Chapter 99

Chapter 99
## Chapter 99

### Chapter Title: Consuming the Spirit’s Lament

Following Sa Seung-hee’s explanation, I parted my lips to speak.

“That headpiece was claimed half a decade ago, wasn’t it? And yet it remains without a master…”

—During those first couple of years, several hunters attempted to conquer it, but they were all defeated. Nobody has bothered with it recently. Just securing the lowest rank on Hope’s List grants you incredible advantages.

Human nature tends to favor certain profit over high-stakes gambles.

That was the reality for the crown we were discussing. Despite its breathtaking capabilities, it had spent five years collecting grime in the Association’s storage facility.

It was truly a tragedy. Honestly, if a person managed to claim it and honed their abilities sufficiently, even the Gonzalo Rock wouldn’t be out of their grasp.

“Wait a second.”

If the five highest-ranked individuals on that list donned that crown and led a legion of hunters into the fray, couldn’t they challenge the Gonzalo Rock immediately?

No, forget that thought. This isn’t a time where you can count on the cooperation of others.

Sa Seung-hee mentioned it would take roughly a month. That meant I had that much time before that event resembling the Heavenly Best Martial Arts Tournament commenced.

“Is registration still open?”

—Sign-ups begin tomorrow.

Thinking back, for an event of this magnitude, the rumors should have been circulating for months… As I traversed the street, my eyes landed on the display of a giant electronic sign, and I let out a soft “Ah.”

This is why losing touch with the world is a serious issue. Although, if you think about it, people tend to overlook baseball matches or gaming tournaments if they aren’t fans.

The moment you find interest, those billboards suddenly dominate your vision.

“It doesn’t feel particularly thrilling.”

Creatures are ripping the world apart, yet here they are organizing competitions as if time were an infinite resource.

It feels like children at play. But there is no alternative. Moreover, carving your name onto Hope’s List would be a massive asset for future operations.

—It is an essential phase. If you land on Hope’s List once and your position never fluctuates after that, it would be problematic, wouldn’t it?

You would look like stagnant water. And the credibility of the Hope’s List ranking system itself would vanish.

But judging by how they handled that crown, it seemed the ranking system wasn’t functioning very efficiently regardless.

After ending my conversation with Sa Seung-hee, I promptly reached out to Choi Seung-gi once more.

—We literally just saw each other, and you’re calling already?

“Regarding that Banshee’s Tear I brought up. Reduce the crystal proportion for the high-tier engraving by fifty percent.”

Choi Seung-gi let out an immediate “Huh?”

—Certainly, that’s possible, but you’d require far more physical connections to successfully infect the target with venom.

“That’s fine. Return half of the quantity originally allocated for the high-tier engraving to me. Move as fast as you can. I’ll be waiting at the Association’s combat hall.”

I had a specific purpose for the leftover half. In the end, existence is about either a total wreck or a grand ascent.

“Hope’s List, it is.”

I whispered to myself while scratching my scalp roughly.

Unprecedented circumstances demand unprecedented tactics. For me, that crystal was about to turn into one.

Returning to the combat hall, I lingered for a short while until the messenger sent by Choi Seung-gi arrived.

“Here is the object you requested.”

I unlatched the container to find a jewel roughly the size of a thumbnail. I inspected it thoroughly and gave a nod.

“Pass my gratitude to Choi Seung-gi.”

With that, I gripped the container and headed back into the combat hall.

“Everyone, I’ll be occupied for a day or two.”

Han Sang-ah and Jeong O-hoon halted their drills and shifted their gaze toward me.

“What’s the plan? You brewing something?”

I gestured toward the container in response to Jeong O-hoon’s query.

“I’m going to ingest this.”

Jeong O-hoon looked at the small box, then back at my face. He already possessed a general understanding of what a Banshee’s Tear was.

“Didn’t you claim that just touching it causes poisoning? Did you get dumped by your girlfriend or something?”

Even if I were heartbroken, would I choose to eat this and perish?

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Han Sang-ah scrutinized the blade in her grip before sliding it into its scabbard.

“There are plenty of ways to end it if that’s what you want.”

“I’m not dying. Dammit, it’s annoying having to explain what I’m doing to my own anatomy to you two, but pay attention.”

I’m not just gulping it down raw. I’ll wrap it in Paradox Flame first, then swallow it. The Paradox Flame will incinerate the jewel’s toxicity the moment it enters my gut.

Paradox Flame destroys what I designate, emitting mana as a residual product. I take in the surrounding mana, circulate it, and toughen my circulatory system.

Jeong O-hoon, who had been listening intently, spoke up.

“If you take in the mana radiating directly from your stomach instead of the air…”

“The results will be astronomical.”

Furthermore, this object was concentrated toxin. There was no telling how long the Paradox Flame would stay lit or the volume of mana it would generate.

“Could that not end your life?”

“If I stumble, yes.”

Fortifying and shattering blood vessels is a walk on a knife’s edge. If I fail like this, they will all rupture, leaving me to die in a horrific fashion.

