Chapter 159

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 159: Hayang’s Evolution

The light that filled the room faded.

―Coo.

Hayang looked at him.

Her small size remained the same.

But…….

‘How strange.’

Not only had its color changed from white to light green,

[Blooming complete.]

[The World Tree’s potential has been given to the Divine Beast ‘Hayang’.]

[The World Tree’s adaptability and assimilation have been added.]

[World Tree’s Adaptability]

[The attribute limit has been greatly increased. The ‘Deepening’ attribute has been unlocked.]

[World Tree’s Assimilation]

[Can now assimilate with the owner.]

Messages popped up.

“Deepening attribute?”

He opened Hayang’s status window.

[Name: Hayang]

[Species: Rainbow Phoenix]

[Attributes: Ice 100%, Fire 50.2%, Wind 49.31%, Electricity 51.11%, Earth 53.23%]

[* Attributes that can be grown to the ‘Deepening’ stage exist.]

Hayang had a total of five attributes.

He had fed it all the legendary items he bought at the last Sky Auction, so each attribute had increased significantly.

But…….

“Deepening, huh.”

One sparkling attribute caught his eye.

It was the ice attribute, which he had grown to 100% by feeding it fragments from the Orc Gate.

Originally, this was the limit of attribute absorption. Hayang couldn’t absorb more than 100%.

[Would you like to grow the ‘Ice’ attribute to the Deepening stage?]

But.

Now it’s possible?

[Proceeding to the Deepening stage!]

[The Ice attribute will grow into ‘Absolute Zero’!]

[Attributes: Absolute Zero 1%, Fire 50.2%…….]

Absolute Zero.

Just by looking at it, it seems much stronger than the ice attribute.

“Hayang. Ice.”

―Coo!

[‘Hayang’ shares attributes with the owner!]

[You can now use the ‘Absolute Zero’ attribute!]

[Ice attribute resistance increased by 120%…….]

Swoosh…….

A cold chill rose from the sword.

It was so cold that all the furniture around it froze.

The water in the cup also froze.

Considering that it was some distance away from the sword, it was an unimaginable chill.

“This is awesome.”

It was definitely more amazing than the original 100% ice attribute. It was worthy of the name Absolute Zero.

‘Then, what about the other attributes?’

The Deepening attribute wouldn’t be limited to just the ice attribute. If he could grow the attributes she currently had to 100%, he would probably get their respective Deepening attribute.

“Then what about assimilation?”

At that moment.

Flap!

Hayang, who had flown over, perched on his shoulder, and a green light began to burst from its body.

[The Divine Beast is assimilating with you!]

Hayang, scattered like a light green energy, disappeared into his body as if melting.

[Assimilation complete!]

[Lasts for 30 minutes!]

[From now on, you can use all the attributes of the Divine Beast.]

“Hayang?”

[Coo.]

This time, the answer came from inside his head. He immediately realized the effect of assimilation.

Previously, he could only use one attribute given to him.

But now it was different.

[Transforming attribute…….]

As soon as he thought about it, the attribute changed instantly. Lightning, Earth, Wind, Fire, etc. Unlike the previous method of attribute transfer, the transformation was extremely fast.

‘Excellent.’

Changing attributes every second and attacking?

It was a performance that would make the enemy dizzy.

The effect of assimilation didn’t end there.

Suddenly, a flood of memories came to mind.

They weren’t his.

These were Hayang’s memories.

Vague and fragmented memories.

[Coo.]

Two large Divine Beasts with beautiful seven-colored feathers appeared.

Judging by their appearance, they seemed to be adult Rainbow Phoenixes.

Hayang was riding on the back of one of the Rainbow Phoenix.

It seemed to be a time when she was a chick, as she was the size of a bean.

The scene soon changed.

A dark sky.

He saw two Rainbow Phoenixes flying, battered and bruised.

He also saw Hayang riding on their back.

She had grown a little bigger, as if some time had passed.

A dark figure was chasing the three Rainbow Phoenix at a terrifying speed.

A figure that somehow felt familiar.

He tried his best to look closely and see who it was. The jewel-encrusted crown on their head was a giveaway.

‘This, could it be…….’

His guess was spot on.

That was the Death Lord.

Soon, one of the Rainbow Phoenix turned around. The Rainbow Phoenix roared loudly.

―Go. Far away!

One of the Rainbow Phoenixes, seemingly trying to buy time, charged forward with its entire body glowing.

The Lich reached out his hand.

Clatter!

Thousands of dark chains shot out from the ground and sky, binding the Rainbow Phoenix. Meanwhile, the Rainbow Phoenix carrying Hayang was seen widening the distance.

