Chapter 169

‘What on earth is he thinking…?’

Even as the cursed technique neared completion, Baek Soyool couldn’t hide her bewilderment as she tried to read Han Kangyoon’s true intentions.

Wasn’t that only natural?

Baek Soyool herself was a high-ranking exorcist with skills practically approaching the Special-Rank. Even if Han Kangyoon possessed abilities surpassing those of a student, the difference was stark.

‘At best, he’s at the initial stage of 1st-Rank. I can’t possibly imagine anything beyond that.’

Moreover, Baek Soyool had developed considerable resistance, having dabbled in numerous Forbidden Arts to the point of becoming jaded.

By now, she was confident she could secure victory using the same Forbidden Arts even against most Forbidden Arts Masters.

‘…Is he hiding something?’

Unless that was the case, this situation was utterly incomprehensible.

But it didn’t matter. Shoddy tricks wouldn’t work anyway.

She knew this well, having tested it on captured fugitives before.

The curse transmitted from the Path of Sapaek was not something that could be endured through mere mental fortitude.

Even the strongest among them, a 1st-Rank fugitive, had lasted less than five minutes before surrendering his soul to Baek Soyool.

Therefore, the moment the technique was complete, Baek Soyool smiled faintly at Han Kangyoon and spoke.

“You’ll regret this.”

If not for the Special-Rank Cursed Tool, Crimson Jade String, which weakened the curse’s energy, and her own peculiar constitution that was insensitive to pain, she herself wouldn’t have been confident of lasting very long.

So Kangyoon’s collapse was merely a matter of time. After that, she could make him her pawn without expending any effort.

‘Five minutes at most.’

Predicting that future, Baek Soyool steeled her defensive posture in preparation for the impending curse.

Fsssh.

Srrrrr.

At first, she felt no change.

But shortly after, a faint ringing echoed in her ears, and a chilling sensation pierced through Baek Soyool’s body.

Zzziiing.

‘…This level of power from the start?’

The Path of Sapaek was a high-level Forbidden Art that continuously inflicted a curse until one of the two participants broke.

Naturally, its intensity increased over time, which conversely meant it wasn’t that formidable at the beginning.

However, the Path of Sapaek that Han Kangyoon activated was strange.

To be explicit, the intensity of the curse was far higher than what Baek Soyool remembered.

That implied one thing.

In terms of skill in handling Forbidden Arts, Han Kangyoon was at a higher level than Baek Soyool.

“…I’m growing more and more curious about who you really are, Kangyoon-ssi.”

He seemed to have extensive knowledge of this type of Art Formula and appeared to be hiding quite a lot.

But now, it didn’t matter either way.

After all, in a little while, she would be able to ask about anything she was curious about.

Coincidentally, the Binding Spell Formula Han Kangyoon had cast earlier was now fully dispelled.

Baek Soyool scattered the spiritual power that had been binding her body and spoke to Han Kangyoon with a relaxed expression.

“As expected, Kangyoon-ssi, you seem like you could be useful in many ways.”

However, when five minutes had passed, Baek Soyool couldn’t help but feel that something was wrong.

Zzziiing.

‘…What’s going on?’

Accepting the returning ringing and the curse, Baek Soyool looked at Han Kangyoon, who wasn’t shedding a single drop of sweat, with astonished eyes.

The anticipated four minutes had already passed.

The curse’s intensity had increased to about three times its initial level. Beyond this point, it was no longer a level that could be endured by mental fortitude alone.

‘But why…?’

Han Kangyoon was enduring it. No, it even felt like he had more composure left than Baek Soyool, who was borrowing the power of a Cursed Tool.

‘This is impossible. He should be near his limit by now.’

In reality, Baek Soyool herself was now beyond the point of mere endurance, her head starting to ache considerably.

If time continued to pass like this, a point would surely come where even the power of the Crimson Jade String couldn’t withstand it.

‘…No, there’s no way he can last until then anyway.’

Once the Art Formula was activated, there was already no turning back.

Baek Soyool calmly suppressed her panic and steeled her mind to maintain her focus.

Thus, another five minutes passed.

Zzziiing!

“…Ugh.”

Along with the ringing, an even more powerful curse arrived. Feeling her vision sway, Baek Soyool grimaced, squeezing one eye shut.

Unbeknownst to her, over ten minutes had passed since the Art Formula was activated.

Accordingly, the curse now possessed power exceeding five times its initial strength.

To be clear, this was already beyond ordinary.

Even the Crimson Jade String, which could block a curse with power rivaling a Grand Art at least once, was complaining of its limits.

Practically, Baek Soyool’s mental strength was also completely depleted.

In that situation, Han Kangyoon tapped his head lightly and spoke with a composed demeanor.

“Ten minutes have passed.”

“……”

“If you’re going to give up, now would be a good time. The Art Formula will probably start to rampage from now on.”

Before she could ask what he meant, an intense ringing struck Baek Soyool’s head in an instant.

Fsssh.

Jjeeeoong—!

Staggering under an immeasurable impact, Baek Soyool had to acknowledge one possibility she didn’t want to consider.

‘That I… can’t win against him?’

She could not defeat Han Kangyoon in this confrontation.

Though it was utterly beyond common sense, Baek Soyool could no longer deny that fact.

