Chapter 186: Star, Execution Sword (2)

Chapter 186: Star, Execution Sword (2)

Clang, clang, clang!

Barely parrying the dagger aiming for his head, Jin Prezia gritted his teeth.?‘I don’t like her.’

Jin hated—no, he loathed assassins the most in the world because they didn’t even have the courage to reveal their faces. As the former heir of the Prezia Family—the most prestigious noble family in Arcadia—Jin had learned to lead people and naturally acquired the belief that he should never forget about honor and pride.

Hence, Jin couldn’t and didn’t even want to understand assassins. That was why he was looking at Czestochowa, who disguised herself as Mireille Aliano, with contempt.

“You’re quite good. I never expected the Tyrant to have such a skilled summon... Tailing him was certainly the right choice.” Czestochowa giggled, standing on the edge of a sharp thorn on the heart wall.

Clang, clank, clink!

The more she giggled, the more the dozens of masks, which were spread like a curtain behind her, collided with each other and created noises. Rêạd new chapters at novelhall.com

[The ‘Laughing Demon Face’ is smirking at the enemy!]

[The ‘Crying Demon Face’ is sad because the enemy is about to die soon!]

[The ‘Sulking Demon Face’ is very irritated because the enemy is still alive!]

...

Czestochowa fixed her grip on her dagger after wiping her lips with her thumb. Having received an order from her Guardian ‘Big Sick Bug,’ she came all the way here in pursuit of the [Seven Cryptical Book of Hsan]. She faced unforeseen incidents in the process, but she still rejoiced so much that she felt goosebumps all over her body several times.

She initially thought this mission would be easy, but she was proven wrong. The desert train had left by the time her encounter with Chang-Sun and Jaegal Hyeon-Ryong had finished, so she had to pull out the [Contorted Doggaebi Face], her best [Demon Face]. It gave her the ability to use [Doggaebi Play], which allowed her to transform into someone she had killed by using their skin.

Thanks to this ability, Czestochowa could assassinate Mireille, who was the [Fifth Cryptical Book of Hsan]’s original owner, and use her skin to act like her. Since Czestochowa was acting based on the memories left in Mireille’s body, Czestochowa’s disguise was so perfect that even Henri Bosque, her lover, didn’t notice it. No, it didn’t seem to be absolutely perfect.

‘Lee Chang-Sun seemed to have already detected me before I revealed myself.’?Czestochowa narrowed her eyes.

Czestochowa cautiously tailed Chang-Sun by making Henri and Nicolas Pouquet take the lead, but he didn’t react at all. He didn’t even seem to care when he noticed her and Henri following him into the ‘Rhaegaren.’ Hence, she couldn’t help but wonder.

At that moment, she realized that perhaps this was all according to Chang-Sun’s plan—that he had expected Czestochowa would follow him, so he had led her into a Hidden Stage where nobody would be except them.

‘That has to be it.’?Czestochowa nodded.

For as long as she was chasing after the cryptical books, she had to shadow Chang-Sun. Despite knowing that, Chang-Sun still lured her here, so she couldn’t help but love how cautious and confident he was. However, she also couldn’t help but think that she had to kill him here and now.

‘Considering he’s already this strong even though it has been less than a year since he became a Player, he would probably be as strong as an Overlord already in a year. No, I’m sure he would be.’?Czestochowa’s eyes turned sharp. ‘What else could be more thrilling than crushing a growing sprout?’

She was about to use the Concealment Skill and assassinate Chang-Sun after taking out Henri, but Chang-Sun’s summon pounced on her first, interrupting and starting a fight with her.

‘I have to get rid of him quickly.’?Czestochowa frowned.

She planned to personally teach Chang-Sun’s annoying summon what true fear was. Under normal circumstances, the summon would’ve been her perfect toy, but she had to focus on assassinating Chang-Sun. Her Guardian was throwing a tantrum as well, ordering her to bring him the cryptical book as soon as possible, so she had no time to play around.

[The Celestial ‘Big Sick Bug’ is urging you to end it quickly because this fight is becoming boring.]

‘If I have a chance to take care of him too...’?Czestochowa massaged her face, casually having thoughts that no other apostle would dare to have.

Click!

[The ‘Contorted Doggaebi Face’ exudes ferocity!]

Mireille’s face disappeared when the mask adjusted, and a bizarrely contorted face appeared in its place. Since the mask was dark red, she looked as if she had become angry.

[Your madness is getting out of control!]

[The persona hidden under your subconscious has appeared.]

The [Contorted Doggaebi Face] wasn’t scary just because it enabled Czestochowa to transform into the people that she had killed. It was actually very minor among the abilities that the Doggaebi Faces had. Drawing out one’s unconscious, which was located at the lowest level of one’s soul, was their most important feature.

[Demon Faces] represented the skill user’s personas, which meant Czestochowa’s [Laughing Demon Face] was molded based on her happily laughing face, and her [Crying Demon Face] was based on her crying face.

Rumble―!

