We Were Supposed to Dance (3)
Whoosh—crack—Liliana's eyes widened at the girl's butterfly-like movements as she covered Nam Da-hee's eyes. Nam Da-eun was effortlessly slicing the oncoming mines in half while protecting Liliana and Nam Da-hee.
With her innate talent honed by relentless effort, Nam Da-eun's swordsmanship had long surpassed that of any cadet.
"...L-Liliana unnie. What if something happens to my sister?"
"It's okay. I'll protect you."
After stroking the trembling Nam Da-hee's back, Liliana took her hand and stood, approaching Nam Da-eun, who was shaking the blood from her blade.
"Let's get out of here first."
"...Okay."
"S-Sis...."
Nam Da-eun hugged Nam Da-hee tightly and slipped out of the party venue. She'd had no choice but to deal with the mines right in front of her little sister, but it was still too early to expose a child to such horrors.
As they left the venue behind, a nagging unease settled in Nam Da-eun's heart.
'He probably hasn't gotten out yet.'
Even as she fled the party with Nam Da-hee, Nam Da-eun kept glancing back. Rationally, she knew Lee Ho-yeon—stronger than her—was unlikely to be hurt.
She understood that.
Squeeze—
But the anxious tremor in Nam Da-hee's right hand said otherwise. Because of her sister, she couldn't go to Ho-yeon.
"Hoo...."
Yeah. He'll be fine. Ho-yeon's strong. Stronger than her, even stronger than an S-rank mine. So it was weird to worry... but even knowing that, she couldn't stop unconsciously searching for him.
The emotions of a girl in love kept leaking out, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.
Just then, Liliana, who had been running out of the venue, came to a halt.
"Liliana-ssi?"
Nam Da-eun stopped abruptly in surprise and noticed Nam Da-hee nestled in Liliana's arms. Liliana had stopped, so Da-hee had too.
"...Nam Da-eun."
"Y-Yes, Liliana-ssi."
"I'll take care of Da-hee. You go save Ho-yeon."
Liliana smiled gently, stroking Nam Da-hee's back. She'd probably cast a sleep spell.
"Pardon? No, we should drop Da-hee off first and then—"
"What if you're too late?"
"...."
She had a point. The Nam sisters and Liliana, who had been at the back of the venue, didn't know the full scale of the terror attack. The mines Nam Da-eun had taken down weren't that strong. If they were all like that, it would've been quelled quickly—but the attack dragging on meant something special was happening up front.
"Don't overthink it. Hurry."
"...But."
Nam Da-eun met Liliana's eyes. She knew all too well how much Liliana adored Ho-yeon.
"I'll look after Da-hee. You should go instead, Liliana-ssi—"
"I said go."
Liliana said no more, hugging Nam Da-hee and slowly walking past Nam Da-eun.
"L-Liliana-ssi."
"You're stronger than me. You have to go."
"...Please take care of Da-hee."
Faced with Liliana's resolute attitude, Nam Da-eun bowed her head. Feeling deep gratitude toward her, she clenched her fists and dashed back toward the venue—to check on Ho-yeon's safety.
"...Sigh."
Left alone with Nam Da-hee, Liliana quickened her steps while holding the girl close. Truthfully, Nam Da-eun taking care of her own sister was the right call. They were blood. Besides, Da-eun only had her combat prowess, while Liliana had auxiliary spells on top of her strength. In some ways, she might even be more helpful.
The problem was that in a crowded place full of powerful mages, her barriers could be broken. Rushing to save Ho-yeon might cause bigger issues.
"I wanted to go save Ho-yeon too...."
Liliana had been scanning the surroundings just like Nam Da-eun as they escaped. In case he appeared. It would hurt her heart if he was injured.
Sniff.
Feeling her eyes grow moist, Liliana blinked rapidly to hold back the tears. Crying over this? Blink blink. For once, she regretted her proud succubus bloodline.
*
At the front of the venue, mines trying to push inward clashed fiercely with the guarding forces.
Krunch—!
A blind fireball took off the head of a mine next to Reinhardt.
"...Hmph!"
He'd smashed a human's head at the same time, but Reinhardt was deeply dissatisfied. Pandemic still held the advantage, but reinforcements from Victoria Academy would arrive soon. Shortest estimate: ten minutes. Worst case: thirty, and the professors would show up. They had to breach the defensive line and enter the academy before then. Even if they couldn't overpower head-on, mines infiltrating everywhere would frustrate the enemy.
