Chapter 168

“Don’t be absurd!

You are merely a pawn

made from my magic. You cannot disobey me!”

Jarvier screamed, causing a sandstorm that attacked the illusion that was Sung Jinwoo.

“You are mine!”

The storm took the form of a massive hand, trying to grab the illusion. The illusionist’s behavior was reminiscent of a child about to have their favorite doll taken away from them.

“Do not resist! I will make you my toy!”

he bellowed.

The illusory Jinwoo simply floated into the air, however, avoiding Jarvier’s hand with ease. He spoke in a relaxed tone.

“Are you sure you want to be doing that?

I doubt I’m the one you should be wasting your attention on.”

“What did you say?”

“My son just started a quest, as it so happens.”

Jinwoo’s eyes moved over to Suho, who was reading the content of the quest.

Suho scanned the window.

[Emergency Quest: Prove Your Worth!

The illusion of Jinwoo, the Monarch of Shadows, demands that his son prove himself worthy.

Defeat the demonic spirit illusionist Jarvier and awaken a new shadow power.]

Suho’s eyes suddenly flashed. “I accept!” he stated, then darted for the sandstorm that was closing in on his father’s image from all sides.

[Skill: “Storm Slash” has activated.]

His double swords moved in a flurry around him, tearing apart Jarvier’s hand.

Something surprising happened at that point. The sand exploded and scattered, turning into countless Skeletons.

“Wait, don’t tell me all the Skeletons were...” Suho said.

Jinwoo nodded.

“Yes.

The Skeletons are illusions as well.”

These monsters, which had suddenly appeared on Haeundae Beach, had merely been more of Jarvier’s creations. However, the energy they gave off felt incredibly real as they all lunged at Suho at once.

“You may be strong, but neither of you can defeat an endless supply of illusions!”

Jarvier shouted.

These were illusions with actual physical power. The demonic spirit illusionist’s ability was impressive, to be sure. Suho did not react in the least, however, as he watched the Skeletons running toward him viciously. “Divine Possession,” he said quietly.

[The spiritual body of “Pet: Gray” has bound to the Shaman.]

There was a gust of sacred wind, and Suho’s hair fluttered with a silver color.

Jinwoo’s eyes glowed at the sight.

“Hmm?

Is that...”

Suho’s ability was interesting to his father. The blessing of the Monarch of Fangs, whom Jinwoo had killed himself, had been imbued in his son’s body.

Suho’s movements sped up massively.

[Skill: “Meadow Wind” has activated.]

[Movement speed is temporarily increased by 30%.]

[Attack speed is temporarily increased by 30%.]

Ruler’s Authority!

Suho released the swords in either hand, and they flew off at an incredible speed, slicing the Skeletons apart. He pummeled them with his fists as well. This powerful series of attacks crushed the Skeletons with ease, and hundreds were gone in mere seconds. Such monsters could not delay Suho in the least, no matter how numerous or insistent they were.

Jinwoo, however, was frowning slightly as he watched.

“Hmm...”

He had noticed that it wasn’t just the energy of the Monarch of Fangs that he sensed in his son. He could also sense the power of the Monarch of Plagues.

“How is it that my son has become a shaman for these dead monarchs?

Now I’m a little curious,”

Jinwoo’s illusion mused aloud. His eyes moved over to Beru, who had been standing loyally beside him for some time now as if that was his rightful place. The shadow ant’s narrowed eyes glowed fiercely, and while he would have been a reassuring sight if he’d been his original size, the current Beru was so small that he looked more adorable instead.

Jinwoo grinned and put a hand on Beru’s head.

“Beru, I’m going to have to peek into your memories for a bit.”

“As you wish,” Beru said, closing his eyes and feeling Jinwoo’s illusory touch on his head.

The check didn’t take long at all.

“I see...”

But Jinwoo didn’t seem all too pleased as he cocked his head.

He suddenly held both hands in the air and began to manipulate Jarvier’s magic circles with abandon.

Pow! Pow! Pow!

The complex symbols, giving off a sinister light, floated into the air and began to spin. The sandstorm that raged all around moved oddly, transforming slowly.

“Wh-what do you think you’re doing?!”

Jarvier demanded, greatly taken aback. His magic, which had been perfectly deployed, was being tampered with.

“This can’t be possible!”

No matter what he did, there was no way to stop the spells that he’d already cast from being malformed.

Jinwoo consoled him.

“No need to worry.

I’m not trying to ruin your spells.

Despite how it may seem, I’m just an illusion, and I have next to no mana.”

“Wh-what—”

“I’m just trying to enhance your magic, is all.”

That makes even less sense!

Jarvier thought, confused.

How can a mere illusion do something like this?

What kind of monster have I called forth?

