TDWAD 30

TDWAD

Posted by Arsiii_here, Released on August 18, 2025

Chapter 30

It was a lapse in vigilance.
That’s where everything went wrong.

If only I had double-checked Siren’s movements.

If only I’d spoken openly.

No, from the very beginning—

…Bringing her to Gimcheon was the real mistake.

If only, if not, if things had gone just a little differently.

A hundred “what ifs” closed in around Doyun’s chest like a vice.

Sssshhhhh.

Darkness crept through Siren’s body.

Along her skin.

Through her veins.

Deep into her marrow—

“Gggh…AAAAAAGGGH!”

The groan she had tried to swallow exploded as a scream.

Her neck bent like a broken doll.

Her eyes, forced wide open, were overtaken by blackened veins.

It’s too late.

The demonic spirit had overtaken her brain, spreading like wildfire through every nerve in her body.

She’s already…

All that remained was a shell of a human—now in the demon’s clutches.

With a bitter face, Doyun looked up at the brightening sky.

He could feel a presence approaching, cutting through the air.

Han Yeon-ha.

If she were to see Siren like this…?

It’s over.

He had wanted to use the Tunnel Vanishing and the Gimcheon Gate to make a point.

To engrave it into her mind.

That just because she was gifted with healing didn’t mean she had to sacrifice herself.

That she could shed the burden of being the “Snow-White Saint.”

That she didn’t have to shatter when she hit her limits.

That even at the ends of the world, there would be someone she could rely on.

That he wanted to be that someone.

It’s all for nothing now.

The tower he’d built was crumbling in an instant.

If this was the fate all along…

A ruthless resolve hardened in his chest.

To protect Han Yeon-ha—

Fwoooosh.

Doyun drew his flaming sword. His face was expressionless.

She’s better off not seeing this.

Step—

He knew.

He knew this was a selfish form of protection.

He was stealing from her the right to grieve, to break, to shatter.

Step—

Even so, he moved forward. His mind remained cool.

He would not stumble, not from the heat of emotion.

Because he was a national guardian.

He had already endured more dilemmas than anyone could count.

But still—

Is this really the best way?

He infused his inner energy into the hilt of his sword.

Refined energy pulsed out.

He stared intently as the blue aura enveloped the blade.

His brain cells spun furiously, steaming with overdrive.

It felt like he was just a breath away from a revelation.

A possibility he hadn’t yet seen.

An absurd answer that might just exist.

Something—just out of reach.

Screeeeech!

The flaming sword stopped just short of Siren’s neck.

“…Got you.”

Even though he’d stayed his blade, his face remained grim.

Whoooosh.

Doyun signaled toward Han Yeon-ha, who was slowly approaching.

Thump.

As soon as she folded her pitch-black wings, she let out a sigh of relief.

“You scared me! I thought you left me behind… Why did you go ahead without me?”

“Because… there’s something I need to ask you first.”

Doyun felt his throat tighten as he spoke.

“That mirror earlier. That was a reward from the Black Ghost hunt, right?”

“Huh? Um… yeah.”

Yeon-ha nodded.

“I got it along with a message saying the hunt was a success.”

“Can I take a look?”

“It’s nothing special. Just a 6% contribution reward…”

“That’s fine.”

A blue flash passed through her eyes as she summoned the item.

A small, antique hand mirror appeared, like something a princess might’ve used in an old castle.

“This is it.”

As he took it, a status window popped up.

[‘Blackened Hand Mirror (Rare)’]

Once meant to reflect beauty, this mirror became a vessel to reveal the truth of monsters after a bloody night at the ducal manor.
Turns transparent upon contact with a ‘monstrosity’, revealing its true nature.
Provokes an instinctive aversion response from ‘monstrosities’.

“Just as I thought.”

“Huh? What?”

“Why’d you pull it out while the demonic spirit was clinging to her? Did the status guide you?”

“There was no guide. I just… thought of the spirits in the tunnel.”

“Dark entities and monstrosities look similar, but they’re fundamentally different. Anyway, what happened next? Did the mirror turn transparent?”

“I think it did…”

“This is critical. We can’t proceed on ‘maybe’.”

Doyun grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Breathe. Try to recall—did it definitely go transparent?”

“Yes… yes, it did.”

“What did you see in the mirror?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re sure of both? On a scale of 1 to 10?”

“9… no, 9.9. It was barely five minutes ago!”

“Good. Then let’s begin.”

Begin what?

Yeon-ha tilted her head in confusion but followed behind Doyun.

Ding-a-ling.

That was the name of the eatery Doyun stepped into.

The place looked like it had barely survived a firebombing, but the furniture inside remained intact.

“Were you that hungry…?”

“This way.”

Doyun stepped aside to reveal someone tied to the table.

“…?”

A woman’s back.

Though bound tightly with cords and tape, her body struggled with wild desperation.

“Wh-Who are you?!”

“Don’t panic. You’ll need to keep your wits about you.”

Doyun lifted the woman’s chin.

“E…ren unnie?”

Han Yeon-ha’s eyes went wide with shock.

“What is that black aura…?”

Her lips went pale.

“You already know, don’t you? She’s been overtaken by a demonic spirit.”

“Unnie?! UNNIEEE!!”

Her body moved before her voice.

“Let me go!”

Doyun grabbed her arms tightly, meeting her eyes.

“You need to stay calm. If you lose your head now, you’ll lose her for good.”

“What’s going on? Why is Eren unnie still here?”

