Chapter 87 Ouroboros 3

Jubuk

"It's been a while."

Sangjin, who was treating his wounds because of the battle he had during the day, flinched at the sudden voice which came from behind.

A voice which familiar and caused his mind to become chaotic recently.

"It's been a while. Hansoo."

Sangjin turned around and then spoke.

He had heard the voice after a very long time but a burdensome mind came up instead of a welcoming mind.

He wasn't curious as to how he had gotten to this place.

Since he probably came in with a method that he couldn't even fathom.

The gap between him and Hansoo had been increased that much.

"Have you been well?"

Sangjin shook his head at Hansoo's words and then spoke.

"There's something I want to ask."

"Hmm?"

"Do you really need me?"

He knew that Hansoo needed him.

But it wasn't him that he needed but rather somebody who fit his role.

He could be replaced with anybody at any time.

To stronger and more talented people.

He could even take one of the Seven Departed Souls.

Hansoo shook his head at those words.

Strength wasn't the important part.

Since he could just give that to him.

What he needed was somebody he could trust.

"I came here because of that."

"…?"

Sangjin squinted his eyes.

Hansoo looked at that Sangjin and spoke.

"It didn't matter if your mind changed up until this point and left. Since it's quite a burdensome job."

"…"

"There was a few things I've given you but it can't even be compared to the thing you have done for me. I thank you for that."

This person was somebody who would help Hansoo's work.

He had to be thankful.

Since it wasn't easy to clean up somebody's behind in a world where it was hard to even take care of themselves no matter how much strength they gave them.

Hansoo continued to speak.

"But the things I will give you from now on are different. If you take these things and change your mind then… I will need to chase you down no matter where you go and retrieve these things."

Retrieve.

He didn't know whether if the things Hansoo will give him were skills or artifacts.

But by the way he talked the method of retrieval was probably set already.

"This is the crossroad. I will respect your choice."

Sangjin gulped while looking at Hansoo's eyes that was turning heavier.

............

Guuuuuuuu

A few people were climbing up the World Tree that the Ouroboros coiled around.

Exactly 8.

Hansoo and the Seven Departed Souls quickly headed towards the set location.

Carefully since the parasites might disturb them from cutting up the nerves if they find out.

Thankfully those guys were distracted from the swarming food below so they weren't paying much attention to them.

Hansoo touched the small earring on his ear and shook his head.

'He should've given it to me much earlier if he had something like this.'

<pigeon house>.

An earring which had the skill that allowed one to send blue and red carrier pigeons saved within.

It wasn't an object that was easy to acquire but of course the Six Pillars would have something like this.

They, who didn't give it to him before the Mirror was closed off, handed over the earring to Hansoo after their escape routes were blocked off.

'They're asking me to fight more fervently huh.'

Hansoo, who had concluded his thoughts of the Six Pillars below, spoke towards Miyamoto who was climbing the World Tree's wall next to him.

"Don't make such an expression."

Hansoo looked at Miyamoto next to him who had an extremely dissatisfied expression as he spoke.

Miyamoto's expression didn't change as he spoke.

"How could you say such things when you forcibly pushed me into a fight?"

As if he gave up on maintaining his mask, Miyamoto replied bluntly.

Since he understood that he had to fight no matter what after this had happened.

'Damnit. I charged in without thinking.'

His true self could not hold onto his rage and had shown itself.

'No, he might've known already.'

The words Hansoo had told him before.

Asking if he didn't want to fight.

He had exploded from Hansoo's attitude which told him that he knew something and having his escape route blocked off.

Since the fact that he was playing around on his hand enraged him so much.

But he didn't give up.

'Yeah. Since this had happened already…'

He just wanted to open the Dimensional Door at the beginning but this thoughts slowly changed.

If he were to go up with that strength then he will become a huge help in the upper zones.

And because of this he needed the relics.

And this battle with the Ouroboros might become that change.

'I should also take care of those things other than the Relics before I go up.'

A secret that nobody knew except him.

'Oh those guys are exempt.'

MIyamoto then thought of the conversation he had with the owners of the other Pillars.

No matter how strong he was he couldn't block this place by himself.

And Miyamoto hated this as well.

He couldn't be stuck here forever.

So he needed people who were useful enough to fit his role while he was gone.

Those who could maintain the Akuma's seal.

And he also needed things to make those guys useful.

Everyone including Eres nodded.

They had seen newcomers coming in every year while roaming around the World Tree Mountain Range.

And seen the numbers steadily rising.

They needed to faithfully maintain the Akuma's seal for those people and their possible family who might come mixed in with those people.

But they didn't just go over this.

The first patriarch of the Triple Lights Union, Pao Ren.

His trait was <covenant>.

A promise would be made when both sides agree.

Then both sides had to keep that promise.

The penalties would differ depending on the level.

If the levels were harsh then the side which broke the promise might even lose their life.

A trait which could only be used if one had absolute faith in their strength.

If they were weaker than the enemy then this trait would instead become poison.

'Damnit. If I break it then I'll just die.'

He knew without even seeing it.

A formless chain which tied down his heart.

It might've been different in the past but his heart will get crushed if he broke the promise now.

The promise back then were two things.

<one. maintain the akuma's seal until a situation occurs where you cannot anymore without coming up.>

A welcoming noise on Miyamoto's terms.

There was no reason to disagree.

Since his current goal was peace and not growth.

'Though a situation which I can't handle anymore had occurred. Damnit.'

