My Love from Hell
Crack. Snap.
Belzar's arm twisted unnaturally this way and that, as if some invisible force was wrenching it apart. Yet Belzar kept smiling, unfazed by the pain, and leaped back dramatically to put some distance between them.
"Ahaha! As expected of my love!"
Dahong swung her arms lazily around with an annoyed look on her face.
Slash! Slash-slash!
The scorpion boss's corpse was shredded by an unseen blade aura. Its shell, hard as struck steel, sliced apart like butter.
"Everyone, run!"
Jisu shouted to the group. Those who had been dazedly watching the battle snapped to attention at her voice and bolted.
Boom!
At the same moment, a massive explosion roared from Noeul's direction. Light erupted. Noeul and the woman.
Spears of light poured from Noeul's staff toward the woman. The woman swung her talisman, muttering something under her breath. A black curtain unfurled, devouring the light.
Noeul immediately raised her left hand. Massive boulders surged up from the sand. A spell she'd hidden in the ground.
Thud!
The woman staggered. One side of her robe tore away. But she wasn't one to take it lying down—she whipped her hand out. A black snake shot from her sleeve, lunging at Noeul's ankle.
Noeul stomped her foot. The sand froze solid, shattering the snake to pieces.
"……!"
Right after, Noeul urgently jerked her head back. A red line appeared on her cheek. The snake had hidden thorns inside.
"Not bad," Noeul muttered, wiping the blood.
"……."
The woman said nothing. Two S-rank hunters clashed in a flashy, deadly duel.
Seha stole glances at it all as he ran farther away. It was on another level entirely.
...So this is what a fight from that world looks like.
Even the residual mana made the air hum around them.
"Seha! Watch where you're going! You'll trip!"
Isol grabbed Seha's arm and yanked him along. Seha turned his head forward.
The sounds from behind didn't stop. Boom. Crack. Boom.
The sand trembled beneath their feet. Unsteady. Everyone gritted their teeth and ran, desperate to escape a battle they couldn't join.
As he ran, Seha thought back to the boss fight—what he'd done. He'd spotted the weakness. Fired mana bullets. Breathed fire with Ruby. He'd felt proud, like he'd pulled his weight.
But.
Dahong could end it with one swing.
…….
Seha clenched his fist tight. The gap. He'd known it intellectually, but seeing it right in front of him...
...It's so far away.
Still a long way to go.
***
Slice! Belzar's head flew into the sky.
"Ahaha! Good! Keep it up just like that!"
Even as it separated from his body, Belzar's mouth didn't stop moving.
Snap! Dahong flicked her finger, and Belzar's head was engulfed in purple flames.
The headless body charged at Dahong. She blocked a flying kick aimed at her throat and caught the hand stabbing at her heart.
Whoosh. The two spun like tops.
Then.
Whip! Belzar's torso launched into the air. He'd detached the caught arm himself.
The limbless, headless torso flipped through the air multiple times before landing gracefully on the sand in perfect form. Flesh bulged from the severed stumps, regenerating head and arm.
Dahong carelessly tossed the arm she'd been holding.
"Got stronger again?" Belzar asked with his new head.
"Who knows."
Dahong replied indifferently.
"Ahaha, this is fun!"
"Not for me."
Dahong brushed her hair behind her ear and swung her hand. Belzar's body flew as if struck by something invisible.
Belzar tumbled across the sand, limbs twisted, spitting out grit from his mouth while cackling.
"My love's always so rough!"
"Who’s your love."
Dahong's eyes narrowed.
Time sink.
No matter what she did, he always came back. Kill him 999 times plus 999 more, and Belzar would rise again. At some point, she'd given up bothering altogether.
But to follow her all the way to the human world? How had he even tracked her here?
"Why'd you come to the human world?"
Belzar asked. His twisted limbs had already returned to normal.
"None of your business."
"Like humans that much? Want me to gift you a tower I built from their skulls?"
Splat. Belzar's eyeball burst.
"Heh heh heh."
Belzar chuckled darkly. Then.
Thud! A shockwave exploded nearby. Light burst from Noeul's staff.
Eloise blocked with her talisman, but this time it couldn't hold. Splat! Her body rolled across the sand. The talisman flew from her hand.
"Cough...!"
Blood trickled from her mouth. Noeul panted roughly, aiming the staff's tip at Eloise's throat.
"It's over."
Eloise glared at Noeul. Belzar watched the scene. His eye had already regenerated.
"Huh."
Belzar tilted his head.
"Eloise lost."
Flat, emotionless voice. No surprise.
"Well, guess that's it for today?"
Belzar stepped back. Dahong watched silently.
Belzar grinned wide.
"Had fun today, my love."
"……."
"I'll come play again."
"Don't."
"Aha!"
Belzar giggled, then melted into inky black liquid and seeped into the ground. He reemerged beside Eloise.
Noeul swung her staff before the liquid could fully form, firing a spear of light. Clang! A hand shot from the liquid, batting it away barehanded.
"What!?"
Noeul faltered. Even a hastily cast spell, deflected by a hand?
The liquid slowly took the shape of a boy. Eloise spoke in a trembling voice.
"I'm sorry, Lord Belzar. I was insufficient..."
