Chapter 57: Hand Over the Labyrinth to Me

Someone once said,

The Labyrinth is a gift from God.

Hunters chosen by the Labyrinth could surpass the physical limits of humans and wield extraordinary powers that defied common sense.

Moreover, the deeper they ventured into the Labyrinth, the stronger those powers became.

That was why many envied them, yet also feared them.

If a being with such power harbored ill intentions, destroying the world would be child’s play.

And, in reality, such a thing happened.

• A Skill that grows stronger the more people you kill was discovered.
• The one who mastered this Skill was a former criminal who formed a group of Hunters also with criminal backgrounds.

Batisthol—one of the world’s worst criminals and a serial killer.

He massacred not only Hunters but also civilians, rapidly increasing his power.

The rise of this great evil shook the underworld and spread fear and anxiety worldwide.

An age of chaos.

But it was none other than Korea’s Hunters who swallowed that fear whole.

Seven S-rank Hunters took down Batisthol and eradicated all the criminal organizations under his control.

Along with that, the world enacted a Special Law.

Hunters were forbidden to kill civilians under any circumstance, and the moment they committed a crime, they became targets for immediate execution.

However, Korea’s heroes died, and as time passed, the Special Law itself changed.

• The Twelve Constellations are granted immunity.

Under the leadership of the World’s Top Five who possessed the Twelve Constellations, a new law was passed.

The reason for proposing the bill was to protect the Twelve Constellations.

• Attempts to use Poison for poisoning or to give Artifacts to civilians for assassination have increased.
• This measure is only to protect the Twelve Constellations from such acts and will not be abused.

Time had already passed, and it was an era where civilians and Hunters lived in harmony.

So people accepted it calmly.

Those who reached the Twelve Constellations level were believed to be beyond anyone’s control and unlikely to abuse their immunity.

In reality, the Twelve Constellations did not abuse their immunity.

Except for one.

The ‘Blood Fiend.’

A notorious figure who had massacred several villages under the pretense of hunting criminals.

The only Twelve Constellation who was infamous even within China for treating human lives like insects.

“You’ve walked right into hell.”

Clenching my fist tightly, I looked at the snarling Blood Fiend.

I had promised the hero who saved me that I would protect Korea.

Even if that were not the case, I could not forgive dragging innocent people into this.

“I’ll show you what true hell looks like. Get ready.”

“You’re like a puppy—too scared to know how dangerous a tiger is.”

The Blood Fiend raised his sword, his eyes flashing.

Along with the blood-red glow, a dense killing intent radiated from him.

No fear could touch me, one who possessed the Dragon Heart Constitution.

I opened my eyes wide and stared straight at the Blood Fiend.

[Using Golden Dragon Eye.]

[Twelve Constellations Sakyum (SS)]

• A Chinese Twelve Constellations known as the Blood Fiend.
• Underestimating me.
• Overall stats: SS
• Potential: SS
• Possessed items: Blood Demon Sword (SS), Blood Dragon Robe (SS), Poison Blood Wine (S).
• Possessed skills: Blood Demon Martial Art (SS), Blood Demon Footwork (SS), Blood Demon Martial Art (SS), Unity of Divine Sword (SS)… Sword Slash (S).

I confirmed what he had.

‘Swordmaster.’

I had fought with swordmasters several times before, so I knew exactly what to watch out for.

Maintain distance.

Once it turns into close combat, a magician is at a disadvantage. Normally, that would be true.

But through battles with Jessica, I learned how to fight in close quarters.

Now, it didn’t matter if it was close or long range.

Sssst!

The aura from the Blood Fiend shifted, and he disappeared.

Raising my hand from below, I cast a spell.

“Absolute Barrier.”

Using Absolute Barrier, I blocked the Blood Fiend’s sword.

Kakang!

Jjeojeojuk!

His sword shattered the barrier and flew straight at me.

From the sword-shaped red aura, I could feel the killing intent.

“Teleport.”

I crossed the space and increased the distance, then stretched both hands forward to cast another spell.