And second.

<second. you will not use the things we leave behind and give them to those who would maintain the seal with you.>

<…>

<why? this shouldn't matter if it was according to your words.>

Of course it didn't matter.

'Dumbass.'

That guy had probably set up such limitations in order to maintain the balance and to keep him from taking those things and becoming a king of the Red Zone and messing it up.

Since the things that guy had left behind were that mighty.

Why would they leave behind weak items when his job was protecting their family.

But they didn't know that he had another trait.

A trait which he had hidden from everyone.

He could transfer memories, information, skills, traits and battle experience as much as the user wanted to other people.

To a maximum of seven people.

This was why the other Six Departed Souls could use high level skills that were hard to obtain freely.

Since the other six could use them if he had them.

It was many times more efficient even at a glance.

'And another thing that I never told anyone.'

A secret which he hadn't told the Six Departed Souls.

If the difference in levels is quite large then he would be able to even control them.

Where could someone eat a free meal in this world?

The Six Departed Souls received high level battle abilities from Miyamoto's soul fragment but he could somewhat control their bodies with the trait he had if he wanted.

So they were called Seven Departed Souls as a bundle but there was a clear difference between Miyamoto and the other six.

Since the other six were slaves if Miyamoto was the owner.

Miyamoto brought in the people who seemed quite talented with the Fragments of Seven Souls and raised them with the skill runes or artifacts that Eres, Keldian, Pao Ren or Kangtae had left behind.

To the point where they can control the Akuma's seal but couldn't resist his own control.

If they get to the point where they can deny his control then that alone will be a threat to them.

Miyamoto, who followed the idea of safety first, could not stand having a single hint of threat.

And another thing.

The skills and artifacts that may become a threat to him that the owners of the Pillars had left behind were all given to one person and hidden.

To the person who had received the final fragment.

'I didn't break the promise.'

He didn't use them.

And he had given them to the people who were helping him maintain the seal.

Except he had just turned them to the point where they won't be a threat to him.

At first he had thought that he could control them so he tried to raise them with the Soul Fragment.

If they steadily grew up then they would've reached a level where they'll be able to deny his control.

If he couldn't use it then others couldn't use it as well.

Miyamoto, who had organized his thoughts, looked at Hansoo and bluntly spoke out.

"Let's start. Don't drag it out. I want to finish this damnable job as quick as possible."

They needed to quickly start in order to quickly finish.

'There's no need for me to take the risk.'

In a bad case he would look for a chance even by calling the other Departed Souls and using them as suicide soldiers with this second trait.

Since something like that was possible even if controlling them for a long time was hard.

Hansoo stared at that Miyamoto and then spoke out.

"Let's go out. Follow the plan."

They would cut out the nerves from 1st to 4th and from 9th to 12th.

Then they would regroup between the 5th and the 8th vertebras and prepare for battle.

Even if they cut it, the area around the cut nerve would not freeze up.

It would only become slow and weaker.

But if one accounted for its huge body then that was still threatening.

Soon everyone dispersed as they started to fall towards the body of the Ouroboros at an extreme speed.

.........…

Kugugugugugu

A bright beam of light rose up from the top of the Ouroboros in the distance.

From 8 locations at the same time.

Kuuuuuung!

At the same time the World Tree shook while making crushing noises.

To be exact it wasn't the World Tree but the Ouroboros which coiled around the World Tree tightened its bind.

It probably just felt like being poked with a needle with its size but getting poked by a needle would still hurt.

It even pulled out its head that was drinking the toxic waters from the pain it had not felt in a really long time as it started to twist around its body.

"Damnit! Evacuate in between the World Tree Roots! Evacuate!"

"Uaak! Parasites are falling down from the sky."

As the Ouroboros shook his body, the Parasites were falling from the sky like rain.

They had made the area of battle smaller and lead the battle but that was now impossible.

No, they would just get shredded apart if they were to even get touched by the tail of the Ouroboros while maintain the formation.

It was now individual fights.

They had to now hide in between the roots and fight the parasites.

Jukma grinded his teeth as he saw this.

'Damnit. This is the start.'

He had thought of a way to escape no matter what until now but that was now impossible.

And he was enraged even more at that.

At the current situation that was being shaken back and forth by a single person.

And he had to pretend to feel happy and supportive of Hansoo's actions.

'This is really frustrating.'

Jukma pondered for a moment.

Hansoo had told him to stop his works so he had stopped.

But he did that because he cared about these guys somewhat.

'I should go vent out my anger.'

All his surroundings had gotten chaotic from the parasites and the Ouroboros.

Basically a cataclysm.

Which means this was the perfect time to land a blow on him.

It wasn't weird for a few people to die off in a chaotic situation like this.

There's no reason for evidence to be left behind either.

'Let's see your expression after this all ends.'

Jukma laughed coldly as he started to send messages towards a location.

...............…..

Sangjin drooled as he arrived at the destination deep within the World Tree

'How did he find such a place like this…'

In this destination there were treasures that Hansoo had spoken of.

Rare artifacts and amazing skill runes that anybody could tell were rare from a single glance.

And Sangjin slightly frowned at the female who had those things equipped on her.

'Who did such a thing…'

An unconscious female who had three limbs cut off and was barely being kept alive with a tube with nutritional fluids through stuck in her mouth.

Sangjin gulped at the sight of the female who had extremely fancy artifacts on her body and had numerous skill runes on her single arm left which made her look even more pitiful.

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