Chapter 304

‘No information is appearing?’

I had seen similar cases during the Seed of Solitude Incident that occurred at the previous Academy, but at least there, I could confirm some minimal information.

Moreover, from this being called the Dark Devourer, I felt an indescribable sense of foreboding for some reason.

Swoosh.

“Ugh, wha, what’s this energy…?”

As the creature’s black mist approached, the exorcists nearby suddenly began complaining of strange symptoms.

Upon closer inspection, I could feel their life force or Spiritual Power gradually being absorbed into the edges of the mist.

‘…No, this isn’t the time to worry about others.’

It was just a matter of timing. As the distance closed a bit more, the Spiritual Power of my companions and myself also began to be sucked into the creature.

“Wh-what is this? This unpleasant sensation?”

“…It seems it intends to absorb all our power.”

Startled, Cheong Joohwa and Yoo Haon fired Cursed Techniques at the black mist surrounding us, but strangely, there was no significant effect.

Rather, it only seemed to fuel its momentum, sucking in our life force even more.

“…I have no idea where to even attack. Does it have a separate main body?”

“Hmm. If it’s a Barrier Technique, we might be able to block its approach. Everyone, get behind me!”

Sophia quickly stepped forward and deployed a powerful Barrier, so we hurriedly gathered behind her to assess the situation.

However, even that proved largely ineffective against the Dark Devourer’s black mist.

Crrrk—!

Faced with the Barrier crumbling like a sandcastle, we could only widen the distance with panicked expressions.

“Senior. It’s dangerous. That thing is something… different from the Specters we’ve seen so far.”

“Yes. It’s an extremely alien existence.”

What is Spiritual Power in the first place? In the modern era, it’s practically the only means humans have to effectively oppose Specters.

But for it to have no effect at all is truly a bizarre situation.

‘What on earth is that creature’s true nature?’

Specters born from Negative Intent are typically influenced by its opposite, Positive Intent, or by stronger Desires.

That was the fundamental structure of Specters I had understood up until now.

However, the Dark Devourer I’m facing now appears to be completely exempt from such laws.

‘Especially the fact that Yoo Haon’s Demon-Suppressing Trait, which can suppress the opponent’s Strong Desire, doesn’t work…’

That essentially means the creature isn’t a lifeform born from Strong Desire.

In other words, it was never a being that could simply be labeled as a Specter from the start.

“It would be best to retreat for now. Until we find a way to counter it…”

“Ugh, but the mist!”

As if it had caught its prey, the Dark Devourer’s black mist was taking over the surroundings at an unprecedented speed, targeting us.

And several of the nearby exorcists, the first to be swallowed by it, began letting out horrific screams.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Ge-get away!”

“Save me…!”

Crunch!

Crunch-crunch!

Snap—!

It was a sight akin to a human digesting food.

At that grotesque spectacle, the exorcists, even though they couldn’t see inside the mist, began stepping back in terror.

“H-how are we supposed to fight something like that?!”

“The main body! We must find the main body!”

“But how do we pierce through this vast mist?”

The undefeated warriors who had protected people during the Night Parade of One Hundred Specters also couldn’t maintain their composure before the mysterious existence known as the Dark Devourer.

Moreover, the plan to find its main body didn’t seem very optimistic to me either.

‘Does this creature really have such a thing…?’

No matter where I looked in the mist overflowing in all directions, only the unmarked information of the Dark Devourer, as before, came to mind.

To interpret, perhaps every wisp of this mist is part of the Dark Devourer, and there might be a core that serves as the center, but no method to find it comes to mind either.

Sizzle—!

“Tch!”

As the surging black mist rose, I hastily took refuge atop a collapsed building, and my companions were also busy urgently protecting themselves rather than attempting ineffective attacks.

In the end, I had no choice but to conclude that we should first leave the area.

“Staying together is meaningless! It would be best for everyone to scatter, divert its attention, find a countermeasure, and then meet at the government office in front of the Great Barrier!”

At my words, my companions nodded, and the exorcists nearby also began to quickly leave the area.

As everyone scattered, the Dark Devourer’s movements indeed seemed to slow down by one step compared to before.

‘Right, it has its limits too.’

It was hard to judge while seeing it up close, but of course, its size couldn’t be infinite either.

In other words, it was also impossible for the creature to infinitely expand its mist range to swallow the entire city.

‘We need to buy as much time as possible while finding a method.’

I had been trying various Cursed Techniques since earlier, but neither Curses enhanced by Forbidden Technique Value nor orthodox Cursed Techniques specialized in dispelling negativity worked on it.

It showed a reaction to techniques utilizing the power of my evolved Phantom Body Trait, but even that was only a minor blow compared to the creature’s massive size.

“Burn it…”

“Truly a disagreeable creature.”

The flames of Kongsami imbued with the Power of Purification, and the attacks of Hwabaek, who possesses the Spirit Suppression Trait, were also minimally effective.

Having confirmed that far, I could intuitively realize one thing.

Unless I accurately grasp the creature’s essence and counter it accordingly, trying anything else would be futile.

‘The creature has already devoured the Black-White Twin Specters and several exorcists.’

That means both humans and Specters can become its nourishment, and there’s a high possibility its power will grow from that.

