Chapter 54: 5★ Mother of Bad Omens Karne – (5)

The mind of the charred saint, Selene, was always like a massive furnace.

However, the flames deep within her heart had now been extinguished. 

Selene’s greatest flame was her lord. 

Therefore, since her lord, Actor, had been struck by Karne’s cursed blade, she no longer had the right to even burn her own life.

‘My lord.’

Thus, the guilt that was etched into her very bones slowly consumed Selene.

The charred saint.

The great sinner who set the world ablaze.

Selene, who deserved a punishment hotter than any death, was only extended a saving hand by her lord.

But she failed to protect him.

She failed to repay the lord’s kindness, the warmth he had shown her.

“Mirien, I will kill that woman.”

Selene’s resolve was singular.

Whether Actor was safe or not, she would take the head of Karne, the mother of calamity.

She would break the neck of that monster and reclaim her lord.

“I don’t care about killing or not killing, but you’re really hot, you know? Can you control the flames a bit?”

Mirien, the storm of the North Sea, stepped back, avoiding Selene’s heat as if annoyed. 

Since the Holy Flame Crest was based on Selene’s emotional state, the flames surrounding her now flowed in a sticky, crimson hue.

“Mirien, are you sure about this place?”

“Probably.”

[5★ North Sea Storm Mirien activates the skill ‘Eye of the Storm’.]

True to her title as the Archmage of Reverse Heaven, Mirien skillfully tracked Actor’s trail. 

Despite the unfavorable conditions of being inside a nest, her tracking magic managed to pinpoint Actor’s location within a cave.

After casting a spatial leap, Mirien and Selene stood before the cave, preparing for battle.

“Anyway, let’s assess the situation before charging in. Don’t just swing your sword recklessly.”

“I know, you magic nerd. No need to remind me.”

“Right. I wouldn’t say more anyway.”

Karne, the mother of calamity, was a figure specialized in cunning and underhanded combat.

Expecting anything to emerge from anywhere, the two calamities heightened all their senses and entered the cave.

No, they didn’t even need to enter.

“…Actor!”

“My lord.”

From within the cave, the lord they had been desperately searching for, Actor, walked out unscathed.

Selene hurriedly examined Actor’s body. 

There were no visible external injuries. 

Judging by his complexion, there didn’t seem to be any internal injuries either.

Selene let out a sigh of relief. 

Yet, something felt off.

It was the awkward smile on her lord’s lips.

“…My, my lord. Has something happened?”

Could there be internal injuries not visible on the surface?

Or had Karne, the mother of calamity, done something?

Selene felt as if her heart had sunk.

“…Well, you see.”

But our lord, oblivious or not to Selene’s internal turmoil, spoke with an awkward smile.

“There’s something I need to tell you both….”

Actor slowly stepped aside, revealing a woman with crimson hair standing behind him.

None other than Karne, the mother of calamity, smiling benevolently.

“…My lord?”

“That’s how it is.”

Selene’s pupils trembled.

But Actor cleared his throat and spoke.

“Let me introduce you. So… um….”

Trailing off, Actor hesitated under the sharp gazes of Mirien and Selene before reluctantly continuing.

“She’s… my mother.”

An eternity seemed to pass in that moment.

“…Huh?”

It was Mirien who broke the silence.

“…M-mother?”

Mirien blinked a few times, then tilted her head. Her gesture resembled an owl tilting its head.

Soon, realizing the situation, Mirien quickly glanced at Selene. 

Having accompanied her this far, Mirien had noticed how agitated Selene was.

Thus, it was easy to predict how Selene would react to this shocking scene.

“…Hey, Selene? You’re not….”

Just one word, but it conveyed Mirien’s sense of crisis.

Regardless, Selene took a deep breath.

She organized her thoughts.

Her mind became as clear as if cold water had been poured over her brain.

“…I see. My lord, I understand everything now.”

“Selene, you understand?”

“Yes. You don’t need to say more.”

Selene nodded in understanding.

As Actor’s face lit up with relief, she continued.

“How dare you use sorcery to brainwash my lord. You filthy harlot, did you think you could live after this?”

Her lord had been brainwashed by that harlot.

It had to be so.

It couldn’t be otherwise.

The charred saint Selene drew her flaming sword.

[5★ Charred Saint Selene activates the skill ‘Infernal Fireball’.]

“Wait! Selene! Stop! It’s all a misunderstanding!”

