NOVEL WEB Chapter 51
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“So you’re the daughter of the Butterfly of Covenant?”
A brief silence followed, and then the question came. Lee Baek-seom, no, Anela let out a sigh.
“Is it that hard to believe?”
“I’ve never heard of the Butterfly of Covenant having a daughter.”
I’ve heard about a son, though. That thought made Anela twist her lips.
“That would be true. The successor is my younger sibling.”
“Younger sibling?”
“Yes. That’s right. A very talented younger sibling. Just as you lot didn’t even know I existed.”
An unexpected emotional shift. Gu Jin-ha could feel a deep groove—a bitter feeling—from her words. Anela spat them out as if she was bored.
“Don’t you know? What’s most important to a mage.”
“…?”
“Talent. Talent. Talent. Talent! It’s all about talent!”
Finally, Gu Jin-ha understood where the contempt she revealed was directed.
‘The outcast. Was it you called me a loser?’
“Why? Why am I…!”
Anela covered her face with both hands, and there was a moment of silence. Then, as if she had become a different person, she smiled brightly.
“Ah~ I’m sorry. I got a bit carried away, didn’t I? You asked if there was any way to trust me, right?”
“…yeah.”
“I may not have a way to prove I’m the daughter of the Butterfly of Covenant.”
Anela pulled the corners of her lips upward. To Gu Jin-ha, it looked like a distorted mask.
“But if I spill everything I know, wouldn’t you believe me a bit?”
“…?”
“Do you know who leads the Shadow Zone? No, by now wouldn’t you have an idea?”
Her lively laughter seemed mocking, or perhaps self-deprecating.
“No way.”
“Yes. That’s exactly it.”
She nodded and divulged everything she knew.
From why Agail was chased out of the Square to the very reason the organization called Shadow Zone was created. Her warped face spoke as if telling someone else’s story.
“I see.”
After hearing all this, Gu Jin-ha faced Anela for the first time rather than her tail.
The sister who was exiled for committing terrible atrocities and the one who couldn’t even fill the void left by her. What did she feel when the Butterfly of Covenant told her to find her brother?
‘Chasing the shadow of an exiled brother for three years.’
Gu Jin-ha said nothing. Instead, a powerless smile crept onto his lips. To him, Anela spoke in a voice that was cold and distant.
“Don’t tell me you’re feeling sorry for me?”
“No, not at all.”
“Then why?”
Just as she was about to shout something, furious at his nonchalant tone, someone appeared with a faint light.
***
“Didn’t you hear anything?”
“Huh? No. Didn’t hear a thing…”
Derrick frowned, and the mage flinched in surprise.
“Ah, I’ll go check it out.”
As the mage hurriedly ran off, Derrick sighed.
‘How frustrating.’
What could they do with such folks? Just then, a loud noise echoed, and he slapped a hand to his forehead.
“Hah. It’s from the main area. Go find out what’s going on.”
“But won’t that leave our defenses weak?”
“We’ve cut off our power and maintained the barriers, haven’t we? Hurry up and go check—?”
Before he could finish, something rolled in from the corridor.
“Is that—no way.”
What rolled in was a head, a face filled with dread despite being dead. Just before it could scream, its breath was cut off, choking on panic.
“No way, could it be an intruder?”
Derrick shook his head. No way they could have known about Building B; since there was no other way in, how could they…? As he wondered, he felt himself moving.
‘……?’
No, it wasn’t moving, but trembling. His shaking hands spread tremors to his arms, shoulders, waist—slowly through his entire body.
‘Why?’
Before he could process that question, his heart began to pound like crazy. Finding himself with a hand on his chest, Derrick realized the trembling had stopped.
‘……?’
No, it hadn’t stopped. He couldn’t move.
Even without completely understanding the situation—like it didn’t matter, his head and heart screamed to run away. As his breath quickened and his head spun, he finally heard a beastly growl.
***
“Here it is.”
Following the traces, he arrived at what looked like an ordinary abandoned building.
