Chapter 269

Chapter 269 RUMBLE! A massive vibration echoed above them. Feeling the tremor so intense that it felt like a giant thrashing around, Se-Hoon glanced up at the ceiling. Seems like he’s having the time of his life. Se-Hoon couldn't witness what was going on outside, but he could still indirectly sense the flow of the fight through the massive creature. And it seemed that ever since he had given control over Jormungandr to Ren, Ren had been on a rampage. I thought he would struggle to control it, but he’s handling it better than expected. Jormungandr, despite having been subdued by Wurgen for a long time, was still an S-rank beast and one of the infamous Planet Devourers. With its strength, Se-Hoon had doubts about whether Ren could handle it, but unlike how it showed signs of initial resistance to Ren when he first summoned it, Ren was seemingly holding up well. Well, he is known for his excellent handling of shikigami.... Maybe he’s got a knack for this too. Se-Hoon had never met Ren properly before he regressed, having only ever heard about him in passing. With nothing to go on, Se-Hoon still didn’t know much about Ren’s abilities. As such, Se-Hoon made a mental note that he should pay closer attention to Ren when the opportunity presented itself. Right now, he had to focus on the path ahead. Tap- Tap- Tap- Leading the way, Erika silently sprinted down a dark hallway. At a glance, she seemed tense, but there was also a subtle air of detachment around her, as if she were indifferent to the situation that caught his eye. Glancing at her, he finally spoke up. “I thought this place would be shooting off all kinds of things, but it’s surprisingly quiet.” “The instability of the ley line must be the cause. It’s likely the facility is already having a hard time maintaining the seal.” “Hmm...” Se-Hoon surveyed their surroundings, his steps not stopping. For a while now, he had felt like the underground facility had an atmosphere similar to that of the main estate on the surface. At first, he thought it was just due to the design choice, but having run through it for a while now, something clicked. Wait, it's exactly the same as the estate above. The placement of the rooms, hallways, and even the pillars was identical. Of course, it could just be dismissed as having a similar design, but that depended on the overall structure of the facility. Woong- Spreading his mana through his feet as he ran, Se-Hoon sketched out the general structure of the underground in his mind. And soon, he realized that the underground facility was a mirror image of the mansion above. It was as if the two were symmetrical. Seeing that they even reflected the layout of the ceiling... this definitely has some sort of ritualistic significance. As he pondered what the reason for the layout could be, a large door soon appeared at the end of the hallway. “That’s the elevator leading to the deepest part. Destroy it.” Following Erika’s command, Se-Hoon transformed his alchemical weapon into a bow and shot an arrow at the door. BOOM! The yellow lightning arrow exploded, smashing the elevator doors open to reveal an empty shaft. Sprinting even faster at the sight, the two dived straight into the dark passage. Whoosh! Falling through the dimly lit elevator shaft with Erika, Se-Hoon squinted. The fall felt endless. How deep does this go? They had already descended several hundred meters, yet the bottom was still nowhere in sight. But just as Se-Hoon was starting to feel a twinge of surprise at the depth, he heard a faint sound rising from below. Wooong- Focusing his gaze, Se-Hoon spotted an elevator rising toward them from below. “Is that...?” Had someone from the Inoue family stayed underground? Turning to Erika, Se-Hoon was about to ask what they should do when— CAAW! A crow shot out of Erika’s shadow. Wrapped in silver mana, its wings swelled as it took to the air. “Storm Edge.” Ratatata! Silver feathers made of pure mana rained down like a storm, shattering the elevator into pieces and sending it tumbling back down. If anyone had been inside, they wouldn’t have survived the brutal attack. Yet Erika had never even batted an eye. “It’ll come back. Continue shooting at the elevator,” she calmly said. He didn’t know what exactly was going to come back, but he trusted Erika’s words and prepared to strike. Summoning his lightning bow once again, he pulled the string tight, aiming downward. CRACK! The arrow shot down like a bolt of lightning, striking the base of the shaft and illuminating the area below. And thanks to it, Se-Hoon finally saw the black swamp roiling at the bottom, the fallen pieces of the elevator in it. There was a gaping hole, from the lightning arrow vaporizing a part of it, but that was rapidly refilled by even more of the black swamp. “We’re too late...” Erika’s eyes widened at the sight, but she didn’t have time to say more. “I’m going to shoot more!” Wasting no time, Se-Hoon immediately fired again using the power of Boundaries. Woong! From the black portal that appeared in the air, the mana of the Netherworld surged into Se-Hoon’s alchemical weapon, allowing him to unleash a relentless barrage of lightning bolts. CRACKLE! Blue lightning bolts rained down mercilessly, vaporizing the swamp faster than it could rise. Initially, the black substance attempted to resist using the elevator’s debris as shields, but it was simply no match for the intensifying lightning storm. Swish- And seemingly realizing that as well, the swamp finally retreated. Still cautious, Erika immediately sent a crow to investigate. Flap! Landing at the entrance down below, the