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nTransator: Ekdud

nProofreader: coyotte508

nTL Check: KobatoChanDaisuki

nChapter 87 – Ouroboros (3)

nJubuk

n“It’s been a while.”

nSangjin, who was treating his wounds because of the battle he had during the day, flinched at the sudden voice which came from behind.

nA voice which familiar and caused his mind to become chaotic recently.

n“It’s been a while. Hansoo.”

nSangjin turned around and then spoke.

nHe had heard the voice after a very long time but a burdensome mind came up instead of a welcoming mind.

nHe wasn’t curious as to how he had gotten to this place.

nSince he probably came in with a method that he couldn’t even fathom.

nThe gap between him and Hansoo had been increased that much.

n“Have you been well?”

nSangjin shook his head at Hansoo’s words and then spoke.

n“There’s something I want to ask.”

n“Hmm?”

n“Do you really need me?”

nHe knew that Hansoo needed him.

nBut it wasn’t him that he needed but rather somebody who fit his role.

nHe could be replaced with anybody at any time.

nTo stronger and more talented people.

nHe could even take one of the Seven Departed Souls.

nHansoo shook his head at those words.

nStrength wasn’t the important part.

nSince he could just give that to him.

nWhat he needed was somebody he could trust.

n“I came here because of that.”

n“…?”

nSangjin squinted his eyes.

nHansoo looked at that Sangjin and spoke.

n“It didn’t matter if your mind changed up until this point and left. Since it’s quite a burdensome job.”

n“…”

n“There was a few things I’ve given you but it can’t even be compared to the thing you have done for me. I thank you for that.”

nThis person was somebody who would help Hansoo’s work.

nHe had to be thankful.

nSince it wasn’t easy to clean up somebody’s behind in a world where it was hard to even take care of themselves no matter how much strength they gave them.

nHansoo continued to speak.

n“But the things I will give you from now on are different. If you take these things and change your mind then… I will need to chase you down no matter where you go and retrieve these things.”

nRetrieve.

nHe didn’t know whether if the things Hansoo will give him were skills or artifacts.

nBut by the way he talked the method of retrieval was probably set already.

n“This is the crossroad. I will respect your choice.”

nSangjin gulped while looking at Hansoo’s eyes that was turning heavier.

n…………………………………………

nGuuuuuuuu

nA few people were climbing up the World Tree that the Ouroboros coiled around.

nExactly 8.

nHansoo and the Seven Departed Souls quickly headed towards the set location.

nCarefully since the parasites might disturb them from cutting up the nerves if they find out.

nThankfully those guys were distracted from the swarming food below so they weren’t paying much attention to them.

nHansoo touched the small earring on his ear and shook his head.

n‘He should’ve given it to me much earlier if he had something like this.’

n.

nAn earring which had the skill that allowed one to send blue and red carrier pigeons saved within.

nIt wasn’t an object that was easy to acquire but of course the Six Pillars would have something like this.

nThey, who didn’t give it to him before the Mirror was closed off, handed over the earring to Hansoo after their escape routes were blocked off.

n‘They’re asking me to fight more fervently huh.’

nHansoo, who had concluded his thoughts of the Six Pillars below, spoke towards Miyamoto who was climbing the World Tree’s wall next to him.

n“Don’t make such an expression.”

nHansoo looked at Miyamoto next to him who had an extremely dissatisfied expression as he spoke.

nMiyamoto’s expression didn’t change as he spoke.

n“How could you say such things when you forcibly pushed me into a fight?”

nAs if he gave up on maintaining his mask, Miyamoto replied bluntly.

nSince he understood that he had to fight no matter what after this had happened.

n‘Damnit. I charged in without thinking.’

nHis true self could not hold onto his rage and had shown itself.

n‘No, he might’ve known already.’

nThe words Hansoo had told him before.

nAsking if he didn’t want to fight.

nHe had exploded from Hansoo’s attitude which told him that he knew something and having his escape route blocked off.

