Chapter 394 – #85_무도회
#392
1.
My hair turned white.
My insides churned as if I had swallowed a burning ember whole.
“Takasho….”
My friend who had supported Siwoo more than anyone during his five years as a slave.
My friend who had broken the prejudice of being a thug and was running towards his dream more wonderfully than anyone.
That friend was becoming a tattered mess.
By a bug-like public enemy.
The video recorded on the remote communication crystal that Bianca showed was illuminating an endless time of torture.
When I came to my senses, I tasted iron in my mouth.
It was because I had unknowingly bitten my lip.
“Isn’t it really pathetic? Your friend, I mean. He didn’t say a word until he got into this state. Even though it’s actually a meaningless act.”
The sight of Takasho being tortured.
The sight of his loyalty and will being ridiculed.
I want to kill.
For the first time in my life, I felt an intense murderous intent towards someone.
Not some vague curse, but a raw murderous intent in the literal sense of the word.
The public enemy record I obtained from the library with Diana before.
While the recorded video was still playing, I opened the large book.
Apart from the anger that felt like the blood vessels in my brain were about to burst, my head tried to accurately assess the situation.
Simply being swayed by emotions and flailing around is a poor strategy.
The significance of this video is not just cruel harassment.
Of course, it’s a lure to entice Shin Siwoo.
If so, knowing the information of the opponent we have to face is important.
The record was written in 1972.
It was a period more than 50 years ago, but Siwoo was able to easily find the protagonist in the video.
Because a faded black and white photo was attached.
The Witch of Desire.
Bianca Bellili.
The matriarch of Mexico’s largest cartel and a public enemy belonging to Qliphoth.
Her activity period is from 1860, a 22nd-tier witch who has existed as a public enemy for over 150 years.
“What I want is the Red Branch and you, Shin Siwoo. Shouldn’t you come to save Takasho, who has endured so hard for his friend?”
Her inherent magic is ‘possessiveness’.
She is a collector who has obtained over a thousand artifacts and five Noble Phantasms.
It is the main argument among witches that the limits of magic engineering are clear, but the Witch of Desire was different.
She is a collector and at the same time an excellent craftsman who can ‘assimilate’ and modify the artifacts and Noble Phantasms she obtains.
“The place is here. The shipyard in Yeongdo, Busan, the time is hmm… let’s make it noon, just to be generous.”
Page after page, the list of her Noble Phantasms and artifacts continued.
Dozens of pages of this large book are devoted to describing the danger of Bianca Bellili.
Even this is 50-year-old data.
“But there is a very important condition. You must come alone without telling anyone.
In hostage negotiations, one-on-one negotiation is basic, isn’t it? If you tell another witch or even if there is a sign that you came with someone, Takasho will die.”
Siwoo flipped through the pages that described the list of Bianca’s magical tools and their effects.
There was no time to leisurely and leisurely read it.
Like taking a picture, he crammed all the information into his brain.
“Don’t think this offer is the last one. If you don’t come this time, I’ll grab each of your precious people and tie them up again. Like the apprentice witch twins, or Sharon Evergreen.”
The mind that had been trying to not lose its reason.
The anger cools down coldly.
And he begins to face reality.
“I’ll be waiting with anticipation. Good luck.”
The Witch of Desire is more aware of our situation than I thought.
Unlike the surprise attack like with Ea Sadalmelik, she is calling Siwoo based on sufficient investigation.
Moreover, the opponent is not some nobody, but a public enemy of at least the 22nd tier or higher.
Just looking at the record that described the information 50 years ago, it’s impossible to guess how strong she is.
Furthermore, the fact that an opponent who uses such cruel methods is calling Siwoo for a cup of tea is unlikely.
Anxiety about the future, like mold, blooms in the head that has been coldly washed away.
If I want to avoid it, I can avoid it.
If I want to ignore it, I can ignore it.
“…Takasho….”
However, I cannot turn a blind eye to my friend who tried to keep his loyalty while struggling in severe pain.
I have to go.
I erased all other ‘safe’ options from my mind.
I closed my eyes and analyzed the information I had crammed into my head and made a plan.
All plans assume that I will fight the Witch of Desire.
Even if Siwoo stands alone in front of her, there is no guarantee that Bianca will keep her promise.
Combat preparation is necessary to ensure Takasho’s safety.
Siwoo looked at his watch.
The scheduled time was about 5 hours from now.
It was a long time if it was long, and a short time if it was short.
Perhaps she gave me plenty of time considering the possibility of me checking the crystal late and the Gehenna customs clearance procedure.
Also, the fact that she is giving me so much time and taking the position of ‘waiting with the hostage’ means.
