Chapter 309

Words : 2739 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

Chapter 309 Boom! With the fall of Ymir’s head and the upper body of Tuner into the rainforest, Ymir’s massive corpse tilted forward, black blood cascading down like a waterfall from the severed neck. “Whew...” Watching the golden sword aura shimmering in midair and slowly dissipating, Aria exhaled the breath she had been holding. Since the moment Apostate had interfered, she had been preparing for that strike—an action strangely unfamiliar to her, having always actively fought on the front lines. This doesn’t feel too bad, but... it’s just not my style. The waiting was tedious, and it felt like he lacked trust in her abilities, which soured her mood. But what bothered her most was her own emotions. Shing. Her gaze fell on Glare, her sword, which was still intact and undamaged, despite her using her full power. It was significantly stronger than any other weapon she had ever wielded, and yet she couldn’t shake a sense of dissatisfaction. If only I could draw out more power... If she could have, she might have been able to cut down even more. Aria’s golden eyes fixed on Glare, sinking into a deep contemplation. “Hahaha.” Although Tuner should’ve fallen dead to the ground, he suddenly burst out laughing. “How far did you plan this? Was it pure coincidence? What’s your next move? Do you have any more tricks? The techniques you’ve used before? Are you going to use the powers of Perfect Ones? I want to see more, more, more─” Crack! Smash! Ymir’s head and Tuner’s upper body, which had fallen to the ground, suddenly snapped together like magnets, compressing tightly. Then, in the blink of an eye, a new body was formed. Tuner now stood with a muscular black body, four arms enhancing his strength. Using Ymir’s genetic material, he had crafted a combat-ready physique in an instant. Boom! The injuries across Ymir’s headless body healed instantaneously, fully regenerating. After fixing himself, Tuner had merged his lower body, which remained on Ymir’s shoulders, and fixed Ymir with his own flesh. “Now then, shall we try again? It’s only fair that we show what we prepared too!” Bang! Now rearmed, Tuner charged forward with the Puppeteer, who was once again controlling Ymir. Seeing them, Eun-Ha and Aria also braced themselves, ready to engage again. But just as the battle was about to reignite— “You're too late.” Se-Hoon gazed beyond the horizon. Tatatatatata! Something shot past Se-Hoon, Eun-Ha, and Aria. The next moment, blue arrows pierced through Tuner’s body, which had just been reassembled, turning it into a sieve and severing every thread connecting it to Ymir. “Heaven Eye you useless piece of—” Tuner spat out a string of curses, furious at the interruption of his long-term experiment. Tatatatatata! Blue arrows rained down once again, all coming from unseen angles, as if the archer had predicted every attempt to dodge or block. Unable to resist, Tuner’s freshly regenerated body was shredded to pieces once more. Baek-Yeon’s relentless precision—her seemingly future-sight attacks—from thousands of kilometers away made Tuner grind his teeth in frustration. “This isn’t working. Pull back!” Rumble! Without delay, Ymir’s body was dragged back toward a black void, but before it could make it in, the next set of arrows mercilessly shot toward the void as though she had predicted Tuner was going to retreat. “Argh...!” Tuner hastily closed the void, having to just watch helplessly as Ymir, which he had painstakingly tuned, was obliterated into shreds. “Mark my wo─” Pop! Unable to even finish his threat, Tuner’s head exploded. Squelch- His new body then scattered into black chunks before dissolving into nothing, leaving only silence in the rainforest. It was now so serene that the chaos moments ago seemed like an illusion. Everything had happened so rapidly that Eun-Ha and Aria stood in stunned disbelief, trying to process it all. In the end, it was Se-Hoon who first broke the silence. “He probably survived that again. That damn bastard is persistent—urgh!” Irritated, Se-Hoon was muttering his complaints when he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of black blood. “Lee Se-Hoon!” “Are you okay?” Both Eun-Ha and Aria immediately rushed over, their expressions filled with concern. “I’m fine... Cough, cough...” Se-Hoon replied, pale-faced. He waved them off. Yet despite his words, blood continued to pour out from his lips. He had lost the regenerative factor provided by the Great Holy Sword after it had been consumed by Eun-Ha. I already used the Pilgrim’s Incense Burner... and trying to use another power isn’t reliable right now. In his current state, using powers, even skills, recklessly was no different from committing suicide. Considering his options, Se-Hoon made a quick decision and reached out to Eun-Ha. “Dean... that thing I told you to hold earlier...” “Oh!” Realizing what he meant, Eun-Ha fumbled around before retrieving a green spear, the Verdant Lotus Spear, from her void pocket and placed it into his hand. Swish- A tidal wave of vitality surged from within the weapon into his body, rapidly regenerating his body. It felt like a natural extension of his body. Woong! The spear’s healing capabilities were almost on par with those of the Great Holy Sword. Its phenomenal effects were true to its reputation as one of the Five Element Equipment—but not without drawbacks. Crack! Though