Chapter 23 …

“What… is this!”

Kim Yeoul’s arms were originally connected to Seo Iram.

Even if an arm was severed, one should have been able to endure it at least once.

But now, Kim Yeoul had lost both arms and was trembling all over.

‘What!?’

Startled, I looked back, only to see that Seo Iram had also lost both arms and was writhing in pain.

That meant that in that brief moment, the attacker had figured out the connection between Kim Yeoul and Seo Iram and struck twice.

Two attacks so fast that even an S-rank hunter like Kim Yeoul couldn’t perceive them.

And with just one exchange of blows, they were rendered combat-ineffective.

‘Is something like this… even possible?’

A vague aura of death slowly constricted around my neck.

There wasn’t a single opening.

The flawless being before me had stood from the beginning in the position of an overwhelmingly powerful entity.

As if they had never even considered the position of the weak, they exuded composure even with us in front of them.

‘All that from just devouring goblins?’

Impossible.

From a level-up perspective, it made no sense at all.

Then why had such a powerful existence suddenly appeared?

“I can hear your thoughts from here.”

“…!”

The one who had reached behind me at a speed too fast to even perceive smiled faintly, a sound like fingernails scraping metal, sending goosebumps down my arms.

“Ugh…”

In the presence of overwhelming fear, all resistance feels useless.

Seo Iram, having regenerated their arms, gritted their teeth and jumped to their feet.

Then they grabbed knives in both hands and charged.

“You bastard—!”

“Shut up.”

With that single word, a red aura shot out, and Seo Iram’s body disintegrated into pieces.

A perfect death that even body regeneration couldn’t counter.

The system message confirmed it: one hour until re-summoning.

Screeeech—!

For a moment, however, Kim Yeoul, having regained her arms thanks to Seo Iram’s sacrifice, attacked the being simultaneously with Kang Jinwoo, as if by unspoken agreement.

The being didn’t move, wearing a bored expression.

The red aura surrounding it effortlessly blocked the attacks of the two S-rank hunters.

Yeomje’s flames, which should have opposed the aura, faltered and were subdued instead.

Kang Jinwoo’s shadow tried to probe the being’s energy, but made little progress.

Despite the continuous barrage from the two hunters, the being looked at me with an intrigued expression.

“You are a fascinating creature, shining the brightest in the darkest place.”

Its strange eyes fixed on me.

At the same time, Yeoul and Jinwoo, who had been attacking it, were hurled away into a pile of debris as if taking heavy damage.

“Irritating.”

In an instant, Kim Yeoul’s body was split in two.

A death from which regeneration was impossible was instantaneous.

The being then reached toward Jinwoo, who was pinned against the wall and vomiting blood.

“No—!”

“Hm? Why is that? You let that woman die, yet…”

“Ugh…”

As I couldn’t respond, it even lightly mocked me, finding amusement in it.

“Well, I am merciful. I will grant that much favor.”

The being withdrew its hand from Jinwoo and turned its gaze to me.

Within its red eyes, I existed, yet not as myself—it felt as if I were being sucked into somewhere unpleasant.

“This…!”

“Do not move.”

Its red gaze flashed, and red energy spread from its body, wrapping around me.

I flinched, but it had little effect.

“…Hoo!”

I tore the red energy apart as if nothing, and the being’s eyes widened.

“You are certainly different from that trash.”

An arrogant smile crept across its face, absolute confidence radiating from every fiber of its being.

“You may even hear my name. I will allow it.”

A statement fit for a lunatic drunk on arrogance, yet the power emanating from it fully justified the words.

I clutched my trembling arms and spoke, trying to force my voice steady.

“…Are you a blood demon too?”

“Blood demon? Ah… yes, there were some like that.”

With a single gesture, the earth itself began to tremble.

Not magic, just raw physical force created this phenomenon.

The ground, soaked in blood, turned red.

A repulsive, unnatural force surged, not soil nor grass, corrupting the earth.

Once again, the red energy avoided me entirely.

Seeing this, the being smiled knowingly.

“I am the unseen king, the last of arrogance, Karnak.”

Karnak glared and gestured toward me.

It moved as if lifting something, but my body didn’t budge.

“Ho… your power does not affect me, after all.”

“Enough nonsense—get out…!”

Karnak disappeared from sight.

“Are you a ‘Lord’ too?”

A voice came from behind.

“What kind of nonsense is that!”

“Hmm, still unaware, are you?”

A voice came from the left.

“Even before awakening, such an intense light.”

From the right, another voice.

“Indeed…”

From above, below, left, right, front, and back, voices layered upon voices.

A voice that seemed to shake my very brain. My teeth clenched.

“Delicious, indeed.”

“Ugh!”

Karnak’s pale white hand grabbed my collar.

Even raw physical force, not powers, was overwhelming.

