By Zephyria “
Otsuka cried out, gritting his teeth.
“”
He did not bend his will even though his limbs were trembling. He truly believed that his actions were for the sake of Japan, and furthermore, for the sake of humanity.
“
Otsuka’s body convulsed in a different sense. This time it was not fear but excitement.
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“<……What about the people who were eaten by the river? The logic doesn’t match. You’re already sacrificing so many people, but you’re talking about salvation.>”
Otsuka chuckled at Ki Jae-eon’s point.
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“
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“<…….>”
“
“
Ki Jae-eon said, removing the spiritual power that had been suppressing Otsuka. Whether it was an effort to not stutter with his slow and deliberate pronunciation, or just an effort to suppress his emotions, it was definitely conveyed.
“
Otsuka paused at his sudden affirmation.
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Ki Jae-eon slowly shifted his gaze and looked at the river. The clear river water was reflected in his black eyes. It was hard to believe that this river, where the beauty of nature was intact, was the river of the underworld that had eaten so many people. Ki Jae-eon tilted his head and took a step towards the river.
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A self-sacrifice to the point of foolishness.
“
That was what justice was to Ki Jae-eon.
Splash-! Otsuka watched Ki Jae-eon walk into the water without hesitation with a blank expression. Then he burst into a twisted laugh. Are you trying to prove your righteousness in person? But that choice is wrong. The River of Immortality is a place you can’t come back from once you enter! Ah- a foolish and pitiful young Exorcist.
“
Otsuka’s eyes gleamed with madness.
“
If it’s someone with that much spiritual power, surely-!
It was when Otsuka was convinced of his victory. Ki Jae-eon quietly turned his head. Surprisingly, his face looked very peaceful. As if he wasn’t afraid of the River of Immortality at all. But Otsuka didn’t believe it. He dismissed Ki Jae-eon’s attitude as mere bluff. Like Ibarashi, who was once his teacher, like Suzuki, who was always showing off!
“
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Ki Jae-eon splashed the water with his hand and chuckled.
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“<……?>”
“”
And splash- he disappears into the deep river water.
‘
Otsuka recalled the man’s face he had seen at the end and left the comment that ‘his personality was surprisingly twisted.’
Meanwhile, the situation outside was also unfolding in a groundbreaking way.
‘
Suzuki stared blankly at the Korean man wiping blood from his nose in front of him. He wasn’t exactly unscathed either, but he was still standing firmly on two feet, a stark contrast to the incapacitated Jujutsu Master.
‘
The standards Suzuki had subconsciously held were instantly overturned. He had considered everyone except Ki Jae-eon to be beneath him, but he now corrected himself. Kim Ju-won was strong.
‘‘
And that small kid next to him, the one called “Ahn Seo-myeong.”
‘
His support skills were considerable.
Thanks to his assistance, they were able to subdue the Jujutsu Master without much trouble. His sense of timing, knowing when to strike and retreat, and his ability to block the Evil Aura appropriately, were very impressive.
‘
He was on a different level altogether. He seemed to have already transcended human limitations.
Suzuki briefly recalled the situation from thirty minutes ago when Ki Jae-eon was still present.
‘
Even with the appearance of the Jujutsu Master, he wasn’t particularly fazed. He casually glanced over them, spent some time standing there as if assessing the situation, and then, as if brushing away cobwebs, he swept away the multiple layers of Barriers and said in his usual slow tone:
‘
He couldn’t understand it.
How could he tell him not to help in such a critical situation? He was sorry to Ki Jae-eon, but he had no intention of following his orders.
But once the battle began, he understood.
Kim Ju-won, who had been pushed back at the beginning, gradually got a feel for things and began to subdue the Jujutsu Masters one by one, showing rapid growth.
He was shocked then.
That crazy Ki Jae-eon was treating the current danger as a training exercise!
‘
What kind of training method was this extreme?
Suzuki swallowed hard, thinking of Ki Jae-eon. Violet? No, he was a poisonous plant.
“Sun-ji-ki? Mr. Sunjiguk?”
“Suzuki, hyung.”
“Ah, Mr. Suzuki? Ah. Hey, I’m a… we together let’s gogo.”
It was Kim Ju-won, who was brushing back his disheveled hair, who broke him out of his reverie.
“
“Why does he keep saying ‘Hi’? He really likes greeting people.”
“It means ‘yes’ in Japanese.”
“Ah, really? Then they must think we say ‘yes yes’ when we go to America. Wow, that’s hilarious.”
“Hyung, are you really a kid?”
The three of them, chattering about things Suzuki didn’t understand, headed beyond the Barrier where Ki Jae-eon was. Well, he was relieved that things were going smoothly, anyway.
“
The sight that unfolded before them made Suzuki’s face turn pale.
‘‘
For some reason, only Otsuka was there.
“
Anxiety crept in at his confident smile.