Elixir Deal and the Ashen Swarm
Evenly cooked to perfection. A subtle mood and sensation lingered.
"What the hell kind of favor is this?"
"Sip—didn't I clearly tell you to stay still until I gave the signal?"
What the actual fuck was she doing? Building up all this tension for a 'favor,' and it turns out to be a tactile tease. I couldn't make sense of her actions, so I shot Cheonhwa a pouty glare.
...But I can't just brush her off either.
If this had just been a casual request, I would've swatted her hand away. But I was the one paying a price here—for the ID and awakening certificate.
"So... how much longer are you gonna do this...?"
"Just a bit more, I said."
Cheonhwa's gaze felt like she was looking through me at someone else.
This is driving me insane.
That wistful look made it even harder to pull away. After a while...
"Alright, that's enough."
Seemingly satisfied, Cheonhwa finally withdrew her hand from my cheek and returned to her seat. How long had she been groping me, anyway? I rubbed my tingling cheeks with both hands and glared at her.
I wasn't sure if she was truly satisfied, but her face looked a lot more relaxed. And I didn't miss my chance.
"So, does that wrap up the favor?"
"W-well... not quite. There's still one more left, isn't there?"
"Tch—"
Not easy, huh.
As expected from an S-rank. She instantly saw through my attempt to ride the momentum and bail.
Goodbye... rice plan. I'll nail it next time.
"So, what's this second favor?"
Rice plan aside, I asked about the next one. Cheonhwa, as if she'd been waiting, opened her mouth.
"My second favor is for you to make me an elixir."
"An elixir...?"
Her absurd request left me blankly repeating it back. Elixir—the elves' essence, the legendary panacea. And she wanted me to make one? I stared at her in disbelief.
"No way, elixirs don't even make financial sense. And how the hell am I supposed to make something only elves can—"
"50 billion."
"100 billion."
"...Cheeky one."
Nailed it. This time, I didn't flinch. The moment she named her price, I countered coolly with a clear head.
I've grown.
"Sigh... fine, 100 billion it is."
Success. A thrilling tingle ran from my head to my toes. A whopping 100 billion. Not 100 million or even 10 billion—100 billion. Sure, figuring out how to make the elixir was an issue, but I'd cross that bridge later.
"Deal, then... Here's the ID you asked for. Take it."
Thud.
"Thangs!"
I snatched the ID and awakening certificate off the table in a flash. Of course, I didn't forget the thanks.
I crammed them into my wallet and stood up.
"Leaving already?"
"Yup. Got any more business?"
A win-win deal for both of us. I asked if she had more trades, but she shook her head.
"Then I'm out."
I gave Cheonhwa a light nod and headed for the cafe door. Or tried to.
The moment I grabbed the handle—
Beep. Beep. Beep.
A familiar warning tone I'd heard somewhere before blared from my pocket, my phone going haywire.
"What the—?"
"Front! Look ahead!"
As I fumbled for my phone to silence the racket, Cheonhwa's urgent shout rang out.
I glanced her way—and there she was, charging straight at me. Everything unfolded in slow motion.
"Why the front...?"
That eerie, subtle instinct drew my eyes forward.
Crash!
Kieeeek!
An unidentified monster burst through the cafe door and glass—a gray scorpion-like beast rearing its pincers, lunging at me with savage intent to tear me apart. I eyed it slowly and carefully drew the kitchen knife I'd pocketed that morning.
"Skills unlocked, stats boosted—I've been itching for a fight. Perfect timing."
Whoosh!
Its pincer swung for my throat. I ducked and let it glance off.
As if anticipating that, it thrust its stinger tail at me. But the pattern was familiar—way slower than King Slime's tentacles. I grabbed the tail mid-strike and vaulted onto its back.
"You're perfect for scorpion barbecue."
Kiiik?!
It thrashed wildly, never expecting a rider, but it was useless.
Slice!
Kieeeek!!!
I severed the poison gland and stinger at the tail's tip. Leaping down to behead it—
Whoosh.
Crunch! Crack!
Cheonhwa appeared in a blur, smashing its head with one hand as I dropped.
"Hey, killer lady... isn't that a bit much?"
"Much? I just saved you. No injuries?"
She asked with concern, holding the crushed scorpion head, but...
"Injured? By this scrub?"
Explaining courtesy to a killer lady was a luxury.
"Hah..."
Cheonhwa gave me a look of exasperation at my curt reply. But what could I do? She'd stolen my cool moment.
I ignored her stare, approached the corpse, and asked about the new monster.
"Know what this guy's deal is?"
"...That's an Ashen Swarm."
"Ashen Swarm?"
What the hell was that? The name suggested hordes.
"Yeah, they don't usually show in gate breaks like this."
Swish.
Cheonhwa lifted the tail and showed me.
"But they pop up now and then."
"Mostly trash insect types like this. Scorpions today, it seems."
In short: insect swarms. My knowledge grew by one line. As expected from an S-rank killer lady—impressively gruesome explanation while holding the corpse.
Peeking outside after her rundown? Chaos. An uncontrolled gate break, streets swarming with scorpions like hell on earth.
"Shall we clean up?"
"Guess so."
I stepped out before Cheonhwa could respond, nodding along.
Scorpions prowled everywhere, hunting humans. Roofs to alleys packed with them. Overwhelming numbers that'd tense anyone up.
But I grinned.
"Charging out like that—what's your plan?"
Cheonhwa followed, eyeing me like I was reckless.
"Got one. Lure 'em all here first."
"..."
I had a plan. To wipe out those wriggling bugs in one go.
"Fine."
She replied to my confident tone, curiosity piqued.
And—
Whoosh. Boom!
She slammed her right foot down hard.
Kieek?!
The massive shockwave spread. Scorpions multiplied, swarming the cafe from the noise—dozens, hundreds encircling us.
Once enough gathered, I thrust both hands forward.
"This'll do."
Kiiik!
Sensing danger, the bugs closed in. Vision turned ashen in seconds. One moment too late, and I'd be shredded.
"This is what EF-quila's all about, you fucks."
Crimson embers gathered at my fingertips. Not just burning—they churned, sucking in air, swelling huge enough to engulf me.
No bystanders nearby—confirmed.
"Boom—"
Kwaaaaah!
The ember exploded on cue, a wave of flames erasing every scorpion and bug before my eyes. It raced along the ground, climbed walls, devouring the ashen horde.
Kieeeek!!!
Screams mixed with heat as they burned. But it didn't end there.
First time, but worth a shot.
I withdrew my hands, glanced at the hellscape street.
And—
Snap!
I flicked my fingers hard.
"Hell's Panorama"
Fwoooom!!!
The fading flames surged, exploding violently, shattering and incinerating the ashen swarm. Limbs flew from the blast, bodies crumbling to ash mid-air—like fireworks.
And—
Kii...
The last scorpion burned away. Flames finally subsided.
Nothing left but ash and dust. No shells, no forms—gone.
Turning from the carnage to Cheonhwa, I said:
"How's that? Perfectly cooked, right?"
"Hah..."
She let out a disbelieving sigh at me flashing a playful V-sign.