“Someone killed the Lee Baek-seom Hunter here…?”
“Let me repeat, we’re merely a temporary search party. The deceased Lee Baek-seom Hunter was Class B. You might as well back out now.”
At the words of the leading clan Lord, they shook their heads vigorously.
“Even if it is you, we can’t let you go alone. We’ll lend a hand, however small.”
Not one person backed down at this hour of the night. For a moment, Lee Eun-ja-rim met their gazes and nodded.
“Alright. Then let’s breach the building now—?!”
Lee Eun-ja-rim’s fingertips trembled. The breaths of the Hunters, who had shown such determination until just now, quickened. Their faces turned pale, and eventually, one by one, they clutched their chests and collapsed.
‘What on earth?’
A chilling, oppressive aura was rising from below. It was a pure mass of murderous intent he’d never felt before. Lee Eun-ja-rim bit her lip.
“…Wait here.”
“Cl-clan Lord! It’s dangerous! This is really—!”
At the moment a clan member grabbed her shoulder, she forcefully shoved him away.
“……?!”
Then, the spot where he’d just stood exploded. A voice echoed from the air as if mocking the wide-eyed Hunters.
“What a shame. You have good instincts.”
A voice that acknowledged it had attacked. Lee Eun-ja-rim hurled a spear at the space from which the voice came.
“Ugh!”
With a splitting sound, the spear collided with the air and fell to the ground as a man stepped out of the ripped space.
“Who are you?”
“Girl. And you must be easy to recognize. A disciple of Chang-seon?”
“You know and still want to fight me?”
Lee Eun-ja-rim glared at the man, who radiated a chilling aura. He wore a robe that obscured his face. The moment his barely visible lips twisted.
“Do you think that name will protect you?”
A purple magic power began to materialize in the man’s hand.
***
The robed mage entered the laboratory.
“Damn it. What on earth is that noise?”
There’s nothing here. Just another pointless hysteria. Complaining, the mage turned when the sound of a door closing froze him in place.
‘Did I leave the door open?’
No. There’s no way I would have. What if the bugs inside came out? Gathering his courage, the mage quickly turned his head.
‘I was just being paranoid.’
He felt relieved at finding nothing and turned back, but the mage’s eyes widened in horror.
“……!”
A monster wearing the guise of a wolf stared at him with dripping saliva, its eyes filled with a murderous intent.
“A-a monster…!”
Before he could scream, a massive paw struck the mage’s head. In that brief moment, he felt the world spinning. And just before his consciousness faded away, he realized it wasn’t the world that was spinning, but himself.
The wolf, gazing down at the headless corpse, stained its robe’s front with its drool. It let out a low growl filled with suppressing anger that could not be quelled.
“Grrr—”
One step. Another.
The crunching of teeth began to echo, the chilling aura sweeping through everything the wolf represented. As the wolf exited the lab, it walked down the narrow passage slowly, as if granting time. Soon it faced a group of mages breathing heavily, positioned along the narrow corridor. There were twelve of them. The moment the wolf sensed their numbers, it let out a low growl, startling the mages back to reality.
“T-the Skull Wolf has escaped!”
In rapid succession, the chanting for spells began. Nevertheless, the wolf strolled leisurely. The mage who had created the flickering flame spear finished his incantation first, raising the corners of his lips. Yet, before the fiery spear even reached the wolf, it was ripped apart in the air and vanished.
“……?!”
It seemed to grant them a reprieve, and at last, the wolf bared its teeth.
As the sharp fangs appeared beneath the white skull, the wolf vanished from the mage’s sight.
“Krah, krah!”
The moment the mage saw the empty eye sockets of the wolf his partner had been bitten in, fear consumed him.
“Heeek!”
How did it even get this far? A black chain brushed past the terrified mage.
“Lanțul corupției—!”
Derrick rapidly completed his incantation. The chain that corrupts what it touches coiled around the wolf.
“How did the Skull Wolf escape…?”
