Chapter 60: The Lunatic Who Was Swallowed by Darkness

“We’re all going to die,” Yong-yong had said. Lee Chae lifted his head to tell him that was nonsense— and Yong-yong shoved a huge box of candy toward him.

Candy. In this mood.

“No thanks. You eat it.”

“No. You have to eat.”

Even though Lee Chae refused, Yong-yong stubbornly peeled a wrapper and tried to shove it in his mouth. Lee Chae swatted his hand away.

“I said no.”

Candies spilled across the floor like an avalanche. Yong-yong clutched the box like it was sacred and picked them up one by one, hands trembling so hard he could barely do it.

“Jae-hyung gave me these. When he went to fight, said not to be bored. Said if I feel anxious or sad, stay in room, watch cartoons, eat these. There’s… hundred episodes in there.”

Lee Chae blinked at the dragon on the floor. He hadn’t known. If he had, he wouldn’t have knocked them away.

“They have that meaning… I wouldn’t have hit them if I knew.”

“Gave because collateral looked tired. If don’t want, don’t eat. But don’t go anywhere… stay with me.”

How must Jae-hyung have felt, filling a giant box with candy and preparing a hundred cartoon episodes for the dragon he was leaving behind? Lee Chae’s chest stung. He crouched and helped pick up the scattered sweets.

“Yong-yong-ah, let’s not be scared. If we keep being scared, it might actually happen.”

Yong-yong peeled one and popped it in his mouth, nodding. His tightly pressed lips looked like he was holding back tears.

Kelvetero and his shadows were swallowing buildings whole. The summoned espers fought with everything they had, but they were struggling. Jin-woo ripped shadows apart with his bare hands at the front line.

“Captain? Still no contact?”

—He’s on the way. Luckily he was close.

“Did you tell him it’s serious?”

—Yes.

“Those bastards have some other plan… ARGH!”

—Hyung… behind you, sector 9-2. Looks like fog, but Kelvetero’s clone is inside controlling things.

Jin-woo, shoulder wounded by an undetected attack, shouted to the others,

“Kelvetero clone is in sector 9-2! Long-range, hit it first!”

BOOM! A massive explosion of flame. Haejin had finally arrived—one shot stronger than usual. Shadows and even espers stumbled back from the sheer force. Light pierced the overcast sky. Screams of monsters filled the air.

“Crazy—he shows up late and upgraded his attack power? What the…”

Jin-woo couldn’t finish his sentence from shock. Haejin relentlessly fired eye-beams and whipped up winds, destroying clones.

“You… with Japchae…”

“Now you notice? Your eyes are for decoration.”

Static—Jae-hyung’s emergency broadcast tone cut in. Both turned to listen. When he used this tone, it was for every esper in range, not personal.

—Everyone, I can’t pinpoint exact coordinates, but far away a huge, ominous energy is rising.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s not over?”

“If more come, we’re not enough.”

They were already struggling—if more arrived, annihilation was possible. Kelvetero’s main body had only flashed once at the start, then sent only clones since. They couldn’t even gauge his full strength. Clones endlessly spawned shadows—wipe them out and more appeared.

—It’s not numbers. The power itself is growing. Kelvetero is slowly revealing himself. Watch the clones’ movements. When he gets close, they’ll go berserk.

Hearing it, Haejin—realizing he was the only S-rank present—stepped forward and shouted,

“No honorifics from now on. All espers form ranks and prepare for Kelvetero’s attack. Execute!”

Killing clones was pointless—they’d just respawn. Better to end it in one go.

Scattered espers quickly formed ranks. Close-combat types made a huge circle; long-range took the center.

Long-range struck first to thin incoming shadows; close-combat finished the rest. The fight continued like that.

Jin-woo flicked blood off his hands and asked Haejin,

“When the hell does this end!”

“Don’t worry. When Kelvetero’s main body shows, either he dies or we do—it’ll be over.”

“Nice dark joke.”

Espers sighed while fighting nonstop. Without guides, there was a limit to enduring endless assault. Dying to the mighty Kelvetero wasn’t appealing either.

—Front sector 1-3, approaching clone moving. Be careful!

An A-rank who missed the warning was grabbed by a clone and lifted into the air.

“Argh, urk…!”

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Jin-woo dashed in and tore the monster in half. Blood sprayed. The freed esper rolled on the ground. Haejin sent the remains flying with wind and cursed.

“F*ck, tell him to hurry up and come out. Let’s end this—dead or alive!”

“Right? Did headquarters even send reinforcements?”

—They said they did, but I don’t feel any energy. Can’t reach them.

“This is insane. We might all get wiped out.”

Someone voiced despair. Then—far away, a massive darkness began rolling in. Darker and gloomier than storm clouds. Just looking at it gave goosebumps; its form was impossible to discern.

“Huh? That…”

Every gaze locked onto it. Jae-hyung’s voice came again.

—Can you see it? As everyone guessed—it’s Kelvetero. Retreat is advisable. Esper Cha Haejin, what do you think?

“F*ck!”

After a brief pause, Haejin roared,

“All espers maintain formation and fall back from Kelvetero. Execute!”

While espers kept killing shadows and widened the distance, Haejin charged straight toward Kelvetero. He knew he couldn’t win alone, but someone had to buy time for the others to evacuate.

“That crazy bastard—hey, lunatic…!”

Jin-woo broke rank and followed.

“You trying to make Japchae a widow?”

“Regret later and go. I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“Pfft, our lunatic’s gone soft—overflowing affection even for this hyung-nim too.”

“Shut your nonsense. Don’t you see how serious this is?”

Both running toward Kelvetero suddenly stopped. Darkness spread instantly. So thick that buildings, shadows, even clones vanished. Even the sounds of espers fighting disappeared.

“How is a non-humanoid using tricks like this?”

“No, I read it in a book. Kelvetero uses darkness techniques. Controls shadows, so…”

Jin-woo trailed off, staring at a tiny light flickering ahead. It started bean-sized, grew to baseball-sized, then ballooned until it was blinding.

“W-what is that?”

“No idea. What kind of monster has no form?”

Haejin shot fire and wind at the light. Attacks bounced off; he couldn’t even aim properly because of the glare. He raised a hand to block the light—still useless.

Shadow’s opposite is light… is that light part of it too…?

Unable to open his eyes, Haejin panted in the searing heat. He clung to Jin-woo’s fading energy beside him. It grew fainter… then vanished.

“ARGGH!”

A scream—definitely Jin-woo’s. Unable to see, Haejin attacked blindly in the opposite direction of the last trace of Jin-woo’s energy.

Then a strange voice echoed in his ears.

[Light creates shadow. Shadow cannot overcome light. I am the…]

“F*cking shut up and say what you want.”

[If you do not wish to kill this pitiful one, cease your attacks.]

“Do whatever. Negotiating with monsters is a scout’s job, not mine.”

If this was really Kelvetero’s voice, Haejin’s reckless attacks were working. Hope surging, he attacked harder. The voice returned.

[You truly wish to kill this wretched creature.]

“GAAHH, HURK.”

The groan after the voice was unmistakably Jin-woo’s. Haejin stopped attacking, shoulders slumping. A thud—Jin-woo collapsing.

[You who wield fire and wind, I…]

Light flashed behind closed eyelids. Eyelids trembled—then sensation vanished entirely. When feeling returned, Haejin’s body was sinking endlessly into deep darkness.