Gunpowder Keg
Gunpowder Keg
The ship turned around.
They were heading back to land. Since they'd ventured quite far out for the Ocean Subjugation, the return trip would take at least several hours.
"Patrol Squad, maintain current status. All remaining personnel, head below to the cabins and rest."
"Yes!"
The unit moved under Baek Yu-rim's orders.
Yet the unsettled atmosphere couldn't be concealed all at once.
Barely any time had passed since they encountered a 3rd-Rank Alpha in the middle of the sea.
At best, multiple casualties. At worst, near-total annihilation.
In the heat of battle they'd been too frantic to notice, but now that the reality was sinking in, their legs were going numb.
"Changpaju! The ice is too solid! If we ram it, our magic will break first!"
"Its dominance is so entrenched our teeth won't even bite in!"
"Hey, hey! Don't get any closer, you idiot! Spikes are sprouting out!"
...That dizzying terror subsided sooner than expected.
An ocean frozen solid all the way to the far horizon.
An appalling scope, with ice so hard that even pounding on it barely cracked a piece off.
And if you kept pounding, strange spikes from within the ice would start aiming at you.
A unit member flinched back, panicked by the alarm bells ringing in his head. Watching the scene, Baek Yu-rim wore a complicated expression.
'That 3rd-Rank Alpha was overwhelmingly subjugated by the young master.'
In truth, it was subjugated practically the instant it was sighted—a blindingly fast takedown.
As a result, rather than fear of the 3rd-Rank Alpha monster, awe toward Lee Ha-yul, who had taken it down so effortlessly, inevitably welled up.
...The ice obstructing their route had been undone by Lee Ha-yul.
.
.
.
Meanwhile.
Lee Ha-sol had gone below to a cabin.
The cleanup was in full swing on deck, but the reason given was that Lee Ha-sol, as a guest of honor, couldn't be asked to handle cleanup duty.
"Ha-yul, are you uncomfortable?"
[No.]
The other reason was Lee Ha-yul, nestled in her arms.
When Lee Ha-sol, perched on the edge of the bed, asked, Lee Ha-yul, face buried against her chest, replied meekly.
"That's a relief, then."
Smiling softly, Lee Ha-sol gently stroked Lee Ha-yul's back.
She had changed into comfortable clothes upon entering the cabin. Through the fabric, she could feel the smooth texture of his skin and a chill rising against her palm.
Apparently, Lee Ha-yul's balance of water energy and cold energy had momentarily collapsed, tipping entirely toward cold energy.
Careless contact in that state, they said, could freeze a person solid.
- It's just a little cool, though?
- Huh?
Lee Ha-sol was fine. Daera had been fine too, even after kneading his cheeks.
But when anyone else tried to make contact, ice spikes would sprout from his body to threaten them.
"Hup..."
When even a fellow Azure Sea Manifestor got that reaction, she'd brought him to a warm cabin and wrapped him in a blanket.
And she was now drawing warmly heated air in with Gale and feeding it underneath the blanket.
"...You can still breathe, right?"
[I can breathe.]
When she asked quietly, the replies coming back had grown clipped.
Not emotionless... not quite. More like an expansive vocabulary became terse. It was the signature side effect of the Azure Sea—the way emotions freeze over and grow desolate.
Lee Ha-sol's expression turned subtle. She stroked the head of Lee Ha-yul, who had buried his face against her chest.
"Do you like my chest?"
[I like it.]
[Soft and squishy.]
His baby-like nuzzling into her chest was unchanged. The replies, now short and terse with diminished embarrassment, didn't feel strange either.
After all, Lee Ha-sol was more familiar with this version of Lee Ha-yul.
"Ha-yul, do you like me?"
Toying with the exquisitely silky strands of his hair, Lee Ha-sol suddenly voiced a question she'd been holding inside.
Just the slightest hint. A small tension settled on Lee Ha-sol's face.
[I like you.]
"Heh."
The corners of her lips twitched on their own at the answer that came without a moment's delay. A radiant smile spread as she pulled Lee Ha-yul's head deeper into her embrace.
[A little scared.]
"Hm? Of me?"
[Yeah.]
At that, the next reply was hard to understand.
As Lee Ha-sol tilted her head in confusion, arms wrapped around her waist.
[I still don't know my memories with you, Lee Ha-sol.]
He did have a method in mind. He considered the probability of success to be near certain.
But what if he couldn't recall them?
If he failed. If he couldn't obtain the memories of the Lee Ha-yul that Lee Ha-sol once knew. He feared the affection shining in those light-green eyes might go out.
Hearing that inner thought, Lee Ha-sol blinked.
"...You were worrying about that?"
[Yeah.]
"Oh, goodness."
Letting out a sigh, Lee Ha-sol seemed to ponder for a moment, then gently drew Lee Ha-yul's head away from her chest.
[Nnnn.]
"Just a moment."
The adorable face was easily freed despite resistance that barely rose to the level of a sulk.
She gazed intently down at Lee Ha-yul's gently closed eyelids and spoke.