A massive explosion occurred.

It took Selene a considerable amount of time to understand the full story.

To be precise, enough time for two casualties to occur.

*

“What…”

Meanwhile, Lei Fu, the leader of the Chinese Awakened Alliance, was utterly baffled by the situation unfolding before him.

At the defense line set up at the first refugee shelter, the alliance’s Awakened were struggling to hold back tens of thousands of calamity forces.

The calamities, in the form of swarms, poured endlessly. 

Eventually, even the refugees were given equipment to help. 

Yet, the situation continued to deteriorate. 

Fortunately, the alliance had two hopes.

Two S-rank Awakened from Korea.

Hearing that Korea’s calamity had headed here, they had come to track it down. 

Upon learning of China’s plight, they had readily offered their help.

Their presence was a tremendous boost.

Even now, the S-rank Awakened Yoo Junseo’s Crimson Flame Guardian was single-handedly holding off hundreds of calamities. 

Lei Fu also possessed a 4-star calamity, but he couldn’t provide as reliable support as Yoo Junseo.

“…Yoo Junseo is one thing, but where on earth is Yoo Junseo….”

However, Lei Fu was worried about Nam Jooyeon, the Awakened who had suddenly left for the area swarming with calamities.

Though it was unusual to worry about someone with the alliance’s strongest combat power, it was later revealed that this was a 5-star dungeon.

Even if Yoo Junseo was considered among the top S-ranks, could she really face a 5-star calamity and come out unscathed?

Feeling a considerable amount of guilt for sending their benefactors into danger, the Chinese Awakened continued their bloody battle.

“Squad 3! Annihilated!”

Casualties were inevitable.

Nearly 20% of the thousand Awakened had already been killed or injured. 

The front lines were barely holding, but they couldn’t last forever.

Supplies were nearly exhausted, and the Awakened were beginning to tire. 

Though the calamities caused the fighting, the mental fatigue couldn’t be ignored.

“Should we… retreat?”

Lei Fu seriously considered it.

Abandoning the first shelter and setting up a defense within Beijing.

The casualties would be unacceptable, and the alliance would never escape the responsibility.

Lei Fu bit his lower lip until it bled.

[5☆ Dungeon ‘Karne’s Nest’ has been destroyed.]

[Reward: 100 Exp]

His worries were rendered meaningless as the surroundings suddenly brightened.

The barrier lifted, and sunlight poured in.

After a night-long defense, morning had finally arrived.

“…This is.”

Lei Fu’s eyes widened as he placed his hand on the dissipating remnants of the barrier.

The calamities turned their forces upon the dungeon’s destruction. 

Watching the retreating swarm, everyone was stunned.

“…We, we did it!”

Someone shouted, and a single cheer turned into thunderous applause.

While everyone hugged and celebrated, Lei Fu frowned and looked at the S-rank Awakened Yoo Junseo.

Yoo Junseo also looked at Lei Fu, and their eyes met.

Though they didn’t share a language, they shared the same thought.

“…Adjutant, prepare the vehicle.”

“Yes.”

Lei Fu and Yoo Junseo hurriedly boarded a van and headed in the direction the calamities had disappeared.

After driving for a while, they could go no further.

The road was piled high with ashes.

“…This is.”

Before them lay countless calamities reduced to ashes.

Moreover, these calamities had died without dissipating.

“Lord Yoo Junseo, did you do this?”

The adjutant translated, and Yoo Junseo immediately shook his head. 

He was a man of honor. 

Above all, he wasn’t brazen enough to claim credit for so many corpses.

“Then….”

Could it be that Yoo Junseo, who had suddenly left for this place, had dealt with so many calamities? 

Was that even possible alone?

The group moved forward, parting the ashes, and soon encountered a shocking scene.

“…What.”

Yoo Junseo was the first to be horrified.

It was as if a god of destruction had passed through. 

Centered around a cave on the mountainside, countless battle scars remained. 

Trees on the mountain were uprooted or cut down, and the rocks bore lightning-shaped scorch marks.

Not only that.

The cave entrance was smeared with countless sword marks and crimson blood.

Anyone who saw it would know that an indescribably fierce battle had taken place here.

“…If this is what Yoo Junseo accomplished….”

Lei Fu spoke with a trembling voice.

“…Then the title of S-rank is an understatement for him.”

As an S-rank Awakened himself, Lei Fu knew.

He was beyond extraordinary.