Chapter 176

A day passed, and the night of the attack foretold by the Wish-Granting Demon arrived.

If possible, Taewoon wanted to merge with Mary’s side, who had left to call for allies, to prepare for any eventuality. Unfortunately, the timing didn’t align, so he had no choice but to respond to the attack with the current forces at hand.

“If I utilize the tools I possess… I should be able to prevent us from being toyed with or having our minds stolen by the demon.”

“Understood. In that case, I will focus on finding an opening to eliminate the creature.”

Taewoon cast Thousand-League Perception, bringing the entire mansion within the range of his Qi Sense to prepare for the enemy’s approach. Soon, he detected a certain anomaly outside the mansion.

‘This is…’

Staggering people.

A crowd of individuals with various appearances and attire began to approach the mansion bit by bit, and on their foreheads were engraved the same demonic numbers as Frederick’s.

Using the price of the wishes, the creature had dragged all of its prisoners to the mansion.

“His power is taking effect… I feel a persistent, light headache.”

“Focus on protecting yourself. I’ll go outside.”

Leaving Biryeong by Frederick’s side, Taewoon lightly leaped from the window and began to carefully observe the faces of the dead approaching the mansion.

‘The numbers are different… but each of them has a remaining price for their wish to pay. What on earth is he planning to do with them?’

The Wish-Granting Demon must have recognized Taewoon’s immense power during their previous encounter.

Therefore, it was highly likely that instead of using them as simple puppets, he intended to utilize them for another purpose to execute some kind of scheme.

“It seems he thought I was an easy target.”

【Condition Fulfilled】

▶【Cinema Skill: Final Rampart】

【Creating a Level 6 Equivalent Semi-Automatic Protective Zone targeting a 100m radius area!】

Sturdy fortress walls emerged from various parts of the mansion, and towering bastions and fortifications began to encircle the demon’s debtors.

Soon, due to the Golden Barrier surrounding them all, the light of the brands dimmed, and their effects began to rapidly diminish.

The demon’s powerful strength tried to block the barrier’s purification ability, but his dominance waned, and a small flicker of reason returned to the people’s eyes.

‘Now, what will you do?’

It seemed he had planned to use his debtors for some stratagem, but in this state, his plan must have been significantly shaken.

After protecting the people inside the barrier and waiting for a moment, the face of the demon he had encountered in the past finally began to manifest along with the sound of space tearing.

“A wiish… shall I graaaant it…”

“How tedious.”

Taewoon drew Keshatus and scorched the creature with dark blue lightning, but as its body collapsed to the ground, it vanished, and a new clone tore through the space directly opposite him to appear.

“Executing… the wiish…”

“Gah!”

“Keu-heok…!”

As the creature chanted an unknown spell, the debtors of the wishes who were being protected by the Golden Barrier simultaneously vomited blood and began to scream in agony.

The power of the seals had weakened significantly, but the creature’s power of execution was beyond imagination; in the end, the fulfillment of the debt could not be stopped.

The blood vomited by the people rose into the air, soon forming a giant circle in the void.

Space tore open, and from there, the form of a massive demon began to emerge.

With long horns and a pair of wings, that thing was likely the creature’s true body.

“M-my god…”

Alfred the butler, who had stepped outside for a moment to assess the situation, felt the creature’s overwhelming power and began to groan in shock, clutching his head.

However, Taewoon was not flustered in the least and gazed steadily at the true body that had finally appeared in reality.

“….”

Compared to the power of Saint Kyurihi he had felt before the Pillar of Heaven that day… the demon before him was no different from a mere insect wandering the streets.

Taewoon had already observed a high realm that transcended the planar world, and such an experience brought about a stark difference in mindset.

While he didn’t possess power comparable to Kyurihi’s, the opponent before him still felt like an utterly insignificant existence.

【Condition Fulfilled】

▶【Cinema Skill: The Red Man】

Finally, Taewoon, wearing the Wax Mask on his face, spread Mitra’s Wings and soared into the sky, and a streak of dark blue light pierced the firmament.

“Kieeeek—!”

There was no room for resistance.

As the demon fell with a hole ripped through its wing, a formless sword of judgment fell upon its head, splitting the demon’s soul and body in half.

【Condition Fulfilled】

▶【Cinema Skill: Blazing Sword Judgment】

“….”

Staring at the demon’s corpse, split in two and burning in the Samadhi True Fire, Taewoon turned away without lingering and returned to his companions remaining in the mansion.

