Chapter 80
The agility stat that had not reached the threshold increased by 1.
The battle between Yi Gahyun’s avatar and the enemy had provided a considerable amount of experience.
“If I raise it by just 1 more, will my agility stat reach 70?”
Since the thresholds for agility at 69 and 70 differed, it would require accumulating a much greater amount of experience, but it was a very rewarding task.
Meanwhile, the mana stat had also increased, finally reaching 50 after lingering in the 40s.
Having crossed a barrier, it meant that there could be a different accomplishment in handling mana in the future.
Considering the events that would unfold at the Geumgang Academy, it was advisable to raise the mana stat as much as possible.
Leaving that aside.
“I need to find Yi Gahyun’s soul stone.”
Defeating Yi Gahyun was not the end of it.
Just as mana stones dropped from monsters, soul stones emerged from witches.
Until confirming that, one could not recklessly guarantee her life or death.
Chiik…
I silently stared at where Yi Gahyun had been hit by the lightning.
The lightning that had illuminated the world had faded, leaving behind heat and smoke rising in the air.
“The final blow you delivered was impressive. I thought that sword wasn’t ordinary, but I didn’t expect it to hold such power. Let’s spar with that sword next time.”
“Oh, it was fun! Really fun! I could’ve dealt the finishing blow, you know? But I held back because you’re a good opponent. Wasn’t I good?”
“Everyone, is anyone injured? If so, I can treat you.”
Yong Haerang, Nam Yuri, Lisa, and others who had fought alongside me approached.
Yeon Haneul naturally stood by my side.
I thanked them for their help and did not divert my gaze from the rising smoke.
Then, Yong Haerang asked, “But why do you look so serious when it’s all over?”
“I can’t conclude it’s over until the soul stone appears.”
“Oh, right, there was a soul stone. Well, since there’s no sign of life, she must be dead.”
Even so, one couldn’t be at ease until confirming with their own eyes.
Yong Haerang and the others seemed to agree with my words.
We decided not to converse further and waited for the smoke to dissipate.
In the midst of it all, Mina-rin flicked her finger, stirring up a gust of wind in the vicinity.
“Hmph, just collecting the smoke should do the trick. Are you trying to just stand there and watch?”
Grumbling to herself.
Mina-rin, who had been standing apart from us, controlled the wind and swiftly gathered the smoke.
Occasionally, as if expressing her displeasure, she glanced in my direction.
“Did I do something to upset her?”
I was genuinely curious.
In the game, the relationship between Do Gyun-woo and Mina-rin wasn’t bad. To be precise, for Mina-rin, the introverted and timid Do Gyun-woo was someone outside her scope of interest. Not to be ignored, but not someone who showed any particular interest either. It was merely a relationship that came about as a result of mingling with Kang Han-byeol. So, her gaze was secretly unsettling to me.
“It doesn’t seem like there’s any resentment… I should ask her about it next time.”
It’s better to clear up misunderstandings. There’s nothing good about harboring animosity between those who will be entangled in the game’s story going forward. I decided to seize the opportunity soon and quickly took in the scene where all the smoke had dissipated.
“….”
Iga Hyun, with his lower body reminiscent of a spider, was crouched on the ground. His fur had been scorched off by the wall flame, leaving only a charred upper body in human form. The area of his chest that had taken the brunt of the attack was deeply gouged. There was no blood coming out. Whether the wall flame had burned up his insides or he was empty like a shell, was uncertain. It felt like if touched, it would crumble into ashes. I reached into it and scratched my head. “….Nothing here.” Normally, the core of existence, the mana stone and soul stone, resided in the heart. However, even after rummaging through Iga Hyun’s insides, there was nothing to grasp. I could only feel the rib cage protecting the heart, which crumbled to ashes as soon as my hand touched it. My hand, taken out from his corpse, was covered in thick layers of ashes. “Heavens, please examine the lower body.” “Got it, I’ll check.” “Seems like things are going wrong. I’ll help too!”