[Coo…….]

The scene changed.

Inside a small cave.

A bloodied Rainbow Phoenix was seen putting Hayang down. Soon after, the sound of it leaving the cave.

Rumble!

A huge sound echoed soon after.

[Coo…….]

‘Sigh…….’

Kim Min-woo’s face crumpled like he had eaten poop.

Come to think of it.

Cedric had said that Rainbow Phoenix feathers were used to make the golden skeleton body. Considering the personality he saw at the academy, it was obvious how the Death Lord got those feathers.

The next memory came to mind.

Hayang, now a bit bigger.

She was about the same size as she is now.

He saw her catching and eating a bug.

[Coo.]

It seemed like she was forcing herself to eat to survive.

The memory shifted again.

This time, he saw a burning forest.

Hayang flew in the sky.

The sight in front of her was devastating.

It wasn’t just the forest that was burning.

The entire continent was ablaze.

Collapsed buildings.

Corpses littered everywhere.

They weren’t human.

The corpses were those of the undead.

As it flew along,

A familiar sight came into view.

‘Isn’t that the fortress?’

The First Trialt.

The Eternal Battlefield, the Battle of Hrungnir.

The place where Cedric and Mutakta fought, and where he had spectacularly failed. A familiar war was taking place there.

Orcs swarming the fortress, and the undead desperately trying to block them.

Hayang hurriedly flew away.

But a moment later.

The same scene replayed.

Flying over the same place again, orcs rushing in.

It kept repeating.

‘Was she trapped in an endlessly repeating time loop like Cedric?’

She was truly unlucky.

The memories flowed faster and faster, like a fast-forwarding video. After thousands, no, tens of thousands of repetitions of the same scene, a new scene appeared.

It was of him fighting Mutakta.

And the sight of Hayang flying towards him, collapsed with a severed arm.

[30 minutes have passed!]

[Assimilation is released!]

Hayang was now perched on his shoulder once again.

“…I’m sorry, Dear.”

―Coo.

Hayang shook her head.

He wanted to do something for her…….

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

He thought of the Rainbow Phoenix he saw in the memories.

If the Death Lord caught them, they were probably dead.

However…….

‘I think there’s a chance we might see them again.’

The Death Lord’s Trials.

It was a way to go back in time and carry out missions. If so, wouldn’t there be a chance that the Rainbow Phoenix were alive at the start of the Trial?

Of course, there were things to consider. The stage given in the trial.

Starting from how far he could move in that place.

‘What would happen if the past Hayang met the present Hayang?’

And thoughts like this.

But…….

‘It seems like she really loved her parents.’

That’s what the memories showed..

She was very attached to her Rainbow Phoenix parents. He called himself her dad, but it would be difficult to replace her real biological father.

“Hayang.”

―Coo.

“Do you miss your family?”

―Coo. Coo?

“Yes. Your real family. The ones in your memories.”

―……Coo!

Hayang nodded vigorously.

“I’ll try to find them. I don’t know if it’ll work, though.”

―Coo!

Hayang rubbed her face against him.

The Death Lord had four legion commanders in total.

In other words, there were two Trials left. He thought he should thoroughly search for them then.

At that moment.

A text message came.

[Mother]

―Come out. Someone is here to see you.

He went down to the first floor and saw the screen beyond the doorbell.

It was Isabella.

‘At least this time she came during the day.’

He opened the door.

“How did you know I was back?”

“I asked your mother to let me know when you returned.”

Ah, so that’s why she had that meaningful expression earlier?

Anyway.

It was the first time he had seen her in almost half a month.

“It’s been a while. So, why did you come to see me?”

“I’ve been thinking a lot. What exactly should I give you to make you want to teach me Heart Fist”

“Did you come up with an answer?”

“No. I don’t know. So I’d like you to tell me directly.”

“Hmm…….”

His gaze fixed on Isabella. There was a place where I could use this woman.

“You know the Korean Academy, right?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“Would you like to go there with me?”

It was time to grab Germany by the hair.

And if France could lend a hand, it would be a beautiful picture.

* * *

Korean Academy.

The goal was simple.

To gather talented elite Awakened and raise them as pillars of the nation.

These were the two goals.

Kim Min-woo suddenly visited such an academy. And with Isabella, no less.

Visiting the principal’s office was a bonus.

“Greetings. I’m Kim Min-woo.”

“Haha. Welcome. I’m Han Seongil, the principal. I was quite surprised to hear you were visiting.”

“Is there any reason to be surprised? Other guild masters come here and do it all the time. Recruitment you know.”