“Raging Storm Wind.”

A fierce storm spun around me and then surged toward the Blood Fiend.

With his vision blocked, I predicted his next move.

‘He’ll cut through the storm and come straight at me.’

I set a trap on the ground and waited for him to appear.

Swek!

The storm was split in two and vanished.

From that gap, the Blood Fiend shot forward at high speed.

Watching his movement unfold as expected, I began chanting magic.

“Shock Wave.”

Sharp spike-like stones shot up repeatedly from the ground.

The Blood Fiend lightly swung his sword, and the magic was instantly destroyed.

Peurong!

The Blood Fiend landed a ground slam and charged at extreme speed, swinging his sword wrapped in Sword Slash energy.

The sword’s trajectory extended in a trail.

When I tried to teleport to increase distance, the Blood Fiend smirked and twisted the Sword Slash’s path.

The sword wasn’t aimed at me, but at the civilians.

The Blood Fiend’s sword waves surged toward the many people collapsed on the Association side.

If I let this continue, they would die.

Desperately, I used Teleport to block the Sword Slash.

Kagagakang!

Mana rapidly drained.

The Blood Fiend grinned and swung his sword toward the people on the opposite side.

“Ji—”

I teleported again.

And used Absolute Barrier once more.

Kagagakang!

The mana remaining in my Dragon Heart was rapidly decreasing.

Seeing me like this, the Blood Fiend laughed cruelly.

“When I see those who believe in protecting the weak, their actions always end up the same.”

“Taking hostages and threatening, is that fun?”

“Yeah. It’s fun. Especially when I crush that pitiful belief. It’s a huge pleasure.”

The Blood Fiend swung his sword twice.

To the left and to the right.

Two directions.

He gave me the choice to pick one.

‘Who gave you that choice?’

But I had no intention of choosing.

Thanks to the effect of the top-grade Mana Recovery Potion, my mana replenished rapidly.

I teleported to block the first Sword Slash, then immediately moved to where the second was headed.

Kagagakang!

“Not bad at all. But mana is limited. I wonder how far you can keep this up.”

At the Blood Fiend’s gesture, the Association’s swordmasters who had been resting joined the fray.

At that moment, Anne’s voice whispered in my ear.

[Owner. I’m ready.]

I had been waiting for this moment.

“Now it’s my turn.”

Then I gave Anne the order.

[Activate.]

[Yes.]

Wuuuuung!

Just like when the Blood Fiend activated the Destruction Blood Angel Array, light burst from around the Association.

But this time it was blue, not red.

“Kugh!”

“…What is this?”

“My body… feels heavy.”

The swordmasters attacking me sensed the change and faltered.

I took advantage and stretched out my hand, preparing magic.

Gooooh!

A spear of wind formed in my hand.

Dragon Fang Spiral Spear.

I threw it toward the swordmasters.

The rapidly advancing spear whipped up a massive whirlwind.

Kwaaaaang!

The dragon’s teeth devoured everything.

Everyone in front was torn apart.

“Guaaah!”

“Kuhk!”

The swordmasters vanished without a trace, and those nearby collapsed with limbs torn off.

Unlike before, they did not recover.

But the civilians caught in the Dragon Fang Spiral Spear began slowly restoring their bodies.

Seeing this, the Blood Fiend’s gaze grew cold.

“…What did you do?”

“I just changed what you had in my own way.”

I had called Anne to solve the array, only to learn she could alter the formation.

A technique that drains the life force of those trained in certain martial arts and transfers it to others.

Known as the Reverse Destruction Blood Celestial Soul Formation.

From now on, I could fight the Blood Fiend without worrying about the civilians.

“You altered the formation? You?”

“Yes. I changed it. And now, it’s time you taste true hell.”

I infused mana into the ring on my hand.

[Using Ring of Laccas.]

[Gathering all light in this area.]

A gift left to me by the Small Blood Demon Mujin.

[Blessing of Darkness activated.]

[All stats greatly increased.]

[Dark attribute skill power increased.]

