Chapter 296

〈Chapter 296〉Part 1, Chapter 13

At that moment, outside the door.

Bang bang bang!

The hot-tempered Tempest Lady pounded on the door. The barrier of Blue Flame remained steadfast, unshaken even by Tempest Lady’s rock-shattering attacks.

“Executioner!”

Tempest Lady shouted at the top of her lungs. Though young, the Executioner was undoubtedly a superior officer; however, the current situation was absurd enough to dismiss such authority.

“How could this happen while we were unconscious…?!”

“Ho ho ho… Calm down, Chunja. Don’t worry.”

“My goodness, you’re laughing right now?!”

Tempest Lady was so agitated she didn’t even notice being called by her old name. As someone with no connection or good relations with the Blue Wind Sect, she was uneasy about the Hero being alone in a room with the leader of the Blue Wind Sect—despite Gongsung also being present.

“Ho ho… Surely they wouldn’t kill anyone. The Executioner guarantees it, and the one he values has willingly become a hostage.”

“So, how long do you plan to keep growling at each other?”

Phantom waved his hands casually. With Usa and Hwakwon firmly seated beside him, Phantom didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. He idly twirled two orbs in his hand, patiently waiting for the barrier to dissipate.

“Relax. We still have over thirty minutes until arrival, right? They’ll come out before then.”

“Do you really think that’s enough time not to turn someone into a monster?”

Tempest Lady shrugged as Phantom responded. Time-wise, it was true. The fifteen minutes suggested by Phoenix were sufficient to subdue Unsah and mold them into a loyal monster under their command.

“What will you do if Unsah comes out as a monster? Can we trust a villain’s promise?”

“But this is a promise made by Cheongnyeon. Shouldn’t we believe it?”

“Depends on where you hang it—I guess.”

“Fair point. Still, let’s wait a little longer. Honestly…”

Phantom scanned all the gathered Heroes with his finger.

“If our kid had truly put their heart into it, you guys would’ve already been beaten up and turned into monsters by now?”

“This…!”

Though irritated by Phantom’s provocation, the Heroes couldn’t deny its truth. During training sessions disguised as spars, they fought Phoenix with full strength but fell unconscious from gunfire before witnessing the so-called “monster form.”

“Not wrong, is it?”

If Phoenix wanted, not only Unsah but everyone present could be turned into monsters. Phantom continued toying with the orbs—Jo Deokbae’s and Black Flame Dragon’s cores—and shrugged again.

“So, just wait a bit. Do heroes have no patience? It’s only fifteen minutes. Five have already passed.”

“Tch!”

Tempest Lady clicked her tongue and turned her head away. She wanted to tear through the barrier and rescue Unsah, but lacked both the power and authority to do so.

“…I’ll wait.”

Executioner stood with hands behind his back, waiting silently for time to pass. Phantom too waited, endlessly rolling the orbs in his hand.

“Executioner, can’t you see anything inside?”

Finally unable to bear the suspense, Usa asked aloud.

“Shouldn’t you know what’s happening inside, Master Executioner?”

“…Impossible above S-Rank. Especially with this kind of barrier.”

Executioner revealed the limits of his special ability. While he could track movements across synchronized areas, creating a personal space with magical power like Phoenix rendered his abilities useless.

“All I see is an endless blue.”

The blue barrier enveloping the room completely blocked Executioner’s view. Thus, Phoenix’s room became an impenetrable chamber, leaving those outside with no choice but to wait.

“Chunja. Do you really think pressing your ear against the wall will help?”

“Just shut up and let me try. And it’s Xianwu.”

Tempest Lady pressed her ear against the wall, straining to listen. Though Pungbaek pointed out the futility of her efforts, he didn’t stop her. Curiosity about the situation inside the barrier gnawed at him too.

“Hwakwon, do you sense anything?”

“Me?”

Hwakwon, who had been quietly standing aside, suddenly found himself under scrutiny. All eyes, especially Phantom’s burning gaze, were on him.

