SHADOW BEFORE CREATION Chapter 70 chapter 69

Monsters Hunting 5

The bone sword pierced through the demonic guardian's heart, and its massive body stopped moving before collapsing to the ground with a dull thud, as if the darkness within it had been extinguished.

Windows appeared before everyone.

{The demonic guardian has been slain. You are the first to achieve this feat}

{You have earned 8,000 coins}

{Contributors: Arthur Narin – Kim Dokja – Han Myungoh}

Han Myungoh's eyes widened, then he burst into laughter, shouting with hysterical joy.

"Finally! I'll beco stronger!"

Then he turned with a gaze full of contempt.

"You fools… you, Arthur, and that idiot Dokja!

Sitting on your high thrones, acting like saints.

What value does killing even have in this already broken world?"

He laughed loudly, the echo of his laughter crashing against the cave walls—

But it suddenly stopped.

A new window appeared…

and it was far heavier than the last.

{The demonic guardian has been slain, and the Demon King Asmodeus has taken notice}

{The Demon King will pursue the one who dealt the final blow until death}

{A dreadful curse from the Demon King has been placed upon the one who dealt the final blow}

{Final blow: Han Myungoh}

The color drained from Han Myungoh's face.

"D-Dokja… what is this? What's happening?!"

Kim Dokja let out a slow sigh, his gaze steady.

"Do you think I stopped Arthur from killing it out of kindness?"

{The constellation Secretive Plotter is impressed by your cunning}

{The constellation Secretive Plotter has sponsored your scenario in the Star Stream}

Kim Dokja smiled faintly.

At that mont, Arthur understood everything.

So that's why he stopped …

Arthur stepped forward calmly toward Han Myungoh, who was trembling in fear and pain.

"Hey, Dokja… there's no escaping a Demon King's curse, right?

I an… this old man's going to die like a dog anyway, isn't he?"

"…Yes."

Before Kim Dokja could finish—

Arthur's sword rose,

and fell.

One cut.

One motion.

Precise, clean, without hesitation.

Han Myungoh's head rolled across the ground,

while that gentle smile…

still rested on Arthur's face.

Silence fell over the cave.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

Even the constellations… fell silent.

Arthur turned calmly, flicked the blood from his blade, sheathed it, and smiled at everyone as if nothing had happened.

The first to break the silence was Yoo Sangah, her voice trembling.

"W-why did you kill him, Mr. Arthur?"

He didn't answer.

Arthur bent down and began searching Han Myungoh's clothes calmly,

then stopped… and smiled.

"Yes… this is it."

Kim Dokja stepped toward him.

He was still shocked by Arthur's actions, but he wanted to know the reason.

Arthur reached into the corpse's pocket, pulled out a white sheet of paper, and handed it to him.

Kim Dokja unfolded it—

and froze.

"Kill Kim Dokja and Arthur at any cost."

Those were the only words written.

Arthur lifted his gaze and said in a deadly calm tone:

"When Cheon Inho decided to send Han Myungoh with the group, I found it strange.

So I watched him…

and saw one of his n hand him this ssage.

That bastard was planning to kill us, so I killed him."

{The constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband looks at Han Myungoh with contempt}

{The constellation Demon-Like Judge of Fire is angered by such inhumane sches}

Yoo Sangah hesitated for a mont, then asked the question on everyone's mind:

"But… how did you know what was written in the ssage?

It was in his pocket the whole ti."

{The constellation Miraculous Narrator smiles at you}

Arthur smiled calmly.

"I didn't."

Silence fell once more.

The truth was simple…

for two reasons:

First: the paper.

Second:

he simply despised Han Myungoh to an indescribable degree.

He had wanted to get rid of him at the first opportunity.

And when that opportunity ca…

he took it.

Everyone froze at this cold answer—

that gentle, beautiful face…

and that demonic logic.

No one knew how to respond.

{The constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband supports your decision}

{The constellation Demon-Like Judge of Fire supports your decision}

{The constellation Miraculous Narrator supports your decision}

{You have been sponsored 1,000 coins}

Arthur turned toward the reward box.

"Well then, Dokja… ti for the treasures."

Kim Dokja smiled faintly and asked Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung to open the box first.

Yoo Sangah wanted to understand more, to ask further about Arthur's cold response,

but she pushed those thoughts aside and followed Kim Dokja's words.

Yoo Sangah obtained an Energy Recovery Bracelet.

Lee Gilyoung obtained an old piece of armor.

Then Kim Dokja opened the box, and only one item remained:

the Magic Power Stove.

They took the items and returned to Arthur, who stood aside without interest—

he didn't want any reward to begin with.

Kim Dokja sat down, activated the stove, and began grilling rat at.

It looked appetizing, and its scent was warm—

but Arthur abstained.

