Chapter 184: Shadow Dojo (9)

Rebecca felt strange looking at Yeon-woo.

‘There was a child like this…..? How did I not know about this until now?’

Rebecca thought of when she met Yeon-woo on the 20th floor. Back then, she hadn’t been too interested in him. She just thought he was a Sadhu hopeful that appeared once a year. She was busy training herself, so she didn’t have time to think about other things.

But when she received orders from the god Cernunnos, her thoughts changed.

-From now, watch that child.

Cernunnos, like other gods, didn’t really speak. So when she received orders to watch him, Rebecca was surprised. She asked for a specific reason, but she didn’t get a reply.

From then, Rebecca had begun to watch Yeon-woo.

However, she couldn’t really discover anything special about him. She lazily carried out Cernnunos’s order and almost forgot about it.

And when she had been resurrected into a spirit, she felt like she knew why Cernnunos had told her to watch him.

‘He’s continuing to get stronger by fighting. Every time he passes through one…..how is that possible? Was he organizing what he learned so far, or did he learn something new every time?’

Every time Yeon-woo passed through a section, Rebecca could see that he changed.

All the shadows in each section were definitely strong.

However, even though Yeon-woo always seemed to be losing at the beginning, he always won at the end.

She was completely shocked, especially when he had defeated Heaven Wing Cha Jeong-woo and the Devil Army’s head bishop.

Maybe, just maybe—the reason why Cernnunos hadn’t completely retrieved his holy power was to observe Yeon-woo carefully.

So she was curious just how far he could go.

On one hand, she was also a bit worried.

The opponent was the Martial King.

The person judged to be the greatest in the history of the One-horned tribe.

Even the Summer Queen from the Red Dragon avoided him, and he was someone who was expected to be able to fight against Allforone soon.

Wouldn’t someone like that be too hard even for Yeon-woo?

However, the Martial King’s shadow had signaled to surrender.

Rebecca’s eyes widened like she couldn’t believe it. A shadow that surrendered. She had never heard or seen anything like this. Especially if it was the Martial King’s shadow.

***

[What’s that?]

[The shadow is expressing his will…..?]

Like Rebecca, Shannon and Hanryeong were completely taken aback.

Because they were players that had once passed the 21st floor as well, they knew how impossible this was.

A shadow was just a collection of data. It didn’t have a personality, so it couldn’t have free will.

But even though the trial had begun, the shadow of the Martial King still had his arms raised up in the air.

[Hey, master! Isn’t that your teacher in disguise?]

Shanon knew that what he was saying was nonsense. Once an instant dungeon had begun, no outsider could enter. Even the Guardians weren’t allowed to come in.

However, that scenario was more likely than what was happening now.

But.

‘No. It’s not completely impossible.’

Yeon-woo narrowed his eyes and looked at the shadow of the Martial King. It was hard for him to believe, but he didn’t deny it like Shanon and Hanryeong did.

Hadn’t he already gone through something similar to this?

The shadow of his brother. Right before he had disappeared, he had definitely said something to Yeon-woo. At the time, he thought that the memory in that data had just momentarily activated.

‘But if that wasn’t the case.’

If the shadow of his brother had his own will for a moment. Then it was possible that the Martial King’s shadow could have it as well.

Since the Martial King’s shadow would’ve been even more perfect than his brother’s.

Of course, these were all just theories.

It could also just be because the Martial King’s shadow only attacked opponents he thought were ‘enemies.’

Whatever the reason was, it was clear that the shadow was a lot different from the other ones.

The Martial King must’ve thought that Yeon-woo was interested in him, so he smiled even bigger and slowly put his arms down. Then he began to move his mouth again.

‘I know that I can’t win even if I fight you. So let’s talk for a moment.’

The shadow didn’t make any sound, but it was clearly saying that.

[That thing really talks? Whoa. So confusing.]

[Master. You have to be more careful. This is something that hasn’t even happened before. He might be playing games.]

Yeon-woo never let his guard down. No, normally, he would’ve pulled out Vigrid without any hesitation. He hated being moved by the unknown. He would’ve done something before the shadow began anything.

More than anything, the opponent was the Martial King. The Martial King was someone who could even push his younger brother away.

Saying that they should have a discussion was probably just a trick to put his guard down.

However.

‘I want to check.’

Yeon-woo was deep in contemplation.

‘If they’re more than an application of data and…..if even their consciousness has been copied.’

If shadows really did have their own identities, wouldn’t he be able to meet his brother again?

He could continue to repeat the 21st floor and…..speak with his brother every time he wanted to.

And if he could awaken the personality in the shadow, then bring the shadow out…..

He kept on having those thoughts.

“What do you want to talk about?”

‘Outside things.’

“Outside things?”

‘Yeah. I don’t know anything about the outside because I’m stuck here. Just the memories of my original owner. So tell me about the outside. Then I’ll send you straight to the next trial. How’s that? I don’t think that’s a bad offer.’