Yeon Ha-neul and Nam Yu-ri, holding the device, demolished Iga Hyun’s lower body. They were trying to find the soul stone amidst the scattering ashes. Lisa also joined in. Soon, she raised her head with a dark expression. “I checked for any condensed magical reactions in the vicinity to see if anything fell around, but there’s no detection.” The absence of soul stones around meant that ultimately Iga Hyun hadn’t died; he had escaped just before dying. He slipped away unnoticed.
The sense of impending doom was undeniable.
“Even when it seems like I’ve killed everyone in the game and do one thing well, damn it…”
I couldn’t let her slip away like this.
I had to capture her somehow.
Fortunately, there was a clue to where she might have fled.
“She must be heading towards the gate to escape.”
With her mana depleted even in her enchanted state, Lee Gahyun wouldn’t have much strength left.
It was obvious that she would return to her original world to preserve her soul and relay information about us to her main body.
Luckily, the gate was set near the forest where we were.
She was undoubtedly heading for the gate.
“We need to hurry to the gate.”
I had to arrive before Lee Gahyun.
I made a decision and spoke to the people around me.
“I’m going to chase Lee Gahyun from now on. So, I need your help.”
“If a friend asks for help, how can we refuse! Sure, Dogyeonwoo! What do you need help with?”
“What? What? What? I’m not usually one to be asked for favors, but it seems like something fun is going on, so I’ll help out specially!”
Yong Haerang and Nam Yoori readily agreed.
Yeon Haneul and Lisa nodded in agreement.
I instructed them.
“It’s an urgent situation, so I won’t explain in detail. I’ll jump from a high place, using wind and force as propulsion to fly to where the gate is. Nam Yoori, can you raise the ground?”
“It’s possible with alchemy! I roughly understand what Dogyeonwoo is thinking! We just need to create a high jump platform, right? Luckily, there’s a pile of ashes, so I can make it sturdy. Leave it to me!”
Stepping on the ashes, Nam Yoori clapped her hands and brought them to the ground.
Immediately, light spread from her, creating a platform.
The mineral components scattered on the ground reacted, and a steep structure rose from the center of the platform created by Nam Yoori.
“God, please give a hammer to Yong Haerang. Yong Haerang, run with me to that point, carry me on the hammer, and throw me to where the gate is. Do you know the location of the gate?”
“I don’t know that, but just throw me somehow by instinct! Don’t worry!”
“…Right, you’re bad with directions. God, please let her know the location of the gate. And when I fly over, create wind that I can use as propulsion.”
“Are you trying to do something dangerous again… Just create wind? What about an explosion?”
“If you cast magic simultaneously, the effect will be diminished. So, ask Min Arin for the explosion. Min Arin, will you help?”
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“Why should I do as you say? Just because we fought together once, don’t order me around. I don’t even know what to believe and help you with, and if it’s a runaway mine, I can catch her alone.”
Min Arin, with her eyes narrowed, retorted sharply.
Unlike the people I had a connection with, she, whom I met for the first time today, was not very friendly.
“Min Arin’s personality is like this… stubborn, with a high nose as a member of a prestigious family, strong competitive spirit, not used to receiving help from others, and always trying to solve things on her own. That’s Min Arin’s character.”
In the game, her character changed from a shy timid girl to Min Arin after the first semester of the first year ended.
“How should I persuade Min Arin… Would it be better to touch her pride?”
Knowing the flow of the game, I wasn’t particularly upset by Min Arin’s attitude.
Instead, I started to think about how to persuade her.
But there was no need for that.
Before I could say anything, Yeon Haneul convinced her.
“Are you not going to help?”
“…Ugh! If you help, it’ll be fine! Just help! So, get rid of that!”
“….”
Yeonnah lifted the sledgehammer she was about to hand over to Yongha to above her head.
Then, turning her body towards Minarin, she unexpectedly decided to cooperate with her.
Knowing her personality, it was nothing short of surprising for me.
“What’s going on? Minarin isn’t the type to act so composed when threatened, right?”
Strange.
Was there something between the two of them?
I wanted to ask Yeonnah about it, but the urgency of the situation left no room for that.
