Chapter 73 Who could I be?
Following Han Shin-woo’s roar, an unidentified boy transformed into a monster.
His appearance changed to something almost identical to the pitch-black form from earlier, causing Lee Hee-jeong to faint.
However.
“There’s no way he’s as strong as that monster!”
The reason a monster used a weapon like a ‘sword’ was obvious.
It could only be seen as a sign that his basic specs were lacking.
Her fear lasted only a moment.
Lee Hee-jeong transformed her entire arm into a blade and quickly leaped to clash swords with the nameless boy.
Clang!
Clank, clank, clank…!
“Ugh?!”
Just as expected.
Although it seemed he had good equipment, Lee Hee-jeong was briefly surprised to find her arm being pushed back.
“Your side is exposed!”
Thud!
She was a monster with the supreme attacking power to turn her entire body into blades.
Feigning to fall backward, she transformed one of her legs into a blade and kicked the boy’s side.
Clang.
‘It’s hard…?!’
Despite everything, could he resemble Han Shin-woo’s form from earlier?
However, he only looked somewhat similar.
“Rise!”
Puuuk!
“?!”
“Kyahaha! Take that!”
Unlike Han Shin-woo, who hadn’t even been scratched earlier, the boy’s black body showed fine cracks after being slashed.
Lee Hee-jeong’s skill allowed her to generate blades inside her body, but it had the limitation of only being usable against opponents who had taken some damage.
“No matter how strong you are, you can’t train your internal organs. You’ve lost.”
As blades sprouted from his side, the boy fell to one knee, and Lee Hee-jeong laughed triumphantly.
But.
Bang!
Suddenly, at that moment.
“Huh?!”
The boy stabbed his own bleeding side with the sword he was holding.
Thinking he had given up, Lee Hee-jeong watched in confusion.
“Hoo…!”
“My, my body…!”
He deliberately sent black magic into the blades, blowing up the already injured side while simultaneously regenerating his bones and flesh.
Seeing the boy return to his original state, Lee Hee-jeong was speechless.
“So, you can only sprout blades from targets you wounded.”
“…!”
“…As expected, this is the extent of your current ability.”
“W-what is this!”
“This is the end of the game.”
As if he had taken the hit on purpose to test her, he swiftly leaped forward and sliced Lee Hee-jeong’s transforming body into two pieces.
Slice.
Four pieces.
Slice, slice.
Eight pieces.
Slice, slice, slice, slice.
He cut her into so many pieces, excluding her head, that she looked like a cube.
Before all of the pieces hit the ground.
“Argh, ugh…!”
“Spend the rest of your life in hell, atoning to the people you killed. Lee Hee-jeong.”
“Y-you, y-y-you!!”
“Aroundite – Activate!!”
The boy shot the holy sword, imbued with pitch-black magic, straight into the sky.
The impact caused a pillar of magical energy to pierce the clouds, like a black comet rising from the ground where they stood.
“Hoo…”
After a while, the boy, drenched in sweat, finally reverted to his human form as he stood over the place where Lee Hee-jeong had died without a trace.
“Heh. Interesting.”
“…!”
But at that moment.
Taking advantage of his momentary carelessness, someone aimed a blade at the boy’s throat.
“Who would have thought that the monster of Jamsil was actually such a young boy? And to think you would even use a sword.”
A situation where even a slight movement would cause a large wound on his neck.
Despite that, the boy smirked at the familiar voice he hadn’t heard in a long time.
“The monster of Jamsil… Well, it was called that around this time, wasn’t it? But you’ve got the wrong person, Miss Katarina.”
“?! …You know me?”
“Of course I do. Use your ability to search through numerous parallel worlds. And even look into the future. Then you’ll know who I am.”
Katarina had been out to cheer up Riverin, who had been depressed because of the recent Jamsil monster incident.
Seeing the unidentified boy who knew her so well, she couldn’t just leave him.
“…Follow me for now.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“On the way, close your eyes…”
“Weren’t you headed to that crumbling old house anyway? I already know, so let’s just go.”
“Who the hell are you?!”
Somehow drawn into the boy’s pace, she had no choice but to go along with him.
***
…I don’t want to open my eyes.
I could have regained my senses long ago.
But now… no, I wanted to stay in this darkness forever if possible.
Because the moment I wake up.
Slice.
I would have to face reality.
The characteristic of a Fighter Hunter who couldn’t wear equipment but could make all attacks critical hits.
However, knowing all too well the fate of Fighter Hunters without major body parts like arms or legs.
“I guess… I can’t live as a Hunter anymore?”
