Chapter 40

Anyway, the pieces are in place.

Yoo Ain, Seo Jian, and me.

Plus the half-soul Imoogi, Kangcheol.

‘At least one 1st-Rank and two 2nd-Ranks…’

The opponent’s combat power is clearly formidable. Of course, we can’t win in a head-on fight.

However, if we use the pieces we have well, holding them off isn’t necessarily impossible.

And on top of that, one more person. The remaining combat power from Seo Jian’s side has just arrived.

Thud.

“Young lady!”

A middle-aged man with neat, slicked-back hair and a well-groomed beard that suited it.

He was an Exorcist named Lee Jeongil, a former retainer who served Seo Jian before Yoo Ain and retired two years ago when he started a family.

Seo Jian, perhaps feeling uneasy about calling him out of retirement, apologized with a complicated expression.

“…I’m sorry. You have a family now, and you’re no longer involved… Honestly, I didn’t want to call you.”

“Why say such disheartening words? You are like family to me as well.”

“Since you’re not alone anymore, if it seems dangerous, don’t hesitate to run.”

I bowed my head in greeting to Lee Jeongil and discreetly checked his information.

‘Appraisal.’

Ding!

【Lee Jeongil】

▶Level 53

▶Stats

【Stamina : C+】

【Spiritual Power : B-】

【Art Formula : B】

【Mental Power : A】

▶Traits (5/10)

【Veteran of a Hundred Battles (A)】

【Combat Instinct (A-)】

【Crisis Escape (B)】

【Delayed Aging (C+)】

【Sensory Expansion (C+)】

Quite impressive specs.

At this level, he was arguably stronger than Yoo Ain, who was still active.

‘Above average even among 2nd-Ranks.’

Frankly, I didn’t have high expectations since he had retired, but I’ve gained a more reliable reinforcement than I thought.

‘…It’s doable.’

Until now, we were clearly at a disadvantage, but with this, we’ve assembled a combat force that can barely stand against the enemy.

The problem is the 1st-Rank they brought in at great expense. I have no idea how to deal with that one.

‘No point thinking about it. Won’t know until I see it for myself.’

In a direct fight, we’d obviously lose.

But if we can figure out what type they specialize in and exploit that weakness, we might find a way.

“Young lady, we’ll start patrolling now.”

“Understood. If you spot the enemy, don’t engage immediately; fall back once.”

With that, Yoo Ain and Lee Jeongil went outside the facility, leaving only me and Seo Jian inside, facing each other.

Uncharacteristically hesitant, Seo Jian spoke to me in a voice full of concern.

“…Are you really okay with this? It’s a fight where we’re at a disadvantage. Your life will definitely be in danger.”

When I calmly met her gaze, Seo Jian immediately continued.

“I didn’t know things would turn out like this.”

“Who could have?”

“…To be honest, I have no idea why you’re going this far.”

“Weren’t we in a cooperative relationship? Helping each other out.”

At my words, Seo Jian opened her mouth as if spitting out emotions she had been holding back.

“All I did was provide a little financial support? Like I said before, anyone could have done that. It’s nothing special at all.”

Her words were argumentative, but they were mixed with gratitude, guilt, and confusion.

It wasn’t particularly strange.

From Seo Jian’s perspective, it must be hard to understand why I’m taking such risks to help her.

But from my standpoint, the reason was extremely simple.

“I’d be in trouble without you.”

The place I’m standing now is clearly reality, but at the same time, it’s also inside the Hell Difficulty of Exorcism Academy Part 1.

And I am personally creating a new strategy to see its ending.

‘The old patterns won’t work.’

It’s the Hell Difficulty, whose true nature has never been revealed even once until now.

In the events to come, there will surely be crises beyond what I knew, and situations that the original Yoo Haon and his party alone couldn’t possibly overcome.

Therefore, I too had to create cards that didn’t exist in the original.

Seo Jian is one of them.

A talent who, in the original story, vanished as if passing by but would surely wield great power in the future.

I had absolutely no intention of losing her in a place like this.

Hearing my words, Seo Jian twitched the corner of her mouth a few times, then spoke in a slightly smaller voice.

“You know that last sentence could be taken in a slightly different way, right?”

After tilting my head in brief confusion, I soon realized what she meant and hastily replied.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“…I know that much.”

Just as I felt her expression seemed somewhat displeased, a signal came from the walkie-talkie in Seo Jian’s hand.

Static.

[Young lady, the enemy has arrived.]

“Understood. Lure them in as planned.”

And so. The long, long night finally began.

The wide grounds outside the facility were the first place we would meet the enemy.

“…Will it go as planned?”

“Even if something goes wrong, we’ll have to manage somehow.”

After going outside and finishing battle preparations with Seo Jian, we saw two people rapidly approaching from the distance.

“Number of enemies?”

“…Six.”

As expected, more than we’d heard. I clicked my tongue lightly.

“But aside from the previously identified personnel, the rest didn’t seem to be anything special.”

That was the silver lining. Frankly, anyone below 3rd-Rank wasn’t an opponent we couldn’t handle.

Staring at the intense aura felt from afar, I signaled the three to fall back.

“Huh. I heard the story, but is such a thing really possible?”

At Lee Jeongil’s question, I nodded without hesitation.

“…Let’s trust it. The young lady’s judgment is never wrong.”

Then, taking out the Cheongsimok hanging around my neck, I placed it in the center of the pre-prepared Magic Circle.

“Then, I’ll begin.”

Whoosh.

Just as Bihyeong had done before, reviving a Specter required a corresponding cost.

Even split in two, Kangcheol was still a Specter with immense power. To give it form, a considerable amount of energy had to be offered as a Sacrifice.

‘Normally, it would have been utterly impossible with my power.’

