「Regresor, Yoo Joonghyuk. He remembers. The scene where the meadow, which had been beautifully spread out in lush green, was covered entirely with murky blood.」
「"Kang Yuhyeon…!!"」
「In the midst of that gruesome scene, Yoo Joonghyuk urgently called out to a man who was quietly standing in the pouring rain.」
「"…Yoo Joonghyuk."」
「As the man turned his body at his call, at that moment, Yoo Joonghyuk realized. The blood that covered his entire body had all been washed away by the countless raindrops falling from the sky, but where his right hand used to be, only cold emptiness remained.」
「"…I will call Lee Seolhwa! So wait just a moment!"」
「Yoo Joonghyuk, who had gone through numerous tragedies but still had humanity remaining. Therefore, he moved desperately to save his companion. Although he has a Historical Figure-grade Constellation as a Sponsor, her medical skills are far superior to other Incarnations, so he harbored hope that she could fix the loss of one arm.」
「However.」
「"…Don't do anything useless, Yoo Joonghyuk."」
「The man personally trampled on his hope.」
「Yoo Joonghyuk was flustered by his sudden action. For a Jujutsu Sorcerer, the loss of one arm was akin to a swordsman losing one arm. Therefore, the situation must be urgent. He must know that better than anyone. Why on earth is he.」
「"I no longer want to receive anyone's support. No, furthermore, I do not want to trust anyone."」
「Looking at him as if he had resigned, with such empty eyes.」
「"Yoo Joonghyuk, look around. You surely know who these people are."」
「At his words, Yoo Joonghyuk looked around. Their faces were familiar. It was natural. They were 'companions' who had shared joys and sorrows together from Geumho Station to this 'Paradise'. He felt as if he could still hear it in his ears. Their voices calling him Captain and calling him King of Curses. He felt as if he could still see it if he closed his eyes. The sight of everyone talking about what they would do when the scenario ended, and relying on and supporting each other to prepare for the next scenario despite the difficult situation. But why is it. As if that scene was an illusion from the start, all the faces emerging in his mind were sprawled on the ground, dead in wretched forms.」
「"It was a mere week. Arriving at Paradise, being persuaded by the Lord, and being toyed with—in just a week, those called companions were all shattered into pieces. In such a situation, how can I trust you guys?"」
「At Kang Yuhyeon's words, Yoo Joonghyuk retorted. That he, Lee Seolhwa, Lee Jihye, Lee Hyunsung, Kim Namwoon, and Yoo Mia would be different from them. But at Yoo Joonghyuk's question, he asked.」
「"Then can you make an Existence Pledge right here and now? That you can sacrifice yourself for me, even throwing away everything you have built up so far, including Fables, companions, and goals."」
「He couldn't answer confidently like just before. Kang Yuhyeon, who was quietly watching Yoo Joonghyuk like that, smiled faintly and continued.」
「"…Look. Even you, who live for a great cause, cannot sacrifice yourself for others by betting everything you have. Even you are like that, so what about others?"」
「Yoo Joonghyuk's firm expression crumbled. Perhaps because the heavily falling rain was cold, his fingertips trembled minutely.」
「"Hoping for companions in a perished world was stupid in the first place. So you be careful too. Before you end up in this shape like me."」
「With those words, Kang Yuhyeon turned his back. Stepping through puddles of blood or water, unknown which, he moved further and further away. Like that, he became a Great Evil that even Yoo Joonghyuk couldn't stop.」
[Kang Yuhyeon]: Ridiculous. One is a Regressor, and one is a Prophet.
[Kim Dokja]: Sorry for hiding it. But you can understand, right?
[Yoo Joonghyuk]: If you go around blabbering, I will definitely kill you.
I have no intention of blabbering, and far from understanding, it doesn't matter much to me, so I tried to just let it pass nonchalantly, but Yoo Joonghyuk is putting me on edge with considerable rudeness.
The way he speaks while being carried on Kim Dokja's back is truly…. Should I just grab him along with Kim Dokja and throw them under the bridge.
[Kang Yuhyeon]: So back to the main point…, what kind of Disaster is the Disaster of Questions that the woman called Poisoner (Poison Princess) is trying to wake up? Is it similar to the Fire Dragon you caught last time?
[Kim Dokja]: If it were that level, we wouldn't have moved so urgently.
One of the five Disasters of the fifth scenario, and one of the Disasters that destroyed Chronos.
And Myung Ilsang, a boy who was summoned to the otherworld 'Chronos' as a Hero class and returned to Earth.
That was exactly the identity of the Disaster of Questions.
[Kang Yuhyeon]: Solving the Returnee's penalty by answering questions…. Then isn't it enough to just not answer the questions asked? Such a guy is a Disaster?
My interest rose but then cooled down significantly.
Because the weakness of the strength of the guy called Disaster of Questions was too clear.
Should I just take Shin Yoosung and go collect Coins even now….
"…Oppa!"
"Kim Dokja."
Along with Shin Yoosung's urgent voice and Han Sooyoung's tense voice, we stopped walking.
At that moment, I witnessed.
"…What, on earth is that."
Strange and disgusting things that looked like tentacles or plants, squirming their bodies and crossing over while emitting bright light from the holes created in the air after the fourth scenario.