"It's fine. We achieved today's goal."
Belzar turned to Dahong and grinned slyly.
"Sleep well, my love."
Dahong didn't respond. Black smoke billowed from beneath Belzar's feet, enveloping the two.
"Where do you—!"
Lightning burst from Noeul's staff, tearing through the smoke. But the pair had already vanished without a trace.
Noeul slammed her staff into the sand. Flash! A wave of light swept over the ground. Scanning spell.
100 meters. 300. 500.
"……."
Nothing.
Noeul clicked her tongue.
"They're gone."
She pulled her staff free. Wind blew, scattering sand. The battlefield that had split the dunes lay quiet as if it had all been a lie.
"……."
Dahong stood with arms crossed, staring at the spot where the boy and woman had disappeared.
"Is it... over?"
With the noise gone, Seha's distant group crept back closer.
"Sis, you okay?"
Haneul approached Noeul. Noeul extended a hand, stopping her.
And.
"Hey."
She wiped the blood trailing down her cheek and glared at Dahong.
"What the hell was that guy just now."
All eyes turned to Dahong. She sighed. Long. A genuine, exasperated sigh.
"A great demon."
Short answer. Silence fell.
"Gr... great demon?"
Seha muttered.
A great demon had descended into the mortal realm. How? No... how didn't matter now. The reality of it did.
Noeul pressed on.
"What's your connection to him? You two acted like you knew each other."
"...Just some annoying stalker."
"You think that explains it?"
"……."
Dahong didn't answer. Noeul stepped forward.
"A great demon in the human world is something the Management Bureau needs to know. I'll report it as soon as we get out."
"Do what you want."
Dahong acted like it had nothing to do with her. Noeul started to press harder but stopped. No point digging here—this demon wouldn't open up.
Ha. She sighed softly, planted her staff, and took the lead.
"Let's head back. Who knows what's happened outside."
"……."
Everyone followed wordlessly. Seha gazed silently at Dahong, still standing there, then slowly started walking.
***
Outside the gate. Noeul headed straight for the Management Bureau booth. Two staffers stood dazed.
Thud. She slammed her staff on the ground. They jolted awake.
"Did anyone else enter after we went in?"
"...Pardon?"
The staffer blinked.
"No one came."
"……."
Noeul narrowed her eyes.
"Lemme see."
"Wait, you can't just— Gah!"
She flashed her hunter ID and strode into the booth. Noeul checked the CCTV monitor. Rewind. Hours passed, back to when they'd entered, even further just in case. Nothing on the footage.
...No memory, no record.
Noeul bit her lip. The demons' doing? Possible they'd been waiting long before, but deciding on this gate had been pretty spontaneous. Unlikely.
Noeul pulled out her phone and called Seoyeun.
***
Handling the magic stone and boss materials fell to Jisu. The stone was bought on-site. The appraiser's eyes went wide.
"This from a D-rank gate?"
"Yes."
"Size rivals an A-rank stone. Purity's a bit uneven, but..."
The appraiser named a figure. Substantial sum. Jisu confirmed and showed everyone.
"......Whoa."
Eyes widened at the number. The four academy kids aside, even Jisu's veteran party members, who'd cleared hundreds of gates, had never seen such an amount.
Normally cause for cheers. But no one made a sound.
"...Well, gotta be happy about the good news."
Jisu smiled awkwardly. Boss materials would likely go to auction. Estimated A-rank beast shell—should fetch a high price.
While Jisu handled paperwork, the rest waited in the parking lot. Mansu brought coffee.
"...Drink something warm. All of you."
He handed out paper cups. No one refused. No talk either.
The great demon's shadow still weighed heavy on their shoulders. They dispersed quietly.
"Rest well, everyone. Good work."
Jisu said goodbye one by one. Isol, Seha, and Dahong piled into Jisu's car. It pulled out slowly.
Jisu gripped the wheel silently from the driver's seat. Seha and Dahong sat side by side in the back. Ruby curled up on Seha's lap, asleep. No one spoke.
Sunset light streamed through the window, bathing the interior in orange. Seha stroked Ruby on his lap, lost in thought.
Today's events. Scorpion. Boss. Weakness. Teamwork.
And.
Red eyes.
'My love.'
The great demon calling Dahong that wouldn't leave his mind. Seha glanced sideways.
Dahong propped her chin, staring out the window.
"...Dahong-ssi."
"What."
"That boy earlier called you 'my love'."
"So?"
"Does that great demon... like you?"
Dahong turned. Red eyes met Seha's.
"One-sided."
"One-sided?"
"He's the annoying one. Back in hell, he'd keep sending demons after me. I'd send their heads back."
"……."
Dahong yawned. Seha looked out the window. Streetlights flickered on along the road, one by one.
He got it. Dahong disliked Belzar. Found him annoying. It was one-sided.
...Then why.
That should be fine.
He didn't know. But a corner of his chest felt uncomfortably tight. Because it was dangerous? Sure, partly. But not all.
'My love.'
That phrase stuck. Someone calling Dahong that. An obsessive stalker from hell.
It nagged at him.
"What're you thinking so hard about."
Dahong said, still gazing out the window.
"Ah, nothing."
Seha blushed without realizing. He couldn't figure out why.