Caution

This chapter is gory.

Wh-What?

Thud, thud

Without even being able to close his widened mouth, Arshad Khan took steps back as he looked at Ohjin, who was regenerating like a video playing in reverse.

Impossible!!!

It couldnt happen.

It shouldnt happen.

It was supposed to be over.

He had been relieved because it was finally all over, but

Why?

How?

Just how?!! Why are you able to stand up?!!! he roared out.

Wouldnt it be disappointing if I didnt have a second phase when even mini-bosses do?

Ohjin cackled out and moved his feet.

Although his wire shooter and spear were both destroyed during the fight

Bzzzzzzzzzt!!

the stigma of Lyra was still shining radiantly on the left side of his chest.

Kugk!

Arshad Khans face distorted roughly as he created a tornado of black feathers once again.

Kahk! A-Auhuaaaah!!!

His body twisted as he shouted out a scream full of pain.

Crack! Crunch!

Veins sprouted out around his entire body with the gruesome sound of bones cracking. Wrinkles started to rise on his face, and what originally was firm, copper skin rapidly shriveled. His back curved, and the solid muscles on his arms and legs turned soft.

In an instant, he looked 20no, 30 years older.

Huh?

Ohjin narrowed his eyes.

That kind of sudden aging didnt happen from using a stigmas power excessively.

Its as if

Arshad Khan drew out power at the price of his lifespan.

Is this perhaps the price of the blessing?

Ohjin laughed in disappointment.

Fundamentally, the price of granting blessings was shouldered by the celestial.

It was because the Commandments Restriction was obstructing not the Awakener but the celestial.

But an Awakener that received a blessing turning into that horrifying state meant

Instead of taking it themselves, they put the burden on the apostle.

Naturally, they wouldnt be able to offload 100% of the burden on the apostle.

After all, if that was possible, all members of the Black Star Organization would go around receiving the Black Stars blessing.

In any case

His celestial was only able to grant a blessing to an apostle by making them pay a price.

I guess that the Star of the Owl Nebula is nothing much.

Compare that with my Goddess.

Shut up!! Arshad Khan fiercely shouted out as he swung his scimitar.

Ttututututu!!

The black feathers poured down together with the rain and aimed at Ohjin.

Ba-ba-ba-ba-bang!!!

Terrifying explosions struck down on Ohjin.

Ohjin laughed out loud and received it with his body.

Swept by the explosions, his body became a wreck in an instant.

Didnt you hear me?

Crunch! Crack!

His broken bones found their original place.

Oxidized black flesh rapidly regenerated.

From now onIts the time of the Lightning Wolf.

Bang!

He kicked off.

Throwing his body into the tornado of black feathers, he swung his clenched fist.

Bam!

His fist, wrapped in blue lightning, was flung back after being blocked by the black feathers.

Ha, hahaha!!!!

Arshad Khan exploded out in loud laughter.

No matter how fast your body regenerates, its all meaningless if your attacks dont work!

Indeed.

As he said, it was currently impossible to pierce through the tornado of black feathers.

Feel the almighty strength of the Owl Nebula!!

Ttutututu!!

The black feathers violently pushed back Ohjin.

Squeezing out his mana, he swung his fist at the tornado of black feathers, but he was still unable to penetrate through and touch Arshad Khan.

You getting old hasnt changed the fact you talk too much.

Twe

Ohjin spat out the blood built up in his mouth and smiled.

If I cant break through that tornado in one go

Wasnt the answer simple?

I just need to strike it until I can.

Bzzzzzzzt!!!

He engulfed his fist in Lightning Flames and swung it.

Unable to break through the tornado of black feathers, the bones in his fist broke and ripped out of his skin.

It didnt matter.

Inside of the violently raging rainstorm, broken bones werent even that big of an injury.

One more time.

He swung his fist.

One more time.

Continuously.

One more time.

Without stop.

Bang!! Bang!! Baaang!!!

The tornado of black feathers that twirled around Arshad Khan started to shake.

Ah, ahh.

With his mouth agape, Arshad Khans body started to tremble.

S-Stay back.

Bang! Bang! Bang!!

Like slamming the tightly closed door of a castle with a battering ram, the fist engulfed in blue flames pummeled the black feathers.

Every time the tornado shook, fear penetrated Arshad Khan.

I-I said stay back.

Why?

Just how is he able to swing his fists so relentlessly?

Y-You bastard!!

Arshad Khan could understand Ohjins injuries rapidly regenerating.

However

That didnt mean that pain would disappear, did it?

C-Can you not feel pain?!

The fuck are you talking abou? I feel like Im going to die from pain right now.

Ohjin frowned as he swung his fist.

Every time he touched the tornado of black feathers

His fingernails cracked, his fingers broke, and his wrist twisted.

