Count Scribe's Tutor

“Because you're already dead. ”

It was Kang Tae-min's birthday.

The way back after clearing the dungeon. There was an incident that broke the mood. I thought we got rid of all the bosses, but the elite monsters came from somewhere.

With the siege built, four hunters, including Kang Tae-min, were fiercely challenged. However, your fatigue has accumulated considerably and your potion has run out, making your chances of winning less and less.

At that time, Hyuk-soo Choi spoke.

Somebody get out of the dungeon, call the other hunters for backup.

And this role returned to Kang Tae-min unanimously. That's why he's the fastest on foot. Kang Tae-min was unable to refuse because of the situation.

You make your way through the siege with your companions' lives, then start running towards the exit. My breath fills up to my chin, but I can't stop. The moment I stop, my colleagues' lives will end.

So I shook my teeth and ran like crazy. Then, with help from the hunters outside the dungeon, I entered the dungeon again.

But the body of his fallen comrades was slaughtered.

And the monsters were eating it.

“What?"

“Hahaha, what are you talking about? ”

“Don't be a jerk. Come quickly. ”

A painful memory filled with only regret.

While quietly chewing it, the three men and women burst out a ridiculous smile in front of them. They reach back for Ferda. As if to hold this hand quickly.

Perda just walks forward, looking at the scene. You lift the Arcane's scepter with a dull glare. Do you think he sensed a strange atmosphere? The three of them opened their eyes wide, surprised.

“Uh, uh-uh. Kang Tae-min, what are you doing? ”

“Brother! What are you doing? ”

“Son of a bitch, wake up! ”

Vivid responses until the end. But there was no shake in Ferda's eyes.

He then swung his hands without hesitation.

Spatula

In the blink of an eye, three throats fell.

At the same time, a strange scream pierces my ears.

Creek! Kieier!

Kihaaaaaa!

Three men and three women turned to black smoke in an instant.

They disappear as if melted into thin air.

Yoo Baek hyun called them "scarecrows." And the eighth act was called the Doppelgänger. I don't know who's right. I didn't want to know. For Ferda, they were the ones we had to clean up.

The landscape changed as all the scarecrows disappeared.

This time, a pathway appeared. It seems to lead you to the Shadow Stone.

So I took a step. Then the wind blows again.

Saaaaaa

The landscape changed with the sound of the bush shaking.

And on either side of the trail came a variety of characters.

‘Please ask your brother. Kang Tae-min.’

‘Haha, this is why I didn't want to be a hunter. ’

‘Mom, I miss you. Mom, ugh! Mom.'

‘Joo, I don't want to die. Ugh! I don't want to die, Tae-min. ’

‘I'll be right behind you. Don't you trust me? Hurry up.'

A man with a sword in his chest. A man whose limbs are being cut off. A girl who became addicted to extreme intoxication and turned her complexion blue. A young man who cries like a child. And a friend with a dozen arrows in him, smiling his head off.

All his colleagues in memory.

“ · · · · · ·. ”

More precisely, they were a bunch of fools and regrets. At that time, I was weak and couldn't save him. But not anymore. I can save it now. He has power now.

Overwhelmed

But I ignored them all.

Ferda walks away from the overwhelming remorse and stubbornness. The sight became increasingly stimulating, but I didn't give it a glance.

After a short time.

Ferda has finally reached the end of the road.

There was a little boy with a small build.

The boy slowly turns to look where he is. Suddenly, Ferda looks at him with her eyes wide open.

“Teacher.”

Silver hair with moonlight. A boy with golden eyes.

It was practical.

Ferda stops, smiling and approaching him.

“I've been looking all over for you. What are you doing in here? ”

One step, one more step.

Suddenly, Ferda's side is closing in.

“I've been waiting. Let's go. ”

The knob extends its white hand. Just like I told you to hurry up. Ferda slowly reaches out. When the smile on the mouth became dark.

Puk

“ · · · · · ·! ”

The archaeological seal pierces the heart of the realm.

Black blood spurts out. In fact, he looks up at Ferda with a painful face.

“Uh, why? ”

“You have to copy it clearly to copy it. ”

Ferda's lips are clenched and a cold answer pours out.

