[Quest Complete.]
Power surged through Suho's entire body. A whopping five level-ups. It seemed that the vast amount of magic power Javier had absorbed from other hunters had been converted into experience points and granted to him.
[Quest completion rewards have arrived.]
[Would you like to check the rewards?] (Y/N)
Instead of checking the rewards, Suho frantically looked around for his father's illusion.
"Father...!"
Swooosh! With Javier's death, the sandstorm that had covered the area, along with all the illusions he had created, scattered like dust and disappeared.
The illusion of Sung Jinwoo wasn't much different. However, even as his body dispersed and vanished, he remained calm.
"Don't make such a fuss. I'm just an illusion" Then, he slightly raised his head to look at the sky and continued.
"The real me is doing well up there. Although I've been a little busy recently… Since someone has been away"
["Kieeek! My King! This disloyal sinner stands before you, seeking your forgiveness...!"] At those words, Beru swiftly prostrated himself and began to wail.
[I desperately want to return, but I lack the magic power to do so!]
"It's fine. If that's the reason you can't return, then I'm relieved." Although Sung Jinwoo was currently an illusion, his consciousness was linked to his real self through their connected souls. By utilizing Javier's magic in reverse, he had turned his illusion into a kind of avatar, an incarnation of the real Sung Jinwoo. Thanks to this, the real Shadow Monarch in space was now aware that Beru, whom he had sent to Earth, had safely released Suho's seal. He had been worried that the shadow ant might have encountered some obstacles and hadn't reached Suho yet, but that concern was now alleviated. More importantly. Sung Jinwoo's gaze fell upon the small Beru, lying flat on the ground, and he spoke.
"I think it would be better for you to stay on Earth for the time being."
[Kieeek?! B-but is that alright?] Beru's eyes widened in surprise.
The war in outer space was fierce, maintaining a delicate balance. Therefore, his absence as a legion commander would undoubtedly place a tremendous burden on Sung Jinwoo.
[Without me, the balance of the war...!]
"Ah, it's fine. I recently acquired a capable soldier."
[...] Beru froze in place, his mouth agape at Sung Jinwoo's shocking answer.
"Of course, it would be better if you could return quickly, but it seems like things on Earth aren't as easy-going as I thought." Even while speaking those words, Sung Jinwoo's body was already half dispersed.
"I don't have much time." He turned his head and looked at the remains of Javier, whom Suho had just killed. Only thing left was a skeleton with shattered ribs and a message floating above.
[Mana is contaminated and cannot be extracted.] Looking at the system notification, Sung Jinwoo explained to Suho calmly.
"Among the demonic spirits, there are occasionally those whose mana can't be extracted." Suho wore a disappointed expression at those words. But as Sung Jinwoo had said, Javier's soul similarly to the souls of demons couldn't be extracted. It meant he couldn't be turned into a Shadow Soldier like Harman.
"Anyway, since you can't utilize this one." Sung Jinwoo reached out his dispersing hand and grabbed Javier's soul.
"I'll make use of it."
Swish! Javier's contaminated soul was caught in his hand and forcibly pulled up. Then, as if sensing his impending fate, he began to let out bloodcurdling screams.
[Kaaaaaaaaaaah-!]
[How dare you-!]
[This is impossible...!]
"I already told you. For me nothing is impossible." Sung Jinwoo smirked, looking at the dark shadow struggling to escape from his hand.
Javier's soul trembled with intense humiliation. A mere illusion born from his own magic had, in turn, captured his soul!
"You should know that mages of the demonic spirit race, who have accumulated magic power for a long time like you, are excellent materials for magic themselves." With those words, Sung Jinwoo used Javier's soul to cast one final spell.
Swish! Suddenly, a net-like magic circle spread from his hand, tightly binding Javier's struggling soul.
Kaaaaaaaaaah...! The magic circle began to tighten and compress, becoming smaller and smaller. And as Javier's screams grew fainter and eventually ceased. A fist-sized jewel was held in Sung Jinwoo's hand.
"Here, a gift."
[Item: 'Javier's Soulstone' acquired.] Suho looked at the jewel his father handed him with a puzzled expression.
"What is this...?"
[Item: Javier's Soulstone]
[Acquisition Difficulty: ??]
[Type: Jewel]
[A jewel created by compressing a soul.]
"It's insurance, just in case. Put it in your inventory."
"Insurance?"
"Yes. Watching you fight makes me... concerned about something" Sung Jinwoo looked at Suho's face with a wry smile.
He wanted to explain more, but no words came out of his mouth. The future was unpredictable. A son follows in his father's footsteps, but their paths are never the same. His son's future was for him to choose and decide...
'For now, it's better to cheer him on than give him unnecessary nagging.' Sung Jinwoo dismissed the countless words that came to mind.