his bones were regenerating, they were thicker and more grotesque than before, distorting its shape. The Verdant Lotus Spear was restructuring him as it pleased. Whoever designed this thing must’ve been a real piece of work. Se-Hoon narrowed his eyes at the changes in his body. A weapon that rewrote its user’s body without permission? Whether it was intentional or accidental, the blacksmith’s lack of both skill and ethics were evident. “Are you sure that thing is... safe?” Sensing what was happening inside his body, Aria alternated her gaze between Se-Hoon and the spear. “It’s fine. I’ll just break it later, anyway.” “Okay... wait, what?” “Let’s head down for now.” Dismissing the power of Boundaries that had been keeping them aloft dissolved, Se-Hoon descended with the other two to the rainforest below. However, the rainforest was now scorched and desolate, without a single blade of grass to be seen for kilometers. The devastation made Se-Hoon grimace. I couldn’t imagine the destruction if we had fought in a city. One of the most troublesome aspects when fighting the Demon Force had always been the collateral damage. The enemy only cared about turning the world into a hellish swamp. Humanity, however, couldn’t afford to lose tens of thousands of lives at once. They’ve been holding back to maintain their supply of demons so far... but that could change. If they mimicked how the Harbingers of Destruction attacked humanity before the regression—leveling cities without hesitation—the situation would become far grimmer. But now was not the time for those thoughts. Shaking them off, Se-Hoon refocused on the current situation. First things first. He drove the end of the Verdant Lotus Spear into the scorched ground. Crack! Roots immediately sprouted from the spear and spread rapidly, intertwining with the remnants of the rainforest. Thankfully, the damage inflicted by Apostate had made it easier for Se-Hoon to act, even though the demonic aura permeating the forest should have restricted him. Annihilation, was it? Annihilation, Apostate’s unique skill, was capable of erasing everything—mana, divine mana, and even demonic aura. Se-Hoon had only been able to dispel such an absurd spell because he had caught Apostate off guard; if the spell had been used properly, it could threaten even the Perfect Ones. As he reflected on the battle, Se-Hoon spread his perception throughout the forest. And soon, he felt every living creature within its depths fall under it. Crunch! Moving on to the next step, Se-Hoon twirled the shaft of his spear lightly, sending a ripple of life force surging through the rainforest. It caused trees to sprout across the devastation, growing rapidly into enormous trees. Wham! The newly grown tree trunks then lashed out like whips, scattering shadows, whose owners plummeted onto the wasteland where the three stood. Boom! What fell in front of them were massive capsules—things that resembled jewels or talismans—containing dozens of humans and demons in a state of suspended animation. To survive within Apostate’s barrier, they resorted to putting themselves into hibernation, which had also disabled them from escaping from Se-Hoon’s reach. “Hmm. There are more survivors than I expected.” “Well, if they made it this far, they must have had something hidden up their sleeves. Let’s see...” Examining the individuals in stasis, Se-Hoon soon spotted Dryas, the tree-turned-demon. “Dean, would you hand this one over to the Chairman when he arrives? There’s something we need to pry from her.” “Understood.” “The rest can all be sent to the Heroes Association... and we’re now done here.” Since Baek-Yeon had blatantly provided support from a distance, there was no chance of another Ten Evil or Watcher showing up. And now that he was confident that the situation was fully under control, Se-Hoon reached into his abdomen and moved the items stored in his Dream Storage into his void pocket. “You both did well. I thought we’d have some breathing room in this fight, but... considering the opponents, I guess it couldn’t be helped.” “Lee Se-Hoon, you fought more than just well enough.” “Yeah, and we didn’t suffer any real losses, anyway.” They had successfully eliminated Watcher’s elite forces, Tuner’s monsters, and even Apostate, one of the Ten Evils, without losing a single person. It was a complete victory that would undoubtedly shake the entire world. “Well... you guys aren’t wrong.” Smirking, Se-Hoon finished transferring all the items and then pulled out a single object from his void pocket. A blood-red crystal gleamed brightly in his hand—the Demonic Blood Crystal he had received from Meirin. Pocketing it, he removed the void pocket from his belt and tossed it to Eun-Ha. “Hold on to this for a bit.” “Huh?” Instinctively catching the void pocket, Eun-Ha looked up in confusion, only to see transparent flames erupting from Se-Hoon’s entire body. It was an alarming sight that made both Eun-Ha and Aria freeze in shock. “Oh, also, don’t try to get any closer,” Se-Hoon said nonchalantly, standing calmly amidst the blazing flames. “Even you, Dean, would be hurt if you touched me now.” He was so calm that Eun-Ha halted her steps and Aria calmed down. “What are you planning to do?” Aria asked, her curiosity outweighing her concern upon recalling what he had said earlier. To her question, Se-Hoon first tossed the Demonic Blood Crystal into his mouth and swallowed it, before