Chapter 67: Counter-Trap

‘Is it further north?’

The soulforce was coming from a considerable distance.

I had to run for a while even after leaving the village.

Guided by the faint soulforce, I arrived at a place where the trees were as thick as anywhere else.

At least, that was how it appeared on the surface.

“An interesting little trick.”

A barrier.

It was something mages created to hide or protect something.

They say elves are the most advanced when it comes to barriers, but human mages could pull off similar tricks.

In the Murim, this barrier would be similar to a Jinbeop.

“But this is laughable.”

It stood before me as if trying to block my path.

There were two ways to dismantle a barrier.

One was to create and pour in a mana pattern that matched the barrier.

The other was to unleash an attack so powerful that the barrier couldn’t withstand it.

Among those, my preferred method was…

“There’s no need to waste energy unnecessarily.”

I preferred to easily dismantle the trap someone else had set.

I began to read the mana pattern, focusing on the barrier.

‘Let’s see. There are only a few, aren’t there?’

There were only three patterns.

If I simply breathed mana into those three patterns, the barrier would be deactivated.

“Now then.”

Hummmm—

Someone had lured me here like they were playing a prank.

I had to see who it was.

I quickly stirred my mana.

Click.

The moment the mana touched the designated pattern, a strange sound echoed.

Simultaneously, a portion of the thick forest revealed its true self.

‘How desolate.’

The inside of the barrier began to appear.

Hummm.

I stirred the patterns once more.

‘I’ll do it all at once.’

Two patterns at the same time.

The moment I breathed mana into the designated patterns!

“It’s done. Wait… what the—?”

Kaaaa-booooom!

A massive explosion erupted as if it had been waiting for that exact moment.

Within the blast, I instantly surged my internal energy.

I filled my body, tempered by the Liu Lei Method, with internal energy while endlessly generating Armor with my mana.

Layer upon layer of Armor formed, enveloping my entire body.

*Boom! Crash!*

A series of explosions followed.

Debris pelted my body.

Broken stones, tree branches.

‘Oh, really?’

There were even shards of iron that seemed to have been planted beforehand.

They had clearly prepared this to maximize lethality.

‘A counter-trap?!’

To think an explosion would occur the moment the barrier was dismantled.

They lured me here, made me dismantle the barrier, and ensured I would be caught in the explosion the second it was undone.

‘How interesting. They used my own actions against me.’

If I were a mage who hadn’t mastered Mugong, this trap would have been instantly fatal.

My entire body would have been riddled with holes before I even had a chance to block it.

*Kaaa-boom! Crackle—*

Several of the hastily created layers of Armor shattered.

Even if I blocked the explosion, I would have certainly been severely injured.

‘Let’s see how they move.’

If I had been even slightly lacking in power, I might have died.

It was a trap that perfectly read the characteristics of a mage—someone who tries to deal with enemies using their head rather than brute force.

Even a Class 4, no, a Class 5 mage would have been critically wounded.

The opponent saw right through the psychology of a mage.

‘This is no ordinary person.’

Considering they used a barrier, there must be a mage among those who set the trap.

At this level, they must be at least Class 4.

A trap created by at least a Class 4 mage.

I hadn’t imagined such a thing.

But the carelessness ended here.

Being caught once was enough.

Kaaaa-boooom!

While standing amidst the continuous explosions, I assessed the situation.

‘People like this let their guard down the moment their opponent falls into the trap they’ve set.’

I knew what kind of person the opponent was.

Given how they teased me with mana to lure me here, they were definitely targeting me.

I was the only mage in this village.

“…”

I remained silent and held my breath.

I didn’t forget to suppress my presence by circulating the Gui-Sik Grand Technique.

Soon, the moment the explosions subsided…

Paaaa-ng!

With the final boom, voices reached my ears.

“…See, Shawn? I told you it would be easily solved this way.”

“Ha. Well, look at that. It feels like we’re getting this for free. This turned out to be easier than I thought.”

“Kikik. To kill a promising Young Master like him, this was a bargain.”

Unaware that I was holding my breath and waiting, the two of them gradually approached.

‘One is a mage. And the other… how peculiar. Is that Demonic Mana?’

One was a traditional mage.

The problem was the other one.

It was a scent I could never forget.

There was someone with an energy similar to the Demonic Mana possessed by the demons of the Demonic Cult.

His entire body was filled with filthy Demonic Mana.

The wicked energy of Demonic Mana.

It was an energy that polluted a person’s mind just by possessing it.

Those who overcame Demonic Mana became masters of the demonic path, but most failed to overcome it and were devoured.

The opponent seemed to be the same.

“Kee-hee-hee-heck. Go find at least a piece of his corpse. Hurry!”

“Do you think there’s anything left?”

“There is. There has to be. We need at least a bone fragment to report back. Shawn! Get moving!”

“You move! Don’t just try to get a free ride!”

Despite having killed a person with an explosion, they laughed with innocent glee.

It was impossible unless they were insane.

Trudge, trudge.

The enemy drew closer.

I, who had been maintaining the Gui-Sik Grand Technique, acted in that instant.

“Are you looking for me?”

Paaaa-ng!

Surging my energy, I instantly lunged toward them to close the distance.

“Block him!”

“Shield!”

***

The opponent’s reaction was fast.

The mage named Shawn cast a Shield to establish a defensive barrier.

The one with the Demonic Mana drew a sword.

It was a short dagger with a skull engraved on the blade.

The moment the dagger was drawn…

Hummmmmm—

It began to suck in the man’s Demonic Mana, creating a thick, dark veil.

‘…As I thought, there’s no way I’d mistake Demonic Mana.’

Just as I suspected, the opponent possessed Demonic Mana.

Demonic Mana was a destructive force.