It is also an expression of confidence that she can get away even if Siwoo is accompanied by other helpers.
The important thing is that this spare time is the last opportunity that Siwoo can use.
It is a waste of every minute and every second to let it pass by meaninglessly.
Siwoo immediately took the Red Branch.
Feeling the heavy weight of the Noble Phantasm wrapped in a black ribbon, Siwoo immediately began to calculate the coordinates.
“Just wait a little bit. I’ll come to save you.”
Siwoo’s body, who muttered lowly knowing that it wouldn’t be heard, disappeared with a blue burst of magical power.
2.
The realm of the great witch who can twist the order and mystery and even defy the legitimacy of the world, the 20th tier.
Bianca Bellili is two tiers higher than that.
She is a stronger enemy than any enemy Siwoo has ever faced.
Even if I learned elemental magic from Sharon and strengthened the law of shadows.
Even if I learned close combat from my teacher and was able to use the contract of the King of All Diseases to its limit.
Siwoo was still just a novice witch.
In this state, the odds of winning are close to 0%, and I would only be adding one more life to a dog’s death.
Additional preparations were needed.
The place Siwoo found was the mansion where Kybele Periwinkle resided, whose address he had received before.
Periwinkle, who was sitting leisurely in the mansion and doing her work, greeted Siwoo, who had appeared without notice, with a warm welcome.
“What brings you here?”
“It’s been a while, Periwinkle-nim.”
The lucky four-leaf clover that Periwinkle made.
It not only guides the luck of the owner, but also deflects even the fate of death.
In a fight where I might risk my life, that clover will be a trump card for revival.
“Why did you just come without contacting me? Did you come to keep your promise?”
Siwoo approached Periwinkle without delay.
Periwinkle got up from her seat and tried to hug Siwoo, but was soon stopped.
“I’m sorry, but I think it will be a little difficult today.”
“What, you didn’t come for sex? Then why did you come?”
“…….”
Periwinkle tilted her head at Siwoo’s somewhat different atmosphere.
She thought he had come in exchange for the host bar consulting, but it was unexpected that he was maintaining a stiff attitude.
“Can you give me as many four-leaf clovers as possible that you gave me before?”
“Suddenly?”
Periwinkle, who was somewhat bewildered by the embarrassing request, poked Siwoo’s chest.
“Do you think I just give that to anyone?”
“I will fulfill any condition next time.”
“What? You’re acting so serious.”
“Please.”
Periwinkle’s gaze swept from Siwoo’s toes to the top of his head.
A look that seemed to be measuring value and at the same time detecting the situation.
A face with no room to spare and an unhideable tension.
And even the darkness felt deep in his eyes was clearly captured.
“Four times.”
Periwinkle’s atmosphere, which had been silent for a while, changed.
She sighed and opened her mouth.
“That’s the maximum I can dramatically change one person’s fate by intervening. Do you know what that means?”
“It means I have three left.”
“It pisses me off that you’re already talking like I’m going to give it to you. Well, it’s not a bad condition.”
Periwinkle closed her eyes.
A mysterious rainbow light shone from her tightly clenched fist, and a huge pulse of magical power rang out.
When she opened her hand, there were three very ordinary-looking four-leaf clovers.
Periwinkle, who had used her magic to the point of squeezing it out, shook her head as if she felt tired.
“Do you know the value of one of these clovers?”
If an ordinary human possesses it, they will attract good fortune.
Love luck, financial luck, business luck, it gives you countless luck that is difficult to list.
There are six of them.
If you just open a chicken restaurant, it will grow into a global franchise.
Even if you have a mediocre appearance, women will flock to you like bees, and it is not strange that you will win every lottery you buy out of boredom.
“All magic in the world is divided into objects and subjects. It is much more difficult to manifest magic on an object than when you become the subject yourself. And I can perfectly apply my inherent magic to others.”
“Yes, I know.”
“That’s why I never give this clover to just anyone. If it falls into the wrong hands of a public enemy, my life could be in danger when I meet that witch. Because perfectly identical inherent magic cancels each other out.”
Even while saying that, Periwinkle used her magic to weave the clovers together like a bracelet.
She put it on Siwoo’s wrist and stood on tiptoe to give him a small kiss on the forehead.
“So, I won’t ask what’s going on. But don’t let bad people take it away and come back safely.”
“Thank you so much.”
“What are you thanking me for? You’ll have to repay me like a stud.”
Siwoo, who was patted on the butt, bowed his head for the last time and used the coordinate transfer formula to go to Flora’s Dress Shop.
There was still one more preparation left.