“Let… go…!”

“Would you merely lick your lips before such a delightful feast?”

When the hand opened, inside it was a sharp-toothed mouth, flicking its tongue.

“I will enjoy this meal!”

The moment its teeth were about to pierce my neck—

『The time for confrontation has not yet come.』

A black energy emerged around me, blocking Karnak’s teeth.

Karnak’s eyes widened in shock.

“So it was your servant… it was you.”

For the first time, Karnak’s composed expression twisted.

As if meeting a sworn enemy, a mysterious red energy erupted wildly.

“Ugh…!”

What kind of monstrous power is this…!

What is confrontation, and why is it enraged?!

An overwhelming force crushed me as if trying to break my mind.

I struggled desperately, but how can an ant oppose an elephant?

“You bastard….”

Blood dripped from my bitten lips and nose.

My vision blurred, blood nearly flowing from my ears.

Then, a pitch-black energy surged from within me.

A force strong enough to suppress Karnak’s red energy in an instant.

『I did not permit the confrontation.』

“Hah! Why would I need your permission—!”

Kraaaaash—!

“Arrgh!”

Before Karnak could finish speaking, the black energy surged again from my body.

Overwhelming power that no mere human could endure made me lose consciousness.

‘My head… feels like it’s going to explode…’

Kang Jinwoo, thrown against the wall, coughed up blood.

As thin black blood spurted, his vision cleared.

“Hyung… the others?”

He tried to rise, but his legs wouldn’t support him.

Turning his head with effort, he saw Hyunsoo held in the monster’s grip.

“Hyung…”

A thin, wavering voice lingered in the air.

I had to save him, but my body wouldn’t respond.

Broken ribs stabbed my lungs, making it hard to breathe.

“I… I have to save him…”

Blood trickled from my bitten lips.

Even when trying to stand, my legs remained powerless.

I had finally gained strong power to protect those I loved.

But now, I couldn’t even defend them, barely able to move.

My hands trembled violently.

My whole body had no strength.

One hit was enough to inflict such horrific pain.

I grasped the debris behind me with shaking hands, trying desperately to get up.

“Kyaaaah—!”

With a scream that felt like knives slicing my ears, black aura surged around Hyunsoo like a storm.

The monster holding his neck released him in surprise.

Yet Hyunsoo did not fall, hovering in the air.

“What is… that?”

The stormy black energy formed a sphere, encasing Hyunsoo safely.

Inside the eye of the black storm, it protected him meticulously.

I blinked, utterly unable to comprehend it.

The monster, however, seemed to know something, twisted its mouth, and shouted.

“You dare intervene in this world on his behalf?!”

Its aura grew even more ferocious.

As if intending to end this decisively, it tore at the earth.

“Today, I will personally take your life.”

Red energy struck Hyunsoo.

Debris erupted violently, but the sphere had not a single scratch.

Not content, Karnak spread red wings, slashed through the air, and drew a grotesque red spear from a rift in the dimension.

It was twisted with intertwined serpents.

‘What the… what on earth is happening?!’

Even from a distance, the sinister power sent chills down my spine.

“The time for confrontation has come. This shall be proof.”

Red energy drilled through the spear.

Just as it was about to strike Hyunsoo with the force of a three-story building…

“Why does the defeated remnant of the old era dream of overturning the heavens?”

The sphere broke, revealing Hyunsoo inside.

“Hyung…?”

His presence was entirely different.

A vivid aura surrounded him like armored fear, and he held a bizarrely long scythe.

Black energy of captivating beauty radiated from the scythe.

“Defeated? Ha! Do you call a game rigged from the start a fair fight?”

“You are both the one who entered the field and the one who accepted the challenge.”

“Shut up—!”

Perhaps angered, the monster’s spear targeted Hyunsoo’s forehead.

The strike, too fast to follow, was caught by the scythe.

It was clearly a lethal strike, yet Hyunsoo smiled, not with anger, but pity.

“Are you so afraid of a new era?”

“Gods! Are beings meant to resist the flow of time!”

“You, who never ascended to the throne, dare speak of God?”

“Shut up—!”

The monster tried to charge again, but…

“…Huh?”

Before I could blink, the monster had a black wound on its chest.

“Foolish being, bound by your realm and rank, still trapped by mortality.”

From the wound, black energy began to seep, hands clawing outward, tearing the wound grotesquely open.

“Now, crumble.”

Shraaash—!

The wound split, and the monster’s body was halved.

Its body crumbled into dust.

The force was beyond any contest, yet Hyunsoo—or rather, the entity possessing him—clicked his tongue.

“Indeed… a being bound by chains, is it?”

Then his gaze returned to me, as if he had known I was awake all along.

“Then, I leave the rest to you.”

With that, Hyunsoo lost consciousness.