Chapter 276: Awakening of the Eye (3)
zMoValerion had thrown a couple of enormous tasks at me. Not just him—others I’d met recently (Yu Sein, the Pope, the God of the Sword) had done the same.ceBH
QfPUHowever, each of those three had only made one request. The Lord, on the other hand, hit me with two back-to-back first about the Demonic Eye, then that I was the sword destined to slay the gods.ZJXVzQ
iKjpI had a lot of questions. But I had to choose carefully. One question could lead to another, and that chain could eventually lead to him blowing up this place and dragging only Horn back to the Demon Realm.GkgcC
3ijWoz‘Even if the head of the Auditore clan vouched for Valerion…’bF2
mcirGuarantees like that aren’t handed out lightly. Not even among family. The patriarch making such a claim was, at the very least, reckless.ZZYh5
SEEPRegardless, I went with the most appropriate and least suspicious question at that moment.z4r
jmUOA“What exactly is the Inverse Demonic Eye?”nYHBy3
zrxJmgyThe Demonic Eye is an extremely rare ability, so even in Miracle Blessing M, information about it was scarce. I’d only learned of the “Eye of the Ring” during the basilisk hunt. So there was no way I could know about the Eye that Lycan, a character from 700 years ago, had possessed. Technically, I held it now—but still.sIe2
GZkb0iFValerion gave me his usual annoyed look and replied.EOAv
mk2zU“Are you asking about the power of the Inverse Demonic Eye, or its origin?”6Fo2F
xu9AxkObviously about the power, this guy…5mf
29vsI don’t like long explanations. I don’t like listening to them either.hPfQUpj
X33“I think… maybe I’d remember the origin if I mulled it over.”mFSpu
vLykMobI faked touching my brow with a serious gesture. Part of the act. I know you have to adapt to your conversation partner, but that was the best I could do.Bfk9d
8HY3GuS“But as for the power, I don’t remember a thing.”CsDN
zAC0PI“I’m not great at explaining. Is that alright?”sCE9XS
Mo6auJII nodded. I wasn’t exactly a gifted speaker either.bNm
wJe6IqValerion stroked his chin in silence, thinking how to explain it briefly.dFPMo
OaI5DFinally, he spoke.Xms8RiH
mkgPTt“The pinpoint power of the Eye of the Ring is, so far, the most outstanding. However, the complexity and potential of the Inverse Demonic Eye surpass it. That’s what Lord Ouroboros said. The visible ability is ‘distortion.’ It sounds simple, but…”pQ4Y7
g2bf6g1Distortion sounds simple to you? That’s a powerful ability. Even more than the Eye of the Ring, if you ask me.hWL5K
7Gde0But what he said next helped me understand why the other one was considered superior.VWiqVo
bRtP“However, the object of distortion is limited to inorganics. That is, abstract concepts like time, space, and dimension. That’s why we call it the ‘Inverse Demonic Eye’—it distorts divine providence.”mgtSm
1i2CgRMIn short, it doesn’t have a direct physical effect. Unlike the Eye of the Ring, which twists the laws of the world directly, this one creates a variation. Sounds even more complicated, but that’s the idea.mEUJ
DhHkv8“Then why is it said to have more potential than the Eye of the Ring? That one sounds clearly stronger.”rmOb9iB
coKYyyyValerion shook his head.T7biC
aYKmaP“The Eye of the Ring consumes the user’s life. The Inverse Demonic Eye, on the other hand, depends solely on the user’s capacity.”9gHiJb
O7AiecThat said, the requirements to use it properly were incredibly demanding. Even its original bearer never fully mastered it.Pmi
zJTeK“But it’s not just because it demands less sacrifice that we rank it higher. The true difference is this the Inverse Demonic Eye can interfere with timelines where the Eye of the Ring has no effect.”ewXr
VSfThat’s where he lost me. But I nodded as if I fully understood.cSql
uOAeValerion continued explaining the details of the Inverse Demonic Eye. By the end, he looked tired from all the talking.x0U9
fS0G6D“That’s all I can explain. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t know more. So let’s get to the point. We’ll begin the ritual to awaken the eye.”5ZIp
RZA6v2“Now? Right here?”Mp9a
CqS“Yes.”6uqpt
