Chapter 217
Explosion
"Son Ju Woo, the raid."
"It's Arthur from now on."
A brief silence fell over the phone before the other voice replied hesitantly,
"I'm sorry, but... honestly, it's hard to get used to your new name. Alright, alright... Arthur. The raid will be in the morning. Do you want me to come pick you up?"
"No, there's no need for that. Just send me the dungeon's location, and I'll come by myself."
"Alright, as you wish."
Arthur slowly hung up the phone, then raised his gaze to look around him.
He was sitting inside the large training hall. The ceiling that had previously been destroyed had finally been repaired.
Night had already fallen, and a heavy silence filled the place.
"Master."
"Yes, Kyu?"
"Master, I have mastered the technique you entrusted to me."
A calm smile appeared on Arthur's face as he noticed the pride shining in Kyu's eyes.
"Good. Well done. From now on... I may allow you to accompany me into the dungeons, Kyu."
Kyu gave a slight bow.
"As you wish, Master."
"Go now, and train for a while."
Kyu bowed once more before stepping back.
The next moment, a skeleton appeared before Arthur.
It was Baruka...
But something about him had changed.
Darkness coiled around his bones, concealing parts of them, as though his shadow had become denser than before.
Baruka returned to training with Kyu while Arthur observed the scene with narrowed eyes.
"Is this because of his evolution? He's already reached Level Fourteen now... Maybe if—"
He suddenly stopped.
He sensed something lunging at him from behind at terrifying speed.
Arthur bent down at the perfect moment, narrowly avoiding the attack.
He immediately looked up—
Only to see Baruka lying on the ground, barely able to move.
> "Kyu, you idiot! Didn't I tell you to train carefully?!"
Kyu rushed over at once and bowed before Arthur, his face pale with fear.
Arthur let out a deep sigh before slowly gathering his magical energy.
The energy flowed from his body and poured into Baruka.
The magical power enveloped the skeleton, and his injuries began healing one after another.
Arthur was capable of healing his soldiers...
But only if their heads remained intact.
If the head was destroyed—
There was no coming back.
And if he delayed the treatment—
The soldier would disappear forever.
Since Baruka was currently his strongest soldier, Arthur did not hesitate for even a moment.
---
The Next Day
Arthur took a shower, changed his clothes, and mounted his black motorcycle.
He headed toward the dungeon's location.
After some time, he arrived.
Song Jin Woo, Yoo Jin Woo, and the girl who had previously entered the White Tiger Guild's training dungeon with them were already there.
"Ah, Mr. Arthur, you've arrived."
"Hello."
With a faint smile, the three of them entered the dungeon.
Inside—
Shadows moved with unbelievable speed, mercilessly shattering the stone soldiers.
Among those shadows, the skeletons charged forward, fighting without pause.
Arthur and Song Jin Woo stood to the side, quietly watching their soldiers.
As for Yoo Jin Woo...
He was completely stunned.
He had never known that Song Jin Woo could summon shadows,
Nor that Arthur possessed the power to summon spirits.
"Only one raid remains...
My strength has grown tremendously since I started working with them.
Joining them really was the right choice...
But... what comes next?"
Arthur let out a quiet sigh as he lifted his eyes toward the blue sky.
The raids were over.
Then came the final raid...
And with its completion, his cooperation with Yoo Jin Woo also came to an end.
---
Later
Yoo Jin Woo invited both Arthur and Song Jin Woo to a simple dinner to celebrate the completion of the raids.
The three of them sat together.
Song Jin Woo and Yoo Jin Woo began drinking,
While Arthur simply focused on eating.
Little by little...
Yoo Jin Woo became drunk.
Then he looked at the two of them with tearful eyes.
"What's wrong with this kid?"
"He's just drunk...
Let's hope he doesn't say anything embarrassing."
"Brother Arthur... Brother Song Jin..."
"Hm?"
"Hm?"
"I truly... think of both of you as my older brothers."
His drunken voice was filled with sadness over the end of this chapter of his life.
He looked at them with eyes overflowing with genuine affection.
The two of them sighed.
Arthur smiled before saying calmly,
"Alright, alright...
If you consider me your brother, then I'll consider you my little brother, Yoo Jin Woo."
Song Jin Woo raised his glass with a smile.
"Me too."
"Ah! My brothers!
Come here and let me hug you!"
"Stay away, you idiot!"
"Don't come near me while you're drunk!"
Yoo Jin Woo leaped toward Arthur,
But Arthur grabbed Song Jin Woo's arm and made Yoo Jin Woo pounce on him instead.
"You bastard!"
"Sorry...
Take care of our little brother.
I have something to do now."
Arthur smiled before leaving.
---
| Arthur, what now? |
Cain asked as Arthur gazed at the dark night sky.
"Honestly... I don't know."
| I have a question. |
"That's new. Go ahead."
| Have you ever thought about staying in one world? Settling down? Getting married? |
Arthur smiled with faint sarcasm.
"Cain...
I'm nothing more than a small pebble in the timeline of every world.
I always arrive, do something, and then leave.
Do you think this is the original timeline?"
| No, but— |
"As I said... no.
I don't exist in any timeline.
I'm something outside the ordinary."
He fell silent for a moment before continuing,
"Maybe I'll die one day.
Maybe I'll destroy an entire timeline.
Maybe some great power will intervene...
Or maybe it won't."
He sighed.
"And honestly?
I'm not interested in marriage."
| Isn't that something humans desire? |
"Yes.
Without it, almost no world could continue."
Then he said seriously,
"But marriage is a luxury...
And monsters cannot afford luxuries."
Arthur smiled with his clear blue eyes as he looked toward his house in the distance.
He was planning to train with Kyu and Baruka, and further strengthen Wrath and Astaroth.
Then, within a fraction of a second—
The entire space exploded.
The house...
And everything around it...
Vanished completely.
A deafening explosion
Shook the entire earth.
---
You can contact me through my official page on the following Accounts:
telegram:
miraclenarrator
tiktok:
miracle_narrator
instagram:
miracle_narrator