You Will Be Blessed If You Do Good Deeds¿

Jeong Da-on’s gaze shifted to Imanbok’s arm, which was retreating slowly while clutching his bleeding head.

Around his wrist, a bracelet that seemed to be designed with a snake motif was wrapped.

It seemed like an item due to the magical aura around it, but Choi Mi-yeon couldn’t figure out what was so special about it.

However, it seemed there was something different in Jeong Da-on’s eyes.

Jeong Da-on snickered.

"Emilejong is just a myth, but that one… looks like a piece that’s probably made from at least three souls."

At her words, Imanbok’s shoulders twitched and trembled.

Choi Mi-yeon was stunned.

"Could it be... that thing has a Soul Core in it? Is it really possible for it to have that kind of power?"

"It seems not impossible," Da-on replied casually.

The girl’s gaze briefly flicked into the air, as if she were reading a system message.

"To sacrifice others' lives to create such an item and walk around calling yourself the savior... you're really a dreadful... person."

Her tone was as stiff as if she were reading a book.

"Well, I don’t think taking down such a societal scourge would cause much public backlash. Don’t you agree?"

"...What are you even doing, Jeong Da-on?"

Though not entirely wrong, the words did not seem to fit the current situation, leaving Choi Mi-yeon more confused.

But despite whatever reaction Choi Mi-yeon had or didn’t have, Jeong Da-on, who had been focused on something, finally looked up after seemingly finding what she had been searching for.

"Hmm, seems like lightly punishing a criminal who might spark public outrage is within acceptable boundaries. Not bad."

"Eh?"

Choi Mi-yeon couldn’t understand what was being said.

"I’m really grateful for this. Thanks to scum like you running rampant in society, a demon like me can now justify personal revenge," Jeong Da-on said, focusing on Imanbok.

"What nonsense are you spouting?!"

At that moment, Imanbok, who had been backing away cautiously from the leopard, gathered his strength and shouted loudly.

"Item? This is a miracle I created… Aaaah!"

Imanbok’s words were cut short.

The massive black leopard, which had been quietly standing by, swung its large paw and struck Imanbok.

Jeong Da-on, watching the ridiculous sight, raised the corners of her lips. It was an extremely evil-looking smile.

"Really? Then why don’t you show me that miracle once more? You defeated a huge desert whale, so it should be easy to take down a little cat like this."

—Krrr!

Though it was a large cat, it was nothing compared to the unreal size of the desert whale.

"You insolent fool! Do you think miracles are something you can just use casually? At least it requires time… Ah, no! No, it can't be!"

Imanbok, who had tried to make excuses, suddenly started to freak out.

The leopard had grabbed Imanbok’s arm. Specifically, it was the bracelet Jeong Da-on had pointed out.

"Not this! Let go!"

It was a desperate attempt to avoid losing the bracelet, a futile struggle.

‘N-no way.’

‘It can’t be.’

The guild members from the True Light Church, who had been stationed to guard, exchanged glances.

If a higher-up had been present, they might have calmed them down, but the higher-up had been injured by the desert whale attack earlier.

Plus, everyone had been mentally exhausted after the unexpected desert whale attack, and now they were caught up in the dungeon.

Doubts began to creep into their minds.

When Imanbok had defeated the desert whale, they had been blinded by relief and joy, failing to think things through. But, in reality, if he had that much power, there was no reason for him to be toyed with like this.

—Krrr!

"Ahh, stop it! Let go!"

Now, threatened by a monster like the black leopard and, more importantly, being insulted by someone like Jeong Da-on, he couldn’t retaliate.

Even though the opponent was Jeong Da-on, the now-famous hunter, he was still unable to fight back.

And if Imanbok were truly an all-powerful god… then he shouldn’t have been going through such an ordeal in the first place.

"Once you use an item, there must be a cooldown, so you can't trigger that so-called miracle," Jeong Da-on remarked.

Her nonchalant tone only seemed to add more credibility to her statement.

Could it be...?

"You… you blasphemous wretches!"

Imanbok’s face turned bright red as he noticed that the guards, who had trusted him so strongly, were beginning to doubt him.

"Who do you think you’re doubting? Have you forgotten who just saved you?!"

"N-No, Master!"

"We didn’t doubt you!"

"No, they all must be doubting! Right, Butterfly?"

Smack!

"Aaah!"

After shouting at his followers, Imanbok was once again struck by the leopard’s paw, tumbling to the ground in a comical fashion.

"If there’s any suspicion, it’s my duty as the Master to erase it. Now, show me that miracle of yours again."

At those mocking words, Choi Mi-yeon suddenly felt uneasy.

‘Why is she doing this?’

From what she could tell, the black leopard seemed to be under Jeong Da-on’s control.

If that were the case, she had the power to eliminate Imanbok right away, so why was she intentionally provoking him?

Shouldn’t they act fast to take him down or snatch away that item before the cooldown expired, as Jeong Da-on had said?

Choi Mi-yeon’s unease was confirmed.

Imanbok, who had been treated like a plaything by the leopard for quite a while, suddenly showed a smile.

"Impudent!"

With that, Imanbok raised his hand.

