Chapter 363 (2/2)

The magical energy of all regular awakeners was split into two categories—the count and the rank.

The rank denoted the magical energy’s density and quality. The higher the rank, the thicker the concentration was, and magical energy boasting greater density could exhibit far better effectiveness and firepower compared to a similar amount of energy reserve.

As for the “count,” it denoted the magical energy reserve’s size. The higher your count was, the more magical energy you possessed, which allowed you to pour out as much as you want for a longer period of time.

Not to mention…

“Besides, having something that big only makes it so much harder to control, you know?”

The magical energy reserve that had been enlarged to such a degree was actually far harder to control.

Your technique had to be quite good if you wanted to control magical energy properly. You were trying to wield a power invisible to naked eyes, so unsurprisingly, the degree of difficulty in controlling it was far higher than moving your arms or legs.

As such, the rank and count went hand in hand, and taking a shortcut of forcibly increasing only the magical energy reserve would more often than not turn into poison that bit you back in the end.

Even if you succeeded in enlarging your reserve, your magical energy would only become that much harder to properly control.

“It would’ve been fine while bullying the weaker opponents. I’m guessing that it probably got easier and easier for you to crush the smaller and weaker guys as your reserve grew bigger, am I wrong? And that also made you mistakenly think that you’ve become incredibly strong, too.”

Pow—!

Craaack—

Keok…

“Isn’t it so?”

Su-hyeun’s fist rapped on Chun Ha-jin’s abdomen. Along with the sounds of rib bones breaking to bits, the latter’s body bent forward in agony.

He tried so hard not to collapse, but there was nothing he could do about his buckling knees. While clutching at his abdomen, Chun Ha-jin’s eyes shot open so fast that his facial skin was torn.

“You’re hurting only from this much? That won’t do.”

Shu-wuwu—

Su-hyeun’s hand reached out toward Chun Ha-jin’s head, and right at that moment, murky magical energy which color changed to black entered Chun Ha-jin’s skull and spread throughout his body.

[The Curse of the Dark Psychic—Pain]

Kkeuh, kkeuhhh…!

Sounds made when holding back a scream leaked out from Chun Ha-jin’s mouth.

Although Su-hyeun didn’t use this skill all that much, he used it this time, so its power was double what it normally should be.

The Curse of the Dark Psychic wasn’t a very special skill, but it could be quite useful depending on how it was utilized.

A skill that belonged to the school of dark magic, it was normally used as a means of torture to dig out information, and Su-hyeun had used it a few times for that purpose as well.

Of course, today would be an exception.

Squeeeeze—

Cruuunch—

Kkeuhhhh…

Chun Ha-jin swallowed back yet another scream.

He possessed a commendable mental strength that he endured against the pain of his shoulders breaking apart, as well as his bones and flesh being crushed and shredded to bits. Despite his pain worsening by dozens, hundreds of times through the effects of the Curse of the Dark Psychic, he didn’t scream once. That must’ve been the last vestige of his pride.

“If that’s what you want, then endure as much as you can.”

Stab, staaab—

“…!”

“I won’t stop until you scream out loud, anyway.”

Su-hyeun’s sword began piercing holes on Chun Ha-jin’s body one stab at a time.

* * *

Aaaaaaaahk—!

A loud scream reverberated throughout the arena, and on top of this completely destroyed and overturned arena was a half-dying man coated in blood currently collapsed on the ground.

Kkeuh…Kkuh-uhhh…

“You sure held on for a while.”

Thirty minutes, that was how long Chun Ha-jin managed to withstand the barrage of pain.

It didn’t seem like a long time to other people who weren’t doing anything, but to Chun Ha-jin enduring the unimaginable pain, those 30 minutes would have felt even longer than the entirety of his life that he lived up until that moment.

Su-hyeun was also aware of this, so he couldn’t help but praise Chun Ha-jin’s mental strength at least.

“Still not planning to show up, I see,” Su-hyeun muttered softly before raising his head.

The response was coming later than he expected. He quietly tutted before lowering himself to match Chun Ha-jin’s eyeline.

The fear of death existed equally in everyone.

One might be able to steel oneself at the prospect of sudden death, but they would still feel so much fear when the unavoidable death crept ever so slowly toward them, especially more so when death was accompanied by a truly horrifying pain.

By the moment he let out a scream, Chun Ha-jin’s mind had already been broken.

“Should I tell you a way that might let you live?”

“A way…to live…”

“That’s right. Of course, it won’t be me sparing you but someone coming to save you. Who knows? Just like some kind of a lie, a worse villain than you might show up to save you,” Su-hyeun said while raising his head again to look up.

Unlike the situation below, the sky up there remained clear and crystal blue. The current state of the weather hadn’t changed for a long time, remaining still and tranquil.

But right at that moment…

Rumbleeee—

Gloomy clouds that hadn’t shown up in a long while began spreading thickly in the sky.

“So, it finally came,” Su-hyeun thought.

His provocation had worked.

The annoying prospect of searching around for his target was gone now. Although his assumption of the emperor being the predator was wrong, the two of them still had some kind of connection.

The final goal of this trial was to find the predator and kill that thing to bring about an end to this damnable game and the world itself.

“Well, what a noisy entrance that is,” Su-hyeun muttered while staring at the sky that was gradually getting darker before looking back at Chun Ha-jin. “Hey, it looks like your savior is coming, after all.”

Shu-wuwuwu—

A massive amount of magical energy swirled crazily within the clouds and began concentrating on one spot.

Su-hyeun’s lips distorted into a smirk. This reaction of his was several times more cheerful compared to when he ran into Chun Ha-jin earlier.

“A villain worse than you.”

Euh… Kkeuh-euh…

Chun Ha-jin groaned in pain and shifted his gaze around.

He was still bathed in blood, and his vision had been dyed in crimson, making it impossible for him to see anything well. However, he could still instinctively tell that something gigantic was approaching them right now.

Buzz, numb—

This fear was different from what he felt from Su-hyeun.

If Su-hyeun’s sense of presence was shockingly dense yet surprisingly compact to detect properly, then that unknown thing approaching them gave off a far crueler and more sinister vibe.

Su-hyeun looked behind him. “You’re finally here?”

The black fog that had inconspicuously descended to the ground was slowly taking on a solid shape.