Chapter 79 – The Battlefield (６)

Around that time, articles about the KR-444 battlefield started pouring out.

Hwarang was already editing and broadcasting the information and footage Gijun’s party had sent in.

Those who’d been waiting eagerly for news of Battlefield KR-444 were hit with no small shock.

[What is that?]

[A red light?]

It was because of the red light confirmed in the photo Baek Gijun’s party had just sent.

A phenomenon never observed even once had unleashed a torrent of emotions across the chat.

[Fuck, is the world ending or something?]

[Whoa, is something big coming?]

Some were afraid. Others started getting excited.

No matter what each person felt, they were all thinking the same thing.

That something was definitely changing in the world.

[So is Baek Gijun holding his own?]

Amid the heated debate about the red light, quite a few people were also curious about Gijun.

Whether he was actually pulling his weight on the battlefield.

Or if he was just hitching a ride on a world-class Superhuman like Ha Taehyeong — a freeloader on a bus¹.

[Still don’t believe it?]

[Slow on the uptake, huh.]

[Go check it out yourselves. www…]

Of course, Hwarang had already released photos and videos of Gijun in combat.

They’d caught wind of the public’s doubts long ago.

And they knew the best way to swallow those worries was proof.

[Holy shit.]

[What the hell is that?]

[No joke, right?]

Now, with the press release Hwarang distributed riding the internet waves…

[Any black sheep left who still don’t believe Baek Gijun?]

[Trust him — Baek Gijun delivers, lol.]

The criticism aimed at Gijun had lost all its force by now.

*

“…!”

A message flashed before his eyes without warning.

The Seeker-exclusive Achievement.

That it would suddenly appear like this… he never saw it coming.

And its content was an invitation to answer a call.

Gulp.

He swallowed once.

In that instant, another message appeared.

[‘Would you accept the invitation from ‘???’?]

After thinking for a moment, Gijun murmured softly to himself.

‘…Alright.’

And with that—

[KHAHAHAHAHA!]

A laugh so loud it rattled his skull echoed through the space.

[What a brave one you are.]

The voice that kept coming was low and savage, enough to make your skin crawl.

[Kheuh, kheuheuheuh….]

Then, along with that voice repeating, Gijun’s body crumpled.

“Huh, huh…?”

“G-Mr. Gijun!”

“Oppa²!”

As his party members’ voices faded, Gijun’s vision bled into red.

*

Fwoooosh—!

Right now, Gijun was inside an unfamiliar space.

And ahead of him, he could see that same red light from moments ago.

Its body was still nowhere in sight.

Just a massive face floating in the air.

‘It’s different.’

In that instant, Gijun felt it.

‘Definitely.’

That this being was someone who also existed within Real Spirit.

The moment he came close enough to face it, that truth became unmistakably clear.

And it wasn’t just his gut feeling.

[Interesting. Was it that thing’s doing… or a mutation born from the collision of Dimensions….]

Just listening to what that being said was enough to tell.

[Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter now.]

With that, a scarlet light exploded outward in every direction.

[Killing you right here will be enough.]

The crimson glow flooded the space, dense and suffocating.

It filled the air completely.

Then it began to press down on Gijun.

“K-kkhk…!”

Gijun clutched his chest.

A terrible pain started to bloom—like something was squeezing his heart in a vise.

[Even though I was the one who spoke first….]

Every time the voice flowed from the crimson light, his entire body trembled violently.

[I never imagined you’d be foolish enough to come see me. That was your gravest mistake.]

To be honest, Gijun was starting to regret it a little too.

But it had been his choice.

He hadn’t made this decision just for an Achievement—just for the rewards.

No, this choice was born from his own curiosity.

Whether this world really was connected to the Spirit World.

And beyond that—what kind of being this thing before him actually was.

Because he wanted to know.

“You… who are you….”

Gijun forced the words out.

Even spitting out that single sentence meant enduring pain that felt like dying.

But having come this far, he couldn’t just leave without asking anything, could he?

[Kheheh… Fine. It’d be rude not to at least tell a man who’s about to die, wouldn’t it?]

