Arang Is Threatened

I quietly stared at the skill window.

'I've seen level-ups before, but an evolution is a first...'

Sure enough, my Kneading skill's level was still at 3, same as before.

'...Well, evolution's probably a good thing, right?'

I paused my hands, which had been pressing firmly into Iris's back, and gently tapped the skill window to expand the detailed description.

Last time I leveled up, it said I could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠achieve "more profound kneading"... What does it say now?

"......"

What the hell does that mean?

I stared blankly at the floating skill window, blinking a few times.

'...What kind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of bullshit is this?'

How am I supposed to use it if you don't tell me what effects it gives? What am I supposed to do with a random effect I don't even know about?

...Then again, it's always been like this, hasn't it?

I set up my character in an app, got TS'd — no point making a fuss now.

I'm getting used to my weird skill, I guess.

As I stayed still, Iris, who'd been lying face-down beneath me, turned her head slightly to look up at me.

"Hm? Arang, what's wrong? Something up?"
"Ah... no. Nothing at all."

I figured I shouldn't stop the massage, so I quickly answered, pretending everything was fine, and poured mana back into my hands.

Press. Press.

"Huaaaaang... ah, right there, that feels so goooood..."

I had no idea what the evolved Kneading's effects were, but hey, it probably benefited the receiver.

...It's my skill, but I can't even use it on myself.

What kind of skill is this, anyway?

After a few more presses, Iris gripped the bedsheet tightly, gasped, trembled all over, then went limp and collapsed.

'...Wait. That thing about reaching the heavens... that's not what they meant, is it?'

I shook my head, forcing the thought out of my mind.

That would be... no. Please no.

I snuck a glance at Iris. She had a faint smile on her lips and was even drooling a little.

"Haa..."

Olivia, watching the scene, let out a deep sigh and pressed her hand to her forehead again.

"I'm so terribly sorry, Arang. She's my sister, but... I'm embarrassed on her behalf..."

Olivia's face was bright red as she kept bowing her head. I chuckled and waved my hand.

"It's fine. You said she hasn't been able to rest properly. All the fatigue that's been building up in her body is probably just releasing slowly."
"...Thank you for understanding."

I watched Olivia shoot a glare at Iris and swallowed a laugh.

"Well, I should get going. Let Iris get some good sleep."

As I carefully climbed off Iris, Olivia shot up from her chair.

"You're leaving already? Let me drive you home myself."
"Oh no, it's fine. You stay here with Iris."

It wouldn't be bad to go together, but I felt bad leaving her unconscious sister behind.

I politely declined, wagged my tail happily, and left the hospital room.

I exited the hospital and got back into the luxury sedan Olivia had arranged for me.

"Shall I take you home, Arang?"
"Yes! Please."

I sank into the soft leather seat and looked out the window, a smile naturally spreading across my face.

As the car glided smoothly and the scenery outside began to blur, the driver — who'd been glancing at the rearview mirror — tilted his head and carefully spoke up.

"Excuse me, Arang."
"Yes? What is it?"
"Ever since we left the hospital... there's a black van that keeps following us."
"What...?"

At his words, I whipped around to look behind me, then flinched and ducked down.

'No way... They're coming for me in broad daylight like this?'

I hadn't officially gone to the Association ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to reveal my identity yet, but anyone who mattered already knew about my connections... And they're coming at me this directly?

It's one of two things.

Either they're confident enough to survive pissing off Baekya and Cheonroe, or they're small ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fry who don't know what they're getting into.

But the problem is, even if they're minnows, they're still a threat to me right now.

...I can't even fight.

If I'd brought the wyvern meat pie, I could've breathed some fire, but I didn't have it on me.

I pressed my hand to my pounding chest to calm myself and spoke to the driver.

"Um, driver. Could you not go straight home... maybe take a detour through some alleys or main roads?"
"Yes, understood. Please fasten your seatbelt tight."