I could somehow compensate with one eye by enhancing my senses.
But I had lost not just one hand but also one leg.
Thanks to Shin-woo, I barely survived, but that was all.
Yoo Che-ran was afraid of going back to her past before she had dreams again, so she didn’t regain her senses.
But.
“…I still have to go back.”
If I kept avoiding reality like this, everyone would be sad.
Grandmother.
Master.
And Shin-woo, who saved me, would all be waiting for me.
So, breaking free from her fear, Che-ran finally opened her eyes in the hospital room.
“Che, Che-ran!”
“Gran, mother…”
Her grandmother, who seemed to have been sitting by her hospital bed and nursing her, burst into tears.
Seeing her grandmother cry, Che-ran was glad she had come back.
‘Thank goodness. I can see grandmother’s face again.’
And that wasn’t all.
“Che-ran!”
“Shin-woo…? Why are you in my hospital room…”
“Because I was worried, I’ve been waiting here!”
“Waiting…?”
Turning her head, she saw the sun just rising outside the window.
It meant it was early morning.
Had Shin-woo been so worried that he not only saved her life but also waited for her to wake up?
“Tha-thank you… Shin-woo.”
From a young age, unlike studying, she had always had another unfulfilled dream.
Feeling like she finally had a ‘friend’ made Yoo Che-ran even happier.
But she couldn’t relax completely.
Because soon she would have to face the reality under the blanket.
Her body, which would force her to declare her death as a Hunter.
“Sigh… Hoo…”
“Che-ran?”
After taking a deep breath, once she was ready, Yoo Che-ran boldly threw off the blanket with her one working hand.
And inside there was…
“…Huh?”
Although covered in bandages, her severed limbs were still attached.
“What on earth…?”
She had thought the cleanly severed ends would never be restored, but seeing the well-healed wounds left her dumbfounded.
“Why? Were you scared you would retire earlier than me like this?”
“…! M-Master!”
Rolling entered the hospital room.
Seeing her master greet her grandmother, Yoo Che-ran decided to ask a question first in this incomprehensible situation.
“My, my legs! And arm! What on earth happened?”
“What do you mean, I just went a bit overboard and fixed them.”
“You, Master…? But Master, you don’t particularly have healing abilities. So how…”
“Well, I have connections better than healing powers.”
Winking once, Rolling showed a small glass bottle to the lying Che-ran.
At first, Che-ran tilted her head in confusion at the tiny glass bottle.
“…?! N-no way!”
She pondered what kind of liquid could be in such a small bottle.
After thinking it over, her mouth dropped open in disbelief as she spoke the answer.
“You used the sap of the World Tree on someone like me?! Master.”
“Oh dear. Someone like you? It’s not good to belittle yourself, student Che-ran.”
“Stop joking around! Do you know how expensive and precious that item is…!”
Immortality.
A panacea.
Eternal youth.
It was the most precious item in the world, known by such names.
When she realized it was used on her, tears of relief flowed from Che-ran’s eyes, feeling immensely grateful.
“T-thank you! Master. Really… thank you so much!”
“Oh, Che-ran. My baby.”
“No need to thank me. If you want to show gratitude, first thank Princess Kurumi. If she hadn’t extracted the monster’s magic from your body, you would have died before getting here.”
“…! Yes!”
Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she expressed her gratitude to Princess Kurumi, who gave her first aid.
And to Shin-woo, who came with the princess to save her.
“Shin-woo, thank you so much.”
Starting with the benefactors present.
With that thought, Che-ran finally gave a heartfelt smile of gratitude to Shin-woo, who had been standing by.
“I will never forget this kindness.”
However, Rolling, who had been listening to the conversation, suddenly spoke up.
“Hmm? Come to think of it, Shin-woo. Why were you there?”
“?!”
“Huh? Oh, well…!”
Now that he thought about it.
It seemed strange for an ordinary person, not a Hunter, to be in such a dangerous place, and he asked out of curiosity.
“M-Master! Instead of that, how about buying us a meal to celebrate my recovery!”
“A meal?! A person who got the sap of the World Tree wants me to buy them a meal?”
“…! Th-that’s because! I’m going to sell my conscience for now!”
“?! Yoo Che-ran is selling her conscience…?”
The polite student who usually followed instructions.
Che-ran jumped up and rudely demanded a meal, diverting Rolling’s attention naturally.
At the same time.
“Auntie! I’m hungry too! Buy us a meal!”
“Shin-woo, you too?”
The child who had never asked for pocket money now wanted to eat together for the first time, leaving Rolling with a puzzled expression.