Like a pressurized pipe bursting. Just like that warrior Sohwi I fought previously.

But if I prevail, I’ll skip over my regular development in a single bound.

“Why go to such extremes?”

I recounted my discussion with Sa Seung-hee.

“Right, that time of year is approaching when they select hunters for the roster. And that crown.”

Han Sang-ah, having processed the information, asked:

“But it’s the top 20, correct? At your current power, couldn’t you defeat someone ranked 20th?”

“Simply sliding into the 20th spot isn’t enough for me.”

One must pursue grander ambitions. I’ve set my sights on toppling that Great Eight one day—merely grabbing 20th place would be pathetic.

“Anyway, that explains the situation. Oh, and it might take longer than I anticipate.”

With that, I bid them farewell and secluded myself in the small chamber within the combat hall.

Then I revealed the contents of the container. A malevolently shimmering fragment of Banshee’s Tear greeted me.

“Let’s see if this kills me or makes me.”

I lifted the Banshee’s Tear, shrouded it in Paradox Flame, and gulped it down.

Initially, nothing occurred. But as the Paradox Flame began to ignite it, venting mana, my gut twisted violently.

It was far more toxic than I had estimated.

“Whoa, dammit…!”

I gritted my teeth, squeezed my eyes shut, and forced the erupting mana into my vessels. Snapping noises resonated throughout my frame. Soon they shifted to grinding, and then the sound of bones breaking.

My circulatory system was howling. I didn’t need to retain the mana anyway. This titanic surge simply needed to transition through me and exit.

Thick, heavy mana leaked from my nostrils and mouth.

“…”

I gasped, eyes wide and frame shivering. The agony was excessive. Looking down, my vessels weren’t just under pressure—capillaries were exploding.

Gouts of red flowed from my ears and nose, my eyes turned blood-red. My limbs were covered in bruises blooming like rot on a loaf of bread.

Good grief, I’m going to pass away!

Pain was a familiar companion. My sight flickered between white and black repeatedly.

“It’s fine. It’s not that bad…”

I whispered, drenched in sweat, persevering. In reality, it was a massive disaster. And it was incredibly bad.

“It’s not as if I didn’t foresee this.”

I did anticipate it. But anticipation doesn’t negate the sensation. Damn, it hurts so much! I’m losing my mind!

My focus blurred, my thoughts turned white. My thinking slowed, my awareness began to drift. At a certain point, time stretched out, and my mind began to race without end.

What was my original essence before I was born?

What is the shape of a soul beyond the concepts of virtue and vice?

In this space, I let go of agony, discarding notions of right and wrong, light and dark, or comparisons.

Not traveling where the intellect resides, but the intellect manifesting where I travel. Like water that doesn’t flow by choice, or wind that doesn’t blow with purpose.

Let it stream, let it move. Not following a track, but discovering it after moving.

Inject purpose into the formless intellect, swinging it like a blade. No dependence on a forged weapon in the hand; drown in the self, pierce the self, sever the mind rather than the flesh.

A pulled bowstring hesitates, then snaps forward. A tumbling rock eventually finds rest. High-spirited legions eventually collapse.

Thus, all conditions flip at their peaks. Stillness contains activity, activity contains stillness.

“…”

Gradually, my seated frame rose slightly off the ground. The power escaping from my nose and mouth clustered above my head.

Sensing the levitation, I delivered a sharp strike to my own cheek.

Bang—my body crashed back to the floor. The energy evaporated.

“What the hell was that? Polishing some kind of enlightenment?”

Losing my mind with levitation? Stay sharp.

Agony beyond comprehension makes the mind desperately hunt for diversions to flee.

Enlightenment? Total garbage. Murderers holding steel don’t receive that nonsense.

Wiping out and rebuilding blood vessels with erupting mana isn’t a passive act. It must be deliberate, under my absolute command.

“And…”

Slide into a trance like before, and this agony diminishes. Balance, in other words. Instinctively dulling the suffering.

Like gutting and rebuilding a skyscraper but trying to silence the construction.

Or placing a pot on the stove for noodles but never turning on the heat.

Tear down and reconstruct, yet stay stable? That means you’re being lazy or failing.

“Until… it’s all finished!”

This brutal, sickening pain must never subside.

Banishing this pathetic mental wandering, I must govern every speck of mana deliberately from start to finish.

Only then can I fully exploit this Banshee’s Tear—or whatever this gunk is—for its venom and correctly overhaul my circulatory system.

Time slowed to a crawl. A single second of agony felt like an entire minute.

Blood leaked from eyes, nose, and ears. The pain pulled out tears and mucus as well. Saliva dripped from my mouth.

My skin turned deep blue like a cartoon character, my body jerking as if in a fit.

“Uwaaaaaagh! Aaaarghhh!”

I thrashed, slumped to the tiles, and squirmed like an insect on a burning stove.

Authentic growth and training, when done properly, is hideous.

There are no lotus poses, rising to the heavens with ethereal light or floating like holy men.

Train with elegance and…

“You’ll die a hideous death in actual battle.”