Chapter 152 : Chapter 152

Chapter 152

Grotesquery.

A transcendent existence that broke not only the seal of the 9-star knight Edan but also that of Adamas, who had manifested hundreds of Authorities in the form of mana.

I didn’t know where it came from or how it was made.

One thing was certain: its curse was not something even a god could easily overcome.

‘Moreover, what could be said for the will of a god, not even a complete god?’

In the battle with Killian a moment ago, Silvana had consumed nearly all of her remnant-like Divine Power.

It was only natural that she couldn’t fend off the power of the Grotesquery that had contaminated her.

“Show yourself, Grotesquery.”

An incomplete god who had used up almost all of her Divine Power.

‘The thing that was an elf.’

Killian aimed his scabbard at the existence that had seized control of Silvana’s will.

[…….]

The Grotesquery was silent.

“Stop pretending to be innocent.”

Just as it had been with Agnil, the goblin, and the Fifth Prince, the Pieces of Grotesquery he had encountered so far had all been combined with something.

A form that manifested curses by parasitizing a living creature.

And now, this one had succeeded in parasitizing the will of a god.

But it just kept squirming, showing no reaction.

‘I can’t learn anything this way.’

If this weren’t Serena’s Mind Image world, he would have fought with all his might to annihilate it.

‘But it’s dangerous when I don’t know what kind of curse it possesses.’

It was a curse that had contaminated the will of a god, no less.

He would have to find out at least some minimal information before cutting it down.

As he was thinking that.

Jjeoeok.

The elf’s face began to split open left and right.

Teeth sprouted from the split sides, and a tentacle-like tongue flickered.

‘What kind of hybrid is this now?’

The scabbard held the Divine Power it had absorbed and captured.

Killian did not let his guard down, ready to release and attack with it at any moment.

Just then.

[Yggdrasil. Elf. Silvana.]

The hybrid spoke the continental language as if it were learning.

Its androgynous voice resembled Silvana’s.

[Killian. Eurasia. Serena. Constantine.]

“Piece of Grotesquery, why are you here?”

[Why. Why?]

Gyawoottung.

The body part that had been the head until a moment ago tilted.

[…….]

There was a brief moment of silence, as if it were thinking.

[I am.]

Then, its voice continued.

[The God of the Forest. Silvana.]

“……”

[Elvenheim is mine.]

The continental language of the hybrid, which called itself Silvana, became increasingly fluent.

[The elves are mine.]

Ssuuk.

Suddenly, its tentacle shot forward.

Tuuk. Tuk.

Chiiiiiik.

The ground melted as if a strong acid had touched it.

That tentacle approached Killian as if to explore.

Ssssss.

Killian unfolded a Sword Membrane to block its approach.

Chiiiiiik.

The Sword Membrane’s mana and the tentacle’s acid touched, creating smoke.

At this rate, the Sword Membrane would be undone, so Killian swung the scabbard.

Seogeok.

The sword energy that flew through the Sword Membrane sliced off the tentacle, making it fall to the ground.

[……!!]

The base of the tentacle recoiled in surprise.

Two red dots had formed on the tentacle at some point.

Killian belatedly realized they were meant to be eyes.

‘What is this thing doing?’

[Exploring.]

‘……!!’

[Are you surprised?]

‘It reads thoughts? Don’t tell me it’s mimicking a god’s Insight.’

[Insight.]

The two red dots were staring directly at him.

‘An Authority that even Silvana couldn’t use because she was incomplete…’

The Mind Image world was a space where status and karma had a greater influence than the physical power built up by the body.

If the ‘Piece’ before him had completely absorbed Silvana’s status, it was an understandable situation.

But it wasn’t good news for the elves.

“If you can read my thoughts, there’s no need to hide anything. I’ll ask again. What is your purpose?”

[My purpose is exploration.]

Its language skills had improved.

“Exploration?”

[Exploration of Elvenheim.]