Until now, I had held these two back, worried about civilians getting caught in my magic.

But now that restraint was gone.

I could fight the Blood Fiend with full force.

‘Dark Eye.’

I found the Blood Fiend in the darkness.

Ni.”

I relaxed my sword in a comfortable stance.

“Darkness, huh… I’m more familiar with darkness than anyone, and yet you’re trying to create darkness against me?”

“Is that so?”

“Wearing that ring was your mistake.”

Peurong!

The Blood Fiend kicked off the ground and flew at me.

Seeing his wide sword swing, I used Small Ice Blossom.

Kwaang!

Jjeojuk!

Kwaang!

Jjeojuk!

Kwaang!

Jjeojuk!

I used Small Ice Blossom repeatedly to block the Blood Fiend’s attacks.

As time passed, his movements slowed, and my mana and stamina recovered.

Pabat!

The Blood Fiend backed off briefly to catch his breath and smirked.

“Thanks for the time.”

“…What?”

“Because of you, I was able to awaken the power of blood.”

No sooner had he spoken than his eyes flashed, and a red blood light glimmered in the darkness.

Gooooh!

With the red aura, the Blood Fiend’s hair whipped wildly in every direction.

He exuded a terrifying aura as if a demon had appeared.

“Oh. Ultimate move?”

“Khahahaha. Die.”

Grasping his sword with both hands, he raised it high and struck down at me with all his might.

“Sorry, but…”

I stretched out my hand and created Ice Blossom.

A massive icy peak bloomed open, hundreds of ice petals blossoming.

Kwaaaang!

I blocked the Blood Fiend’s strike.

“You’re the one dying.”

Clenching my fist, I summoned flames.

Black flames.

A variation of Jessica’s Burning Impact.

Flames imbued with the power of darkness surrounded my fist.

Flash!

I teleported and closed in on the Blood Fiend.

I thrust my tightly clenched fist with all my might.

“Dark Impact.”

The dark flames condensed in my fist exploded.

Kwaaaang!

Blood Fiend Sakyum.

He was once a prisoner.

He was given the chance to become a Hunter, and he seized it, exploring the Labyrinth and growing his power.

He was lucky enough to inherit the Blood Demon legacy.

Sakyum’s talent combined with the Blood Demon legacy created an immense synergy, and he quickly became one of the twelve strongest in the world.

The prisoner Sakyum disappeared, reborn as Twelve Constellations Sakyum.

Absolute power that let him kill without consequence.

He indulged in that power.

He found pleasure in seeing others fear him and enjoyed becoming a figure of terror.

His goal was to make the whole world fear him.

He even entered seclusion training for that.

To gain power far beyond the other Twelve Constellations.

‘Finally…

I have discovered the way to surpass my limits and glimpsed the path.

That alone made the seclusion training a success.’

With this new power in hand, Sakyum left seclusion and looked down at his disciple, now a broken man.

One who should have been the target of fear.

Instead, he was consumed by fear himself.

‘Pathetic.’

Killing his disciple, who was unfit for the Blood Pavilion, he set his sights on the Dokkaebi.

To trample on Korea’s hope.

And to instill fear in them.

…That was for sure.

“Kuhk…”

Breathing heavily, Sakyum’s head drooped.

His breathing grew shallow, and his body grew cold.

He felt death approaching closer than ever before.

‘Is this what fear is?’

Sakyum shuddered at the unfamiliar sensation he had never felt even descending the Labyrinth.

Something indescribable.

A difference in magnitude beyond mere fear.

Step.

Step.

The Dokkaebi slowly approached.

Lowering its stance, the Dokkaebi removed its mask.

Meeting eyes that shone golden, I could only think—

“Kneel.”

The Dokkaebi’s words shook my brain.

I was powerless to resist.

Trembling, Sakyum knelt and prostrated himself before the Dokkaebi.

“Yes.”

As soon as he spoke, he realized he had become subservient to the Dokkaebi.

The Dokkaebi gave a sinister smile.

“Hand over the Labyrinth you possess.”

“Understood.”