The shadow smiled. It was a mischievous smile, but it was also one that made you feel nervous.

Yeon-woo spoke after some thought.

“No. Let’s do a question, then an answer.”

‘How?’

“We can ask each other things one by one. I also have something I want to check from you.”

‘Well then. Fine, whatever you want.’

The shadow smiled and put his hand down.

“Shanon. Hanryeong.”

Suddenly, his shadow was split into two. Shanon and Hanryeong moved next to the shadow suddenly.

The shadow’s face hardened. As if asking what this was all about. However, Yeon-woo asked like it was obvious.

“How should I trust you?”

The Martial King that Yeon-woo had seen so far was always someone he hadn’t been able to read. He didn’t know what he was thinking.

So Yeon-woo was planning on holding the shadow while having his questions answered.

Then.

“Shit. I thought I got a pushover.”

The shadow muttered like it was ridiculous. His voice was similar to the Martial King. The shadow could clearly make sound.

“Since it ended up like this, well. I can’t do anything.”

That was the beginning.

Boom!

Along the shadow, there was a powerful magic explosion. Shanon and Hanyeong were pushed back without being able to do anything, and the shadow soared up.

Then, Rebecca, who had been hiding behind Yeon-woo, flew up to where the shadow was. Shanon and Hanryeong quickly caught their balance.

[Ke! We can finally!]

[Move around as well.]

The two were laughing even though they had just been hit with the explosion.

Actually, they were a bit upset that they would have to just watch while Yeon-woo was passing through the sections.

Shanon felt this especially as he hadn’t been able to fight after the battle with Leonte and Bahal. After getting the sword from Henova, he had been completely ready to fight.

A weapon was only good for being used in battle.

But this was different.

The gates that Yeon-woo had gone through were just fun and games for him.

But it was different this time.

In the sections so far, Yeon-woo had done everything by himself. But this time, he wasn’t planning on doing that.

No, to be exact, he did think of that, but he had changed his mind.

-Bind the Martial King’s shadow.

That was the order that Yeon-woo gave them.

It definitely didn’t seem easy, but it was probably going to be fun.

The two got ready to kick off from the ground. Rebecca was chasing after the shadow.

In addition, Yeon-woo got ready to raise his Monster Portents from the shadows.

He wanted to get the Martial King’s shadow using whatever means necessary.

It was something that might get his brother back for real. He had to try everything.

His eyes were filled with urgency.

But Shanon and Hanryeong weren’t able to move.

Right before Rebecca was about to attack the Martial King’s shadow, the shadow clenched his fist and spread his hand out.

Then, the magic power that had been condensed in his hand broke and started to pour down to the ground.

It was like a meteor shower.

Looking blankly at it, it could be considered beautiful.

However, the result wasn’t.

Everything that was touched by the magic power exploded. The ground shook, causing another explosion. Nothing was left.

His Monsters were swept away, and the fog from Boo had scattered.

Rebecaa crumbled to pieces, and Shanon and Hanryeong were pushed to the edges of the stage. When their bodies were irrevovcably, they returned back into the shadow.

Fortunately, Yeon-woo had been able to use his Fire Wings to cover him.

Wave of Light? It was similar to that. The problem was that while the Wave of Light couldn’t be controlled, the Martial King’s shadow used it naturally.

He had swept away all the Monsters and Shanon and Hanryeong in one blow.

His brother was a monster, but the Martial King was even worse. It was unbelievable.

‘The Martial King should’ve been making the Eight Extreme Fists during this time. What happened?’

Yeon-woo returned his Monsters back into the shadow, and pulled out Vigrid to see what the shadow knew about the 8 Writings of Divination.

Then, something suddenly came to him. What the Martial King had said to him right before he left the One-horned tribe’s village.

-Are you confident?

And he asked a question right after.

-Win, while you’re at it. Even the 1st place.

He hadn’t thought much about it back then. But thinking about it now, his words were mixed with envy and jealousy. Since the Martial King was 2nd place, he could deduce that he hadn’t been able to defeat the 1st place shadow of Allforone.

Had that remained as a regret to the Martial King until now?

That might’ve been the reason that the shadow had his own identity and completed the Eight Extreme Fists in a different direction than its original owner.

Between the settling dust cloud, the shadow twisted his lips and spoke.

“That now, it looked like the Eight Extreme Fists. You, are you related to my actual body? This is amusing. I suddenly have more I want to ask.”

The shadow laughed like the Martial King and lightly stretched to warm up his body. Crack. He seemed like a beast.

Yeon-woo thought that this person might have the same amount, no, more talent than his brother.

How focused could he be to move his shadow around like he was a ghost that came back with regrets?

But what Yeon-woo noticed was…..

‘He sees me as prey, huh?’

He seemed to be thinking of Yeon-woo as a supplement to get stronger. He looked like a predator in front of a prey.

Yeon-woo realized why Phante had said his father’s personality was frustrating. Seeing it with his own eyes, he felt a bit annoyed.

Yeon-woo spread his Fire Wings.