NOVEL WEB Chapter 172
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As the fearsome energy engulfed the pit, a gut-wrenching scream pierced the air like a death knell. Amidst the plague’s howls, I sensed some writhing movements, but thankfully nothing emerged.
When I finally stepped outside, the wolf was too exhausted to even gasp. It lacked the strength to breathe, having been overwhelmed by the toxic green mist.
I had entertained thoughts of dying. Stretching out its tentacles and using its transformation skill had been a desperate struggle, but it managed to survive. Yes, it survived. It could escape the grasp of that poisonous vapor. But that was as far as it went. Everything below its neck was gone.
Without a heart, the wolf’s biological functions had ceased.
Even the little consciousness that remained was dimming, sensing death creeping closer.
…The imitation elixir. That was a must-drink.
The wolf stretched out its tentacle to open its storage, popped the lid off the imitation elixir and gulped it down in one go. The taste was something it had never experienced before, and in less than the blink of an eye, the lost part below its neck completely regenerated… That was the future the wolf envisioned.
But that future would never come to pass.
The wolf wanted to reach out for its storage again, but in that fleeting moment, its condition worsened to the point where its body simply wouldn’t respond. No, it didn’t even have the faintest flicker of consciousness or self to react. If not for the tenacity it displayed, that dim flicker would have vanished entirely.
In the fading vision before it, the wolf saw a horde of plagues approaching.
…This choice doesn’t feel wrong. In such a dire moment, I believe it was the best option available to defeat the plague.
But there was a lingering regret that perhaps there could have been another way.
As the horde reached closer, they extended a hand, lifting the wolf’s head. With its jaw dropping, the wolf mirrored the gesture, attempting to bite the wrist that held it. But it merely touched their teeth; it had no strength left to truly bite.
At that moment, the wolf sensed its impending death.
It sensed death, but… it couldn’t be allowed to die.
A gentle breeze brushed against the wolf’s cheek.
And just before the cold chill that swept past faded, it managed to cling onto what little consciousness remained.
Amid this, its sight was tilting in and out. One of the figures holding the wolf tumbled, skewered by a massive icicle and loosening their grip. Just before crashing to the ground, someone caught the wolf, and it looked up at this savior in a daze. But it couldn’t see them clearly.
The green mist had corroded the wolf’s eyes, and its consciousness was so fuzzy that it questioned if it could truly identify that person.
“……”
Submitting its body to the arms that held it, the wolf recognized the familiarity of the embrace and finally had a notion of who it was.
When something fell and touched its lips, sensations began to return. It was crimson blood… its own blood that had been offered.
Even though it could hardly swallow it, the one who had uncorked it sprinkled dragon blood onto the wolf’s head. A small amount, but it seeped in as if it was something that had to happen, gradually clarifying the blur in the wolf’s vision. Before it knew it, the realization struck: a multitude of dragons were soaring in the fantasy world. While gazing at the flapping wings that danced through the skies, one dragon descended gracefully towards the wolf.
Sporting two pairs of wings—big and small—and a body intricately close to that of a dragon rather than a serpent. It was still larger compared to other fairy-type monsters, yet somehow more diminutive than its original stature. Its body was a blend of violet and emerald, now adorned with even more colors, exuding an enchanting aura.
…But none of that mattered.
The moment it saw it, the wolf realized it was Ferry. When the beautiful tail wrapped around it, vibrant particles of light infiltrated its being.
A dragon that feeds on negativity. The particles of light from the fairy dragon, possessing the power to heal wounds, penetrated the wolf’s being, lifting it from its drowning consciousness.
As its consciousness solidified, the wolf’s latent abilities began to awaken.
The lone remaining head sprouted like a seed and began to flourish, rapidly regenerating the parts that had been lost.
[…Level 10 Regeneration (D) → Level 1 Superior Regeneration (C)]
The enhanced regeneration began to reconstruct the wolf’s body. It was a surreal sight as the body emerged while its head remained attached. As regeneration responded, the clarifying consciousness triggered skills one after the other.
From smell and hearing to sight itself. With its eyes wide open again, the wolf clearly saw the face of the person holding it.
Disheveled and exhausted, drenched in cold sweat and bone-tired as if every ounce of magic had been expended. Despite that, the expression portrayed a deep worry like it wouldn’t let go.
“…Are you okay?”
A gentle voice. Surrounded by dragons and the girl, the wolf stared blankly at Baek So-yul’s face.
Before it knew it, chaos engulfed the surroundings. The fairy-type monsters not only flew around, but the earth was becoming devastated. This was a result of the wolf battling the plague, but also due to the incoming barrage of magic.
Many mages had descended from the floating island to join the fight. Purple butterflies danced amidst the fairy-type monsters, pushing through and defending against the mounting hordes.
Finally, with the wolf restored, it quietly closed its eyes.
…Amid the deluge of messages that seemed to have been anticipated, none contained the words it was looking for. To validate that, a rustling sound broke through.
Amid the explosive sounds of war, that rustling was strangely clear. From the deep pit, mangled and broken, it was crawling up.
The plague. Having ignited black and ready to succumb at any moment, yet still clinging to life. The reason it was barely alive was its consciousness had faded, and the flame of fear had waned. Although battered and ragged, it could still muster the will to move.
“――――――!!!”
