Chapter 161

Cat-Head Serpent is not a fool.

I had said it lacked wisdom, but that didn’t mean it was like a beast that knew nothing.

Its instincts were extremely sharp, and for judgments concerning survival, it made more accurate predictions than even fairly intelligent humans.

And with just one clash, it realized. If it let me keep using my Curse, the one who would ultimately die was itself.

“Kyaaak!”

Crunch!

Thud!

Cat-Head Serpent bounced its massive body off the ground and shot towards me.

There was still some distance, but after landing, if it released Spectral Energy through its tail, it could secure sufficient range.

It was truly the judgment of a seasoned hunter.

However, I was also the one who had entered this contest.

From the beginning, I had preserved my Shikigami until now precisely to block that Cat-Head Serpent while I poured out my Curse in full.

“…Burn it.”

[Kehiik!]

[Hung!]

Kongsami, Old Man Tree Specter, and even Sorisoe.

The Shikigami capable of long-range attacks poured out their utmost harassment, and behind them, Kongsami and Eve, enhanced through the Mist Veil of Dark Noon, stole Cat-Head Serpent’s attention by hitting and retreating appropriately.

“Shyaak—!”

Due to the basic spec difference, a crisis arrived after just a few exchanges, but it wasn’t only my Shikigami disrupting Cat-Head Serpent.

“Seven Generation Strike!”

Sswae-aek!

Kwagagak!

Jjeo-eong—!

Arietta’s Advanced Attack Art Formula, fired at the perfect timing, accurately struck Cat-Head Serpent’s torso the moment it let its guard down.

Cat-Head Serpent, which had easily withstood Shin Noeul’s Advanced Art when they first encountered, was now visibly emitting signs of considerable pain.

As the saying goes, it too was not the same as before.

‘Its reactions have slowed, and its stamina has dropped.’

Until now, it had been clearly in the position of a Predator.

Based on its unique specs and vast Monstrous Power, it could withstand any attack, and no matter how many Exorcists rushed at it, it could sweep them all away if it so desired.

Thus, feeling not even a hint of crisis, it had handed over far too much information to our side.

‘But……’

Each attack the Jeokhwadan members risked their lives to deliver was, to me, like a piece of a puzzle.

Cat-Head Serpent, overlooking this, would surely pay the price.

“Shaaak!”

From ground to wall, wall to tree, and tree back to ground.

Cat-Head Serpent, showing truly acrobatic movements, targeted Arietta.

However, I, who had been waiting for that timing, matched my breath and unleashed my Curse once more.

“Death Grudge Delusion Curse.”

Hoo-woong.

Pasasasasak!

“…Shiik!”

Koo-woong!

Thump!

Tormented by the Curse relentlessly burrowing into its flesh, by that unceasing shackle, Cat-Head Serpent twisted its body irritably.

And seizing that opening, Arietta, having activated her Cursed Technique, blurred and slipped out of Cat-Head Serpent’s grasp in a bizarre form.

It was one of the Unique Arts of the Blood-Drinking Princess Beatrice, a possessor of the True Noble Blood Trait: Mist Transformation.

Kkwak.

‘It works as expected.’

With the situation unfolding as anticipated, I subtly clenched my fist.

Of course, dangers still overflowed. Fundamentally, it and we were in different weight classes. If anyone made even a single mistake, everything would collapse immediately.

But the Shikigami connected to me would absolutely never miss a prepared timing, and Arietta was also a superhuman capable of executing operations near-perfectly even in fairly dire situations.

By now, Cat-Head Serpent must have realized it too. That I had perfectly countered its patterns and laid a trap from which it could not escape.

‘I absolutely won’t miss.’

Everyone had given their all this much.

To the outside world, they were merely Jeokhwadan member candidates, but if I, who knew the future and prepared, couldn’t finish this here, I would have no face to show them.

“Death Grudge Delusion Curse.”

Hoo-woong.

Pasasasasak!

“Mirror of Counter-Grudge.”

Passeusuk!

Jjeo-eo-eong!

“Kyaaak—!”

Repetition, and yet more repetition.

Under the Curse pouring down without a moment’s respite, Cat-Head Serpent’s damage continued to accumulate.

‘…About 20% of its vitality left.’

It’s a living creature too.

Having come this far, it can no longer exert the overwhelmingly powerful force it had at the beginning.

So now, there was only one key point left in this battle.

‘Who will collapse first?’

The gazes of Cat-Head Serpent and I, both clearly showing signs of fatigue, intertwined low in the empty air.

Arietta Morgan had highly valued Han Kangyoon’s talent ever since their time at the Academy.

‘…My junior is amazing.’

It was the same when they first met during the Rank Promotion Exam, and when fighting against Shin Dohoon who had become a Corpse Specter, he always displayed abilities beyond expectations.

Considering his age, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the prodigy of this generation.

‘And my junior……’

He harbored a grand ambition to contribute to the world amidst the approaching crisis, far beyond merely wanting to become stronger himself or help those around him.

In essence, his caliber was different from anyone around him, including Arietta.

That’s why Arietta followed Han Kangyoon here.

And through this incident, she reconfirmed Han Kangyoon’s greatness once more.

‘…Unbelievable.’

The S-Rank Specter they actually faced was truly beyond imagination.

Even the Jeokhwadan members, who had been active in the field for a long time, were no match for it at all, and Shin Noeul, a Special-Rank Exorcist, also paled before it.

If not for Han Kangyoon’s insight and timely judgments, most would have lost their lives long ago.

Furthermore, Han Kangyoon devised a way to defeat the opponent while preserving the members’ lives even in this urgent situation.

To Arietta’s knowledge, there was no one anywhere who could accomplish this much with such limited time and resources.