He had eaten before the scenario began,

and he was the type who could survive an entire week on a single al.

He sat aside, quietly cleaning his sword.

His silver hair fell over his face,

and the light from the stove reflected on his sharp features.

His refined brows,

his slightly wide eyes,

his sculpted nose as if carved with impossible precision.

At that mont…

the sight of him cleaning the black blade… was uncomfortably beautiful.

Arthur felt a shiver run through his body.

He raised his head.

They were staring at him.

All three of them…

even the constellations.

He sighed softly, then stood and looked at Kim Dokja.

From where he stood…

he could clearly hear the rhythm of his heartbeat.

Arthur's expression changed,

and he removed the joker mask from Kim Dokja's face.

He looked at Kim Dokja, who had frozen in place, then placed the joker mask back onto his own face.

With that simple motion, the atmosphere finally settled, as if the tension had been broken, Arthur's face once again hidden beneath the white mask.

They all sat and ate in brief silence, until Yoo Sangah broke it with a hesitant voice:

"How do you know all these things, Mr. Dokja?"

Kim Dokja's expression stiffened.

His hands stopped moving for a mont, and he didn't know what to say.

Then, a calm voice ca from behind them.

"He knows all this because he's read many fictional novels."

The speaker was Arthur.

He spoke in a low tone, his silver eyes fixed on Kim Dokja.

A chill ran down Kim Dokja's spine under that direct gaze,

but he smiled beneath the mask and returned to what he was doing without comnt.

Yoo Sangah noticed Kim Dokja's repeated glances toward the reward box.

"A… random box?"

Kim Dokja's face stiffened, and he spoke in an almost chanical tone:

"Ah… thanks to you, we were able to read the words."

Yoo Sangah smiled gently, as if she had accomplished sothing great.

Inside, Kim Dokja's mind was racing nonstop.

No one knows the truth of this box…

not even the regressor Yoo Joonghyuk.

The real treasure isn't what's inside…

but the box itself.

With it, items can be combined.

Kim Dokja took out the Broken Faith sword and a purple core from his pocket,

placed them together inside the random box, and closed it.

Several windows appeared before him,

then the box swallowed a sky-blue light.

After a few seconds, the light faded.

Kim Dokja opened the box and pulled out a beautiful, gleaming sword—

a relic-grade weapon.

Arthur then stepped forward, as if he had been waiting for his turn,

following Kim Dokja's instructions.

He took out the Tyrant King's Sword and the core of an Ichthyosaur,

placed them inside the box, and repeated the sa process.

Monts later, the box was engulfed in a strange light—

a demonic yet sacred aura at the sa ti.

A dense power that made even the air feel heavy.

Then…

Arthur opened the box.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on him, watching in anticipation.

Arthur reached in and pulled out the sword.

It was slightly longer than before,

and its color had shifted from dominant black

to a dark, blood-tinged black that radiated death.

---

| Item Information | Na: Sword of the Undying Death Sovereign

Classification: Cosmic Relic

Description:

This sword was once wielded by a hero from another world.

With it, he slew monsters, demons, and rulers.

At the end of his journey, he tore through space and cast the sword away.

Its previous form was dormant.

By rging it with power from another world, its true strength has been extracted.

However, due to your current weakness, you cannot wield its full power. |

---

Arthur smiled as he examined his sword.

Then he turned—

to find everyone staring at him,

as if they wanted to devour the weapon with their eyes.

He sighed softly and handed the sword to them to inspect.

After so ti, once everyone had seen both Kim Dokja's and Arthur's swords,

they decided to return.

Lee Gilyoung tried to communicate with his insects to guide them back,

but the connection was completely cut off—

due to the earlier appearance of the demonic guardian.

Lee Gilyoung closed his eyes

and began speaking in an incomprehensible language.

A green aura surrounded him,

and after a few seconds, his body trembled,

his nose bled,

and the entire cave shook.

"He's summoning a creature from outside… from above."

Kim Dokja shouted at him to stop,

but it was useless.

Arthur moved in an instant,

striking Lee Gilyoung's neck and knocking him unconscious imdiately.

The tremors ceased,

Lee Gilyoung's body relaxed,

and he fell into a deep sleep.

Arthur and Kim Dokja sighed at the sa ti.

Arthur lifted Lee Gilyoung onto his back.

At that mont, Yoo Sangah spoke about her ability,

telling them she could guide everyone back.

She moved ahead,

holding a golden thread extending behind her.

Behind her was Kim Dokja,

and behind him, Arthur.

After walking for so ti,

they reached Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung,

who were still waiting.

Lee Hyunsung welcod them, then asked:

"But… where is Han Myungoh?"

Arthur let out a quiet sigh, filled with restrained sorrow and irritation,

and spoke in a low voice:

"He… was killed by the monsters."

…

---

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