NOVEL NEXT Ch. 21
Chapter 21: The Witch of the Maple Tree ‘Vivian Astraia’ (2)
Vivian was the first to approach Sa Junhyuk.
“...You have quite a nice scent.”
Her soft voice rippled through the air in a silky tone.
Exceptional talent, paired with meticulous yet persistent execution ability.
Without question, he was among the strongest of those gathered here.
That was precisely why he had become the first dish chosen as her “delicious prey.”
“T-Team Leader.”
“Haah. This is insane. I thought this request reeked of money for once, but turns out it was just to prepare my funeral feast, huh?”
The faces of Sa Junhyuk and the mercenaries hardened.
They didn’t need to fight to understand.
They knew—they weren’t even qualified to face her.
If they wanted even a shred of a chance at victory...
Every top-ranked Hunter in the world would have to join forces just to discuss the tiniest sliver of possibility.
Even so—
“I can’t die without doing anything.”
Sa Junhyuk forced his terror-frozen legs to move.
Papat!
Hidden throwing weapons shot out all at once.
Each was coated with the deadly venom of the ‘Blood Scorpion.’
Puck!
Crack!
All of the projectiles disintegrated in midair.
The crossbow bolts and spears fired by the mercenaries guarding Sa Junhyuk met the same fate.
“You’re fresh. I think you’ll taste far richer than the others.”
Vivian smiled seductively.
It was sensual—but that only made it more chilling.
“What are you all doing?! If I go down, we’re all dead anyway! Throw everything you’ve got!”
At Sa Junhyuk’s shout, the assault team snapped back to their senses.
If they stood still, they’d be picked off one by one and devoured.
Then it was better to fight—while they still had numbers on their side.
“A-Attack!”
“She’s far stronger than any vampire! Focus your firepower!”
[A-rank item ‘Fireplace That Eats Logs’ has been activated!]
[Skill ‘Crimson Fireball’ has been activated!]
[C-rank item ‘Half-Eaten Sandwich’ has been activated!]
[Skill ‘Ice Spike’ has been fired!]
Items brought from the Mystery Room, and the Hunters’ own skills, all erupted at once.
They drank potions and drew out magic tools that boosted their stats.
Since dying meant nothing, they poured out everything they had.
Ssshhhhh!
A thick, acrid smoke rose where over a hundred abilities had converged.
But—
Through the smoke, a pair of lavender eyes gleamed—eyes that no amount of attack could ever extinguish.
“Hehe, haha… ha! That one is a devourer of fear and vitality. Do not resist. Simply revere—and despair.”
Lee Junho of Iron Sword let out a deranged cackle, his face half-crazed.
“Raid leader! You were planning to feed us all to that monster, weren’t you?!”
“You bastard! There’s a line even monsters in human skin shouldn’t cross!”
“So all that nice-guy act was just hypocrisy?!”
Anger and curses followed one after another.
But Lee Junho shouted back even louder.
“Then what the hell was I supposed to do?! No matter how strong a Hunter we bring, it’s useless! You want me to die too?!”
Vivian possessed the authority to move her dungeon at will.
Each time, she nested in a new location—waiting for prey.
And to preserve his own life, Lee Junho had been offering sacrifices like this.
As many as he could.
Gathering fresh, unspoiled humans.
“You’d better show me some respect. You’ll need to, if you want that worm-like life of yours spared.”
Since Lee Junho was always the only one to return alive, even the Association had grown suspicious.
So—
Though the number of casualties was large, he made sure it didn’t seem impossible by adjusting how many “survivors” returned.
In other words, this time too, the “chosen” ones would be able to walk out alive.
Of course, they’d have to swallow a “seed” and swear an oath of secrecy, but there was no need to mention that just yet.
And so, the voices of accusation vanished as if by magic.
Humans were like that.
When a lifeline was thrown before them—
When even a faint hope of survival appeared—
Their instincts began to build an entirely different logic.
That was the usual reaction, after all.
‘Well. There are ways to break that brainwashing later, though.’
Kang Yohan quietly watched Lee Junho’s manipulation unfold.
