Unexpected Reward (1)

The quality of the black mana was extremely high.

It had stirred up black mana at the cost of enormous sacrifices inside a cramped space, and a Gate that could be called an enclosed place where there was no other way for it to escape.

So it had been concentrated and refined, maintaining a high quality whose nature could not help but differ from ordinary black mana.

‘Since the quality is high, the increase in my mana when I make it mine is considerable. Thanks to that, I should be able to fill the total amount of mana needed to cross the Master’s wall. However…. I simply don’t have time?’

I did not like the fact that I had to leave all this black mana behind and depart in line with the Gate’s closure.

So I wanted to find a method, and in the actual process of absorbing the black mana, I ended up using one trick.

I had remembered the sight of power being stored inside Magic Stones.

Most of the Magic Stones I possessed were high-grade Magic Stones.

However, when it came to containing the black mana filling this place, their efficiency was not good, and the amount was hopelessly insufficient. Rather than waste them like that, I judged that it was right to find another method, but the fact that it was such an ignorant yet certain method made me laugh hollowly.

‘I never thought I’d end up using such an absurd method….’

I quickly began drawing a magic circle on my body. Then, in an instant, through patterning and engraving, I forcibly set the cost of my Sub-space to 99% and expanded it.

I felt the tremendous amount of Sub-space that had grown in an instant, and after confirming the enormous empty space inside it, I began pulling in black mana through resonance and the “patterning” I had learned while dealing with the Lich this time.

I had opened my Sub-space, then began sending one stream into my body and countless bundles of black mana into the Sub-space.

I did not know how much power I could contain, but the important part here was that the black mana flowing into my body would also be used for the purpose of expanding the Sub-space as soon as it became mine.

And so, in real time, a vortex of black mana began to occur in the space around me.

‘As time passes, I’m getting used to making black mana mine. If I gather power until I can leave the Gate… not only will I be able to reach 8th Circle Master, but I’ll also be able to secure all the black mana I need to advance even beyond that….’

To be precise, I became curious about how high my power would stand once I made all the black mana mine later.

I acknowledged that this was why people could not help but be swayed by desire, but then, after I had absorbed power and sucked it into my Sub-space for some time,

“Mr. Geum Seong-chan!”

I turned my head at the familiar voice and presence.

It was Go Yu-jin.

She looked like she wanted to immediately throw herself into my arms, but seeing her firmly hold herself back, I spoke.

“I’m sorry. This isn’t an easy task.”

“I know…. You’re going to keep doing that until we leave the Gate, aren’t you?”

She was a woman who knew me too well.

Then I confirmed that Ben Smith had followed after her and asked,

“You endured well. Did many die?”

“No one died. There are people who have difficulty moving or have been crippled, but the Sea Sun Brigade promised appropriate treatment for them.”

“You did well. You survived well.”

“…Is that it?”

Ben Smith asked while pointing at the massive Lich that still maintained its form on the ground.

“It was strong. I nearly died.”

“…I will dare ask you rudely. Please come to the Sea Sun Brigade. With your power… you will be able to save the world.”

His tone was resolute, so I did not answer immediately and paused for a moment.

My answer had already been decided anyway.

“I’m sorry. I’m not passionate enough to save the world.”

“The Sea Sun Brigade will always leave its doors wide open and wait for you. Through this incident, we were able to decide clearly on the direction we must take.”

I did not fail to understand what Ben Smith’s words meant.

If the Sea Sun Brigade had strongly felt as though it had been drifting on the outside until now, now it felt like it had clearly set a goal and would move toward it.

That goal was the Calamity God, and perhaps they judged that the reason Earth had ended up in this state, including the Gates, was also because of the Calamity God.

So I lightly advised him.

“The worm-like bastards who worship the Calamity God are extremely strong. Starting with Beral, the Saintesses and followers are not people you should think lightly of.”

“I know. That is why I am certain we have finally found our archenemy. Through this expedition, we suffered enormous sacrifices, but thanks to that, I am certain we gained the driving force not to settle for the present, but to shake off our arrogance and move further forward.”

“It sounds like there were many casualties.”

“…We estimate that more than twenty died.”

Since it was unfortunate, I replied by saying something like I prayed for their souls to rest in peace. He conveyed his thanks and then stepped back to stand guard.

At that, I asked him quietly.

“Shouldn’t you go to your comrades?”

“There may still be danger left inside, so I will guard you. The work you are doing right now will surely be of great help to humanity in the future, will it not?”

I became curious about what kind of thoughts this person lived his life with.

They had called it the “Hero” privilege.

It was an extremely rare trait granted to only a very small number of Awakeners, and currently, there were only two known people who possessed the Hero trait.

