Chapter 115

“Vast Darkness.”

As I completed the Art Formula’s composition and called out its name, White Yang and Black Yin’s bodies grew hazy and began to be engulfed by the shadows stretching out from me.

What revealed itself was a four-legged Shikigami, similar in size to the enlarged Sorisoe.

[Kwaaang!]

Its entire body was covered in a shimmering haze of white and black, and its appearance slightly resembled a Haetae.

What was certain was that it clearly exuded a more powerful aura than before.

‘Appraisal.’

Ding!

【Vast Darkness】

▶Level: 49

A level that easily surpassed White Yang and Black Yin, who had barely crossed the mid-40s.

As a Shikigami originating from the Divine Beast Haetae, which judges impurity, its Traits were also specialized for that. It was truly perfect for dealing with Shin Dohoon.

“…Keuueu.”

Shin Dohoon, who had now completely lost his sense of self, gazed at Vast Darkness with murderous eyes.

Soon, the final battle finally began.

“…Burn.”

Puhwaak!

Hwarureureuk!

Kongsami once again shot out flames with all its might, but even that was being endured by Shin Dohoon’s current body.

As Shin Dohoon emerged through the flames, Sorisoe, who had been waiting for an opportunity, dashed forward like an arrow.

[Hmph, don’t get cocky!]

Teuk.

Chwaaak!

It momentarily halted its charging body to feint, then instantly changed direction, aiming its claws at Shin Dohoon’s nape.

It was truly an acrobatic movement.

However.

Teuk.

[Keuheuk!]

Hwiik!

Kwaaaaang—!

Without even turning his head, Shin Dohoon grabbed Sorisoe’s leg, spun his body a full circle, and threw it away.

Sorisoe, whose body crashed into a stone wall in a corner of the schoolhouse, let out a painful scream.

Huuung.

Pasasak!

[Kehik!]

Old Man Tree Specter cleverly launched a Curse, but Shin Dohoon evaded even that with his grotesque reaction speed.

As Shin Dohoon closed the distance again, Arietta and Kongsami began to face him together.

“…Burn!”

Still, Kongsami’s flames were currently showing the greatest effect.

As they flew in intermittently during the close-quarters combat, even Shin Dohoon couldn’t easily shake off the two.

Seizing that opportunity, Vast Darkness, which had been concentrating power beside me, roared, imbuing its voice with the power of incantation.

[Keuueuung—!]

Uduk.

The targeted Shin Dohoon’s body momentarily stopped moving like a statue.

“Now.”

“…Mm!”

Arietta hurriedly scratched her opposite hand with her fingernails and tried to feed her blood to Shin Dohoon, but Shin Dohoon broke free from the restraint and regained his senses faster.

Hwiririk!

Taak!

“Keuueu!”

Thus, the first attempt ended in failure.

“…Junior, sorry. I was a bit short on time.”

“Yes. It seems we need some additional method to seal his movements.”

But no suitable method came to mind. I still couldn’t use Advanced Binding Arts, and Arietta had no room to do so while engaged in combat with Shin Dohoon.

Just then, Myeongyool, who was behind us, approached and spoke to me.

“Would Perilous Ache Gate be sufficient?”

“Can you use it?”

“Somehow, I think I can manage that much.”

Perilous Ache Gate, a Binding Spell Formula considered an upper-tier Cursed Technique among Advanced Arts. Certainly, with that, it would be enough to bind Shin Dohoon for a while.

It seemed the outline of victory was gradually taking shape. I signaled to Arietta, who was engaged in fierce combat with Shin Dohoon, and initiated the same operation once more.

“Sorisoe, charge in time with the signal.”

[…You really use me however you please.]

However, when attacking with Sorisoe’s large body, the opponent’s movements become exaggerated, revealing openings, so there was no choice.

Kongsami, who was confronting Shin Dohoon, shot flames at the right moment, and simultaneously, Sorisoe also started its charge.

Hwarureureuk!

Kwakagak!

