Is That My Alter Ego - Is That My Alter Ego chapter 35

35 – The Judgment

We descend the staircase, so quietly that no one else could hear, stretching endlessly long.

Into the unending darkness, we slowly move, guided by the faint light of torches hung on the walls.

Drip… Drip…

In the narrow underground passage, the only sound is that of water droplets falling. However, the strong remnants of dark magic from below taint the atmosphere.

…No. Is it making me feel better? I’m not sure.

Finally, at the bottom of the stairs, a narrow passage greeted us. Simultaneously, small doors were positioned on each side of the corridor.

“……….”

Ariel gestured towards the left, and understanding her intention, I carefully observed the right as we slowly advanced.

‘One. Two. Three.’

Creeeak…

Looking at the three extended fingers of Ariel, I silently counted the numbers and then promptly pushed the door handle.

Gulp.

As I entered the room, a space resembling a storeroom was revealed.

Unsure where the dark wizard might be hiding, I summoned a Dark Spear in one hand and thoroughly searched the room.

‘What the… There’s nothing here?’

However, it seemed the room had only been used as a storeroom, with shelves and several boxes covered in thick layers of old dust.

Even when I examined the boxes and shelves for any magical presence, I felt nothing.

“…Is there nothing there either?”

“Yes. It just seems like a storeroom.”

“That’s strange…”

I re-examined the stairs we had come down, but found nothing unusual.

‘What was that dark magic I felt earlier?’

I had sensed a dense dark magic even before descending the stairs, stronger than what I felt in the cave where I met Ariel.

However, as soon as I reached the bottom of the stairs, the dark magic vanished as if it were hidden by an illusion.

…Wait. An illusion?

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‘Could it be possible with dark magic?’

Dark magic is a power that defies the world. It can launch curses, deal physical damage, enhance or distort the body.

Then, couldn’t it also create illusions?

“Just a moment.”

“…Did you figure something out? Go on.”

I descended from the stairs to the corridor again, scanning every inch of Ma’an. Although no dark magic could be sensed in the corridor, it was different when looking down from the stairs to the end of the corridor.

Intense dark magic emanated from that place.

I walked straight towards the end of the corridor. It seemed like a blocked wall with nothing, but if my guess was correct…

“I found it. Let’s go quickly.”

“I don’t know how you found it. Do you have a good instinct?”

Thus, the blocked wall wavered, and our bodies passed through as if nothing was there. Ariel, who uttered a slight admiration, walked ahead again, leading the way.

‘Here it is. Sons of b*tches.’

After crossing the wall, the intense dark magic was immediately felt. Like bugs crawling up from under my feet, a chilling sensation ran through my entire body.

At the same time, I felt a sensation as if something was rising.

[Strong dark magic sensed. The total amount of dark magic is increasing!]

[Dark Magic Proficiency Level 1 –> Level 2]

As if a skill in a game was leveling up, the status window began to flicker.

At the same time, I felt a better understanding of the flow of dark magic dominating this space, as if I could handle it better.

“…What the hell are you guys…”

“Sever.”

Shaaak-!

As soon as the man in a black robe, as if he were a dark wizard, entered and opened his mouth upon seeing us, his body was instantly severed in half, accompanied by Ariel’s muttering.

Thud… thud, thud.

The man, still not comprehending the situation, fell to the ground with open eyes after being beheaded.

“We need to be careful. There’s no way these bastards are alone.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

It was a powerful magic that could cut a person in an instant, but Ariel’s magic felt undisturbed.

Her magical power, like the sea, was still flowing calmly.

‘…If I get caught, I’ll end up like this too, right?’

Faced with overwhelming firepower, I vowed not to get caught as I looked at the severed body of the dark sorcerer.

Squeak…

A long corridor. In between, I opened a door. The sound of a latch, which would not be heard without concentration, quietly echoed.

“Dark…Grrr…”

“Oh, be quiet. You bastards! Should I just kill you all?”

“Sob…Gulp…”

As soon as I entered the room, I saw the dark sorcerer, screaming in a high-pitched voice, looking at the children trapped in the iron bars.

The children seemed relatively unharmed, probably because they had recently been captured and had not yet been experimented on.

Shh-

The dark sorcerer was sitting on a chair with his back to the door, and the children were facing me directly.

I raised my index finger to my lips, and bravely, the children nodded their heads slightly to avoid catching the attention of the dark sorcerer.

“Just wait a little longer! Soon, you all will become stepping stones for the Master…!”

“That can’t happen.”

“….What-!”

Thunk-

“Gack…Cough…”

“Drinking or whatever. Let’s meet God first.”

Quietly approaching the dark sorcerer, she pierced his throat with a dark spear.

“You… cough… kuhuk…”

Seeing the dark magic flowing from the Dark Spear, veins popped on his forehead in what seemed like anger. Perhaps because he was a dark sorcerer, merely piercing the throat didn’t seem to kill him.

Sss…

Moreover, seeing the hole in the pierced throat slowly closing up, it seemed like he was using dark magic for healing.

Kwajangchang-!

“You shall die.”

“…Grrr…”

Thud-thud.

