Chapter 105
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Chapter 105
The black water pooling at the cave floor rippled with Hyun Rabaek's fury.
"Soya!"
Seol Yo stepped forward to shield Soya from harm.
"A Divine Beast...?"
Hyun Rabaek's brow furrowed at the sight of the Divine Beast rushing to protect the girl.
In that same instant, a massive column of black water erupted from the cave floor, slamming Seol Yo against the opposite wall and pinning him there.
Crash!
"Seol Yo!"
Soya cried out in alarm, watching him struggle against the wall.
Meanwhile, the black water pooling on the floor began to coalesce into crescent-shaped rings that writhed and undulated.
The black rings shot toward Soya from all directions.
Whoosh—!
Slash! Slash! Whoosh—!
Soya swiftly raised the White Tiger Sword to deflect them.
The black rings, bouncing off the White Tiger Sword, struck the cave walls and dissolved back into black water that flowed across the floor.
Hyun Rabaek's eyes hardened with shock—he had never anticipated she could withstand his power.
"That's... the White Tiger Divine Sword...?"
Recognition flashed across Hyun Rabaek's face as he identified the pristine white blade in Soya's hands, and his expression twisted grotesquely.
"How is this possible... Could it be the Yellow Dragon's... bride? No, that can't be. How..."
He muttered to himself in confusion, then suddenly froze. His head tilted, and he covered his right eye with one hand.
"Ugh, hck...."
Hyun Rabaek suddenly gasped in pain and staggered, then slowly lifted his head toward Soya.
He gradually lowered the hand covering his right eye.
Revealed beneath was a black pupil stretched vertically like that of a reptile.
In that moment, a piercing gaze fixed upon Soya.
"Hss...."
Soya involuntarily faltered, a sharp and chilling sensation coursing through her entire body.
"You...!"
Hyun Rabaek suddenly lunged toward Soya.
As Soya raised the White Tiger Sword to block him, he seized the blade with his bare hand.
Hyun Rabaek's palm bled from the sharp edge, yet he paid it no mind, his eyes flickering wildly at Soya.
"How do you possess the Yellow Dragon's orb?"
"Ugh, hck...."
Soya pushed against him with all her strength, but his grip on the blade was far too powerful.
"This makes no sense. It's impossible. And yet... and yet...."
Hyun Rabaek's grotesquely dilated right eye rolled wildly as he scrutinized Soya's form.
"Yes. It's not entirely impossible. There is a way. But would the Yellow Dragon commit such madness? Why. For what purpose...."
As Soya exerted all her strength to push him back while Hyun Rabaek muttered incoherently like a madman, their struggle continued.
Suddenly, Soya's White Tiger Sword flashed brilliantly, and she succeeded in driving him back.
Boom―!
Hyun Rabaek's body slammed against the opposite wall and crumpled downward.
Jeok Soya kept her guard up, leveling her blade toward him.
"...Regardless, what matters is."
Hyun Rabaek slowly rose to his feet, facing Jeok Soya once more.
"That a young guest who has invaded the Underground Palace is no mere opponent to be taken lightly."
A smirk spread across his lips as his ashen eyes gleamed.
"Since the Yellow Dragon's bride has graced the Underground Palace with her presence, I must receive her with equal courtesy."
Unable to discern his intentions, Jeok Soya tightened her grip on the sword's hilt, her eyes narrowing as she watched him.
The eerie sensation she had felt moments before spread through the air....
A sharp intake of breath.
Jeok Soya nearly dropped her blade in shock.
His skin, beginning from his chest, was being consumed by a black carapace.
―Ancient Evil....
The White Tiger Mountain Lord's voice trembled with despair.
―That madman has surrendered his body to Evil....
―Little bird!
At the Vermillion Bird Goddess's sharp cry, Jeok Soya instinctively threw herself aside.
A deafening crash―!
An attack materialized in an instant, grazing past her.
Where Jeok Soya had stood moments before, a massive chasm opened in the cave floor, black water pouring into it.
"Tsk."
Hyun Rabaek, now covered entirely in the black carapace, clicked his tongue in disappointment at the sight.
The black water spiraled into the chasm, then surged upward, transforming into a colossal water serpent that opened its maw wide toward Jeok Soya.
A thunderous roar―!
The stone pillars within the cave disintegrated instantly, consumed by the serpent's jaws.
Jeok Soya barely escaped, pressing herself against the cave wall as she gasped for breath.
Yet the serpent gave her no respite, lunging at her again.
But this time too, Jeok Soya was faster.