“I don’t know the full story. And there’s no time to explain.”

“She’s not really possessed, right? You can exorcise it, right?”

“Even one demonic spirit is enough to hijack a monster’s body. This one? The entire hive mind is using her as a host. No one can save her now.”

“No…!”

“But we’re going to make a miracle happen.”

“…!”

A flicker of hope sparked across Yeon-ha’s face.

“R-Really?”

“If you play your part.”

She steadied her breath.

“What do I have to do?”

“Stay in contact with Siren. No matter what, don’t let go. Keep [Regeneration Boost] active at all times.”

“Got it.”

“More importantly, use the ‘Blackened Hand Mirror.’ Can you hold off the interference?”

“I won’t mess up. I swear.”

“I believe you. But you have to believe in me too.”

The mirror showed transparency in the face of a demonic spirit.

If that’s true—

Then so should this skill.

[Activating ‘Toy Repairman’s Toolbelt (S)’]

[Borrowed – ‘Toy Repairman’s Screwdriver’]

A tiny, fluorescent screwdriver nestled between his fingers.

Too cute to look effective—but…

It’s the very emblem of a monster physiotherapist.

Doyun reversed his grip and swung it.

Crack!

The aura around Siren split and recoiled.

Just as I thought.

With confirmation, he acted without hesitation.

He grabbed Siren’s neck—

And stabbed the screwdriver straight into her cervical spine.

Ah…!

Yeon-ha flinched.

But she didn’t let go.

I trust Doyun.

She had no idea what he was doing, but she believed in him.

He always made miracles.

Doyun slowly rotated the screwdriver.

Crackle…

The black aura trembled and thinned.

Siren’s face began to relax.

A familiar light returned to her eyes.

“Hyun Doyun… Yeon-ha…”

“Unnie!”

“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have come back… What was I trying to prove…?”

“Don’t worry. Doyun will fix everything.”

“These… things… they don’t go away so easily… I’m done for… Please… run—AAAAAAGH!”

Her eyes rolled back.

[Repair Efficiency Critically Low!]

[VVIP Tip: Target is a ‘Dark Power-Origin Entity’. Compatibility with monster tools is limited.]

[Repair Halted!]

[Reason: Tool capacity exceeded.]

He tried rotating again, but the screwdriver wouldn’t budge.

[Repair Impossible]

Instead, the suppressed spirits burst out, flooding the restaurant with black mist.

Ssshhhhhhh!

They lunged, baring their teeth.

Slash! Slash!

“Ghhk…”

“D-Doyun!”

“Don’t panic. Keep your hand there—and use the mirror.”

Blood streamed from his back, shoulder, and neck, but Doyun didn’t flinch. He tapped at his status window.

[Mystique 1 → 10]

[Spend 5,900P. Proceed? Y/N]

Proceed.

His method was simple and brutal.

So what if it was only 10% effective?

Then crank it up tenfold. If it’s 1%? Make it a hundred.

[Mystique 10 → 15]

[Spend 27,500P. Proceed? Y/N]

Do it.

Ever so slightly, like an old rusted lock creaking open—

The screwdriver began to turn again.

Should I push further? …No. There’s a limit to brute force.

Time to make a gamble.

[Skill – Toy Repairman’s Toolbelt (S)]

He stared at the skill.

[Skill can be upgraded.]

[Remaining Skill Points: 2]

He hadn’t forgotten.

One point from the Pocheon Gate.

One more from the Black Ghost hunt.

Saved for this exact moment.

[Upgrade ‘Toy Repairman’s Toolbelt (S)’? Y/N]

Do it.

[Skill Upgrade Successful!]

[Toy Repairman’s Toolbelt (S) → (S+)]

Doyun gripped the screwdriver tight.

If this failed, he’d upgrade it again.

With that resolve, he turned it—

Crrrreeeak…

It’s working!

CreeeEEEEEEEEE!

The black aura violently twisted.

Fwoooosh!

Like a vacuum, the dark mist was sucked into Siren’s eyes, nose, mouth, and pores.

The fragments hiding inside her fled toward her chest, where they merged.

And finally, took the form of a single, undesired entity.

“……!”

Siren opened her eyes.

Even the whites were pitch black.

“You tore us out by the roots… and still…”

A hollow, monstrous voice rumbled from her throat.

“…You won’t let one cradle remain…?”

“How tragic.”

Doyun wiped a mock tear.

“You’re right. Maybe I went too far. Should I spare you?”

“Really…?”

“Would I lie? I’ll give you a new home.”

Grinning, Doyun twisted the screwdriver one final time.

“BLEAAGH…!”

Siren vomited a dark, clotted mass.

[Borrowed – ‘Toy Repairman’s Magnifying Glass’]

He lifted it and peered at the black lump.

Seed of the Demonic Spirit (마령의 씨앗)

: A condensed demonic spirit from the Gimcheon Gate boss ‘Dark Flame Demon Ancestor’. The core of the hive mind, retaining the will and regenerative properties of the original body.

[Repair complete despite not being a monster. Kind of just… slid through.]

[Abnormal route detected??? Monster… collectible? Possible?? Possib—Remaining slots: 2/3]

[Collecting. Will collect. Co…Coll… Y??/N??]

What the…?!

Doyun’s eyes lit up.

Clearly a glitched message.

A broken prompt.

A malfunctioning status window.

A hidden event he absolutely couldn’t skip.

He remembered the regret of players who passed on such moments.

Collect.

Without hesitation, he tapped the Y.