crow surveyed the area. After a tense moment, it flapped its wings, signaling the coast was clear. “Seems fine. Let’s land.” Following her words, a thin barrier made from the crow’s silver feathers spread out, and the two descended onto it. Poof! Absorbing the impact of their fall like a balloon, the barrier sank in before bouncing back up, allowing them to land gently at the entrance. “Whew...” Se-Hoon inspected the shattered remains of the elevator scattered across the floor. Looks like no one was inside. There were no traces of monsters, demons, or even shikigami. Finishing his inspection, Se-Hoon’s gaze shifted to the entrance where the black swamp had emerged. “...There’s nothing here.” Like the upper floors, the hallway beyond resembled a traditional Japanese home. It was very peaceful, without signs of the chaos the swamp had caused. Yet... that just made the situation even more eerie to Se-Hoon. There’s not a single trace left behind? Even with all of that swamp-like substance earlier? He stared down the empty hallway, recalling the swamp he had just fired at. It hadn’t seemed like a substance made of mana, but it didn’t resemble a demon either. And though it had moved like a living creature, it didn’t seem alive. I’m sure I’ve seen something like that before... Where had he encountered something similar before the regression? Racking his brain, Se-Hoon tried to recall all of his encounters with the Inoues. Then it hit him. ...Gluttony? Gluttony, one of the Ten Evils, had corrupted the land with its cursed black sludge—that was just like the swamp he’d just seen. The similarities were undeniable. It’s not that they are completely identical... but they basically are. If Gluttony’s cursed black sludge brimmed with malicious curses and demonic aura, the swamp just now was raw and unrefined. To Se-Hoon, it was the difference between a finished product and its raw materials. If that’s true, then the one who turned Erika into Gluttony was... The scattered pieces of information in his head finally began to connect. Meanwhile, Erika, who had been staring down the hallway as well, finally spoke up. “...Things are going south.” “What do you mean?” “The facility was supposed to self-destruct as soon as that thing broke out of the seal. But there’s no sign of it activating.” Se-Hoon frowned. “Does that mean the self-destruct mechanism is broken?” “I don’t think so. Judging by what we’ve seen...” Trailing off, Erika paused for a moment before continuing on to say, “I think it tricked the system into recognizing it as human.” “...Human?” “Maybe. I’m not certain.” Swish- Her shadow spread wide across the floor, rippling with faint waves. From it, a withered black tree, covered in dozens of cages hanging from its branches, then slowly emerged. Caw- caw- caw. The countless crows filling the cages cried out in unison, their eerie, ominous caws blending together to fill the room. Seemingly influenced, the Heaven’s Well, also a large crow now, began crying out at the same time as the others. Then, amidst the symphony of caws, Erika clenched her outstretched hand tightly. “Shadow Crow’s Prelude.” Crack! The necks of the crows inside the cages simultaneously twisted violently and the chorus of crows abruptly stopped. The scent of blood filled the air. Now, only the Heaven’s Well still continued to screech. However, its massive body was creaking with strain. C... caw... Like the other crows, the neck of the Heaven's Well slowly started to turn, as if it were following the other crows in death. The Heaven's Well tried to resist, struggling with the power from the ley line, but all it succeeded at was delaying the inevitable. Unable to stop its neck from continuing to twist, its skin tore and its body began splitting apart. Splurt! Blood began gushing out from the cracks, and Heaven's Well's massive form staggered, filling the air with a pungent, metallic smell. It was a gruesome scene that left Se-Hoon frozen in shock. She’s forcing death upon a weapon... Though the Heaven’s Well had taken the shape of a crow, it was still a Mythical weapon and not a living creature. It shouldn’t have bled, but Erika’s spell had made it defy that natural law, forcing it to die. Unable to resist the imposed death, the Heaven's Well’s resistance weakened more and more as its energy drained, until finally, it succumbed. Crack! Its half-turned neck snapped fully, and the ley line, which had been thrashing violently, settled into a calm. Wobbling, the Heaven’s Well then collapsed to the ground. Splat! And just like the lifeless corpses of the crows, it lay limp. However, while it seemed like Erika had subdued it, the battle was far from over. Bubble, bubble. Bubbles rose from the wound in Heaven's Well’s neck—the forced death was merely temporary, imposed by a spell, so once the spell wore off, the Heaven’s Well would begin recovering. But both Erika and Se-Hoon knew that, so they wasted no time. They rushed into the room, and Erika immediately scattered silver threads over the fallen Heaven’s Well. Swish- The thick threads wrapped around its entire body like ropes, binding its massive form tightly. The plan was to subdue the Heaven’s Well by using the ley line’s power to merge it with Erika through a spell. It was one of the most standard methods for sealing any Mythical weapon. Unfortunately, though, it wasn’t working as well as it should have been. Woong! The spell connecting Erika and the Heaven’s Well was a two-way link, meaning that since the Heaven’s Well was the stronger entity, it could overpower Erika. Drip. The shadows beneath her feet churned as though about to