Reinhardt, Pandemic executive and commander of this op, scanned his mines. But no matter how he looked, they weren't there.
The reason they could launch such a blatant frontal assault wasn't Reinhardt's brute force alone. The original plan was a pincer from inside and out. When the infiltrated security mine suddenly opened the tightly sealed barrier, an S-rank mine had rushed in fastest. He was the key to this operation—solid backup from Maestro.
They'd planned to smash through the guards quickly with a pincer... but right as it started, both the security infiltrator and S-rank vanished.
'Those fuckers...'
Reinhardt wasn't mad they'd gone rogue. They'd defied Maestro's orders.
—Kill them! You mine bastards—!
Reinhardt unleashed murderous intent at the human glaring daggers. If they weren't helping, he'd make do without. For Maestro.
Boom!
Vast mana gathered in Reinhardt's arm, and he charged back into the humans.
*
"Urgh...."
Fuck. The situation was pure shit. No better way to put it.
This space felt alien. Somehow, it erased the very concept of mana. If I could see it from outside, I'd get it... but not now.
At least my [Combat Sense] was intact. No mana meant no [Mana Resonance] or any skills/magic, but perks remained.
No 'Eye of Insight', so not perfect, but decent dynamic vision and reflexes. Barely trained in hand-to-hand, yet the perk let me technically dominate.
Couldn't check strength or agility stats, but quests ensured they weren't low.
Sounds good? Except for one insurmountable wall.
Thud—thud—
That eerie sound with every step. That monstrous physique, even after shedding tentacles. Too heavy, too solid to overcome.
Shin Dong-min and I repeated the same dance. Whoosh—dodge the fast punch, counter. Spot the other hand grabbing, retreat. Dirty unfair fight. I'd landed at least ten hits, but one from him ends me. No regen without mana—I'd be crushed in that grip. Power gap too vast.
'Should've trained my body more.'
Mage or swordsman, danger's the same. Late regrets, too late now.
"Haa, haa...."
Breath growing ragged.
"I'll kill you. Painfully. As painfully as possible...."
Shin Dong-min's eyes rolled back, not even looking at me. No sign of fatigue. Of course. I'd fluttered like a butterfly and stung like a bee dozens of times, but the psycho just walked and punched. My stamina drained faster.
Tat-tat—!
Shin Dong-min kicked off the ground, smashing a fist down. Boom! I deflected its path with my palm, closing in. Skin scraped just from grazing it. But his stance crumbled from the missed strike—I stomped his joint with full weight.
Thud—predictable result. Full-body attack, zero damage. Sensing it ineffective, I leaped back out of range.
He still brimmed with power.
"...Fine. Let's see who wins."
I gritted my teeth. Ideally, smash that face myself... but if not, stall. Time was on my side.
*
Moon Sulin, arriving at the front, quickly assessed. Mines and guards clashed in a bloody melee. A few lucky professors and cadets nearby joined in. The balance slightly against them.
'But we can hold.'
They wouldn't crumble here. Plenty to last until reinforcements.
"Cover the right flank—no gaps!"
Krunch—
A mine burst through a troop opening. Moon Sulin telekinetically hurled a nearby statue at it.
"Gaaah—!"
"...Still alive."
The mine staggered from the direct hit but pushed deeper inside. Moon Sulin hesitated, then pursued.
"...I'll handle it quick."
"Y-Yes, President!"
No spare troops, so she'd mop up fast and return. Risky for a commander, but with the guard captain there, a short absence was fine.
"Grr, grrrk. Gulp!"
Krunch—easy takedown.
Then.
As Moon Sulin turned to hurry back, a robed man appeared before her. Identity unknown.
"...Who are you."
He hid his mana, but she smelled the foul hell-mana unique to mines. And if this was leaking, his real power was greater. If he'd joined the front, the academy would be in ruins.
Gulp—
Tensing at the sudden strong mine, Moon Sulin observed him.
"Sulin-ah."
"...?"
A gentle voice made her tilt her head. Familiar... kind tone.
The man pulled back his hood.
"It's been a while."
Recognizing the face, Moon Sulin's eyes widened. Unforgettable, etched in her heart. An unbreakable bond. Her blood kin.
"...Father?"
"You've grown strong, my daughter."
He smiled warmly. The father's smile unchanged after ten years. Save for the purple mine-marks dotting his face.
"...H-How."
Moon Sulin's mind filled with despair. The truth after ten years: her father, turned mine.