<p>Cold sweat trickled down Si-woo's neck.</p>
'That was way too close.'
Like being struck by lightning on a clear day. He had nearly died in an instant from sheer bad luck. If he hadn't reflexively activated Flowing Clouds and Running Water, he'd already be dead.
The crimson flames that erupted as the door vibrated open. It was utterly absurd. He shook off the burning heat from his palm and kept his guard up ahead. The massive door had already opened. No — melted open was a more accurate description.
Beyond the door was silent. Only hot air was seeping out calmly. A stillness filled with nothing but heat, like after a bomb had gone off. He watched the area warily, then stepped back with Helena.
"Hoo..."
His entire body's qi and blood were burning. Deflecting that incredible heat — enough to melt rock from just a glancing touch — hadn't been easy. It felt like death had licked the back of his neck. There was no way he could do it again on command. He gathered the remaining heat in his body to his fingertip and flicked it away. That alone melted through the floor, drilling a hole.
'Was that the Finger Wind technique?'
It was just the condensed flames he'd expelled before they could explode, but the power was considerable. He'd have to study it calmly later.
"Ah..."
Helena let out a small gasp, her lips parted. An expression unlike her — as if her soul had fled. Even when he gently stroked her cheek, she only flinched. She still hadn't gathered herself.
"Helena, are you alright?"
"Ah... I'm... alright..."
He kept watch on the doorway while checking on her. An emotion he'd never seen before was churning in her eyes.
'If only the timing were better.'
For some reason, the wall he'd felt from her had weakened dramatically. If the situation allowed it, he'd have kissed her right then. He forced himself to calm down and raised his internal energy.
"Helena. Focus."
"Ah..."
The dazed-looking Helena took a few breaths and soon showed clear eyes again. She too frowned as she watched the interior with caution.
"That flame just now... I remember it. It was like the disaster of fire... But that was..."
"From your future?"
"Yes. The calamity that turned Seoul into a sea of fire. But it's a little different. That flame just now had no will behind it at all."
"You're right... there was no will."
Despite the incredible power, there was absolutely no intention contained within it. It was literally like a natural phenomenon. A simple mass of energy. If that mighty flame had been imbued with will, then Flowing Clouds and Running Water or not, he'd just be dead.
The melted door had already cooled. The cold that had been pushed back was rushing in fiercely through the hole in the ceiling. Like an army on the march. If anything, that side was imbued with will. It seemed hostile to the heat. Thinking about it now, he suspected the intensifying blizzard had been because of the feather he was holding. But that was meaningless now.
Shing.
He pulled out his sword from his inventory. Raising his concentration, he stared into the room. If this was a dimensional rift, there should be a boss monster. But nothing moved. There was only a small space about five pyeong in size. The walls were covered in bizarre patterns, as if they had repeatedly melted and cooled.
'An egg?'
The only thing inside was an egg with a mix of yellow and red. The heat that had filled the room began to gather, and a vision started forming above the egg. It grew clearer and clearer as the energy coalesced. A bird with magnificent plumage sat silently, looking at them. Its appearance was a mix between a peacock and an eagle. The feathers weren't burning, yet each one seemed to shimmer. There was a mystical aura about it. He remembered seeing it somewhere — not in person, but in an academy textbook.
'A phoenix...?'
When he'd seen pictures, it was huge — larger than most buildings. This one looked like a shrunken version of that same phoenix.
— At last... you have come.
It was the same voice from the feather. The difference was that now he was hearing it through his ears, not inside his head. There was no hostility in the voice. If anything, he felt a faint goodwill and welcome. But he couldn't let his guard down.
'If I have to use the Shooting Sun technique... I'm not sure.'
If he couldn't win even at full power, then running now would be pointless anyway. If the worst came, he'd have to get stronger in another world and come back.
Whoooosh!!
The blizzard from outside raged violently. As if hostile to the bird. He observed closely, but the vision radiated almost no power. Still, he couldn't be careless. He blocked Helena's front and stayed tense. A transcendent being that had forcibly teleported them from Seoul to here — this bird was probably the culprit. For now, its attitude was friendly. He decided to talk first, using the time to recover his mana as well.
