We Were Supposed to Dance (5)

In the lounge at the corner of the party venue, Baek Ayoung and Im Sol lay slumped over the table, dead to the world despite the chaos erupting outside.

Drip.

That's when Im Sol felt the mana link at the back of her neck snap. She stirred groggily, propping herself up. It was the mana Lee Ho-yeon had placed on her.

"Ugh..."

Still not fully awake, she couldn't quite grasp the situation. Im Sol glanced around, clueless even about the sensation she'd just felt. Beside her, Baek Ayoung was face-planted on the table.

"..."

She slowly pieced her memories together. They'd been drinking with each other... then Lee Ho-yeon showed up and stopped their drinking contest. Something embarrassing might have happened in the process, but she couldn't recall clearly. They'd come into the lounge to rest a bit, then started drinking again... and that was all she remembered.

Did I overdo it... Ugh.

Im Sol stretched, shaking off the drowsiness. It had been ages since she'd drunk this much. She hadn't detoxified in real-time while drinking, and with fatigue already built up, it might have been too much.

She placed a hand on Baek Ayoung's shoulder—the one still out cold—and gave her a gentle shake.

"Ayoungie. Wake up."

"Ugh, ungh..."

Baek Ayoung shook her head side to side in protest. Even though they were the same age, she looked adorable like this.

"Someone might see and tease that a professor passed out drunk."

"Uwaaah, I'm not a professor..."

Confirming Baek Ayoung was awake with a yawn, Im Sol activated her smartwatch to check the time. That's when she saw hundreds of messages, missed calls, and the emergency network active.

"...What the hell."

Her head cleared in an instant. Im Sol quickly scanned the contents.

That was the first message. Below it were frantic updates streaming in one after another. A quick skim revealed a massive group of Mines had appeared at the front entrance.

"Ah, Ayoungie! Get up quick. Come on!"

Im Sol first roused her still-sleeping friend. They'd just been competing in a prideful drinking bout while leaving their disciple to fight, but now wasn't the time.

"What's wrong? My head still..."

"Pandemic terror attack! Hurry up!"

"T-Terror?!"

At the word "terror," Baek Ayoung snapped fully awake, jerking her head up. Seeing Im Sol's serious face, she realized it wasn't a joke.

"Let's go. We need to join up right away."

"U-Uh, okay."

Still dazed, Baek Ayoung straightened her clothes haphazardly and followed Im Sol.

*

Meanwhile, Nam Da-eun, searching the party venue for Lee Ho-yeon, spotted familiar faces. It was the Lucy and Lumi twins. Since they always stuck ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with him, she felt a spark of hope—but they were plastered against some opaque barrier.

"H-Ho-yeon!"

"What the hell is this...!"

'Lee Ho-yeon?'

Nam Da-eun, about to pass by without greeting, sped up at the name. Up close, the barrier looked even stranger—barely any mana detectable. Murkier than glass, it hazily revealed the inside. And there was the man she'd been desperately seeking, along with a massive Mine.

Inside the sphere, Lee Ho-yeon and the Mine were locked in combat. It was an utterly bizarre fight. Neither used mana; it was pure physical strikes. The dynamic overwhelmingly favored Lee Ho-yeon. His speed and technique outclassed the opponent. While the Mine swung once, Lee Ho-yeon dodged and countered three times.

'But... he's at a disadvantage.'

The issue was the size difference. Lee Ho-yeon controlled the fight with his innate battle sense, but the Mine showed no accumulating damage. If anything, the attacker—Lee Ho-yeon—looked more fatigued. To Nam Da-eun's eyes, his speed was gradually slowing.

After a few more exchanges, her worst fear came true. Lee Ho-yeon's stamina flagged; he was a hair too slow on a dodge. The Mine grabbed his ankle with a sluggish hand and hurled him toward the barrier.

BAM!

Lee Ho-yeon's body crashed into the barrier and crumpled to the floor, mangled for anyone to see. One hit had reversed the entire flow.

"Y-You damn thing! Open! Open up...!"

"L-Luci! Stop...!"

Nam Da-eun watched Lucy pounding and kicking the sturdy barrier. Scorch marks suggested she'd already tried magic and failed.

"Open... Hurry up and open! Please..."

"Lucy...! You can't do this either..."

Lumi clung to Lucy's waist, pulling her back from the barrier. But Lucy thrashed too violently; even restrained, her fists kept hammering. Of course, a barrier that withstood magic wouldn't shatter under a slender girl's punches. Seeing Lucy's knuckles split and bleed, Nam Da-eun winced and intervened.

"...Stop. Step back a bit. Let me try."

"W-What? Nam Da-eun?"

"Nam Da-eun...?"

