NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 63
Euna woke up to a fresh morning, scratching her head as she realized Hong Yu-ri was missing.
Normally, she’d be glaring and shouting about why she was late. Had she overslept? With a glimmer of hope, Euna opened the door to Team 3, greeted by a jovial team member.
“Hey! Long time no see!”
“Hello. Has the Vice Team Leader not come yet?”
He scratched the back of his head and called towards the closed door.
“Hey, has the Vice Team Leader shown up?”
“Why are you looking for that guy? It’s better if he’s not around. Forget it. Just check the news. The news!”
“What about the news?”
“It’s a complete mess. The Alpha footage is all over the CCTV. Now it’s making the news!”
“That thing that popped up on NewTube recently?”
“Yeah! And there’s more coming out by the minute!”
Looks like he’s really not here. Nodding to the voice she heard from the next room, Euna closed the door again.
“Alpha…”
She had a strong urge to go find them, but… she had already heard those words too many times. It was time to focus on training. Euna settled her heart and decided to practice alone for now.
‘They’ll be back soon, I’m sure.’
Having spent the whole day like that, Euna tilted her head again. This was not like them to just disappear without a word. After a moment of contemplation, she grabbed her phone.
[The call could not be connected. Beep, the call will be redirected to voicemail…]
“…?”
As another call failed to connect, she raised an eyebrow in confusion.
***
A tree was uprooted with ease. The shattered remains collided with a rocky mountain. An iron-like leg dug into the ground.
The charge didn’t stop. With every step, a thunderous sound trembled the earth. The dragon’s tail whipped through the air with force as it lunged at the wolf. An ignorant power ripped through the wall of air— in the next moment, the lunging wolf vanished.
“KwooOOoo!”
The invisible wolf. The dragon’s howl echoed as if shaking the heavens. Just then, as the sun peaked overhead casting a momentary shadow over the dragon’s back, a wolf suddenly appeared and bit down on the dragon’s neck. But it was tough luck biting through the hardened armor. As the dragon thrashed wildly, it became painfully clear that numerous tentacles and shadows erupted from the wolf, constricting and piercing the dragon’s entire body.
“―――!”
As the screaming dragon charged toward the rocky mountain, the wolf once again disappeared. The dragon collided with the mountain, causing a landslide. As darkness thickened from the falling debris, the dragon let out a shriek. And from the rising dust cloud, the remnants of blood and shredded pieces of armor flew.
—Soon, when a fierce wind blew and cleared the dust, the dragon was nowhere to be found.
[You have devoured the Earth Dragon (암갑룡). Experience and fullness increased.]
Like nothing happened, the wolf turned around. Below the already collapsed mountain lay nothing but traces of blood, proving that the recent events were not just a figment of imagination.
“Hmm.”
The White Deer hummed. It had yet to be a month since their first meeting in the fantasy world, but it was difficult to guarantee a victory now. No, most likely…
‘It’ll be me who loses.’
The White Deer shook its head.
It had grown into a monster in a different sense. When it came to the Earth Dragon, even Wyverns would avoid a fight. As the shapeless wolf retracted its shadows, its form finally appeared.
[Tyrant (음영랑) Lv.9] [EXP 120628 / 120628] [업 0.97%] [영량(影量) 179.59cm³]
[Height 2.37m] [Width 91.1cm] [Weight 126.6kg]
[Strength 216] [Agility 245] [Health 289] [Magic Power 251] [Endurance 10]
[Skill List]
Transformation (C) Lv.2, Tentacle Mass (E) Lv.9, Detection (D) Lv.7, Regeneration (D) Lv.4, Superior Stealth (C) Lv.5, Insight (D) Lv.5, Superior Hearing (D) Lv.1, Weak Intuition (E) Lv.3, Superior Vision (D) Lv.1, Damage Reduction (D) Lv.8, Hardening (D) Lv.7, Transformation (E) Lv.9, Weak Poison Resistance (E) Lv.1, Intimidation (E) Lv.5, Gluttony (D) Lv.8, Swimming (F) Lv.9, Diving (F) Lv.8, Superior Resilience (D) Lv.4, Insight (E) Lv.9, Sudden Wind (C) Lv.5, Superior Smell (D) Lv.1, Intuition (D) Lv.6, Hint (F) Lv.9, Magic Regeneration (D) Lv.4, Transformation (C) Lv.3, Pain Immunity (D), Fairy Language (F), Storage (E) Lv.2, Shadow Control (B)
[Remaining skill points 20]
The wolf, seemingly surveying itself, nodded.