The driver turned the wheel, weaving through unexpected alleyways and intersections.

I stared wide-eyed at his driving skills.

What is this, Initial D?

How is he this good?

After a moment, the driver checked the rearview mirror, and his expression hardened coldly.

"...Yes. They're definitely following us. Even after we changed routes, they're stubbornly tailing us."

At that, I swallowed dryly.

My fingertips started trembling.

Now it really hit me. Yeah. This is the world I've stepped into.

I pressed my shaking hands together, forcing myself to calm down.

Hoo... Let's settle down. No matter how tough the enemy is, they're not as strong as S-rank guild masters, right?

I pulled out my smartphone and called Cha Eunwol, the guild master, whose number was on speed dial.

"Eunwol unnie! I mean, Guild Master! I'm on my way home from the hospital, but someone's been tailing my car!"

Suddenly, the chilling voice on the other end of the line sent a murderous aura through me so strong that I almost forgot the fear I'd been feeling.

"I'm... ah, I think I'm heading toward that shopping mall we went to last time."

Clutching my phone, I looked at the driver with a grimace.

"Driver, I'm so sorry... I got you dragged into something weird because of me..."

I felt bad for making him caught up in this.

But the driver let out a warm chuckle.

"It's alright. I'm a father with a daughter about the same age as you. How could I, as an adult, pretend not to see a young lady like you being scared?"
"...Thank you."

Moved by his kindness, I nodded vigorously.

"Thank you so much... Could you take me to the Baekya Guild headquarters instead of my place?"
"Understood. Hold on tight."

The engine roared and the car began to pick up speed.

We were racing frantically toward the Baekya Guild headquarters.

Just as we entered a sparsely populated section of road.

Screeeeeech—! BANG!!

Suddenly, a massive dump truck burst out of an alley and brutally blocked our path.

The driver slammed on the brakes, but the car shook violently as it came to a halt.

"KYAAAH!"

I screamed as my head hit the seat. For a moment, the impact sent my vision spinning.

I need to... pull myself together. Quick.

THUD—!

The sound of the lock being forcibly broken rang out, and the rear door I was sitting in was yanked open roughly.

"Eek...!"

The man who opened the door was someone I'd never seen before — his face covered in scars, with an imposing, rugged build.

'...He's ugly!'

The man thrust his upper body into the car, looked at me, and sneered viciously.

"You Baek Arang? Look just like photo."
"Who are you..."

'What's with him... His accent is way too strange.'

I gritted my teeth and scrambled to the opposite corner of the seat, pulling the door handle, but the door wouldn't budge.

The man, as if mocking my resistance, reached out a rough hand.

"Don't make noise and come quiet, little girl. Big brothers give you VIP treatment—"

The moment his hand was about to touch my arm.

Snap.

"...Huh?"

A massive hand shot out from behind the man and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

Whoosh. CRASH!!

"KYAAAHK!"

The man was yanked straight out of the car like a ragdoll, flying through the air before slamming into the asphalt.

I just stared, frozen, blinking.

The man, thrown to the ground, coughed up blood in pain. He looked up at the one who had grabbed him and instantly froze.

His pupils began trembling in terror, as if he'd seen something impossible.

Beyond the open car door.

A familiar-looking man stood there with a languid expression.

"Hoo..."

He took a long drag from the cigarette in his mouth, then blew a cloud of ashy smoke down onto the face of the fallen man.

It was the Georang guild master — the same one who'd given me the teddy bear last time.

"...Looks like our little one's pretty popular. Even the Chinese have their eyes on you."

He walked over, grabbed the fallen man by the neck, and lifted him.

"Ghk... gurgle... hack...!"

As the man's face went pale and he thrashed, spitting bloody foam, the Georang guild master let out a faint smirk.

"Don't worry. I'll send the rest of your crew to join you soon enough."

I stared blankly at the scene.

...Weren't you following me too?