"What's your name, Ha-yul?"
[Lee Ha-yul.]
"And my name?"
[Lee Ha-sol.]
"You remember the photos, right? I showed you loads of them, from when we were both little, staying together."
[Yes.]
"Do you think all of those were fabricated?"
[No.]
"Then the Ha-yul I knew—you're him."
Having finished the simple exchange, Lee Ha-sol beamed. She caressed the corners of Lee Ha-yul's eyes, then lightly swept his bangs upward.
- Smooch.
And then she pressed her lips briefly against his clear forehead.
[Ticklish.]
[Warm.]
The corners of his mouth, which had been drawn in a straight line, twitched. Seeing that, Lee Ha-sol giggled.
"To me, Ha-yul is Ha-yul. The same even if you lose your memories. Finding them would be wonderful. And if you can't... well, then we just make even better memories from now on."
What was the reason she'd struggled so hard all this time, anyway?
Wasn't it all for taking care of someone, healing someone, feeding someone?
Having said that, Lee Ha-sol shot Lee Ha-yul a sideways glare.
"Honestly, even calling it scary is ridiculous. You were the one who basically ran away from the orphanage first, Ha-yul. Do you know how shocked I was back then? I collapsed."
[That's...]
[...]
[I've been wronged.]
Slipping out of the orphanage hadn't been his decision.
Wronged indignation settled over his face, still as ice.
- Knock knock, coming in.
Click! Just then, the door opened and Daera entered.
With food in one hand, she took in the two people clinging together like they were burrowing into each other's navels and scrunched up her face.
"Well, well. Stuck to each other like glue, aren't you."
"What can I do if Ha-yul wants it? I have to hold him."
"You just give him anything he wants? Next he asks, are you planning to nurse him, too?"
"Don't be like that. Let's eat together first."
Lee Ha-sol, who pointedly didn't answer, shrugged her shoulders.
***
The Ocean Subjugation had been conducted on a wide scale, as the summit was just around the corner.
With Changpaju Baek Yu-rim leading even the Changpa Unit under his command, there had been no cause for worry.
[▶Hero Association - Observatory Connection]
[At this hour, a massive Mana Wave Disturbance has occurred in the ocean adjacent to the Changhae territory 'Seolgyeong.' Estimated at 3rd Rank or higher.]
At least, not until the mana wave disturbance of a monster reaching the level of a 3rd-Rank Alpha touched the mainland.
Quite naturally, Seolgyeong was thrown into chaos.
<htm>
Reports from detection-type ability users, relayed via observation data sent by the Association.
There was no need to verify their authenticity.
Because every scrap of military force had to be mustered and dispatched as reinforcements at top speed.
But that urgent deployment never happened.
[Emergency Report]
[Reporting Officer: Changpaju Baek Yu-rim (Seal)]
[Point of Origin: 300 km northeast of Seolgyeong, at sea]
[Engaged Entity: Presumed 3rd-Rank Alpha individual, large octopus-type]
[Result: Subjugation successful]
[Damage: Partial damage to warships, no casualties — This is real]
[Postscript: Mana wave disturbance rendered on-site data indistinct; will report again after restoration as feasible]
...
...
"Huh..."
A sigh escaped as he read the report.
He knew an honored guest was sitting right there, but he couldn't help it. The back of his neck aching, Baek Wol-seon squeezed his eyes shut.
'What on earth...'
His head throbbed.
Wasn't the Special-Grade Dungeon already keeping him more than busy enough lately?
At least there were no warning signs of an outbreak, so he'd let himself relax just a little — and then a massive middle finger had sailed in from the waters right off their territory.
'A 3rd-Rank Alpha?'
The word dredged up Baek Wol-seon's memories.
A Grade 1 Dungeon that had appeared in the region of China. Its designation: Poison Serpent Palace. The monster coiled inside had also been a 3rd-Rank Alpha individual.
The Twin-headed Poison Dragon.
And of all places, this happened in Changhae territory, right on the border with China.
If the Twin-headed Poison Dragon, the very creature that had brought China to ruin, were to rampage here, they would suffer the next wave of devastation.
So, before harm could reach the territory, he'd gathered the forces of the Three Great Families and led the subjugation himself.
'Hoo.'
Recalling that memory, Baek Wol-seon shuddered.
The 3rd-Rank Alpha's sheer physical class was formidable, but the most threatening element had been the lethality of its poison- and disease-type unique abilities.
If its venom and plague had properly spread across the territory, the cost would have been catastrophic.
And that wasn't all.
If Hong Jin-seon, Baek Wol-seon, and Lee Ji-ah hadn't blocked the Twin-headed Poison Dragon head-on, the damage would have multiplied several times over.
'Even now I don't understand why it's classified as 3rd Rank. Never mind its tier — factoring in its threat level, shouldn't it be raised to 2nd Rank?'
He considered the Twin-headed Poison Dragon an instance of misclassification of an Axis, of course. Yet, on paper, a disaster of the same grade as the Twin-headed Poison Dragon had emerged from the sea right in front of them — and had been subjugated on the spot.