Reversing dark magic through mana, nullifying regeneration, I continuously struck his heart. The dark sorcerer died, oblivious to the eyes bulging with anger.

…Well. What can you do?

After dealing with the dark sorcerer so effortlessly, Ariel, who had been watching, approached me.

“….I’ve been feeling it for a while. Have you killed anyone before?”

“hahahaha… No. I just acted as my body led me.”

“Hmm… Fascinating. Piercing the vital spot accurately. Without hesitation.”

Honestly, I was fascinated too. The first time I directly killed someone was when I rescued Ariel.

Whenever I skillfully attacked the vital spot as if I had harmed people several times before, even I was surprised.

“Heu…ugh….”

“Oh. I showed you an unpleasant sight. I apologize.”

“Ah…no… *sniffle*..”

“Since it’s still dangerous outside, could you wait a little longer?”

“Yes…”

As I crouched down to meet the children’s eyes and spoke to them, thankfully, they agreed to wait.

“Let’s go now. Before it’s too late.”

“Yeah. Let’s hurry.”

*Crack-*

How dare they do this to children too? I’ll kill all those warlocks. Looking at these kids, I’m reminded of the children at our orphanage.

It’s too late, the thought of the kids being tortured and experimented on until death is horrifying and revolting.

‘Let’s kill them all.’

They deserve to die. It’s better for the world.

***

*Thud- Swoosh-!*

“Ugh…*gasp*…”

“Just come along quietly.”

I’ve slain another warlock. Now, I no longer feel any hesitation. It doesn’t bring guilt to step on a bug that’s eating away at the world.

“Thank you… so much…!”

“I’m glad it’s not too late. Could you wait here for a bit?”

“Yes… Yes…!”

Leaving the person who was crying, perhaps out of relief or because the tension was finally over, Ariel and I stepped back into the corridor. Now, only one door in front remained.

“Perhaps that’s the end over there.”

“Yeah. Let’s finish this quickly and get the people out.”

And so, we grabbed the handle of the largest door remaining in the front, the last one.

Creak…

The sound of the door being pulled across the floor echoed, and vibrations were felt.

“…What in the world is this place?”

“An altar… maybe.”

As we opened the door and stepped inside, a dense black magic, incomparable to before, floated in the air.

At the same time, in the midst of the dark cave, something like a mysterious altar caught our eyes.

Swoosh-!

At that moment, under Ariel’s feet, a faint magic circle was activated. Judging by the dark and peculiar energy, it seemed to be a magic circle made with black magic.

However, Ariel either didn’t notice it or was still fixated on the altar.

“…It’s dangerous!”

“…Ugh!”

I immediately flew and pushed Ariel away. At the same time, the magic circle began to accumulate more black magic.

Whoosh-!

As the magic circle activated, chains made of black magic shot out and restrained my entire body. The chains, squeezing my body, increased their intensity.

“Venice! Why in the world…!”

Clank… Clank.

“Well, well… looks like we’ve caught another bug.”

At that moment, someone began to emerge from the darkness beyond the altar. A grating yet repulsive voice resounded, filling the cave.

From the man with a thousand white hairs and eyes like ice, an incredibly powerful dark magic emanated, unlike anything the previous sorcerers could compare to.

“Is this what you’ve done?”

“hehehehe… The original plan was to torture you in front of your eyes, unable to move a finger… but it seems that didn’t work out.”

“….What?!”

Phew… That was close. I’m glad I’m the one bound by these chains.

“You. You won’t die so easily.”

“hehehehe… Why don’t you give it a try! If you have a magic nullifying sphere, a sorcerer like you should be afraid-“

“….Ha.”

Eriel looked at the man who was laughing confidently and let out a slight scoff.

Kugugugung…!

At the same time, the ambient magic in the air began to vibrate, shaking the ground. And that magic quietly swirled around Eriel as the center.

“What… What?! It must be the magic nullifying sphere…!”

“….Just that? Do you think you can stop me?”

As Eriel’s magic dominated the space, the atmosphere grew heavy. Ordinary people would faint just by coming into contact with this intense magic.

Thump… Thump…

Simultaneously, the magic nullifying sphere, unable to withstand the overwhelming power, started to crack.

“What… What?!”

Crash-!

In an instant, the magic nullifying sphere, unable to withstand the magic, shattered into pieces and scattered in all directions. The sorcerer looked at the fragments in disbelief, as if he couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

“Twice won’t work. And.”

“Well… Wait-!”

“Goodbye.”

Swoosh-!

As Erielle made a small gesture, magic condensed and flew towards a single point.

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Crackle- Crackle-crackle-!

When the condensed magic reached the dark wizard’s body, it split into 182 pieces, as if slicing a cube steak.

“….Venice. Are you okay?”

“….Mmph!”

The fundamentals of magic dispersion. Erielle, who literally fragmented a person without even using her magic circle, approached me.

As the user of the magic circle disappeared, the circle immediately turned into dust and dispersed into the air, freeing my body from its constraints. However, Erielle reached out to me.

Simultaneously feeling an inexplicable sense of fear, I was reminded once again.

‘Never get caught. Got it.’