NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 191
Most of the residents of Semnan City survived, and although the Square fell, the Plague and Disease were defeated. It couldn’t be a more encouraging achievement since the emergence of monsters and dungeons.
News of the unbelievable defeat of the two scourges—Plague and Disease—originated from Europe, which had been pushing humanity toward doom, became a hot topic that excited everyone immensely.
At first, many couldn’t believe it, but as soldiers and hunters began to return and testify, there was no way to doubt it.
While rumors about some Wolf and Marang circulated, they were quickly dismissed as nonsense. After all, the common belief was that a monster couldn’t help humanity, and even if it did, there couldn’t possibly be another creature to combat the Plague and Disease.
However, for those who were aware of Marang’s existence, it came as quite a surprise.
Thus, humanity, momentarily free from the looming doom, reveled in decades’ worth of joy, celebrating festivals like never before.
…Of course, from the perspective of an outsider.
“Damn…”
Hong Yu-ri rubbed her forehead, as if her head was throbbing. While humanity celebrated, the Square was in utter chaos. Some argued for reconstruction while others claimed the Square was unnecessary. On a small scale, the mages’ residence had vanished, and on a larger scale, humanity’s last stronghold had crumbled. There was no way the aftermath could be ignored.
The residence—of course, that included Hong Yu-ri’s mansion.
“Are you okay?”
Sitting on the Wolf’s back, Hong Yu-ri sighed deeply.
“…It’s annoying, but it can’t be helped.”
Who could have predicted the fall of the Square? With the Floating Island completely destroyed, her mansion in Red Square had also collapsed. Of course, money wasn’t a problem; she could throw it away for a lifetime, but the real issue was the precious items and research materials that had been inside the mansion.
“You’ve lost your blood too…”
The Wolf chuckled softly at her gloomy face.
Unlike other mages, Hong Yu-ri didn’t even have time to return to her mansion, and it seemed like she was heartbroken over losing all the Dragon Blood she had managed to gather.
“Was that what was bothering you?”
“…”
“I can give you as much Dragon Blood as you want. And…”
The Wolf swallowed the words he was about to say. It wasn’t just her; Dragon Blood had manifested as a skill for others too. Now, her blood was Dragon Blood as well.
“…It’s nothing.”
“What? What is it?”
He hesitated to say it. Perhaps because her species had suddenly changed, she hadn’t realized it yet. Yet, she would catch on soon. The thought of her slitting her wrists just because he told her gave him no desire to share.
Ignoring Hong Yu-ri’s insistence to speak, the Wolf walked ahead until an indignant voice reached them, prompting Hong Yu-ri to turn her head slightly.
“Hong Yu-ri! You scammer!”
“What, idiot?”
“I was wondering why you were so generous! Give me more! I want more!”
While Dorothy was throwing a fit about being scammed, Hong Yu-ri snorted and knocked her down.
“You’re the idiot for falling for it.”
Dorothy’s eyes widened, and she began spouting a barrage of curses. They were childish insults like ‘stupid anemone’ or ‘sea cucumber’… Ignoring the jabbering Dorothy, Hong Yu-ri pretended to clean her ears and blew on her fingers.
Of course, it wasn’t entirely unfathomable to understand Dorothy’s feelings.
The Dragon Blood she received in exchange for cooperation was merely 30mL. Considering it was the highest-grade Dragon Blood with immense magical power, its worth never diminished. That being said, receiving such a large quantity just for a little chit-chat could hardly feel like good fortune. After all, rarity was also one of the values of Dragon Blood. Yet if it turned out to be a bottomless refill, it could feel a bit unfair.
“You, pretending to be so generous on such a topic!”
Dorothy, who was crying out in clear distress, pouted and whined, but Hong Yu-ri didn’t bother to listen. It seemed even speaking was too tiresome as she tugged at her hair. Despite efforts to ignore her, after it happened two or three times, the Wolf finally turned his head.
“…!”
The momentum from earlier drained away, and Dorothy stiffened, unable to utter a word. The Wolf sighed internally, feeling a twinge of guilt for tormenting her.
Dorothy, her mouth hanging open in shock, turned pale and ran away, causing Hong Yu-ri to smile broadly.
“Ha, serves you right.”
“…Wasn’t I supposed to keep her under control with magic?”
“What? Am I supposed to lose to her?”
When the Wolf glanced back, he saw Dorothy crying in her mentor’s arms, shaking his head in disbelief. Having gained Dragon Blood and immense magical power, it was virtually impossible for Hong Yu-ri to lose to Dorothy. At this point, she might have a fighting chance against Agail too.
While she hadn’t reached the level of the Square Master yet, the gap wasn’t insurmountable. Fights with Dorothy were hardly meaningful in that context.
“Aren’t you interested in the position of successor?”
“It’s just a hassle… Why? Would you want that?”
At that, the Wolf shook his head. That was purely her choice, and it wasn’t his place to meddle.
“But, well…”
Scratching her horned forehead, Hong Yu-ri muttered.
“…I guess I could give a little.”
The Wolf suppressed a laugh as her tail twitched atop his back. He couldn’t help but laugh until Hong Yu-ri glared at him.
***
As they walked through the fantasy world, the Wolf noticed the tired forms of Fairy and Hong Yu-ri asleep on his back. He briefly opened his status to check.
[Doomsayer Marang (Devourer) Lv.50]
[EXP 55.38%]
After defeating the Plague, his EXP increased from 28.27% to 55.38%, thanks to the defeat of Disease.
