Miracles may seem similar to magic or sorcery, but their essence lies in a different dimension altogether.
A miracle is an occurrence that should not happen; it’s an impossible event manifested in reality through the absurd manipulation of magic and aura.
Seongnyeok is simultaneously the source of life and a power superior to mana or aura. Every living being possesses a faint Seongnyeok, but very few can wield the Seongnyeok that is supposedly inherent to everyone.
As such, while there is ongoing research into magic, sorcery, and auras, miracles remain an unknown territory. It’s often said among the Awakened that only those chosen by the gods could transform life force into Seongnyeok to create miracles.
This is the basic, absolute, and immutable system of miracles.
Grrr… Ugh… What is happening…!
Jeong Baek couldn’t comprehend what was occurring.
It happened in an instant.
As dark waves spread from a girl resembling a centipede, every member of the San Guild in the vicinity, including himself, fell without even a scream.
He experienced an extreme pain that felt as if his innards were bursting, and he survived because he instinctively defended himself with aura before the black wave could engulf him.
If it were a visible attack, Jeong Baek could have evaded it or countered with his sword.
However, the intangible attack unleashed by Yane wasn’t a typical maneuver using mana or aura; it was a miracle whose path and activation time were entirely unpredictable. Thus, with a single miracle, numerous members collapsed.
Gurgle…
Ugh, eek…
Cough… Gah…
Jeong Baek saw the gruesome sight of his comrades, bleeding and dying, as he staunched his aura.
Wait… Didn’t, die…?
Yane, perhaps surprised to see Jeong Baek still standing, met his gaze with curiosity.
This miracle was aimed at all the adversaries, specifically targeting those who threatened her beloved Yoonjeong, so Jeong Baek’s survival was astonishing even to Yane.
Well, that was all it was.
Yane, who usually wore a bright and innocent smile, was pure enough to be even more ruthless, rising without a hint of guilt to kill Jeong Baek and the fallen members of the San Guild.
Yoonjeong, mama!
Yane…
Yoonjeong wasn’t a fool.
He didn’t intend to preach human ethics to Yane for trying to abduct him again, nor did he care about her innocent smiles that usually charmed him.
Of course, it was surprising to see Yane, who usually acted so innocent, kill humans without hesitation, but that was the extent of it.
Yoonjeong was a reincarnator. Although he was of lower rank, he led a life as a Hunter.
Hunters’ enemies weren’t just monsters. Sometimes, other humans or even fellow Hunters became foes.
Although the society of 2088 seemed stable and peaceful, Yoonjeong had lived a life as a Hunter since childhood, encountering death countless times.
It’s dangerous… Kii!
Right….
Consequently, Yoonjeong assessed the situation as quickly as possible, trusting Yane and stepping back.
Once Yoonjeong confirmed that he was far enough away, Yane flicked her tail and looked at Jeong Baek, who was pointing his sword at her.
I intentionally waited for the right moment when the Hunter Isia and the connected clan’s candidate were separated. I didn’t expect you to be a variable.
Kia?
Enough. The information from here is already being sent in real-time to the guild master.
In essence, Jeong Baek had effectively surrendered his life.
Hence, even if he died, he believed that under the ability of Cheon Danaa, the master of the San Guild, a replicated version of himself would serve the guild master. He decided this life would strive to gather as much information as possible about the centipede girl to contribute to the future of the San Guild.
I’m too wounded to escape. Thus, I prepare myself to die here.
…Kii…
Come. I will extract every ounce of information possible and serve the guild master. My life may be worthless, but if it helps the guild master, that is enough.
With a determined grip on his sword and emanating sharp aura, Jeong Baek genuinely prepared for death.
Since aura is influenced by the user’s mindset, soul, and conviction, Jeong Baek’s aura shone radiantly with nobility even in the face of his mortal wound.
Regardless, Yane couldn’t care less about Jeong Baek’s preparations.
Keehee, keeheehihih…
Yane’s mental age was quite young, meaning her behavior and thoughts were one-dimensional.
You started it.
You touched Mama Yoonjeong.
