CHAPTER 113…………………………………
The elder was truly transforming into a form closer to a human.
“What on earth is the benefit of turning into a human?”
Humans had no physical advantages in combat, aside from being able to use skills and possessing superior brains. Moreover, the elder could freely use the skills it had obtained before reaching maturity, meaning there was no real need to become human.
[Could that possibly be Woojin?]
As the elder progressed further into a humanoid form, its appearance gradually began to resemble mine. I thought perhaps it was similar to the one I had encountered on the third floor.
“So… So-hyeok.”
Baek So-hyeok’s sword, ready to strike the elder at any moment, froze mid-swing. That brief hesitation was enough for a long cut to appear on his forearm. A magic projectile had shot out from the elder’s hand—which looked exactly like mine.
“Foolish.”
Kang Kwon-ho sharply commented. At the same moment Baek So-hyeok realized his mistake and readjusted his grip on the sword.
“Are you going to attack me?”
The elder spoke fluently without hesitation. Its voice was exactly like mine, enough to send chills down the spines of anyone present.
“That’s a Planarient! Don’t overthink it, just attack!”
Yu Ji-soo, acting like a general, shouted as he swung his fist. His yell snapped Baek So-hyeok and Kim Jun out of their stunned daze.
“Humans can’t attack someone they care for.”
This time, a hoarse, eerie voice came from the elder. It was a noticeably different voice from mine. It gave the unsettling impression that two souls were inhabiting one body.
“So what? There’s nothing new here compared to the guy downstairs.”
Kang Kwon-ho, as if it were no big deal, drew his bow and aimed at the elder. The bowstring pointed directly at the elder’s head, yet the elder grotesquely split its mouth in a smile.
“Don’t compare me to that crude technique that only imitates appearances. I am connected to the master of this body. Let me explain simply for you foolish humans: if I get hurt, this human does too.”
“What?”
Was it saying it was using its body like a cursed puppet?
“If you want to harm the master of this body, go ahead and attack.”
I had never met this guy. How on earth was he connected to my body?
“Isn’t this just bravado?”
“Impossible. He’s never touched Woojin’s body—there’s no way this is possible.”
Kang Kwon-ho seemed to share my thoughts.
“Do you really think so, Kang Kwon-ho?”
The elder spoke again in my voice and tone.
“I have no memory, but this body has met this human before.”
When? Planarients were a race that appeared only after this quest had started. Baek Woo-jin, the master of this body, could never have encountered them before.
“Moreover, didn’t you fight your subordinates? One of them implanted a parasitic creature in that human. Thanks to that, the conditions to connect me and this body were met. It was weak and died, but a very loyal creature.”
So that’s the one that imitated my appearance.
The elder was intelligent enough to command subordinates. I hadn’t expected this level of cunning despite knowing higher-ranked beings got smarter.
I’ve never seen an elder take on a human form in gameplay. Now I understand how advanced they are, being able to speak human language.
Excluding demonic species like Yu, who are almost human-like, many of these races physically cannot speak. So it was easy to underestimate how intelligent they were.
I had to admit my information was incomplete. The more variables, the less predictable the future became.
“Chattering annoys me.”
Although he answered harshly, the magical power around Baek So-hyeok’s rapier weakened. It seemed the elder’s words had some credibility.
The elder, now in my form, created a blue sphere above its head. It was confident that no human in the room could attack it.
“Wuuuuuuh.”
The sphere was denser and larger than the first one. Before, we had blocked it with an attack, but this time, it was impossible.
I caused this. If I hadn’t been kidnapped, I could’ve verified if this was real or not.
I hoped Kang Kwon-ho would continue his attacks, but he hesitated, drawing the bowstring without releasing it.
If only I could communicate somehow, I could at least lie and say our bodies aren’t connected.
There was no way to get a message through this heavy guard.
“Assume a defensive stance!”
Baek So-hyeok commanded the panicked group.
“Is my brother really in danger? Is that what he’s saying true?”