He left behind the sight of Alfred the butler, who was looking at him with a gaze full of awe, as if seeing a god.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“I survived thanks to you. It was quite dizzying when the creature tried to execute the price of the wish… but the lady beside me provided help.”

When Taewoon returned, Biryeong was in the middle of stabilizing Frederick’s mind and body through the mysteries of meditative Qi circulation.

Though not certain, she had likely used that to suppress the demon’s energy and inhibit the effect of the seal.

Even after considerable time had passed, it was still an outstanding way of utilizing Martial Arts.

“To think you repelled that thing single-handedly… Your skills, Solver, truly transcend imagination.”

“Was it an existence that an ordinary First-Class Solver could not defeat?”

“Perhaps not… but Mary and I together likely could not have guaranteed a victory.”

In the end, it meant that even from the perspective of a Solver from the Dawn Assembly, the creature was not a simple opponent.

‘But… there’s no way an opponent of this level is everything.’

This was a nine-star Theater. Regardless of Frederick’s common sense, Taewoon believed it was highly likely that the ‘Wish-Granting Demon’ did not hold a particularly significant role in this Theater.

‘I’m not entirely sure, but can I assume that the beings of rumor settled in this vicinity are roughly at a similar level to that guy?’

The owner of the flute sound that bewitches residents, and the Headless Prisoner who appears only on foggy nights.

If their power was similar to that of the Wish Demon, it didn’t seem like it would be difficult for Taewoon to exterminate them alone.

“Could you wait a moment? Now… I think I remember something.”

Come to think of it, what wish had Frederick made to the demon?

As if resolving that question, Frederick, who had been frowning for a moment, looked flustered as he recalled his recovered memories and began to convey the contents to everyone.

“The Apocalypse Society! Followers of the Apocalypse Society are here! I was trapped in the Hisham Forest due to friction with them, and in the process, I believe I was bewitched by the demon and made a wish for them to be driven away.”

“Good grief, the Apocalypse Society?”

“Yes. That is correct. I only saw one mid-rank priest and a few low-rank priests, but it is possible that a high-rank priest or a Bishop-level existence has come here.”

Frederick repeatedly warned of the movements of the Apocalypse Society priests, emphasizing the peculiarities of the Tehesa region. In the process, Taewoon was able to figure out that the Dawn Assembly and the Apocalypse Society were groups positioned as polar opposites.

‘The Starting Point Seoyoon chose… was it an Apocalypse Society High-rank Priest…?’

Somehow, she had ended up in a group that was practically an enemy, but regardless, he needed to know their internal affairs to conquer the Theater.

Perhaps she was also in the Tehesa region right now.

“Anyway, it would be best to merge with Mary’s side quickly and prepare for full-scale activity.”

“Yes. I will also make further preparations through a Divinity Ritual.”

Thus, they returned to their respective positions, and after a day had passed, Mary and her ally finally arrived at the mansion.

“I’m Katia. Nice to meet you.”

“Yes, welcome. I am glad to have gained such an excellent ally.”

The person Mary brought was a short-haired woman named Katia, characterized by a sharp scar engraved on her face.

‘Quite an aura. Her skills might even be superior to those two?’

She mentioned she was always active taking commissions; he could certainly see why she was trusted.

In any case, with this, it could be seen that preparations for full-scale activity were finally complete.

“Since you defeated the Wish-Granting Demon alone, there’s no need to invest excessive manpower in a single location.”

“I agree. Frederick, Biryeong, and I will hunt the Headless Prisoner, so could you two find the owner of the flute sound?”

The meeting was simple and clear, and everyone’s opinions were quickly aligned.

While Katia and Mary hunted the owner of the flute sound, Taewoon’s party would exterminate the Headless Prisoner who appeared on foggy nights.

Dividing their goals, the party split into two and moved toward their respective destinations. Taewoon’s group moved their residence to Durang Street, where the creature was said to appear frequently.

“The Headless Prisoner… actually, I’ve seen a few beings of a similar form before. I hope he isn’t a significant existence like them…”

“Considering that he left the fewest victims among the beings of rumor, he might not be an anomaly worth worrying about.”

Finding a place to stay and settling in Durang Street, Taewoon’s party lay in wait for several days, waiting for the foggy night when the creature appeared.

And finally.

‘…Is it today?’

A night where the fog was so thick it was difficult to distinguish even an inch ahead.

Having completed all preparations, Taewoon’s party finally began to move to hunt the creature.