Immediately, I muttered as if laughing with a cold look in my eyes.

“When we're alone, we call each other by names. ”

Kwaek!

You twist your screech and pull it out. A hole in your chest twists and twists. Then the black smoke disappeared. Strange cries coming from everywhere at the same time.

Aaaah, aah!

Uuuggghhh!

The surrounding landscape is cracked. Fragments fall to the ground.

Watching the world crumble. When I saw this, I was sure.

I'm sure I've been through hell.

This reminded me of a familiar message.

[Reminder]: Analysis rate has reached a certain number.

* Current Analysis Rate: [45/100]

* Analysis: [Dungeon Name: Shadow Land]

The landscape changed in front of me.

A familiar landscape. Bottom of the cliff. A place filled with darkness. It was only a step away from where I landed on the ground.

In other words, everything he's been through, including walking down the street and cutting off the scarecrows, has been a hallucination.

At that moment, I suddenly heard Frank's muttering.

[· · · · · · So you need to care more about me. You understand? You big undead faggot!]

“What?"

[Whoops! My goodness!]

With a loud shout of surprise.

Frank asked me a few questions.

[What, what? I was standing there with no answer, even though I just called.]

I briefly explained what had happened while looking at frank who was embarrassed. After a while, as if Frank understood, Ferda pulls out what she heard again.

“Whose head is bigger than that? ”

What do you mean? Did you hear the hallucinations?]

I laughed shamelessly.

Then the darkness shifted everywhere. Looking closely, it was black smoke. Each of them had a strange shape and gradually approached Ferda.

Heehee, heeheeheehee.

Hehehehehe!

Scarecrows in the hallucinations.

It doesn't seem favorable. Of course, Ferda didn't like them. As you fix the scaffolding, Frank mutters in disgust.

Ugh! I feel bad. What are they doing?]

“The ones you have to kill from now on. ”

What?

You hear an angry voice.

Ferda then replied with a tone reminiscent of what she had forgotten.

“Oh, by the way, I cut it earlier. ”

[No, you said it was a hallucination!]

Fran yells, but Ferda doesn't listen.

It was because the scarecrows were already close at hand.

[Now, wait a minute! They feel really bad. Hiyaaaaah!]

Beginning with Frank's scream, the battle begins.

* * *

The battle is over.

Yoo Baek Hyun didn't call me a coward for nothing. I didn't expect to be defeated just by wielding a magical scepter. You scream a bizarre scream and look at the fading bluffs of smoke and stab a scream into the blade.

It sounds obvious, but there are no bodies left, so there are no items that can be converted. But I didn't mind. It was enough to get the Shadow Stone.

After clearing all the Scarecrows, Ferda moves on.

The road leads only in one direction. I felt comfortable not having to worry about where to go.

After a while.

The surroundings are a little brighter.

It was thanks to the rocks covered in light and the ore embedded everywhere.

After that, you see a high staircase. A staircase that is narrow enough for only one person to climb. It was like the depiction I saw in the original. There will be a Shadow Stone at the end of these steps.

Then there was no need to hesitate.

When Ferda stepped on the stairs.

Halt.

I heard someone's voice.

You raise your head and look around, but you can't tell where your voice is coming from. So I took another step.

I'm warning you, don't come any closer.

This is a sanctuary.

Only qualified persons may ascend.

All I could do was keep my voice out, and there was nothing else. Then I suddenly realized. This voice that I'm hearing right now is not talking to you, but it's kind of like playing pre-recorded.

The one who defeated the darkness inside.

Only he can get up here.

So I ignored it.

Shortly after, Ferda arrived at her destination. I can see him looking far away. Even a handful of light rejects the perfect black stone.

It was a Shadow Stone.

Remember, challenger.

If an unqualified person touches this stone.

You'll turn out just like them.

The last thing I heard was no more voices. Meanwhile, Ferda is already close to the stones.

“Inner darkness." ”

That reminds me.

There was a similar situation in the last round.

Baek Hyun smiled at an unknown voice. It's not even petty. Then you open your mouth, gazing at the Sacrament stone.

"If that's the Heart, I'll answer. ’

His gaze was fixed on the rocks. And he spoke arrogantly.

‘I've already overcome it. ’

Ferda smiles in relief.