"Are... you the one who brought us here?"
— That's right. My final struggle. Though it was only half a success. I have no intention of harming you, so put away your hostility.
"...We almost died just now, you know."
Despite his tension, the vision remained still.
— The heat filling this place was the accumulated dust that leaked from me. Even I could not help it. And if it were not for your power, it would never have happened in the first place.
"Power...?"
— Because of that strange power that rejects magic, the transfer was distorted.
Thinking back, he remembered pouring anti-magic power into the feather, not knowing what might happen.
"So... what's the reason you called us?"
— I gathered the last of my power to call you because I have a request. Originally, I only called that girl. But it seems you also possess the qualification...
"Qualification...?"
The phoenix looked at Helena and spoke.
— A poor child whose Blessing of Oblivion has grown faint. Because of that, you became my hope.
Si-woo was still processing what that meant when Helena opened her mouth beside him.
"Wait a moment! Sir Si-woo... no, is this person also someone whose Blessing of Oblivion has grown faint?"
— Well... similar, yet different. I cannot see it clearly either.
Helena seemed to ponder something, then continued.
"...Now that I think about it, the snowy mountain itself seems to be a seal to confine you."
If this creature had been sealed after causing harm to the world, it would be dangerous.
— Originally, I sealed myself for the sake of you humans... I simply did my best to avoid having my power stolen.
It was hard to believe that a being that could trigger a teleport with just a single feather had been victimized.
"Who on earth...?"
— He called himself Sado.
"Sado...?"
Helena's expression hardened immediately.
— At this rate, my will will disappear and only my power will remain. That would become a catastrophe. Helping me is helping yourselves.
He'd need to know what the request was before even thinking about whether to accept it. Si-woo spoke up.
"Let's say that's true. What's the request?"
— Raise my child.
"You don't mean... that egg?"
— Yes. My child and my avatar.
Pat pat pat. The blizzard entered through the ceiling but was blocked. It couldn't enter the room, as if there were a barrier. The melted iron door was regenerating, as if to block the snow.
'Is that the seal?'
It was simultaneously a seal and a shield protecting the heat. The residual heat that had melted rock cooled instantly upon barely touching a snowflake. It was like being devoured by the snow.
— Ahh... I don't have much time left.
The vision's voice grew noticeably more tired. It was much fainter than before. On the verge of disappearing at any moment. There were so many things he wanted to ask, but it seemed about to vanish like this. Countless questions swirled in his head. He started with the most important.
"How do we get out of this place?"
— You will be able to leave naturally soon.
He felt a bit relieved. He had been using his Lie Detection skill from the moment he started speaking with this being. It seemed impressive, but you never knew. It didn't hurt to be careful. The vision flickered as if it would disappear any second. The next question would probably be the last.
As he chose his question, something extremely important came to mind. A spirit beast at the phoenix level would probably be capable of polymorphing into human form. His mouth moved on its own.
"Is it male or female?"
The bird's vision showed an expression of disbelief.
'Wait, a bird making expressions...'
The phoenix ignored the question entirely and left its final words.
— Humans always want compensation... The very act of raising this child will be its own reward. But if that is not enough, then so be it. That is simply fate...
The vision vanished like smoke. At the same time, the egg began to crack with a sharp sound. Finally, the tension eased a little. Feeling oddly awkward, he looked to the side. Helena was smiling faintly. A slightly different smile than usual.
"Female...? Why did you ask that?"
He wanted to take back the words his mouth had blurted out without thinking. The truth was, a spirit beast at the phoenix level could probably take human form. He barely managed to come up with a plausible excuse.
"...If we're going to raise it, we'd need to give it a name. For that, we'd need to know its gender, wouldn't we?"
"Hmm... I suppose so."
Helena's smile returned. He couldn't tell if the excuse had worked or if she was just letting it slide. A sigh of relief escaped him. The cracking sound finished, and the egg split open.