But if there was no way, I wouldn’t have come up with this plan in the first place.

In fact, the Sacrifice needed to revive Kangcheol was already prepared.

‘The power of the Yeoijoo fragment contained within the Cheongsimok.’

Kangcheol is an Imoogi that failed to become a dragon.

And it always rages over that fact and craves power.

For such a Kangcheol, the power contained within a Yeoijoo fragment, the very source of a dragon, makes for a perfect Sacrifice.

‘The Yeoijoo absorbs natural energy simply by existing.’

Because of that, the Cheongsimok also contained a fairly massive power within it.

From now on, I will use a portion of that to revive Kangcheol and have it fight the enemies.

Whoosh.

A continuous stream of blue light flowed from the Cheongsimok placed on the Magic Circle, and at the same time, the enemies finally revealed themselves.

Thud.

“Two faces not in the data.”

Indeed, there were six enemies, just as Yoo Ain had confirmed.

The noticeable ones were a giant man, a sharp-featured woman, and someone bundled up tightly with various things hanging all over them.

“The woman over there is the primary target.”

“Huhu, how utterly foolish. Throwing away her own life for a blood relative who can’t even wake up.”

At the woman’s malicious criticism, Yoo Ain stepped forward to respond.

“I’m sorry, but that won’t happen. It’s your side that will be buried here today.”

“What? Can’t you read the situation?”

The woman showed no sign of believing they could lose.

That’s certainly not wrong. In terms of simple numbers, their combat power was almost double ours.

However, that is precisely what is about to be overturned.

“Enough chatter. Let’s finish this quickly and return.”

As soon as someone among the enemies finished speaking, heat suddenly erupted from the ground, and the earth began to rumble as if an earthquake had struck.

Grumble.

Grrrrr.

“What is this?!”

The enemies panicked and moved away from the spot. Only the masked man at the very back pointed at me.

“It’s him.”

“……”

We were discovered faster than expected, but it didn’t matter much.

The ritual had already completed its final step moments ago.

“Reverse Pouring, Revive Life.”

Rumble.

Creeeeak!

With the completion of the ritual. Kangcheol’s soul, contained within the Cheongsimok, was sucked into the earth.

Simultaneously, the ground split open wide, and intense flames began to surge from within.

Crackle─!

Whoosh!

“Damn it! What the hell did those bastards summon?!”

Suffocating Spectral Energy filled the surroundings. And from the fissure in the split ground, a massive foot covered in scales thrust upward.

Crash!

Crunch.

Kangcheol.

Although only a half, it was the spectacular revival of a Specter that had nearly reached the legendary dragon.

“……”

Faced with Kangcheol’s utterly extraordinary appearance, the enemies clearly showed signs of panic.

However, they were all survivors of countless battles. Even amidst the chaos, following the instructions of the man who seemed to be the leader, they quickly regrouped and began to act.

“Four of you clean up the ones here. Two of you enter the building and secure the secondary target. Any objections?”

“Tch. That seems better anyway.”

The enemies instantly split into two groups, forcing us to divide our personnel as well.

“I’ll go with Han Kangyoon to guard the underground.”

Seo Jian’s suggestion was reasonable, so I also nodded without hesitation.

“Are you sure? The enemies are no pushovers.”

“If it’s just two, we can buy some time at least.”

And so, we began chasing the enemies heading into the building, separating from the other two. As she ran swiftly, Seo Jian asked me with a worried face.

“…Are you physically okay?”

“Plenty.”

Glancing back, a fierce battle was already underway.

Kangcheol, attacked immediately after revival, began rampaging, spewing fire in all directions, and most of the enemies were dealing with it.

Up to this point, it was truly an ideal picture.

Thud.

“You there, stop.”

Seo Jian shouted at the two who had just destroyed the security device at the building entrance.

Surprised, the enemies abandoned their entry and slowly approached us.

“What’s this? Are you two brats really trying to fight us now?”

“The primary target coming to us herself saves us the trouble.”

The sharp-featured woman and the giant man from earlier.

I quickly checked their information using the Appraisal function.

‘Appraisal.’

Ding!

【Choi Eunjin】

▶Level 44

▶Stats

【Stamina : C+】

【Spiritual Power : C】

【Art Formula : B-】

【Mental Power : B】

▶Traits (4/10)

【Black Fang (B)】

【Precision Control (C+)】

【Agile Hunter (C+)】

【Danger Sense (D)】

【Wang Wei】

▶Level 51

▶Stats

【Stamina : B+】

【Spiritual Power : B-】

【Art Formula : B】

【Mental Power : C+】

▶Traits (5/10)

【Master (A)】

【Iron Heart (B+)】

【Spiritual Power Amplification (B)】

【Rapid Calculation (C+)】

【Strong Body (C-)】

The woman, Choi Eunjin, was 3rd-Rank. And Wang Wei was undoubtedly 2nd-Rank.

‘…Troublesome.’

Frankly, Choi Eunjin seemed like someone I could take on one-on-one. But Wang Wei was not.

His stats themselves were excellent, and his Traits were also powerful. He wasn’t an opponent I could beat in a head-on fight in my current state.

Wang Wei glanced at me briefly, then suddenly raised his hand and began constructing an Offensive Art.

“He’s not the target. I’ll handle him.”

His Art usage was incredibly fast and skilled. Looking at the soon-completed Art, I felt an inexplicable familiarity.

“Golden Bell Art, Second Formula. Ripple.”

Swoosh!

A golden wave rushed forward in an instant.

However, that attack was completely shattered by the Art I reflexively fired in response.

“Soul Blaze Rending Wave.”

Creeeak!*

The shattered fragments of the Art and the reverberation of Spiritual Power filling the air.

It was the counter technique, Severance, seen before in the fight with Cheong Jiyeon.