From the moment Sihyun heard from Armus that he had to serve as bait, he had been thinking consistently.
Was there a way he could help while still playing the role of bait?
Given Sihyun's nature, neither quietly serving as bait and simply sacrificing himself, nor waiting for his companions to resolve the situation, was appealing. Originally a savior, as Kang Sihyun, he was a guild member of Redem and humanity's salvation.
He had to live up to that name.
Thus, after much solitary contemplation, Sihyun came up with a plan. He decided to utilize the power of Adam while in a soul state, free from the physical burdens of the flesh.
When Sihyun would revert to his Adam state, it was not when he was undergoing repeated reincarnations within a human body, but rather when his life ended and his soul returned to the side of God. Thus, the demi-god's power was at its strongest in the soul state.
He had to make good use of it.
Of course, being a soul didn’t mean there were no risks in using power. In fact, the risks were likely greater. After all, there was no physical body to endure the strain, and his memory was not flawless either.
Therefore, he deemed it impractical to handle such immense power frequently and decided to compromise with himself.
To pull forth the power of Adam and confront Quintus just once.
Even when he hinted this to Armus and Russ, he doubted its feasibility, but ultimately, Sihyun successfully harnessed Adam's power.
Kwaah!
Just like now.
Chaarururuk!
It began in an empty cave, with chains of light suddenly flying towards him. The chains of light restrained Quintus, and the sudden event startled Gula's offspring. The creature swung its head around frantically, trying to discern who had conjured the chains.
"Who is it? Who dares?"
The massive serpent bellowed furiously. Its threatening eyes gleamed as it tried to use all its eyes to spot its foe, to no avail.
An ordinary soul might not see, but Sihyun, synchronized with Adam, was beyond the perception of mere offspring like Gula's.
He possessed the full stature of a demi-god.
Had it been Gula himself, perhaps it would have been different.
However, Quintus was just one of Gula's offspring, regarded as a criminal by the world. Adam, both a savior and an executioner, grew infinitely stronger against such criminals.
Quintus was a natural foe.
Divine punishment.
The authority granted to the executioner was perfectly manifested by Sihyun in his soul form. The criminal, bound by chains of light, was suddenly crushed under immense gravity and fell to the ground.
"Kieeek!"
Quintus screamed and writhed. Despite there being nothing visible, it seemed as if he was being crushed under a giant palm.
Sihyun executed the punishment again with the residual divine power in the air.
Kwaah!
Each convergence of gravity shook the cave profoundly.
Kieeek!
The criminal's screams continued. The place, known as a dungeon and arranged more like a utopia for prisoners than a prison, finally embodied the cruelty befitting a jail.
Ugh!
Of course, the process was not without its toll on Sihyun. The risk of using divine power in a soul state manifested as his soul becoming translucent as if it might disperse at any moment. The pain he felt was not from a physical body but from the damage to his very essence, an eerie sensation.
If he exerted more power, he knew he wouldn't remain unscathed. Instead of using the last of his divine power for further punishment, Sihyun chose to use it to project his fading consciousness out of the cave.
Ssaeak!
The divine power flew like a dagger towards the cave entrance. Anyone else might not respond, but Russ would react to his power.
Blink-blink.
His vision blurred.
Realizing the cost of using forbidden power through a loophole, Sihyun watched Quintus, bound by chains of light, then collapsed powerlessly.
His body, floating in the air, plummeted towards the flesh below.
Leave the rest to you.
Sihyun smiled, recalling his companions who had come so far and received so much help, too embarrassed to fail.
The dungeon conquest would surely succeed.
***
How long had it been since they waited outside the cave? Initially, the companions had decided to trust and wait for Sihyun, but as the waiting time extended, their anxiety became unavoidable.
Even more so as Sihyun's body lay unprotected in the echoing dungeon.
"Shouldn't we just go in?"
Even Lao Tian, who had a weak bond with Sihyun, expressed concern by then, darkening Russ's expression. Trust was decided, but how far should it extend?
Was endlessly trusting the only answer?
Was
it really right to trust and wait for that young boy?