“Idiots. He’s saying almost all of you will die, and only a few will survive! What do you think your odds of winning the Squid Game are?!”
Sa Junhyuk shouted, but most of them had already lost their will to fight.
If none of their attacks worked in the first place, what else could they do?
Tsk.
Clicking his tongue, Sa Junhyuk turned desperately in another direction.
The SOS he’d been sending had actually been for one person.
The only one who might be able to stand against that absurd predator.
If the strength he’d shown against the statue was any indication, there might still be a faint chance of survival.
But—
Yohan only stood back, as if it were none of his concern.
“She’s not targeting me right now.”
“Your turn’s coming soon.”
“Sure, eventually. Next, or maybe the one after that? What’s certain is—it’s later than yours.”
“You rotten son of a—”
Sa Junhyuk’s face twisted in fury.
Yohan added casually, as though doing him a favor.
“But if you hand over the Hidden Piece you took, I might reconsider.”
The ‘Brooch of the Gray Zone.’
It had been used once, but still had two charges left.
Since Park Yeri had failed to retrieve it, perhaps it was time to make use of this opportunity.
“It won’t work on her anyway! The rank difference is too big—it won’t even activate!”
“I’m aware.”
If it had worked, he’d have used it long ago.
So what now?
If Sa Junhyuk refused, Yohan could always adorn his coffin with that brooch.
It was a handmade piece, after all—quite the stylish accessory for a trending casket.
“Damn it. Fine! Take it, all of it!”
Sa Junhyuk threw the brooch.
No matter how valuable an item was, it couldn’t outweigh one’s life.
Thud!
Good.
Got it.
“Now.”
Yohan gave a signal to the other side.
Pzzzt!
The Priests of the Sun, led by Pack Bedro, who had been gathering holy power, responded to Yohan’s command.
[Sacred Relic ‘Staff of Saint’ has been activated!]
A pure white brilliance gathered in one place.
As the radiance meant to destroy the evil of Revelation burst forth, the maple leaves began to tremble violently.
Ku-ku-ku-ku-ku!
The white runes composing the ritual amplified each other’s power.
“From the East rises the light, driving away the darkness of the West.”
At Pack Bedro’s words—
“Until that dawn arrives, your humble servants shall glean the grains of this barren earth.”
The Paladins and Priests answered, blood pouring from their mouths and noses.
[‘Holy Spear of Exorcism’ is being manifested!]
What appeared next was a pure white spear.
“Acceleration!”
At Pack Bedro’s shout, the Holy Spear of Exorcism was fired, carrying out divine retribution upon evil.
And then—
For the first time, a new emotion surfaced on Vivian’s face.
Everyone wished it would be confusion, or perhaps fear.
But they were wrong.
“Greed. Devour it.”
Vivian whispered toward the air.
Then—
Red eyes opened within the empty space.
‘Something’ with a black form and countless fangs.
Crunch! Crack!
They greedily chewed through the oncoming spear.
As if that wasn’t enough, they even bit into the Staff of Saint.
Fragments of the broken staff squirmed between the teeth before falling to the ground.
“Th-That’s impossible.”
“The Church’s Sacred Relic destroyed so easily…?”
The paladins and priests collapsed on the spot.
Having already poured out their divine power beyond its limits, they no longer had the strength to lift even a finger.
“So that’s all you can show me? Judging by those faces full of despair, I suppose there’s nothing interesting left.”
She had enjoyed the game—now it was time for her snack.
Vivian struck the ground twice with a staff resembling the one called “Greed.”
Thud! Thud!
[Vivian activates the skill ‘Slaughterhouse of Living Souls’!]
A thick fog spread along the ground.
“Urgh…”
“Keuk! Cough!”
Those caught within the range staggered and fell.
Alive, yet slowly—
Their life force began to drain away.
Blue crystals flowed out from their mouths, gathering and entering Vivian’s.
“Mmm.”
Vivian closed her eyes, savoring the taste and fragrance.
As expected, the flavor was sweetest when consumed fresh.
