
It seemed like I allowed her attack to inflict a minor wound.
I did not fret.
If you are afraid of this level of injury, you cannot become a hunter.
From the start, the wounds received while sharing a sword with her were not just a few.
So, I continued to wait for the right moment.
And then.
Whoosh!
An arrow, gleaming with light from somewhere, shot up into the night sky.
Reaching its threshold, the arrow exploded, scattering light across the night sky.
Anticipating this moment, I dug into the ground with my slanted military sword.
＜Third Form of the Water King’s Defense Style＞
Lion’s Barrier
As the earth sprang up in all directions, mana flowed down from the sword, creating a barrier.
Under the unending night sky, the barrier concealed my presence.
“You’re using similar tactics!”
Igahyeon, to find me, sliced through the barrier with silver threads.
But I had already left the place, moving behind her.
…!
Confusion spread across Igahyeon’s face.
Facing her.
I engaged in combat with her, releasing the pent-up power of the military sword.
────!!
The blue current roared.
It felt like it could tear the world apart.
Freed from the military sword, the raging wall of power howled fiercely, surging up and illuminating the night sky in blue.
＜Military Sword: Current Emission＞
Shall we try to block this too?
I released the pent-up power from the military sword towards Igahyeon.
The wall of power, incomparable to Lion’s Roar, engulfed her at lightning speed.
“aaargh!”
Igahyeon screamed.
Although she tried to break free from the power, her paralyzed body wouldn’t easily comply.
As if determined to leave no trace, the power supported and consumed her body.
“To think that… I…”
But Igahyeon was resilient.
Though clearly struck a fatal blow, the power couldn’t completely obliterate her.
The thickness of the blue lightning decreased.
She seemed to have reached a point where she could endure the pain with a sardonic laugh.
I was certainly not going to just stand still.
＜Water King Style Attack Form 3＞
Lion Iron
Before the wall of thunder completely disappeared,
I rushed towards Lee Gahyeon, who was struggling to stand in the lightning.
“What!?”
The lightning that had been surrounding Lee Gahyeon vanished.
I swung my military sword like a whip.
The whip-like strike sliced her throat before she could react.
“Ah….”
With a gasp.
As if in disbelief.
Lee Gahyeon’s head, separated from her neck, floated up into the night sky.
The head remained in the air and did not fall to the ground….
“You thought it would end with cutting the throat?”
“…Well, that’s true.”
Lee Gahyeon’s head did not fall.
A silver thread connecting the severed head and neck prevented the fall.
Her eyes facing the ground, her mouth towards the sky, her head looked at me and burst into laughter.
“It’s a joke.”
The silver thread hanging in the air shrinks.
Lee Gahyeon’s head is drawn towards the thread and lands on the severed section.
As if the head being cut was a lie, the seam is filled smoothly.
“You have two lives?”
Thud, thud.
A sound like bones twisting came from Lee Gahyeon.
It was not an illusion.
Her lower abdomen was writhing and transforming.
As her hips enlarged, her legs turned into spider legs, multiplying into eight.
“Once as a human. And….”
Lee Gahyeon smiles slyly.
In no time, Lee Gahyeon was in a position to look down on me.
With her lower body transformed into a spider.
“I thought it would end with one time, but you must have been quite disappointed. What will you do? It seems like you don’t have much strength left to fight me. In contrast, I have fully recovered.”
Lee Gahyeon proudly spread her arms wide.
Then she spoke to me.
“It’s not too late even now. If you tell me how you figured out my identity, I’ll be lenient and let you pass without killing you. You are to my liking, and I really don’t want to kill you if I can help it. No, how about you come over to our side now?”
“Come over to our side… What, are you asking me to become a villain?”
“That’s the correct answer.”
“…”
“You are someone who will make use of anything available, cunningly scheme, and not hesitate to kill when making decisions. Wouldn’t you fit better as a villain?”
“That’s absurd.”
“Why do you find it absurd? Your personality suits that of a villain. If you come over to our side, I will patiently teach you everything, from one to ten, no, even beyond that. Let’s have fun together, okay?”
“Spiders are not my cup of tea.”
“Then… I’ll prepare a doll that fits your taste. Just say the word.”
“I have no intention of playing with you.”
“Will you keep saying that? I am giving you a chance right now.”
“Should I give you a chance too?”
“…”
“Do you want to die gracefully or painfully?”
“You… don’t listen, do you? I’m showing consideration for you after all this time.”
“It’s not a person’s consideration, but a demon’s, right?”
“Well, fine. If you wish to die, so be it. After killing you, I’ll turn you into a doll and keep you as part of my collection for life.”
A fierce glint shone in Iga-hyun’s eyes.
I didn’t back down in front of her, who had undoubtedly grown much stronger than before.
Although I had almost exhausted my strength and didn’t have much left, I was confident I could still win.
Above all.
‘Perfect timing.’
I had a reliable ally.
I looked up at the night sky.
A circular magic circle appeared in the night sky.
“When did that…?”
Iga-hyun seemed to finally catch on.
She tried to move her spider legs to escape from under the magic circle.
However, the magic activated much faster.
◈Dark Raid◈
A third-rank dark elemental magic that bombards the area under the magic circle depending on the caster’s skill.
The magic circle emitted light, and from within it, black flames poured down like a downpour.
“aaargh!”
Iga-hyun, who had grown in size with multiple points of impact, screamed in agony.
She struggled to escape from the magic circle, blood flowing freely.
Then, she furrowed her brows fiercely and glared up at the night sky.
“Was it you?”
“…”
Near the fading magic circle,
A woman with flowing pale blue hair was floating.
Yeonnahyi.
She silently gazed down at the ground, her crimson eyes shining.
Unresponsive to Iga-hyun’s words, her attitude seemed as if she didn’t care at all.
“Fortunately, you found your way here.”
“Thanks to Eunbi’s signal flare, it was easy to find you. Remember, it was the signal we agreed upon during our rabbit hunt.”
Yeonnahyi landed in front of me.
Standing in front of me as if protecting me, she asked in a displeased tone, “Did you really think I would come?”
“I believed you would come.”
“…”
I shrugged.
There was no way Yeonnahyi hadn’t heard the rumors of me becoming a target for examinees.
If she had heard those rumors, she would undoubtedly come to help me.
The opposite held true as well.
If she had heard that she was a target, I would have gone to help her.
That’s the kind of relationship we had.
Childhood friends who trusted each other without doubt, sending unwavering support.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I can breathe easier now.”
“If you were going to get into this mess, you should have told me. Then there would have been no need for me to go through the trouble of finding you.”
“Sorry, I’ll try to tell you next time.”
“Just trying? Device on.”
Yeonnahyi pulled out a hammer with a snort.
I approached her.
“So? Just knock them out?”
“Since the opponent is not a person but a mine, deal with it without hesitation. You might get hurt if you hesitate.”
“I won’t. Don’t worry. But you’re not hurt, are you?”
“Do you see any wounds on my cheek? They did this to me.”
“I see.”
“Hani, give him a little scolding.”
Snap.
Yeonnahyi gritted her teeth.
She ignited her fighting spirit.
Meanwhile, I stood by her side.
As long as she was by my side, I would never give up.
“I can’t show a pathetic sight in front of Hani.”