Nam Da-eun drew her sword—the one he'd gifted her. Closing her eyes in focus, she channeled mana into the blade, then slowly slashed downward, slicing through space itself.

*

Crack!

The grotesque summons from the Mine dropped one by one to Ellis's magic sword.

To think I can move like this.

Ellis felt a thrill at her swiftly moving body. Her congenital mana disorder had prevented proper combat experience, leading her to underestimate her own prowess.

Thud!

"Ellis!"

Reacting instantly to Moon Sulin's voice, Ellis cleaved nearby monsters and charged the Mine. She'd spotted a magic circle forming under its feet. The Mine retreated, but mana gathered behind it too—Ellis's pre-planted trap.

"...!"

The Mine reacted swiftly, conjuring a stepping-stone monster in midair, kicking off it to evade the sky-filling barrage by a hair, and landing.

The attack missed narrowly, but Ellis fell back and called to Moon Sulin.

"Perfect. Chairman."

It was flawless teamwork. Satisfied with their unexpectedly good synergy, Ellis faced front to pressure the Mine.

"...Yeah. Thanks."

Moon Sulin thought the same about their coordination.

...If only he weren't her biological father.

Her father—the Mine Moon Sung-min—suddenly lowered his hand, gathering his mana as if declaring no will to fight. Ellis tensed at the abrupt halt, but Moon Sung-min spoke calmly.

"Sulin. Is this really what you want?"

"..."

Moon Sulin glanced at Ellis before responding. Understanding, Ellis stepped back slightly—a sign of non-interference. Only then did Moon Sulin relax a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fraction.

"Father. No, Dad... How long are you going to chase revenge?"

Of course, Moon Sulin wanted revenge too if possible. But watching her father devote his life to an uncertain goal of slaying incorporeal Mines was pain beyond words for his daughter. The living mattered more than vengeance for the dead.

"Just... come back to me. Even now, it's okay..."

"...I've walked too far down this path for that."

Moon Sung-min gazed at her sadly, gave a bitter smile, and unfurled a magic circle. Ellis stepped in front of Moon Sulin as circles lined up before him.

"That crazy bastard..."

She'd given them space assuming family matters, but this was a sudden ambush.

"Wait. Ellis, it's not an attack."

Moon Sulin grabbed Ellis's shoulder after inspecting the circles. They were... defensive spells. And just as she realized it, dozens of elemental magics flew from behind.

BOOM!

Bang!

The immense power made Moon Sulin scan for the caster—and spot approaching reinforcements. Im Sol and Baek Ayoung. Im Sol's mana, unfolding a spell with one hand, blanketed the area.

"...Sulinie."

"D-Dad...!"

The defensive circles Moon Sung-min cast held well but, being improvised, reached their limit soon.

"Next time, for sure..."

KABOOM!

Moon Sulin focused on her father's words, but the following explosion drowned them out. Glimpsing the teleport circle, though, she sighed in relief.

It was ridiculous to feel relieved that an academy-attacking Mine had fled, but she couldn't help it. He was her only remaining blood kin.

"He ran. Rat of a Mine. His magic wasn't half bad, though."

"Hah... Hah... Run slower..."

Im Sol and Baek Ayoung approached Ellis and Moon Sulin.

"You two okay? Student council president... and Ellis cadet, right?"

Baek Ayoung checked them over familiarly. Having been on-site, it was easy for her.

"Yes. We're fine."

'They rushed here without proper prep.'

Ellis inwardly thanked their disheveled hair.

"...I'm okay too."

Moon Sulin felt conflicted. Trading blows with her father after ten years wasn't a good reunion. They hadn't even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠talked properly. After a decade apart, not even exchanging well-wishes.

"Good thing. Ayoungie. Let's go. Still Mines up front. Probably wounded too."

"R-Right. Combat's probably ongoing."

Moon Sulin snapped to at Im Sol's words. They'd left abruptly; time to return. But then—

Clang!

Clang!

Claaaaang!

Craaaaaash!

A metallic clash echoed nearby—like striking rock with a hard blade.

"...Solie. Hear that?"

"Maybe combat."

Moon Sulin knew some Mines had slipped away mid-battle. Im Sol judged quickly.

"You two check it out."

The teleporter was likely a key figure. Reports mentioned one strong Mine up front already. Two strong ones total. More than three at that level here? Unlikely. Weaker ones, the president and Ellis could handle.

"Front's us and Ayoungie."

"...Yes. Thank you, Professor."

Moon Sulin nodded. She wanted to go herself, but the front needed their power. She glanced at Ellis, who nodded silently. Ellis was curious too.

Moon Sulin ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and Ellis dashed toward the mystery sounds, while Im Sol and Baek Ayoung headed front to join the fray, confirming the pair's departure.