00584 Everyone has a time in their life when they shine.
The plaza was silent. Not a single soul spoke.
The users were split into two groups, quietly staring ahead. One group had quietly stepped back to wait, while the other was up front, preparing for something. The most notable thing was that among the thirty or so users who had stepped forward, the majority wore mage robes.
After a while, it seemed their preparations were complete, as the users fixed their tense gazes on Han So-young.
Moments later, Han So-young slowly nodded.
“───. ───. ───. Bind.”
Over twenty mages chanted the same spell in unison.
Though individual skill varied, Bind was a fundamental, basic magic. Almost immediately, their staffs began to blaze with a brilliant white light, and translucent threads started to pour out from the tips.
Some had as few as three or four strands, others as many as eleven. Like silk being drawn from a cocoon, these translucent threads flowed endlessly from the gems embedded in their staffs, gently settling onto the ground. Curiously, wherever the Bind magic touched down, shadows cast by the users stretched over those spots.
Had the time come? Han So-young turned to Ko Yeon-ju.
Ko Yeon-ju responded with a subtle wink from one eye, then softly caressed the stained scarf wrapped around her neck.
It was a prized item obtained from the ancient ruins known as the ‘Lost Paradise’—a piece of equipment once given to Ko Yeon-ju by Kim Soo-hyun. The ‘Bloody Scarf,’ soaked with the blood of Adam, the king and demigod of paradise.
“Assimilate.”
Ko Yeon-ju’s languid voice echoed. The Assimilate ability, latent within the Bloody Scarf, activated.
Something remarkable happened. The shadows darkened with an inky hue, and the translucent threads that had settled on the ground began to slowly merge into the shadows, as if the two were fusing together.
Ko Yeon-ju gazed steadily at the shadows entwined with the Bind magic. When she felt it was enough, she abruptly halted the assimilation, took a deep breath, and poured her mana into the shadows.
The shadows, now fused with the Bind magic, began to move slowly in the direction Ko Yeon-ju’s mana guided them.
Or rather, they stretched out. The movement was painstakingly slow—step by step, cautious as a leopard stalking its prey.
Watching the shadows spread out in all directions, Han So-young calmly gathered her thoughts. The preparations were about 80% complete. What remained was for those shadows to reach their destination undetected, and for her and Heo Jun-young to strike at the perfect moment.
But it wasn’t as simple as it sounded. Nothing about this situation was easy. One wrong move could trigger a butterfly effect with irreversible consequences. The battle unfolding before them between Kim Soo-hyun and Father was proof enough of that.
The mages gripped their staffs tightly, maintaining the Bind magic on the shadows.
Ko Yeon-ju slowly led the shadows toward their target.
Just as Han So-young and Heo Jun-young strained to read Kim Soo-hyun’s movements—
“Ah.”
Suddenly, Han So-young’s sharp eyes narrowed. Father, who had been relentlessly trying to capture Kim Soo-hyun, suddenly changed tactics. Some of his writhing tentacles lowered, then stiffened like an angry cobra, twitching and curling.
“Oh, damn it.”
Ko Yeon-ju, noticing Father’s behavior, let out a perfectly timed curse.
The meaning was clear: Father had caught on to Han So-young’s plan and was now on high alert.
They were almost there. Just a little further.
But one of the two remaining steps was already blocked. If this continued, they wouldn’t even be able to start.
Han So-young bit her lip reflexively, trying desperately to think of a solution, but nothing came to mind. Her eyes, fixed on Father, narrowed with a flicker of regret.
Then, in an instant, that regret turned to surprise. At the very moment Father became cautious, Kim Soo-hyun’s behavior shifted as well.
His lightning-fast movements began to slow. Suddenly, he stopped attacking altogether, focusing solely on darting around Father’s front, drawing his attention like bait. Han So-young’s delicate lips parted slowly in response.
So then…
“That’s a relief. Looks like Soo-hyun knew about our plan too.”
A languid voice sounded unexpectedly. The voice snapped Han So-young back to full alertness.
“Then, shall we proceed?”
Ko Yeon-ju pointed ahead. Han So-young nodded without hesitation, though she couldn’t help but marvel. Once again, Kim Soo-hyun had solved both of their remaining problems—not just one, but both.
