Unlike the rest of the city, the casino was still in its pristine state.

If one ignored the staff running in and out frantically, of course.

I didn’t know how many days it had been since the Giant fell, but it seemed that the casino was still busy helping the recovery efforts.

I took a step inside.

‘Worst case scenario, I’ll just ditch the cloak. They won’t refuse the request of this city’s savior, right?’

Luckily for me, I soon spotted Ohjin. He was surrounded by dozens of his employees, barking out orders and such.

He was as big and tall as ever. Honestly, if I were closer to him, I’d have to break my neck to look at his face. 

Speaking of his face, he looked… just about the same. The only difference was his beard that he apparently grew.

Before I could be swept up in nostalgia, I slapped my own cheeks and marched toward Ohjin confidently.

“Park Ohjin!”

The chatters stopped. Ohjin and his employees slowly looked at me in confusion.

“Do you not recognize me?”

-”Who the fuck are you?” One of the employees spoke.

Another turned to his boss and asked, “Should I kick her out?”

Ohjin stared at me calmly before nodding. “You may.”

The employee smiled with glee and cracked his knuckles.

I clicked my tongue, began sprinting, and jumped on the employee. Using his face as a springboard, I flew through the air and landed on his shoulder.

‘Goddamn, I almost forgot how big he actually is.’

I could spread my legs on his shoulder and wouldn’t fall off.

But I wasn’t here to make a fool out of myself. Before Ohjin could react, I leaned into his ear and whispered.

“It’s me, Nova.”

“What are you sayin—”

“Your advice was fucking shit. I stuck my dick in crazy and I haven’t regretted it.”

It was then that an employee caught me by my cloak. She yanked me down and let me squirm on the floor. If it wasn’t for the enhancement on the cloak, my face would’ve been exposed.

Before anything else could happen to me, Ohjin intervened by lifting me up.

“Leave.”

‘Huh?’

“But—”

“I’m not talking to you, Nova.” He muttered before speaking a bit louder. “Kids, leave. I’ll put Dave in charge until I return.”

Why did he call his employee “kids”? Whatever the case, he carried upstairs and into his private office without another word. As soon as we entered, he threw me onto a chair and broke out laughing.

“PFFFT! AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!”

“Haha?”

“KEHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH!”

“...”

“HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!”

“Oi! What the fuck are you laughing at?”

“S-Sorry, Nova. Can you remove your hood?”

Well, he did lock the door, so I saw no reason not to.

“KAHAHAHAHAH! Y-You! You didn’t fake your voice back there? YOU REALLY TURNED INTO A CHICK! HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH!”

This continued for a few minutes before the bastard finally pulled himself together. He settled on a chair and suppressed a snicker.

“So, mind explaining everything to me?”

“Fucker—! That’s the first thing you ask me? Didn’t you think I was dead?”

“Hey, you’re here now. What’s the fuss?” He picked his ear with his pinky. “Let’s drink tonight like the old days, yeah? Eric’s kid just passed by here so maybe she’ll also join.”

“W-Wait wait, Eric has a kid?”

“It’s unbelievable, but yes. I’m not sure if that fucker initiated it or Emelia raped him.”

Knowing the dense Eric, it was probably the latter. Though I wouldn’t call it “rape.”

“You know, that kid reminds me of someone.” Ohjin shuddered. “Atatata! Don’t ask me what that someone is. You’ll know once you meet her.”

“...Okay.”

“Welp, enough about the Eric fucker that’s not even here. I’m sure you met me with a goal in mind.”

“Goal? Can’t I just visit my best friend?”

Ohjin chuckled. “Bastard, I knew you for years. Stop with that act. If you need anything, spill it out.”

As expected of Ohjin, he knew. Although I would go visit him, I wouldn’t risk myself like earlier if I didn’t want something from him.

“Money.”

“That can be arranged.”

No more words needed to be exchanged. Like a true brother, Ohjin knew right away.

“How much?”

“How much can you give?”

“10,000 Golds.”

“Then give me that much.”

Now that it was out of the way, Ohjin leaned back on his chair and whistled.

“You’re pretty.”

“Fuck off.”

“No, no, I mean it. What d’ya say about getting on with my son?”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Which son?”