nSince the fact that he was playing around on his hand enraged him so much.

nBut he didn’t give up.

n‘Yeah. Since this had happened already…’

nHe just wanted to open the Dimensional Door at the beginning but this thoughts slowly changed.

nIf he were to go up with that strength then he will become a huge help in the upper zones.

nAnd because of this he needed the relics.

nAnd this battle with the Ouroboros might become that change.

n‘I should also take care of those things other than the Relics before I go up.’

nA secret that nobody knew except him.

n‘Oh those guys are exempt.’

nMIyamoto then thought of the conversation he had with the owners of the other Pillars.

n

nNo matter how strong he was he couldn’t block this place by himself.

nAnd Miyamoto hated this as well.

nHe couldn’t be stuck here forever.

nSo he needed people who were useful enough to fit his role while he was gone.

nThose who could maintain the Akuma’s seal.

nAnd he also needed things to make those guys useful.

nEveryone including Eres nodded.

nThey had seen newcomers coming in every year while roaming around the World Tree Mountain Range.

nAnd seen the numbers steadily rising.

nThey needed to faithfully maintain the Akuma’s seal for those people and their possible family who might come mixed in with those people.

nBut they didn’t just go over this.

n

nThe first patriarch of the Triple Lights Union, Pao Ren.

nHis trait was .

nA promise would be made when both sides agree.

nThen both sides had to keep that promise.

nThe penalties would differ depending on the level.

nIf the levels were harsh then the side which broke the promise might even lose their life.

nA trait which could only be used if one had absolute faith in their strength.

nIf they were weaker than the enemy then this trait would instead become poison.

n‘Damnit. If I break it then I’ll just die.’

nHe knew without even seeing it.

nA formless chain which tied down his heart.

nIt might’ve been different in the past but his heart will get crushed if he broke the promise now.

nThe promise back then were two things.

n

nA welcoming noise on Miyamoto’s terms.

nThere was no reason to disagree.

nSince his current goal was peace and not growth.

n‘Though a situation which I can’t handle anymore had occurred. Damnit.’

nAnd second.

n

n<…>

n

nOf course it didn’t matter.

n‘Dumbass.’

nThat guy had probably set up such limitations in order to maintain the balance and to keep him from taking those things and becoming a king of the Red Zone and messing it up.

nSince the things that guy had left behind were that mighty.

nWhy would they leave behind weak items when his job was protecting their family.

nBut they didn’t know that he had another trait.

nA trait which he had hidden from everyone.

n

nHe could transfer memories, information, skills, traits and battle experience as much as the user wanted to other people.

nTo a maximum of seven people.

nThis was why the other Six Departed Souls could use high level skills that were hard to obtain freely.

nSince the other six could use them if he had them.

nIt was many times more efficient even at a glance.

n‘And another thing that I never told anyone.’

nA secret which he hadn’t told the Six Departed Souls.

nIf the difference in levels is quite large then he would be able to even control them.

nWhere could someone eat a free meal in this world?

nThe Six Departed Souls received high level battle abilities from Miyamoto’s soul fragment but he could somewhat control their bodies with the trait he had if he wanted.

nSo they were called Seven Departed Souls as a bundle but there was a clear difference between Miyamoto and the other six.

nSince the other six were slaves if Miyamoto was the owner.

nMiyamoto brought in the people who seemed quite talented with the Fragments of Seven Souls and raised them with the skill runes or artifacts that Eres, Keldian, Pao Ren or Kangtae had left behind.

nTo the point where they can control the Akuma’s seal but couldn’t resist his own control.

nIf they get to the point where they can deny his control then that alone will be a threat to them.

nMiyamoto, who followed the idea of safety first, could not stand having a single hint of threat.

nAnd another thing.

nThe skills and artifacts that may become a threat to him that the owners of the Pillars had left behind were all given to one person and hidden.

nTo the person who had received the final fragment.

n‘I didn’t break the promise.’

