Chapter 88

Chapter 88

“Is it really all over now?”

“Looks like it. Since the Smoke Heaven Rain has fallen in other places too, all of the students must have been rescued by now.”

It was fair to say that all battles had come to an end the instant Kasar took action.

“Phew...” sighed Jake in relief.

With this, it truly was all over. At that realization, Jake felt his tension release and his gaze drifted toward the giant tree he had cut down.

“There’s something I want to ask,” cautiously asked Jake, reflecting on the battle that unfolded moments ago.

“What is it?”

“Were you not worried about whether I would fail again?”

Though they had ultimately been victorious, had Jake failed to muster up his second attempt, it could have been a real disaster. So why had Se-Hoon risked his own body to fend off the attacks for him?

Se-Hoon fell into a brief moment of thought.

I was actually confident I could handle the tree by myself if needed... but saying that doesn’t seem right.

If he said that to Jake, he would have to reveal his trump card and likely raise some suspicions about the source of his abilities. Thus, he slightly changed the subject in his reply.

“To be honest, if I said I wasn’t worried at all, it would be a lie.”

“Then why did you take such a risk...”

“Well, it’s just a sense of duty.”

“...Duty?”

“Yeah. A blacksmith’s sense of duty.”

Se-Hoon slid his hand under the water and lifted Jake’s drooping right hand with his palm.

Still grasped tightly within Jake’s hand, the Luminescent Sword shimmered blue under the sunlight. Jake had swung it with all his might, but it still hadn’t broken, prompting Jake to stare blankly at it. Rêađ latest chapters on no/v/e/l(b)in(.)com

“Who would trust a blacksmith who doesn’t even trust their own work?”

With a chuckle, Se-Hoon pushed Jake’s arm to the side, bringing the hand holding the Luminescent Sword to Jake’s chest.

“...I see,” Jake replied.

The weight of the Luminescent Sword felt heavy on his chest. Realizing that it felt heavier than usual, Jake belatedly realized his true feelings.

“I hadn’t trusted... the Luminescent Sword itself.”

Even after confirming the formation of the blade with his own eyes, he had been unconsciously shrinking back and swinging it half-heartedly, fearing it might break at any moment.

“And only after seeing how you trusted me with your own life... did I believe that the blade could withstand my full power.”

Finally figuring out his unconscious thought, Jake wore a defeated expression.

“I really am a bastard.”

He was disgusted by his own selfish nature, disgusted that he had only been able to believe in Se-Hoon upon seeing Se-Hoon put his life at stake for him.

“Isn’t that natural?” Se-Hoon responded with an indifferent expression, breaking Jake out of his moment of self-loathing.

“Actually, how long would we have to know each other for you to blindly trust me like that? It’s natural to be skeptical without proper evidence.”

“But...”

“Of course, I’d love to smash your head with a hammer since you doubted my equipment... but that’s just a personal thought.”

If the blacksmith had their own stance, then their customers would also have theirs.

“As the client, you should doubt and verify the equipment you buy. That’s your position, which means it’s also your right.”

“I see...”

Hearing Se-Hoon’s explanation, Jake thought back to the blacksmiths he had encountered in the past.

“This boy just doesn’t seem to have a knack for swords.”

“How about switching to martial arts, taking advantage of your grip strength?”

“To ask me to forge a sword suitable for someone with such mediocre abilities! You think I’m a fool, don’t you?”

Those blacksmiths, proud of their skills, always blamed others for any shortcomings.

Recalling their contemptible attitudes, Jake slowly asked, “So... I can keep doubting your equipment?”

“You should. Otherwise, it might break during a fight and end up costing you your head.”

“And I can complain if it’s not forged well enough?”

“If you could also purchase it elsewhere, what couldn’t you do?”

“Pfft, right.”

Bursting into laughter at Se-Hoon’s witty response, Jake gripped the Luminescent Sword on his chest tightly.

“Hey, Se-Hoon.”

“What.”

“When I swung this around just now, I realized one thing.”