Doubts and questions clouded his mind. As distrustful thoughts multiplied, Russ's brow furrowed.
"......!"
Suddenly feeling as if something pierced her brain, Ruth's eyes widened dramatically.
"Ms. Ruth, your eye color has…"
Simultaneously, Haehyuk noticed the change in Ruth and spoke up. The reason was Ruth's green eyes had turned completely golden, emitting an unusual radiance. With a dry laugh, Ruth grasped the talisman Kang Sihyun had given her.
Wooooong.
The talisman vibrated intensely, as if urgently urging her to go and fight, resonating with Ruth's soul.
"Is this what it was?"
Ruth muttered in admiration as she gazed at the cave where the noise had finally subsided. She had been right; she could indeed understand the signals he was sending.
He's calling me so strongly.
"It seems the kid is ready."
"Then…!"
"Yes."
Let's go and settle this.
With a smirk, Ruth grabbed Gunwoo, who had been guarding the entrance of the cave with a shield, by the shoulder. The boy nodded slightly and stepped back.
Then, he fainted.
"Baek Gunwoo!"
Haewoon rushed toward the fallen boy. The rest of Class A students also widened their eyes in shock, looking at Gunwoo.
Baek Gunwoo had always been their indomitable Tanker, a solid wall for them, never easily fallen. His fainting was unexpected.
"Hey, hey! He isn't dead, is he?"
Hamin, flustered, checked Gunwoo's pulse. The situation was calmed by Arumus, who looked on with a dismissive expression.
"He's not dead. He's just fainted. Leave him be. If you're really worried, leave someone to watch over him."
"Why would he suddenly faint?"
"It wasn't sudden. That kid has been recklessly bearing the power of a demi-god by himself. It's a miracle he was still standing."
Tsk, how foolish.
Arumus clicked his tongue and muttered. Upon his words, all their companions turned their gazes toward Gunwoo.
He had recklessly endured the power of a demi-god alone.
The meaning behind those words was clear. Amidst the sobered atmosphere, Haewoon quietly raised his hand.
"From now on, it's the final battle. I'm just a Buffer, so I won't be much help. You'll be pouring all your damage, right? So, I'll stay here and protect this guy."
It was a sensible suggestion.
Ruth and Haehyuk nodded, and Hamin, after gripping Gunwoo's hand tightly, gave Haewoon a shoulder pat. I'll go and do my part, so just wait. With a teasing threat, Haewoon chuckled. Thanks to the two boys, the mood slightly lightened as the guild leaders took a breath in preparation for the battle and received Haewoon's buff.
A golden aura surged around all the companions. It was as if they were covered in a massive amount of buffs, commanding them not to lose. Ruth chuckled lightly, patted Haewoon's head, and slung the talisman over her shoulder.
"Let's go."
No rousing speech, no fierce cry—just a straightforward command. That simplicity rather showed his confidence to quickly wrap things up, making his companions laugh as they followed Ruth into the cave.
"Screeeech!"
Quintus, although bound by Kang Sihyun's chains, still maintained its savage nature. The screams echoed from the entrance, tensing up the companions as they checked the subdued state of Quintus. The ominous noise had not been for naught; the formidable Quintus was now half its size.
"Such an amazing kid."
Ruth shook his head. Everyone else was left speechless by Kang Sihyun's abilities, preparing for the battle.
"But is it okay to attack in this state?"
Although subdued, Quintus wasn’t in a state like when its spirit had been captured. As Hamin questioned with doubt, Arumus squinted at Quintus's condition and nodded.
"It should work about 50%. The demi-god has drained quite a bit of its stamina, so there shouldn’t be a problem."
"Then it's settled."
In any case, they could proceed with the elimination.
Click, click. The companions each took their positions and raised their weapons. One, two… Someone counted the seconds for timing.
And finally.
Three.
"Pour everything into it!"
All companions struck at Quintus.
"Snake barbecue sounds good!"
Ruth shouted joyously as he threw the final spear amid rushing companions. At that moment, his hair and eyes were covered in a brilliant golden light.
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