One of them was Ben Smith, who was right before my eyes, but I felt like I could not get a grasp on him.

“Your body…. Are you hurt anywhere?”

Was it because Ben Smith had taken a step back?

Go Yu-jin asked me a question.

“I wasn’t hurt from the battle, but these bastards make me feel like my insides are rotting away.”

“…You must be feeling terrible pain. Why do you deliberately put yourself through such suffering?”

“I’m trying to protect the people around me.”

“No one asks you to protect them. They protect themselves.”

“I don’t want you to feel upset. And… one of the reasons I’m doing this is you.”

Go Yu-jin, surprised by my sudden words, looked puzzled.

“They said that if I reach the 9th Circle, I can take back what I paid as the price to the Necronomicon. I want to make the countless emotions I feel toward you entirely mine.”

The direction of my small desire would always remain the same.

It had begun from a small emotion and filled everything that remained, so I wanted to recover all of it completely and feel it.

Go Yu-jin’s brow, which had been slightly furrowed with concern and worry, relaxed, and she let out a sigh.

“If you say it like that, I have no choice but to help…. You’re storing it in your Sub-space, right?”

Then Go Yu-jin used magic patterns and engraving on her own body to adjust the cost of her Sub-space.

“You don’t have to do it too, Yu-jin.”

“We don’t have much time. Shouldn’t we take even a little more of the black mana in this huge space?”

At those words, I could not help but feel grateful, and not long after, other black mages also began arriving one after another. Go Yu-jin then explained the circumstances.

“There was such a method too. As expected, you’re amazing!”

Eiden Smith and Ruth Bones were impressed, and Han Sang-gil also tried to set his Sub-space cost just like Go Yu-jin, so I interfered with it using resonance and said,

“Elder Han Sang-gil, you should not do it. It seems like you were shocked enough for your Circle to shake. Was the enemy strong?”

“Don’t even mention it. It was an utterly tiresome, venomous bastard. If I broke it, it recovered, and even if I tried to extinguish it, it gathered again. Huh, I suffered terribly.”

Since it was someone like Han Sang-gil, I expected that he had at least attempted something like that.

The words that the Necronomicon’s power was boundless depending on how it was used were true, and even now, I wanted to feed the Necronomicon plenty of black mana, but if the Necronomicon absorbed everything and refused to spit it back out, it would be troublesome, so for now, this method was the best.

Several hours passed like that, and as I saw them begin bringing back the keepsakes or remains of the Sea Sun Brigade members who had each died, I tried to measure how great the sense of deprivation, loss, and sadness they must be feeling was.

‘I can probably feel emotions like that too….’

I looked at Go Yu-jin and Han Sang-gil.

I had brought the two of them here because I trusted them, but the thought that I might have lost them made my heart sink.

I was surprised by the fact that I was still capable of that much emotional agitation, but I was also surprised by how great a presence the two of them occupied within my emotions.

“How long do you think you can continue?”

Just then, Marcelo, who had stored remains in his Sub-space, approached.

“It seems there are about 13 hours left until the Gate collapses. I plan to try until then.”

“Certainly…. With this much power, I can understand wanting it. But do not overdo it. Your body could collapse, could it not?”

He was not wrong.

Because he was someone of Marcelo’s level, he would know how reckless and lethal this method was.

But without a method like this, there was no way to rapidly raise my realm in such a short moment.

In the end, I would run into my limits, be blocked by the Master’s wall, and have to live my whole life anxiously.

“I would like to help you as well, but… we came here in the first place to catch Beral, so I am sorry that I cannot help.”

“Revenge is justified.”

“Thank you.”

Marcelo was someone who absolutely had to kill Beral.

I judged that the reason the other Sea Sun Brigade comrades were also maintaining their bodies in the best possible condition was because of that.

In reality, I had briefly sensed that somewhere inside this enormous Gate, there was an existence possessing powerful strength.

There was no telling when, where, or how it might attack.

If not, it may have already left the Gate, or else it might hide itself until the very end and disappear along with the Gate’s closure.

Since it was an Apostle of the Calamity God, it would possess a lot of information related to Gates, and perhaps it might even know a way to escape from a closed Gate.

‘I’ll find out as I watch.’

The absorption of power proceeded smoothly, and as I felt the Sub-space growing larger and the black mana filling it to the brim, it had been a long time since I felt full just from looking at something.

Meanwhile, the extent of the Sea Sun Brigade’s damage came to be conveyed to the entire world.

At first, many people felt as though it was a lie that those called the world’s strongest group had lost as many as 23 members in a single Gate. But when their identities were revealed and an additional announcement was made that their remains and keepsakes would be delivered to each country, only then did everyone realize and become alert to just how tremendous and dangerous the authority of the Calamity God and his followers was.