Blood vessels, muscles, and bones tangled up and tore away.

It was painful

To the point where it was hard to maintain consciousness.

To the point where he wondered if he would go crazy.

It hurt.

However

Baang!!

Ohjin didnt stop swinging his fist.

Every time his ruined arm regenerated, he concentrated mana into it and swung it.

Th-Then how?

Arshad Khan looked at Ohjin with his face pale from fear.

If it wasnt that he couldnt feel pain

How was he able to continue swinging his fists like that?

Imagine it.

Swinging your fist with all your might towards a shield covered with sharp thorns.

Shoving your hand into a blender filled with sharp blades with your own will.

Even if the injury was regenerated

Who would be able to repeat such an insane act?

Its nothing much.

Ohjin put on a smirk and swung his fist at the tornado of black feathers.

-Ring!

[You have maintained your mana in an extreme state without losing consciousness!]

[Lightning&Thunder Lv7 has increased to Lightning&Thunder Lv8.]

[Lightning Flames Lv2 has increased to Lightning Flames Lv3.]

[Warning! Damage on your body has accumulated to a severe degree!]

[The penalty Pain Amplification will be endowed if the damage continues!]

A red message box followed up a blue one.

It was a relief.

It would have been troublesome if it was a penalty that restricted movement.

Ohjin cackled out and clenched the fist that had just regenerated.

Bang!!!

Once more

Ohjin swung his fist at the tornado of black feathers.

The tornado started to shake precariously.

Arrrrgh!!

Is this the pain amplification penalty the system warned about?

Pain that was even more intense than a moment ago rode up his arm and spread out.

If the pain until then was like slamming down a hammer on his arm, it was now like crushing it down with weights on top of that.

Kh-huhu!! Fuck. This kinda hurts a lot.

It didnt matter.

Hmpf!!

Bang!!

He swung his fist.

He swung his fist.

He swung his fist.

[You have maintained your mana in an extreme state without losing consciousness!]

[Lightning&Thunder Lv8 has increased to Lightning&Thunder Lv9.]

[Lightning Flames Lv3 has increased to Lightning Flames Lv4.]

He ignored the pain.

Ignoring pain wasnt anything too difficult for him.

Y-You crazy son of a bitch, Arshad Khan spoke with a frightened voice.

For Ohjin, his words were hard to understand.

What are you talking about?

Bang!

Black feathers scattered out and started to drop down.

The end was near.

Its not like this is something that difficult.

Thats right.

Enduring pain wasnt that hard.

Bang!! Baang! Bang!!

Most of the black feathers had fallen down.

Ohjin started to see Arshad Khan, who was hidden inside the feathers.

Wh-What are you talking about!! Whats not difficult about that!!!

It isnt difficult.

Bang!!

One more time

He swung his fist.

Isnt it something you can just endure?

Thats right.

No matter how painful

No matter how agonizing

It would be solved once it was endured.

It could be overcome once it was withstood.

Isnt it something you can just withstand?

* * *

* * *

Ohjin looked back.

Jang Sukho, who was collapsed on the ground and squirming like a bug, came into his view.

Would a day come when his problems would be solved once he endured them?

Would his dead son come back to life once he withstood it?

Bang! Bang!! Baang!!!

He swung his fist.

He didnt stop.

There was no reason to stop.

Suddenly, a memory crossed his mind.

A memory from six years ago

Ha-eun was laid down on a hospital bed.

He remembered how she shook from the unfamiliar darkness when the light in both her eyes was lost.

He remembered the deep sense of helplessness he felt back then.

No matter how much he held on, no matter how much he endured, no matter how much he withstood

Things that were lost wouldnt come back on their own.

This is easy compared to back then.

Agony could be ignored.

Pain could be endured.

If its a problem that can be solved by enduringits nothing.

Because the world he lived in

Was overflowing with problems that couldnt be solved with endurance

Boooooooom!!!

The tornado of black feathers exploded.

Ah.

Arshad Khan crouched down on the ground and looked up at Ohjin with his face colored in fear.

There was a black sky.

Inside that deep darkness where not even starlight could be seen

Only a pair of azure eyes shone.

D-Devil.

Why was it that the figure of Ohjin, who stood with the black sky placed behind him, felt not like a human but seemed to be something else entirely.

Ah, uh.

He crawled on the ground and tried to escape.

U-Uaaaaaaaaah!! he disgracefully screamed out.

Not even a slimmer of Arshad Khans original arrogant and domineering attitude could be found.

Thud, thud

The low sound of footsteps was heard.

They were the footsteps of a monster.

Fuck you, calling a normal person a devil.

Ohjin gently stepped on Arshad Khans head, who was crawling on the ground.

A devil would have given up and died right away.

