By Zephyria Surprisingly, at Kim Ja-myeong’s question, the Evil God’s movements stopped. There was no attack or defense. He just raised his parched arm and slowly pointed in one direction. Karang- The nine rings attached to the stone spear collided with each other, creating a gloomy echo. At the end where the pointed head touched, as Kim Ja-myeong expected, was Ki Jae-eon.
That’s the right answer.
Now the Wish Eater’s real purpose is visible.
‘It was Ki Jae-eon from the beginning.’
As soon as the Evil God flicked the stone spear once, the Ganggil, which had been ramming into the Barrier all the time, disappeared high into the sky with a chilling cry.
There was a meaning to the unspoken movement.
It meant that if they handed over Ki Jae-eon, he would not cause any harm.
Everyone, including Kim Ja-myeong, froze.
‘…Cunning bastard.’
A shadow fell over Kim Ja-myeong’s eyes.
‘He showed it on purpose.’
Now that he saw it, he understood. The lightning and the Ganggil… were a kind of performance to shake people up.
Therefore, it was a trick to get what he wanted easily.
Considering the short time given to him and Ki Jae-eon’s strength, he sought maximum efficiency. In other words, the strategy was to show a proper example without wasting energy on small fry, and then force them to choose and make them retreat on their own.
Perhaps the reason why he didn’t use his full power could be read in the same context. It would be easier for him if they disappeared on their own without having to clean them up directly.
‘He’s saying that he doesn’t have the time or energy to waste on us.’
But he couldn’t bring himself to say that he was arrogant. He hated to admit it, but that bastard was on a different level from the specters he had exorcised so far.
It was then.
As the Evil God flicked the stone spear once more, a black sphere floated above the Barrier.
He could feel it even from a distance. There were ominous ‘things’ inside.
This was a kind of threat.
No, to put it differently… it was the last chance given to the main office.
The last mercy he was giving before bringing true misfortune.
In summary, he was pressuring them to choose [the sacrifice of the few for the sake of the many]. It was a terrible condition, but… they couldn’t help but waver because they were human. Of course. Because anxiety manipulates people’s minds. Jae-eon? Jae-eon oppa? Hyung-nim? People exchanged glances at each other. Eyes filled with despair glistened with selfish light.
However, it was only for a moment.
“The main office…”
Someone clenched their fist tightly and said as if making a vow.
“Doesn’t abandon family.”
No matter how scared we are, there are morals we have to protect. That’s the main office. The frightened voice was not impressive at all, but that small word caused a big change. Determination filled everyone’s eyes. It was a will to go together to the end.
Whether the sky was moved by their loyalty, ding——* the bell finally rang.
The second bell they had been waiting for so long had rung!
“It’s done!”
The sound of the bell that suppressed the remaining anxiety. Relief spread across people’s faces.
“It’s okay. Everything will be over when the third bell rings.”
“Hold on a little longer!”
It was at that moment that they were comforting each other and rebuilding hope.
The Evil God, who had been looking up at the Wish Eater, moved.
In fact, at the point when the second bell rang, the worst condition had been established.
Regardless of their determination or how close they were to each other, from now on, this uninvited guest would attack them in the shortest amount of time. He would not care about means or methods.
The mummy-like parched hand grabbed the stone spear and slammed it into the ground. Before they could even wonder what he was trying to do, the chapped lips under the bandages opened and a chilling voice focused people’s attention, [“A-“].
[“Bonbasaraatajinmasara”]
A faint murmur flowed out as if scattering into the air.
An unpleasant murmur that felt like whispering in their ears.
[“Bansapilseongamyujehwabultteuk”]
A chilling spirit chant.
Crack!
Creak!
Thump!
And then the Barrier broke.
It was a moment.
Easily, as if proving that he really didn’t break it on purpose.
He easily trampled on the power of the five elders.
“Aaaaah!”
“Heo, heok!”
The more the ominous murmuring continued, the more people rolled on the ground.
“Wh-what is this…!”
