Tower Of God: Life As Hoaqin

"Baekya, ignite."

Kiiiing—

The refreshing ignition sound rang out the moment I spoke the command. The light Baekya had absorbed poured back out, illuminating this strange, ritualistic subspace.

It was brighter than any time I had ignited Baekya before. For the first time ever, I shut my eyes tightly.

Flash—

Even with my eyes closed, it wasn't darkness I saw, but pure white. The light was that intense.

Since I had aimed it toward the sky to avoid destroying the surroundings, the immense heat and shinsoo it contained tore through everything it touched, as if trying to rip apart and ravage the world.

I didn't know what was different this time, but witnessing this power, I realized this ignition was the strongest yet.

Was this the true form of Baekya, one of the masterpieces forged by Ashul Edwaru, the greatest blacksmith in the Tower?

They say that aside from White Oar, the strongest ignition weapon in the Tower is Quadrado's "Kronos." I had never experienced it firsthand, but this felt comparable—perhaps even superior.

Kwaaaaa—

"Wow, it's really loud! Edwaru ajusshi should've made us like that too!"

"Hey, that's why November and December are insanely strong."

"Exactly! That's totally unfair—wait! It's her!"

With Baekya's power surging so fiercely that it felt like this entire subspace might collapse, it would've been stranger not to notice the disturbance.

The Thirteen Months, who had been bantering while keeping an eye out for Baekya's soul, all turned their heads at the same time as if sensing something.

[Aaaaaaaah]

"...!"

A chilling sensation froze my entire body.

That deep, abyss-like voice from afar made my skin crawl.

That had to be her.

The soul of Zahard's first Princess candidate.

The evil spirit that manifests when two or more Thirteen Months are ignited simultaneously.

The terrifying presence I felt in the distance was undoubtedly her.

[Strangeeeee]

[There's one more thaaaan usual]

[And… a maaan]

This was bad.

Baekya's soul hadn't appeared yet, but ignition was still ongoing. Brilliant light continued to swirl around us.

It was practically shouting, "Come get me."

Our location was completely exposed.

[There youuuuu are!]

Her elongated voice moved closer.

Rather, I could instinctively feel that thing—filled with malice and curses—approaching.

[Aaaaaaaah]

I broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly called out to March.

"M-March noona! Do something about that!"

"What? Why are you dumping that on me?!"

"You said you're my noona! Show me something as a noona!"

"You only call me that when you need something?!"

She grumbled, but along with several others, began chanting something.

She spread her arms wide.

A massive yellow wall surrounded us.

It resembled a shinsoo barrier—forming a rectangular prism to protect us.

Until—

Crack—

An ominous sound echoed.

"…."

Though it was useless, I forced myself to focus back on Baekya.

The goal wasn't to defeat the evil spirit—it was to summon Baekya's soul buried deep inside.

I couldn't let the main objective be overturned.

I left that terrifying existence to my hyungs and noonas and focused on my task.

"May! Now!"

While reinforcing the barrier, March shouted.

May responded instantly.

Krrrkk—

"Haaap!"

She stepped forward, braced her lower body, twisted her shoulders, and threw with perfect aim.

The massive spear in her hand shot forward violently, tearing through shinsu.

[Kyaaaaah!]

The spear pierced her forehead in an instant.

She screamed in pain, but her face quickly regenerated.

[If I get inside—if I get inside—you'll all suffer the most agonizing deaths!]

"Try it," May taunted.

The battle between the Thirteen Months and the evil spirit truly began.

Swoooosh—

Meanwhile, Baekya's power finally began to subside.

Baekya's soul?!

If it didn't appear after all this, I'd have no choice but to ignite again—

"…Ah."

Something felt off.

I glanced upward—to the sky where Baekya's light had shone brightest.

There.

High above, staring down at me with hollow, emotionless eyes—

A figure.

No emotion. No thought. Just empty, void-like eyes.

A pale, ghostlike form.

Completely white, radiating white light.

It looked exactly like what I had briefly seen after the Crown Game.

"…Baekya."

That was Baekya's soul.

The being I was meant to fuse with.

The one that would extend my lifespan—

Huh?

Suddenly, it vanished.

Not even a blink—just gone.

As I panicked and looked around, my eyes widened.

It was standing right behind me.

Still staring at me with hollow eyes.

No reaction. No emotion.

I didn't know what to do.

Edwaru had said the 'key' mixed in was too small to be complete.

So this empty shell of a soul—that was Baekya's true form.

