CH 234

The observer of Time became frightened when it turned its head.

The one to show up was none other than Chun Yooha, which shocked the observer.

‘This woman was just outside…!!’

It had checked her location and used the monsters to draw her out of here. The observer wasn’t an idiot. It didn’t want to steal the core with a Saint rank on high alert.

The distance between them had been several hundred meters, and the observer had seen Chun Yooha killing the monsters through the window. Moreover, it had hidden its power, so the chance of someone noticing it was close to zero. So how!

The observer then did a double take. The reason was the shadow emanating beneath Chun Yooha’s feet.

‘This power…’

It was a familiar power.

[Death has evolved after eating Abyss.]

[You can now use Abyss’s “Warp.”]

[Pool Walk (Warp)]

When Death advanced from the second stage to the third stage, it had developed a new skill, Pool Walk. Warp, which was Abyss’s ability, had combined with the coordinate system set up by Teleport. One moved through a tunnel that connected space-time. 

Abyss moved through locations with dark and negative energy. This was why monsters that used Warp sometimes appeared within the domes. Abyss liked to move through space where humans felt afraid and negative.

However, after coming under Death, Warp had evolved and Death had grown.

As the Zodiac Saint of Death, Chun Yooha was also influenced. She could use the new skill. Of course, the Serpent Bearer’s Warp worked a bit differently.

[You have sensed the shadow of a being that holds ill intent.]

[Target’s Ill Intent (Stage 3: Murderous Intent)]

[The ill intent directed toward the Serpent Bearer.]

[You can travel to the being with the ill intent using its shadow.]

The ability sensed the ill intent toward Serpent Bearer and allowed the user to warp toward the source of the ill intent.

Abyss used corruption and fear as a medium to move, while Chun Yooha used ill intent for that.

Moreover, Death had also absorbed the ability of Space beforehand. Now, the ability wasn’t simply sensing the ill intent in the surroundings; the ill intent could be perceived through space.

Therefore, Yooha could sense the entirety of Drachma!

[You have sensed a being with ill intent toward Drachma.]

[The ill intent as stage 3.]

Ill intent had a total of five stages. Of course, most topped out at stage 1 (mild jealousy or envy). It wasn’t a big deal. However, starting from stage 3 (murderous intent), it was a different story.

‘Dispel!’

Chun Yooha appeared out of the observer’s shadow! She had appeared right on time as the observer had attempted to steal the core.

Yooha was considered the brain that had led the Leo temple for a reason.

‘!’

No explanation was needed. She realized what was going on, so she stabbed the observer’s back with Crimson Earth’s Judgment.

Poo-ahk!

[Ahhk!!]

The observer’s defense was low. The first stage of the spear was enough for it.

After being stabbed in the back, the observer vomited blood. To make matters worse, it lost grip on the pocket watch of Time. The observer turned its head with bloodshot eyes.

[You …!]

At the same time, the human skin it had worn broke down, revealing half of its face. The observer looked humanoid. However, it had fangs, and the sclera of its eyes was dyed black. It was a monster.

With its identity exposed, the observer tried to use its ability.

[Double-speed Control!]

[Your speed is doubled.]

[Your opponent’s speed is halved.]

As a monster belonging to the Time faction, the observer had abilities related to time. However, something happened before the ability could be activated on Chun Yooha and the observer!

Kwah-jeek!

[Kuh-huhk!]

Carly showed up and stabbed the monster’s shoulder. The observer’s ability fell apart.

“How dare you!”

Chun Yooha’s eyes turned round when she saw Carly. She said, “I thought you were going ahead of me. Why did you get here so late?”

The words made Carly angry. “You were the one who came too quickly!”

“I thought you were the number one disciple.”

“Ahhhk! That is why— Kyaaa!”

Carly screamed when an attack suddenly flew toward her. It was the power of Death unleashed by Yooha. This power hit the observer and also flew toward Carly.

Of course, Yooha wasn’t aiming for Carly; the observer had been trying to use a skill on Carly in secret, and Chun Yooha had foiled it. 

[Death has killed the Double-speed Control (Half Reduction).]

Chun Yooha had saved Carly, but at the same time, the power of Death had also swept along Carly.

Carly bared her teeth like a baby kitten. “Chun Yooha, why are you so boorish in sending your attack? I almost died thanks to you!”

Chun Yooha’s black eyes sparkled as she cheekily replied, “I’m sorry! I thought the number one disciple, who is considered to be the best in the world, would be able to dodge it.”

“Ahhhk! You’re trying to deceive me right now! Now that you acquired some good abilities as a Zodiac Saint, you’re trying to get revenge on me! Am I right?”

“If you come under me, I’ll let you borrow my abilities.”

“Ahhhk!”

Carly raged, saying Yooha was deluding herself. Of course, it wasn’t as if she didn’t understand this. They had been enemies in the past and had almost killed each other numerous times. Moreover, she was largely at fault for tormenting Yooha in the past.

Anyway, Carly was now jealous of Chun Yooha, who could use Lee Gun’s abilities. “It’s fine! I’m ok even if I don’t receive abilities from you!”

“I see.”

However, when the two of them tried to take back the core from the observer’s body.

[The ability of Time is resonating with the core of Drachma.]

“!!”

The observer’s pocket watch, which Chun Yooha had taken, emitted a light. It seemed to have sensed the danger to its owner. As it resonated with the power of the twelve Zodiacs stored within Drachma, the ability imbued within the watch started to activate.

[You will be returned to the day before.]

A voice came from the pocket watch, and the two surprised women realized what was going on.

‘Time Travel!’