“Ghhhk….”

Despite the unrelenting agony, Gijun did everything he could to hold onto his consciousness.

[I am ‘Evil.’]

“…!”

[What’s my name, you ask? Do you think something like that even exists for me?]

The crimson form roared up, blazing fiercely.

It burned with savage intensity.

And as it did, its shape kept shifting.

From an infant’s face to an old man’s.

Age, race—none of it mattered; it changed endlessly, again and again.

[I am everywhere and nowhere. You cannot define me. Because I am simply ‘Evil.’]

“….”

Grit.

Gijun clenched his teeth so hard they creaked.

If he let his focus waver for even a second, his entire body felt like it would burst apart.

He was reaching his limit now.

[Are your questions satisfied now?]

As it spoke, the crimson form shifted again.

“!!!”

Gijun’s eyes bulged as if they might pop.

[I can take this form too.]

It was Woo Jimin’s face.

[And this one as well.]

This time, Jiyun.

[This is possible too.]

Ha Taehyeong, White Wood, Emily.

And finally….

[And you—are also me.]

Gijun’s own face appeared.

[As long as you all exist, I will never vanish.]

“….”

[Do you want to destroy me?]

“Of course… I do.”

[Keh, kehkeheheheh.]

It laughed again, a low, rattling sound.

[But you will die. Right here.]

“Kuaaaaagh!”

Gijun’s body twisted violently.

This was truly the end of his limit.

He couldn’t hold on any longer.

[You’ve lasted longer than I expected…]

That was when it happened.

‘…’

Gijun’s eyes narrowed.

A tiny light flickered in the distance ahead.

The entire world was drenched in red, and amid it all, one single point radiated crimson.

Gijun thought.

About what that light really was.

‘…This thing isn’t a real entity.’

It was true—literally.

The being attacking him now, calling him ‘Evil,’ had no physical form.

That had to be why it kept shifting its face.

‘It’s not Mana… but right now, it’s just a mass of immense energy.’

Which meant, in simple terms, it wasn’t much different from ‘magic.’

‘Magic Disruption.’

Magic could certainly be unraveled.

Of course, the difficulty was extreme.

Because you had to locate the opponent’s condensed Magic-Power core, reverse the flow of its Mana nucleus, and pour your own Mana into it.

And if that target wasn’t even human, but some transcendent being…

The difficulty was probably beyond imagination.

‘But I have to do it.’

It was as simple as that.

Right now, he had to.

If he didn’t, he would die.

Helplessly.

‘I can do this.’

Gijun gritted his teeth again.

And stared straight at the core of that Magic Power.

That was when—

THUUUUM—!

A surge of energy erupted from Gijun’s heart.

A familiar energy.

‘…The Ancient Heart!’

The power radiating from the Ancient Heart.

What he couldn’t feel in the real world—he could feel it here, right now.

[…Hm?]

For a split second, ‘Evil’ hesitated, as if sensing something too.

Gijun didn’t let the opening slip.

‘Go.’

The power already gathered in his hand…

WHOOOOSH—!

He unleashed it.

Toward the very center of ‘Evil’s’ being.

Aimed straight at its core.

[Ha…]

It was shocked.

[Don’t be ridiculous!]

But of course, it wouldn’t just let Gijun strike it.

It blasted out a wave of crimson energy again, trying to resist the power Gijun had sent flying.

[What in the…]

But it was useless.

FLASH!

Radiance burst forth as a white surge of energy shot forward.

CRAAAAACK—!

It struck.

Straight toward the core of ‘Evil.’

[…!]

Evil’s face wavered.

That overwhelming, titanic force began to scatter—even if just by a hair.

“Hah, haah… hah!”

Gijun gasped, desperate for air.

The pressure crushing his chest vanished, and his reeling mind slowly steadied itself.

But it wasn’t gone yet either.

Instead, it blazed even fiercer, its glare fixed on Gijun.

[I would have granted you an easy death…]

The crimson energy, still burning, surged toward Gijun once more.

In that instant—

—!