Kim Jun refused to believe it, but Baek So-hyeok remained resolute.
“Better to be cautious, just in case.”
Though it seemed like the elder was out-speaking them, the guild members had no sharp countermeasures. Kang Kwon-ho finally put away his bow and drew a shield. His previously expressionless face twisted with anger.
Gwoooom.
The giant sphere fell from the elder’s hand, almost touching the ceiling. It moved slowly, scanning for a target.
It’s too big to dodge. Blocking is the only option.
“I’ll absorb it first to reduce its power.”
Baek So-hyeok drew a long sword with a larger surface area instead of his usual rapier, to better manipulate space distortion. Even though I wasn’t there, my hands sweated with tension.
“Kiiiiiing.”
The sphere was so volatile that a slight mistake could engulf Baek So-hyeok, yet he skillfully shrank it with space distortion.
“That’s enough. Stand back.”
Kang Kwon-ho’s low, reluctant voice reached him. He braced his shield and created a magical barrier around him. Baek So-hyeok stepped back, confirming the safety of the shield. The all-consuming sphere gradually wore down against it.
“Kiiiiiing.”
Fragments of the sphere flew and grazed the elder’s cheek, leaving a shallow cut. Blood trickled from it.
“Huh? Looks like the elder’s words are true?”
A spectator’s voice, previously ignored, struck me. I realized my own cheek was bleeding. Things were heading for disaster.
“Peeing, peeing, ping.”
Blocked in his counterattack, the elder created dozens of slightly larger blue spheres in midair—over fifty. They circled around him, seemingly moving at his command.
Such all-around attacks are hard to block with just a shield.
The projectiles sprang toward the guild members. Their destructive power was weak but precise. The guild could dodge or block them, but without attacking the caster, victory seemed impossible.
How long can Kim Jun’s stamina hold? He’s not a martial fighter.
“I-I’ll try! I can keep my brother safe!”
Unexpectedly, Kim Jun stepped forward.
Is he going to use paralysis poison again?
Since it wouldn’t cause lethal damage, that might be preferable—it wouldn’t trigger explosions, which was good for me too.
“Are you sure? The first poison won’t work; he’s immune now.”
The elder glanced at Kim Jun, feigning sniffles.
“You’re attacking me? Jun, how can you do this?”
A stranger might have thought him pitiful.
“My brother doesn’t say that. He tells me to retreat if it’s dangerous.”
Kim Jun seemed resolute but was gentler than usual. His pouting showed that, even knowing it wasn’t me, he was still concerned.
“Follow me and stay behind.”
Kang Kwon-ho guided Baek So-hyeok from the side while taking the lead. Kim Jun nodded and followed in Kang Kwon-ho’s shadow. Spheres rained from all directions, but Kang Kwon-ho shot them away with his pistol.
“People say Kang Kwon-ho is strong, but he’s barely keeping up.”
“He’s considered the strongest in our country, don’t doubt it.”
“Sounds like hype. If it were me, I’d obliterate those spheres in one shot. Aren’t they insignificant?”
Ignorance breeds courage.
“They’re adjusting their force to precisely counter the spheres so they don’t go astray. They’re taking care not to harm the elder. Learn something before you comment.”
The most observant spectator cynically replied. Kang Kwon-ho guided Kim Jun along the safest path despite perfect control.
Judging the range, Kim Jun touched the ground. Purple liquid shot up like a hot spring. It was a skill he had used before.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
The elder scoffed and incinerated the incoming poison with spheres at his feet. The spheres not only destroyed poison but also dealt damage to his feet and ankles.
Ugh. So reckless. And my ankle got hurt too.
I had wounds on my ankles and was annoyed, timing a chance to escape.
“What’s that up there?”
I looked where the man in front of me was pointing. A transparent membrane fell from the ceiling. Concentrating revealed it, but the elder, focused below, didn’t notice. By the time he sensed the anomaly, the poison had already spread across his body. The tingling from his fingertips spread instantly.
Did it work?
