Chapter 58 : Ripples on the Lake (1)
Chapter 58: Ripples on the Lake (1)
The life faded from Dojon Muyachi's pupils.
His eyes gleamed transparently as though covered by a thin film, while his hair and eyebrows had already turned completely white.
Meanwhile, the drainage pipes continued spewing water.
Eventually, after the reservoir had finally run dry, only a few droplets fell with quiet plops.
A chilling silence descended.
Lee Taebaek relaxed his grip.
He repeatedly flicked his broken fingers.
With the ligaments hanging in tatters, they flopped about like a paper doll.
Good thing I'd Buffed my Faith as soon as I confirmed it.
Otherwise, I might've ended up crippled....
Thud.
His body swayed before dropping onto one knee.
It felt as though he'd just awakened from anesthesia.
“Urgh.”
The fact that he'd endured this much was a miracle.
Both his body and mind had surpassed their limits long ago.
“Hoo... Hoo......”
He took a deep breath in and slowly let it out.
His solar plexus visibly expanded before sinking again.
Running his tongue across his lower lip, he felt the cracked skin.
The taste of blood lingered inside his mouth.
“I seriously almost died.”
He started folding the umbrella, then stopped.
It remained locked open because it had frozen over.
Tap.
He placed the umbrella beside his foot.
Then craned his neck until it ached and looked upward.
The Lilith Order occupied Lake City's night sky like duckweed floating across a pond.
“Tell your Cult Leader I'll be paying a visit soon.”
Though he had merely muttered the words, Kim Changsik nodded.
Looks like he can use Presence Concealment too.
Without another word, he departed with his subordinates.
He wanted to catch his breath.
But he didn't dare.
After all—
A monster still stood right there.
Even though it was obvious the man wouldn't be moving for a while, his overwhelming presence remained unchanged.
'I barely survived.'
Only because this had been a sparring match to test exchanges rather than a true life-or-death battle had he managed to keep his head attached.
“He really did get serious halfway through.”
That cheating bastard.
A stingy bastard who didn't know the meaning of fair play.
Still...
Up until then, Dojon had deliberately held back to gauge Lee Taebaek's abilities.
If Dojon had used his Dimensional Sword from the very beginning...
It would've been over instantly.
Variables.
Coincidence.
And above all...
Luck.
It had been nothing short of divine fortune.
If even one of those factors had been missing...
Just imagining the outcome sent chills down his spine.
'It was like fighting one of the final bosses before I'd finished farming gear.'
One of The 10 Wings truly was one of The 10 Wings.
From the perspective of his opponent, Dojon Muyachi was terrifyingly powerful.
Who could possibly understand what it felt like when Zanbatōs burst out after tearing open space itself, attacking from every direction?
He never wanted to experience that again.
Furthermore—
Every single attack had essentially been an instant-kill move.
The psychological pressure alone made him nauseous.
Buffing his Mental Strength beforehand had been the greatest move of all.
“And there are nine more monsters like him.”
Not to mention...
Three of them were even stronger.
The Seven Existences possessed roughly equal combat power.
However...
The Three Calamities of Mao–Wei–You were unquestionably above the Seven Existences.
Of course, that didn't diminish the prestige of the Seven Existences.
It simply meant the Three Calamities were disasters beyond all standards.
Having personally endured Dojon's attacks, Lee Taebaek could only think of him as a King Kong wearing human skin.
“......I somehow actually survived.”
Though he said that aloud, every cell in his brain was overflowing with exhilaration.
Adrenaline surged through the top of his head, while the blood pooling in his mouth reminded him of the torn flesh inside.
Regardless of how it had happened...
Lee Taebaek had undeniably won by decision.
Any referee would've raised his hand in victory.
During the fight, even the Mercenary King had revealed surprise several times.
That had been the highlight.
“This is why I do boss raids.”
Lee Taebaek curled the corner of his lips upward.
The thrill of achievement brought indescribable ecstasy.
“At this rate, I'll never run out of drinking stories in this lifetime.”
Chuckling to himself, he staggered to his feet.
Then he slowly looked around.
The ice had completely swept away the exposed concrete.
The entire district had become a world of pure white.
Rustle.
At that moment, Dojon's eyelashes trembled.
The icicles hanging from his brow ridge, nose, and chin fell away one after another.
Craaack.
Fine fractures spread across the frozen layer coating his entire body.
