There She Is, Geriseora!
Beda's stunned mutter made everyone blankly look up at the sky.
There, a slender woman with deep blue hair streaming behind her was flying in. She soared as freely as if the sky were a giant swimming pool.
"Why is she here?!"
Baek Bal Baek Jung startled like a quaking aspen.
"Huh?"
Geriseora's eyes widened at the unexpected faces.
"What's going on here?"
Floating casually in the air above them with arms crossed, she tilted her head.
Beda and Baek Bal Baek Jung carefully stepped in front of Hura.
"Ah, well—"
"Shh!"
Beda hurriedly silenced Hura before he could speak.
We absolutely cannot let her take an interest in Hura!
Having quieted Hura, Beda stepped forward and opened his mouth.
"Ahem. Lady Geriseora. What brings you here?"
"Pardon? Shouldn't you start with a 'nice to meet you' first, Beda? You're acting like I've shown up somewhere I shouldn't."
"Ah, nice to meet you, Lady Geriseora."
"Hmph, whatever. Not even a proper bow. Guess I'm the only one who's happy. So cold."
"Haha... no way."
Beda fumbled his response awkwardly.
"Hey, you over there. Am I not welcome to you either?"
Geriseora glanced back at Baek Bal Baek Jung.
"Ah, hello, Lady Geriseora!"
Baek Bal Baek Jung immediately bowed deeply and politely.
Geriseora replied with innocent cheer.
"Oh my~ Nice to see you too, Baek Bal Baek Jung. Fancy meeting here again."
"Yes! Thrilled to see you again!"
"Hehe. I trust you've finally kicked that bad habit of yours?"
"Y-yes! Of course!"
"You were so good at hiding all this time, and now we bump into each other here. Hehe."
Baek Bal Baek Jung trembled at Geriseora's laugh.
"Hmm..."
Geriseora's gaze slid past him to Hura, who was peeking out from behind.
"Oh ho."
Her sapphire-blue eyes sparkled with intrigue.
"......!"
Spotting it, Baek Bal Baek Jung quickly blocked Hura's face with his body and hid him again, while Beda jumped in.
"Ahem. What a coincidence. What brings you all the way out here, Lady Geriseora?"
"And what about you two, Beda and Baek Bal Baek Jung? It's rare to see two high rankers in the top 10 together."
"Haha, yeah. We just happened to run into each other while passing by."
Geriseora rested her chin on her hand.
"Hmm... Anyone else, maybe, but you ran into Baek Bal Baek Jung by chance? I thought he was a master of stealth no one could track if he really wanted to hide."
"Uh, well..."
As Beda faltered, Baek Bal Baek Jung cut in hurriedly.
"Ah, I spoke to him first."
"You did?"
"Yes. I was hiding near Shin-dong Village, and big bro Beda happened to pass by, so I greeted him happily. Haha."
"Oh really? I didn't know you two were that close. As far as I knew, you were one of the people chasing Baek Bal Baek Jung down."
"Haha, ancient history."
"The bounty you put on him is still up, though?"
"......!"
Baek Bal Baek Jung and Beda's faces slowly hardened.
Geriseora, meanwhile, grinned like it was all a delightful game, her eyes twinkling.
"Looks like you two meeting up has some other reason?"
"......"
"......"
Beda and Baek Bal Baek Jung swallowed hard.
"Like, maybe gathering around a third person?"
"Haha... no way."
Beda let out a dry laugh.
"Isn't that cute, handsome guy peeking from behind the one?"
"......!"
Geriseora's eyes sparkled with fascination as she stared at Hura and the two high rankers.
Oh no. She's hooked!
Beda's back grew slick with sweat.
Baek Bal Baek Jung was sweating bullets too, carefully backing away one step at a time.
"Um—"
"Shh! Don't say a word!"
Hura tried to speak, but Baek Bal Baek Jung shut him down instantly.
"Oh my~ Who's this you're hiding so carefully? Introduce me~"
Beda ground his teeth, glaring at the beaming Geriseora.
I have to protect Hura from this witch.
"Baek Bal Baek Jung."
"Yes, bro."
"Go."
"Take care of the rest."
At Beda's call, Baek Bal Baek Jung edged back to Hura, scooped him up in a flash.
"Whoa! What're you doing, Baek Bal Baek Jung?!"
"Just stay still for a bit."
"No, you have to explain— ack!"
With Hura in his arms, Baek Bal Baek Jung shot straight up and vanished into thin air.
Geriseora watched with a merry smile, making no move to chase—though she could catch them in an instant if she wanted. Her sparkling eyes just followed their escape curiously.
Geriseora was having a blast, for once in ages. She'd come to drag her brother to the Demon King's Castle for a raid since she was bored, but this was way more entertaining!
Two top-10 high rankers—rare sights—with her little brother. And whatever their connection, both clearly treasured him. That explained the heavy guard.
They'd chase her to the ends of the earth if she even pretended to gobble him up.
Hehehe! This'll be fun!
Her heart raced, mischief bubbling over.
Unaware of her thoughts, Beda continued calmly.
"I don't know why you're here, but please pretend you didn't see him."