‘Barely filled it all up.’
After evolving from level 30 back to level 1, its stats had taken a hit. Now leveled back up to 9, it had to consume most of the remaining monsters in the dragon’s wasteland. This was partly due to requiring an absurd amount of experience from level 1, but also because the experience gained from regular monsters decreased significantly.
‘…I can’t even get experience from a monster like the running raptor now.’
Regular monsters had turned that way. It was still possible to gain experience, just not efficiently. Better to hunt other monsters instead.
‘And 1%.’
The amount of required experience for evolution was 1%. It was exactly 10 times more than the amount needed to evolve into a Skull Wolf. And again, what it saw, that ‘something indescribable’— it could sense it more clearly because of how much experience it had spent.
‘…I think I understand now.’
It wasn’t just ‘something’— shaking its head, it realized it was a question it couldn’t answer just now. A yawning Fairy Dragon flopped about lazily above its head.
“Kyu-ru-ru-ru!”
Initially panicking because it couldn’t fit into its skull, it instead squirmed as if glad to have fur. Its form was that of a black wolf— now featuring patches of blue fur sprouting like a bad dye job. It’s wrapped in shadows like a cloak, and the Fairy Dragon seemed to enjoy its new shade.
‘Who do I think I am, a hotel?’
It seemed to get even cozier, making Euna chuckle.
‘And the magic capacity.’
The amount of shadows— judging by the cubic measurement, it looked like volume. Initially, it was only about 3cm in diameter but grew considerably to a nice 7cm sphere with every monster it took down.
‘The mechanics are fascinating.’
It couldn’t absorb the entirety of the shadow’s surface, but knowing it could expand the size was encouraging. And above all else…
‘Shadow Control.’
The evolution’s perk and the first B-grade skill it obtained. As befitting its rank, its efficiency and power were excellent. The only disappointment was that since shadows have no physicality, it couldn’t transfer the transformation like tentacles.
‘That’s a bit disappointing.’
She had considered evolving into a different form. With a liquid body, spreading transformations would be a breeze. But evolving into a behemoth would entirely change her style. If the Tyrant’s size were massive like a beast, she might have gone down that path.
‘There was no real reason to transform into an amorphous being.’
The greatest advantage of being shapeless was the freedom of transformation, but with the transformation skill, it was manageable enough, rendering it insignificant. The advantage of feeling no pain was also compensated for by pain immunity.
‘A pity about the Lack of Magic.’
The B-grade Shadow Control had greater potential than that. Settling her disappointment, she looked at the White Deer.
“Shall we go now?”
As if sensing her thoughts, the White Deer asked. The dungeon wasn’t cleared yet, but the troublesome monsters like Wyverns, Earth Serpents, and Earth Dragons were already dealt with, so clearing it wouldn’t be a problem. She felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
“Yeah.”
More importantly, with level-ups blocked by conditions, there was no longer a reason to stay in this fantasy realm.
It was time to head to the present, to the Academy.
***
“All set. You can board now.”
“…Are you serious? We’re really going on this?”
In the dark, as they boarded, the boat truly was tiny. A little ferry. Even using the latest materials, at the end of the day, a ferry is a ferry.
“Why act so surprised? Just get on. Keep your voice down.”
Since the sea’s calamity appeared, the ocean was no longer humanity’s domain. They couldn’t possibly appear in such narrow waters, but there were other monsters that made the ocean their base. If the boat got partially destroyed, it would be the worst-case scenario. They couldn’t use motorized or propulsion boats to avoid detection, so they had to paddle their way.
“What a pain.”
