Target (1)
The morning sun rose, and the alarm blared noisily. Just yesterday, my body and mind had been utterly wrecked. But now, I felt more energized than ever.
"My brain's still kinda itchy."
Well... it was probably just a mild trauma from that dream. Something like this would fade fast with time. Dreams always slip away bit by bit the moment you wake up.
"I'm heading out."
[~~]
[Bzzz!]
I quickly washed up and changed clothes. Grabbing a canned coffee and sandwich from the fridge, I stepped out. The bus stop was in sight, but unfortunately, I wouldn't be riding the bus for a while.
"Gotta save money."
With the house smashed to bits recently, repair costs had drained my wallet. Every penny counted. It took ten minutes at full sprint from home to the office, so I'd commute by running for the foreseeable future.
"Feels good."
I cast cognitive distortion magic and parkoured my way to work, leaping from building to building. Skipping over rooftops gave me the shortest path, and I arrived in no time. Dispelling the spell, I flung open the front gate.
'It's spotless.'
The last time I'd seen the office interior, it was a total disaster. Go-seo's group had rampaged, turning it into chaos, and then Yu-hwa and I had trashed it further fighting them off. But now, not a single trace remained, even if you scrubbed your eyes looking for it.
"How's your body feeling?"
"I rested up and I'm totally fine now!"
"Nothing you remember?"
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing at all."
On my way, I chatted with a junior from another department. Testing if she recalled the incident, but nope—she remembered zilch. The memory wipe had worked perfectly. Kim Gwa-jang acting like he remembered something was the outlier. The Management Bureau had done their job right.
"Good morning."
"Hey."
Opening the office door, familiar faces greeted me. Nam Bu-jang, his bald head still gleaming, and Kim Gwa-jang smirking slyly at whatever he was up to. I set my bag down and asked them,
"How are you two holding up?"
"Way better than before I inhaled that gas."
"I'm fine too..."
They'd checked out healthy at the hospital, but I asked anyway—just in case. Good, they were both okay.
'Thank goodness.'
It made all that legwork worth it. Plus, with Cheon-do-hoe behind the incident now crumbled, nothing like that would happen again.
'...Right?'
Gung-gi sect was still out there. They'd ambushed me before, so it nagged at me a bit. More than me, they'd targeted office worker Lee Jin-seok. Whether it was personal or something else, I didn't know. But screw up, and the office could blow up again.
"Work's piled up like crazy."
"Overtime's guaranteed for a while..."
"Damn it."
Well, not something to worry about right now. The real issue was the mountain of backlog from my week off. Overtime pay would roll in nicely. For cash-strapped me, it was a silver lining.
"...."
I hammered away at the keyboard for a good while, then glanced at the clock. Ten minutes past start time.
'Am I late?'
Never seen Yeon Dae-ri late once. Did she mix up the date?
"Where the hell's Yeon Dae-ri? Someone call her."
"I'll do it."
Bu-jang beat me to it, so I stepped out and dialed her.
"What're you doing not at work? Something come up?"
[Jin-seok oppa?! Hold on! I'll call back in a bit...!]
BOOM!!
Click.
An unidentified explosion roared right after, then the line cut. I stared at the dead phone for a moment, sighed deeply, and pocketed it.
"Mind if I take half a day?"
"You little shit! Can't you see we're swamped!?"
"I'll be back before lunch! It's a real emergency!"
"Hey!!"
This damn life—never a peaceful day.
****
I knew where Yu-hwa's one-room was. Found out when I dumped her drunk ass there once.
"Goddamn it."
I bolted there at full speed. No time for cognitive distortion magic, so a few civilians spotted me.
"Did someone just run by?"
"You imagining things?"
"...Maybe?"
Shaking off stares was easy, but CCTV? No cover. They'd probably snapped plenty of pics and vids already.
'Gonna have to smash 'em later.'
Information manipulation was common magic, but deep-sea and insect spells weren't mainstream. Might need to raid some CCTV setups later.
"There it is."
Lost in thought while running, I'd arrived. A barrier stretched out ahead, with shamans controlling the area nearby.
