BCST 11

chapter 11

At the moment Yabok stood to greet Eddie, who had finally reached the core of the facility.

“…So, you’ve made it all the way here.”

Yabok was busily conducting analysis through the neural link.

If that guy had implanted even a single cyberware like the other mercenaries…

It would have made things much easier.

He could have taken his life with just a flick of a finger.

But surprisingly, he had a rare natural body.

Yabok had no choice but to create a separate combat algorithm.

Naturally, he assumed he would win, but it seemed like an opponent he could not underestimate.

However, after actually engaging in combat, Yabok’s thoughts had changed significantly.

[System Alert: Data Analysis Failed!]
Target Identification Code: [ERR-UNKNOWN]
Target Status: Analysis Unavailable (ENIGMA CLASSIFIED)
Combat Algorithm Status: Error Rate Over 83.2%

Unpredictable movement patterns detected (Probability Deviation: 92.5%)
Use of irregular magical techniques (Unanalyzable case recorded)
Neural signal interference detected (assumed natural)

What is this ridiculous figure?

Yabok looked at the UI floating in his vision with disbelief.

Could it be because of that guy’s Pick and Blink?

No, that can’t be it.

These numbers could not simply be explained by one spell.

There had to be some hidden secret about him.

The unfortunate truth was that Eddie’s combat sense had exceeded even Yabok’s expectations.

Kwahng-!

“A cheap trick…!”

“Quite the bookish style. Can’t adapt to what you’ve never seen?”

The first strike he received.

The unexpectedly dizzying impact sent Yabok’s caution toward him soaring.

One more direct hit and it could get dangerous.

He had to be as careful about that magical attack as about the guy’s mouth movements.

Around this time, Yabok frantically explored coordinates on the Universe Map, based on the magical power patterns he had collected from Eddie.

It was a well-known fact that revealing the true identity of a contracted entity weakened the black magician.

[Gravity Field Concentrator]

“Missed.”

Fortunately, navigating the universe map, notoriously difficult even for his family to use, was progressing surprisingly smoothly.

Stage 1: Observable Zone

Stage 2: Restricted Zone

Stage 3: Cautionary Zone

And even Stage 4: Threat Entity, and Stage 5: Forbidden Zone.

All of it was eerily smooth…

Yet, for some reason, Yabok noticed no sense of dissonance.

Even though passing Stage 2 meant the family would investigate…

Even though he technically shouldn’t have been able to breach Stage 3 security…

Finally:

Stage 6: Absolute Taboo.

A zone Yabok would never normally dare to even glance at.

But from the moment he passed Stage 1, something had been driving Yabok’s psyche.

That something pushed him forward again.

And as if it had been waiting, the door to information opened smoothly.

As Yabok reached out, mesmerized, the needed data naturally settled into his hands.

[9쫒붏. 뷁쁀 렟뷙엾]

Meanwhile, the characters began to twist due to data corruption.

Yet, strangely, Yabok did not notice anything odd.

A smile.

‘Ah…’

An indescribable sense of satisfaction.

That thrill coursed through Yabok’s entire body.

“INOOOM-! Unforgivable! How dare you!!”

Pah!

Oddly, it even affected his real body.

But what did it matter?

Right now, confirming this was the most important thing.

Yabok wanted to fill the void in his mind as quickly as possible.

[‘Unknown’ download initiated]
[‘Unknown’ download in progress… 13%]

An ecstatic sensation unlike anything he had ever experienced consumed his head.

“One… I haven’t been idle all this time.”

[‘Unknown’ download in progress… 48%]

“I have fully analyzed not only your attack patterns but also your magical power patterns, black magician.”

[‘Unknown’ download in progress… 63%]

But… what am I even saying right now?

Yabok felt a strong sense of dissonance watching himself.

He felt like himself, yet not.

Yes, it was a déjà vu as if his future self were watching his past self.

At some point, Yabok realized that he was not alone in this space with the black magician.

“…And just now, using the ‘Universe Map’ distributed by the family, I could even identify the contract pass associated with you.”

[‘Unknown’ download in progress… 87%]

Since when had that been here?

No, should something like that even exist?

As soon as he noticed it, Yabok tried to look away, but…

Thud.

His body refused to obey.

Instinctively, he knew that humans should never notice such things.