“Come on! I don’t have that many kids!”

Seeing that I wasn’t convinced, Ohjin sighed.

“Fine. I have a few dozen. But I’m talking about my eldest son here.”

“...Hoyeol?”

“That’s right, him. He’s 26 this year. Judging by your current appearance, you’re no older than 20, right?”

I… well, fuck this bastard for putting the image of me and little Hoyeol together on a wedding altar. I had known the kid since he was basically born. 

Ohjin’s first and only wife gave birth to Hoyeol when they were still in the Tutorial. The little kid had always called me “uncle” whenever I came to visit him. He would also pester me to teach him the sword whenever he got the chance.

Simply put,

“There’s no fucking way.”

“Khahaha! Just joking with you. He’s got a fiance already.”

“Fuck you and your jokes!”

Ohjin laughed it off, not caring too much about it.

Still, setting the joke aside, I was curious about what Hoyeol was doing. 

“Where is he?”

“No here. He’s on the other continent.” Sadness briefly flashed through Ohjin’s eyes and he adjusted a picture frame on his desk. “It’s been more than 3 years since he last visited me…. Dang, I would’ve pestered for the ruler of this fucking kingdom to build a radio tower if I could. It’s nothing like the internet but at least I’ll be able to talk to him.”

“Ohjin….”

He was no different than a giant, but he looked so small and hurt right now. If only I could comfort him.

‘Wait, I can.’

“How about we push our drinking session a little early?”

Ohjin’s eyes lit up. “Huh? Of fucking course! The wine’s in that cabinet over there.”

I smiled and stood up. My tails swished as I slowly made my way toward the wine cabinet and opened it.

Inside were several plain glass bottles, but I knew that they all contained expensive wines. 

“Should I take the Dragonburrow?”

“...”

“Or Spitwind?”

“...”

“Oi, say something.”

I was getting annoyed. With my elbows propped in the cabinet and suspending me in the air, and my face buried in the dark space, I couldn’t turn around.

“I’m gonna take Spitwind if you’re not gonna say anything.”

“...”

“Alr— Hueek!”

I felt a hand slapping my butt. ‘This bastard! He knows I was a man and yet—’ I angrily dropped down. My face was flushed red both with anger and embarrassment. I caressed my butt and I turned around—

“...!”

—Only to find an unexpected sight.

Ohjin…. He was dead. Blood gushed out from every hole and wound on his body. The surrounding walls and floor was caved in as if a ferocious fight had just broken out without me knowing.

And standing before me….

“What a nice piece of ass. No wonder my sister’s so obsessed with you!”

….Was Dark.

The demon had wounds riddled all over her body. Her right arm and legs were crushed yet she still walked around leisurely as if pain was a foreign concept. 

Everything led to one conclusion.

“You…. Killed Ohjin?”

No, not just kill. She battled Ohjin and came out on top; all without me knowing. I summoned Aerin and prepared to lunge at her, but found myself unable to.

“[Paralysis]”

She was so much stronger than me that a simple spell was all it took to immobilize me.

What…. What did I even think? How could I take out someone who had just killed Ohjin?

‘No. No!’

Pathetic. My best friend was just killed right in front of me and I dared to think about not fighting his killer? I struggled. Gritted my teeth. And struggled.

This bitch was weakened. If I could just break out of this paralysis, I had a chance! 

But my struggle was futile.

And Dark also knew it.

“‘The prey is at its most vulnerable after victory.’” She stuck her neck out to me. “Care to find out whether the saying’s true?”

“I’LL KILL YOU!”

“I’m waiting.”

Her neck was right there, so bare and tender. One small swing could lop it right off.

Yet, I couldn’t.

My body refused to move. Whether it was the paralysis or my senses telling me of the danger of trusting this demon’s words, I did not know.

“Ah~ So you can’t after all. What a shame.”

Dark tutted and used her intact hand to cup my cheeks and lift my face up. Her dark eyes bore deeply into my eyes and pierced my very soul.

“You know, you had me panicking when you felled the Colossus. I was so, so very mad. If it wasn’t for my sister, you’d be dead where you sit.”

“....S-Sister?”

