The gate where Seong Il-hwan appeared.
The appearance of the gate was quite different from the gates Suho had seen so far.
Common gates are basically round in shape.
Of course, the size may be slightly different, or the shape may be distorted, but it basically has the shape of a ‘hole’ in the air.
On the other hand, the gate that Seong Il-hwan escaped through is a ‘crack’ itself.
It was as if the dimensional walls were being torn apart haphazardly and were shaking unstably.
That appearance is… … .
‘It’s exactly like the sky I saw in the Glacier Dungeon.’
The sky of the Glacier Dungeon was torn to shreds by countless cracks.
Even though the scale was much smaller, Suho thought it was similar to the scenery there.
“Know this in advance. This is no ordinary dungeon.”
Seong Il-hwan walked towards the gate alongside Su-ho and muttered with a serious expression.
At those words, Grid, a former high priest of Itarim, and Iron, a former priest, followed suit and began to add information they knew.
[Your Majesty, several field-type dungeons have been intentionally left unattended here in Yangpyeong.] [These field-type dungeons gradually expanded in area and eventually merged into one.] [When that happens, the cracks become even more distorted and the dimensional wall tears even more severely. Just like this.]
The so-called ‘crack unification’ or ‘crack acceleration’ phenomenon.
But, without having to use such difficult expressions, Berga, who was the guardian child’s tutor, explained it very easily.
[It’s a simple principle. If you think of one gate as a ‘point’, then when two gates are connected to each other, it becomes a ‘line’. And when three or more gates are connected to each other… … .]
Quaoooo-
[… … It becomes ‘noodle’ like this.]
Ber muttered, glaring at the gate that had come right up to him with narrowed eyes.
[And if a spoonful of Itarim’s manipulation is added here, it seems that a gate leading to ’emptiness’ is artificially created.]
“vacuity?”
[Yes, the dimensional gap.]
A ‘dungeon’ refers to a world in another dimension separate from Earth.
The ‘gate’ meant a passage connecting the two dimensions.
And the ‘void’ is literally the gap that exists between those dimensions.
[It is a space of nothingness where nothing exists and anything can exist.]
It was said that the world where Sung Jin-woo led the Shadow Army and wandered aimlessly in search of monarchs existed just beyond this gate.
[That’s why the foreign religion also called this phenomenon ‘Void’ as its name suggests.] [The foreign religion’s ultimate goal is to spread this ‘Void Gate’ across the entire Earth, ultimately creating a giant rift that will directly connect to the outer space where they exist.]
When the former high priests and priests were turned into soldiers, internal information began to leak out.
[The reason the foreign religion built the chapel here in the first place was because they needed to create a statue near this Void Gate to connect to the Itarim ritual… … ]
“Okay, just a moment.”
Eshil, who had been listening to their conversation, suddenly grabbed Seong Il-hwan’s clothes from behind with a serious expression.
“So, if I go inside this gate, doesn’t that mean there might be Itarim? Can I just go in without any preparation?”
At Essil’s concern, Seong Il-hwan smiled warmly and patted Essil on the head.
“That’s not true. I already went in there once.”
[Just three or four dungeons combined won’t be enough to reach the outer space.] [If that were the case, we would have been invaded by Itarim long ago.]
“Coolook.”
At that moment, blood burst out of Seong Il-hwan’s mouth again, and Su-ho, who had heard the entire explanation, finally realized what was happening in Seong Il-hwan’s body.
If one star piece is a ‘dot’, two are a ‘line’.
And three more… … .
No, right now, a ‘void’ was occurring in the body of Seong Il-hwan, who had dozens of star fragments embedded in his body.
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“… … A void gate is about to emerge from Grandfather’s body.”
“Haha. Right, you understand quickly. It’s a kind of walking gate. If I continue like this, my body will eventually be torn apart and a dimensional rift will be created.”
“… …Let’s go in.”
Suho stepped into the gate with a stern expression.
It’s only a stopgap measure, but there’s one thing we can do right now.