It was reckless to take it easy, and halting his chant proved to be a mistake. The chain was instantly severed, and a fierce bloodlust took shape from the wolf.
“Fire?”
Like collecting burnt ashes, ominous black flames surrounded the wolf.
“What are you doing! Chant! Chant!”
At someone’s shout, the petrified mages jolted into action. Yet, the choice they made was flight, not fight. In their state of terror, facing it was not an option. The wolf, baring its fangs, began its slaughter without mercy. The mages, scared stiff, pushed and shoved each other.
“Get out of the way! Move!”
Finally, a mage reached the partition with the elevator, frantically smashing the button. Down, down, down! Hastily.
‘W-why?’
The elevator didn’t move. Seeing the elevator was out of order, the mage sat down in despair.
‘Ah.’
Realizing he had been the one to cut off the elevators’ power, the mage let out a hollow laugh of resignation.
Soon, a black shadow loomed over him.
***
[Threat (F) Lv.10 has reached its maximum level. Threat (F) Lv.10 -> Intimidation (E) Lv.1]
Three. Three steps ahead.
Not a single one would escape him. Even after killing all the mages who ran to the bathroom, his rage had not subsided. When he stepped outside, a large flame erupted as if it had been waiting for him.
“Second verse chant! Surely not without incident…?”
The incinerating flames consumed the ashes. Stirring up a wind, the ash scattered.
“……?!”
A mage consumed by black flames stared wide-eyed. While they shrieked and struggled, he realized the other mages were nowhere to be found.
‘Where to?’
He sensed movements. The power room—it seemed like they were trying to restore the supply. He slammed his magic against the thick wall barring his path to the power room.
Twice. The wall crumbled as he smashed the closed door to the power room. Without hesitation, he dashed through the wrecked machinery to the room where all the elixirs were kept.
“H-haha. I’ve been waiting!”
One mage let out a sly grin. As he pressed the button in hand, the room filled with magic. Before a massive spell could manifest— the mage’s head rolled off. Crushing the rolling head with his paw, blood and brain matter splattered over the floor.
“…….”
One more. Following the scent, he returned to the front of the bathroom. Then he turned his body around.
‘…So he didn’t go up.’
Attempting to restore power was foolish. He’d already ensured the elevator wouldn’t operate. Following the scent, he headed to the unentered room.
‘What’s in here?’
Earth and sand. Weapons and targets. Glancing around, he spotted Derrick Clark at the end of the training room.
“You came all the way here…!”
What caught his eye first was a piece of paper on the ground beneath him.
‘A spell book?’
That’s right. This was the mages’ hideout. It would be weirder if there weren’t any. Just before his light could envelop him, he pierced the culprit’s chest.
“Cough…!”
Even as he bled, clutching his chest, the culprit wickedly grinned.
Eventually, when the mage’s figure faded, the wolf revealed its teeth.
A distinct willful intent of slaughter spread throughout the entire hideout.
—Determined not to miss a single one.
***
“……!”
“We’ll talk later. More importantly.”
Weak magic. And with light emerged a man fallen to the floor. The team leader, examining the fallen man, turned him over and confirmed he’d been pierced through the heart.
“He’s dead.”
His breath had already left him. The certainty of his demise made the team leader shake his head.
“D-Derrick? This man… this man! Derrick Clark!”
“…is he the associate you mentioned?”
“Yes! He was expelled from the Square with Agail. But why on earth?”
Before he could ponder where he appeared from, or why he lay dead—a massive explosion caused the ceiling to cave in.
Once the dust settled, a woman fell, wiping her mouth with her wrist.
“Seon-ja (仙子)?”
Gu Jin-ha’s voice couldn’t hide his confusion as Lee Eun-ja-rim turned her head quickly.
“Team Leader? What are you doing here?”
“That’s what I want to ask you. Why on earth?”
As if there was no need to answer that question, Lee Eun-ja-rim gestured to the ceiling. Soon, from the destroyed ceiling, someone walked down a purple staircase.
“……?!”