A white light coiled around Gijun’s body.

With it, he blocked the crimson energy.

[!!!]

The form of the Malevolence wavered again.

‘Now.’

Gijun seized the energy of the Ancient Heart flowing from his own heart.

Then, with all his Strength, he fired it again.

—!

A single thread of white light, piercing through the crimson energy that filled the space, expanding in size until finally—

—!

It struck the Malevolence’s core.

[Krrruuuh…!]

For the first time, the Malevolence’s groan rang out.

[Stop… it…]

Why would he listen?

Gijun gritted his teeth — and then gritted them harder.

The taste of blood filled his mouth.

Blood streamed from his nose; his legs trembled without pause.

Even holding his arm aloft felt like lifting a thousand pounds — an unbearable weight pressing down.

But he paid it no mind.

He propped his right wrist with his left hand.

He spread his legs, bracing his collapsing body.

And then again…

Kraaaash!

He fired the power surging from the Ancient Heart.

[Krrruuuaaaah!]

The white energy slammed into the Heart of Malice once more — and in that instant, a guttural roar tore from the Malice’s form.

‘…Found it.’

In that moment, Gijun had found it.

The direction of the circuit composing the Malice’s form.

‘Reverse it.’

Now he had to reverse it.

He had to pour this power, surging from the Ancient Heart, backward through the circuit.

‘Go.’

Of course, it fought back fiercely.

The resistance he felt was on a whole different Dimension from dismantling a human spell.

But the power Gijun was pouring out was no ordinary Strength, either.

If this had been Gijun’s own Mana, he would never have been able to overcome that resistance.

[Krrr… Stop! Stop, you insolent wretch! How dare a mongrel like you wield that Strength…]

BOOM! CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!

An explosion erupted from within the Wicked Form.

With the blast, the Wicked Form began to dissolve.

Gijun, who had squeezed out the very last remnant of his infant strength and fired the ancient power to the very end of his circuits, finally…

THUD!

Collapsed.

He didn’t even have the strength to stand anymore.

His entire body was so spent he couldn’t even dare part his lips.

Dizziness crashed over him, so overwhelming he couldn’t bear it even while seated, and his whole frame quaked like an aspen leaf.

But it was enough.

Sssss—

The Wicked Form vanished.

The red energy that had filled the space also began to scatter.

[…Do not rest easy…]

Then the Wicked One’s voice rang out.

[I will return…]

That was the end of it.

With those words left behind, the form of evil vanished completely from this place.

“…Bullshit….”

Gijun left that one word behind and collapsed.

In his fading vision, messages poured in.

[You have defeated the Form of Evil!]

[Your Level has increased!]

[Your Level has increased!]

[Your Level has increased!]

[Your Level has increased!]

[Your Level has increased!]

.

.

.

[You have reached the maximum number of Levels that can be gained at once.]

The same message that had appeared when he took down the dragon before flashed up.

It wasn’t good news — it was downright shocking.

‘What the hell….’

At least the dragon had been alive.

But that ‘evil’ had been nothing more than pure energy, not even a fully-formed shape.

And yet this message was appearing again.

Which only meant one thing — that opponent had been that strong.

[Additional Experience will be converted into Stats and provided.]

[All Stats have increased by 30!]

[You have achieved an Impossible Achievement!]

[You have acquired the Achievement reward.]

[You have learned the Skill ‘Fragment of Evil’.]

[Fragment of Evil]

-Grade: Transcend

-Magic/Physical Attack Power increases in proportion to the target’s total Magi.

-Magic/Physical Resistance increases in proportion to the target’s total Magi.

‘…Ah.’

He had no room to be glad.

Gijun closed his eyes again, losing consciousness.

Then a familiar voice reached his ears.

“…Dammit!”

“…Wake up…!”

“…Quick!….”

---

1. Bus — Korean gaming slang: a stronger player “drives the bus,” carrying weaker players through content for easy rewards. “Riding the bus” means being carried.

2. Oppa — an affectionate term a younger woman uses for an older man she is close to; literally “older brother.”