Black spots suddenly appeared on the once-flawless skin, quickly rotting one by one. First, pus formed, then it turned purple and necrotic, causing unimaginable pain. Aaaagh! Some even lost control of their bowels due to the physical and mental shock. Even the Teachers who had been holding on collapsed, coughing up blood tears. No. What is this…! Those who were frantically scratching at their skin screamed for help in the end. Their hands were covered in their own blood.
Kim Ja-myeong was no different.
“Keuk, heoeok!”
Kneeling down and clutching his heart, he raised his trembling head to look at the Evil Divinity. His vision was gradually fading, as if his eyes were burning.
‘It’s this… much…….’
Plague, smallpox. It had cast a ‘curse’ that could be called anything.
Starting with the skin, he would go blind, deaf, his bones would rot and break… and in the end, he would sink into darkness.
It was even at a level where Curse Unraveling was impossible. He had never seen such power before.
‘A mistake. I underestimated it too much.’
…No, he should have questioned from the start whether it was even an existence that could be evaluated.
That thing is no longer a specter or a monster.
It’s just a disaster that should be regarded as a natural disaster.
Cough! Contaminated, dark red blood flowed down Kim Ja-myeong’s entire body. He forced his unmoving muscles to move and assessed the situation. The surroundings were ruthlessly bleak. People convulsing and fainting were densely filling the floor. It was a complete annihilation.
‘The kids, at least the kids…….’
They are flowers that have not yet fully bloomed.
‘I have to hold on…….’
Kim Ja-myeong tasted fear for the first time in his life. He had faced many evil beings to reach the pinnacle of the main office, but this was the first time he had encountered an existence with such a strong grudge, no, resentment.
Just what is its identity?
Where were you born?
‘To be so…….’
Cruel.
Ki Jae-eon blankly stared down at Ahn Seo-myeong, who had collapsed next to him.
Hissing—shallow breaths escaped weakly, as if they would stop at any moment.
“Seo, ……Seo-myeong.”
He reached out with a trembling hand and stroked the child’s cheek. Hot blood was transmitted to his cold fingertips. The child’s pain, felt through the rotten skin, gradually brought his blurred mind back. A horrific sight was captured in his clear vision.
“Ah, ah… ah.”
Ki Jae-eon’s lips parted and a groan escaped. Tears welled up in his wide eyes, shimmering as if they would fall at any moment.
“Stop… it. St, op, stop it. Why….”
The distant future and the present mixed together in his head without boundaries. Soon, a disaster was superimposed on his own image. An existence that destroys, ruins, kills, and plunges into despair. That, right now… was himself. Ki Jae-eon, who had only fought for others, was smashing the things he had tried to protect with his own hands.
“-!”
His head was so hot that he couldn’t think properly. He even heard a long beeping sound in his ears. Ki Jae-eon looked at the future [him] slowly approaching him. This isn’t what you want. You can’t do this. His body trembled as the distance narrowed.
“……Why, why!”
Fear… it wasn’t that kind of emotion.
It was more intense than that.
Yes, that’s right. The strongest emotion a human can have, anger.
He was driven to the point where his reason was about to snap, and he was slowly being submerged in the swamp of anger.
‘In my form…….’
An unbearable, blatant mockery.
‘How…….’
How, how!
Following Ki Jae-eon’s emotions, the spiritual power he possessed surged violently. However, it was different in nature from the power he usually used. A negative energy born from anger. A corrupted belief to only destroy the opponent. It was as if he was becoming the same state as the [him] walking towards him.
But it didn’t matter. Because he was going to kill it.
His defiled mind was enraged, and he was on the verge of losing control.
—Beep! Just as he heard a loud ringing in his ears again and was about to stand up from his slumped body,
“…No,!”
A very faint force stopped Ki Jae-eon.
“Haa, ha… No, don’t go, hyung, don’t… heueu, don’t go.”
The voice was so fragile it was about to break, and the trembling conveyed through his clothes made it clear that he was ‘barely holding on.’
“Eueuk… haa, hyung, if you go… heueueu, it won’t work.”
The owner of the hand was Ahn Seo-myeong.