This time, Shin Dohoon also changed his approach.

Accepting some damage, he directly evaded Sorisoe’s attack, then broke through Arietta’s opening and charged straight toward me.

Although he had already lost his reason, it seemed he instinctively targeted Vast Darkness, which had the ability to control him, and me, its master.

However, if I had no countermeasure for even that, the title of veteran would be undeserved.

I drew up Spiritual Power, composed the Art Formula, timed it, and deployed it directly.

One of the Unique Arts of Severed Shadow, the original owner of my Phantom Body Trait.

Huuung.

Seureureuk.

“Flying Shadow Step.”

Puhwaak!

As if sinking into a lock, I disappeared into the shadows and reappeared from the shadow of Vast Darkness, which was a short distance away.

It was the short-range Teleportation Art, Flying Shadow Step, which allowed leaping between connected shadows.

‘Although I struggled to reproduce it without the help of the Intracranial Spell Repository…’

After countless trials and errors, I finally succeeded.

‘The first of Severed Shadow’s Cursed Techniques I mastered through Evolution was also to use Flying Shadow Step.’

Evolution, which extends and moves one’s own shadow, and Flying Shadow Step, which uses the power of the Phantom Body Trait to leap between connected shadows.

If one can use these two, their utility in combat is truly limitless.

[Keuueuung—!]

Shin Dohoon, whose judgment was momentarily delayed by the incomprehensible phenomenon, was exposed to Vast Darkness’s roar and had his movements restricted once again.

And this time, on top of that, Myeongyool’s Advanced Binding Art was fired.

“…Perilous Ache Gate!”

Huuuung!

Jjeoeoeok!

No matter how much Shin Dohoon had become a Blood Specter and gained powerful strength, he couldn’t easily escape in such a situation.

In the end, Arietta, who approached him, forcibly opened Shin Dohoon’s mouth and pushed her own blood inside.

Dok.

Ddok.

Dok.

Ggulkkeok!

“Keuueu…!”

Arietta, who succeeded in the plan, distanced herself along with Kongsami, and soon after, Shin Dohoon, freed from the restraint, distorted his face grotesquely and began to convulse.

“…Junior, the enemy’s condition.”

Arietta asked with a worried face while watching the Spectral Energy increasing in real-time, but having seen similar scenes several times already, I could be certain.

Shin Dohoon’s body had definitely reached its limit.

“It’s over.”

Jjeojeojik!

With those words, cracks formed on Shin Dohoon’s body, and the area around him began to crumble gradually.

Shin Dohoon let out continuous painful screams, and the cracks gradually grew in size, spreading across his entire body.

Jjeok!

Jjeojeojeojik—!

And when it reached its end.

Pasasasak!

Shin Dohoon’s body turned to dust, disappearing without leaving even a trace.

Seeing that scene, Arietta let out a heavy breath and slumped to the ground.

Having had to fight a formidable enemy with unfamiliar power, the burden must have been greater than expected.

Myeongyool, who also recognized that the battle was over, moved his trembling body and approached me, saying,

“…It’s a scene that reminds me of that day.”

Myeongyool, who had been directly involved with the Forbidden Curse, had probably seen the same scene many times over.

Leaving behind Myeongyool’s gaze, unable to hide his bitterness, the long night finally came to an end.

Afterward, we entered the schoolhouse, composed ourselves, and directly heard from Myeongyool the full circumstances of the incident that we hadn’t fully grasped.

“By the time I roughly realized how the situation was unfolding, it was already beyond control.”

He said that while he was certainly angry at the higher-ups who hadn’t conveyed the information, he had no choice but to execute the Exorcists corrupted by the Forbidden Curse to prevent further damage.

“I truly never expected those bastards would continue researching Undeath’s Forbidden Curse, unable to abandon their desires.”

He said that keeping Shin Dohoon’s finger, which had been severed during the battle, was truly an impulsive decision mixed with just a little suspicion.

Afterward, as time passed, the matter buried in a corner of his heart had now become reality.