Unexpectedly, he was having the first real conversation with a Piece of Grotesquery.

“The reason?”

[That. Is. My. Existence.]

“I see.”

Killian nodded.

“The Curse of Exploration.”

It was an ability similar to the Authority of Observation.

The difference was that, being a curse, it would affect any target it touched.

The problem was likely who had planted the Grotesquery’s curse in Yggdrasil.

“Who ordered you?”

[To explore. My existence. Reason.]

“Who combined you with Yggdrasil?”

[…….]

A moment of silence.

Then.

[Are you curious?]

“……”

Killian’s face wrinkled at the sudden change in atmosphere.

“Is this the real you?”

[No. I have simply finished understanding this space.]

Understanding.

[What we want is an understanding of Elvenheim and the fairies. And you.]

“……”

[Are not a fairy.]

“I think I get it.”

[What?]

“The understanding of Elvenheim and the elves. I think I can help you with that.”

[You are Silvana’s adversary. According to her memories, you are…]

“The Curse of Exploration. A Piece of Grotesquery.”

[…….]

“I will accept you.”

[Why?]

“You’re not going to be satisfied with just exploring Elvenheim, are you?”

[…….]

If asked whether a curse has a will, the answer would be no, but a curse does not disappear until its purpose is fulfilled.

‘And any being that touches it will be contaminated.’

[You intend to trap me in that body.]

“Yes. I will become your host.”

How many curses had he taken into his body so far?

Even Adamas, who mimicked hundreds of Authorities, couldn’t contain them all.

There would surely be a limit for a human body, which was more fragile.

Nevertheless.

“Explore the continent through me.”

Killian didn’t want to miss the Piece before him.

“You said ‘we’.”

That meant the Piece before him was aware that it was not alone.

“I want to make contact with ‘you all’.”

[…….]

“Explore through me.”

[…….]

“Guide me to where you all are.”

Their objectives aligned.

It was an offer the being had no reason to refuse.

[I accept.]

The tentacle wrapped around Killian.

Serena, who was watching from a distance, shouted.

[An obstruction.]

“Stop.”

[……?]

“She is my subordinate. A being who will be helpful to your exploration.”

[…….]

“I will add a condition. You must not harm my people.”

[An incomprehensible condition. However.]

Kugugugugugu.

A membrane of Radiance formed around them.

[I accept.]

An intensity that he wasn’t sure he could cut even if he used all his strength.

Serena would never be able to cut it with her skills.

[Killian Eurasia.]

Adamas.

[I will eat you.]

Jjeo-eok.

The maw of the curse opened wide.

“No, I am the one eating you.”

Kwajik.

Killian shoved the scabbard into the opened maw.

‘I’m counting on you, Pyrope.’

Killian, who had opened his Mana Heart to its full capacity, sucked in the Radiance.

At the same time.

Kwadeuk.

The maw closed, swallowing Killian whole.

He thought he could hear Serena’s voice from a distance.

***

Eurasia’s Head Apothecary’s Office.

[Kraaaaaaaang—!!]

Hazard thrashed about in pain as if its heart was about to explode.

Because its Mana Heart had gone berserk, uncontrolled green and black mana scattered in all directions.

Red spots that had appeared on its scales looked as if they were engulfed in flames.

[Kraaa—]

Its vision blurred, and its consciousness gradually faded.

“Hazard!”

“You have to endure!”

Loen and Sharle shouted in urgent voices.

Desperate emotions were contained in their voices.

Blue and violet mana were pushed back and faded away by the green and black mana.

Loen and Sharle had gathered all their mana to try to suppress Hazard, but the rampaging Mana Heart was overwhelming even that.

“At this rate… I can’t control the reflux.”

Deep wrinkles formed on Loen’s face, and sweat trickled down her forehead.

“The reflux isn’t the problem. If Hazard’s Mana Heart explodes, the entire area… Eurasia’s main castle won’t be safe either.”

Sharle said, suppressing the mana leaking from Hazard’s body.

