While Jin-Woo had his eyes closed, focusing all his attention on picking up the beast's presence, the Monarch of Frost sensed it. The Shadow Monarch's opening. This was an opportunity that would never come again. No matter how vast the gap in power between them, to let one's guard down in the face of an enemy—if he missed this chance, all that awaited was inevitable death. Certain destruction. Desperate to wriggle free from the shadow of death creeping ever closer, the Monarch of Frost played his final card.
*'I have to settle everything with this one strike.'*
Mana gathered on his right arm, which was cocked back, and a spear of frost stronger than anything he had ever conjured took shape. He poured every last ounce of strength he had summoned with desperate resolve into it! Fearsome magical power concentrated into the spear of frost. The force was so tremendous that the ground beneath the Monarch's feet cracked and froze white with a sharp crunch. In the instant it seemed his right arm, gripping the spear, had swollen to an unnatural degree— The spear, shot like a bullet, tore through the atmosphere and surged forward in a perfectly straight line. *Swiiiish—!* At the same time, the ice humans, acting on their master's command, lunged at Jin-Woo like a pack of rabid dogs. *Swish—!* Just before the ice spear aimed at the center of Jin-Woo's brow could pierce through his face— Jin-Woo opened his eyes.
"Found you."
At that exact moment, as though someone had pressed pause on a video, time around him came to a halt. No. Time had merely slowed down so much that it appeared to stop. The rapidly rotating spear of frost was approaching—slowly but surely, inch by inch. Behind it, the Monarch of Frost could be seen glaring at him with a face twisted in fury. But that wasn't all. Jin-Woo could clearly make out every last one of the ice humans leaping toward him from all directions, surrounding him layer upon layer. This was the field of perception the Shadow Monarch possessed once combat began. Cognitive abilities that no human could ever reach made it seem as though everything around him had frozen in place. Jin-Woo looked around leisurely, like a stranger who had stepped into a still frame. This feeling.
*'I've felt this before…'*
When was it? Slowly sifting through his memories, Jin-Woo recalled the scene where he had been attacked by statues and pushed to the brink of death. Back then, too, time hadn't stopped like this.
*'The Shadow Monarch was already with me from back then.'*
It was only after inheriting his power that he could truly appreciate how long the Monarch had been watching over him. As Jin-Woo continued to survey his surroundings, he spotted the backs of his two Corps Commanders.
*'Oh.'*
Even in this situation where time seemed to have completely stopped, Beru and Igrit were still responding to the enemy, albeit slowly. It was proof that their agility operated on an entirely different level. Jin-Woo gazed at the two of them with a warm, pleased look before finally remembering the spear hurtling toward him.
*'Oops.'*
Like a worm diligently crawling along, the spear had been closing the distance ever so slightly even in this very moment. To halt the spear's advance, Jin-Woo activated his power.
*'Ruler's Authority.'*
The power of the Shadow Monarch, something he had been learning under the name of "skill" for so long. The moment he used "Ruler's Authority," the mana scattered throughout the area surged in and wrapped around the spear of frost. Caught in the mana's grip, the spear lost its momentum and froze in place. For the first time, Jin-Woo could see with his own eyes how the Ruler's Authority skill actually worked, and he let out a soft exclamation.
*'It wasn't invisible after all.'*
The mana he had never been able to see was moving according to the caster's will. Every movement of the mana, previously invisible to him, now came vividly into Jin-Woo's view.
*'Good.'*
Pushing his sensory abilities to their absolute limit, he could feel every last thread of mana flow circulating around him. Jin-Woo's eyes sparkled as he observed the mana. This was the fruit borne by the Rulers who had strived to strengthen this world. A world that once had no mana was now overflowing with it entirely. And he, who had inherited the power of the Shadow Monarch, had been granted the authority to wield that mana freely. Thump. Thump. His heart raced at the feel of mana's breath all around him.
*'…Let's do this.'*
Jin-Woo pushed through the slowed time, approached his two Corps Commanders, and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
*'You two don't need to step in.'*
Obeying their master's command, Beru and Igrit immediately ceased all movement. Jin-Woo stepped forward. He maximized the manipulation of mana he had been practicing in his spare time with the Ruler's Authority skill. Looking around at the ice humans, Jin-Woo let out a deep breath. Even now, the emotion swelling in his chest was gratitude for the Shadow Monarch, welling up from the very depths of his heart. And thankfulness for the way he had taught him how to wield his power through the System. Having finished concentrating, Jin-Woo moved the mana in the entire area all at once. In that instant, the space rippled. *Vwooom—!* In the blink of an eye, a massive mana shockwave radiating outward from Jin-Woo swept away the ice humans that had swarmed in like a black tide. The Monarch of Frost, too, sensed the intense mana storm bearing down on him.
[…!]
He hurriedly unfolded an ice barrier to protect himself. After the violent mana currents passed and the Monarch of Frost hastily lowered his barrier, all that came into view was the wreckage of ice humans strewn across the ground in every direction. The powerful mana wave had swept everything clean. Even the dark storm clouds of the blizzard he had called forth. This was the power of the Shadow Monarch.
[H… How…!]
The Monarch of Frost trembled at the power of the Shadow Monarch—the greatest shard of Radiance and one of the mightiest Kings. A wall. An insurmountable wall. The gulf between him and Jin-Woo was simply too vast! Jin-Woo looked around and nodded, satisfied with the result, then his gaze met that of the Monarch of Frost, who was frozen in terror. Startled. Even from this distance, Jin-Woo could feel the creature shaking. There was still a debt he had to settle. At the thought of former Chairman Go Gun-Hee's face, Jin-Woo's expression turned cold, but he didn't let his emotions show easily. The enemy you want to kill the most is the one you deal with last. He would give his adversary ample time to tremble in fear while staring death squarely in the face. Jin-Woo spoke.
"You're the last one."
Jin-Woo's figure slowly melted into the shadow beneath his feet.
"While I go deal with that beast, you wait right here."
* * *
The instant the broadcast feed cut out, Chairman Woo Jin-Cheol slammed his fist down on his desk. *Bang!* The last image transmitted before the feed went dark. It was theThe request was rejected because it was considered high risk