But then—
In the midst of her indulgence, Vivian sensed something off.
Among the prey that should have been writhing on the ground, one person remained standing.
“The fog’s thick. At this rate, even my clothes will get soaked.”
He even spoke leisurely, completely unaffected by the Slaughterhouse of Living Souls.
Who could possibly stand so boldly beneath her domain?
The question was soon answered.
The man with that deliciously sweet scent—
The one she had been saving for last—was staring straight at her.
＊＊＊
Yohan grimaced at the bitter, unpleasant taste filling his mouth.
“This is the worst, no matter how many times I take it.”
The Hidden Piece ‘Leaf of Living Soul’, the ‘Segarus Herb’ brought by the Priests of the Sun, and the ‘Ash Bark soaked in Holy Oil.’
Individually, they only offered additive effects—
But when all three were crushed and consumed together, the potency multiplied several times over.
Having already mastered Herbology across countless regressions, Yohan’s skill in mixing was near the level of a top-tier alchemist.
[‘Dew-Laden Window’ protects your soul.]
[Remaining Time: 0H : 19M : 59S]
It was as though he had erected a sanctuary within his body to shield his soul.
Even the Witch of the Maple Tree couldn’t easily breach that.
Moreover—
[Currently using S-rank item ‘White Flame Lighter’.]
He had converted all the virtue accumulated by Seo Changhee into pure Luck.
It was the greatest of fortunes—Grand Fortune—where everything simply went his way.
In simple terms—
Every goblin he killed would turn out to be a golden goblin.
Every dungeon he entered would overflow with opportunities and secret manuals.
Of course, given his opponent, some of that luck would inevitably be neutralized.
But since he never intended to rely solely on luck anyway, this much was enough.
As those thoughts passed through his mind, Vivian drew near.
Step.
She placed her fingertips beneath Yohan’s chin, bringing her face close—
So close he could feel her breath.
Hooop.
He could sense her trying to inhale his essence.
“……”
Yohan did nothing.
Yet even with direct contact, no trace of his vitality left his body.
“You truly are fascinating.”
Vivian’s squirrel-like eyes swept over him.
The ‘Eye of the Prophet’ within Yohan gleamed in return, discerning every detail about her.
[Vivian Astraia]
Occupation: Witch of the Maple Tree
Constellation Rank: 7th Moon, 11th Star
Unique Ability: Devouring of the Apocalypse (Greed)
Possessed Traits: [Inner Corrosion], [Dungeon Shift], [Nest Formation]
Description: Vivian, who holds the rank of the Clever Moon (巧月), is a witch who devours the vitality and fear of others within a hollow, lonely abyss. Though she wishes to ascend her constellation rank to fulfill her desire, the great restriction of solitude continually blocks her path.
A status window that would normally be impossible to see with a mere Lv1 Eye was displayed before him without any filter.
Normally, the overload would have fried his brain to a crisp.
But his vision remained fine.
That too, must be thanks to his Grand Fortune.
‘Heh. I’m getting quite a bit out of this.’
Their gazes locked, eyes exploring one another.
The stand-off—without evasion, without fear—lasted for nearly a minute.
[The Witch of the Maple Tree shows ‘Curiosity’ toward you.]
Of course, showing just this much would only stir a mild intrigue.
Therefore—
He needed something to push that interest to its peak.
He calmed his racing heart.
Slowed his breathing.
He exuded not composure, but arrogance.
If an act, born of falsehood, could deceive even the actor himself—then it was no longer a performance.
It was the reenactment of truth itself.
Yohan spoke first, in a cold tone, as if disappointed by a wasted trip.
“The 11th Star of the 7th Moon, huh…”
Uttering her rank as though it were nothing.
“I heard a new Moon was rising in the Grand Witches’ Assembly, but… is this all there is?”
He tore open the forbidden curtain without hesitation.
And finally—yes.
This would be the right line.
“How disappointing.”
Flat. Emotionless.
The point was in its casual indifference.
And, as expected—
“H-how could you…”
Vivian’s drowsy eyes widened in shock.