“……Well…”

All Hwakwon could feel was that despite pretending to be calm, Phantom was the most anxious of them all.

“What could possibly happen?”

Hwakwon thought nothing outrageous would occur.

* * *

Squeeeeeeak!!

Tubulus screeched and swiped at me. Its cloud-like body, powered by stolen magical energy from Park Ra-on, had taken physical form, and its claws possessed the destructive power of an SS-Rank Monster.

“To where?!”

I swung my bow, Yu I-shin. Tubulus’ claw clashed with the bow.

Crunch!!

One wing of Yu I-shin’s bow disappeared halfway. Tubulus caught the remaining bow body with its claw and swallowed it whole.

[AAAHHH! Leader! I’m being eaten! Eaten, I tell you!!]

“It’s fine since it’s made of magic!”

[That’s exactly why it’s being eaten, AAAAHHH!!]

Whoosh! Taking advantage of Tubulus reaching for me, I struck back with Yu I-shin’s core. The damaged bow was torn off completely by Tubulus’ grasp.

[HIIIIEK?!]

Yu I-shin screamed in agony. Though there might be no real pain in being torn apart, having one’s magical construct weapon chewed up equates to losing magical energy.

[What about my magical power!? I was so close to reaching SS-Rank!!]

“I’ll take care of it later!!”

Grasping Yu I-shin’s core, I swung the half-destroyed bow mercilessly. Tubulus welcomed the attack with open arms, greedily devouring Yu I-shin.

Gulp! Gulp!

Yu I-shin’s magical power was being drained in real-time as Tubulus happily consumed it. Despite her protests, I firmly grabbed and tossed her core away.

“You’ll fight on your own from now on!”

[HIIIIEK?!]

Yu I-shin’s core began to glow, and soon she transformed back into human form. Tubulus lunged at her like a ghost.

“AAHHH?!”

Ducking to evade, Yu I-shin was still crushed under Tubulus’ massive body. Tubulus pinned her to the ground and took a big bite out of her hair.

“EIIIIEEEK?!”

A significant portion of Yu I-shin’s magical power disappeared. Since her entire body, except the core, was pure magical energy, every part of her was prey for Tubulus.

“L-Leader! This feels weird, AAHHH?!”

Yu I-shin tilted her head back dramatically. Tubulus began nibbling on her body, pulling her into the clouds.

“Palace Guardian.”

“Y-Yes!!”

I clenched my fist toward Yu I-shin.

“Fighting alongside a monster might give you a unique experience.”

“What are you saying, HIIEEK?!”

Yu I-shin froze. As soon as Tubulus engulfed her lower body, it revealed its true nature.

“Now, hold on… AH, HAHA!”

Yu I-shin scratched the floor with her nails, laughing uncontrollably. I applauded and swiftly created a veil with released magical power.

“Protect Park Ra-on.”

“Th-This feels strange, KIIIEEH?!”

As Tubulus licked all over her, Yu I-shin laughed herself unconscious. During this, I wrapped the unconscious Park Ra-on tightly in the veil to prevent Tubulus from sneaking in.

Puff… Puff…

Tubulus pressed Yu I-shin’s shoulder with its cloudy hand. Unable to suppress her laughter, Yu I-shin buried her face in the ground. I knelt before her.

“Tubulus acts faster than expected but is quite picky. It carefully chooses hosts whose magical power suits its taste.”

“L-Leader… Rather hurt me… This feels too weird, HYEEET?!”

Yu I-shin swayed violently. Her eyes rolled back, and her head bent backward like an archer reaching climax.

Puff… Puff…

Though wary of me, Tubulus showed no intention of stopping its feeding. Excited by how quickly I unleashed my power, Tubulus decided upon tasting another wind-attribute power user within the barrier.

“When Tubulus parasitizes a host, it makes the host more receptive.”

“N-Now hold on… Are you seriously tearing my panties off, HYAAAH?!”

