Chapter 165 – The Great Summoning Formation (5)

A line was drawn on the demon lord’s giant fist, and blood was flowing from there.

It was a wound made by Sun-woo’s sword.

Of course, compared to the giant fist, it looked worse than a wound made by a razor blade, but the important thing was that it could inflict a wound.

The fist that struck the ground didn’t move for a moment.

It wasn’t stopped by such a wound, but because it couldn’t find the enemy.

Sun-woo, surrounded by magic energy, was no different from a contaminated person whether by presence or by sight.

“Could it be that skill with the broken name?”

Sun-woo recalled the unknown last skill in the skill window. It was certainly a skill obtained after fighting the demon lord’s clone last time.

“Did I get the skill by killing the demon lord’s clone back then?”

There was no other reason to obtain such a skill.

He luckily activated it and was maintaining it even now, but it was difficult to use for long. Internal energy was draining out like a waterfall.

Sun-woo decided to worry about this matter after closing the summoning magic formation first.

Even in Sun-woo’s view, it was clear that after this barrier appeared, it couldn’t detect Sun-woo’s location. Sun-woo gritted his teeth and stood up again.

And he approached the magic formation once more and placed his hand on it.

Next to it, the giant fist had stopped after striking the ground, and tremendous cracks were running in all directions for dozens of meters.

It looked quite precarious, but Sun-woo chanted the spell toward the magic formation again.

The summoning magic formation began closing again.

When the summoning magic formation moved, the fist that had stopped began twitching.

Kuguung

The giant arm was lifted to the sky again and crashed down into the ground once more.

Kuwang!

Once again, the ground burst with a roar. Fortunately, where the fist struck this time wasn’t where Sun-woo was standing.

The remaining parts of the ruins were completely shattered by the demon lord’s fist.

Sand and rocks flying around. Even in that situation, Sun-woo gritted his teeth, concentrated his mind, and continued closing the magic formation.

Gyagyagyagyagyak!

Eventually, the hole in the summoning magic formation began grinding against the demon lord’s arm.

Even the mighty demon lord’s arm.

It seemed unable to win against the severance between dimensions.

Kuaaaaaaak!

The demon lord’s arm began descending with a scream that shook the earth.

Puak!

In an instant, the demon lord’s arm disappeared below the magic formation.

Sun-woo, who let out a sigh of relief, poured even more mana into the magic formation. The speed at which the magic formation closed became even faster.

And at the final moment, just before the magic formation closed, something popped out from inside the magic formation hole.

“Ugh!”

Sun-woo reflexively swung his sword, but the object wrapped in red light soared straight to the edge of the sky.

Kyaak!

It was a bat-human with wings attached to a red wing membrane.

It was an existence Sun-woo saw for the first time, but it was a demon race well known in the demon world.

Though its combat power wasn’t particularly strong, it was the demon lord’s limb often used for surprise attacks or reconnaissance with its small size and fast speed.

And demon race Schnigerman had one more specialty.

The giant eyes filling its face could transmit what it saw to the demon lord.

Wherever he was, in whichever dimension.

The demon race’s eyes floating high in the sky were precisely looking at Sun-woo standing on the ground.

And demon lord Eldyotun, who failed to pass through the summoning magic formation, confirmed the man who blocked him through the demon race’s eyes.

The man Sun-woo was standing with one hand extended toward the demon race. Though the demon race was puzzled at the appearance of just extending a hand, it soon understood the reason.

Shuuuuuk!

A sword pierced through the demon race’s eyes.

Kyaak!

Sun-woo’s sword with cure injection liquid applied to the blade thoroughly finished off even the demon race belonging to the demon world.

Shortly after, the demon race crashed into the ground, and the summoning magic formation that had been connected to the demon world was completely closed.

Now only the blood traces remaining on the ruins floor indicated that a magic formation had been drawn.

The world also all returned to normal. The red pillar of light disappeared, and the gray light that filled the horizon was no longer visible.

Sun-woo approached the demon race that fell to the ground, but the demon race’s form was crushed and disappeared.

Sun-woo, who tried to find clues using his ability, had to smack his lips in disappointment.

“Is everyone okay?”

When the demon race’s appearance disappeared, Sun-woo immediately led his tired body in the direction the other party members fled.

Though the enemy warrior came back on the way, there was no guarantee the party was safe.

Fortunately, no one in the party died. Though tired, the two women seemed to have no major injuries, and only the Black Knight regrettably appeared to have one arm severed.

Still, the Black Knight somehow stopped the bleeding and seemed not to feel pain.

And Hayden was also unconscious in Clara’s arms.

However, Hayden’s appearance looked very unstable.

The murky color of his skin was turning gray and semi-transparent.

His body repeatedly convulsed greatly.

Clara, who had been restless holding Hayden, cried out with tears welling up when she saw Sun-woo return.

“Hayden became strange! Please help!”

The anxiety she had been holding in seemed to burst upon seeing Sun-woo.

“Until then, there was no change in his unconscious state, but the moment the sky and air changed, he became like this.”

When Clara couldn’t explain properly, Diane helped from the side. Even while speaking, she was tightly gripping the Black Knight’s cloak with one hand.

Diane’s expression and words seemed calm, but her slightly trembling arm clearly showed she was worried about the Black Knight.