With a sigh, Hong Yu-ri reluctantly boarded the boat. Normally, one could fly using magic for shorter distances, but they had to cover nearly 30km, leaving them no choice. Once both had boarded, Woo Taek slowly began to paddle.
“Be quiet. Got it?”
Woo Taek nodded. After an hour of paddling through the still night sea, the island began to come into view.
“We got here quicker than I thought.”
“Is there really going to be the monster there?”
“No clue. We have no choice but to trust it.”
Having received information regarding the Plateau from Gu Jin-ha’s Anela, she had asked for updates on the Purple Square. The reply was short but strong, stating ‘The light headed towards Deokjeok Island.’ If it were the light, then it was definitely someone noteworthy from the Plateau. They might find clues connecting the rascals to the Plateau.
‘That’s why we came all this way.’
The island was desolate and quiet.
After it appeared in the sea, every person on the island had returned to the mainland. Nearly 50 years had gone by, and it was only natural. If it were an island as large as Jeju, it’d be different, but it was impossible for anyone to remain on this small island. And soon, Hong Yu-ri’s eyes sparkled.
“Got it.”
With her Tracking Eye, a skill that helped to find someone’s traces, Euna spotted footprints and faint remnants leading her to a worn signpost that read, ‘Deokjeok-myeon, Deokjeok-nam-ro.’
“Deokjeok-nam-ro?”
Hong Yu-ri guided the party, and soon they reached the coastline. Instead of a wide sandy beach— what they first encountered was a horrific feast of flesh. Countless pieces of body parts were squirming about on the floor.
“…No way.”
“Yes. This is the same guy we saw in Lee Hyun Park.”
The Flesh Monster. It seemed it couldn’t regenerate any longer, yet it was still writhing. When Woo Taek picked up a piece of flesh, Hong Yu-ri screamed in horror.
“Hey! Are you crazy?! Gross!”
As Woo Taek crushed the flesh in his fist, Gu Jin-ha shook his head.
“What on earth happened? It’s certain that the rascals are involved here.”
Gu Jin-ha scanned the surroundings yet saw nothing else visible. When he turned his gaze back to Hong Yu-ri, her expression demonstrated her nausea as she nodded towards a specific direction.
“That way. We’re almost there.”
“Team Leader. If it’s the same monster we saw at Lee Hyun Park…”
“You checked, right? Probably a weaker version.”
Woo Taek nodded quietly. If it were the same thing as the monster from the dungeon, the fallen flesh would even regenerate. After walking a bit further, they came out into the city, seeing similar flesh scattered everywhere on the roads. Gu Jin-ha sheathed his sword and pressed down on a piece of flesh.
“How much further?”
“Right around the corner.”
They were close enough to follow even without the Tracking Eye. With magic detection, they could sense presence— especially the flesh figures visible beyond the buildings.
“Woo Taek.”
“I’ll head to the dock first.”
In response to the quick call, Woo Taek nodded in agreement. As he ran towards the dock where the anchored boat was moored, Gu Jin-ha turned to Hong Yu-ri.
“Where’s the light?”
“…Over there.”
Gu Jin-ha enhanced his vision with magic to where Hong Yu-ri was pointing. There, he could see a man expertly jumping between the building walls and roofs.
“Is that the light? And what’s that?”
It appeared that the light was in a fight with someone. It looked to be in an advantageous position, yet for some reason, the light’s expression was far from good.
“I really don’t understand what’s going on.”
In a baffling situation. Gu Jin-ha just chased after the light, but it was unexpectedly entangled in a fight. Soon enough, as the light’s arrow pierced the man’s heart, he transformed into a colossal mass of flesh.
“……!”
It was said by the Monk that the flesh monster they encountered in the forest dungeon was Gu Ma-jun transformed. While hard to believe, it left no room for doubt before their eyes. Transforming into flesh meant that it was one of the rascals’ puppets. But why was the light fighting against them? Wasn’t the Plateau supposed to be allied with the rascals?
At that moment, the light’s eyes glimmered, and their gazes locked. Deciding there was no need to get entangled in something he didn’t understand, Gu Jin-ha came to a conclusion.