“That’s true, but… Money Talks Guild is quite famous, isn’t it? For being small but elite.”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t even small but elite. The term “extremely small, top elite” would be more appropriate.

Anyway.

“We need a mage in our guild.”

“Of course. If you’d like, we can even provide a list of students we’ve been keeping an eye on…”

The principal was very cooperative. It was understandable.

The pillars of the nation didn’t necessarily have to be affiliated with the government.

Sending students to major guilds was also a matter of performance and ability.

That, in turn, becomes the strength of the nation. That’s why he was so eager.

However.

“That’s alright.”

“Pardon?”

“I have a student I’ve been keeping an eye on. That student will do.”

“Who is it? Is there some hidden gem we don’t know about…?”

“There should be a student named Han Siah in the 3rd year of the magic department.”

“……”

The principal’s face hardened.

But only for a moment.

He said,

“Why… that student? She doesn’t have particularly good grades or outstanding talent.”

He knew.

It wasn’t because Han Siah lacked talent.

Even after being drained by the head of the family, her talent was too immense from the start.

Even with half her strength, she could turn Korea upside down.

But why wasn’t she famous in Korea, and why didn’t she have any reputation?

Because she didn’t reveal her talent.

‘The Griff family wants it that way.’

It was natural.

If Han Siah joined a guild or another organization, it would be much more difficult to extract her.

The academy was only tolerated because it was a short four-year program, and they needed to provide her with basic social skills.

‘That’s why she doesn’t have a guild yet.’

Grades?

Bottom of the class.

And because the Griff family’s shadows had been following and monitoring her since she was young, she had a very dark personality.

Sociability?

That was also the worst.

She had all the factors that would make a guild not want to recruit her.

“Did the Griff family make a fuss? Telling you to let her graduate quietly.”

Han Seongil looked at Kim Min-woo with surprise. He knew the connection between the German Griff family and Han Siah?

Of course, Han Siah was mixed-race, so her appearance was unique.

But even considering that, it was surprising that he knew about her connection to the Griff family. Even he only found out after she enrolled, when he received a separate contact from them.

“…How did you know?”

“I’m Kim Min-woo. Do you think there’s anything Ilsung doesn’t know in Korea?”

The principal sighed and nodded.

“You’re right. Seeing them constantly interfering, it seems there was a complicated situation… Anyway, they strongly warned us. If we recruit her, there will be trouble…”

“Let them say what they want. It’s just as well. Principal, let’s make our game a little bigger.”

“…Pardon?”

“No matter what anyone says, I’m going to recruit this student into the guild. Even if it means crushing the Griffs.”

“But, why are you doing this?”

The principal asked, looking at Kim Min-woo with a tearful face.

Was the Griff family some kind of third-rate family in the neighborhood?

They are a magic family that rules Germany.

A family so powerful that even Korea would be crushed under their weight.

Their notoriety was also immense.

They are a group that conducts all sorts of heinous experiments, including human experimentation in secret.

The fact that they still tightly control and rule Germany shows how skilled they are.

He could understand if Han Siah was overflowing with talent.

But she had never shown any such signs.

But he was so desperate to get her, it was hard to understand.

Then, Kim Min-woo answered.

“I’m very interested in her talent.”

“…Are you saying her talent is outstanding?”

“The world doesn’t know Han Siah’s talent yet. Does that answer your question?”

“Then, you’re saying that she was hiding her talent…”

“The head of the family probably told her to do that.”

“…Are you saying that even the head of the family is paying attention to Han Siah?”

“Why else would their shadows come all the way to Korea to monitor her? It’s because the head of the family ordered it. Han Sia, she’s the illegitimate child of the head of the family.”

“Il-illegitimate child?”

“Yes. And, it’s a fight where either the Griff family or Han Siah has to die.”

“Wh, what do you mean…”

“The head of the family sucked out her talent and released her. He’s going to heal her and suck her dry again later.”

The principal’s eyes shook at Kim Min-woo’s words. Even though the principal was well-versed in the ways of the world, it was hard to even imagine such a bizarre fact.

Sucking out talent?

And then releasing her?

Because he wanted to suck her dry again?

Could his words really be true?

He couldn’t help but believe them.

The Griff family’s behavior so far was proof enough.

If what Kim Min-woo said was true, their actions made perfect sense.

The principal felt a chill run down his spine at the dark and eerie secret surrounding Han Siah, and he swallowed with difficulty.

He thought they were just here to recruit a student, but the scale of the story was growing insanely large.

―I’m going to recruit this student into the guild. Even if it means crushing the Griffs.

Crushing the Griffs.

He wondered why the talk of destroying a German family was involved in a simple student recruitment.

Han Seongil sensed a storm brewing.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]