Chapter 142 : The Fifth Episode (1)
Chapter 142: The Fifth Episode (1)
The fifth episode was a kind of bonus episode.
Clearing it was obviously beneficial, but there was no penalty for skipping it.
“You can think of it as a sort of breather. Still, there are some pretty worthwhile rewards hidden in it, so don’t take it too easy.”
Priscilla, who had appeared before he knew it, chattered beside Yohan.
[#Main Episode (5) - ‘Bluebird’.]
Duration : 7 days.
Description : Bluebirds are released throughout the world. Their number is undisclosed, and each individual differs in size and speed. (Special rewards are given upon capture, and if the leader Bluebird is caught, an additional special reward that will greatly help with the sixth episode will be dropped.)
Rare monsters loaded with all sorts of Traits and Skills.
They looked incredibly cute, but anyone who had ever tried catching one couldn’t help but curse.
‘Because capturing one itself is nearly impossible.’
In the past, even when three Major Guilds joined forces, they hadn’t managed to catch so much as its shadow throughout the entire seven days.
Ordinary methods wouldn’t work.
Fortunately.
“I managed to get something pretty interesting this time.”
Yohan pulled a small bundle from inside his clothes.
It was a Hidden Piece he had obtained from the Treasure Dungeon, half through sheer luck.
Depending on how it was used, it could drastically increase the difficulty of the episode, but….
That couldn’t be helped.
If they failed to obtain the reward from this episode, they would face tremendous difficulties later on.
“Hmm. Looks like you’re plotting something strange again, but be careful. The Mid-level Administrators have been making some suspicious moves.”
“Did something happen?”
“I don’t know the details. But I’m pretty sure an order came down from above.”
Above….
That meant the High-ranking Administrators.
For guys who wouldn’t budge unless something exceptionally significant happened to take an interest.
It was vague information, but still worth remembering.
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Yohan briefly expressed his gratitude.
“Then let’s keep up the good work. Thanks to you, my disciplinary action was canceled, and I even managed to score properly on my performance evaluation.”
Priscilla somersaulted through the air with an ecstatic expression.
It seemed the matter of secretly siphoning off the Spirit Herb had worked out well too.
Then again, White Spirit had been properly pissed off back then.
If Priscilla hadn’t produced adequate results, she probably would have died on the spot.
After chatting for a little longer, Priscilla said she had to go and disappeared.
Right at that moment.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
Clunk!
“Hyung!”
The one who opened the door and entered was Lee Jaehwan.
A precious companion who had been a tremendous help whenever a crisis arose while working as a ‘Heavenly Scribe’.
“Oh! It’s been a while. Have you been doing well?”
Yohan warmly welcomed Jaehwan.
A smile naturally formed on his lips.
Unlike the other members who went around causing trouble everywhere, Jaehwan was a tree that only ever gave without asking for anything in return.
Moreover, he was a gold mine with endless ways to exploit him in the future.
“I heard you came back to Korea. So I got here as quickly as I could. Ah, right. Like you recommended, I’ve been working out hard lately and learning self-defense too. Look. You can kind of tell, right?”
Lee Jaehwan proudly showed off biceps that had grown to the size of eggs.
Hmm.
Yohan was becoming increasingly convinced that this kid should never be allowed out into the world.
He should keep him tightly hidden somewhere safe and make him do nothing but receive revelations.
“Ah, putting that aside. Hyung, you weren’t the one who left this in front of my room last night, were you?”
As if suddenly remembering something, Lee Jaehwan pulled out a letter.
A letter with nothing written on it.
If that had been all, anyone would have assumed it was merely someone’s prank or mistake.
But the outer envelope had been painstakingly decorated with mana threads and runes.
It looked valuable enough to fetch a tidy sum even if sold immediately to a pawnshop.
“You’re the only person who knows where my hideout is, Hyung, so I thought I’d ask just in case. I’m probably just being overly sensitive, right?”
Lee Jaehwan scratched his head as he spoke.
But Yohan knew exactly what this was.
“Have you tried using your Unique Ability on it?”
“No. Of course I haven’t.”
“Try it. Right now.”
“O-Okay.”
Hearing the change in Yohan’s voice, Lee Jaehwan hurriedly activated his Unique Ability ‘Future Diary’.
And at that exact moment.
Crackle!
Golden mana surged, and letters began appearing on the page.
-To my dear colleague. In order to become the masters of the countless episodes that lie ahead. We wish for those possessing special powers to gather. If you are interested, please come to the address below.
It was a kind of invitation.
One that only those who had read this letter could attend.
＊＊＊
Two hours later.
Stories of Bluebird sightings began spreading from all over the world.
More precisely, people had discovered the blue trails left behind by the Bluebirds.
-Next, we’ll speak with Hunter ‘Ashvalt’, a ranker affiliated with the Mage Union.
The short-haired reporter held out her microphone.
-Are these Bluebirds really that fast?
-People with speedometer-type abilities have tried chasing them. I’ve personally used capture magic as well, but we failed to catch one.
-If even Hunter Ashvalt says it’s difficult, then it must really be challenging.
-There probably won’t be many teams capable of catching one within a week. But don’t worry. I stake my name on it that I’ll produce results that will contribute to humanity.
-We’ll also be rooting for the success of the Mage Union’s Mage Guild! Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us.
Most interviews went like this.
Related information and news flooded ViewTube and HunterNet as well, but none of it contained anything useful.
Of course.
‘Because they’ll keep all the valuable information to themselves.’
Travel routes. Habits. Or high-level information regarding Skills and Traits remained submerged beneath the surface.
How quickly they figured those things out and exploited them would determine the success or failure of this episode.
And currently.
