The Crass Pink Goddess Descends
Pathetic~♡ Dick-rice~♡ The scenery whipped past in an instant. Choi Siwoo leaped from rooftop to rooftop with the speed of wings sprouting from his back. Birds passing overhead startled and spat curses as he soared through the sky.
"S-Siwoo, you okay on stamina?"
In response to Seol Garam's question from his arms, he simply nodded. The moment he landed, he poured mana into his thighs until they felt ready to burst. His bones and muscles screamed from the strain of overexertion. But he had no time to care. Right now, every minute, every second counted—he had to reach the scene.
Boom! With an explosive sound, he launched into the air once more.
Choi Siwoo was calculating maximum speed and minimum distance to return to Prunel Academy. He'd tried to snag some transport midway, but the entire area around Prunel was locked down tight—no way in except this route.
▶ Master. Turn left, and you'll arrive right away.
'Roger.'
He kicked off, leaving the howling wind behind, and soon Prunel Academy came into view.
...Or rather, what used to be Prunel.
Rumble...! Pitch-black darkness like living ink, writhing with such density it seemed alive, formed a dome-shaped barrier that rippled ominously.
He barely suppressed the groan rising in his throat.
'I hoped it wasn't... but...'
No denying it now. This was the phenomenon that appeared when the 'Demon King' descended. The unique flow of demonic energy. Even the faint floral scent mixed with subtle perfume told him exactly who.
'A delicate floral aroma laced with perfume.'
Sixth of the Six Demon Sovereigns. The Empress of Illusory Dreams. Eclipse.
The lowest-ranked among the Six Demon Sovereigns, but once a Demon King who dominated the continent by spreading her realm of illusions. A dream demon queen specialized in dominating targets' dreams and minds, turning them into her puppets.
He forcibly quelled the boiling rage. Long experience had taught him well: in moments like this, he had to stay cold, analyze, and respond.
'...I have a pretty good idea who pulled this shit.'
High chance it was the group serving the Fifth, 'Black Sheep'. In his previous life, the Empress of Illusory Dreams had broken her full seal with Black Sheep's help, unleashing her infamy.
Which made it baffling.
'...Why?'
He knew it well. This boundary, the volume of demonic energy—everything screamed incomplete.
And that meant one thing.
'They deliberately released her half-assed.'
To fully unseal her required massive demonic energy infusion or a large-scale ritual beforehand. Without it, she'd descend imperfectly, wreck the area, then self-destruct.
'...Is that their goal?'
Not just breaking the Sixth's seal, but complete death... annihilation?
'Why?'
What reason to do that? Didn't want to dirty their own hands? No. That didn't add up. Even if true, other methods were more efficient.
"Choi Siwoo!"
"...!"
He snapped his gaze down at the sudden voice. Seol Garam looked up at him worriedly from his arms.
"I don't know what's going on, but calm down. First... let's head down there."
"...Yeah."
Right, for now...
'Get inside and think.'
"Fuckin' hell. Talk about shitty luck today."
A middle-aged man, easily over 50, spat curses. His outfit and chest emblem marked him as Association personnel.
Joo Dong-sik. Codename 'Heavy Smoker', a retired hero now in a high position.
"Goddamn! What the fuck is this thing made of to be so tough?!"
Thirty minutes since he'd arrived on orders. The barrier before him was impossibly sturdy—no guessing its structure. He'd thrown everything at it: mana, unique abilities, even his ultimate skill. No dice.
Well, technically cracks formed, but it regenerated faster than he could break it. No openings.
"...Shit."
Joo Dong-sik instinctively knew: this was fucked. Beyond fucked.
As the guy in charge of this district including Prunel Academy, he might lose his position—or worse.
'Don't fuck with me. After all I've done to climb this high...'
Should he call in the military? As he pondered, footsteps echoed in his ear.
Stealthy presence, lightened steps reducing weight. Goosebumps prickled his skin.
'Fuck... a real monster!'
No ordinary foe. He sensed enough inner power to snap his neck without breaking a sweat.
Joo Dong-sik channeled mana into his pipe. Could be a villain exploiting the chaos.
He roared and swung behind him.
"Fuck off! I'm the branch chief here, you little shit!"
Clang! Metal scraped metal, sparks flying. Beyond them, the intruder's identity emerged.
"Hm...? What?"
He blinked. A young guy with barely dried blood on his head stood with a woman.