The [Ice Bush Forest] was instantly destroyed—no, it exploded, creating a shockwave strong enough to shake the entire heart. Jin believed that no human could survive such an explosion, so it was only natural for him to be baffled. He should have definitely slashed someone, but all he could feel as he swung the [Frost King’s Greatsword] was ice. At that moment, a will o’ wisp lit up behind Jin.

[The curtain of the Skill ‘Doggaebi Play’ rises!‘]

It was literally the play of a Doggaebi. Czestochowa moved behind Jin so quickly that he couldn’t tell when in the world she got there. She then repeatedly used [Single Red Dot], thinking it would be enough to leave a red dot on the arrogant summon’s forehead. However, just like Jin, it turned out Czestochowa was also wrong.

[The State ‘Cruel Tiger’ has been activated, activating the Additional Skill ‘Cruel Tiger’s Venomous Fang’!]

Feeling a shiver—one incomparably colder than the one she had felt while dealing with Jin—run down her spine, Czestochowa hurriedly turned in the opposite direction.

Boom!

Czestochowa hurriedly changed the course of her [Single Red Dots] and made them collide with the [Cruel Tiger’s Venomous Fang], creating a powerful explosion. Unable to withstand the [Yuchang Sword], Czestochowa’s rapier immediately shattered, its fragments flying in the air. Moreover, Czestochowa herself couldn’t endure the shockwave completely, pushing her far back.

Czestochowa straightened her posture with difficulty, but she had to stop and force herself to hold down the blood that came up through her esophagus. Although they only clashed once, she already suffered a severe internal injury. The sudden dizziness also prevented her from even seeing straight.

“What...!” Czestochowa yelled, baffled, after putting on a Doggaebi Face. Chang-Sun had gotten way stronger since their last battle.

She was aware that he had gone up against the gatekeepers and quickly became even more powerful, but the gatekeepers normally adjusted the trial’s difficulty level according to the contender’s skills, so she naturally believed that Chang-Sun couldn’t have significantly improved. In fact, the only fight of Chang-Sun’s that she had personally witnessed was his summons hunting down Simon Magus. Hence, even if Chang-Sun did become notably stronger, she thought he would have done so by focusing on making his outrageously powerful summons’ even more powerful.

However, Chang-Sun’s attack just now proved her otherwise. It was a surprise attack, but that didn’t explain how the Killer Overlord had gotten pushed away even though she was already wearing the [Contorted Doggaebi Face]!

Wearing his iron mask crookedly, Chang-Sun just drooped his shoulders as he held the [Yuchang Sword] and [Tiamat’s Snaggletooth] in each hand. He didn’t say anything and stayed nonchalant. However, in Czestochowa’s eyes, it looked as if he was mocking her.

[The Celestial ‘Big Sick Bug’ glares at the arrogant-looking mortal!]

Unlike when she fought Jin, Czestochowa couldn’t bring herself to launch an attack against Chang-Sun because even though she tried her best to find a weakness, she couldn’t find any.

Woosh!

Meanwhile, a navy-blue fire ignited underneath Chang-Sun’s feet, enveloped him like armor and wings, then soared up high in the air. The ten-meter-tall tsunami of fire transformed into a bird, then into a Giant.

[A ‘navy-blue Fire Giant’ has shown up!]

Maybe the Giant was protecting Chang-Sun—no, perhaps he thought of himself as Chang-Sun’s shadow or even Chang-Sun himself. Either way, the ruthless and overwhelming Giant stood and looked down at Czestochowa. On the other hand, Chang-Sun’s Infernal Sites, which were also frightening, sparked to life underneath the iron mask.

The two sets of Infernal Sites—Chang-Sun’s and the Giant’s—shone vividly, making Czestochowa feel as if she had been tied up with an invisible chain. Pressured by the Giant and Chang-Sun’s auras, she unwittingly took a step back.

[The Celestial ‘Big Sick Bug’ scolds his apostle for acting pathetic!]

Reading the message that popped up before her, Czestochowa bit her lower lip and tried to pull out a new weapon to continue fighting.

“Czestochowa, do you know what your biggest mistake is?” Chang-Sun spoke for the first time since he appeared.

For some reason, Czestochowa felt as if Chang-Sun wasn’t looking at her. Rather, he was looking at someone ‘behind’ her.

“Out of all the places you could come to, you’ve chosen to trespass into the land that has become my territory. To top it all off, you brought your star sign.” Chang-Sun faintly smiled.

[The Celestial ‘Big Sick Bug’ urges his apostle to kill that mortal!]

“I, Lee Chang-Sun...” Chang-Sun solemnly continued behind the cold-looking iron mask, “...will begin the sealing process of the criminal Xue Yong as the special-rank <Underworld> reaper.”

Clink!

As soon as Chang-Sun finished speaking, sounds similar to a giant clockwork turning began to reverberate.

Creak―!

As the sounds continued, the world around Chang-Sun and Czestochowa turned upside down.

[The Authority ‘Execution Sword’ has been activated!]