EX rank supporting role's replay in a prestigious school

Chapter 856

The light source inside the Garden was extremely faint, but the furnace was a different story.

The flames inside the furnace emitted such an intense light that it was almost blinding.

Each time, energy from the furnace spread out in waves across the floor, extending into the Garden.

‘The power of the Garden is connected to that furnace.’

There was no doubt about it.

The furnace I saw in my left eye, where the Shaman was, could not have been mistaken.

I had seen the flames in the furnace through the Life and Death Vision, but seeing it in person gave me a heavy, disheartening feeling.

The dark forces seemed to have chosen heat to suppress the shapeless power of the clouds.

‘It’s the same principle as how the storm was suppressed by the energy of water and iron chains.’

For the storm, it was only after using the Gwanglim of the City of Hu that it could be contained.

This meant that the furnace likely contained the combined power of those forces, if not more.

It would have been impossible to trap a mythic tribe, who had left their name in history, with ordinary flames, so such a furnace was necessary.

“...Is it inside that furnace?”

Hwang Ji-ho’s golden eyes reflected the flames of the furnace.

He probably already knew, but it seemed that confirmation was still necessary.

When I nodded, Hwang Ji-ho looked at the furnace and said softly.

“I have arrived, Shaman.”

Whoosh.

The flames inside the furnace flared up as if in response.

The flames were wildly flickering, almost like they were screaming, flaring up and dying down in waves. It could be mere coincidence.

Though there was no evidence, it really seemed like those two were having a conversation.

“Wait just a little longer. I will be there soon.”

When Hwang Ji-ho spoke, the flames in the furnace visibly calmed.

Jeon Moo-young, who had been skeptical about whether the Shaman was truly there or if communication was possible, sighed.

The Shaman would be overwhelmed by both physical and mental exhaustion, just trying to maintain their burning form, so they were waiting for Hwang Ji-ho’s words.

‘If Hwang Ji-ho had rushed directly toward the furnace, he would have had to come up with a new plan, but now, it seems unnecessary.’

Instead of rushing in, Hwang Ji-ho chose to calm the Shaman and prepare for battle.

When he spoke to the Shaman, his voice had no warmth, cold and distant.

“I know you are here.”

This was not a message for the Shaman but for someone else.

Hwang Ji-ho’s gaze turned toward the dark clouds surrounding the furnace.

At first glance, it appeared there was no one there.

Fwoosh!

Golden particles began to rise around Hwang Ji-ho’s body.

He transformed these particles into magical energy and spread them around, preparing to form a barrier in any shape he wished.

The amount of energy, the concentration needed to control such vast power, the knowledge of handling magic, and the confidence that he wouldn’t lose even if his tactics were revealed—all of these had to be in place to pull this off.

“Do not think you can deceive my eyes. An ambush is meaningless.”

When they split paths, I expected the fewer forces to set traps or attempt an ambush.

The enemy still ruled the Garden and held the Shaman hostage, so they could exploit that.

Seeing the enemy’s silence now, they seemed to have hidden their form within the clouds.

Despite Hwang Ji-ho’s provocation, the enemy remained silent.

Meanwhile, the golden particles around Hwang Ji-ho continued to grow.

‘They are coming.’

Perhaps the enemy thought Hwang Ji-ho was bluffing, for they attempted an ambush.

Hwang Ji-ho, who seemed to notice it before I did, sneered.

“Didn’t I tell you? It’s meaningless.”

My right eye was blocked by a golden barrier, and there were scratch marks from sharp fangs on the barrier.

Do-cheol seemed to have aimed for my remaining eye, and Hwang Ji-ho had anticipated and blocked it.

Seeing the enemy so agitated, I knew my answer was correct.

‘Perhaps he’s pretending to be agitated to conceal his identity, but this murderous intent doesn’t feel like a feint. He almost got caught by Hwang Ji-ho just now.’

Hwang Ji-ho was still unfolding his barrier.

Do-cheol seemed to have narrowly escaped.

“I was planning to capture you this time, but you're quite fast. If you’re so frustrated, why not just show yourself and fight?”

Once Hwang Ji-ho figured out the enemy’s identity, he moved more decisively.

“Do-cheol, I will drag you out of those clouds.”

Whoosh!

When Hwang Ji-ho waved his hand, a huge net encased the entire space.

From a distance, it felt like being inside a space made of gold.

The net-like barrier, when examined closely, had high-purity magical energy arranged in a precise form that made one question their vision.

Kaaang! Kaaang!

A fierce sound rang out from one side of the golden net barrier.

Do-cheol was resisting, trying to hide behind the clouds, repeatedly trying to escape the net.

“The resistance of the Floor Masters is quite fierce. Fighting them all at once makes it difficult to manage the power.”

Once Hwang Ji-ho roughly pinpointed Do-cheol’s location, the balance shifted in an instant.

The creature that had been attacking to kill was now fleeing for its life.

The fangs that had been used for offense had now become a shield for survival.

The power difference between Hwang Ji-ho and Do-cheol was glaringly obvious.

Without even using intellect, Hwang Ji-ho was playing with Do-cheol, who had the power of the Shaman.

“Be careful. If you mismanage the power, I might kill you.”

Hwang Ji-ho had no intention of killing Do-cheol.

Though he must have wanted to bring great pain and end him, especially after what had happened to the Shaman, he was holding back for the sake of his friend.

To unravel the secrets of the deceased Fong Baek, Woo Sa, and the Shaman, he needed information, and to do that, he needed to capture a living member of the dark forces.

‘I thought capturing him alive would be difficult, but with such a power difference, it shouldn’t be a problem.’

With Hwang Ji-ho’s power, capturing Do-cheol alive would be possible, but right now, he couldn’t do so because he was managing several clones simultaneously.

However, it was only a matter of time.

As the subjugation of the Floor Masters neared its end, Hwang Ji-ho was handling his power with increasing precision.

For the first time, a voice came from beyond the cloud walls.

[...I have something to say!]

“You can speak of it in the Abyss of the Ho Clan.”

Hwang Ji-ho reached his hand toward the direction of the voice and grabbed at the air.

The golden barrier split the clouds, creating an opening through which something was being pulled out.

Though not completely extracted, I could see a curved horn and a boar-like head through the gap between the barrier and the clouds.

Do-cheol cried out in a panic.

“I have discerned the ones who stepped into this Garden by borrowing the power of Chaos. Including you, there are three groups!”

Three groups?

According to my plan, Maeng Hyo-don’s group, Teacher Ham Geun-hyung, and the dark forces should have joined by now.

I had no idea how they had split, but it seemed likely that Maeng Hyo-don or his master had been left behind.

After considering all possibilities, Do-cheol spoke.

“Of the three groups, one of the weakest is heading toward us.”

A bitter smile twisted Do-cheol’s face, contorted by humiliation and pain.

“Do you think that two mere humans can take on the weakest of the Four Horrors?”

Do-cheol seemed to be planning to capture a hostage and make a deal.