The guy lowered his raised scabbard and spoke.
"In a rush, so mind stepping aside?"
"Wh... what?"
Absurd. Even without activating a skill, that strike could've crushed most miners' skulls. And this kid blocked it, then talks casual?
"You little fuck! How dare you..."
"Step aside."
"...!"
His body froze. An inexplicable pressure. Violet energy rippled from the kid's eyes—like tangible killing intent burrowing into him.
'But... I can't back down!'
"Don't talk bullshit! You look like you're from around here... leave it to the adults and fall back...?"
Ignoring him, Choi Siwoo dialed someone. Moments later, a tense-faced man in a suit appeared on screen.
Th-that's...?!
"I-Inquisitor Hasman?"
"Ahem... Joo Dong-sik. This... mutt—er, my associate. Let him in pronto."
"B-but!"
"Hey! You questioning me?!"
After a noisy back-and-forth, five minutes later, Joo Dong-sik grudgingly let them pass. He eyed Choi Siwoo suspiciously—'Who the hell is this guy?'—but the kid didn't care.
Inside, Choi Siwoo gripped the one Arhat's Contract Document visible only to him.
"Urk!"
Hasman on the screen groaned in agony, coughing as if his pain receptors were being toyed with. Choi Siwoo ignored it.
"Next time, faster. You can manage that, right?"
"E-even so, procedures—"
"Busy. Hanging up."
He pocketed the phone and placed his hand on the barrier. A pulsing throb met his touch. Faint life forces flickered inside—people trapped en masse.
'...If I go all out, maybe I can smash it.'
With his remaining power, possible. But...
'Then coping inside would be tough.'
As he pondered, Seol Garam approached.
"Gotta break this, right? I'll do it."
"...But."
"You know what this is. Right?"
"......"
"Then logically, I go full power here."
"No, together. Alone, your power—"
"No. You've been running non-stop, fought the boss, burned a ton of stamina. So... here, it's me!"
The argument heated up. They raised voices, insisting on taking it themselves.
Hummm—!
"...!"
The holy mark on Choi Siwoo's shoulder blazed. A intense power spread, perceptible to both.
[??? temporarily descends.]
"...What?"
Doubt hit as a brilliant beam struck down.
Rumble...! He shielded his eyes from the whirlwind of light and dust.
Moments later, from the crater... a figure slowly emerged.
"What the...?"
"...A little girl?"
A petite girl, barely 130cm, looked up at them. Black cheongsam-like outfit. Hair, pupils, irises—all vivid pink, like a resident of Planet Pink.
Seol Garam suppressed the urge to pat her head.
"Kiddo. No idea where you popped from, but it's dangerous here. Big sis and bro will—"
Smack! The girl swatted her hand away and cleared her throat.
She struck a pose, hands behind back, facing Choi Siwoo with an 'ahem!'
"Greetings, my faithful one!"
"...What?"
"Thou seemedst in peril, so this body hath descended in person! Impressed? Doth the goddess's vast mercy inspire awe?"
He stared blankly. Pink skull meant brain issues, sure, but beyond that—too suspicious.
Sudden appearance. Self-reference. Otherworldly beauty unfit for a human. Mouse-tail divine power. And that quintessentially pink vibe with rotten-egg stupid eyes.
One thought crystallized.
"...No way... one of the Three Major Gods... Irelua?"
"Eh... eh!?"
"Indeed! This body is the goddess Irelua, beloved and worshipped by countless faithful! Though lacking full power, hence this immature form."
She 'hngh~'ed smugly, tilting her head up at him.
"Even diminished, to fail against mere paper scraps... mortals' power hath limits, it seems."
Choi Siwoo's face hardened. 'Even diminished' revealed key info.
Ignoring him, she continued.
"Fear not! This body is here! Hm... oh yes, Yurika mentioned words for first meetings. Something that fells all, young or old..."
She pondered, then snapped her fingers in recall.
Left hand on hip, right covering mouth, she giggled 'pfft~'.
With an utterly, utterly arrogant smirk, Irelua continued.
"Pathetic~♡ Dick-rice~♡ If you can't even borrow the goddess's power, you're useless trash~♡ Why not just drop dead~♡"
"......"
"......"
Seol Garam gaped, eyes wide. Had she heard right?
Choi Siwoo massaged his temple, headache brewing. He sighed.
'That damn Yurika...'
What the fuck did she teach the goddess? Shit.