Han Kangyoon was truly peerless, always leading those around him and advancing ahead.

That’s why Arietta failed to realize, failed to notice.

That aside from those aspects, Han Kangyoon was also an ordinary person.

Cough!

“Keuhuk!”

Drip, drip.

Amidst the smoothly maintained frontline, an ominous sound suddenly rang in her ears.

Suppressing the surging unease, Arietta slowly turned her gaze.

And there was Han Kangyoon, battered by the accumulated Curse, clutching his head with one hand and vomiting blood.

“…Junior!”

Thinking about it, it was obvious. It was a powerful Curse strong enough to continuously damage even that Cat-Head Serpent.

Then what about Han Kangyoon, a human?

Han Kangyoon himself had said he possessed a body unusually resistant to Curses, but even so, that wasn’t absolute.

In the end, Han Kangyoon’s limit arrived faster than Cat-Head Serpent’s.

“Cough! Hoo, hoo.”

Han Kangyoon’s condition was, to put it mildly, not good. And it wasn’t just Arietta who noticed this.

“Shyaak—!”

Cat-Head Serpent, which had been helplessly suffering under Han Kangyoon’s Curse until now.

There was no way this seasoned hunter would miss this opening.

“Junior!”

Seizing the opportunity, Cat-Head Serpent charged towards Han Kangyoon in a momentary gap, and Arietta also flung her body in the same direction, even using her Art Formula.

She would deviate from the location Han Kangyoon had designated, but given the situation, she judged there was no other choice.

But for some reason, Han Kangyoon frowned and urgently shouted at Arietta.

“Keuhuk! Don’t!”

“…What?”

At that very moment, Cat-Head Serpent’s movement path, which seemed to be targeting Han Kangyoon, changed drastically.

Sleureuk.

Kwagagak!

What its massive body pointed towards was Arietta herself.

From the very beginning, Cat-Head Serpent’s target had been Arietta.

‘…Ah.’

Arietta realized.

That she absolutely could not avoid this attack.

Arietta possessed a recovery power incomparable to others, but at this point, where she was controlling her Blood Drain to a manageable degree, even that wasn’t fully intact.

If she allowed the attack like this, it was clear Arietta would most likely meet her death.

‘…I made a mistake.’

Han Kangyoon’s instructions were meant to hinder Cat-Head Serpent’s movements and keep the Curse flowing, but they were also a means to protect the Shikigami and Arietta from it.

What was required accordingly was precise distance control and timing without even a millimeter of error.

Having broken that herself, it was perhaps only natural she couldn’t escape its attack.

Arietta’s expression stiffened regretfully, but she soon quietly closed her eyes.

After all, it was merely that the life saved by Myeongyool and Han Kangyoon was finally being expended now.

She had no regrets. Only the fact that, having made a promise, she could no longer aid Han Kangyoon’s cause was deeply disappointing.

Thump.

Someone pushed Arietta’s body, which had accepted its end.

“Huh?”

Staring beside her with startled eyes, what Arietta could see was Han Kangyoon, who had somehow moved and pushed her aside while dark blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Crunch!

Wooddeudeuk!

Soon, a gruesome sound of flesh tearing echoed, and Han Kangyoon’s body, bitten by Cat-Head Serpent’s mouth, rose into the air.

“Perilous Ache Gate!”

Fortunately, Shin Noeul, who had barely recovered his strength from behind, fired an Advanced Binding Art and stopped Cat-Head Serpent’s movement, but Han Kangyoon’s condition looked wretched at a glance.

“…Junior!”

Swish.

Thud!

Swiftly catching Han Kangyoon in mid-air and retreating, Arietta checked his condition.

Gulp.

Drip, drip.

Blood vessels gushing out like flowing water from the wound, organs mangled and torn apart.

Probably all the nearby bones were shattered too.

“No. This can’t be……”

In a situation where revival seemed impossible no matter how she looked, Arietta fell into despair.

Han Kangyoon was not someone who should be sacrificed just to save someone like her.

He was clearly a noble person who still had more to accomplish for the world.

As Arietta desperately searched her thoughts, one method flashed through her mind.

Namely, the ritual of turning someone into a thrall using the True Noble Blood Trait.

If she accepted Han Kangyoon’s overflowing blood right now and opened her power to its maximum, she could perform it.

‘But, that’s.’

Han Kangyoon had earnestly warned that it should absolutely never be used.

Moreover, there wasn’t enough time to perform the ritual completely in this situation.

As Arietta held Han Kangyoon’s body, unable to do either, a massive shadow fell over her.

Cat-Head Serpent, having somehow released its Restraint, had begun moving again to finish the battle.

“Ah……”

In the utterly despairing situation, a low, heavy sound echoed.

Koo-goong.

Koo-goong.

It sounded like a heartbeat, yet also like something pulsating.

Koo-goong.

The source of that sound was none other than Han Kangyoon lying on the ground.

“…What?”

Immediately after, Arietta witnessed an astonishing sight.

The bones of Han Kangyoon’s battered body fitting themselves together, the flowing blood stopping, and the wounds healing as if new flesh was sprouting.

Oodeuk!

Wooddeuk!

Koodeudeuk.*

Those short few seconds passed, and Han Kangyoon, who had somehow opened his eyes, quietly rose from Arietta’s embrace and spoke.

“Didn’t I tell you last time.”

“…What?”

“I don’t lie about things like this.”

The memory of him jokingly revealing one of the secrets of Phantom Body to reassure the confused Arietta.

Recalling that, Han Kangyoon let out a faint smile and shifted his gaze to the Cat-Head Serpent before him.

It was time to bring the long battle to its conclusion.