…Hmm, can I eat those too.
"…Isn't it too late? What if the 'Disaster' has already awakened?"
"Not yet. If so, the scenario would have started."
Kim Dokja and Han Sooyoung exchanged conversations with serious eyes.
In an atmosphere where battle seemed imminent, Shin Yoosung gripped the dagger in her bosom tightly, and I also slowly drew up my Cursed Energy.
-Boom, boooom…!!
Sharply honed senses captured the subtle vibration of the ground.
I wondered if it was from these monsters spread around, but these countless footsteps, difficult to count one by one, all had the form of humans.
Then.
-Whooosh….
Shall I kill them all?
[The Fable, 'King of Curses', smiles.]
Although using Cursed Energy is quite inconvenient, at this level, if I activate the technique without omitting Incantations and Hand Signs, I can kill them all quite quickly and surely.
Right, so—
-Flinch…!!
—At the moment I thought up to there, I urgently stopped trying to fire 'Dismantle'.
"Everyone run towards Cheonho Bridge!"
"S, save me!!"
"Uwaaak!"
Because amidst the numerous crowds, I felt a familiar Cursed Energy I had seen sometime.
This, definitely in Chungmuro….
-Swaaaaaah—!!
Suddenly, a barrier of threads like spider webs spreads wide in the air. As if dozens of layers of nets were shot at once, arrows got tangled in the threads and couldn't advance any further.
Wondering for a moment who on earth unfolded this, I quickly looked around. Then I could see that the threads were all connected to one woman.
-Kwa-ga-ga-gak!!
A woman wearing a tight black combat suit revealing her figure well, shooting a large amount of threads and using them with daggers to slice enemies' bodies at once.
It looks just like seeing one of my techniques, 'Dismantle'.
What is this? am I seeing wrong right now?
Surely, the face when I first saw her was one that didn't know fighting, beyond harmless to incompetent, but the face of the woman in front of me was filled with ruthlessness and cruelty.
-Thump.
At that moment.
My heart, which didn't beat even after fighting Yoo Joonghyuk or hearing the explanation about the Disaster of Questions, beat roughly.
"Yoo Sangah-ssi, this way!"
"…!!"
The woman in front of me, Yoo Sangah.
We haven't shared a conversation, and the only times we met were in the subway and Chungmuro, but.
-Thump, thump.
Right now, insane interest arose in her.
[The Fable, 'King of Curses', eyes sparkle and begins to loosen up—]
-Tap.
"O, Oppa…."
"…."
Trying to draw up Cursed Energy further was brief; someone grabbed my collar, so I turned my gaze there and saw Shin Yoosung with a quite nervous face.
…Come to think of it, is this the first time this brat is seeing so many people dying like this?
A little. No, it's very regrettable, but I'll have to make a separate proposal to Yoo Sangah later.
[The Fable, 'King of Curses', closes its eyes saying the excitement has cooled down.]
"Kim Dokja! I have a lot to say, but for now, we must divide our forces! Han Sooyoung! Use Avatars to evacuate Shin Yoosung and Yoo Joonghyuk! We will break through the Poisoner Group as is and secure the Disaster Meteorite!"
"…W, wait. Oppa! I can also help—"
"H, hey! Why me! I'm already f*cking scared of carrying this guy on my back—"
"If you want to be killed by me right now, go ahead."
"…Aaaaak!!"
As expected, it seems violence is an excellent means of communication.
When her life was threatened, Han Sooyoung created two Avatars without a word.
At that moment, one immediately carried Yoo Joonghyuk and the other carried Shin Yoosung on their backs and started heading towards the high-rise building I indicated.
In the process, Shin Yoosung seemed to try to say something urgently, but let's hear that later.
[Yoo Joonghyuk: The Poisoner probably intends to wake up the Disaster Meteorite through the Ritual of Incubation.]
[Kang Yuhyeon: Ritual of Incubation?]
[Kim Dokja: Just as we injected magic power into the meteorite to wake up Lycaon quickly, the Ritual of Incubation has the same mechanism. Prayers of people with nowhere to go create faint magic power.]
Prayers of people with nowhere to go create faint magic power. Is it….
If that is the case.
-Whooosh—!!
Due to the attribute of Jujutsu Sorcerer, all my Magic Power was converted to Cursed Energy.
In other words, Cursed Energy and Magic Power are two sides of the same coin.
Therefore, if I can find the opponent's unique Cursed Energy with my Cursed Energy, wouldn't I be able to find a place where a large amount of Magic Power is concentrated with my Cursed Energy? I thought.
"…Found it."
This really works.
"…What?"
"I mean the Disaster Meteorite."
""…!!""
Hearing my words, Kim Dokja, Han Sooyoung, and Yoo Sangah looked at me as if they couldn't believe it.
Let's talk later.
-Buzz….
[8th Grade Insect Species, 'Insect Human Nam Min-hyuk' reveals hostility towards you.]
[8th Grade Insect Species, 'Insect Human Jung Min-ji' reveals hostility towards you.]
[8th Grade Insect Species, 'Insect Human Kim Gab-il' reveals hostility towards you.]
[8th Grade Insect Species, 'Insect Human Goo In-hyuk' reveals hostility towards you.]
.
.
.
I have to deal with those insect bastards first.