The Awakened Angel (2)

“Young master…? Miss…? Either way, you're an Awakener, huh.”

The man in the suit, who had been snarling viciously just moments ago, immediately raised both arms into a martial arts stance. It was a sign he was ready to get serious.

“Your mana was so faint, I thought you were a regular civilian.”

It was true. Refri's mana was no different from an ordinary person's. His other stats were the same.

“So let's both just go our separate ways, yeah? If the cops show up, the ones in trouble will be the smugglers… that'd be you, right?”

“What? I could be the owner.”

“Then you'd be an abuser.”

“Hah… In this dog-eat-dog world, who has time to abuse some beast? I might've handled it a bit rough, sure.”

Knuckles gleamed in the suited man's hands. Refri bit his lip.

'My arms are still numb. I blocked that one, but the next…'

Refri's fists clenched tighter. He knew it instinctively. Angels grew stronger through good and righteous acts. And the harder those acts… the greater the power.

As the standoff dragged on, Angel Power surged within him. The fragile life squirming in his arms. In this moment, with something to protect, Refri felt himself growing stronger.

“Ever heard of a reality check?”

Confirming Refri's resolve, the man shook his head once—then charged straight at him. A merciless barrage followed.

“Big deal, you're an Awakener. You ever even thrown a punch?”

“Urk!”

“Pretty face like yours ain't worth squat in a real scrap, missy!”

The man was right. Refri had lived a violence-free life as an ordinary person. He'd never learned to fight. Even buffed by the righteous act bonus, the gap between him and the suited man was vast. And Refri had a life to protect.

Thinking he'd seized the advantage, the man brushed snow from his shoulder.

“I don't wanna make this bigger than it has to be. Missy, just set the cat down nice and easy and head home. That's the smart play. Okay?”

Aooww~ A mew echoed from his chest, like the cat was protesting to be let out. After staying so quiet until now, it almost sounded like it was telling him to hand it over and go home.

Should he? Refri hesitated for a split second.

But he shook his head. Even if he handed it over, there was no guarantee the man wouldn't retaliate later.

'To win… to grow stronger… I have to do something even more angelic…!'

Refri clenched his fists.

“You're not wrong.”

Status windows cluttered his vision. Refri skimmed the essentials.

Angelic martial arts—a Divine Ability letting him wield heavenly combat techniques by burning Angel Power.

Angelic healing—a miraculous cure superior to any heal.

Without hesitation, Refri activated the martial arts. His stance shifted to pro-level perfection. In that instant, he was a martial angel.

“Not bad form, missy.”

“I'm not a missy—I'm a young master.”

“Huh? Now that you mention it…”

The man, who'd been pummeling Refri with glee, faltered. He let out a hollow laugh, then aimed for Refri's throat—likely planning a hand chop to incapacitate.

“No 'kinda' about it.”

Great Angel's Dragon-Trampling Martial Arts. Though angels were weaker than dragons, they wielded arts to fell even those mighty beings.

“It's real!”

A clean shoulder throw. The man face-planted into the snow, dazed, leaving the alley wide open.

One more minute of running, and he'd hit the main road—busy even at this hour. That meant CCTV. The man wouldn't dare act rashly there.

So Refri ran.

'Even with the angelic martial arts active, I don't have an overwhelming edge. Burning Angel Power to sustain it leaves me no chance of winning.'

Panting hard, he burst onto the main road. Taxis zipped by despite the late hour.

Refri glanced back. Sure enough, the man hadn't followed. He just glared with murderous intent.

“…Where to now.”

Aoong!

The cat had wriggled free from his arms and nuzzled his swollen cheek.

Nyaang.

“You're hurt too, what're you…”

His blood-soaked shirt told the tale of the cat's grave wounds. Time was running out.

And to make matters worse, suited figures slunk in from afar. Sparks flew as CCTVs exploded, and soon no cars passed the road.

'What kind of operation is this? This cat isn't just any Spirit Beast, is it?'

Even at night, blocking a Seoul main road and smashing CCTVs required authority only the state or major guilds wielded.

'Probably a big guild.'

Even before the apocalypse, big guilds crossed lines constantly—harassing people under the guise of closing gates and slaying monsters, all for the "greater good."

Of course, none were heroes. Some trash even betrayed humanity for the Demon King, but none came close to heroic.

'No.'

On second thought, it wasn't that there were none. They just… didn't last long.

“Pink.”

…Aoong?

“You're pink, so Pink it is from now on.”

The encirclement tightened. Refri had only one option left.

“Hah… It has to work.”

Angels grew strong through good deeds. They gained Angel Power through righteous acts. That was all Refri could bank on.

“I'll… use everything I have to heal you.”

He knew instinctively. The cat's wounds were fatal— even pouring all his Angel Power might not suffice.

Refri gathered every drop of Angel Power at his fingertips. His scant mana too. Holy light enveloped the boy's hands.

“…Run as soon as you can.”

He wasn't sure if it understood, but Pink stared wide-eyed, shocked—as if to say this can't be happening.

Refri smiled. A Spirit Beast or not, could it really grasp the situation?

All the Angel Power he'd built today vanished, along with his meager mana.

In exchange, the massive gash from Pink's forepaw began mending—like a miracle. Beyond mere closure, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wound vanished, fresh fur sprouting fluffy and new.

And with it, status messages flooded in.

This was Refri's plan. Burn all Angel Power on a good deed to gain even more. Like unlocking martial arts and healing, snag wings or flight to escape.

'No way… Angels are supposed to have wings by default.'

But the plan half-failed. He got the Angel Power, but no new Divine Ability. Especially after so much—he'd banked on wings. Crushed.

Popular media always showed winged angels. Naturally, he'd expected the same.

'Dizzy… Used too much power at once…'

His young body wasn't tough. After a one-sided beating, unleashing heavenly powers multiple times was no joke.

Refri dropped to his knees on the road. Cold seeped through his pants. The vertigo wouldn't fade.

'…I'm screwed.'

That was Refri's last thought.

* * *

The boy collapsed as if falling asleep. Snow blanketing him like a movie scene. Almost peaceful, like he was just dozing off.

'He really looks like an angel.'

Hongwol couldn't think otherwise. His golden hair cascaded flawlessly to his shoulders, radiant. His closed eyes soft yet defined. A face beautiful enough to mistake for a girl's. As cheesy as it sounded, like God Himself had carved it.

Betrayed. Trapped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and cursed. Fleeing while wounded.

Today had been hell for Hongwol. Yet the boy's looks made ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her forget it all—pure magic.

Boy. Boy…

'…No money. Can't take you to a hospital. Find someone else.'

Cold words, but his hands had stroked her gently. That fond, pitying look. Warm touch.

Lifelong top predator Hongwol had never known such moments.

He'd played cool, but his actions burned warm. Fought for her, shielded her, fled with her. And at the end, she'd seen it with her own eyes—he'd forsaken himself, pouring all his power into healing her.

A true angel boy.

'Boy… Boy…'

Angelic healing was miraculous. Curses no doctor or alchemist could touch, angels cured as divine works.

Thus, the Mooncat clan's chosen child—the chief's prized daughter, Hongwol—shed her curse.

Under the moon, she regained her true form. Long pink hair to the curve of her hips. Flawless skin outshining moonlight. Arms and legs impossibly long for her tiny cat self. Cat ears and tail befitting a beastkin, but her beauty transcended them.

Nude, she was mesmerizing. If not for the blood caking her hands.

“Boy…”

“S-spare me.”

Crack—

Hongwol snapped the last survivor's neck.

Silence fell on the road. White snow piled on black suits. No one stirred.