Chapter 48
The witch suddenly felt a sense of unease.
‘That man from earlier bothers me.’
The man in the extravagant banquet attire and mask had given off the flat, colorless air typical of the weak. He seemed like an ordinary person who had never trained a day in his life.
At first, she had assumed he was simply a lost banquet guest… but the more she thought about it, the stranger the situation felt.
‘Isn’t the timing too perfect?’
Right after she returned to the rendezvous point, the Watcher in the iron mask had discovered him. Perhaps he had been tailing her the whole time.
If that were true, why hadn’t she noticed?
His presence had been faint, yes—but being followed was a separate matter. It wasn’t easy for an ordinary civilian to trail someone without leaving a trace.
“…That man earlier. He really is weak, right?”
When the witch asked, an irritated voice slipped out from beneath the iron mask.
“Are you questioning my Mind’s Eye?”
“N-no… just making sure.”
She answered cautiously. It seemed she had brushed against the Watcher’s temperament by bringing it up.
The eye that saw essence—Mind’s Eye.
The Watcher took immense pride in that extraordinary sight. To doubt it was to provoke his anger.
‘Whether it’s truly a Mind’s Eye or not… his judgment has never been wrong.’
As always, this time would be no different.
Having reached that conclusion, the witch leaned in and kissed the back of the Watcher’s neck. His hand roamed over her body in response. Naturally, the two began walking deeper into the building.
…Kkwaaaang!!
Suddenly, an explosive crash erupted from the alley.
The witch frowned.
“What was that? That was way too loud.”
“Perhaps the Church Alliance caught them.”
“That can’t be it… all the paladins are gathered in the banquet hall. I checked myself.”
She had a bad feeling.
And then—
From the darkness of the back alley, a pair of chilling eyes flashed.
A man stepped forward. Lavish banquet clothes. A mask. And crimson blood splattered across his body.
From beneath the mask, his gaze swept over the surroundings once. Woojin smiled as he looked at his prey.
“…You. What are you?”
The witch asked.
The question felt familiar. Just days ago, Woojin himself had asked someone that very question over and over.
What had that bastard replied?
Swoosh—
Woojin moved one hand as if half-mocking them. A gesture like he was attempting sign language.
Realizing its meaning, the witch instantly threw a dagger.
Woojin sidestepped swiftly, dodging the attack, and completed the gesture he had begun.
Kiiiiiing—!
Both of Woojin’s palms glowed red. An instant later, a sphere of blazing orange light shot forward. The witch threw herself sideways in a hurry.
Puh-ooong!!
The blazing projectile missed and smashed into the building behind them.
It was a shame it hadn’t landed a direct hit—but it didn’t matter. He hadn’t expected it to reach her in the first place.
It had only been a substitute for a greeting.
“…Enoch?”
The witch cautiously spoke the name aloud.
It was an understandable mistake. With the mask covering the upper half of his face, the resemblance was enough.
Since it had come to this, Woojin decided to ask something he’d been curious about.
“Daisy. Why did you use me as disposable bait?”
“You misunderstand, Enoch. Think about it… do you really believe I’d do something so cruel to you?”
Daisy spoke in a tone as if soothing a child.
Woojin pondered briefly, then replied:
“You’re a bitch.”
“…Looks like you’ve gotten smarter since I last saw you.”
Shrr—
The witch drew two daggers from within the sleeves of her robe.
Her companions stepped forward as well. The man unwound the bandages from his arm, while the iron-masked Watcher clenched his fists and stared intently at Woojin.
Fwoosh!
Dark crimson energy wrapped around the Watcher’s hands.
Seeing this, Woojin’s curiosity was piqued.
‘That bastard… his presence feels oddly similar to Bow.’
Just what is he?
Asking wouldn’t get an answer. He would have to find out by clashing directly.
Woojin gestured through the air again, preparing another spell.
Naturally, the dark-side priests did not stand by idly.
In an instant, the iron-masked Watcher closed the distance and threw a powerful punch.
Woojin halted his gesture and extended his right palm, meeting the fist head-on.
Ppeoeoeong!!
With a thunderous boom, the iron-masked man was blasted backward.
Filling the opening, the bandaged man lunged forward and thrust out his hand. A long seam ran across his palm, stretching up to his wrist.
Jjeok—
The arm split wide along that seam.
Inside was a long tongue and rows of sharp teeth. It resembled the gaping jaws of a crocodile.
‘What a grotesque ability.’
Woojin lowered his body and avoided the bite, then drove his fist into the man’s abdomen.
But there was a mouth there as well.
Suddenly, the man’s torso split vertically, revealing another tooth-filled maw that clamped down on Woojin’s right hand.
His arm was caught—he couldn’t move.
The witch’s lilting laughter pierced his ears.
“Hahaha—! Die!!”
She kicked off the ground, daggers aimed in both hands.
Two blades rushed toward him like a serpent’s fangs.
In response, Woojin tensed his wrist.
And then—
The body of the man biting his wrist was yanked upward. His feet lifted off the ground as he flailed helplessly in midair. The look on his face was quite something.
Without hesitation, Woojin swung his arm and smashed the airborne man straight into the witch as she leapt in.
Ppeoeok!!
The two bodies collided violently.
Thrown by the impact, the two of them tumbled and rolled across the dirt ground. Woojin watched the sorry sight for a moment, then flicked the thick saliva clinging to his hand away.
Chiiiik…
The droplet that hit the ground sizzled strangely. Judging by the bubbling foam, it was a corrosive toxin. Fortunately, he had already covered his hand in scales, so it hadn’t harmed him.
‘At this rate, this’ll be easy.’
And he wasn’t the only one thinking that.