If you don’t want a dimensional rift to occur in your body, the only way is to enter the dimensional rift directly.
Shwaaaaak-
So they passed through the ominously blazing gate and entered the void.
Soon, a bizarrely distorted world unfolded before them.
In the distance I could see the wide open horizon, the land full of chaotic, turbulent waves.
This was the dimensional gap, the void.
“Ber.”
[yes.]
Suho looked at this bizarre world and called out to Ber.
“Is this the place where my father wandered for decades?”
[That’s right. In order to find the dimension of the monarchs, which is like the tomb of the mad dragons… … I had to wander around here and there to find my way.]
At Suho’s words that sounded like a whining voice, Ber nodded heavily as he recalled that time.
[Looking back, the journey was truly long and daunting. My lord once said it felt like wandering in the desert.]
“desert…….”
Suho was unable to say anything at the resonance of those words.
Seong Il-hwan also bit his lips and muttered at those words.
“Yeah, this is where our Jinwoo is… … .”
Sung Jin-woo, his only son, has been wandering this empty world for decades with the mission to protect the world.
As a father who saw this place after such a long time, my feelings were indescribable.
But regardless of their feelings, fortunately, the ominous cracks that had been rippling around Sung Il-hwan’s body the moment he entered this place completely stabilized.
Grid, who had been in exactly the same situation, explained with great relief at the sight.
[For this reason, it is safer for the high priests of the foreign religion to stay inside this place as much as possible. It is okay to go out for a short while, but if you use the power of the star fragments too much like before, you must hurry and come inside this place or your body may be torn apart.]
At those words, Suho looked at Seong Il-hwan’s expression again.
“Grandpa, are you feeling better now?”
“Yeah. It’s easy.”
Seong Il-hwan, who looked like he might collapse at any moment, was in good condition as if nothing had happened.
The effect of drinking the potion diligently is now becoming apparent.
[However, this means that Seong Il-hwan will have to remain trapped here from now on.]
Berga looked at Seong Il-hwan with a very sad expression and tears in her eyes.
Suho looked back at Grid and Iron and asked.
“Is there any way to tear the star fragments out of the body?”
[You have to take a considerable risk. One or two might be fine, but the high priest level has star fragments all over his body… … .]
“Then… … how about I make you go into my shadow?”
[The Shadow World is also a dungeon. For your safety, it is best to stay within the Void… … .]
“Umm… … .”
After thinking about this and that but the conclusion was the same, Suho’s expression became serious.
To lighten the gloomy atmosphere, Seong Il-hwan tried to smile and pat Su-ho on the back.
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“Hehe. Don’t take it too seriously. Jinwoo has been wandering around here for decades, so you can think of him as traveling around here for a while. I’m worried that your grandmother might be too worried, but if you don’t use magic, you can go out for a little while, so that’s not a problem. Oh, while we’re on the subject, I guess I should go for a little while.”
“Oh, Grandma.”
It was only then that Suho remembered his grandmother and aunt, who were still at the association, waiting anxiously.
* * *
“Hey, honey!”
“Dad-!”
When Suho and Seong Il-hwan returned to the Yangpyeong branch together, many people were waiting for them there.
First, Suho’s grandmother and aunt cried and were hugged by Seong Il-hwan.
Suho turned his gaze and looked at the Association Hunters behind him, who were almost ready for war.
“Hunter Seongsuho, welcome.”
Team leader Han Jae-hyeok had called together all the association’s available forces to attack the black market.
He approached Suho with burning fighting spirit.
“I have already interrogated the Yangpyeong branch manager and have figured out the entire situation. Would you like to come with me?”
“You’re always one step late.”
“Thank you… yes?”
“It’s all over.”
“Huh? What do you mean… … .”
“I killed those who were meant to be killed, and captured all the rest.”
“… … ?”
Suho was a little embarrassed by the flustered expression on Team Leader Han Jae-hyeok’s face.
On his way back, Suho killed all the demons in the black market and gained experience points.
And the hunters who were using the black market were all arrested by the association hunters.