nHe didn’t use them.

nAnd he had given them to the people who were helping him maintain the seal.

nExcept he had just turned them to the point where they won’t be a threat to him.

nAt first he had thought that he could control them so he tried to raise them with the Soul Fragment.

nIf they steadily grew up then they would’ve reached a level where they’ll be able to deny his control.

nIf he couldn’t use it then others couldn’t use it as well.

nMiyamoto, who had organized his thoughts, looked at Hansoo and bluntly spoke out.

n“Let’s start. Don’t drag it out. I want to finish this damnable job as quick as possible.”

nThey needed to quickly start in order to quickly finish.

n‘There’s no need for me to take the risk.’

nIn a bad case he would look for a chance even by calling the other Departed Souls and using them as suicide soldiers with this second trait.

nSince something like that was possible even if controlling them for a long time was hard.

nHansoo stared at that Miyamoto and then spoke out.

n“Let’s go out. Follow the plan.”

nThey would cut out the nerves from 1st to 4th and from 9th to 12th.

nThen they would regroup between the 5th and the 8th vertebras and prepare for battle.

nEven if they cut it, the area around the cut nerve would not freeze up.

nIt would only become slow and weaker.

nBut if one accounted for its huge body then that was still threatening.

nSoon everyone dispersed as they started to fall towards the body of the Ouroboros at an extreme speed.

n…………………………………

nKugugugugugu

nA bright beam of light rose up from the top of the Ouroboros in the distance.

nFrom 8 locations at the same time.

nKuuuuuung!

nAt the same time the World Tree shook while making crushing noises.

nTo be exact it wasn’t the World Tree but the Ouroboros which coiled around the World Tree tightened its bind.

nIt probably just felt like being poked with a needle with its size but getting poked by a needle would still hurt.

nIt even pulled out its head that was drinking the toxic waters from the pain it had not felt in a really long time as it started to twist around its body.

n“Damnit! Evacuate in between the World Tree Roots! Evacuate!”

n“Uaak! Parasites are falling down from the sky.”

nAs the Ouroboros shook his body, the Parasites were falling from the sky like rain.

nThey had made the area of battle smaller and lead the battle but that was now impossible.

nNo, they would just get shredded apart if they were to even get touched by the tail of the Ouroboros while maintain the formation.

nIt was now individual fights.

nThey had to now hide in between the roots and fight the parasites.

nJukma grinded his teeth as he saw this.

n‘Damnit. This is the start.’

nHe had thought of a way to escape no matter what until now but that was now impossible.

nAnd he was enraged even more at that.

nAt the current situation that was being shaken back and forth by a single person.

nAnd he had to pretend to feel happy and supportive of Hansoo’s actions.

n‘This is really frustrating.’

nJukma pondered for a moment.

nHansoo had told him to stop his works so he had stopped.

nBut he did that because he cared about these guys somewhat.

n‘I should go vent out my anger.’

nAll his surroundings had gotten chaotic from the parasites and the Ouroboros.

nBasically a cataclysm.

nWhich means this was the perfect time to land a blow on him.

nIt wasn’t weird for a few people to die off in a chaotic situation like this.

nThere’s no reason for evidence to be left behind either.

n‘Let’s see your expression after this all ends.’

nJukma laughed coldly as he started to send messages towards a location.

n…………………………………………………..

nSangjin drooled as he arrived at the destination deep within the World Tree

n‘How did he find such a place like this…’

nIn this destination there were treasures that Hansoo had spoken of.

nRare artifacts and amazing skill runes that anybody could tell were rare from a single glance.

nAnd Sangjin slightly frowned at the female who had those things equipped on her.

n‘Who did such a thing…’

nAn unconscious female who had three limbs cut off and was barely being kept alive with a tube with nutritional fluids through stuck in her mouth.

nSangjin gulped at the sight of the female who had extremely fancy artifacts on her body and had numerous skill runes on her single arm left which made her look even more pitiful.

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