Yet his body moved freely, recreating past records, beyond his control.

“All black magicians share the same weakness. I will reveal your contract holder’s true name and banish you from this world forever.”

[‘Unknown’ download in progress… 98%]

Stop… stop!

I’ll never be able to go back…

[Download Complete.]

For a moment, there was no sound, yet he heard something breaking in his mind.

A void in his brain created by the mind uploading.

From the gap, a heavy, cold madness began to rise.

“…Hey, are you okay?”

At some point, the battle had stopped.

The black magician asked in puzzlement.

But Yabok could not answer.

That face…

A face with no eyes, nose, ears, or mouth!

Behind it, a horrific entity lurked.

“Ah.”

It was a nightmare made real.

Cold, massive tentacles moving like grabbing foamy dimensions.

Fragments glimpsed through a narrow space.

But even their slightest writhing shattered Yabok’s belief in the fragile world he trusted.

Just by staring, all concepts he had built crumbled.

How blasphemous, and how enormous and blasphemous this being was!

Far too immense and unholy to be contained by a human brain.

And far too immense… right now, I… I… I’m not here, not here!
Time, time, time, my hand, my hand…

Too far, too close, too big, too small… cut off…
If I am not myself, what remains to me? Nothing!

Again, again… break, break… me, me…

“-Yabok?”

Crack.

Suddenly, ten fingers forcibly forced their way into Yabok’s eyes.

“Ugh, aaaaah…!”

Yabok tilted his head, screaming in despair.

Through the gaps in the blade-like fingers, shredded retina and mechanical debris flowed.

“Ah, aaaaah!”

Scratch-

Crossing the blades, slicing the skin slowly, Yabok then began to strangle his own neck.

Why is this bastard suddenly going crazy?

Startled by the sudden turn of events, I quickly pull his hands off his neck.

My mission at Edge Line is strictly to capture him alive.

If he dies like this, it’s mission failure.

I can’t ruin the first transaction like this.

Because of Yabok’s weapon, his face looked grotesque like torn gills, but…

“…Luckily, only the skin was cut.”

He’s not in mortal danger.

Still, I took precautions.

Crack!

Crack!

I broke his arms carefully to prevent further self-harm.

Finally, I felt relieved.

He couldn’t harm himself like before.

Collapsed on the floor, foaming, it was hard to believe this was the same person I had fought just moments ago.

“…Yabok, what the hell did you see?”

His expression, after finishing his words, had become suddenly mechanical.

As if he were completely detached from the situation he had been in.

A fault line of emotions impossible in the current situation.

Then suddenly, he lost control and started going berserk.

But before going fully mad, Yabok’s gaze fixed sharply on one place.

Behind me.

“….”

I didn’t even consider looking back foolishly.

I had a rough idea of what he had seen.

Yet somehow…

The lighting here felt darker and heavier than before—is that just my imagination?

“….”

I stood quietly before Yabok, broken-armed and foaming, just watching him.

“Ugh! Grrk! Gaaaah…!”

Somehow, I hoped the sensory warnings behind him would stop.

Ziiiiiing-!

As the door opened, Mia, who spotted me, shouted.

“Oh, Eddie? You’re here already? Next time, use the back door! Regular customers get startled.”

Her gaze, which had been welcoming, fell on the carrier in my hand.

Tremble…

The rolling wheels drew the attention of nearby troubleshooters as well.

I had some trouble dragging him over, so I got a carrier.

It was slightly broken from being found in a dump, and a hand was sticking out… but it should be fine.

“Huh? No way?!”

Seeing my hand, Mia shouted in realization.

Dashing over in a single leap over the bar counter.

The commotion made other troubleshooters look over.

“That’s… the magician they admitted this time?”

“The hacker case that’s been unresolved for a month?”

“So it was pointless. No one’s found that guy yet.”

“Wait! Isn’t that Crow Claw?! That’s Yabok’s weapon!”

Ah, finally, someone starts recognizing him.

I’m the one who captured him.

Let them cheer more.

The surrounding chatter finally energizes me.

“Open it!”

Mia, now right in front, shouted with sparkling anticipation.

“Sure thing.”

Click.

Pressing the button with my thumb, the carrier slowly opened.

All eyes were on it, and finally, its contents were revealed.