To be precise, Han So-young’s thought was that not only Father but also Kim Soo-hyun had figured out her plan. (In truth, it was Hwa-jeong who had informed her.) Kim Soo-hyun had never once slowed down until now, so this sudden change was undeniable proof. And he was even keeping aggro by circling around Father’s wary tentacles.
That made things simple.
Han So-young clenched her fists tightly. Victory was within reach.
Finally.
At last.
She could see a way to deal with this damnable Father.
Her eyes gleamed fiercely.
“AAAAAAAH!”
Thud!
The sound of something soaked hitting the ground echoed.
As they entered the entrance, the users were forced to stop automatically. First, they heard a piercing scream that sent chills down their spines. Then, they witnessed a horrific scene inside.
Women dangled helplessly, their limbs suspended in midair, their swollen bellies grotesquely distended. Crawling everywhere were monstrous larvae.
Anyone with eyes could guess what had happened here. Among the women were some users who had entered the pit alongside them—though now, their condition was no different from the others.
The shock left them momentarily stunned, but they quickly snapped back to attention.
“Damn it… those bastard sons of bitches…”
Go Oh-hwan was the first to slowly raise his greatsword. His hand trembled gripping the hilt, his bristling beard standing on end, his face like a roaring lion fueled by rage.
But Joo Hyun-ho remained calm.
Well, at first he had been shocked. Having once faced death, the fear of that young man was deeply ingrained in his bones.
But when he confirmed that Kim Soo-hyun was nowhere among the users who had entered, Joo Hyun-ho let out a sigh of relief. Then, with a dismissive air toward the others, he slowly knelt down to examine what lay on the ground.
To everyone’s surprise, a baby lay sprawled there, soaked in amniotic fluid.
But it was far from a normal infant. Its entire body was covered in grotesque black tattoos, and though its growth was slow, it was steady—its body swelling, head enlarging, limbs lengthening.
Not a baby. A monster.
Joo Hyun-ho tilted his head.
“Hmm. Something’s wrong. It shouldn’t be this slow… Maybe forcing the birth was a mistake?”
Ping!
At that moment, the sharp twang of a drawn bowstring rang out. From fury to disdain, an archer among the women had finally lost patience and shot an arrow at Joo Hyun-ho.
But—
Thwack!
The arrow flew with force but failed to pierce Joo Hyun-ho’s body. Like in the plaza, it merely grazed him and fell uselessly to the ground. The users’ faces flickered with renewed caution as they recalled what had happened before.
Joo Hyun-ho rose slowly, unfazed by the arrow. Without hesitation, he cut the umbilical cord and smirked at the woman who seemed to be the mother.
Only then did he turn his gaze to the users, scanning them as if appraising their worth.
“Hmm. Not bad. All about the same… huh?”
Then, suddenly, his eyes snapped wide open. He raised his hand swiftly.
Bang!
Clang!
“Ahhh!”
The sound of something shattering and a sharp scream filled the air. The users instinctively turned their heads.
Behind them, a man in a robe twisted his face in pain, clutching his right hand. Shattered crystal fragments scattered uselessly around him.
The communication crystal had been destroyed.
Shin Jae-ryong felt a wave of frustration. He had handed the crystal to the group to secretly contact another team, but Joo Hyun-ho had quickly destroyed it as soon as he got up. Not anticipating a silent, no-incantation spell was a mistake.
Joo Hyun-ho curled his lips into a smirk.
“Now, now… don’t be foolish enough to call for reinforcements, alright? User, sir?”
“Everyone, prepare for battle!”
As if there was no need for further discussion, Shin Jaeryong immediately shouted. Given the circumstances, there was no other choice.
But Joo Hyunho remained unfazed. He kept up his calm, nonchalant demeanor, even shaking his head in a dismissive way.
“Good grief. Just now and now again—why are these folks so impatient? When someone’s talking, shouldn’t you at least listen first? What, do you think I’m about to say something important?”
“Shut your damn mouth! You’re lucky I don’t tear you apart right here!”
Go Ohwan slammed his greatsword down as if he wanted to strike Joo Hyunho on the spot.
Joo Hyunho narrowed his eyes and glared back at Go Ohwan. Then, with a heavy sigh, he pressed one hand to his forehead.