Thanking his trustworthy blacksmith, Jake left a satisfied comment for his trustworthy blacksmith.

“Your sword is the best.”

[The bond with ‘Jake Myers’ has increased to Lv.2.]

Caw-

Suddenly, a cry of a crow echoed from somewhere. Alert, Willy’s eyes followed the sound, scanning the area.

However, perhaps due to the dim light, he couldn’t spot the crow, causing his brows to furrow.

Damn crow, why are they here out of all places...

Although its cawing was annoying, he wasn’t really worried about it; he felt no traces of mana from it. Thus, letting out a disgruntled sound, he surveyed his surroundings one more time before turning his gaze forward again.

Thud.

At that moment, a girl appeared far away, in front of a tree where the sunlight uniquely shone brightly.

She had black hair and a subtle hint of violet in her eyes, wearing only a cape over her school uniform. Seeing her defenseless appearance, Willy’s eyes widened.

Inoue...?

Why was she, who should be in the Black Lotus Seas right now, in front of them?

Startled by the surreal sight, Willy’s gaze suddenly shifted to a silver cage in her right hand.

“Caw.”

Within it was a crow standing upright.

His gaze immediately focused on the fragments of the marionettes, which they had used for their temporary bodies, clinging to the crow’s beak. At the sight, he quickly understood the situation.

She tracked us using a broken terminal...?

Could a freshman who just entered Babel this year really do something even S-rank heroes struggled with?

Though flustered by the unimaginable situation, Willy quickly shouted orders to his subordinates.

“There might be others here. Capture her!”

“Yes, sir!”

There was no way she had come this far alone. With rational judgment, Willy and his subordinates quickly advanced.

Swoosh.

In response, the cage in Erika’s hand was thrust forward.

“Caw-”

Crunch.

Silencing the crow that cried out, its neck twisted 180 degrees, and it fell limply to the bottom of the cage.

Thud.

Black blood began dripping from the slack beak and torn neck. Soon, what began as droplets increased in volume, and when the cage door opened, it poured endlessly downward, covering the entire surrounding ground.

Gloop, gloop.

The pooling liquid, neither blood nor water, exuded a sense of foreboding and impurity. Then, the black swamp of liquid—still spreading endlessly around Erika—began to bubble and boil.

Caw- caw-

Dozens of crows clawed out from the sticky swamp below, flapping their sticky wings to soar into the sky. Gaping at the eerie scene, Willy stared blankly, forgetting his initial intention to capture Erika alive.

Shadow Crow Requiem

The black crows that had soared high into the sky plummeted toward the three marionettes.

Crack- crack- crack!

Facing the relentless onslaught of crows, Willy and his subordinates swung their weapons desperately to fend off the attack.

However, the crows were unending—every single one that fell to the ground simply seeped back into the swamp and clawed its way back out. With the crows clawing out from the swamp as well, there was no stopping their assault.

Crunch- crunch!

“No, it can’t be...!”

“They’re inside the body... gah...!”

The crows, burrowing inside their bodies and assimilating with them, slowly dragged them further... and further... down into the swamp.

Caw! Caw!

“Ha... haha...!”

Willy hollowly laughed, hearing the crows’ cries echoing from within his own body. He had thought they were just mere honor students, just ordinary freshmen who hadn’t stepped foot into a Tower of Heroes.

But now, as he confronted Erika, Willy was stupefied.

“These monsters...”

Unable to finish his words, his body was sucked into the depths of the swamp.

“...”

Watching the three marionettes finally disappear without a trace, Erika nonchalantly lowered the cage she had thrust forward.

Swoosh.

Like nothing had ever happened, the oozing swamp flooding their surrounding was sucked back into the cage, and soon enough, the forest returned to its original state.

“Se-Hoon’s potential shouldn’t become known too soon.”

Whether it was the Ten Evils or anything else, she swore to herself that she wouldn’t hand over anything until she assessed his full potential.

She turned around and vanished into the shadows of the forest.