Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Don't Underestimate Angels
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"No joke."
Isia nodded unconsciously at the words accompanied by rough breathing. They were still circling areas where people hadn't evacuated yet, fighting nonstop, but the Drakes showed no sign of letting up.
Even Yang Min-ji had joined in afterward, and they'd checked every floor of a building over a hundred stories tall—stretching the truth a bit—yet Drakes still swarmed before their eyes.
"But there aren't any bodies~"
"You say that with a smile?"
"No. It's just weird, right? Drakes attacked—a monster assault—and not a single person died. Doesn't that strike you as off?"
Definitely. It was the incongruity Isia had sensed subconsciously. Not a single human corpse.
The only bodies were the Drakes she'd lumped together with dark magic, and the ones turning into chunks of meat right in front of them moments ago.
Drakes only. Monsters driven purely by instinct, without any intellect?
And these Drakes were off somehow. They felt like guards blocking paths.
As if luring them somewhere—
Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!
At the sharp scream, Isia abandoned her thoughts midway and dashed toward it.
So what if it was a lure? No deaths—that was what mattered. Once everyone gathered, the shelter's teleportation magic circle would activate.
Until then. Just until the heroes arrived. No need for thinking.
Isia stopped her thoughts and moved her legs.
"It's long. Too long."
"Hang in there."
"You think 'hang in there' works? This isn't the army. Even the army doesn't force marches like... huh?"
"If you don't know, shut up. I don't know much either. But that's what they do, from what I recall."
"Heeeng. The mortal realm is tough. Heaven's legions have wings, so no such training."
Lucky them. I prodded visible traps with my scythe as we pressed on. Traps everywhere—one every ten steps. Occasionally, old mechanical ones without mana popped up, but Lachesis warned me ahead, so we dodged them.
Ten forks in the path. About thirty traps smashed. Still no end in sight. What kind of maze drags on like this?
"Okay."
I picked up a nearby stone and chucked it at the block Lachesis indicated. Upon impact...
Clunk!!
A heart-stopping rumble, and spears shot up from the floor.
"Never gets less shocking, no matter how many times."
"Yeah. Me neither."
Imagining getting impaled by those... my body shivers. Terrifying. Good thing no monsters show up.
Still, the maze dragged on forever, traps aplenty.
But we couldn't stop.
The guy we were heading to meet couldn't be left alone. Not meeting Kim Tae-hyun today, but we'd cross paths eventually.
Meeting Kim Tae-hyun meant certain death for him. His demise kicked off a major event—one too big to ignore.
I decided to interfere with Kim Tae-hyun. What does messing with the protagonist mean?
Like blocking the hero en route to slay the demon king in a hero tale. The kidnapped princess never returns; the world falls because the demon king can't be stopped.
As the interferer, shouldn't I prevent world-ending catastrophe?
World ends, I die too. Hate that.
I lacked confidence to avert doom in Kim Tae-hyun's place. No ability. But minimizing events might work.
That's why we're here. Within limits where my life's not at risk, of course.
Beyond that, keeping him alive made him solid backup against Kim Tae-hyun.
Two birds, one stone. Drain the ditch, catch the crayfish. Sister-in-law happy, brother-in-law happy.
You know.
"Huh? What's that?"
At Raphael's words, I turned. A door stood there.
A literal door. Wooden, yet radiating ominous vibes. Purple something slithered up, screaming "don't open."
One meaning: we'd arrived properly.
I swallowed dryly. Opening it meant facing...
Stay calm. No turning back now—more dangerous than proceeding.
Right. Calm down, Lee Seong-hoon. Open the door, talk, done. Yeah. Open on three. One. Two. Three—
"Seong-hoon. Thought this wouldn't budge, but it opened easy?"
"Hey?!"
While I hesitated, Raphael went ahead and yanked it open. Panicking, I peered inside, and there was...
Purple skin—no, scales. Harsh breaths billowing out. Wings neatly folded to accentuate beauty. Reptilian slit pupils.
A massive body, long tail coiling around itself.
A Dragon we had to crane our necks to behold.
No mouth opened, yet the voice rang in my head. Mana-based communication. No name needed—Dragons could do it.
Telepathy, in our terms.
Praise from a Dragon? Don't know where to put myself. Aw, shucks.
"That's a Dragon? Way different from what I knew."
