Chapter 121
Chapter 121
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 121
The fantastical beast summoned with the summoner contract wrested from America could really use the same skills as Se-ra.
"Hurry to Monic Reverie! You have to save your master!"
Kyaaak! The moment he took a relieved step forward, the kumiho raised its tail high, as if to say it would kill him if he came any closer. Its green eyes blazed with fury.
Kang Se-jun couldn't bring himself to approach any furtherit looked far too pained. In the end, as he stood frozen in place, the kumiho glared at the dragon, now down to just three heads, before turning away with the cube in tow.
Only then, seeing it head toward Monic, who was fighting on the ground, did he let out a sigh of relief. Even so, a question lingered in his mind.
Its contractor is in that state, so of course the summon would be angry... but that look is almost...
"Like a person."
The words slipped out despite himself. Kang Se-jun shook his head, finding the thought ridiculous even as he said it.
Once he confirmed Se-ra receiving treatment from Monic, he flew back toward the dragon. Only three heads remained now. For her to get proper care, he had to finish this thing off quickly and get out of here.
Grinding his teeth, Kang Se-jun unleashed a Meteor at the dragon.
Monic gasped at the sight of Se-ra's wretched state.
"I told you to get treated on time!"
Unaware that she had triggered the Jacket of Revival's effect, Monic let out a lament.
"And what's with this fox, anyway?"
As she retreated to the rear where Oliver was and focused on healing, she kept stealing glances at the kumiho. Come to think of it, she seemed to recall seeing it by Se-ra's side just before falling to the Path of Sinnuzzling and licking her cheeks nonstop. Was it her summon?
"It's Yoon Se-ra's ability. That fox is the one who protected us until we woke up."
Oliver, slumped on the ground and panting, explained in her stead. His mana, which she had replenished, must have run dry again. After Monic patted his shoulder a couple of times, his complexion improved a bit.
"We owe Headbang our lives several times over now. Oliver, four of its heads are downyou can release your skill too. That's more than enough."
A message appeared right on cue. The tide of battle had clearly turned in the raid party's favor.
"Just two left now. That's as far as you goyou'll get hurt."
Oliver silently gazed at Se-ra. Unlike her, who could only watch after summoning the angelic legion, Yoon Se-ra had confronted the apocalyptic dragon head-on from the start.
"She's incredible. I can hardly believe she was F-rank just a few months ago. How can someone so inexperienced in brutal battlefields like this be so brave?"
"What's this, praise from our stingy angel? Well, anyone would feel sorry for her in a situation like this."
What if everyone else had fallen to the Path of Sin, leaving only Oliver? What if they hadn't held out until Se-ra summoned the angelic legion? What if she hadn't protected their unconscious selves?
"You did great too, Oliver."
Yoon Se-ra and Oliver were the ones who had essentially led this war to victory.
"......"
Oliver looked toward the angels battling the dragon. Michael, sensing his contractor's will, halted the fight and met his gaze. Though they were far apart, their intentions were conveyed.
"Release skill."
Michael sheathed her flaming sword and ascended with the angels. Every one of them paid respects to Oliver and Yoon Se-ra.
"Is Yoon Se-ra all right?"
Oliver, watching Michael return to the sky, asked Monic.
Se-ra's face, buried among nine tails, looked far from good. The fox licked her cheek relentlessly, heedless of its pristine white fur getting soiled. It seemed utterly dejected.
"She's not gonna die with me here. Still, she'll need some rest for a while. Skill backlash can't be fully healed even with a healer's abilities."
Tak tak. As if understanding Monic's words, the fox thumped the ground once with a tail. The sullen glare in its eyes almost seemed to pity her incompetence... Nah, had to be his imagination.
"What fox has expressions this vivid? And nine tails? What breed is this thing?"
Krrrng. The fox growled irritably and hugged Se-ra tighter, as if telling her to focus on healing instead of yapping. Monic was floored.
"Smart or just obnoxious? Who knows. I've done all I canthe wounds are healed, so she'll wake up soon. Hey! It's almost overhow long you gonna lie there sprawled out?!"
Monic kicked the groggily stirring Garcia. His hefty body rolled tumbleweed-style.
"Agh! W-what the? Where are Julian and Allie? I killed them all!"
He must have seen something in his illusion. At this point, you'd think he'd snap out of it on his own, but he'd stayed out cold almost to the end because it wasn't a nightmarehe'd been frolicking in paradise.
"No one wears jealousy like you do. Get up and finish this!"
Monic wrapped Garcia in iron chains and hurled him at the dragon like a shot put. His body sailed through the air before slamming into the beast with a boom! The dragon, having lost most of its heads and tails and greatly weakened, staggered.
With Monic rejoined after finishing her heals, they could handle the remaining heads on their own. Failing to kill even those two after Oliver and Se-ra had fought to their mana limitswhat face would they have left?
"Yoon Se-ra, do you know?"
As Oliver watched the battle wrap up, he spoke flatly to the still-unconscious Se-ra. The fox, rubbing its cheek against her head, looked at him instead.
"Since the labyrinth raid began, there hasn't been a day with so few casualties as today."
In 12 years of clearing seven labyrinths, dozens of S-ranks and seven L-ranks had perished. There were always deaths, staining every raid with tears and blood.
But not this timeno fatalities. Despite the Path of Sin being a horrific attack that could crush even an L-rank's mind, no one had broken. Thanks to Se-ra freeing nearly everyone.
A raid where at least two or three might have died had been cleared perfectly, all because of her.
"And yet the one who did all that got hurt the worst. I have no face to show. You protected us, but we failed to protect you."
Oliver looked at her with eyes full of regret, guilt, and self-reproach.
"When you open your eyes, I want to apologize... and thank you."
As if agreeing with his words, another message rang out. Oliver, gazing at the peacefully sleeping Se-ra, turned toward the apocalyptic dragon.
The beast that had scorched the earth and ravaged the skies screamed as it fell. Only the head of greed remained. Even as it collapsed, gasping and drained of all power, it thrashed desperately.
As the survivors moved to deliver the killing blow, a red cube suddenly appeared in midair. Startled, Oliver whipped around to Se-ra, but she remained unconscious.
The one using the cube was the fox, its left eye glowing red just like Se-ra's.
Thud! The massive cube crushed down on the dragon's body.
[The grand cry of agony! Aaaah! Aaaaaah!]
Crunch, cruuunch. Horrific sounds emanated from beneath the cube. Even if the dragon had completely lost its strength, it was still shocking. Everyone stared, but the fox kept its eyes fixed solely on the pulverizing beast.
Oliver got chills.
Was this fox really just a summon? How could a normal summon's aura be this sinister? Those emotionless green eyes felt even more terrifying than the apocalyptic dragon.
What in the world was Yoon Se-ra carrying around with her?
[Wh-why... why are you here...? No. N-no! I can't die here! Helper! Helper! Where are you?! Save m!]
That was the last cry from the dragon that had ravaged angels and world alike.
Boom! The cube utterly smashed it.
Finally, the long war's end was announced. The fox licked its unconscious contractor once more. Oliver rubbed his goosebumped arms.
Even that notification failed to bring him joythe kumiho was that terrifying.