I decided to take it lightly.
“Then, Minarin, you can take on the role of flying with Haneul.”
“Ugh, fine. If my body were healed, I wouldn’t be in this situation…”
“Flying is fine. But how will you land? It’ll be tough to cushion the fall from a considerable height.”
“I had considered that. Lisa, can you cast a spell that will protect me from the impact of a fall?”
“Ah… I think that’s possible. Yes, I will cast it.”
Lastly, even Lisa lent her strength.
With the protective spell from her, I stood in front of the sculpture with Yongha, wielding the sledgehammer.
“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”
“Yeah, just trust me!”
“Let’s go.”
I ran towards the sculpture.
Yongha closely followed behind me.
Soon, we leaped onto the sculpture and raced to the top.
Before long, we reached the summit.
“Dogyunwoo!”
“Yes.”
I planted my foot on the sledgehammer Yongha was swinging with all his might, propelling me up into the night sky.
“Fly, Dogyunwoo! Pasha!”
Below, Yeonnah and Minarin unleashed the magic they were casting.
Strong winds and explosions pushed me high and far away.
Meanwhile, Lisa’s protective spell kicked in, shielding me from the damage caused by the propulsive magic.
Crack!
It was close to activating the Gift.
My vision was instantly pushed back, my body spinning uncontrollably, my mind on the brink of dizziness, yet in that situation, I instinctively focused on evading death.
Instinctively, I fought desperately to avoid death at all costs.
No matter how much one may claim to be a skilled puppeteer, there are limits to what can be achieved through a puppet’s physical abilities.
Moreover, the performance of a doll containing a soul was notably lacking.
Even if reinforced with one’s own power, the potential possessed by the doll was beyond Igahyeon’s control.
Despite believing that the doll was capable enough to confront examinees, little did he know that not only would his true identity be exposed, but he would also be cornered by their joint attack.
“If I had faced them in person, or at least confronted them with my collection…”
He wouldn’t have fled like this.
However, in the world of hunters, where death could come at any moment, such assumptions were meaningless.
A single mistake, and facing death due to sheer bad luck, that was the essence of a hunter’s life.
A mine that violated the hunter’s principles would particularly bring death closer.
It was his own fault for not anticipating being cornered despite being aware of this.
Hence, boasting of mental victory was not the way to go.
It was far more beneficial to struggle frantically to survive in that time.
Snap!
“Unbelievable…”
That’s why Igahyeon found himself inside the body of a monster belonging to the weakest class, Rank 1, Picatail.
A Rank 1 monster resembling a mix of a rabbit and a mouse.
Just before a lightning bolt struck from the night sky, she had extracted a soul stone from the body and transferred her soul into the nearby Picatail’s body.
For her, who displayed obsessive attachment to a beautiful human form, the situation was nothing short of disgraceful and shameful.
Snap!
“I have to escape before they notice.”
It was not a pleasant appearance.
How pitiful it was to struggle to live in such an unattractive form.
She was disappointed in herself.
It was pathetic.
She felt like committing suicide.
Yet, the reason she was running was that she was a puppet, not her true self.
“If my soul were to pass on to them, the me outside would be incomplete, imperfect.”
Imperfection was not beautiful.
The idea that her true self would become incomplete due to the puppet’s death was even more intolerable than the current situation.
That’s why she was fleeing like this.
Snap!
“Luckily, the gate is nearby, and Picatail is fast.”
For Igahyeon, this was a relatively fortunate situation.
If she could escape through the gate, she could establish contact through the connection path linked to her true self’s soul and summon her true self.
She would be complete.
Meanwhile, she could also convey the events experienced at the gate to her true self.
Snap!
“I’m not disappointed for not seeing the disciple of Tugwi, but it wasn’t a profitless endeavor. It’s not just the disciple of Tugwi who needs to be cautious; other kids also possess significant potential.”
One day, when they grow up to be hunters, they could become dangerous enemies.
Or they could become reliable allies.
Especially, the young swordsman, Dogyeonwoo, who pushed himself to this extent.
Snap!