And just as Choi Mi-yeon had felt earlier, she sensed the flow of magical energy once again.

‘That…!’

"You damn unbelievers! Die!"

With a triumphant shout, Imanbok raised his hand and aimed it at Jeong Da-on.

A surge of explosive magical energy spiraled around him.

"Y-Yes, the Master really is amazing!"

"Master, take them all down in one go!"

The guards, sensing the shift in energy, looked at Imanbok with eager eyes.

Just like how he had dispatched the desert whale earlier, they expected the powerful beam of magic to come shooting from his hand. They thought that another miracle would unfold.

At least, that’s what they believed.

"Throwing a pearl necklace on a pig’s neck is one thing, but this?"

Jeong Da-on waved her hand in the air.

What exactly she did was beyond the comprehension of those present.

Had someone like Han Jae-young been there, they would have been horrified.

To interfere with the magic contained within the item like this was unimaginable.

To understand the magic within the item just by watching the flow of magical energy and then execute the countermeasure precisely was no small feat.

But, even if they couldn’t fully comprehend it, one thing was clear: as soon as Jeong Da-on extended her hand, the frantic flow of magical energy stopped.

"Wh-what…?"

Because of that, Imanbok desperately reached for his bracelet, swinging it around in vain.

Nothing happened.

No miracle appeared, and all that stood before them was a ridiculous, old man, awkwardly extending his hands.

Jeong Da-on raised the corners of her lips.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

"Is it over?"

Imanbok’s eyes trembled as he looked at the unbelievable sight.

Imanbok screamed.

"Th-th-this! This doesn’t make sense!"

"Just because you own magic you don’t understand doesn’t mean you’re the master of it, you vulgar fraud."

"Wh-what…!"

Before Imanbok could rebut, he quickly scanned the surroundings.

"What are you all doing? Catch that woman!"

But this time, no one moved.

Only a cold silence followed.

The guards, who had risked their lives to protect their Master, didn’t budge.

Imanbok instinctively realized.

It was over.

‘Damn it!’

Just as he was about to turn his back and flee the scene.

Smack!

"Ahhh!"

A sharp pain struck his cheek.

Choi Mi-yeon was shocked to see this.

"That…"

"Yeah, I got it from Lee Ah-rin. Turns out it’s pretty good to use."

The one who had just slapped Imanbok’s cheek with a short whip was Jeong Da-on.

It was a modified riding whip, and its destructive power wasn’t comparable to that of a sword or blunt weapon.

But it wasn’t the pain that made Imanbok’s face turn pale—it was the humiliation.

His face turned from pale to white from the shame.

"Th-this… this damn… Aaaah!"

Smack!

This time, Jeong Da-on mercilessly slapped Imanbok’s cheek again with the whip.

"Do you know how pathetic and wretched the magic engraved in that bracelet is?"

The young girl, not even an adult, clearly mocked the white-haired old man.

The grotesque sight of overturning common sense was suffocating.

It was as if she had studied how to most thoroughly crush a person’s pride.

"This is ridiculous!"

Stepping on his feet, and even hitting his cheek with a whip.

And no one came to help Imanbok.

It was a pitiful, shameful sight.

Imanbok screamed.

"This... this is a different story! With this, I’m invincible…"

"Yeah, that’s exactly what I mean."

Jeong Da-on looked down at Imanbok with an expressionless face.

There wasn’t an ounce of sympathy.

No, it seemed there was no emotion at all, just a lifeless, mechanical expression.

It was a gaze as if looking at a worthless creature.

"You, a piece of trash who can’t even make it to F-rank, could never have made this item on your own."

As Jeong Da-on spoke, Choi Mi-yeon felt goosebumps rise on her arm.

What should she call this?

Even earlier, when they had lunch and walked around the building, there was a strange atmosphere, but the Jeong Da-on now seemed like a completely different person.

No, was she even human?

A fear gripped her, as if she were seeing something incomprehensible.

"The Soul Core is too advanced magic for you to have made," Jeong Da-on continued.

"What… what did you say?"

"So someone must have taught you how to make it. Like, someone who cast the barrier in your lab."

Her eyes, gleaming with inhuman light like a cold-blooded creature, fixed on Imanbok.

"Where are they now?"

"That person?"

"Ha ha ha, you foolish girl!"

Imanbok sneered, narrowing his eyes.

"Do you think I should answer you when you ask such a question? How dare you speak to me like that?"

"Yeah, now you’re talking. Helping a contractor is one thing, but this is the devil's specialty."

But Jeong Da-on’s conversation with Imanbok was set aside.

At that point, everyone began to notice something odd.

The system message clearly stated that the dungeon had been cleared.

—Dungeon escape is now possible in 00:10:00

—The system will protect the users until dungeon escape is initiated.

Clearly, there wasn’t much time left to escape after defeating the desert whale.

So why couldn’t they escape the dungeon now?

—Warning! The dungeon level is being increased.

—Due to a system error, users cannot escape the dungeon.

—Warning! This dungeon is at a level beyond humanity’s current capabilities.

—Users are advised to evacuate...@@novelbin@@

Choi Mi-yeon could only recognize that part of the message.

After that, nothing else was perceivable.