"Those Cheon-do-hoe bastards didn't all die yesterday?!"
"Different sect!"
"How far's backup?!"
"They're coming, but running late!"
The two shamans summoned spirits, casting spells over the zone. People avoided the barrier without question, taking detours. Cars turned back at construction signs without protest.
"Who the hell're you?!"
"You can't come in here! It's dangerous!"
Of course, I ignored the shamans stomping below and hopped the rooftop into the barrier.
Crash!
A bit of resistance, but it couldn't stop me.
"Give up, wench!"
"Would you?!"
Inside, battle raged. Yu-hwa clashed fiercely with dozens of yokai.
"Hiya!"
[Grrr!]
A wild dog yokai lunged; Yu-hwa swung her talisman-plastered sword, slicing it.
[Yelp yelp!]
"No chance!"
The dog yokai swarmed, snapping at her, but she dodged nimbly. A talisman peeled off her blade, igniting and torching several.
"Corpse explosion!"
"Guh?!"
A voice from somewhere—dog corpses detonated. Yu-hwa ducked into an alley to evade, but grimaced, taking a hit. No bite wounds, but her body's ragged state was from that magic.
"Quit hiding like a coward!"
"Same to you! Would you come out?!"
"You bastard!"
She tangled with charging dogs again, taking steady damage. At this rate, her stamina would run out in ten minutes. Not on my watch.
'Time to help.'
Estimate done, plan set. I surged mana, summoning a giant dragonfly.
[Come forth.]
[Zzzzrrip!]
It zipped off at my command.
"Kyaaak!"
[Grah?!]
The dragonfly snatched Yu-hwa midair; the dogs were left chasing chickens.
"Jin-seok oppa!"
"Hey."
Yu-hwa dangled from the dragonfly, spotting me late and waving happily. I waved back with one hand—while clenching the other fist till it bled, drawing a magic circle and chanting.
[May all be swept away with the waves.]
Hydrant burst; I manipulated the water into raging waves. Yokai flailed, swept up.
'Careful, extra careful.'
I dialed the magic's power precisely, grinding them without collateral. Residential area—civilians hid everywhere.
[Grrr!]
[Whirl!]
[Squeal!]
[Pierce!]
Kept controlling water, hunting hidden dog yokai in alleys. Spotted civilians here and there, ignored 'em, pressed on.
"Oppa! Up there!"
"!?"
Area cleared, just needed the summoner. Yu-hwa yelled urgently. On a rooftop: a man in shaman robes, proudly flashing Gung-gi's emblem—a Cheon-do-hoe priest. Someone beside him too.
"Nobody move! Unless you want this bitch to die!"
"Nngh...!"
He'd grabbed a hostage, knowing he was outmatched. Convenience store uniform—part-timer. Neck choked, in agony.
"Shaman! Mage! Can you hear me?!"
"Loud and clear."
"We hear you!"
He bellowed at us from afar. I replied while subtly directing magic at him—sent water underfoot, formed an ice spear, launched.
"Crazy mage?! Stop the spell now?!"
"Nope."
His barrier blocked it. I clicked my tongue in regret. So close to piercing.
He gulped at the half-penetrating spear, roared angrier.
"You're the good guys! You don't want this civilian dead, right?!"
"...."
"Then send the shaman over! I'll release her!"
Didn't know his game, but he demanded Yu-hwa. Hostage pinned us; ambush failed. Situation sucked.
"Tch...! Oppa, put me down!"
"Why."
"Lemme go over quick! Hurry!"
"Hmm..."
She meant to comply. I stared, then chuckled.
"Nah."
"Huh?"
Sorry, Yu-hwa, but no way. I valued Incheon folk and protected civilians, sure. But pitting that against Yu-hwa?
"Just die, both of you."
"Wait, hold on! You psycho?!"
"S-save me!"
"Sorry, civilian. I'll avenge you."
Hesitate half-assed, lose both. To me, familiar Yu-hwa trumped a stranger. Tough break. I'd atone to Shin-nim later.