[Destruction Probability 60.63% → 33.52%]
The destruction probability also dropped to 33.52%. At this point, it could be said that the shadow of annihilation had significantly lifted. Left to their own devices, humanity should be able to avoid doom for a while… at least until the world of Dansuhyeok meets its own end.
Of course, not every threat was eliminated. The very fact that the destruction probability existed meant that he had to fill the shoes of Dansuhyeok, who had previously been active.
But what was certain was they had bought themselves several years’ time. That was the only comfort.
As the Wolf strolled through the fantasy world, he quietly thought.
The remains of Disease had been transported to the fantasy realm and left intact. Once the experience points reached the maximum, consuming it would be the height of inefficiency. There was an ancient dragon here to consume the contamination, so there shouldn’t be any concern about someone coveting or stealing it.
…Inefficiency. Yes. It was inefficiency.
Unless he evolved, devouring held no meaning. Therefore, he needed to meet the system.
Before fighting Disease, the Master of All Things had clearly warned him. There was no doubt the system was watching him. He wondered if he could somehow converse by concentrating inwardly, but that wasn’t the case. The system remained silent. He’d have to go see it directly like last time.
With multiple questions, but being stuck in a path to growth, evolution was an essential element. The Wolf felt a small anxiety that the evolution route hadn’t been revealed until now.
He pondered if his growth had reached its limit. Would there be no further evolution?
While it was possible to raise skill levels, eventually, if the foundational stats didn’t also increase, limitations would manifest. If this continued, he couldn’t even hope to reach the level of the Master of All Things…
‘……’
With that thought, the Wolf meandered along the not-so-distant path.
***
Following the collapse of the Square, the mages dispersed, gathering at the still-functioning Kerman International Airport to wait for flights.
“Is it really necessary to fly?”
Waiting for a plane felt slower than just running there himself. To that remark, Hong Yu-ri nodded. Among those there were Baek So-yul and Anela. The Wolf also nodded in the same understanding, noticing they had reached the destination without scattering on their roughly 800 km journey. Perhaps Baek So-yul had seen them, as she opened her eyes wide and trotted over.
“…Teacher!”
As Baek So-yul hugged her tightly, Hong Yu-ri tapped her arms, looking a bit annoyed. Despite the gesture indicating to let go, Baek So-yul merely shook her head.
“…This is suffocating.”
“Are you feeling any better?”
“I’m fine, just let go a bit?”
While the two disciples were sharing joyful reunion behind them, the Wolf spoke to Anela, who was eyeing them with an astonished look.
“Where are you planning to go?”
Since Anela was currently teaching Baek So-yul, it made sense that she’d follow her. At his question, Anela squinted.
“You look quite cute, surprisingly.”
Having shrunk in size due to her transformation, she had to act like this. The airport wasn’t filled only with Square Masters; exposing her true self would certainly create a stir.
“…For now, I plan to head to Korea. It’s the last known location of Agail.”
After saying that, Anela covertly glanced at someone.
“Although you didn’t witness the final moments… Agail is buried there.”
“……”
“There are also people I wish to see~.”
Though she was smiling casually, the Wolf could only nod, unable to speak further. He felt he didn’t have the right to comfort her.
“All right. I’ll accompany you for the journey.”
“Okay~. You’re so lucky, So-yul~.”
Her teasing was evident, but Baek So-yul merely nodded quietly, showing no other reaction.
“…Now this is no fun.”
Grumbling as Anela drifted away, the Wolf looked up at Baek So-yul.
“Did anything happen?”
“Not really. Just a little tired, though…”
“…I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.”
“Hey.”
Her piercing glare told him she was aware, and the Wolf nodded knowingly.
“But it didn’t break.”
“……”
“That may sound like an excuse, but I’m still planning to help.”
At that, Hong Yu-ri turned her head, and Baek So-yul continued to glance over her. The horns sprouting from her forehead, her too-small wings, the long tail… clearly showcased her characteristics as a dragon. Many around them no longer saw her as human.
“…What about you, Teacher?”
“The transformation has ended.”
Stating firmly that there would be no more changes, Baek So-yul nodded again.
“There’s no risk of death, nor anything going wrong. However…”
“Thank you.”
Suddenly expressing gratitude startled the Wolf, catching him off guard. Baek So-yul bent her knees, as usual, lifting him into her embrace.
“Thank you for keeping your promise.”
“……I.”
The Wolf couldn’t say anything as Baek So-yul pet him gently.
‘I promise. I will definitely save you. No matter what happens.’
That promise he had made under the moonlight, vowing to her.
…The promise was kept. Though he couldn’t prevent the transformation, at least the promise made on that moonlit night was fulfilled.
Speechless, the Wolf could only look up at Baek So-yul, feeling her gentle touch as he quietly closed his eyes. Despite just being words, it felt like his heart was settling. Feeling relieved, the Wolf whispered softly.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you.”
They echoed the same sentiments to each other, interrupted by a scornful laugh.
“Geez. Here we go again with the melodrama. Shut up and get ready to board!”
With Hong Yu-ri squirming as if the scene was painful to watch and Fairy nodding in agreement, the Wolf chuckled. The two dragon kin were eerily similar in appearance. Regardless, it was time to head back. The Wolf quietly boarded the plane heading to Korea.
Aside from a minor commotion caused by Hong Yu-ri’s changed passport and race.