Even with the same amount of energy, it created massive destruction.

Here, Demonic Mana was referred to as Sama-ryeok.

And among humans, those who possessed Demonic Mana were…

‘Warlocks… or Necromancers. Either way, they only cause trouble.’

It was a given.

I had to capture him to find out which one he was.

As I closed in, I swung the sword I had already drawn.

‘Third Form. Power-Breaking Sword!’

The third technique of the Great Heavenly Star Sword Art.

A heavy sword technique that amplified its power several times in a single strike, and a domineering one that poured everything into it.

For the Jegal Clan, who practiced Mugong through thorough calculation, the Power-Breaking Sword was a move that could actually be considered an anomaly.

*Hummm— Hummm—*

The power of the sword amplified several times as I swung it.

And finally, when it made contact with the dark Demonic Mana…

*Kaaaa-boooom! Craaaack—*

“Aaaaagh!”

It tore right through the dark Demonic Mana.

Blood splattered from the opponent’s palm.

‘Filthy!’

The blood was heavily contaminated with Demonic Mana.

Nothing good would come from touching it.

While I dodged, the opponent gripped his dagger again despite his bleeding hand.

Ssssssss—

The grass where the spilled blood touched turned a murky black.

It was death created by Demonic Mana.

And that death…

Whoosh.

Returned to the man and became dense Demonic Mana once again.

‘Terrifying.’

It meant his power was restored, even if only by a small amount.

The more he bled, the stronger he became.

“You damn bastard! I was going to go easy on you!”

*Shhh. Shhh.*

The man began to swing his sword indiscriminately.

“You call killing someone going easy on them?”

“That’s exactly what fits aristocratic brats like you!”

“Bullshit.”

“Shut up!”

He was venting his aimless rage on me.

“D-Dodge!

Fireball!”

While I toyed with him by dodging his dagger, the mage named Shawn chanted a spell and fired it.

‘They’ve practiced working together.’

The man, who had been swinging his sword like a madman, stepped back several paces with a familiar movement.

At that moment, as if it had been waiting, the Fireball arrived.

It was a good combination.

However, the combo…

“Is still clumsy.”

Was full of openings because it wasn’t executed perfectly.

I kicked off the ground, following the man as he retreated.

Simultaneously, while closing the distance, I breathed more energy into my sword.

Hummmmmm—

The moment Aura was poured into the sword to its limit, it took physical form.

The blue Aura flared even brighter.

The man’s eyes widened.

“E-Expert! I heard you were definitely a mage. Damn it. You weren’t a mage!?”

“Foolish.”

‘Did he really think I was a simple mage even after seeing my movements?’

‘A few of his screws must be loose.’

Granted, those corrupted by Demonic Mana were strong, but they weren’t sane.

Seeing as he didn’t realize it even after watching me move, this guy was already more than half-consumed by Demonic Mana.

It meant he was stupid.

“Damn it. Damn it! Damn it! This isn’t right!”

“Shut up. Let’s find out where you heard about me.”

Sweeeeeeeek!

I swung the sword laden with Aura.

Slash—

The blade swept right through his right arm, which was holding the dagger.

“Aaaaagh!”

The Demonic Mana moved to protect his arm, but it was no match for my energy.

“Fire.”

Whoooooosh—

Next, I used my remaining left hand to create fire and pressed it against him.

“Aaaaagh!

You crazy bastard!”

Sssssssss—

Before the dripping blood could create more Demonic Mana, I completely cauterized the wound.

Simultaneously, towards the severed arm…

“Fireball.”

Paaaa-ng!

I fired the spell.

“Noooooo!”

“You, get some rest.”

Thump—

“…Gack.”

I struck his pressure points deeply, subduing the man instantly.

“W-What is this! Why is… ugh. Argh… you son of a bitch! Let me go!”

Leaving the man behind as he screamed like a madman—since I had left his vocal pressure point alone—I lunged toward Shawn.

‘He went far.’

Shawn must have felt the tide turn the moment the man’s arm flew off, as he had been running away for some time.

But no matter how fast he was, it was only the pace of a mage.

‘Oh? His caution is impressive, though.’

There were traps that seemed to have been dug in advance throughout the area, but I moved while breaking through them.

“Caught you. Did you think you could just run away after targeting someone’s life?”

“N-No! You can’t!”

The moment I chased him down and grabbed Shawn’s shoulder, he began to convulse.

‘I have to subdue him.’

Just as I was about to strike his pressure points to subdue him…

“…”

‘Damn it.’

A storm of mana erupted.

The source was Shawn.

As if someone were controlling him from afar, Shawn’s four mana circles expanded in an instant.

The moment the mana swelled to its limit…

Kaaaa-boooom!

A massive explosion erupted from Shawn’s heart.

‘…Those crazy bastards.’

Step.

To avoid the explosion, I had no choice but to leap backward.

I should have realized it when I saw him traveling with someone who possessed Demonic Mana.

Shawn wasn’t just avoiding the use of Demonic Mana; he was hiding it deep away.

Right in his heart.

He must have intended to use it in a moment of crisis.

Or else…

“Someone must have used it as a Geumje. Hmm… was there someone at a level capable of using this as a Geumje?”

It might have been Demonic Mana planted by someone else.

To plant Demonic Mana and use it like that…

it was impossible for anyone without significant ability.

“Well, one is still left, so it doesn’t matter.”

Setting aside my disappointment, I kicked off the ground and returned to that spot.

“You bastard!”

There, the man was still rolling around like a slug despite having plenty of energy.

“Your education is still lacking.”

Thwack.

I kicked him while simultaneously stimulating a few more pressure points.

“Aaaaagh!”

The man curled up further in agony.

“You and I need to have a little chat.”

Looking down at him, I merely watched him with cold indifference.