explode, and thin gashes had started appearing all over her body, leaking blood. The cuts grew longer by the second, and her body quickly looked as if it would fall apart at any moment. Erika’s body was creaking under the pressure, and her eyes were dimming. But just as she was about to be pulled into the shadows beneath her— [Bond Imprint ‘Harmonite’ has been activated.] Activating the bond imprint, Se-Hoon drove his hand into Erika’s chest, reaching her heart. Normally, such a blow would have been fatal, but he had surrounded his hand with dream mana to negate the lethal force. Clenching Erika’s heart tightly, Se-Hoon channeled the power of Harmonite into it. Swish- Silver threads shot out from Se-Hoon’s palm and spread throughout Erika’s body, restoring the weakening spell, binding the Heaven’s Well tightly once more. Soon, the gashes on her skin began closing, the light returning to her eyes. Her once faltering body was regaining its strength. Ba-dump. Se-Hoon could once again feel the steady beat of Erika’s heart. However, even though the situation had returned to their previous stalemate, that was all. It’s still not enough. He realized the fundamental problem was that Erika wasn’t strong enough to subdue the Heaven's Well fully. And normally, in such cases, they would need someone else, or Se-Hoon would just take over himself. But Se-Hoon chose none of those. Woong! He began altering Erika’s body to match the Heaven's Well’s power, restructuring both her physical form and mana circuits. It was an extreme process that no ordinary person’s body could withstand, but Erika’s body seemed to accept it without issue. From her head to her toes, he was reforging her body anew. “Ah...” Sensing the changes within her, Erika’s eyes gleamed a vivid violet. And once she adapted to her new form, her spell took effect once again. Crunch! Unlike before, the ropes, which had barely restrained Heaven Well moments ago, now sank deeply into its flesh, even pulling its body back into the hole at the center of the room. As the Heaven’s Well thrashed in its bounds, Se-Hoon swiftly prepared his next move. If we just push it in with brute force, it’ll break free again. The key was asserting control over the incomplete Mythical weapon. There were many ways to go about it, but naturally, Se-Hoon chose the method that best suited the situation. Woong! He cast the spell Erika had once taught him, something he hadn’t fully understood until they had descended all the way down. Only in the deep, dark cavern had the purpose of the spell become clear to him. Adjusting parts of the spell that had been layered upon one another, he created an entirely new spell and engraved it into Erika. BOOM! A powerful pulse shook the room, and then, everything became calm. The ley line, which had been roaring wildly, flowed normally once again, and the Heaven’s Well, which had been thrashing violently, sank quietly into the seal. “Huff... Huff...” Se-Hoon pulled his hand out from Erika’s chest and stepped back, gazing at the woman before him. “...” Though everything seemed to have ended, Erika remained motionless—but that was expected as she had been transformed into a tool to control the Heaven's Well. And under normal circumstances, having finished serving her purpose, it wouldn’t have been strange if she had stopped functioning. “...” But then Erika murmured something under her breath, and moments later, the surface of the Heaven’s Well rippled, and something emerged from within. Shrrrk- Flying out, a translucent fabric wrapped around her arms and shoulders like a pair of wings. Startled by the familiar shape, Se-Hoon’s eyes widened as he watched Erika raise her hand and wave it upward. Whoosh! The ley line's energy swept through the underground facility, severing the faint sensation Se-Hoon had of the ongoing battle above through Jormungandr. It seemed the barriers had reactivated, which likely also forced the enemies to retreat. And just like that, they had resolved both the enemy's attack and the Heaven's Well's rampage. Yet, Se-Hoon's gaze lingered on Erika still, knowing that the ordeal had revealed a new issue. “...” Looking up at the ceiling, Erika lowered her gaze to meet Se-Hoon’s. Then, with the wings of the ley line fabric draped around her, she slowly walked toward him. Staring into her eyes, which were staring straight into his, Se-Hoon recalled the first time they met at the academy’s entrance ceremony. As he reminisced, Erika had arrived before him and extended her hand. Squeeze. Taking his hand in hers, Erika gripped it tightly. The strange sensation of another hand in hers triggered a memory—of when they first shook hands. Back then, Erika had seen him as just another student, one that was peculiar but seemingly ordinary. But even then, she had sensed something special. It’s possible. The man standing before her—the blacksmith who had just proven his worth—was the only one who could truly complete the assimilation between her and the Heaven's Well. Staring into his eyes, Erika reassessed her earlier judgment of Se-Hoon, revising the conclusion she had reached earlier that day. You’re my only hope. [The bond with ‘Erika Inoue’ has grown to Lv. 4.] [Since the bond has grown to Lv.4, your Relationship with ‘Inoue Erika’ can now be redefined as ‘Desire’.] “...” Glancing past the information message, Se-Hoon noticed the twisted look in Erika’s eyes. Against all odds, she was still alive, finally allowing Se-Hoon to confirm the truth. An artificial lifeform... The girl standing before him was nothing more than a tool, one created solely to control the Heaven’s Well.