"Dragons have varieties. Like snakes or lizards."
"Oh. Makes sense right away. No wonder you majored in Korean lit."
Finally appreciating my brilliant mind. Haha. Naturally.
As Raphael and I bantered, the Dragon snorted.
What? Craving attention?
Voice dripping with smugness at steering the talk. This one's quirky too? Didn't script Dragons that way.
I eyed its body.
Shriveled frame pierced by swords everywhere. Snorting raggedly, as if breathing hurt.
Body riddled with agonizing wounds—anyone could see. I spoke.
"I'll have those swords removed, Benia."
I nodded at the question.
Benia.
Kim Tae-hyun's late-game ally in Academy's Ice Knight. And a trigger.
The spark turning the world's strongest being, a Dragon, hostile to humans. A time bomb.
Leave those swords in, it weakens and dies helping Kim Tae-hyun.
Dragons turn on humanity.
Got to stop that. Weakened Kim Tae-hyun's one thing; hostile Dragon's unmanageable.
Benia's one of few Dragons who like humans.
Came here injured fighting demons—human-harming nuisances. Swords? Demon Swords that corrupt minds on touch.
"Not me pulling them, of course."
Amid Benia's baffled gaze, I thumbs-upped Raphael, who muttered "Wow, what a weird-looking thing" beside me.
She eyed my hand, then herself, tilting her head. What're you on about?
You're pulling those swords.
"Not me, right?"
Correct. No ordinary person—no human—could. But Raphael's an angel. Top-tier, twelve wings. Serves God directly. Wings gone now, but essence unchanged.
Angels oppose demons since forever, yeah?
To the obvious query, I flashed three fingers.
"One: Pull the swords, no blowing up the department store."
Its plan: Clear humans, demolish to erase traces, nest underground to heal undetected by demons. Nope.
You're coming with me.
"Two: I'll provide a safe spot to recover. Come with me."
Meeting its stunned gaze at exposed intent, I raised the last finger.
"Three: Once healed, aid me."
As I folded the final finger, Raphael pounced. Protesting my unilateral deal-making, but I patted her head vaguely, awaiting Benia.
No hesitation. Obvious it thought impossible—or harmless if tried. Wrong. Pulling helps it.
Great. No way she can't. Don't underestimate our angel.
I beckoned; Raphael scowled.
"No way!!"
"Just once. Ever seen me beg? Think of it as one sword for your favorite food."
"Ugh, food?!" Drool trickled from Raphael's mouth. I seized the moment, whispering temptations.
Chicken. Pizza. Burgers. Snacks. Macarons. By tonkatsu, she stomped forward.
"Not for food, okay? Just worried Benia might hurt. Pulling 'cause it might hurt?"
Wipe your drool first.
Shing.
Before Benia finished, a sword slid out crisply. Raphael yanked the next unfazed. Benia, for the first time...
A voice lacking gravitas leaked out.
I ignored the voice. What? It's comfy.
Junk? My ultimate weapon here. Don't diss.
Benia was in my Inventory. Unsure if living things fit, but it did. No air inside, but Dragon? Fine, right?
Dragons breathe mana. Exhaling it means space survival? Infinite energy source?
"Safe, yeah. Who'd guess a Dragon's inside a student's magic pouch? Darkest under the lamp. Perfect spot."
Raphael shook her numb hands. She'd pulled over ten swords from Benia's back. Unfazed—real deal angel.
Now my Inventory held two additions.
Benia as expected: near death. Demon Swords useful later, stored. Inventory capacity unlimited?
"All Drakes recovered?"
Nice. I nodded, closing Inventory. Rest up.
Focused recovery: full heal in months. Dragon resilience.
Benia's death averted. No Dragon turning on humans—smoother Kim Tae-hyun interference.
Up top, Drake chaos ending with heroes soon. Time to head up.
I turned to retrace steps, then halted.
"How do we get back?"
"Huh? Maze via Lachesis—"
No. Not that.
"How do we go up again?"
"Ah."
Raphael sighed in realization. Oblivious black cat mewled.
I hurriedly opened Inventory.
And there...
No way.
"Hey. Wake up. Joke, right? I'll let you out, sleep."
"What? Sleeping? No way! How do we get up? No wings either? Wake it! Quick! Who pulled all those swords—!!!"
Why's the world never on my side?