Although her hands trembled, she painstakingly controlled her mana, but it was not enough to suppress Hazard’s rampage.

“Any more is… impossible…”

“……!!”

Desperation and fear flickered in Loen and Sharle’s eyes.

It was the moment their mana was about to be consumed by Hazard’s rampaging mana.

“Carpe.”

Red mana was overlaid on top of their mana.

Hwa-aaak.

The red mana constricted Hazard’s body.

[Kraaaaang—!!]

Hazard screamed and clawed at Yulian’s mana.

The mana of a 6-star knight was torn apart like a piece of paper.

However, it was enough to buy a moment of time.

“Sir Yulian!!”

“We’re saved thanks to you!!”

Sharle and Loen gasped for breath and regained the flow of their mana.

“I came because there was no contact… what is all this?!! And what is this lizard?!!”

Yulian shouted, aiming his drawn Aether at Hazard.

“Sheathe your sword. That child is Hazard.”

“This thing is… Hazard…?”

At Sharle’s words, Yulian’s face went blank.

“There’s no time to explain! Just deploy Carpe again!!”

Loen shouted, checking Hazard’s mana, which was beginning to surge again.

Even with a 6-star knight joining in to control it, its mana did not stabilize.

“Good heavens…”

Shock and confusion were mixed in Yulian’s voice.

‘This is… a dragon… said to be extinct…’

He belatedly recalled his commander’s warning about Hazard.

And also the order to tighten the security of the Head Apothecary’s Office.

‘That’s not what’s important right now.’

A 7-star Apothecary, a 6-star knight, and a 6-star mage.

Even with some of Eurasia’s and Cornelia’s most talented individuals joining forces, they couldn’t stop Hazard’s rampage.

‘If this continues, it won’t end with just the Head Apothecary’s Office being blown away.’

Yulian tightened his grip on Aether.

“Everyone, match your mana to mine!!”

Kwajik.

He stabbed the reverse-gripped Aether into the floor of the Head Apothecary’s Office.

And then.

“Carpe Illusion.”

Hwareureuk.

The red mana scattered throughout the Head Apothecary’s Office manifested a new domain.

The red mana spread across the ground and ensnared Hazard.

The way it surrounded it like a prison was akin to a burning fortress being erected.

“Red Prison.”

Hwareureureureu.

The burning walls moved like rings made of mana, and the moment they touched the barrier, they restrained Hazard’s body and forcibly cut off the flow of its mana.

The inside of the prison was filled with the traces of endlessly burning red mana, making it seem as if they were in the middle of hell.

[Krrrrrrrr—]

The flames grew thicker and began to deplete Hazard’s mana, leaving it no room to even breathe.

“I can’t believe you succeeded with Carpe Illusion.”

“We’re alive thanks to you.”

Loen and Sharle hastily matched their mana waves to Yulian’s.

As soon as Carpe Illusion was formed, the flow changed.

It began to suppress the rampaging energy by surrounding Hazard’s Mana Heart.

However, the size of the Mana Heart Hazard was emitting was still powerful, and Yulian’s mana was being rapidly consumed.

“I can’t hold on for long. We need to knock this thing out…”

Just then.

[Kkiaaaaaa—]

“Kuh…!!”

Blood flowed from Yulian’s nose due to the Fear Hazard emitted.

Having become the medium for the formula, a reflux began.

‘Damn it… that Serena… was she shouldering this kind of burden every time?’

Yulian gritted his teeth and rotated his mana.

The wavering formula became distinct again.

He tried to suppress Hazard by exerting his utmost concentration, but mana was endlessly welling up from Hazard’s scales.

[Kiiiiiii— Kiiiiiii—]

‘Commander… when are you coming?!!’

Enduring Hazard’s Fear, Yulian poured out all the mana from his Aether and scabbard.

“Uwaaaaaaah!!!”

A scream filled with desperation echoed through the Head Apothecary’s Office.