Yu I-shin lowered her head. I nodded encouragingly and stepped slightly back.

“When it parasitized Park Ra-on, it started with masturbation… Park Ra-on used her hands, creating an opening, and Tubulus slipped in. That’s how it went.”

Recalling the first parasitization. If stimulation causes rejection, the parasitization fails.

“While the host loses themselves in pleasure, Tubulus searches for a place to settle inside the body. Congratulations. Tubulus finds you delicious.”

“I-Isn’t this going too far, HAAAAAH…!”

Puffuuu, Puffuuu.

Like a beast, Tubulus pushed Yu I-shin down and wriggled around her. I clearly saw the flow of magical power spreading throughout Tubulus’ body.

“AHHHHH…!”

“Swallowing nicely, aren’t you?”

I reached out and stroked Yu I-shin’s head. Lost in ecstasy, her pupils dilated, and Tubulus paused at my touch.

“Hang in there. If you succeed, I’ll give you another Black Fang Core.”

“G-G-Thank you… HUUUUU…!”

Overjoyed by the prospect of promotion, Yu I-shin momentarily forgot her pleasure and regained focus. I quickly withdrew my hand.

Puff!!

Taking my cue, Tubulus resumed moving. Sensing the host regaining consciousness during our conversation, Tubulus drowned Yu I-shin in pleasure once more.

Gulp, Gulp!

Tubulus’ body continuously plunged into Yu I-shin. Forced insertion akin to being swallowed alive, her stomach began to swell.

“H-Haa, Haa, Haa.”

“Your belly may stick out now, but it’ll flatten soon. Once stabilized, it’ll enter a dormant core state.”

“B-But right now, I’m bigger than a bear, KYAAAH?!”

Tubulus lifted Yu I-shin’s lower body higher. Initially almost horizontal, her body tilted into a diagonal position, with her chest and head pressed against the floor while her waist pointed toward the ceiling.

“Just endure a bit. Imagine your future self after growing stronger. How excited are you to see how your arrows will change after acquiring Tubulus’ traits?”

“Before that, I might die from pleasure, HUUUUU…!”

Plump. Yu I-shin collapsed, tears and saliva dripping onto the floor as she weakly laid her head down.

Puff…

Having accidentally knocked out its host, Tubulus stopped and looked to me for guidance. Despite being an SS-Rank monster and the second form of Wind Dragon, it had developed some awareness due to parasitizing humans.

“Listen carefully.”

Checking the time on my magical gear, I ignited flames in front of Tubulus.

“If you don’t fully enter within five minutes, I’ll kill you.”

Puff-

Tubulus clearly nodded. Though technically a spirit that must be destroyed, its behavior closely resembled the original Penril’s obsession with magical power.

‘That Penril got a severe beating for fooling around.’

As a copy of Penril, Tubulus behaving this way was unsurprising. But now that I’ve set a deadline, Tubulus will risk its life to parasitize Yu I-shin.

“The type that gets serious when backed into a corner…”

Puff, Puffuuu–!

Tubulus began forcefully inserting itself into the unconscious Yu I-shin. I leisurely munched on strawberries prepared earlier in the fridge while waiting on the bed.

Five minutes.

During which Yu I-shin’s body shook countless times, and Tubulus vanished without a trace. I laid the unconscious Yu I-shin beside Park Ra-on on the bed.

One lay shirtless without underwear, the other tightly wrapped in my veil. I removed the veil from Park Ra-on and adjusted my magical power, covering Yu I-shin below.

Woooom–

A blue undergarment appeared beneath Yu I-shin. Since the veil modified by my magical power transformed accordingly, Tubulus would no longer be able to escape from inside Yu I-shin.

‘This concludes it.’

I grabbed the cube projecting red light onto the ceiling and encased it in magical power. The emitted aura gradually faded, and I sighed in relief.

‘Thankfully.’

“Thought I’d actually have to handle it manually… Really scared me.”

Though permission was granted, I’m glad it didn’t come to that.