You can’t just touch my precious Mama Yoonjeong.
Though she is my master’s mother, she is my mother too.
But you want to die spectacularly?
You wanted a graceful death?
You thought you could accomplish something and die well?
No, no… You…
My master.
My master.
Mangja Seongnyeo.
My master.
You want to have a glorious ending.
But I don’t like that.
I don’t like it. I don’t like it.
If you touched Mama Yoonjeong, you can’t die gently.
So…
My master.
I will borrow your memories.
[Heavenly Dragon Miracle]
I promise, my master…
That guy.
I will make him die in a filthy manner.
[Carnictis Sordicus] (Consumer of Filthy Flesh)!
Crack, crack, crack!!!
From Yane’s tail, resembling a blade centipede, a spine-chilling sound, like bones breaking, began to echo.
The regular segments disappeared, and the glossy exoskeleton morphed into a grotesque, mushy form, and the once singular tail gradually split into multiple segments.
One might say it resembled her master, Mangja Seongnyeo.
They do say pets resemble their owners, but the shape of her tail had transformed into something like tentacles. However, there was a significant difference.
Whereas Shia’s tentacles were soft and pinkish, resembling a nine-tailed fox with multiple tails, Yane’s tail was covered in the appearance of disgusting insects or parasites.
Unlike ordinary leeches, Yane’s tail was embedded with countless legs, sprouting hundreds of teeth beneath the skin, which resembled a mass of innards.
…What the…
The revolting, squirming mass of flesh writhed grotesquely, dripping warm liquid that turned the dry and cold alley into a swampy, filthy atmosphere.
Jeong Baek instinctively took a step back at the nauseating sight overwhelming his vision.
What kind of horror…!
The leech that split from Yane’s tail plopped onto the ground.
One became two.
Then another one.
Two became four.
Four became eight… then sixteen. And so forth, up to thirty-two and sixty-four…
The writhing leeches continuously tore themselves apart, filling the once lonely and quiet alley with grotesque, repulsive leeches, akin to a horror movie.
Kee, hehe…
As Yane laughed, the countless leeches slithered and oozed warm fluids toward Jeong Baek.
The segmented legs of the blade centipede were horrible to behold, and each time the body contracted and expanded, Jeong Baek could see the monstrous teeth lurking within the leech’s body.
These were not normal living beings but rather enormous, grotesque blubber masses that repeated obscene and repulsive movements.
Since she received her master’s command, she naturally had to follow…
Yane pointed a finger at Jeong Baek.
Her posture mimicked Jeong Baek when he had previously launched an orb of aura at her forehead.
Crack
Squish
Slurp
Splut
Kerplunk…
Crack
Squawk
Keeek
Having marked her target, she prayed in the name of the Heavenly Dragon.
Grant that filthy and ugly death to that guy…!
Immediately after, an incomprehensibly horrifying number of leeches began to charge toward Jeong Baek.
They were slow, but that didn’t matter.
Jeong Baek’s innards were already damaged, rendering him unable to move swiftly, and the disgusting miracle of the leeches surrounding him poured their ooze and bared their teeth.
I can’t die in vain…!
I have to extract as much information as possible.
I must gather as much intel about that unknown centipede girl to relay to the guild master.
Yet, not being able to retrieve any useful information and being devoured by leeches was a fate Jeong Baek wished to avoid.
Sparks flew from Jeong Baek’s sword.
The intense friction between the densely packed aura generated sparks in the air.
In an instant, the aura blade surged towards the leeches.
As an S-rank Awakened One, Jeong Baek could sever the skull of a Minotaur with just a single stroke.
Surely dozens of those weak little masses of flesh would be sliced apart.
Keehee?
….!
Yes, if they had been ordinary leeches.
If they had been typical monsters, Jeong Baek would surely have found a way out of this predicament.
How can I do no damage…?
He unleashed his strongest aura and most potent blade.
Yet these leeches, mere masses of flesh, were unharmed?
The concrete floor and walls were smoothly sliced, but the leeches that should have been cut down continued to approach Jeong Baek without any worries.