"...We've incurred an immense debt of gratitude yet again."
Swallowing a sigh, Baek Wol-seon lowered his head and faced forward.
On the sofa opposite him, Lee Ha-yul, seated in a respectful posture, gently shook his head.
[I was there as well, so of course I had to fight — and so I fought.]
"Had you not been present, we would have suffered a grave calamity. At worst, we would have seen casualties approaching annihilation."
[The Changpa Unit was present in force, and the Changpaju was there as well.]
"I do not question their skill. The Changpa Unit is the pride of our family, and the current Changpaju is an outstanding superhuman."
The Changpa Unit — the Changhae family's premier military force.
With its commander, the Changpaju, also on the scene, even a 3rd-Rank Alpha wouldn't have simply steamrolled them without a fight.
"But a safe return like this — that would never have been possible."
Baek Wol-seon bowed his head.
"I, as the family head, offer my gratitude to the benefactor who saved a member of my house. Once again, we owe you a tremendous debt."
[Then I will accept your gratitude.]
Lee Ha-yul gave a small nod. Then he slowly bowed his own head in return.
[And I, too, wish to express my thanks. Had it not been for the support of the Changpa Unit and the Changpaju, a subjugation with no casualties like this would have been impossible.]
"...Your way with words is much firmer and smoother than last time. Is this the tone you adopt for official matters?"
He knew that wasn't the reason. Raising his head, Baek Wol-seon fixed his gaze on Lee Ha-yul.
...That appearance, so stunning it was almost alarming, just as the rumors claimed.
But his impression had changed since their last meeting.
A quiet, composed atmosphere, and a countenance that was firm and cold as a sheet of ice.
"...Azure S—"
"You've finally been to Changhae territory!"
Baek A-rin rose from the sofa with a bright smile.
Now that the official talk was over, she walked lightly over and settled herself next to Lee Ha-yul.
"Before this summit, Azure Sea was the only one still acting strangely, so I'd been wondering — but thankfully it resolved properly just in time."
Baek Wol-seon's eyelids twitched at how close she'd pressed in, but Baek A-rin paid no mind, reaching up to gently stroke Lee Ha-yul's face.
"How has Azure Sea changed?"
Giggling, Baek A-rin posed the question. Baek Wol-seon, who had been looking rather discomfited, also directed a curious gaze their way.
Lee Ha-yul raised his hand and, with his fingertips, summoned the Azure Sea.
— C-crackle...!
The cold energy of the Azure Sea radiated outward. The undulating force momentarily coalesced into a defined shape.
A stem coiled around his fingers, and thorns sprouted sparsely along it.
Baek A-rin tilted her head.
"Is this... a flower stem?"
[I'm not certain, but it's taking this sort of shape.]
"Aha. Could it be reflecting your mindscape? Even in this form, Azure Sea is pretty!"
Baek A-rin carefully reached out her hand.
The thorns looked menacing at a glance. Yet her touch drew no harm from them at all.
"Oh... The reports said it would react defensively if anyone else touched it."
At that sight, Baek A-rin's smile deepened.
Conversely, Baek Wol-seon's expression grew sour.
"...Ahem! The Taesan Family is expected to arrive first, shortly. They should be here any moment."
[Yes.]
As Baek Wol-seon spoke while rolling his neck, Lee Ha-yul nodded.
True to his words, within the wide-ranging observation he had spread, a train racing along its tracks came into view.
It was the same luxury locomotive their party had ridden days before, and within it, he detected several Taesan innate talents.
Among them, one presence was exceptionally potent.
A Taesan innate talent that soared high and lofty, as if piercing the heavens.
Lee Ji-ah, who had reportedly been in seclusion at the Death Vein for some time.
'...This is...'
It was the same aura and force he'd observed before. Yet something was different from then.
— Ding! Ding! Ding!
That was when the alarm rang in his head.
Not from his smartwatch. It was the Status Window's alarm, sounding directly inside his mind.
— Bzzzt...
It didn't end with the alarm. A dizzying static filled his head.
— ...C...
The noise gradually cleared. Through it, a clipped vocal message began to trickle in.
— D, etec, ting, the, Cur, se, of, the, De, ad...
Each syllable transmitted directly as a will-thought. Slowly turning the meaning over in his mind, Lee Ha-yul nodded to himself.
'The suspicion I'd been half-entertaining didn't miss its mark.'
Fortunately, the lingering side effects of Azure Sea kept his expression from twisting.
'Were the Three Great Families actually powder kegs the whole time?'
The incredulity hidden away inside him didn't disappear.
* * *
— Ding! Ding! Ding!
[Savior Correction System: Evil Annihilation Progress]
[｢Curse of the Dead｣ detected!]
[The System expresses vehement antipathy toward Tower of the Dead!]
[Should the Savior confront Tower of the Dead, the System will assist him with its full power!]
...
[Savior Correction System: Pioneering Progress]
[Main Quest ｢Tower of the Dead｣ confirmed]
[Drive out Tower of the Dead, who is approaching!]