While the two priests stalled for time, the iron-masked man wrapped his entire body in crimson aura. The killing intent heated the surrounding air, causing heat haze to ripple wildly.
‘Good… you should struggle harder.’
Woojin studied the opponent before him. The man’s body looked as though it were engulfed in blazing red flames.
Taang!
Kicking off the ground, the iron mask lunged. His strength and speed were clearly amplified. A flurry of blows poured out, too fast to follow with the naked eye.
His fists and kicks left red afterimages hanging in the air. Those lingering streaks lashed out like burning whips, striking at Woojin from all sides—as if he were being whipped while surrounded by multiple assailants.
…It wasn’t particularly impressive.
‘This is similar to the technique Bow used.’
Perhaps Bow had held back during their sparring, because in terms of raw power alone, the iron mask was stronger. But the refinement of the technique was lacking.
Eyes reminiscent of Mind’s Eye, and martial skill.
Overall, he felt like a clumsy imitation of Bow. If Woojin had encountered this for the first time, he might have been caught off guard—but after sparring with Bow repeatedly, he had accumulated enough experience.
Woojin leisurely evaded the barrage, redirecting blows… then suddenly asked:
“You—what’s your relationship with Bow?”
“……”
Perhaps the question startled him. For a split second, the iron mask revealed a small opening.
Woojin seized it and threw a full-force punch.
Kwaaaang!!
With an explosive boom, the iron mask was sent flying into the distance. At the last moment, he instinctively crossed his arms to block, sparing himself a fatal wound.
Woojin clicked his tongue.
‘As expected… he’s on a different level from the others.’
His reaction speed and movements were exceptional. But as the price for blocking that last attack, his left arm now hung limply and twisted.
‘His arm broke when he blocked.’
All that remained was to finish him.
So thinking, Woojin stepped forward.
From both sides, the witch and the bandaged man rushed in.
‘…This is getting old.’
This wasn’t a fighting game—yet they kept tagging in and out to buy each other rest.
‘Just let one of you get caught.’
Irritated, he turned his head. The witch met his gaze and flinched, halting her advance. Instead, she hurled her dagger with all her might.
Thup!
He caught the handle of the incoming dagger midair—and at that very moment, the bandaged man lunged in recklessly. The scars across his body split open, revealing grotesque mouths.
The dagger in Woojin’s hand spun. Gripping it with the blade pointing downward, he brought it down like a hammer onto the man’s forehead.
Jjeok!!
The man collapsed with a thud. The dagger’s handle stuck out of his forehead like a sprouting seedling.
Two left.
‘Let’s finish the iron mask now.’
With that thought, he took a step—
Whirrik—
Something suddenly wrapped around his ankle.
The large mouth in the man’s abdomen had shot out its tongue. The slick appendage coiled around Woojin’s ankle and held fast. Though the man’s breath had clearly stopped, the mouths attached to his body were still alive and moving.
Those mouths shouted in chorus:
“Run—away!!”
With that roar, the dead man charged at Woojin.
His entire body spread open like a blanket, forming one massive mouth. Dozens of tongues inside it lashed out and wrapped around Woojin’s body.
‘What kind of bullshit ability is this…’
Startled despite himself, Woojin tore through the attacking tongues with brute force.
But there were too many—like the tentacles of a sea anemone. Half his body had already been swallowed, his movements restrained.
The iron mask and the witch exchanged glances.
Taat!
They bolted in opposite directions.
Woojin clicked his tongue in annoyance.
‘I thought things were going smoothly for once.’
He had to deal with this quickly and pursue them.
Instead of retreating, Woojin shoved himself deeper into the mouth.
Even now, the smaller mouths chattered without pause.
“Let them—go—!”
“Please—forgive us!”
The dead had many demands.
Bzzzt!!
“Gyaaaaargh!!”
Crimson lightning erupted from Woojin’s palms. The mouths were scorched, shrieking wildly before losing vitality and falling silent all at once.
He was free again.
‘The witch first.’
In terms of raw combat power, the iron mask was stronger—but the witch’s shapeshifting ability posed a greater long-term threat.
…Paang!
Unexpectedly, something exploded in the distance.
Fireworks were being launched from the banquet hall. Spells shot into the sky, illuminating the night in brilliant colors.
Beneath that sky, Woojin ran.
He sharpened all his senses, tracking the traces of his prey.
It didn’t take long before the witch entered his field of vision.
“…Hiiiik!”
Sensing something ominous, she glanced back—and locked eyes with him. Terrified, she pushed herself even faster.
‘W-why is he chasing me?!’
She had assumed he would pursue the iron mask and let her go. A fatal miscalculation. At this rate, she would be killed.
‘…I’ll have to gamble.’
Kkudeuk, kkudeudeuk—
Her body twisted grotesquely.
In an instant, she transformed into a sleek spotted panther beast.
The panther leapt off the ground and bounded onto the rooftop. It dashed across rooftops like it was flying.
Seeing this, Woojin couldn’t help but admire it.
‘So she can turn into more than just humans.’
A first for him.
If escape were the goal, turning into something small like a mouse—or into a bird and flying away—would be more advantageous. The fact that she didn’t suggested there were limitations.
‘Can I finish this quickly?’
If he intended to catch the iron mask as well, he needed to hurry.
He climbed onto the rooftops in pursuit.
Paang! Peobeobeong—!
From the higher vantage point, the fireworks seemed even larger and more vivid.
Beneath the flashing lights, the spotted panther stopped and glared back at him.
“Grrr…”
Instead of fleeing, it bared its fangs.
Raw, untamed savagery radiated from it.
Watching this, Woojin realized the flaw in her ability.
‘…She’s being consumed by the beast’s power.’
The savage predator had swallowed the witch whole.