Looking up, the howls of the monster reverberated through the air. The chillingly malevolent howl carried enough magical energy to seize attention. Its shimmering gaze possessed an intensity greater than before. The black scourge, scanning its surroundings, made everyone, including Baek So-yul, tremble involuntarily.
It was overwhelming grandeur. The aura froze everyone in place. Unsure if they were even breathing, their trembling legs struggled to register signals from their brains.
Fear washed over, and terror engraved itself within. The plague wasn’t at the mercy of the floating island; it was dangerously close, within reach. Only then did the concept of disaster resonate.
Even at this stage, the plague remained. Just the realization of its presence was beginning to alter the tide of battle. The movements of the horde intensified, and the mages who finally regained their senses began to retreat. Even with Square Masters present, the sheer numbers overwhelming Iran were apparent. Tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, of these hordes rushed forward endlessly, seemingly no road out.
As they were pushed back helplessly, green smoke began to emanate from the plague, sending chaos into overdrive—
“―――.”
A low howl that seemed to echo from the depths of the abyss pierced everyone’s ears.
It brought an ominous sensation that felt like grasping the heart, paralyzing movements, nullifying the need for escape.
Their shadows began to ripple. The energy that had spread from some point began to dominate the shadows, cutting and devouring in repetition. If the extending shadow resembled a branch, then its roots lay in that energy. At the starting point stood the Black Marang.
Finally regaining its full form, the wolf locked eyes with the black, raging plague.
As the contorted figure of the plague lunged with its jaws wide, intent on consuming the wolf, it didn’t budge an inch.
Flanking the wolf were the dragon and the girl—Ferry and Baek So-yul. Most importantly, the wolf had no intention of retreating.
Before the plague’s teeth could latch onto the wolf, the two fangs it possessed—the fear and void—burned and consumed it faster.
The charging beast faltered, its steps beginning to slow. As the weight of the monster tipped towards the ground, when the dust was devoured by the rising fear, the plague lay defeated at Marang’s feet.
At long last, the beast of disaster breathed its last.
It marked the end of a calamity that had driven humanity towards oblivion for decades.
As expected, the occurrences unfolded as they should.
With the lord fallen, the horde sprawled out across the ground. As the plague’s hordes collapsed as if in pact, the obstructed view opened once more, and when they gazed upon the charred monstrosity, disbelief painted their faces.
And it wasn’t just any disbelief. They each recognized it far too well. They knew what the monster of the plague was. What it was truly capable of. The one who bore the ability to never die, the master of those hordes, now lay defeated—it was an unfathomable realization.
Breaking the profound silence, the sounds of hoofbeats echoed closer, prompting the wolf to turn its head.
“You’ve done it! Congratulations!”
Upon White Deer’s words, the wolf merely nodded calmly, yet internally its heart pounded with overwhelming emotion. It knew the most significant four calamities… at long last, it had felled one.
However, the crowd’s demeanor wasn’t entirely bright.
The shadows of destruction cast over humanity had lifted, yet a chilling peace descended upon the ravaged city of Tehran.
***
In the end, it had succeeded.
In a battle against a foe of higher caliber, it had wrested victory from the jaws of defeat. The victory stemmed from various factors, but everything had been created and seized by itself. There was no doubt about it.
It had beautifully taken down one of the gravest threats to humanity….
But that had complicated matters.
The plague shouldn’t have fallen here.
Though it knew it was its fault for allowing it to unfold while watching, it simply couldn’t tear its gaze away from that battle….
With an emotional sigh, it looked up beyond the heavens.
…Not yet. Not yet was it prepared.
***
The mages stood in silence as they beheld the downed calamity.
Though one of the biohazards that had plagued humanity lay defeated, the feat hadn’t been accomplished by human hands. It was yet another monster. Faced with the ominous Black Marang, they couldn’t mask their unease.
A primal fear clawed deep within them. The response of a prey regarding its predator. To topple one calamity implied that the Marang could very well birth another disaster if it so desired.
Such is the chilling nature of this peace. As tension hung thicker, Aster observed his student approaching the Marang.
—That cannot happen. It must not. With that thought, Aster was the first to speak to the Marang.
“Marang.”
The wolf, who had been conversing with White Deer, turned its attention towards him. No, it wasn’t just the wolf. Everyone’s gaze had narrowed in.
Speaking up in such circumstances didn’t sit well with him. Yet, if not now, then when would he have the chance again? And by that time…
Aster’s gaze flickered briefly to Hong Yu-ri, and he let out a heavy sigh.
What on earth had he asked for in exchange for defeating the plague? What had he promised to sacrifice? Could Marang possibly covet treasure? Life? Lifespan? Perhaps something completely outside his comprehension.
Indeed, it felt like an ill omen. Even though the plague had been toppled, he could never sacrifice his student’s life. It was from that anguish that Aster spoke with his eyes closed.
“Take my life instead.”
“A-Aster!”
Even with someone calling out to him, he shook his head.
“An aged body like mine belongs to a Square Master. Moreover, being the mentor of that child, I would suffice as a substitute.”
It was a declaration of resolve. Though not in perfect condition, considering the Marang who had toppled the plague and the unknown dragons and deer aiding it, treating it as an enemy would spell out yet another catastrophe.
With unwavering determination, Aster opened his eyes again and tilted his head toward the puzzled gaze of his student, who looked bemused at the scene unfolding nearby.
“……?”
An awkward silence settled amidst the brightening morn.
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