They quickly swung their weapons. One decapitated the head, and the other stabbed the heart to extract the core. If its body was destroyed, it wouldn’t be able to travel through either time or space.

[Ha ha. That’s useless!]

“!”

The decapitated observer started laughing.

[This power doesn’t access my body. It transmits my memories to the past.]

“…!”

[Even if my body is destroyed, my memories will be transferred to my past self. My past self will change the future.]

First, it had to bring back Abyss.

The observer had suffered unexpectedly, but it knew Chun Yooha’s Warp was dangerous. Her ability was different from that of the monsters that traveled through the fear and darkness of the humans. That woman traveled through ill intent.

‘That means our entire species will be subject to that power.’

All the monsters held ill intent toward humans, especially toward the Serpent Bearer, who had dared lay his hands on the monarchs. It was a frightening prospect.

That wasn’t all. Their location of the headquarters will be revealed in no time as it was a place full of ill intent toward the Serpent Bearer.

‘I must stop it.’

Even if it had to sacrifice its life, the observer had to stop the Warp from being handed over to the Serpent Bearer.

When its ability finished activating, the observer laughed.

[You won’t be able to stop the movement of my consciousness!]

Chun Yooha and Carly were flustered, but suddenly…

[Ahhhhhk!]

The observer screamed.

[Reverse Time]

At the same time, something surprising happened. The body of the laughing observer started to twist around as it let out light. Something odd was happening as its body was distorted.

An odd phenomenon occurred around the observer as if there was an afterimage. Its decapitated head reattached itself, and the stab wounds created by Chun Yooha and Carly were gone. However, the observer looked to be in pain as if it were having motion sickness.

At the same time, the observer glared in another direction, looking furious.

[You bitch…!! How dare you!]

“!”

The observer was looking behind Carly and Chun Yooha. Standing there was the Scorpio Saint Hailey.

Hailey’s eyes flashed as if they weren’t going to put up with its nonsense. “How dare you try to steal Lee Gun’s power?”

The observer was surprised.

[How can you use the monarch’s power— Kuh-huhk!]

The observer was in pain as it bled. The power attacking it was that rough. It felt as if its body had been put in a spinning blender.

The power Hailey used was a power that turned back the time of her opponent’s body. As proof, the observer’s body started to shrink. It was getting younger. This shocked the monster.

[Who are you? How are you able to use monarch-nim’s power…!]

The observer did a double take when it stared at Hailey. This woman was so beautiful that thinking of her as a human was hard. At the same time, her devilish appearance reminded the observer of the monarchs.

Finally recognizing her, the observer became angry.

[C-Can’t you tell that we are comrades?]

As soon as it spoke, a blade pierced through its eye.

[Ahhhk!]

It was Hailey’s sword. “I’ve never thought of you guys as my comrades.”

[Huh-uhk— It seems you forgot your duty while you rubbed elbows with the humans. No. is it the Serpent Bearer?]

“!”

[I heard it from our monarch-nim. I heard an idiot kept entering the Devil's Tower twenty years ago, trying to turn back time. That was you, right? You tried to save the Serpent Bearer.]

Hailey’s fine forehead furrowed as she doubled the speed of time, making the observer scream.

[Do you think the Serpent Bearer will spare you if you do this? Do you think he’ll consider a monster as a comrade— Ooh-ahhhhk!]

A slightly sad expression appeared in Hailey’s eyes. It meant she knew where she stood.

Finally, the observer became the size of a fist, then it turned into a salamander as long as a pinky. The time had been rewound to the point of its birth.

Then, Hailey glanced at Chun Yooha and Carly. “Now.”

“!”

Chun Yooha brought down Crimson Earth’s Judgment on the salamander.

Kwah-jeek!

[You have acquired EXP.]

[The EXP of the Serpent Bearer is being amassed.]

[It isn’t long before the Zodiac becomes level 30.]

The observer, who had tried to go back to the past to save Abyss, had been obliterated.

Carly and Chun Yooha looked at Hailey in surprise. It lasted a moment.

Then, Hailey picked up the small corpse of the salamander. She had killed it to stop its plan, but it was an observer for Time. Its rank was low, but according to the seal engraved on its body, it was an observer close to Time.

Basically, Time was Lee Gun’s nemesis, and its Commandment could now be extracted.

In the past, Time’s commandment couldn’t be extracted from its general, who had invaded Lee Gun’s holy ground.

‘That bastard is meticulous and cunning. It didn’t trust its generals, so there was no useful information left.’

On the other hand…

“This might be useful if it is regenerated. Let’s take it to the Zodiac Saint of Life…”

At that moment…

“We don’t have to bring Sungjae into this.”

“!!”

The one to show up was none other than Lee Gun. 

Everyone was surprised by the familiar voice, and Hailey froze in place. She couldn’t even turn her head. Lee Gun didn’t pay attention to her as he took the small salamander from her hands. 

“Thank you!” As he took the salamander, he gave her a handshake as basic courtesy. 

He then turned to look at his disciples. “You guys did well without me. Also, Hailey— What the hell? Where did she go?”

Hailey had already disappeared outside. She stood behind a pillar a hundred meters away, shouting, “L-Lee Gun! W-W… When did you get here? I’m pretty sure you went to look for the Taurus temple’s Ten Star…”

“Ah! I already caught him.”

“!”

Lee Gun laughed as he activated his ability.

[Pool]

The floor roiled with black water. Within the black waters were the Zodiac and the Ten Star of the Taurus temple. They struggled with their mouths shut.

Lee Gun laughed in contempt when he saw them. “Shall we start the merger?”