z04He stood. I tried to follow, but he gently pushed me back by the shoulder.QbmUcAq
NVDEvw“No need to move. Stay seated and close your eyes. I’ll inject mana into your body and open all your inner channels.”rjyH7
tptz“W-wait a second. Inject mana into my body? Did I hear that right?”0Meh
EoYlFHn“No need to open your auditory channels. You heard perfectly.”lygJ8w
DlNj2xI was speechless.hRRcbm
caL“My body is basically human right now. Isn’t there a risk of collapse if you inject mana suddenly?”1D1W
QbHw1J0“You don’t need to worry. The first time I saw you, I checked your condition with my Demonic Eye. There’s no chance of that happening. In fact, if your body receives mana, it will reach a new threshold of power.”KdIf
CZ56F7LValerion locked eyes with me. His gaze was as firm as ever—the solemnity of someone who had lived for a time beyond human comprehension.FRc
SA2“I don’t like saying this myself, but Kuarne is strong. He was an angel who nearly ruled the heavens before Metatron appeared. And since accepting magic, he’s likely even stronger.”B8IJ
ZHwHe said this as a warning.ZMm
nyBDnwo“That doesn’t mean you’re weak. To be honest, I’m amazed. You’ve reached this level of power with a human body, without using lightning magic… That’s worthy of admiration. Judging by your growth rate, it’s even faster than the Founder Hero’s. If you’ve come this far in a year, in two or three, you could face Kuarne.”SZXMvf
CqCTMaybe due to a shift in mood, his formerly stern demeanor softened notably.hXiZsJ
aYq“But there’s no time. I can’t say when, but that guy has been preparing for war for a long time. He could attack at any moment.”P4K9xHB
p5O“…And what’s Kuarne’s motive for preparing a war? With your Demonic Eye, Lord, you should be able to find out.”1TFOwcH
Y0KjcL4Valerion gave an ambiguous expression.jmB
9zgNh“Even my eye can’t discern his goal. My power is limited to this world, so I can only assume his objective is tied to something beyond it.”BHuOA3
hxySMb“…”5k9O94
KqB“But if there’s someone who can stop his plans, it’s you. And for that, you must awaken the ‘Inverse Demonic Eye.’”Tnyptpv
AEEgGkWithout taking more questions, Valerion quickly moved into action. With the thumb of his right hand, he pressed the center of my forehead.1obM4
6BiI hesitated for a moment, then decided to cooperate. I sat in a lotus position and closed my eyes.vDLq7
mc9UC“If you die, we all die. Even though we were born enemies, we are one of the two pillars that support this world. In other words, without this world, we wouldn’t exist.”gSJD
JCfCVPUI could feel that, beyond the instinct to protect himself and his race, he spoke with genuine concern for the future. Maybe that’s why he was so talkative—something unusual for him.qnoB9q
y2sXmM“If it’s for that, I won’t regret it even if I have to give you all my magic…”TGLzX8
6eLVWhile speaking, Valerion gave a short laugh. He murmured with a mix of sarcasm and melancholy.9y8Lf
J7sq9OB“…So this is how Lord Ouroboros felt when he gave the ‘Eye of the Ring’ to the Founder Hero.”pJ0tz
tcxg4In an awkward silence, human and demon met each other’s eyes.3gPr6o
juKT5q0Just before injecting the mana, the Lord shared his deepest thoughts with me.8Nl
HWXfC“Remember your lost past, Lycan. You were never wicked enough to be truly evil, nor righteous enough to be a virtuous man. That’s why you were the pride of the demons.”cmiK4
KBe7OAt that moment, my vision—though my eyes were closed—turned white. My entire surroundings began to bend, as if folding inward from all directions.FxmW
j242VJW“Oh, King of the Demon Realm… open your eyes and show the true face of evil.”PTg8
ugO66NrBefore I could fully grasp that white, curving space, the ground beneath me collapsed.v0T5Y
uDxEMFeeling both a sudden weakness and a sharp sensation of falling, I found myself plunging deep past the bottom of that place, into the abyss.prS
XPQtz0p***c9N7u
SlEIThey had already been in the adjoining room for two hours—Kang Geom-Ma and Valerion.X3W8
bUeVewLChoi Seol-Ah couldn’t stay still.hzXo6
kXI25She paced nervously in front of the door, a mixture of worry and curiosity twisting in her chest.UCCeDm