Team leader Han Jae-hyeok said that since they were caught for tax evasion rather than villainy, they will have to pay a huge fine.
And the most important thing in this case remained to be dealt with.
“The association has decided to confiscate all stardust necklaces sold on the market. The same goes for star fragments found on the black market.”
“Then what happens to them? The Association is also at fault for this incident.”
“First of all, the president of the association is still in North Korea, so there are no specific plans… … .”
“As the president of the association… … .”
Creepy.
Team Leader Han Jae-hyeok, who was talking to Su-ho, suddenly got goosebumps.
“How much can I trust the Association?”
“… … !”
When he met Suho’s black eyes staring at him, he felt like he was falling into a distant darkness.
But was it just my mood?
The heavy and stuffy air suddenly became lighter, and Suho smiled brightly at Team Leader Han Jae-hyeok and said.
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“It would be better to do it this way.”
“……yes?”
“The association has lost trust because of this incident, and I’ve taken care of the black market, so I’ll take all the star fragments. And the recovered stardust necklaces.”
“No, that’s a bit… … .”
“Please note that this is not a suggestion.”
“… … .”
Team Leader Han Jae-hyeok had nothing more to say as he felt the calm aura coming from Su-ho.
* * *
Soo-ho ended up handing over all the star fragments and stardust necklaces that were spread across the country to the Association.
“So what are you going to use this for?”
In response to Ber’s question, Suho immediately opened the shop window.
“I’ll sell it all for gold.”
[Keeeek! What a great method… …!]
Ber was greatly impressed by Suho’s wisdom.
But Suho’s plan didn’t end there.
Clang. Clang.
Because the amount of star fragments and star dust necklaces was considerable, the store gold, which had been running low for a while, quickly piled up.
And Suho used this gold to buy a lot of potions.
Just a mana potion.
[Keeek? Isn’t that a healing potion?]
When Suho, who thought he would find a way to improve Seong Il-hwan’s condition right away, suddenly bought a mana potion, Ber made a puzzled expression.
“Potions aren’t enough.”
Suho had already tested whether it was safe to remove the star fragment embedded in his forehead while killing demons in the Black Market.
All results were failures.
They all died with their heads smashed in.
In other words, it was said that it was impossible to obtain the Holy Spirit through potions or something like that.
“I must create a divine beast of life.”
[… … !]
At Suho’s words, Ber’s eyes widened.
Suho thought of the ingredients for the divine water of life.
1) Spring water of the Echo Forest.
2) Fragments of the World Tree.
3) Purified Demon King’s Blood.
Suho had previously asked the dead monarchs about the fragments of the World Tree, and the answers he received were always the same.
[The King of Beasts, the Fang Lord shrugs.] [The King of Bugs, the Plague Lord frowns thoughtfully.] [The King of Yetis, the Frigid Lord says that if there is one being who knows the location of the World Tree, there is only one.]
That one person is… … .
King of demons, monarch of the underworld.
Only Yogmunt, the Lord of the Underworld who had the ability to open gates at will and travel between dimensions, would know its location.
However, it was also difficult to come up with a way to ask the Lord of the Underworld, who was already dead.
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At that time, I was feeling so lost.
A thought crossed Suho’s mind.
The final battle.
The strongest monarch, Dragon Emperor, whom Shadow Lord Seong Jin-woo fought until the very end.
In the first place, what was the reason that Yongjae was able to fight Sung Jinwoo until the last moment?
Wasn’t it because the Lord of the Underworld cooperated with him and opened countless gates for the Dragon Emperor’s army?
therefore.
“If it’s a solvent, then maybe it knows something.”
Swish!
[Enter the Shadow Dungeon.]
chin.
Suho picked up the ‘Egg of Kamish’ that was being kept in a corner of the pyramid.
And next to it, he placed a huge amount of mana potions, put one of them in his mouth, and muttered with a meaningful expression.
“I’ll hatch this guy today.”
Shwaaaaah-!
In this way, a tremendous amount of magical power began to be infused into Kamish’s egg.
Endlessly.
