Ramus sought a way to survive. That was obedience. He immediately provided an answer to Jong-sik’s question.
“My master, no, she informed me!”
“Her?”
“Occasionally, a voice resonated in my mind. She referred to herself as Koo, Koolara.”
A very familiar name sprang from his mouth.
‘Koolara, the subordinate of lesser demons who defied death.’
Jong-sik furrowed his brow.
“Go on.”
“She is the presence of a demon who governs death. She informed me of the location and time of the emergence of the dungeon infused with magic, and commanded me to absorb the magic there.”
‘As expected, they’ve also crossed over.’
‘The appearance of demons was expected since the arrival of the dimensional beings. However, confirming it firsthand was indeed troublesome.’
“So, did you converse in that manner?”
“How dare you Lead on! I was merely listening to her words.”
‘The fact that they couldn’t communicate meant that this guy hadn’t yet made a pact with Koolara. After all, if he had made a pact, he wouldn’t have been able to speak so smoothly.’
Anyway, Jong-sik, having resolved the questions related to the prophecy, was about to move on to the next step.
However, it was Ramus who spoke up first. Instinctively, he sensed impending danger. So, he quickly came up with a plan—a proposition of his own value.
“But tomorrow! The day we welcome her, it may be possible to converse. Tomorrow is the day. I can draw the magic circle to awaken her. I will inform you of that. I will even yield the honor of contracting with her. You, as my senior, should take the lead. And I will regard you as my mentor. Even though it’s been only fifteen years since my apprenticeship. I will serve you without discomfort.”
However, that plan was a grave mistake.
The crease caught in Jong-sik’s brow was evidence of that.
“Senior? Honor? This guy. Anyway, let’s deal with him.”
“ …? ”
Jong-sik gestured.
His gesture showed no hesitation.
The spirits rushed towards Ramus as if they had been waiting, tearing and gnawing at his soul.
Kyayak!
Ggyayayak!
“No! If you don’t believe me, I’ll tell you right now. I’ll reveal the magic circle, and I won’t enter the dungeon. Aaah!”
Ramus, horrified, managed to speak despite his terror. But Jong-sik showed no sign of stopping.
[Screaming]
“No! Or I will vanish right now. I will sever the connection with her. If you wish, I will make a pact with the darkness. It’s absolutely true. So, if you, senior, personally step forward to make the contract…”
“She’s talking nonsense.”
[Surprised]…!
“For a dark sorcerer, you sure take your time.”
At Jong-sik’s words, Ramus’s expression changed as if he had realized something.
‘She’s talking nonsense?’
It didn’t take Ramus long to catch on to Jong-sik’s intentions.
Clearly, the Spiteful Jong-sik knew how to use dark magic. In other words, he was a dark sorcerer. Yet, he showed a strong aversion to the existence that was the source of dark magic.
‘Why, exactly? Could it be…?’
‘A defector? Yes, he’s a defector!’
There was no other explanation.
Ramus’s suspicion soon turned into conviction.
In that case, he had to change his strategy.
‘To survive!’
Ramus quickly changed his stance, speaking as if he wanted to see how things would play out. After all, he had to stay alive to scheme for the future. Moreover, since she couldn’t hear his voice, he might as well shout.
“Alright, I was wrong. How dare I suggest making a pact with her, I mean, with that bastard. That bastard is a being that should not be awakened. I’ve realized that now! So, I, I’ll help. I’ll tell you everything that bastard orders.”
And thus, Ramus swiftly changed his approach.
“He really has the demeanor of a dark wizard. These treacherous beings are unbelievable. I must perform the spell. Even if it fails, there’s no other choice.”
Jong-sik shook his head slightly at the visible anxiety in the other’s demeanor, causing the gathered spirits to scatter.
It was in preparation for the spell that would follow shortly. However, Ramus interpreted it differently. Freed from torment, he pleaded desperately.
“Ar-are you… going to spare me? Please….”
“Yeah. That’s the plan.”
Jong-sik responded with a chuckle, but Ramus couldn’t shake off his unease despite the expected words.
His eyes rolled anxiously, while Jong-sik, on the other hand, still looked at Ramus with a lifted smirk. He never had any intention of killing Ramus.
The prophet Ramus was a crucial figure in Jong-sik’s blueprint. He planned to make full use of the title “Prophet” bestowed upon him by the powerful nation.
“I was wondering how to reveal the impending disaster, but now I don’t need to worry about that.”
‘This guy will do it for me.’
‘But this can’t go on like this.’
‘Because they’re an unreliable bunch.’
Eventually, Jong-sik took action.
Meanwhile, Ramus wore a serious expression. Despite being promised salvation, he couldn’t shake off the strange feeling. The atmosphere was turning uncomfortably tense.
That’s when it happened. Jong-sik approached Ramus’s prone body.
After a moment, Jong-sik once again placed his hand on Ramus’s forehead.
“Are you really going to reverse it?”
Ramus observed Jong-sik with a dubious expression. In that moment, an impatient exclamation escaped Jong-sik’s lips.
[“Uh, uh!”]
Simultaneously, Ramus’s wandering soul returned to his body. But it didn’t end there.
Jong-sik proceeded to cast dark magic to brand the bound soul with his seal.