However, there was still the most important story we hadn’t heard. Perhaps reading our eyes, Myeongyool continued speaking.

“…Actually, there was one more reason for keeping Shin Dohoon’s finger at the scene. And to get straight to the point, it’s true that I took the Forbidden Curse.”

He said the true nature of the Forbidden Curse was a single book of Cursed Techniques.

However, when it first revealed itself at the shrine back then, due to a Cursed Technique cast inside the space, the entire surrounding area had been corrupted by the Forbidden Curse.

And the reason Myeongyool coveted it was simple.

“I also had a wife. Although we couldn’t have children, she was an extremely precious person in herself.”

And that wife was also in a life-threatening situation.

Thus, even as team members died one after another, Myeongyool informed his superiors that he had disposed of the Forbidden Curse himself, yet he ended up obtaining it.

Afterward, retiring and living in seclusion seemed to be a decision mixed with disappointment in the higher-ups, research on the Forbidden Curse, and self-loathing for abandoning duty and making an impulsive decision.

“With a sample to analyze, plus having experienced the incident firsthand, I succeeded in achieving some results. However, my wife ultimately refused to receive that help.”

He said that during that process, she awakened Myeongyool’s spirit, which had fallen into self-reproach and obsession, and humbly accepted her own death.

“After that, I truly destroyed the Forbidden Curse and lived helping others according to my wife’s wishes.”

But then, a similar thing ended up happening to Arietta, who had filled the emptiness in his heart at that time.

In the end, Myeongyool revived the memories of the research he had tried to forget and attempted healing using the Forbidden Curse on her.

“To be honest, I didn’t think it would be a perfect success. I don’t know how this will sound, but clearly, the compatibility between the Forbidden Curse and this child must have been good. Even if I tried to do the same thing again, it would probably be impossible.”

“…Is that so.”

“I’m sorry, Arietta. Letting you go, who hadn’t even bloomed yet, was simply impossible for me.”

“…It’s okay. Although various thoughts come to mind, I’m definitely happy to be alive now.”

Certainly, knowing the circumstances, both Myeongyool’s guilt and Shin Dohoon’s anger became understandable.

“I have no intention of denying my sin. A true Exorcist shouldn’t have done that. Although I’m called a hero in the world, I’m not someone deserving of such a title.”

“…….”

However, if we delve deeply and argue right and wrong, the true Mortal who arbitrarily manipulated everyone in the incident is actually separate.

As I cast my gaze, Myeongyool pondered for a moment and then began to speak about that as well.

“I’m worried if saying this will cause harm, but for you, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

What Myeongyool uttered afterward was, as mentioned by Shin Dohoon or Heo Woongjeong, literally the name of a ‘higher-up’ who holds influence over this entire society.

“Jo Kyehak, one of the key figures of the current Exorcism Headquarters and a Special-Rank Exorcist. If by any chance you encounter him, be careful of that bastard alone.”

That person was the main culprit who, in the past, coveted Undeath’s Forbidden Curse and drove Exorcists to their deaths, and the perpetrator who caused this incident through Shin Dohoon.

Although it’s speculation, the true specter that Arietta said existed up there in the original work undoubtedly referred to him.

‘That person also didn’t appear as a direct enemy in the story.’

This might also be the influence of Hell Difficulty. Sighing at the ever-increasing dangerous individuals, I firmly engraved Jo Kyehak’s name in my mind.

“Anyway, first, let me express my gratitude. It almost ended up with the knowledge of the Forbidden Curse falling into the hands of someone with dangerously extreme ideas.”

Certainly, if Jo Kyehak had obtained it, it might have sown the seeds of another misfortune. In many ways, we avoided the worst situation.

After a long conversation afterward, we returned to the Academy, leaving Myeongyool behind to handle the aftermath of the incident.

And, that night.

I had to receive an unexpected guest.

It was none other than Arietta, who for some reason was looking at me with a dazed expression and trembling eyes.