Yohan, Vivian, and Scarlett had arrived in Goseong, Gangwon Province.
“I like the air here. It’s extremely rich… and sweet.”
Vivian took a deep breath.
The mountainous regions of Gangwon Province had a relatively high concentration of mana.
Because of that, the monsters here were also considered a tier stronger than those found elsewhere.
“Is this Bluebird or whatever it’s called really here?”
Scarlett carefully walked forward with her parasol open.
Then she screamed at the gigantic insect that appeared before her.
“Kyaaaak!”
Its size was on an entirely different level.
At the appearance of the giant moth commonly called a Tinker Bell, the pride of a True Ancestor came crashing down.
“How can the president of the Girl Scouts be scared of a bug like this?”
“B-But it’s several times bigger than the ones in our territory.”
“…….”
Yohan had thought she might have changed a little after fighting Vivian so fiercely at the water park before.
But somehow, he still felt she was just as hopeless on the inside.
“Everyone, listen carefully. This is where Bluebirds appear most frequently in Korea, but they’re so fast that catching them won’t be easy.”
“Fufu. If that’s what you wish, Mr. Yohan, I’ll capture one for you in no time.”
Vivian tightly gripped her staff.
Rustle rustle rustle rustle.
Through the shadows, Greeds could be seen ready to leap out at any moment.
But, well.
Even Vivian probably couldn’t do it.
Greeds possessed absurdly powerful offensive and regenerative abilities. But speed wasn’t one of their major strengths.
Which was why.
They needed to use a slightly different method here.
Yohan threw the bundle onto the ground.
[Special Item ‘Guardian of the Otherworld’ activates!]
[A special clan that protects the Bluebirds intervenes in the episode!]
At first glance, this was trolling.
After all, he had just added a third party that would protect the Bluebirds to a capture mission that originally carried no risk.
‘Instead, there’ll be a lot more loopholes we can exploit.’
That was how Forbidden Books worked.
If they imposed a disadvantage, they provided a corresponding benefit.
‘Now I’ve scattered enough bait.’
All that remained was to wait.
Watching the blue powder scatter on the wind, Yohan formed a mischievous smile.
＊＊＊
China’s circumstances were somewhat different from those of other countries.
The continent that had once been filled with prominent Major Guilds was nowhere to be found.
All Hunters had been reduced to subordinate branches that obeyed the orders of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
In Beijing as well, most of the high-rise buildings had been demolished. Only a single skyscraper belonging to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult remained.
And currently.
All of the highest-ranking members of the Divine Cult had gathered inside the enormous conference hall.
Rumbleeeee!
A pressure that seemed to weigh down heaven and earth.
The masters of the Divine Cult were people whose very lives had been forged through deadly tribulations, yet not one of them could move so much as a finger.
“…….”
“…….”
Because of a single being.
A middle-aged man sitting in the only chair that had been prepared.
He was none other than the 19th Heavenly Demon, ‘Cheon Kanghyuk’.
Until he came to Earth due to the Second Impact, he had reigned as an absolute ruler in the Martial World.
After arriving here, he had destroyed even the Chinese government and the Orthodox Factions, becoming a heaven beyond anyone’s reach.
And such a man.
“So.”
Slowly opened his mouth.
“You’re saying you became frightened by one little brat and fled back here? You didn’t even bring the Imperial Princess herself, yet you thought bringing back a bead like this meant you had carried out the order this Seat gave you… Is that what you’re saying?”
“W-We have committed a sin deserving death.”
The Black Slaughter Division immediately bowed their heads.
Baaang!
Blood streamed from their foreheads after they slammed them against the marble floor.
Yet, they didn’t think about the pain.
“Yeom Maak.”
“Speak your command. Supreme One.”
“Did you fail to tell them how important this matter was?”
“How could I possibly dare do such a thing. I warned them firmly that failure meant death.”
He drew a clear line between himself and them.
With that, the Black Slaughter Division lost any means of escaping responsibility.
Crack!
Slice!
The horrifying sounds of flesh being severed and bones being cut apart.
“Aaaaaagh!”
Screams erupted from the dozen or so people who had been bowing their heads.
Their left arms vanished with a casual flick of his hand.
No matter how harshly they had been trained, they couldn’t endure the pain of losing a limb.
In an instant, the interior filled with the stench of blood.
Only intermittent gasps for breath could be heard.
“The mission of the Black Slaughter Division is to operate on the front lines. They must cross blades with enemies and carry out the most dangerous missions.”
“That is correct.”
“Then now that you are incapable of combat, there is no longer any reason for you to exist.”
There was still no emotion in the Heavenly Demon’s voice.
Neither anger. Nor sympathy could be felt within that dry monotone.
Pupupupuck!
A crimson spray of blood erupted.
The ragged breathing could no longer be heard.
“I heard they’re chasing something called a Bluebird.”
“Those beings called Administrators said as much. Most likely, everyone is moving to search for that bird.”
“Mobilize every force of our Cult and secure the bird. You may kill every last person who interferes.”
The Heavenly Demon, who had shown little interest in the episodes until now, unexpectedly gave an order.
The full might of the Divine Cult had not been revealed even once since the Great War Between the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions.
They hadn’t made a move on this scale even when hunting down the younger-generation prodigies.
And yet.
To think such an order would be issued merely to secure a bird.
Yeom Maak instinctively realized that the Heavenly Demon had made contact with another faction.
However, he didn’t dare ask what kind of deal had been made.
He had served his lord for decades, but….
Even he always felt as though he were walking the boundary between life and death whenever he stood before the Heavenly Demon.
“…Your command shall be obeyed.”
If he wanted to live, he absolutely had to complete this task.