Jeong Baek couldn’t understand or comprehend that these leeches weren’t mere summoned entities but miracles.
To grant a filthy and vile death.
To inflict ugly pain and discomfort was the wish of Yane.
Those leeches weren’t ordinary living beings but rather self-indulgent embodiments of her miracles, cloaked in a violet-hued Seongnyeok like armor. Thus, the blade of aura he unleashed was absorbed into the Seongnyeok as if it were melting into water.
Squish, squish, squish!
Slop, slop!
Squish!
Squeak…
Once they realized that Jeong Baek’s resistance had no effect, the leeches had no hesitation, continuously contracting and relaxing their bodies as they slithered towards Jeong Baek.
Die…! Die! Die! Die!!
As the filthy masses flooded towards him, Jeong Baek’s face paled.
He swung his sword again.
Yet the leeches did not falter.
One of the leeches exposed the hidden teeth beneath its fleshy skin and bit Jeong Baek’s leg.
The protective aura around him, which acted like armor, could not withstand the leech’s teeth and penetrated through, and while Jeong Baek quickly severed the leech with his sword, it was as ineffective as a rusty scissor trying to cut tough fabric.
…Ugh!
Without a weapon, Jeong Baek hurriedly struck the leech biting his leg with the hilt of his sword, just managing to dislodge it.
The strong aura surrounding his sword couldn’t even sever one leech and was instead used like a club.
But there was not just one leech.
Before long, more leeches squirmed behind Jeong Baek. They dripped warm, filthy liquids, continuing to press against him from above and around, closing in ever so slowly.
Although slow, the inescapable demise tightened around him, and Jeong Baek found himself doubting he would even meet a death of his choosing.
Kiiiiiiiiii~
Yane watched the scene with delight.
Blasts of sparks and explosions erupted from his aura as he struggled, but the lethargically advancing mass of leeches leisurely pressed him. Each time, blades of the blade centipede embedded in the leeches’ bodies inflicted minor wounds on him.
While minor, such wounds accumulate.
As injuries stack up, it becomes more challenging to move. With pain distracting him from his aura, the leeches continued to seek out vulnerable spots.
Crack!
“AARGH!”
Thwack!
Squish!
“Let go of me, you bugs!”
Crack!
“Agh!”
Squish!
“Get off me!”
Keehee, heheh…
See this, my master?
Someone who desired a noble death.
Someone who wished for a grand death.
Now, a grotesque, filthy, and disgraceful death…
“Help me! Help me! I don’t want to die like this!”
But the leeches did not understand his pleas.
Crack!
By now, the space where Jeong Baek stood was filled with leeches, ravenously piercing him with their teeth and blade-like legs, as if they were hyenas competing to devour a corpse.
To feast just a little more.
The fate of the guild leader, an A-rank Awakened One who resolved to meet a heroic demise for his purpose, was relentlessly torn apart.
The sight of a human, who once desired a noble death, now facing a filthy demise brought Yane a thrilling exhilaration.
Heheh, heeheehee…
After a while, when Yane extended her hand, the leeches that had filled the alley began to vanish, absorbed into her body like snow melting away.
As if it were a fantasy, the multitude of leeches completely disappeared, and Yane approached Yoonjeong, who had been silently watching the scene.
Kii, ek!
…Ugh…
Yoonjeong’s expression was certainly not one of joy.
Honestly, he barely held back vomit at the scene.
As Yane approached, he suppressed the urge to step back.
It was odd not to feel disturbed at witnessing a human being devoured by hundreds of giant leeches.
Regardless, Yoonjeong lowered his gaze to meet Yane’s, who had crouched down, appearing as if she wished to be petted. He cautiously brought his hand to her head.
Kiiieeeng~
“There, there…”
With every stroke of Yoonjeong’s hand across Yane’s head, her antennae twitched as though enjoying it.
“…You did well. You did well…”
Kii~ Kiiiiii~
To soothe his own heart, Yoonjeong decided to pet Yane for a little longer.
Thus, that day, a bug-like Seongnyeo who granted filthy and disgusting deaths was born.
