The Growth of a Titan
Chapter 122- The Denouement

Chapter 122: Chapter 122- The Denouement

"...So the Nian’s nervousness and desperation to keep his identity increased. How else was he going to devour the children in the Alvian Realm without this powerful Deity knowing? Filled with desperation, the Nian beast acted before Su Moon could react. Su Moon was more powerful and he was suspicious all along, but this monster had the face of this son. How complicated his emotions must have been to not even be able to raise a hand against someone with his son’s face, despite seeing his incoming death? The Nian beast jumped up from his seat knocking it over and successfully slashed Su Moon’s throat.

"However at this time, the real Su Jin entered the office and a fight broke out. It ended with the Nian beast winning. Then hoping to make this look like a planned assassination, the Nian beast went to the little girl’s room and killed her while she was still smiling having seen her older brother’s face. He then went to the mother’s room and sneak-attack her from behind, before killing her on the bed too."

Sol’s explanation was extremely lengthy, but he suddenly paused here and then looked at Yoon-Jae.

"After everything you did, perhaps you then realized that not everyone would believe that you were the only survivor of an assassination attempt like this. Or something occurred that made you change your mind to go through with this. You wanted to start over, maybe in a completely different place so you can continue eating. So what did you do? You restored Su Jin’s original appearance and your own from all those years ago, you then swap that appearance with the first servant’s own. After that, you killed the first servant and set it up to look like he killed Su Moon and then Su Jin in this office. With your new appearance as the first servant, you went to leave, but you had no idea that Su Moon had placed a Grand Formation around the Palace that traps his murderer."

Sol paused once again to look at Yoon-Jae, but he showed no change in expression so he continue.

"Frustrated, you waited for someone, anyone to enter this Palace. If there was more than one person you would disguise as someone in that group and wait for someone to pass the trial because if the trial is completed, the Formation Array will be released. You couldn’t do it yourself since the Formation Array still recognizes you as the killer somewhat despite changing your identity. But humans are greedy. After many years of waiting, an influx of people suddenly started entering this Palace, however, those people only fought with each other for a chance to complete the trial. They fought until time ran out and they were trapped in here with you."

After saying all of this, Sol looked at the ceiling in silence.

"Are you finished with your crazy talk? I must still be asleep, are you even thinking straight Sol?"

Yoon-Jea finally said after a while of not speaking, and he looked angry.

Sol looked away from the ceiling and smiled at Yoon-Jae, no, the Nian beast.

"The Formation Array recognizes both Su Jin and you as the killer after you switch appearance with him. Your ability is pretty strong, but that became a problem for you in this situation. Your first switch with Su Jin confused the Grand Formation Array to believe he was the killer, but your second switch with the first servant caused the Grand Formation Array to catch on to what was going on, trapping you here. So, do you want me to dip my finger in Su Jin’s blood and complete this trial so can escape?"

"Sol, aren’t you being a little paranoid?"

Sol looked down and a sad expression appeared on his face.

"What did you do to Brother Yoon-Jae? If you hurt him inside that void I’ll never forgive you."

"Sol..."

Yoon-Jae said with a frown.

"I wanted to act as casual as I could when I figured out your identity back in the room, but I almost erupted in anger when you took Little Zeel as a hostage. Give him back and I’ll open the Formation Array."

Yoon-Jae’s face suddenly relaxed, and his grip on Little Zeel tightened.

Sol’s eyes suddenly flashed with a murderous light and he placed his hands on the desk before leaning forward like he was ready to pounce.

He had accidentally placed his hand in Su Moon’s blood that was on the table, but he didn’t seem to care.

"Sol, you’re the one who’s been going on and on about solving this mystery. You said I’m the Nian beast and I set this entire murder mystery up so I can passively watch as you solve it by using Su Jin’s blood. With that, the Formation Array will open, releasing me. But if I was the Nian beast, wouldn’t I just create this entire game and solve it myself? Then I’ll concoct a situation where I accuse someone else of being the Nian beast. Wouldn’t that person do everything in their power to prove they’re not the Nian beast? They’ll even offer to open the Formation Array because the Nian beast wouldn’t be able to do it. So, do you want me to open the Formation Array so I can prove I’m not the Nian beast? I’ll do it and release you if you tell me where my friend is, if you hurt him I swear I’ll make you regret it."

Yoon-Jae’s grip on Little Zeel tightened.

Sol could be seen gritting his teeth.

"BASTARD! LET GO OF MY FRIEND!!"

Sol suddenly roared out and leaped from his chair to attack Yoon-Jae.

Yoon-Jae immediately pulled his head back to dodge Sol’s swipe, but the chair tilted back.

Yoon-Jae hurriedly tried to correct his posture as the chair fell, but he was so unbalanced that his body almost fell back to where Su Jin’s corpse was.

Luckily he was able to shift his body in time to dodge Su Jin and his suppressive aura.

Yoon-Jae then turned to look at Sol who was staring at him with bloodshot eyes that had immense rage pouring out.

Yoon-Jae also instinctively grabbed at his neck, if Sol had at the very least a short sword in his hand when he made his move, his neck would have been sliced.

BANG!

Sol suddenly slammed his hand on the desk sending the already scattered papers on the desk flying away.

He then used this momentum to leap over the desk and charge at Yoon-Jae, who turned and ran.

Swoosh!

Yoon-Jae zoomed out of the office through the wide open door.

Sol chased after him, but as he was doing so, he suddenly turned and flicked his finger which had golden blood on it onto the rune in the center of the room.

The rune glowed before a smaller version of it branded itself on Sol’s right palm.

Everything happened extremely fast and the two were out the door in a flash.

Yoon-Jae suddenly slowed down so Sol could catch up.

"Tell me what happened back there!"

Yoon-Jae immediately yelled, he wanted answers.

Sol shook his head.

"No time to talk, just run!"

While their figures were sprinting down the hallway, inside the office, a ghastly black energy suddenly began emanating from Su Moon’s body in the corner.

"You fucking brats dare play me for a fool!!"

A distorted and bone-chilling voice resounded in the room. Then all of a sudden, the illusion faded.

No longer was the room and Palace luxurious, or the dead bodies fresh.

The Palace slowly began to gain a decrepit look, while the two dead bodies in the center of the office become mere bones; like they have been decomposing for tens of thousands of years.

What also changed was that the suppressive aura around the first servant with the dagger in his had disappeared like it never existed. But the suppressive aura around Su Jin was still there.

BANG!!

The doorway to the office was destroyed and a torrential amount of dark aura poured out into the hall.

Sol and Yoon-Jae looked back and saw a hideous creature slithering its way out of the office.

It was without a nose, eyes, or ears, only a mouth so it could wholeheartedly focus on eating.

It had a ghastly black slender body that could easily slip through the smallest of gaps in doors or windows.

Its four legs were slender as well, good enough to allow it to walk on thin glass and not break it. Or good enough to walk in the middle of the night without making a sound.

It had several arms too, fitting enough to capture and carry numerous children back to its cave to devour them.

This creature was pure nightmare fuel.

It was a Nian beast.

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So my lovely readers did you enjoy this murder mystery arc? Of course it’s not finished as yet, so if you’ve been enjoying it so far prepare for the finale! And thanks for reading :)

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