Gu Jin-ha felt an overwhelming magic from him.
‘Could it be more than Hong Yu-ri…?!’
Who could possess such magic? Gu Jin-ha’s question was spat at by Anela.
“Agail…!”
“So that person is?”
“Yes. The leader of the Shadow Zone…”
Resisting against the crushing magic, Anela stood up.
“My damn brother.”
As Agail touched the ground, he scanned the surroundings, his gaze briefly landing on Derrick’s lifeless body.
“I see. Seems like everything’s already been sorted here.”
The cold voice echoed through the underground.
“Agail!”
“Right. Anela. So you’re here too.”
As their cold gazes met, Anela gritted her teeth.
“Surrender! Do you think you have any chance against us three?!”
The trio consisted of the team leader of the Dawn’s leaders and Chang-seon’s disciple from the Forest of Euna. Agail coolly regarded them with frosted eyes.
“Allow me to ask in return.”
As purple magic began to spread, the pressure grew without end, filling the air with a storm that whipped the cloak around him, revealing his face where coldness shone in his eyes.
“Do you really think the three of you can handle me?”
With the tempest of overwhelming magic, Gu Jin-ha gritted his teeth.
‘Damn it.’
He’d just recalled that this location was Agail’s hideout. What did it mean to fight within a mage’s haven?
‘This is bad.’
The situation was dire. Still, there was no way to escape it.
“Get ready to fight.”
At Lee Eun-ja-rim’s words, Gu Jin-ha nodded slightly.
Agail had no intention of retreating. Even if this was a mage’s lair, he could easily regroup if he chose to pull back.
‘As if that’s something he would do.’
In an instant, Agail had completed his incantation and raised his hand.
“—Halucinație.”
“Halucinație—!”
The same spell unleashed simultaneously, signaling the start of the battle. In under a second, Anela’s magic shattered against Agail’s spell, but that was enough. In the blink of an eye, Gu Jin-ha and Anela closed the gap to assault Agail.
“Done.”
The fight ended far more anticlimactically than they had imagined.
With the sensation of stabbing his heart, shaking his wrist, Agail’s blood splattered onto the floor, forming a crescent moon. Even though it was from the front of a hideout, the mage had appeared. If they were careful with magic, they could win—such was the deception.
“Get a grip! What are you doing?!”
“……!”
At her spell-laden shout, Gu Jin-ha’s eyes lit up. Just as he barely dodged the black chain, Agail snickered.
“Did you think you had won?”
“…Since when?”
Since when had he been seeing illusions? At last, he remembered the Square. Among them, how the Purple Square went by another name.
“The sect of Illusions.”
Suddenly realizing that this man before him was indeed the heir of the Butterfly of Covenant.
‘Is this the talent Anela spoke of?’
“Ugh…!”
Finally woke up, Lee Eun-ja-rim winced in pain. How had she been hit? A deep wound now marred her abdomen.
‘This is no bluff.’
He truly had the power to bring them down. The faint light descending beyond the collapsed ceiling. And as the clouds obscured the moonlight, even that dwindled away into darkness.
“…….”
In the pitch black, Gu Jin-ha swallowed hard.
‘What on earth should we do.’
Uncertainty loomed; any reckless movement could lead to disaster. Even using magic detection wouldn’t penetrate his power enough to locate him.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m holding up.”
A calm response belied what was truly happening. The chains of corruption slowly seeped into her wound, pressing against it with magic. She wouldn’t last much longer.
“Anela, can you light up?”
“Ușoară!”
Light emerged from her fingertips. A brilliance meant to illuminate the darkness. It definitely should have lit everything up, right?
‘Why?’
The light failed to dispel the darkness. Why? As if answering her question, the darkness began to blaze.
‘What is this?’
Not just darkness, but flames that seemed to be pitch black.
In a familiar feeling he had seen before, he opened his eyes wide.
“No way…!”
From the other side of the corridor came a low wail.
And along with it, an even greater bloodlust— engulfing the entire hideout.
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