A violent crash―!
The serpent's body struck the wall where Jeok Soya had stood, transforming into hundreds of smaller snakes.
Hissing. Hissing―.
Hundreds of snakes surged toward Jeok Soya in unison.
Jeok Soya wielded the White Tiger Blade, deflecting the onslaught from all directions, but their numbers were overwhelming.
'This won't work. I need to move....'
Then a black shield suddenly caught her eye.
Backing away cautiously while searching for an opening, Jeok Soya quickly threw herself behind the black shield.
The snakes that had rushed toward her collided with the shield and fell away.
Whether due to their sheer numbers or the presence of ancient Evil within them.
Fine cracks appeared in the Black Tortoise's spiritual form—something no human strength could ever shatter.
I won't be able to hold out much longer like this.
The snakes that had bounced off the shield and fallen downward were transforming back into black water, pooling across the floor.
―You must awaken the Underworld King, little bird!
Jeok Soya drew a deep breath and placed her hand upon the black shield, forged from the Black Tortoise's carapace.
Then she slowly called to mind the Black Tortoise's essence.
A heart that devours only the living.
The heart of Annihilation.
In truth, I couldn't clearly comprehend what that heart truly was.
Yet just as I had done until now, I sought to awaken the Divine Beast once more, by any means necessary.
With the resolve to stop that man before me.
With the resolve to annihilate him and protect the world.
'Black Tortoise, please... help me stop that man!'
But the Black Tortoise's divine essence did not respond.
'Why?'
My eyes trembled violently.
'I want to stop that man. Is this not enough?'
In that moment, Hyun Rabaek's black water surged upward like a massive wave, spraying foam in all directions.
The black wave was about to engulf Jeok Soya.
"Soya! Watch out!"
Just in time, Seol Yo, who had broken free from the black water's bindings, stepped in front of Jeok Soya.
The black wave crashed down upon Seol Yo, pouring over him in torrents.
"Seol Yo!"
Seol Yo, his transformation undone, lay sprawled across the floor as a human boy.
As Jeok Soya called out to Seol Yo and rushed toward him, the relentless assault suddenly ceased.
It was only the briefest moment.
Hyun Rabaek's body, consumed by Evil, shuddered as the attack halted.
Yet Jeok Soya did not miss that fleeting opening and launched her counterattack.
"Divine Dragon!"
At my cry, the Blue Dragon's seeds scattered across the cave floor.
'I must stop him no matter what. If the Black Tortoise won't answer, I'll find another way.'
The Blue Dragon's seeds absorbed the black water pooling on the ground and sprouted rapidly.
"Vines...?"
As Hyun Rabaek snapped back to awareness, emerald tendrils surged toward him.
Hyun Rabaek summoned and gathered black water to unleash a barrage of attacks to evade them, but the vines spawned by the Blue Dragon's seeds grew longer and thicker with each strike of water, coiling tightly around his body.
"Ugh... what are you... trying to do...?"
But Jeok Soya did not wait for him to comprehend the situation.
"Mountain Lord!"
At my call, the White Tiger Blade blazed with brilliant white light in response.
―Let me be clear, little bird. The White Tiger's power alone cannot erase Evil.
The true essence of the White Tiger's strength lay not in annihilating enemies, but in protecting what was precious.
So that power alone cannot eliminate Evil.
However....
"Yes, that's why I'm asking for your help."
Whoosh—!
Jeok Soya rushed forward and plunged the White Tiger Blade into Hyun Rabaek's chest, from which the aura of Evil poured forth.
More precisely, into his spiritual core, which roiled with pitch-black Evil.
"Goddess! Now!"
As if the Vermillion Bird's flames had been waiting for this moment, they spread along the White Tiger Blade and began to surge outward.
Whoooosh—
Brilliant crimson flames engulfed the Evil.
Screeeeeeeeeech—!
Wrapped in the purifying flames, Evil let out a bone-chilling shriek.
A struggle ensued between the flames seeking to purify Evil and the Evil attempting to devour the flames, until at last the Evil, unable to withstand the inferno, burst forth from Hyun Rabaek's spiritual core.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom...!
The Evil, taking the form of a black sphere, ricocheted off the cave walls and scattered in all directions.
And then....
Fsssssh—
It vanished without form.
Evil had fled.
And in the place where Evil had been....
"Ugh...."
Hyun Rabaek's body, which had barely remained standing, crumbled to the ground.
"Cough...."
His spiritual core, now devoid of Evil, shattered, and his body began to decay.
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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