‘Why is she lasting this long?’

Suppressing a rising nausea, I frowned deeply and looked at Baek Soyool before me.

I had been uncertain at first, but observing her now, it was clear.

Baek Soyool was probably reducing the curse’s power through some means.

‘…Did she bring a Special-Rank Cursed Tool from her family?’

Since I had originally intended to use this method on the 1st Elder, Baek Manseok, who was a Special-Rank exorcist, I had predicted she might have prepared some trick.

But even so, she endured far better than expected, pushing things to the point where the Art Formula finally began to rampage.

‘Now it’s just a matter of time.’

As I said earlier, the curse of the Path of Sapaek continuously amplifies its power by borrowing the strength of the targets.

However, since its source is an Advanced Art, the technique itself has a fundamental limit.

That point is exactly ten minutes.

If both targets still refuse to surrender their souls by then, the Art Formula loses control and begins to rampage.

Naturally, its power becomes incomparable to what came before.

“Huff, huff. What on earth is this…?”

Unlike her earlier composed demeanor, Baek Soyool now showed signs of genuine panic.

Thanks to the correction from my Forbidden Technique Value, I was barely holding on, but by now, Baek Soyool was probably feeling as if a giant hand was squeezing her soul.

Zzziiing!

Jjeeeoong—!

Another wave of ringing, and with it, the power of the Forbidden Art intensified yet another level.

As this repeated, Baek Soyool’s expression grew increasingly pale, beginning to change as if she were about to die.

It was clear to anyone that her limit was near.

“The subjugation of the soul.”

“…Huff, huff.”

“As you know, there’s only one way to break this technique.”

There were no other options.

Only two paths remained for Baek Soyool.

“Become a permanent invalid as you are, or become my loyal servant.”

Baek Soyool’s face, which had maintained its dignity throughout, gradually froze coldly. She herself knew there was no other way left.

Srrr.

The strength finally began to drain from Baek Soyool’s eyes, which had been trying desperately to maintain her sanity.

Confirming this, I slowly approached her and uttered my final words.

“You have lost.”

Simultaneously, Baek Soyool lost control of her body and slumped onto the bed.

Accordingly, the curse tormenting her body and mind quickly dissipated, and then I felt Baek Soyool’s soul become completely subordinated beneath me.

‘…So this is the feeling.’

It felt similar to when I forcibly enslaved the Old Man Tree Specter based on my massive Forbidden Technique Value before.

If so, Baek Soyool might also have glimpsed the unnatural karma engraved upon me, just like the Old Man Tree Specter did back then.

Perhaps that thought wasn’t wrong, as shortly after regaining consciousness, Baek Soyool, even while unable to properly control her body, began to stare at me as if she had seen something indescribable.

“Just what are you…?”

Since Baek Soyool also seemed quite versed in Forbidden Arts, she probably understood to some extent what my Forbidden Technique Value signified.

Indeed, her eyes were already filled with intense interest and awe.

Soon, she let out a frank sigh and admitted her own defeat.

“…Sigh*, it seems victory was never permitted for me from the start.”

“Didn’t I tell you? There wouldn’t be a next chance.”

“Who would have known? I never imagined you’d be a monster to this extent.”

Showing an uncharacteristically subdued demeanor, Baek Soyool muttered quietly to herself.

“…So this is how it all ends. I never expected this outcome in the slightest.”

Well, from what I knew, the misdeeds she was to commit later were piled up like a mountain.

For all that to turn to bubbles in an instant, it was only natural to feel emptiness.

Though invisible to the eye, I could feel the immense ambition and aspirations that had filled Baek Soyool gradually losing their color.

But that void soon began to be filled by something else.

To put it in one word, it was pure desire.

“…Still, it’s unexpectedly not bad.”

“……”

“Following behind Kangyoon-ssi seems like it will be quite novel.”

Baek Soyool fixed her dazed gaze on me.

That reaction was, for lack of a better word, very much like Baek Soyool.

As many users had analyzed, the principle behind her actions, which became more unpredictable the higher the difficulty, was rooted in the tendencies of a pure hedonist.

‘I roughly expected it would be like this…’

But she’s accepting defeat faster than I thought.

That attitude of letting go of everything she had built up in an instant was certainly not that of an ordinary person.

Carefully observing my reaction, Baek Soyool asked, as if pleading for leniency.

“Having gone this far, you’re not going to give some boring order to commit suicide or reveal my crimes and hand me over to Headquarters, are you?”

“That won’t happen. Unfortunately, I’m also short-handed.”

“…That’s interesting. I quite like that.”

Honestly, I hadn’t joined Yoo Haon’s group hoping for this, but it was an unexpected gain.

The second Night Parade of One Hundred Specters was now truly right before us.

There, the existence named Baek Soyool would become a useful piece in many ways.

I quickly conveyed several directives to Baek Soyool and then immediately left her room, returning to my assigned quarters.

With this, all schedules at the White Forest Pavilion were concluded.

Now, all that remained was to return to the Academy and make the final preparations.

‘It’s really beginning.’

The fourth chapter of Exorcism Academy Part 1’s main story, commonly known as the Night Parade of One Hundred Specters.

The moment to finally face that colossal wave had arrived.