I didn't intend to follow him, but somehow it came to this. You straighten your shoulders and stare at the stone. He then declared it as a legitimate tournament.

“It was overcome a long time ago. ”

With a cool smile.

You reach out and grab the Shadow Stone. The moment I felt a hard and cold feeling, the shadow on the floor swallowed up Ferda.

In front of my eyes, I was in the dark.

It was similar to when I came to the Phantom Cave. There was just one difference: I didn't feel a single difference from Ferda here.

Then I heard a voice.

The one who removed the darkness from within and went through trials.

This is the voice I heard when I climbed the stairs.

The same voice that seemed to play pre-recorded.

Give the challenger one last try.

I looked around, but I couldn't pinpoint where the voice was coming from. It was because the direction was not measured because it rang blankly throughout the space. In the meantime, the voice brings out the business of speaking.

Tell me the name of the shadow.

This is your final test.

I thought you were done with the trials, but you have more tests?

This was unexpected. In the meantime, I keep hearing voices.

The Shadow Stone has swallowed 755 individuals to date.

They didn't all qualify.

Will you be 76th? or · · · · · · · · ·.

The last voice did not reach the end.

A confident word came out of Ferda's lips.

“Of course it's the first time. ”

There was no evidence. No reason and no hesitation.

But strangely, I was convinced. When I heard him say the name of the shadow, I had a name in my head.

Tuk

I sat down with my knees bent.

I put my finger under my foot and knocked a couple of times.

This is his shadow. So maybe there's no better name.

Ferda breathes a little, and her lips snap.

“Don't stay there. Follow me, Kang Tae-min. ”

That's the end of it.

All the darkness that had surrounded him was sucked into his shadow. Not only that, hundreds and thousands of hurdles roam the earth together into Ferda's shadow.

How long has it been?

Ferda's shadow shivers on the ore. After a few moments, the shadow creeps out as if it were alive.

A shadow with shapes.

He looked familiar to Ferda.

Black hair, black eyes.

You look tired. Sneakers in jeans, a young man wearing a thin grey hoodie and a two-piece dagger at his waist.

Looking at your longing face, the shadow opens its mouth.

My name. Kang Tae-min.

The shadow was the likeness of Kang Tae-min, a Class S Hunter in his name. As he looks around his body, he blurs his eyes at Ferda.

Kang Tae-min?

“Ferda now. ”

You shake your head and correct the words of the shadow.

Then the shadow mutters his name several times.

Ferda. Ferda. Ferda.

It seemed like you were trying to remember.

Looking at this, Ferda stares at the face of the shadow.

‘That face is roughly 25. ’

When I culminated as a Class S Hunter.

It was also around his retirement when he was seriously injured. Meanwhile, the shadow mutters the word Ferda seventy times, raising its head again.

Contract.

That's what I came all this way for.

Ferda nods happily as we get to the point. The shadow then tapped the floor three times with its toes raised. Then he glanced at Ferda. Like I said, follow me.

Tuk-tuk-tuk!

So I followed. Then a black thread pops out and slaps Ferda and the Shadow's feet. Nothing happened after that. When you look up at the shadow, a blunt answer returns.

Contract. Done.

The shadow gazes at Ferda.

Then I tapped the floor with my toes three times.

How to call. Likewise.

At the last moment, the shape of the shadow collapsed.

He then returns to Ferda's shadow. Ferda glances at the Shadow Stone in her hand, looking at the calm surroundings of the shovel.

‘Up to two shadows will be protected. ’

The contractor and the one with the Shadow Stone. Later, Yoo Baek Hyun realized this and left the Shadow Stone to reality. Of course, Ferda was going to do it.

‘Actually, the best thing is to actually become a contractor. ’

This was an impossible way. The truth is, I'm not quite ready yet.

I was more likely to be overcome even by trials. Even Yoo Baek Hyun, who cared about the strict teachings, did not put himself through the trials.

It is still a satisfactory result.

In fact, it's like earning the life of an extra bee.

“Let's go back then. ”

What would his legs look like if he knew he had the Shadow Stone?

Ferda turns away with a joyful imagination.

< Chapter 26. Shadow Stone (2) > End

nam Cheol-woo