Hayden changed like this the moment the gate to the demon world opened. The magic energy that came up from the demon world affected him.

Sun-woo, who planned to bring Hayden to the city while keeping him unconscious, darkened his face.

If left like this, he might become like that magician contaminated by the demon world.

“But if we feed him the recovery agent, his body will have difficulty enduring, right?”

Too much time had passed. Moreover, the situation where even the demon world’s energy was overlaid.

He didn’t know what would happen if he fed him the cure.

That was when it happened. The Black Knight, who had said nothing until now, opened his mouth.

“What do you mean the body can’t endure?”

It was a thick male voice. However, regrettably, his voice was rough and cracked.

Sun-woo, who was looking at the Black Knight, soon informed him of Hayden’s situation.

The cure that treats contaminated people.

And that people contaminated for a long time can’t endure after the contamination is resolved.

After hearing Sun-woo’s story, he thought for a moment then reached a conclusion.

“Then feed him the medicine now. I think I can help with the body problem.”

“Hexen!”

At his words, Diane called the Black Knight with a scream-like voice, and he placed his remaining arm on Diane’s head and gently stroked her hair.

“Don’t worry and proceed.”

Diane didn’t protest his words anymore. She just looked at him with tears welling up.

No one present was curious about what happened at the summoning magic formation.

Not only Clara who was worried about Hayden, but also the Black Knight and Diane—no one asked Sun-woo about the summoning magic formation.

At the Black Knight’s words, Sun-woo took out powder medicine from his inventory and put it in the convulsing Hayden’s mouth.

The contamination spreading agent that Yeonhwa turned into a cure using divine power immediately showed effect.

Contamination began gradually being pushed out from Hayden’s body.

His body that was turning semi-transparent became opaque, and his skin that was murky color returned to its original skin color.

Shortly after, when all the contamination left Hayden’s body, immediately what Sun-woo worried about happened.

Hayden’s body began rapidly weakening. Even feeding him the potions Sun-woo had was useless.

“Life force was swept away together, so such medicine is useless.”

Black Knight Hexen approached next to Hayden and knelt on one knee inside.

“Ah!”

Clara let out a low surprised voice at Hexen’s appearance.

Black Knight Hexen was now removing the helmet he always wore on his head.

White hair, a face full of wrinkles and liver spots.

It was a face that seemed like it would have been handsome in the past, but now his face was merely that of an old man with not much time left before death.

Because of this appearance, he had never shown anyone (even Diane) his appearance without the helmet.

His aged appearance was the result of consuming his life force to fight during countless battles before becoming a summoner and after becoming a summoner.

However, after meeting Diane, he didn’t complain about his body modified to fight by consuming life force.

No, rather he was grateful. Thanks to his body, he could rescue and protect Diane time and again.

Clack.

Hexen removed his iron glove then placed his wrinkled hand on Hayden’s belly.

He looked at Diane.

He hated seeing Diane blame herself for seeing his grotesquely changed appearance, but he wanted to see her one last time with bare eyes, not through the helmet.

Diane was biting her lips while looking at him.

Reddened eyes and trembling hands. She was desperately holding back tears.

This mission was the two people’s farewell journey.

The mission where Hexen, who could no longer endure, departed for the last time, and the last journey the two took together.

If they spent time quietly without fighting, he could endure a bit longer, but as a natural-born knight, he couldn’t spend time that way.

Moreover, he was someone who forcibly stayed with Diane by consuming points. There was a need to finish before running out of points and returning.

“Fortunately, I can finish splendidly.”

Though it was a rough and weak voice, joy and peace could be felt in his voice.

Hwaak!

And Hexen’s hand placed on Hayden’s belly began emitting light.

It was very beautiful light.

Like that, Hexen’s last life force flowed to Hayden through his hand.

Shortly after, the light disappeared and color returned to Hayden’s face.

And Hexen’s appearance was no longer visible.

“Hex… en…”

Diane shed tears and powerlessly called Hexen’s name into the empty air.

He who gave all his life force to Hayden had scattered into thin air.

Only his black armor remained there alone.

***

The party spent half a day there and returned to the city.

Time was needed for Hayden to wake up, but above all, Sun-woo couldn’t move at all.

It was all because of the berserk potion’s aftereffects. The aftereffects that hit shortly after Hayden was cured made Sun-woo unable to budge.

Muscle pain occurred throughout his body, severe headache and exhaustion from mana depletion, and even internal energy didn’t recover after hitting rock bottom.

Half a day later, Hayden who woke up heard about the situation and expressed gratitude to Diane.

And to his words that he wanted to repay somehow, she only shook her head with a gloomy expression.

Thanks to the late departure, the party could barely arrive at the meeting place and immediately returned to the free city with the spatial ability user.

After arriving at the city, Diane left the party carrying luggage containing Hexen’s armor.

And Sun-woo was waiting in Clara’s office with Hayden and Clara to report the mission details.

Hayden, who returned after being contaminated, regrettably didn’t seem to have become that strong, but instead received plenty of Clara’s love.

Thanks to that, Sun-woo had to watch the lovers’ unseemly behavior from the side for a long time.

The door opened and Clara and prophet Silvia entered inside.

Sun-woo quickly returned his finger that he had made murky colored to normal, and Silvia stared intently at such Sun-woo.