And from that very act of ‘devouring,’ I was able to come up with one idea.

‘Right, it’s not so much that Cursed Techniques don’t work…’

The Cursed Techniques were also devoured by the creature’s black mist. At least, that’s how I felt watching from nearby.

‘It preys indiscriminately on Specters and humans, and its targets include Cursed Techniques?’

At the very least, I could easily think of one commonality among them now.

‘The creature uses Intent as its nourishment!’

In a sense, it was an ability similar to Yoo Haon’s Demon-Suppressing Trait.

And only then did I grasp the creature’s fundamental nature.

The creature is a lifeform composed of a vast amount of Intent. In other words, the amount of Intent it has devoured so far is its size, and due to that overwhelming difference in scale, even Yoo Haon’s Demon-Suppressing Trait couldn’t have a significant effect.

‘Not only that, but the creature probably has Intent, yet lacks any plausible Strong Desire…’

That conclusion included a somewhat intuitive understanding.

A Strong Desire is, namely, an intense wish. But I couldn’t feel that from the Dark Devourer at all.

It’s only natural that the Demon-Suppressing Trait, which uses the wielder’s Intent to suppress the opponent’s Strong Desire, couldn’t exert its power.

‘Then, how should we attack the creature?’

When you think about it, the creature is closer to a more primordial form of life.

It’s like an existence with an arrangement several stages more archaic than other Specters?

It was clearly a less complete existence than Specters, but its overwhelming magnitude of power masked all its fundamental weaknesses.

‘To counter such a creature…’

We also need to go back in time, so to speak.

Modern Cursed Techniques, which are merely systematized and standardized lumps of Intent, cannot defeat the creature.

‘Hochoong said something similar before.’

Cursed Techniques were originally born from intense Strong Desires, and traces of that are almost impossible to find in modern Cursed Techniques, including from the era of the World of Forbidden Techniques.

So, perhaps a Primordial Cursed Technique imbued with intense Strong Desire, not a mere aggregate of Intent, would have a good chance of working on the creature.

And I remember witnessing that a few times within the Exorcism Academy Series I played in the past.

‘However, that is…’

Not an art that can be pursued in the theoretical realm.

Rather, it’s a form of technique born from the extreme opposite—primal instinct, from its deepest depths.

For me, who has built power through understanding and analysis, it’s a completely unfamiliar field.

And simultaneously, I realized on the other hand.

I don’t need to obsess over an impossible domain. I can find the answer in my own way, as I have always done.

Finally having sorted my thoughts with relief, I smiled at the approaching black mist.

Swoosh!

Whoosh—!*

“It’s an extremely alien existence…”

[I also have no memory of encountering such an ominous thing until now.]

On the way to the government office in front of the Great Barrier, separated from the group, Cheong Joohwa exchanged opinions with the Azure Dragon, constantly searching for a way to counter the black mist.

Although neither modern Cursed Techniques nor skills learned in the World of Forbidden Techniques worked, Cheong Joohwa was nonetheless confident that the creature wasn’t something she couldn’t defeat.

That black mist surely has a weakness. Given enough time, she could uncover it.

“The problem is, we don’t have that much time.”

We cannot let the creature reach the Focal Point, which supports one axis of the Great Barrier encompassing all of South Korea.

Han Kangyoon also knew that, which is why he suggested a decisive battle with the creature at the government office in front of the Great Barrier.

So we must find a method before then.

While constantly repeating offense and defense, a group of exorcists standing still in the distance caught Cheong Joohwa’s eye.

“That is…”

[They appear to be casualties.]

Two people with bandages soaked in crimson blood, leaning against the debris of a building, and several exorcists who seemed to be their companions guarding them.

And upon recognizing the faces of a few among them, Cheong Joohwa unconsciously frowned.

“…….”

[They are from the clan, it seems. Do you know them?]

“From past matters, a little.”

Not good memories.

Faces she saw among the people who tormented Cheong Joohwa, who lost her parents and was ostracized by the clan.

One of the bandaged individuals was like that, and two among those guarding them were like that.

Birds of a feather flock together. It seems they’ve been active together from that time until now, many years later.

[It would be dangerous to stay here. However, you need not overexert yourself.]

“Frankly, I don’t want to save them.”

But contrary to those immediately spoken words, Cheong Joohwa had already jumped down between the debris of buildings and reached their side.

“The black mist is gathering. If you don’t evacuate quickly, you’ll become prey.”

“Y-you are…”

Naturally, they seemed to recognize Cheong Joohwa too, replying with complicated gazes.

“The injuries are severe, we can’t move immediately… We need to focus on treatment for at least 10 minutes.”

“…….”

Whether they understood the severity of the situation or not. But she didn’t bother to say it out loud.

From Cheong Joohwa’s perspective, the condition of the injured was serious, requiring urgent treatment.

[Give up. You have no obligation to take responsibility for them.]

“That’s true. I don’t really want to take responsibility for them either.”

The Azure Dragon’s words wouldn’t be heard, but perhaps understanding their meaning, the companions present sent anxious glances.

And then, Cheong Joohwa let out a sigh, stared at the approaching black mist, and turned her head.

“Stay right behind me. Don’t get in the way.”

Surely, her current companions would have acted like this without hesitation.