Chapter 129

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CRASH!

In a corner of a room within a massive traditional house, Cheong Doyool, who had been observing the situation, slammed his hand on the table in outrage at his subordinate’s report.

“They got away? What in the world does that mean?”

It was incomprehensible.

He had gone to great lengths to completely tie down the forces of Cheong Soha’s Faction, even borrowing the power of other neutral factions.

So how could they have failed to capture Cheong Joohwa, who was nothing more than a mere Academy student?

But the answer that followed made Cheong Doyool feel as if he had been struck over the head.

“…It seems Cheong Kibeom’s Faction has sided with them. Cheong Wooncheol was accompanying them.”

“Cheong Wooncheol?”

Excluding the Elders, Cheong Wooncheol possessed a level of martial prowess that was among the best in the family.

It was certainly understandable why his subordinates had been unable to act.

“Why would that bastard…?”

The fact that Cheong Kibeom’s Faction, which usually kept to itself with its leader planted firmly in his residence, had made a move was hard to believe.

But since Cheong Wooncheol was a man whose appearance was conspicuous, it was unlikely they had misidentified him. If that was the case, then regardless of the circumstances, he had to assume they were truly lending their strength to Cheong Soha’s side.

‘…This has become troublesome.’

For Cheong Doyool, who had intended to pour his strength in from the start to pressure Cheong Soha’s Faction and resolve the situation in an instant, this was nothing short of a disaster.

If he couldn’t find a solution quickly, his own strength would eventually run out, and the situation could end in a stalemate.

He had to avoid that at all costs.

Cheong Doyool urgently summoned his confidante, Cheong Irin, and asked for her opinion.

“You know more about Cheong Kibeom’s Faction than I do. Do you have any thoughts?”

“Once they’ve committed, they are not the type to take a half-hearted stance. If they have a firm objective, it’s highly likely that even the Elder, Cheong Kibeom, will make a move.”

To deal with Cheong Kibeom, it was a given that an Exorcist of the same Elder rank would have to be involved.

However, Cheong Doyool was unable to move as he was keeping Cheong Soha in check. Furthermore, the Elders of the neutral factions who had agreed to lend their strength had only sent some of their subordinates and were not individuals who would move so easily.

“Tsk. Does this mean we have no choice but to pay a price and have one of our own Elders step in directly?”

“Yes. The Ninth Elder, who has something of a rivalry with Cheong Kibeom, seems appropriate.”

The Ninth Elder of the Cheong Family, Cheong Jonghoo. His relationship with the Fourth Elder, Cheong Kibeom, was not very good. Therefore, if offered a suitable price, there was a high chance he would willingly mark him.

“It can’t be helped. We’ll handle the matter of Cheong Kibeom that way.”

A rough conclusion had been reached, but it was still bothering him. Cheong Joohwa’s group, which had been moving in a hurry, even joining up with Cheong Wooncheol. What on earth was their objective?

Cheong Doyool clicked his tongue softly and gave a separate order to Cheong Irin, who stood before him.

“Once the negotiations with Cheong Jonghoo are finished, can you personally confirm their movements?”

“Yes. I will do so.”

It was the moment Cheong Irin, Cheong Doyool’s confidante and the second-in-command of his Faction, set her sights on Han Kangyoon’s group.

“…It was true. A sight hard to believe even after hearing the report.”

Cheong Wooncheol spoke to me, his voice filled with astonishment. The gazes of the others in the group were not much different.

After all, I had accurately navigated the vast labyrinth of mirrors in less than an hour.

‘It should have only taken 20 minutes.’

I had been cautious, wondering if there were any differences from the knowledge I possessed, and moving with the group had taken more time than expected.

Upon escaping the mirror-made labyrinth, a small shrine-like structure appeared before our eyes.

Confirming its presence, I nodded and spoke to Cheong Jiyeon and Cheong Wooncheol.

“From here on, I’ll need the two of you to lend your strength.”

“What do you need?”

“I think you just need to open the entrance to that shrine with force.”

There were a total of three conditions to completely break through this forest of mirrors.

The first was, as I had said before, to possess either the Azure-White Sword or the Cheongsimok.

The second was to have the minimum skill required to cross the mirror labyrinth and open the shrine’s entrance.

And the final condition would be naturally revealed the moment one crossed that entrance.

“Will an Art Formula for Barrier destruction suffice?”

“Yes. An excellent choice.”

At my words, Cheong Jiyeon and Cheong Wooncheol each began to chant the Incantation for an Advanced Art to open the entrance, and soon, they simultaneously fired their completed Cursed Techniques.

“Seven Generation Strike!”

“Clear Resonance Shattering Incantation.”

Swiiish!

Craaaaack—!

A considerable wave of Spiritual Power erupted, a deafening roar echoed, and soon after, the defensive Barrier blocking the shrine’s entrance shattered.

Pointing to the opening, I spoke to the group once more.

“If you enter the shrine and pass the final trial, you will be able to reach the place where the Cheonghongyeong is located.”

“A trial?”

“Yes. There won’t be any life-threatening situations, so you are free to enter. In any case, as long as one person reaches the end, there will be no problem getting out of the Barrier.”

While the group was contemplating, Cheong Jiyeon, who made her decision first, took a step back and sat perched on a tree.

“I’ll sit this one out. Seeing as you’re talking like that, you seem confident you can break through it anyway.”

I nodded at her words. Cheong Wooncheol and Cheong Joohwa seemed to be driven more by curiosity than worry, so in the end, the three of us were the ones to enter.

“Immediately after entering, the Cheonghongyeong will reflect the entrant’s soul and begin the trial. If you show an intention to give up, you will be sent straight back to the entrance, so I think you can judge the situation and decide accordingly.”

“…You know so much it’s almost suspicious.”

