Gate Cleared, School Awaits
Rumble...
In an instant, the blinding white flash faded, and the world regained its original colors.
Where the lightning had struck, the charred remains of the Battle Wolf lay in a pitiful heap, its form barely recognizable.
And then...
Whoosh...
Its flesh began to scatter into the wind as black ash.
"D-Did we... really get it...?"
Iden muttered in a daze, staring at the scene.
"I told you... we'd win, didn't I... ah..."
I barely managed a response before the strength in my legs gave out completely.
Thud.
I toppled backward.
"Ow ow..."
"You okay?!"
He rushed to my side in a panic, dropping to his knees.
"Yeah... just a bit tired. I'm fine."
I tried to sound nonchalant, but truthfully, I didn't have the energy to twitch a finger.
My vision was spinning.
Falling Thunder.
It might have been a light technique for my past self, but in this body, it was clearly too much.
This skill, which literally summoned lightning straight from the sky, was overwhelmingly fast.
But its drawback was just as obvious.
The telltale precursor: the air vibrating and the sky rumbling right before the bolt struck.
Fast, but easy to dodge.
Still, it had worked thanks to that split-second hesitation the beast showed at the end.
Status Window.
"Heh..."
A hollow chuckle escaped my lips.
Clearing a dungeon way beyond my current level had yielded explosive growth. My level shot up by 7, and even my unique trait leveled up.
As I marveled inwardly at the numbers, Iden edged closer hesitantly.
"Um... this..."
I turned my head—just my head, still sprawled on the floor—and saw a shimmering crystal resting on his palm.
"A mana stone?"
"Yeah. It was left where the Battle Wolf vanished."
"That size... gotta be worth at least 300,000 won, right?"
"Th-Three hundred thousand?! Wait, how do you even know market prices like that...?"
Iden gawked at me.
I averted my eyes and muttered indifferently.
"Eh... trade secret."
"......"
He wore a complicated expression for a moment, then seemed to steel himself and offered me the mana stone.
"Here."
"......?"
I gave him a puzzled look, and he nodded as if it were obvious.
"Huh? It's obviously yours. Hell, you saved my life... I couldn't shamelessly take this."
I stared straight into his eyes.
"Truth is, I can't even move a finger right now. You could just leave me here in the gate, pocket the stone, and walk out—no witnesses, cash in hand, no loose ends."
"What...? What the hell are you saying?! What do you take me for?!"
He yelled in horror.
"Heh heh..."
His reaction made me smirk.
Unexpected.
In my past life, I'd seen plenty of that type.
Especially among low-rank hunters—it was practically routine.
I'd nearly died a few times myself.
"Fine, whatever. Take it, bro... I mean, oppa."
"Even so, this is too much...!"
"More importantly..."
I shakily raised my hand and reached toward him.
"Can you carry me out?"
Swoosh—
I hung limply over his back as he carried me out of the gate.
Soon after we emerged, the rippling blue rift in the air faded and vanished.
"Should... we report this to the Association...?"
Iden stared blankly at the spot and asked.
"We cleared it, so no need."
"Really...?"
"Anyway, take me home. It's not far from here."
"Got it... you did great..."
As he steadied me on his back and turned to go—
Bzzz... bzzz...!
Vibrations climbed from my pants pocket.
"......!"
I flinched reflexively.
"What's wrong? Hurt somewhere?"
Iden glanced back curiously.
With a pale face, I tremblingly fished out my smartphone.
The name glowed clearly on the screen.
"I... I'm in big trouble."
"Huh...? W-What's wrong? Still not feeling well?"
Before I could answer, the screen flashed again with furious vibrations.
I swallowed dryly and cautiously pressed accept, bringing it to my ear.
"Hello...?"
"Shina! What happened to you?! Where are you?! Something wrong, right?! Auntie’s coming now, just wait a sec, wait...! I’m in the car!"
A voice like a banshee's wail blared from the receiver.
"I'm f—"
Click—
She hung up without hearing me out.
I froze, staring at the disconnected screen.
Iden glanced at me.
"......"
"......"
In the heavy silence, I said in a shaky voice,
"W-We gotta hurry...?"
"Shina...!!!"
The front door burst open, Rose's scream filling the living room.
Panting heavily, she stormed in without even kicking off her shoes properly.
And there, in the middle of the living room.
"You're here?"
I lifted my head slightly, sprawled on the floor, pretending nothing was amiss.
Cold sweat trickled down my back, but I kept a perfectly serene face.
"......Huh?"
Rose's steps halted abruptly.
Her unfocused eyes scanned my sprawled form.
"Shina... what happened... no, why are you like that...?"
"Sorry. I was sleeping and missed your calls. Must've dozed off on the living room floor."
A lame lie, but the best I could muster.
Blame my pallor on sleepiness as I gave an awkward smile.
"Ahh......"
She let out a dazed groan, then approached slowly, step by step.
Each footfall on the floor felt heavy.
Ah, I'm in for it...
I closed my eyes, bracing for the scolding.
But instead of a tirade—
Squish.
"......?"
My cheeks were suddenly gripped by her slender hands.
"Mmph...?"
A weird noise leaked from my squished lips.
As I blinked in confusion, Rose dropped to her knees and pulled me into a hug.
"Thank goodness... really, thank goodness......"
She rubbed her cheek against mine furiously, finally unleashing the tears she'd held back.
Hot teardrops splattered and spread across my cheek.
"Uwaaa... thank goodness..."
"......"
It was suffocating, but I couldn't push away a crying woman.
"......"
Iden sat on a park bench, blankly staring at the mana stone in his palm.
A gem-like crystal pulsing with faint blue mana light.
Its existence proved that everything he'd just been through wasn't a dream.
The unreal sensation of brushing death's door and returning.
But before that bizarre elation, something else filled his chest first.
It was...
"Saved by a kid... and a girl, no less..."
Embarrassment.
He roughly dragged a hand down his face, pinching his eyes.
His exposed skin burned hot.
The belated wave of shame crashed over him.
Every careless word and action replayed in his mind, making his toes curl in secondhand mortification.
While he'd been trembling before the beast, that tiny girl had saved him.
"Argh... what the hell am I doing......"
Iden tilted his head back, gazing at the sky.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
She looked like a child, sure.
But her words, that eerie calm in the dungeon without batting an eye.
And... her strength.
She had qualities that made it impossible to see her as an ordinary kid.
"No way... is this..."
His gaze returned to the mana stone.
She'd handed it over like a roadside pebble.
"A fateful encounter...?"
"Ugh... thank goodness... really, thank goodness, Shina..."
"......"
An hour later.
Rose sat on the living room floor, clutching me tight, rubbing her cheek against mine relentlessly.
The sensation of skin on skin grinding away.
I just lay there like a corpse, letting it happen.
What was the point of this, anyway?
Incomprehensible to me, but...
Her breathing was steadying, so it seemed to help her mentally somehow.
"Shina..."
The storm of tears subsided, and her sniffly voice called my name, somewhat calmer.
"Yes...?"
"Auntie was really, really worried."
"Yeees......"
At my response, she gently brushed back my messy hair.
"My Shina..."
Her eyes sparkled oddly as she called me again.
Without stopping her stroking, she murmured softly,
"Time to go to school."
"......?"
What?