The demonic spirit illusionist was overcome with a mysterious terror, the likes of which he had never known.

As the illusory Jinwoo had said, Jarvier’s magic was becoming more and more perfected.

“What in the world...!”

Jarvier felt his power suddenly increase, much to his astonishment. But no matter who had brought it about, it was a good thing for him.

“I don’t know what you’re plotting, but...”

He latched onto the new power this illusion had offered him, and with a malicious voice, burst out toward Suho and the other hunters around him.

“I’ll make good use of this power! Many thanks!”

There was a flash of light.

[The level of “Mirage” has increased.]

The sandstorm only grew more intense, and the Skeletons born from the skill became far stronger.

“Now, my son...”

Looking down from above, Jinwoo smiled faintly and folded his arms.

“I’ve set the stage for you. Show me everything you’ve got.

Don’t worry about the aftermath. I’ll handle everything.”

Surprised, Suho’s eyes widened. Despite being in the thick of battle, his eyes roved instinctively in search of his father.

The aftermath...

He had understood what Jinwoo meant.

The Itarim.

Their followers!

Suho had been repressing his power all this time, whether he had been aware of it or not. He had needed to avoid becoming a burden to his father and keep Jinwoo’s enemies from finding out that he was the son of the Monarch of Shadows. That was why he’d been using his most powerful ability as little as possible. The reason had been clear enough, and there had been no way around it. It had been for his father’s sake.

I’m my father’s one and only weakness,

he reminded himself. Yet now that same father was telling him to pull out all the stops.

“Tsk.

You may have grown a bit older, but you’re still a boy.”

Jinwoo was tutting at Suho.

“I don’t understand. You’re not nearly old enough to be worrying about your parents!”

It almost seemed as if he was aware of all the worries that Suho had held inside him all this time.

“Suho,

my son...”

A doting, proud smile crossed Jinwoo’s face.

“It is a parent’s job to worry about their children,

not the other way around.”

He was grinning.

“It’s always the more powerful person who should be concerned about those weaker than him.”

The broader Jinwoo’s grin grew, the stronger his energy became, seemingly covering the entire battlefield.

“Keep that in mind from now on.”

He reprimanded his son gravely.

“I have never

wasted a moment of my life so far.

I am not so weak that a rookie like you should be concerned about me.”

Suho said nothing in response.

“So...”

came the quiet voice of Jinwoo,

“Stop wasting your time on such things.”

Something heavy seemed to vanish from inside Suho. He realized the real reason that his father had appeared as a result of Jarvier’s spell.

That spell, Mirage...

It brought forth deep, terrible memories from inside the target’s mind. The most frightening thing about it was that it seized one’s strongest, most anxiety-inducing, and most traumatic memory and turned it into reality—and as had been shown just now, the emotion that had been weighing Suho down the most had to do with his father.

It’s because of me that he had to... If I become a burden to him... I can’t let them take me hostage... I’m his only weakness...

All these thoughts had materialized into the illusion that was his father. Yet it was this same illusion that had just given him permission not to worry.

At that moment, the look in Suho’s eyes changed. His lips formed a grin that didn’t look much different from Jinwoo’s, and a look of profound release appeared on his face. He paused and faced forward, wearing the same arrogant expression as his father. “Arise,” he said.

Suho’s shadow soldiers rose from the ground at his feet, their bodies rippling with dark, foggy tendrils. They surrounded him, creating a truly terrifying sight. Among them were Que, Harmakan, and Kira, who had been traveling all over the country to hunt down villains.

“Harmakan? Create an instance dungeon,” Suho ordered.

“Yes, Master.” There was a flash of light as Harmakan immediately raised his arms into the air and cast a spell.

[Instance dungeon has been created.]

There was a second flash of light, which spread out around Harmakan in the form of a sphere, pulling the entire sandstorm Jarvier had created into a mirror world. Jarvier, as well as the hunters who had gathered here, were transported along with it.

“Interesting.

You’re using an instance dungeon to trap your enemy?”

Jinwoo nodded, finally a little intrigued.

Jarvier, on the other hand, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

“D-don’t tell me this is Kandiaru’s...”

He could not believe the fact that he was trapped by a spell much stronger than any of his own.

That wasn’t the only problem, however. Suho was suddenly giving off the same energy as the Monarch of Shadows.

“H-how are you... No!”

Jarvier exclaimed.

“Wait,

does this mean you are...”

“Yes,” Suho replied obligingly. He sounded as though he had been holding his breath for a long time, and was now finally able to breathe. “I am Sung Suho, the son of the Monarch of Shadows.”

[Skill: “Monarch’s Domain Level 1” has been acquired.]

Suho’s shadow dispersed in all directions, coloring the land black.