“Oh? She hasn’t told you? Nevermind, then.”

Dark smiled teasingly and let go of me. She then made her way toward Ohjin’s corpse and grabbed a Prism-shaped object from his body. 

“The Prism of Desire. See how the mighty have fallen. How ironic is it for a member of the Hero’s party to use something the Heavenly King of Desire used to have for his own gains.”

‘What?

That thing is a Relic of a Heavenly King?’

“Heh, the Hero defeated him before you joined, so you wouldn’t know.”

Did…. Did Ohjin really use it? Did he open a casino because of it?

No…. no. No! Even if he did, so what? So what!? He still didn’t deserve to die! Not to some fucking demons like her!

“You bastard!! I don’t care how strong you are, you’re dead as soon as I find Eric!”

Dark froze. She approached me again and covered her face, only leaving her smiling mouth visible.

“Khahaha! Really? Let me tell you something, Swordsmaster. Do you really think my father could be defeated just with a meager one year of preparation?”

The Demon King was an unstoppable force. I knew that best. I’d always had doubts about the Demon King’s death. ‘Don’t tell me…!’

“Hahaha! No. Whatever you’re thinking is wrong. My father is as dead as he could be. That’s why I’m even bothering to collect all these Relics.”

“Then what—”

Dark uncovered her eyes, revealing the crazed madness within. My whole body shivered even though I was fully paralyzed from the neck down.

“He let himself be killed.”

Without another word, she kicked me right on the face. “I’ve said too much. But hmmm, I should take a souvenir to commemorate this occasion.”

Dark’s hand roamed all over her body. She brushed through my stomach and boobs and—

“W-What are you touching?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

She smiled. A warm smile that could melt even the coldest of ice.

I felt something tugging on one of my tails.

“There should be punishment for a fox spirit flaunting her tails so brazenly.”

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS!

My soul was ripped apart.

[★★★ → ★★]

My face was a teary mess before I even knew it. My whole body trembled. Despite being freed of the paralysis, I couldn’t move.

I curled into a ball and hugged my own shivering shoulders. It hurt to the point it couldn’t physically hurt any longer. I slowly reached my back to check my tails.

There were two instead of three.

That demon…. She ripped off one of my tails.

With chattering teeth and blurry eyes, I slowly rose up with Aerin as a crutch.

{Master—}

“D-D-Don’t say anything, A-Aerin. I’m barely holding it in.”

I staggered my way toward Ohjin. He was really dead. His death couldn’t have been more excruciating that what I had just experienced since his fucking soul wasn’t ripped apart.

Each step was like torture. I found myself coughing up blood the more I moved. 

I had promised myself to not be sad about any more deaths.

Just like every one of my loved ones until now, Ohjin wasn’t going to stay dead. 

I was going to make my way to the top of the Tower and save not just him, but everyone dear to me.

Ohjin was just another name on my list of revival.

So, I plunged Aerin into Ohjin’s body and left her there.

“S-Sorry, old friend. You’ll understand if I did this to save you, right?”

I stood there, leaning on and grabbing Aerin’s handle for support. My face turned ghastly as I watched Ohjin’s body dry up. 

Then, someone knocked on the door. A girl’s voice.

-”Father? The mayor wants to meet you.”

The girl tried to pull the door open but failed. She began banging on the door more violently before rushing downstairs to get help.

“...I can’t be seen here.”

So, I withdrew Aerin and made my way to the window. The cool breeze outside brushed against my face as I broke the glass.

Aerin finally turned into her human form. She scooped me up and held me close to her, as if trying to lessen my pain by using her warmth.

“J-Just get me out of here, Aerin.”

“Very well, master.”

 

[Congratulations! You have absorbed the Life Force of a Monarch-ranked individual!

Increasing star-rank….

Bypassing the next progression quest….

Error! Vessel too fragile. Power will be passively accumulated.

Increasing star-rank….

Bypassing the next progression quest…

Error! Vessel too fragile! Power will be passively accumulated!

Coalescing into a Special Title]

 

[New Temporary Title generated
{Scavenger of a Legend’s Life Force}

Gradually increase the user’s star-rank by two for the next three years. Will automatically delete itself once its purpose has been served]