“Hmm, that kid is really something…”
His potential is immeasurable.
Although his mana seemed limited, he compensated for it by possessing sharp reflexes and combat instincts.
He knew how to use his wits, and at times, he didn’t hesitate to resort to any means to achieve his goals.
He’s a character suited for a villain.
Snap!
“How can I twist that kid into becoming a villain…”
His innocent face unintentionally evoked a protective instinct.
Unfair.
It aligns perfectly with his taste.
Snap!
“I want to groom that kid as my partner. If I get bored, I could turn him into a part of my collection.”
Truly an unexpected gain.
Igahyeon was willing to leave this world, even if it meant informing Dogyeonwoo’s whereabouts to the main body.
She was soon about to emerge from the forest when she spotted a gate.
Snap!
“Just need to get through that!”
Night was turning into day.
Soon, the night would pass.
Not much time left.
Igahyeon forcefully pounded the ground with the strength of a rabbit’s legs.
Around that time, a woman near the gate caught her eye.
Snap!
“Move out of the way, you’re in my path!”
The woman had long hair.
Judging by her attire, she didn’t seem to be an evaluator.
A student.
No need to fear then.
Igahyeon swiftly passed her, heading towards the gate.
However, there were five things she overlooked due to her eagerness to return to her original world, neglecting to observe her surroundings properly.
…Snap?
“…Huh?”
One, the fact that the woman stood alone in the forest teeming with monsters.
Two, there were monster corpses or mana stones scattered around the woman.
Three, it indicated the woman was quite skilled.
Four, the heart of a woman who cannot sleep is deeply wounded.
Lastly, five.
The woman was Cha Eun-sol.
Lee Ga-hyun finally realized her identity as she turned her body towards him, looking into her green eyes.
Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, his mind was paralyzed.
And Cha Eun-sol…
“So, that’s how it is with you?”
She asked, her green eyes shining.
But he didn’t attempt to answer.
To her, who had already grasped the situation through the spirits living in the forest, it was an unnecessary question.
Yet, the question was asked to foreshadow the events to come.
────!!
Cha Eun-sol’s hair fluttered.
A fierce wind blew from behind her towards Lee Ga-hyun.
Crack!
Lee Ga-hyun couldn’t withstand the wind.
He barely escaped with his life.
Collapsed on the ground, he lifted his head.
“Crack, it’s noisy.”
Cha Eun-sol was slowly approaching.
Her eyes seemed to be saying that she wouldn’t spare him.
Crack…
‘Is this the end…’
Facing a spirit, with her potential matching that of examinees who had fought so far, there was no way for him to escape.
With this body, it was impossible.
Lee Ga-hyun resigned himself to seeing her coming to kill him.
It seemed like this was the end.
That was what he thought.
Crack?
‘Ah…’
A presence was felt above his head.
A powerful energy was descending.
With Cha Eun-sol in front of him, Lee Ga-hyun absentmindedly looked up at the night sky.
As time passed under the stars and moon, dawn was breaking in the sky.
From that sky…
＜Beast King Style Attack Type 7＞
Lion Roar
Shingum Do-ga’s Do-gyeonu.
He was falling down.
His lips moved.
It seemed as if he was saying this.
“Found it.”
…he said.
Doyeongwoo, falling towards himself, was showing a refreshing smile.
It’s unfair how he confidently wears a face that involuntarily makes you want to torment him. It rather makes you want to be tormented.
Tap….
“Ah….”
A face where elegance and mischief coexist.
Truly, it’s his taste.
Since he’s going to die anyway, wouldn’t it be better to die by the hands of someone who fits his taste?
She, who pursues beauty, suddenly leaped towards Doyeongwoo.
Squeezing out the remaining strength she had, she sent her resolve to him.
You truly fit my taste. I want to make you part of my collection. You, pass.
“…!”
Doyeongwoo’s face flinched.
His face stiffened.
But that too was short-lived.
He struck back and opened his mouth.
“Yes, you fail.”
A blue lightning bolt shot up.
Igahyun left behind a soul stone and vanished.