Like a spiderweb, cracks widened until his original flesh began appearing beneath them.
The instant color returned to Muyachi's eyes—
The frost binding him evaporated into mist.
Only ten seconds had passed since he'd frozen solid.
“Hoo......”
Muyachi snapped his eyes open and stared directly at Lee Taebaek.
It was the gaze of a predator that had spotted prey escaping its grasp.
The exhilaration of battle hadn't yet left him.
“Hahahahahahaha!”
His booming laughter echoed throughout the area.
The drifting snowflakes were instantly blown away by the low-frequency shockwaves.
Whoosh.
Dojon widened his eyes.
An ominous light leaked from his pupils.
'Something's wrong.'
...Come to think of it.
Did I only survive nine exchanges?
So that's why something felt off.
Damn it.
During the battle, he'd been too busy struggling to survive.
Afterward, he'd been so intoxicated by his sense of accomplishment that his mind had wandered elsewhere.
'I'm screwed.'
Dojon let out a low growl.
There was no salvaging this.
Sweat burst from every pore on Lee Taebaek's body.
Yet...
The berserk expression on Dojon's face gradually faded into quiet calm.
Thunk.
Muyachi drove the Zanbatō into the concrete.
Then he leaned his back against the fuller of the blade...
And calmly crossed his legs into meditation.
As Lee Taebaek stared in disbelief, Muyachi gently closed his eyes.
“Stand guard for me.”
“What...?”
“Lee Taebaek.
While crossing swords with you, I unexpectedly gained an insight.
To contemplate one's inner self while that realization is still fresh doubles the results.
I'm going to begin Qi Regulation and Meditation immediately.”
Lee Taebaek stared blankly.
Then asked again.
“You... do realize we're enemies, right?”
“Enemies?
What enemies?
As far as I'm concerned, everything between us has already been settled.”
“...No, I mean......”
No, the score hasn't been settled yet, you damn monster.
Apparently Dojon understood exactly what he meant, because he added,
“I know one exchange still remains.
Converted into money, that's five hundred million.
Which is why I'm making you an offer.
I'll write off that five hundred million if you'll stand guard for me.”
“What kind of calculation is that?”
“Refuse if you want.”
Muyachi slowly opened one eye.
His gaze, filled with sword intent, drifted toward Lee Taebaek.
“Then I'll settle it with that final slash.”
So there wasn't a choice to begin with.
Even for one of The 10 Wings, this felt excessively bold.
No...
Reckless was the more accurate word.
'What on earth makes him trust me enough to ask me to guard him?'
If I decided to harbor malicious intent and drove my sword into him...
Even Dojon would die.
Whether you were a child or one of The 10 Wings, entering Qi Regulation and Meditation left you completely defenseless.
“......”
“Please.”
Lee Taebaek was so dumbfounded he simply kept his mouth shut.
Dojon somehow interpreted that as agreement.
Without another word, he closed his eyes completely.
Lee Taebaek steadied his uneven breathing.
Dojon Muyachi had already entered Qi Regulation and Meditation.
Watching him, Lee Taebaek let out an empty laugh.
The bloody battle from moments ago now felt like nothing more than a terrible nightmare.
The scene before him was almost idyllic.
As he stood there...
Lee Taebaek also felt a strange itch in his lower abdomen.
He too had gained an insight during their clash.
Something needed to be done.
Just then, footsteps broke the silence.
Looking toward the source, he saw several familiar faces running toward him.
The Supreme Commander and the 0th Battalion.
Along the way, Kang Hyunseong and the 9th Battalion, having completed their mission, joined the group.
In addition...
Levi hung limply over Kang Hyunseong's shoulder.
Just as Lee Taebaek had ordered, the 9th Battalion had successfully captured Levi alive.
'Those guys will figure out the truth soon enough.'
The 0th Battalion Squad Leader and Levi.
The people responsible for this entire incident were now gathered together.
Even if he said nothing, they would uncover who was at fault.
“...Hmm.”
After a brief moment of thought, Lee Taebaek also sat down.
Then, like Dojon, he closed his eyes.
Soon afterward, the web of ice covering the sky like an umbrella dissolved into countless particles before scattering in every direction.
Amid the fluttering white blessing...
The two men remained perfectly still, completely absorbed in Qi Regulation and Meditation.
Snow fell.
The two men meditated.
Within their minds—
Lightning crashed.