“It better work properly.”
The dark magic to bind souls was occasionally used, but branding the bound soul with a seal was honestly a spell Jong-sik was performing for the first time.
Jong-sik had never spared encountered dark sorcerers before, meaning he had never returned a bound soul back to its body. That’s what it meant.
Therefore, Jong-sik was cautious. He feared Ramus’s soul might shatter into pieces.
“Ahh!”
However, the moment he heard the scream, Jong-sik’s smirk curled up. The physical reaction indicated that his soul was unharmed.
Soon, Ramus, regaining consciousness, rose like a spring. He immediately spotted Jong-sik and lowered his gaze.
A mix of awe, fear, and respect flooded through Ramus. His soul recognized its master.
“I am at your service, master.”
Thus, the moment of Jong-sik’s puppet creation arrived.
Jong-sik could not only perceive his emotions and thoughts but also issue instructions through mental imagery, no matter how far apart they were.
Jong-sik politely looked at Ramus, who lowered his gaze, and spoke.
“I’ll tell you what to do.”
“I’ll obey.”
As expected, Ramus showed a polite attitude without questioning. Jong-sik then issued his first command.
“Return to the lodging and deliver the new prophecy. The prophecy is…”
In the ambitious dawn, a time when everyone should have been asleep for regulating their condition, Matthew and the other five elite hunters engaged in intense debate.
The topic was Ramus’s new prophecy.
An hour ago, upon returning from his walk, Ramus suddenly claimed that he had to join the team led by Jong-sik and follow their instructions.
He added absurdly that if they didn’t comply, all the hunters would be annihilated.
That became the cause of the debate.
The opinions of each team leader varied.
“It’s clear that Korea is urging us to seek asylum!”
“So, does that mean the prophecy is false?”
“Of course. Think about it. Has Ramus ever made such prophecies before? He only predicted the place and time. But suddenly, he saw us dying? Are we supposed to believe that now?”
“Alex, you never believed in Ramus’s prophecies from the beginning. But what were the results? Ramus’s words have never been false. It won’t be any different this time. We have to follow his words. He’s just prophesying for the sake of humanity.”
“Right. Since this prophecy is unprecedented, we need to pay even closer attention.”
“Nonsense! Anyway, I have no intention of joining a team led by monkeys.”
“Hey. Brother. No matter how angry you are, that kind of remark is out of line. Of course, I might vote in your favor too. Because joining under Korea ultimately means the failure of the mission.”
They couldn’t find common ground.
Moreover, the number of supporters and opponents was tied at 3:3. So, reaching a democratic consensus was out of the question.
“Enough, everyone.”
In the end, Matthew had to step in. As the leader, he had to make a decision. He had to choose between his comrades and orders.
After a moment of hesitation, Matthew spoke firmly.
“We’ll follow Ramus’s prophecy.”
“Captain! That’s …”
“Enough. Are you going to disobey my orders?”
Of course, there were those who voiced objections in an uncomfortable tone, but Matthew casually ignored them.
“I won’t gamble with your lives. I take responsibility for the mission’s failure. But if any of you are still unhappy, pack your bags and return home.”
The next day.
There were visitors at the Hunter Talent Development Institute.
They were unexpected visitors.
Their identities were none other than healers from the “Healing” guild.
“Captain Dok, the reinforcements have arrived.”
And it was Dok Jong-sik who summoned them.
The previous day, Jong-sik had requested healer support, claiming to have heard Ramus’s prophecy. Additionally, he mentioned that the US team led by Matthew had decided to support the rear of the Korean team.
Upon receiving Jong-sik’s report, Association Chairman Nam Woojong reacted as if he couldn’t understand.
Why wouldn’t he?
‘To easily give up the loot they had been salivating over? After all, wasn’t the reason they came to Korea in the first place for the loot?’
‘Moreover, Ramus’s prophecy seemed dubious.’
‘Even though healers were needed, why would he tell us that? He clearly belongs to the American side!’
However, he cheered at Jong-sik’s subsequent words. After all, facing such extreme prophecies made him feel relieved.
“He prophesied that if anyone acts independently without following our orders, they’ll all be slaughtered. He said we have to be at the forefront to have a higher chance of conquering the dungeon. Anyway, for that reason, he told me the strategy.”
“Hahaha! Well, this is truly the first time such a thing has happened during a mission. Ah. Additional support is needed? I’ll issue the order immediately.”
Anyway, through such a process, they were able to summon the healers. Jong-sik looked around at the arriving healers. They were lined up at the Hunter Talent Development Institute stadium.
“How many did you say were coming?”
In response to Jong-sik’s question, Pyeong-ari, who was standing beside him, cautiously answered.
“Fifty.”
“More than I thought.”
“Should we ask twenty to stand by then?”
“No. The more, the better. It must have been difficult to find people at this time. Thank you for your hard work.”
Pyeong-ari smiled widely at the recognition. It was worth having summoned all the healers who remained at headquarters.
“We did what we had to do. Shall we depart now?”
“Yes, we should. Let’s go to work now. Pyeong-ari, please lead the arriving healers. Relay exactly what I said earlier.”
“Oh…! Yes. I understand.”
Finally, the day of dungeon conquest dawned.