dylPINf‘Can’t hear a thing. That probably means he cast a silence spell.’Avg
0fW2DnAccording to what Horn had told her before, the Lord was the quiet type. But even so, that same Lord had been talking to Kang Geom-Ma for two whole hours. With no signs of life from inside, they might be locked in a battle of wills.hIH247
KEbDNWell, fine. But this is my house! I haven’t even finished paying off the lease! Sure, there was insurance coverage for accidents, but even that had its limits.FUSEr
O3oGuEInsurance only covers the living. For the dead, it’s useless. And the same goes for property. If the whole place gets blown away, that’s it.EsEby
A44r71V‘Aaah…’uzQnEJH
8ttgi1There was a time when Choi Seol-Ah had plenty of money. Just six months ago, she could feel satisfied just by looking at her account balance.AoU
Gx8P1FThe problem was, during that time, she spent recklessly. Her biggest expense was luxury items. Wearing branded clothes made her feel like her own worth had increased.XlGP3fz
IIyVBut now? Not only had her income streams dried up, but two-thirds of her assets had been stripped away by her lord. Luxury was out of the question—she could barely manage her fixed monthly expenses.OaAbd
tdnAShe had never imagined living was this expensive. Now, she truly understood the plight of the common folk.SRY9vR
aMrZmThis year, interest rates had soared. Her loan interest was snowballing, and to make things worse, she had another mouth to feed. And not just any mouth—despite a scrawny body, it ate like an elephant.4hx
5wkSuddenly, Choi Seol-Ah glared at Horn. Though he too looked uneasy, his well-oiled belly gleamed under the fluorescent light.MNAuiv
7BcYmzQ‘Well fed, aren’t we?’qyuFbr
xZmvIShe considered saying something, but held back. It wasn’t smart to air complaints in front of the Patriarch of the Auditore clan. Oh right, that dragon was Horn’s grandfather. Not only did he have a belly, he had powerful backing too.0LcCw0
VgHKK‘I’ll endure. Just hold on…’lZ1dV
G72DmThat’s when her eyes landed on the black bag on the table. The beef her lord had told her to grill while they talked. She’d been so rattled she had completely forgotten.8aD
silkoChoi Seol-Ah broke into a wide smile. She glanced once more at the door and then stopped worrying. Whatever happens, happens. Living in the moment is the most villainous way to live, right?eikB2
tI6z7s7Besides, as the indigenous saying goes, “If worrying solved problems, you’d have no problems left.” So, might as well enjoy the moment with her mouth instead of standing there fretting. She gave in to resignation.T5oOuvp
mL5She turned on the stove and heated the pan. She watched as two slices of beef—marbled like blooming flowers—sizzled against the metal. Chiiiiii—like blessings raining down on the skillet.P5sE6
Wil4“Ah, that sound, that smell…”oO8
nJU0f5hChoi Seol-Ah took a deep breath, savoring every bit of the aroma. Her anxiety and stress melted away along with the beef’s fat. Her lips softened, along with her mood.eT8
nFBAnd just as she was basking in that fleeting bliss—udGMs
AtyLFRBoom!oEUsU
noAT8DA blast. The door to the adjoining room, where her lord and the Dragon Lord had gone in, exploded and flew off its hinges. A burst of compressed mana had detonated like a gas leak.UMQT
3CzNo“……!”iwjyr
HyFuaKAll eyes turned toward the epicenter of the explosion. Choi Seol-Ah’s face, in particular, went deathly pale. A chill raced down her spine. Oh no… my house.5bwdEGO
scaBut what happened next stunned her even more.jJjf
gjHIEDoThe backdrop turned a pale, ashy white. Wooden splinters floated midair, then began reassembling like a puzzle. Time was rewinding.YP7ldK
2d8YLAs time flowed in reverse, she stood there with her mouth hanging open.A6oLgNj
axjJThe once deliciously cooking beef became a lump of char. Goodbye, insurance payout. Goodbye, SSS-grade beef.rzuT
1wLcChoi Seol-Ah was on the verge of tears.pP0n
W3lxLife really was a continuous string of suffering. And for someone who had fallen from nouveau riche to just another face in the crowd, those words hit painfully deep.SiNtiM
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!