“Ugh… Seriously, all of you. I’m already annoyed enough, and now you’re just making me mad.”
“Who’s got something to say…!”
Before Go Ohwan could finish, Joo Hyunho’s face suddenly twisted with rage.
“Fuck this! Nobody listens to a damn word I say!”
And then—
“Do you think I’m a joke? Huh?!”
Bang!
Without warning, Joo Hyunho snapped his fingers, and the explosive sound from earlier echoed through the space once more.
Go Ohwan stared ahead, stunned. A blinding white light shimmered before his eyes. Though cracked and fractured, a solid white barrier had formed—a protective shield cast just in time by Shin Jaeryong, who had prepared the spell in advance. Once bitten, twice shy.
But Shin Jaeryong gritted his teeth. They’d barely managed to hold it off, and the backlash from the impact was brutal. The shield, powered to its limit, was on the verge of shattering.
They needed a plan. This was no monster to face recklessly.
“Heh? Not bad. Looks like you’re not completely useless after all. Heh heh!”
A smooth, teasing voice rang out. Shin Jaeryong looked at Joo Hyunho with a mix of unease and curiosity.
Joo Hyunho had returned to his usual grin, spinning that unsettling smile like a madman. His emotions shifted in an instant, like watching someone unhinged. And dealing with a madman was always trickier—because you never knew when or how they’d strike.
“Heh heh heh. So? Feeling like talking now?”
“……”
“Aw, come on, just listen for a bit~. Hey, hey, this might be good news for you guys. Like, maybe I’ll even spare your lives…”
“……”
“Damn it, this is frustrating! I’m just asking you to listen once!”
“By the way, there’s something I’m curious about.”
Joo Hyunho’s face suddenly darkened as he spoke harshly. Then, a calm, beautiful voice answered—it was Helena.
Joo Hyunho, who had been glaring at Shin Jaeryong, smiled again.
“Oh? Who’s that? The blonde lady over there?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, she’s pretty. Looks perfect for having kids~?”
“That’s enough compliments. Answer my question. Did you do all the things that happened in this place?”
“Huh? Things? Oh~ You mean locking up the women you dragged here by force, and forcing them into the Mother Core even when they said no?”
“…Hmph.”
Joo Hyunho shook his head mockingly, as if expecting praise. Helena’s smile deepened.
“So you admit it yourself.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I did it. What, you wanna try it too? Go ahead.”
Joo Hyunho chuckled cruelly, taunting her. But Helena said nothing more. She simply stared at him silently, then slowly closed her eyes.
That was the moment.
As Helena closed her eyes, a subtle change stirred within her.
It wasn’t a huge shift—just the first time the true spirit of Helena, the ‘Great Hero,’ and the spirit of Magna Carta, the ‘Dragon of the End Times,’ aligned in purpose.
Suddenly, Helena’s aura transformed.
Two colossal souls, which had echoed through a century, now unleashed pure fury toward the monster before them. The change they sparked would bring about consequences far from trivial.
A brief silence fell, then Helena spoke quietly.
“…You are—”
“Hmm~? What was that~?”
Joo Hyunho feigned not hearing, teasing as he leaned in. But in that instant, Helena’s eyes, which had been gently closed, snapped wide open.
The moment their gaze met, Joo Hyunho’s perpetually cocky expression froze solid.
He was no longer human—he was a mutated monster.
And instinctively, he could feel it.
Those eyes were no longer human. The whites were stained a sickly yellow, and the once-beautiful irises were slit vertically, radiating a terrifying ferocity.
Yes. Those eyes were like something out of an ancient myth…
Then—
“What a truly hideous creature you are!”
Helena’s mouth stretched wide.
What a truly hideous creature you are!
What a truly hideous creature you are!
What a truly hideous creature you are!
What a truly hideous creature you are!
A roar tore through the King’s Lair, shaking it to its core—like a savage beast’s howl ripping everything apart.
The Dragon’s Roar.
The first true cooperation of the two aligned souls summoned the rebirth of the true Dragon of the End Times.
Magna Carta.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
ㅇ<-<.
Royujin is dead. Let’s just leave it at that.
Wait, maybe not. Let’s poke him once with a stick and see.