But even as he said that, Cheong Wooncheol’s eyes were filled with considerable interest.

And so, the three of us entered the shrine in order. Immediately, a bright light enveloped my vision, and a new place unfolded before my eyes.

Fwoosh!

‘This place is….’

Just as I expected, it was a scene from my memory. The duel map from the VR version of the Exorcism Academy Series I used to enjoy playing in that other world.

Simply put, it was a place for Player versus Player combat.

‘The Cheonghongyeong must have summoned and manifested it from my memories.’

The Cheonghongyeong’s trial is very standard and simple.

You just have to fight and win against a copy of yourself reflected in the mirror.

Since I already knew the general strategy, as soon as I saw the scene unfold, I immediately laid down Talismans in all directions to form a Ritual Array.

And at that moment, the empty air distorted, and the form of someone who was a copy of me began to materialize.

‘Right now.’

Fwoong.

I activated a Cursed Technique through the pre-laid Ritual Array, and the clone, as soon as it opened its eyes, immediately responded.

Chwararak!

Claaang!

However, the lead of a few seconds gained through perfect timing was still valid.

And I pushed my entire body into a state of concentration and began to maintain that slight difference.

Fwoong!

Claaang!

Kwagagagak!

The exchange of offense and defense continued, and the clone, as if it truly possessed specs equal to mine, calmly used advanced techniques, raising the pace without ever falling behind.

But in truth, the match was already decided.

From the beginning, I had no intention of ever letting it close this subtle gap.

“Clear Chain Binding.”

Chrarrrrk!

As we both relentlessly raised the pace, we inevitably neared our limits.

When that happened, the one left standing at the end would be me, who had been one step ahead from the start.

The clone was forced to chase my pace despite being aware of this. It was designed that way from the beginning.

Just as I was about to enter a state of utter exhaustion from pouring everything I had, the clone, which had countered every attack until now, allowed the first blow to land.

Swiiish!

Craaack—!

And that was the last of it.

I poured all my remaining strength out in a surprise attack, finishing the match without giving my opponent a chance to do anything.

Claaang!

Srrrk.

The clone’s form vanished as if it were melting away, and I, panting heavily, barely managed to steady my breathing.

In theory, it wasn’t difficult, but it was a perfect formula for victory that could only be mastered through countless trials and errors.

However, for me, who had repeated the Cheonghongyeong’s ordeal many times in the past, it was nothing so special.

In the end, I was the victor, and the Cheonghongyeong, as if acknowledging my victory, once again changed the surrounding scenery and guided me to a new place.

Fwoong.

Fwoosh!

“Have I arrived?”

The place that soon appeared before my eyes was a small room inside the shrine, as if something was enshrined there.

And on the front wall, a mirror exuding a mystical aura was showing off its brilliant form.

It was the Cheonghongyeong.

‘It looks exactly as it did in the game.’

By obtaining this and handing it over, the deal with Cheong Kibeom would be complete.

However, as I said before, the Cheonghongyeong was an item I also wanted to obtain when I had the chance. I couldn’t just hand it over to Cheong Kibeom as is.

So, I needed to take one measure in secret.

I moved to the wall, carefully picked up the Cheonghongyeong, and poured my Spiritual Power into it. A faint light began to suffuse the Cheonghongyeong.

‘…Was this how you do it?’

After fiddling with the Cheonghongyeong for a while longer, I was finally able to separate its mirror surface and frame.

Click.

Thud.

‘Done.’

As far as I knew, what Cheong Kibeom needed was this mirror part of the Cheonghongyeong.

It was this part’s ability that reflected the person who entered the shrine and assigned them a trial.

According to legend, it was possible to grow beyond one’s limits by looking into one’s own shortcomings through an endless fight with the self in the mirror.

For Cheong Kibeom, who purely yearned for strength but had already hit a plateau, it must have been an object more coveted than anything else.

However, in truth, the main body of the Cheonghongyeong could be considered this frame rather than the mirror surface.

To truly utilize the Cheonghongyeong, this frame was essential, and even the mirror’s ability could be used with just this frame if the conditions were met.

This meant that as long as I had this in my hands, I had nothing to lose.

‘Cheong Kibeom will probably be satisfied with just the mirror, so there’s no reason for the deal to fall through.’

I carefully tucked the Cheonghongyeong’s frame into my clothes and picked up the remaining mirror.

At that very moment, with a bright light, someone’s form newly appeared inside the room. It was Cheong Joohwa.

Squinting her eyes and looking around, she spotted me beside her and immediately spoke.

“You said it wouldn’t be dangerous?”

“Even if you had lost, your actual physical body wouldn’t have been harmed.”

“…You should have told me that beforehand. I thought my heart was going to drop out of my chest.”

It was something I was so used to that I had lacked consideration.

That aside, her speed was quite remarkable. The Cheonghongyeong’s trial has several strategies, but without knowing them, it would have been a difficult fight.

As expected, she was a genius with truly incredible talent when it came to combat.

“That person isn’t coming. Shall we leave first?”

“There’s no need to delay.”

Cheong Joohwa and I nodded and left the secret room, heading outside the shrine. Accordingly, Cheong Wooncheol, who was in the middle of his trial, was also summoned outside.

Kwoong.

“Oh dear, it seems everything is already over.”

Cheong Wooncheol clicked his tongue as if it was a great pity he couldn’t see it to the end, but he soon let go of his lingering feelings and asked me.

“Did you get the item?”

“Yes. Here it is. You can check it if you’d like.”

On my hand, a mirror about twice its size shone with a mystical light.

With this, the deal with Cheong Kibeom was concluded. I could now freely borrow the power of his Faction, known as the best among the neutral forces.

Which meant that from now on, it was time to launch a full-scale counterattack.