"So, Suho." And with his dispersing hand, he grasped Suho's shoulder and said.
"I leave this place to you."
"Yes, Father." Suho nodded heavily, his eyes burning quietly.
Sung Jinwoo, seemingly satisfied with that gaze, smiled faintly. At that moment, his body completely crumbled. And even the hand that had been patting Suho's shoulder scattered and disappeared like light dust. At that moment, the entire sky seemed to collapse.
[The Instance Dungeon is being deactivated.]
Shatter! Harman's barrier began to disappear.
Then, as the boundary crumbled, the figures of the civilians who had been outside the barrier finally appeared. At the same time, the hunters who had been swallowed by the sandstorm returned to the sight of the civilians. And moments later, cheers erupted from the crowd.
"The monsters are all gone!"
"Wow!"
"There are no skeletons left!"
Hearing the loud cheers, the hunters finally grasped the situation. They realized that the grueling battle lasting the entire day was over. But the reason why their expressions showed both relief and exhaustion was because they knew all too well that they had done nothing here today.
'Sung Suho...'
While they were struggling, trapped in the illusion. Only one person was active. That young hunter had fought the boss monster alone and ultimately claimed victory. Everyone had seen it with their own eyes.
'Hunter Sung Suho.'
'Woojin Guild.'
As the hunters' gazes all turned towards Suho, standing tall in the center, the civilians' eyes naturally followed. And Beru was very pleased with those awestruck stares.
[Young Master, why don't you wave? Everyone is looking up to you.]
"...No need." Suho seemed lost in thought.
He couldn't feel good after seeing his father, whom he had met after so long, disappear before his eyes again. But he had no intention of dwelling on these thoughts forever. He had things to do, didn't he?
"Esil!" At Suho's call, Esil, who had been out of sight for a while, waved from somewhere on the beach.
"Suho! I found it!" Everyone had forgotten the purpose of their mission amidst the sudden appearance of the boss monster, but Suho's Woojin Guild was still diligently following the objective.
"You found the Gate?!"
"...!" At Esil's shout, everyone looked in that direction with surprised expressions.
'Oh right!'
'Come to think of it!'
'We were looking for the Gate?!'
They had somehow managed to defeat the boss monster, but Suho's guild was originally just a gate search team. And while everyone was dealing with that boss monster. Esil, the only one away from the scene, had finally found the Gate hidden somewhere on this beach.
"Well done." Suho finally smiled, seeing Esil waving from afar. Then, he turned his gaze to look for the other guild members.
"Are you alright?!"
"Healers, this way!"
"Medics! Medics!"
Healers from the Hunter Association and medical personnel were already rushing around, treating the injured. In particular, their only S-rank hunter had noticeably severe burns. But Lim Tae-Gyu himself didn't seem to care about such injuries. Rather...
"Please treat my son first."
"This is Hunter Lim Tae-Gyu's son?!" The medical staff was surprised by his words.
Lim Tae-Gyu patted the back of Lim Dogyoon, who had collapsed from exhaustion beside him, and answered with a warm gaze.
"...Yes, my precious son." He was truly relieved that he was able to save him amidst this terrible disaster.
But today was different from 'that time.' His son didn't look at his father with fear like he did back then. And he didn't run away from him anymore.
"Dogyoon, are you okay?"
"No. I'm not okay." Lim Dogyoon simply got up, holding Suho's hand with a relieved expression. Then, he extended the other hand to his father, and said.
"How about you father? It must've hurt a lot"
"...This kid."
'Who's worrying about whom?' Lim Tae-Gyu chuckled, seeing his son worried about his burns, and got up, taking his hand.
The inside of the Gate Esil had discovered was already empty. It seemed like Javier had devoured all the living creatures within it. Still, the amount of dungeon minerals inside was considerable. And the ownership of all these resources went to Woojin Guild, led by Suho. Of course, this wasn't stipulated in the contract, but it was thanks to Lim Tae-Gyu relinquishing all the rights he was supposed to receive. However, there was one problem: Time…
With all the monsters gone and the boss monster dead, the time this Gate would remain open was extremely short. To mine the ores and get out within that short time, a tremendous number of miners needed to be deployed at once. But that wasn't a problem for Woojin Guild at all.
"Arise."
Countless Shadow Miners rose from Suho's shadow all at once. They rushed into the dungeon with pickaxes and shovels, starting to mine the ores at an incredible speed.
"This is unbelievable..." Witnessing the marvelous sight, Lim Tae-Gyu's jaw dropped.
He knew Sung Suho was a summoner, but had no idea he was capable of summoning so much at once. He then approached Lim Tae-Gyu and earnest negotiations began.
"Do you have any spare dungeons in the Reapers Guild? The more dangerous, the better."
"...Now I understand why Dogyoon became so good at running away."
"Ah, that's..."