“Lord Biendeoé, couldn’t a seed sprout even without demonic energy?”
[Death and Beauty retorts, “Isn’t this place Earth?”]
“There weren’t any signs either, so I didn’t immediately suspect it…”
A Paladin of Chaos had the power to germinate seeds regardless of demonic energy, and could temporarily grant this ability to their followers as well.
Kim Sibaek hadn’t realized this possibility immediately after the incident because typically, Mak Slechth’s divinity could sense when a new follower created by Chaos appeared.
[Death and Beauty explained that she hadn’t sensed any anomalies on Earth.]
“It might have happened before we arrived on Earth, or perhaps you couldn’t sense it, Lord Biendeoé, since you’re not fully bound to Earth’s divinity.”
After a brief silence, Biendeoé spoke once more.
[Death and Beauty commented that it seemed too petty to be their handiwork—after all, it was just a single Gett.]
“…That’s true enough.”
This was the second reason Kim Sibaek hadn’t initially considered the Paladin of Chaos. The attack was too mild. Had it been Edokers he’d encountered, Giantvines would have already engulfed the city, shattering the dome from within, with hordes of monsters flooding in, stretching to the horizon. Or perhaps something far stronger than a slow-growing Giantvine would have sprouted instead.
Is their power weaker here than in Mak Slechth? Is it just a test? Or maybe it wasn’t directly the Paladin, but rather a follower with limited strength, only capable of sprouting a single beast. Earth definitely had its own monster-worshipping fanatics. Those Demonic Terrorists, wasn’t it?
Either way, if a Paladin of Chaos was involved, it might provide a way to locate the core. Someone must have germinated the seed, and if that person was an Awakener, tracking their mana could lead to the core’s location. It was a gamble with only a fifty-fifty chance, but Kim Sibaek decided it was worth trying.
“Hyung.”
Before he realized it, Tae Woon was standing in front of him. Even after intense combat, Tae Woon’s breathing was steady, his dark eyes quietly watching before narrowing thoughtfully.
In that instant, an eerie déjà vu slithered down Kim Sibaek’s spine, sending an icy chill gripping around his heart.
Tae Woon’s lips, unnaturally pale, parted slightly.
“Your face says you’ve thought of something. Am I right?”
“Ah…”
Kim Sibaek rubbed the back of his neck, his response muffled. The brief, unsettling déjà vu vanished instantly upon hearing Tae Woon’s familiar, low voice.
Perhaps the strain of combat had made him overly sensitive. Shaking off the lingering unease, he responded calmly.
“Sort of. It’s a risky gamble, though.”
“A gamble’s still better than wasting time doing nothing.”
“Exactly. Mind lending me a hand, then? We’ll need to pull the Hunters back, and there’s no way they’ll listen to me here.”
After Kim Sibaek briefly explained his plan, Tae Woon didn’t hesitate at all.
“Whenever, however—whatever you need, Hyung.”
Tae Woon’s steady gaze warmly welcomed the trust placed in him.
“Use me. Don’t forget that.”
“Chief Yang.”
Yang Eunho lifted his head, interrupted from analyzing the core’s location with the Tobazishu Hussars guild Hunter by the clear, calm voice of Kim Sibaek.
“I heard scanners can detect mana.”
“That’s true, but—?”
“Try detecting mana. It might help us find the core.”
“Huh? Mana?”
Yang Eunho blurted out incredulously. Conscious of the Hunter standing beside him, he quickly added,
“Is this some kind of guess based on faith?”
“No. Pure logical deduction.”
“…”
Kim Sibaek’s expression was serious. Yang Eunho couldn’t quite figure this man out. Frustrated, he ran a hand roughly through his messy hair.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but to accurately trace mana, we’d have to gather all other Hunters into one place, isolated from our target.”
“Exactly.”
“Right now, in the middle of combat?”
“It’s risky, sure. But it gives us a fifty-fifty shot at finding the core.”
“On what grounds?”
Yang Eunho wasn’t mocking him; he genuinely wanted an explanation. But this time, Kim Sibaek hesitated, unlike before.
“It’d take too long to explain…”
“If it were just our guild, that’d be fine. But there are Hunters from other guilds here, too. We’ll need solid reasoning to convince everyone.”
The solution presented itself immediately.
“Pull everyone back.”
The coat draped across Tae Woon’s shoulders flowed down smoothly, pooling on the ground, and suddenly darkness surged around him, swallowing their surroundings in an instant.
“Gasp!”
“Wh-what the hell?!”
All at once, the magical lights illuminating the night sky were swallowed by darkness. Before the startled Hunters could react, the darkness swiftly gathered, vanishing instantly as though drawn into a single point.
Every pair of eyes naturally followed the fading darkness, settling on Tae Woon standing calmly in its center. With all attention fixed upon him, Tae Woon beckoned lightly with his finger.
“All of you, step back.”
“Huh? What’s this about all of a sudden?”
“Must I repeat myself?”
His tone was cold and emotionless. The Hunters looked as though they had plenty to say, but none present had the status—guildmaster or otherwise—to challenge Tae Woon directly.
Grumbling softly in frustration, the Hunters quickly withdrew. Immediately seizing this opportunity, the Giantvine surged upward, branches and blossoms sprouting rapidly as tendrils squirmed eagerly toward their prey.
Several Hunters swore under their breath and raised their weapons to counterattack, but Tae Woon was faster. With a simple gesture, darkness erupted from beneath his feet, forming a towering barrier that scorched the Giantvine’s stems and halted its advance completely.
“Hyung, what do we do next?”
Tae Woon turned back toward Kim Sibaek, offering a gentle smile that radiated his usual calm warmth.
[Death and Beauty seriously questioned whether he truly had a split personality.]
“…Hmm. We’ll trace the mana from where it was wounded. Chief Yang, please.”
“Huh? Oh, right!”
Yang Eunho, momentarily stunned by Tae Woon’s sudden transformation, hurriedly activated the scanner.
“So, he seriously gathered everyone just to track some mana?”
“Has the Mad Dog finally lost his mind in the middle of battle?”
“He must have a reason… right?”
Though confused, some Hunters cautiously agreed, while others quietly spat curses. Naturally, even the harshest whispers were carefully kept low enough to avoid Tae Woon’s ears.
Yang Eunho couldn’t hear the specifics, but he was certain someone behind him was muttering bitter insults. He took a deep breath, gambling everything as he traced the mana signature. The hushed complaints ceased abruptly within two minutes.
“Wait… what? There really is mana inside the Giantvine?”
A Hunter from the Tobazishu Hussars guild, closely examining the scanner’s screen alongside Yang Eunho, mumbled in stunned disbelief. Kim Sibaek released a quiet breath of relief, thankful his gamble had paid off. The gathered Hunters immediately fell silent.
“Maybe it’s someone who got swallowed and hasn’t fully digested yet…?”
Before another Hunter’s murmuring finished, Yang Eunho quickly stepped forward, signaling sharply about a meter ahead.
“Right here! It’s here!”
Kim Sibaek swiftly sliced through the vine with his divinity-infused saber. The wound split open, unable to heal, revealing a hidden cavity deep within. Kim Sibaek’s eyes widened in shock as he peered inside, and the Hunters who rushed up behind him simultaneously fell into a heavy, stunned silence.
“…Fuck.”
Someone quietly cursed under their breath.
Nestled protectively within the cavity of the Giantvine was an Eid Portal.
[Bonus Quest. CLEAR]
[Congratulations to the Returnee who never gave up and found every last one^^*]
[Claim your completion reward↘↘]