“Hong Yu-ri, let’s pull back and come back later…?”
“—Alb pur Stelele sunt sa explodeze!”
“What are you doing right now?”
“Here’s your death—!”
In the third verse, Hong Yu-ri completed her spell-casting, unleashing magic that obliterated the three flesh monsters in a swirl of pure light. Gu Jin-ha’s eyes widened as he roughly pulled her shoulder.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
“Too late. You dimwit.”
From the direction she pointed, Woo Taek was returning. His entire body was drenched in blood and flesh. It wasn’t his own, but just that sight alone made Gu Jin-ha’s forehead ache.
“Damn it. We got lured in.”
One of them should have been guarding the boat. It was clear it had been partially destroyed. Now they were boxed in, unable to escape the island. Just at the same moment, he felt a sharp gaze directed at him, and instinctively unsheathed his sword as an arrow broke into pieces just beneath him.
“……!”
It was a warning shot, but what if it had contained magic? Just that thought sent chills down his spine.
‘As expected of the light.’
“The Dawn’s Swordsmen. What brings you here?”
Even without disrupting his focus, the light had vanished, speaking to them with a voice that echoed as if coming from nowhere.
“Hong Yu-ri.”
“Got it. I’m watching.”
Not only the light. Hong Yu-ri too was piercing through the distance. Perched far away on a church roof— nearly 300m apart, the light calmly addressed them.
‘At this distance,
the arrows will never miss. For him, a distance like 300m isn’t even worth calling an interval. Before the second arrow was drawn, Gu Jin-ha shouted loudly.
“We came after you!”
The gaze of the flesh monsters shifted. But with the three-verse spell cast by Hong Yu-ri, if those weren’t able to regenerate, then they were merely weaker variations of the ones from the forest dungeon. It wasn’t the worst-case scenario, where they could line up those monsters.
“You came after me?”
Surprised, the light released the arrow, but Gu Jin-ha planned to block it. However, the arrow curved at an odd angle and pierced the flesh. Then, with the sound of an explosion resembling a grenade, the flesh erupted. In an instant, bursts of light and arrows fluttered, and the flesh monsters began to disappear one by one. Just as all visible flesh monsters were eliminated.
“I’ve heard there is a mage hailing from the Dawn’s Square. As the rumors stated, your sight is impressive.”
Not for a single moment losing sight of himself, a man appeared, bearing a scar slicing across his face diagonally.
“It’s been a while. Light.”
“Cut the crap. Explain what led you to chase me down.”
“You madman!”
Gu Jin-ha kept Hong Yu-ri from moving. They shared the same sentiments. Who exactly was interrogating whom here? Gu Jin-ha chuckled, once again addressing the light.
“You can’t be oblivious to what’s going on. Surely you didn’t plan to dodge responsibility?”
“Sorry, but I’m clueless.”
With an impassive reply, the light drew an arrow. Unlike before, a mightier magic surged within.
“Who can guarantee that you haven’t aligned with these monsters?”
“You know I was the one from that night of the great war. If anything, you’re the suspicious one, aren’t you? I won’t let this slide without an explanation.”
Gu Jin-ha surveyed the chaotic surroundings.
“What on earth are these flesh monsters? What is your relationship with the Plateau and the rascals?”
The light carefully scrutinized the three before him.
The red-haired girl had already completed her spell long ago, likely holding back several verses, while a sturdy young hunter tightened his fists. Just the swordsman before him was already troublesome; if this progressed into a fight, the chances of victory were slim. It had been a mistake to reveal himself so recklessly.
In a situation as tense as a taut string ready to snap, the light shook his head.
“…There’s no helping it. I’ll tell you.”
***
A dream that seemed like it could go on forever. The intervals of dreaming were gradually shortening. So vivid that it felt as if reality was coming closer.
I had tried countless times to escape.
No matter how much I struggled, it was of no use. I had eventually resigned myself to the fact that I could never escape this nightmare.
“…….”
I could hear whispering. I had long accepted that no one would believe me and that it made my chest ache. I stopped sharing it with anyone. I just wished this nightmare would not become reality.