"Who is he?"
"...Just a lowly chef."
"Hmm~ A lowly chef? You're guarding him awfully hard for one."
"That's the truth."
"Then why evacuate him like that?"
"To keep him from getting caught in high-ranker business."
"Afraid I'll eat him?"
Geriseora playfully bared her nails and growled theatrically.
"...Whatever your business, please just move along."
"Hehe~ What if I don't wanna?"
Beda's face stiffened; Geriseora smiled leisurely.
Their gazes clashed. Sparks practically flew.
"...Then I'll have to stop you."
Beda's hand slowly reached for the hilt of the greatsword on his back.
Geriseora's smile deepened.
"Hmm~ Really?"
"Yes."
Beda gripped the hilt tight, ready to swing.
Geriseora tapped her lips with a finger, happily pondering.
Hehehe! Chase them? Or fight right here?
Decision made, she grinned wide and shouted.
"Then... catch me if you can!"
Bang! A burst of blue light erupted from behind her, and she tore through the air toward where Baek Bal Baek Jung and Hura had fled.
"Not so fast!"
Beda, who'd been watching her every move, launched himself after her.
Boom!Clang!Whoosh!Rumble rumble!Ting!Screeech!
Dozens of exchanges blurred by in the sky, too fast for the eye. The clash of their auras rippled the peaceful forest air heavily; startled beasts fled in panic.
Thud.
Beda landed on the ground; Geriseora descended nearby on the opposite side.
Beda drew his massive greatsword. Mechanical arms spidered out from Geriseora's body, each tipped with chest-chilling weapons: serrated blades, miniguns, lasers, guided missiles, and more.
"Hehe, getting fun now? You always slithered away like an eel when I wanted a fight, Beda. What changed?"
"......"
"That 'lowly chef' must be something special~?"
Geriseora feigned ignorance coolly.
Beda silently tightened his grip. He couldn't beat her anyway. Couldn't stall forever. Persuasion was his only shot.
"What's he to you? I'm dying to know~ Spill it."
Beda spoke heavily.
"...My benefactor."
"Benefactor?"
Geriseora's eyes widened at the surprise answer. She'd expected some beginner help story, but benefactor? From straight-laced Beda? She tilted her head.
Her immature little brother, a benefactor? Beda wasn't one to lie for convenience.
Beda nodded gravely.
"Yes. My benefactor. So, for my sake, can you let this slide just once?"
"Hmm..."
Geriseora tapped her lips, head cocked side to side, then beamed at him.
"Nope!"
"Sigh..."
Beda sighed, raising his greatsword into stance.
Rumble. The ground cracked around him from his fighting spirit; sword aura shimmered like heat haze along the blade.
"Oh? For real?"
Geriseora laughed brightly and snapped her fingers.
A massive mothership high above shed its cloak of invisibility.
Groooan.
Its overwhelming size and majesty crushed wills just by sight.
Clank clank.Whirr.
Hundreds of missiles protruded from its underside, all locked on Beda.
Beda's face twisted.
"...Damn it."
He charged at the smirking Geriseora, swinging his greatsword.
* * *
The scenery blurred green past his eyes from the insane speed.
Staring at it, he yelled.
"Aaaah! What the hell?!"
"We need to get as far away as possible!"
"Baek Bal Baek Jung! Stop! There's a misunderstanding!"
"Later!"
"Geriseora's my sister!"
"Pardon?"
Wobble. Baek Bal Baek Jung, bounding tree to tree like a fairy, twisted his ankle and plummeted to the ground.
"Gah!"
Thud.
Dust billowed up.
"Cough— cough—"
He coughed from the dirt cloud and sat up.
Baek Bal Baek Jung lay there in his fallen pose, blankly repeating himself like Did I hear wrong? Huh? Right?
"...Your sister?"
"Cough— yeah."
"Acquaintance sister?"
"No. Blood sister."
"......!"
Baek Bal Baek Jung finally sprang up.
"Then the one we were gonna meet..."
"Yeah. My big sis, Geriseora."
"......!"
"She came home today whining about being bored, so I said let's raid the Demon King's Castle."
Then, a massive roar swallowed all sound.
Kaboooom!!
He whipped his head toward it. There loomed a spaceship-like mothership, missiles raining down like biblical hail.
"This is insane!"
"We have to stop them!"
"How?! Listen to that! Can't even whisper in combat!"
"I have a way— grab me like before!"
"Got it!"
Baek Bal Baek Jung scooped him up and bolted to the edge of the missile storm.
"Now what?!"
"Toss me to the center!"
"You're nuts?!"
"Ground's exploding— into the air!"
"That's not the point!"
"I have a plan—just throw me!"
"No way!"
"Fine! Can you carry me up there?"
"Yeah."
Whoosh. Baek Bal Baek Jung vaulted from a tree into the missile barrage.
He stepped on falling missiles like stairs, bounding upward impossibly.
"This good?!"
"Yes! Hold me overhead!"
A missile grazed his shoulder narrowly.
Now at the heart of it, staring at the sky-blocking mothership and missile rain, he pulled out the necklace.
"Petrify!"