It was summer.
[＃1 Small-Scale] Version 1.8.9 Patch Notes
◈ Main Patch
• The season of the Recons changes from 「Late Spring」 → 「Summer」. Please beware of the extreme heat.
〉〉 Auto Saving…….
〉〉 Applying Patch.
The first to awaken from Qi Regulation and Meditation was Dojon.
Several pairs of eyes prickled against his skin.
Half caution.
Half suspicion.
Having become a human dartboard, Muyachi slowly swept his gaze across everyone present.
Though they kept a certain distance, they stood between Lee Taebaek and Dojon.
“I see.
So that's what happened.”
He calmly grasped the situation.
Beyond the human barricade, Lee Taebaek was still in Qi Regulation and Meditation.
He didn't even need to look to know.
Muyachi nodded slightly.
Pulling the Zanbatō from the ground, he rose to his feet.
Crackle—
Lee Taebaek's followers glared fiercely at him.
But overwhelmed by Dojon's presence, none of them dared attack.
They could only stab at him with their eyes.
Rather than being cowardly...
That was simply how most people reacted in front of him.
The only exception was the Supreme Commander.
Standing beside her was a man who met Dojon's gaze without fear.
He remembered him.
One-Man Thousand Slaughter.
His name had been Kang Hyunseong.
One of Lake City's strongest fighters.
“Well, well.
The great Dojon actually left all the targets alive during a contract.
And on top of that, you even meditated together.
Picked up a new hobby?”
“......”
“Still, that's a relief.
If Taebaek had died, the Resistance would've committed every last bit of its strength to killing you.
Maybe we couldn't beat you...
But with me around, we could've at least aimed for mutual destruction, don't you think?”
The Supreme Commander casually lowered her clasped hands from behind her back.
Muyachi stared silently at her helmet before slowly shaking his head.
“I didn't spare him.
Lee Taebaek survived through his own ability.”
At Dojon's words, everyone was startled.
Murmurs spread like an inflating balloon.
“W-What do you mean—”
Kang Hyunseong stepped forward.
Dojon narrowed his eyes and sighed.
“One-Man Thousand Slaughter, Kang Hyunseong.
You're the one who brought Lee Taebaek out of Brain Prison, aren't you?”
“...That's right.”
“And yet someone like you doesn't believe in him.
What a ridiculous farce.”
Kang Hyunseong's shoulders twitched.
Dojon had struck the nail on the head.
“Though under certain conditions...
Lee Taebaek endured nine of my attacks.
He never landed a meaningful hit on me...
But neither did a single one of my attacks truly strike him.”
Kang Hyunseong abruptly turned toward Lee Taebaek before looking back again.
“The Supreme Commander roughly explained what happened.......
She said the condition for making a deal with Taebaek was surviving ten exchanges.
Is that true?”
“Correct.”
“But... why......?”
“Was that a question?”
“...Yeah.”
Dojon's excitement had faded.
His blood had only just been boiling moments earlier, making the emptiness afterward feel even greater.
“Because I became interested.
Because the strongest person I know had taken an interest in him.
I wanted to see for myself.
That answers your question.”
“When you say...
The strongest person...”
“Why even ask?”
Dojon turned his gaze toward a solitary spire towering in the distance.
The Kergel Mage Tower.
“Mao.
The Heavenly Demon.”
Everyone inhaled sharply.
Even the normally relaxed Supreme Commander was no exception.
“It won't be long before the other MegaCorps discover Lee Taebaek's existence as well.
So protect him carefully and keep him hidden from their eyes.
They rarely move personally...
But they have eyes and ears everywhere.”
“Why?
Why would you go this far?”
“To settle things.”
Muyachi turned away.
“To cross swords once again with Lee Taebaek after his talent has fully blossomed.
Because I want to defeat that version of him.”
“...Hah.”
“Be careful not to let them discover him.
Be careful not to let them take him away.
If Lee Taebaek catches their attention, they will stop at nothing.
Remember how Zi entered Siesta.
Remember the blood Siesta spilled to make him theirs.
Then you'll understand exactly what I mean.”
Leaving those words behind, Dojon quietly departed.
But the disturbance he had created would not leave with him.
Wu of The 10 Wings.
Dojon.
The ripples caused by the stone Muyachi had thrown would eventually spread all the way to where they resided.
The summit of the city.
The MegaCorps.