replying, “Just some quick repairs.” And a beat later, the Sacred Flames enveloping him surged violently, wrapping around both him and the Verdant Lotus Spear, completely engulfing his figure. *** When Apostate woke up, the stench of iron prodded his nose and his vision blurred blood-red. The ground beneath him was sticky, and the eerie silence sent chills coursing through his skin. “Haha...” Yet, for some reason, Apostate laughed. Even though everyone who arrived where he was now clung to the name of their god, hoping for salvation, not a single soul had been saved. And it was just as he had expected from the start. So why did it still feel so absurd? “Hahaha!” Was it because he was proved right? As he laughed uncontrollably, a familiar sound tickled his ears. Creak- The doors of the cathedral, scarred with claw marks, groaned open. Then a man stepped inside, silhouetted against the light. Expectation and fear surged within Apostate. In this place, where everything seemed to confirm his theory, how would that man react? “Ah...” Transparent tears flowed from the man’s eyes, dripping onto the blood-stained floor. The man’s face, filled with compassion and sorrow, turned toward him. “You’ve abandoned your humanity...” But it was an empty, hollow face that started into Apostate. Splash! Bolting upright, green liquid spilled out around him, flooding the space. Immediately, the sharp, pungent smell of chemicals burned his nose. “Where am I...” Apostate, Max Sinclair, scanned his surroundings in bewilderment. Why was he here, naked, alive, and breathing? He had been certain he wouldn’t survive. As Max struggled to piece things together, a voice greeted him. “Ah, you’re finally awake?” Turning to the voice, Max saw a black, amorphous mass across from him in the liquid, bobbing a thin tendril in greeting. “...Tuner?” “Who else could bring you back in that state? Honestly, though... you were a mess.” Tuner sighed heavily, resting a tendril as if to prop up its nonexistent chin. “I thought I’d pull this off smoothly, but no, I had to show off and get my body wrecked along with Ymir. Seriously, nothing good ever comes from dealing with that guy.” “...” “If I’d known it would turn out like this, I’d have dragged more of those idiots into it—” “Hey.” Max’s sharp gaze cut through Tuner’s rambling. “Did you intend to get me killed from the start?” Silence fell again as Tuner stared at him for a moment. Then, Tuner let out a long sigh. “I saved your ass from your half-dead state, and this is the thanks I get? You’re making me want to give up here.” “Don’t dodge the question—” Max tried to rise from the green fluid, trying to summon his divine mana, but collapsed from the searing heat and pain that began wracking his body. “Ugh!” What is this...? Looking down at his body, Max noticed a massive golden scar stretching from his right shoulder to his left waist, leaving him gaping in shock. And upon seeing his reaction, Tuner spoke casually. “Yeah, that scar’s a nasty one. It wasn’t just your body—it clung to your very synesthetic mindscape. Surgery couldn’t remove it.” “Then how am I even alive?” The scar had burned away his divine mana and demonic aura alike. Yet, here he was. “I rebuilt you as a human.” “...What?” “You can’t tell? Just check yourself.” Prompted by Tuner’s words, Max inspected his body. And gradually, an unfamiliar sensation—a mix of denseness, constraint, and sluggishness—crept over him. It wasn’t from injury—it was the sensation of a human body. How... Tuner grinned at Max’s disbelief. “Pretty well-made, huh?” “You...” “Well? How does it feel?” Hearing how cheerful Tuner sounded, Max glared suspiciously at him. But upon hearing Tuner’s next words, his face froze. “Wasn’t becoming human again your wish?” Tuner burst into laughter. “Haha! Oh, I see it now. Your expressions are a breeze to read without that veil.” “...” “But don’t get the wrong idea, okay? It wasn’t intentional. I just happened to notice during the procedure.” Ignoring Max’s silence, Tuner chuckled again. “Everyone’s going to freak out when they hear about this. The guy who hated the Pilgrim the most wanted to be human again—” Splatter! Golden light erupted from Max’s scar, spilling crimson blood and black divine mana. “One more word... and I’ll burn everything I have to kill you.” Max’s eyes burned crimson with fury as he tried to summon his divine mana, making it clear he didn’t care if he died in the process. And upon realizing that, Tuner’s face crumpled slightly, expressing his irritation. “Do you know how expensive that body is? Fine, fine. I’ll keep my mouth shut.” Grumbling, Tuner began inspecting his own body, but Max’s glare didn’t waver. It was only after a tense moment that Max begrudgingly withdrew his divine mana. He knew that his new body could neither create a sanctuary nor wield divine mana properly. Even if he had attacked Tuner, he would have been subdued instantly, accomplishing nothing. “What are you... really trying to accomplish from this?” That was why Max’s suspicion only deepened. Why had Tuner pushed him to the brink of death at Se-Hoon’s hands, just to resurrect him in a weakened, more useless form? “It's nothing grand.” Tuner’s tone was disturbingly casual. He dipped his newly reconstructed form back into the viscous green liquid, as though relaxing in a bath. “I’m just going to kill all the Perfect Ones.”

Chapter 309

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