If he was a devil

If he was a non-human being that couldnt feel any suffering or sadness

Would there be a reason to cling so desperately onto life even while his entire body broke down?

Its because Im human that I endure despite my life being this fucking tiresome.

Squash!

Arshad Khans head caved like a watermelon as he applied pressure.

Although he wanted to kill him in a more cruel manner when he thought about the things he had done

Damn it.

the state of his body wasnt put up for it.

Ohjin felt like he would lose consciousness the instant he loosened up just a little bit.

But still

Theres still something I have to do.

Shwaaaaaaa!

The pouring rainwater ran down his face and gathered at the end of his chin.

One drop, two drops.

The droplets fell down and dispersed into the muddy water.

A man lay in the muddy water.

Ah, uh.

With his crushed two legs.

With his crushed two eyes.

Grasping onto a thin thread of hope.

He was holding onto dear life.

H-Have you defeated Arshad Khan? he asked with a shaky voice.

Yeah. I won.

Ha, haha! I-I couldnt imagine that the Lightning Wolf was this strong.

Jang Sukhos lips curved into a smile.

And.

Ohjin looked up.

Shwaaaaaaaa

Walking through the pouring rain, he approached Jang Sukho.

Theres something I have to tell you.

Is that so?

Jang Sukhos voice trembled from uneasiness.

It was as if the thread of hope he was holding onto desperately would sever.

Ohjin looked down at Jang Sukhos trembling body.

As per usual,

lies slipped from his mouth.

I found him.

What?

Jang Sukhos voice shook.

Your son, I found him. Those bastards were holding onto him.

I-Is that really true?! he shouted out with a voice full of joy.

H-Hyunwoo is over there?

Jang Sukho crawled across the ground.

Even if his son was actually there, he wouldnt be able to see anything due to his crushed eyes.

But despite that

He crawled across the ground up to right in front of him.

Yeah. Hes unconscious right now and ah, wait just a moment.

Ohjin placed his hands on his neck.

He recalled the sound of the bright laughter that rang out from the recording Jang Sukho showed him.

I wasnt able to hear much other than the sound of his laugh, but

That was fine.

Even with just the sound of his laughter, it was enough to infer and imitate what the childs voice sounded like.

After all, imitating others voices was his specialty since a long time ago.

Theres also this.

Kuruk

His Adams apple wriggled meticulously and went past his uvula.

Transformation.

If he utilized the trait he had obtained recently from defeating Choi Jungchul, he would be able to recreate the voice of Sukhos son with even more precision.

DDad?

Through the pouring rain

Echoed out the voice of a boy who sounded like he had just woken up.

H-Hyunwoo? asked Jang Sukho with a trembling voice.

Dad? A-Are you really dad?

H-Hyunwoo!! Hyunwoo!!

D-Dad Y-Your body!

Ah.

Jang Sukhos lips that were raised brightly rapidly went down.

Im sorry, Hyunwoo.

D-Dad? What do you mean? Why are you sorry?

Gently.

He bit his lips.

Daddys body hurts too much, so hell have to sleep soon.

Sleep?

Yes. Hyunwoo when youre sick, dont you get better right after waking up?

Th-Then will dad get better right away as well?

A doleful smile hung on his lips.

No because daddy is very sick, he needs to sleep for a long time.

How long?

I wonder. When Hyunwoo becomes all grown up Then Then daddy will be able to get up.

Will it happen once I graduate primary school?

Ha, haha! No A little longer

Th-Then up to middle school?

As if forcefully holding something in

Jang Sukho furrowed his brow.

No Itll take longer than that, he wrung out.

However I will make sure to return. To meet my little Hyunwoo by all means.

Okay!! Then Ill wait until then! Ill even study hard!

The sound of his clear shout was muffled by the sound of rain.

Hyunwoo theres a big brother next to you, right?

Y-Yeah!

Follow him and listen to his words well, and

His voice

Started to fade.

You need to stay healthy, alright?

Liquid ran down Jang Sukhos cheek.

Was it blood, rain, or tears?

Ohjin didnt know.

He would never find out, either.

My Hyunwoo

Shiver

He held out his hand.

Before I go to sleep I want to hold Hyunwoos hand for the last time.

It wasnt a difficult request.

Crunch, crack

Ohjin used Transformation and reduced the size of his hand.

He lightly grasped Jang Sukhos shaking hand.

His palm was cold.

Cold to the point of freezing.

Ha, haha.

A dry smile sprouted on Jang Sukhos mouth.

What a relief.

His dry smile became soaked in the falling rain.

My Hyunwoo is safe

The rainwater that soaked his lips flowed down his chin and permeated into the ground.

R Relief

Tap

Jang Sukhos hand fell down.

His voice was never heard again.

Swaaaaaaaah!

From the black sky

Heavy raindrops were still pouring down.