Kuuuuung—!

[Youuu!]

"…!"

With a deafening roar, the yellow barrier shattered.

The evil spirit burst through, ignoring the Thirteen Months and focusing solely on me.

Wait—why me?!

[You came from outside! Give me your body! It's time for me to leave! This space was strange from the start—this was your doing, wasn't it?!]

Spouting incomprehensible words, she began moving.

Black, writhing darkness surged around her.

April, with her short green hair, swung her hook and cut through the black smoke rushing at me.

"Hayang! Are you done yet?! That fusion thing!"

"…Then what? If I just go into his body like this—!"

Flash—

Oh. It works.

…I had only meant to charge straight into Baekya, but as if it truly were a ghost, my body passed through Baekya's form and overlapped with it.

And as if it had been waiting, white light burst out in all directions.

[Kyaaaak!]

Like darkness retreating under sunlight, like a demon king shrinking before the hero's holy sword, the evil spirit screamed in displeasure and staggered back several steps from us.

That was the last thing I saw.

Because Baekya's body began pulling me in instead.

Swoooosh—

Gulp.

.....

"..."

Ashul Edwaru stared at the superheated furnace filled with dissolving liquid.

It had already been a month since Hoaquin attempted the prototype fusion with Baekya.

"…This is getting strange."

Baekya was powerful. If mishandled, it could devour him instead.

That was why this process had been prepared.

Compared to the Ten Great Family Heads he had seen, the boy's mind was far too fragile and easily broken. At the very least, this preparation would raise the chances of a successful fusion.

And yet—

"He should have awakened in a week."

Again, this was not the true fusion—just a prototype. A trial.

Baekya had not even been heated enough for the real fusion.

This was merely a taste, yet it was taking far too long.

Edwaru could not intervene. Though something intriguing was unfolding for the first time in ages, there was nothing more he could do.

He had done all he could. All that remained was to wait.

No… perhaps not just wait.

Reluctantly—

"Come out. You worms crawling in the dark."

He suddenly cursed into the air.

To an outsider, it might have sounded like the ravings of a senile old man.

But of course, it wasn't.

The shadows in the forge stretched long, and a distorted voice echoed throughout.

"…How did you find us…"

"If I do not even know what happens in my own forge, how could I call myself a blacksmith?"

Rumble—

Edwaru rose from his seat.

A surge of shinsu flared, his long hair and fluttering clothes billowing.

"You seek the boy of Arie. If we hand him over, you will withdraw?"

"…The awakening of the Great Ancient One is near. We merely carry on the noble purpose—"

Thud.

Ignoring their words, he took a step forward. The entire forge trembled.

"I had no intention of interfering. I found a fine material and planned only to finish my work and leave."

Thud.

His second step shook the forge even harder.

"If you crossed the line, I would inform Zahard and have you dealt with quietly, as always."

Thud.

On the third step, cracks spread across the floor.

Every step. Every word.

One emotion filled them—

Rage.

Rage that his sacred domain had been invaded.

Rage that they dared bring hostility and killing intent into this place.

Even the Ten Great Family Heads, in their Regular days, would not have dared step into his forge lightly.

Except that damn tiger-nosed Eduan.

"You said you would quietly retreat after finishing your business?"

"…Yes. We promise."

Edwaru sneered.

"How amusing."

Rumble—

Power erupted outward from him.

"Once you stepped into this place, whether you live or die rests in my hands."

He had no intention of letting the filthy insects that dirtied his domain leave alive.

If a bug entered a cherished space, the proper solution was simple—

Crush it.

Splatter—

Ten figures emerged from the forge's shadows.

One rushed at Edwaru first.

"We tried to be courteous out of respect for your name! But your arrogance reaches the heavens!"

With needles clenched tight, he lunged for Edwaru's heart.

Closing the distance—

He thrust!

Throughout it all, Edwaru did not move.

The Ranker naturally anticipated victory.

Tick—

"…Huh?"

The needles snapped upon colliding with Edwaru's chest.

"W-what?!"

Bang!

Before he could react, Edwaru's massive hand seized him and slammed him into the ground.

The floor shattered. The Ranker felt his consciousness nearly slip away.

"Ugh… what kind of strength…"

He was still alive. Still conscious.

And what followed made him wish he had blacked out.

Bang!

Edwaru's hammer came down violently, crushing the Ranker's skull like a walnut.

"...…"

Gripping the blood-dripping hammer tighter, Edwaru stepped toward the shadows.

"Come out, little moles."

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