Chapter 177
Chapter 177
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: Deepening Sisterly Bond
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"This is exactly why I wanted to handle it myself."
I sat on the sofa, pinching the bridge of my nose. Why did things have to turn out like this?
Part of me wanted to cover my face with my palm, but with one hand fiddling with Levatein on my knee, I could only massage my brow.
Sion tilted her head beside me, looking up at me.
"Oppa. What's wrong?"
What's wrong? Everything went to hell, that's what. I patted Sion's head once and stared at the crow in front of me.
Not that it was a real crow. It was a beam projector projecting footage via Sion's magic modifications. And it even handled communications? My kids were just too damn talented for their own good.
"No. No, that's not it."
This wasn't the time to admire my crew. They were great kids, sure, but now wasn't the moment.
Why the hell were events unfolding so similarly even after the incident changed? Was there some kind of plot force at play? The moment I stopped being the bullet sponge, they ghosted right into that mess like it was scripted.
"The original troublemaker makes a difference."
"Definitely different."
"Exactly. You and Kim Tae-hyun are on a whole other level from me."
"Me? Why am I a troublemaker?!"
Was she genuinely clueless, or just trying to piss me off? Logically it was the former, but I decided to firmly believe the latter.
I pushed away Raphael shoving her face in mine and looked back at the screen. Chaos didn't even begin to cover it.
Frozen sewers, Kim Tae-hyun striking a pose like he knew his future, and the demon crumbling.
Was "total shitshow" coined for moments like this? All I could manage was a sigh.
That demon was a real pain in the ass. Its true body hid in the shadows, always moving through puppets or clones it created.
Sure, both the puppets and the real body were pathetically weak, but the real threat was the security system embedded inside the puppets.
Its fighting style was simple. The puppet fights. If it wins, great. The moment it loses, the security system kicks in based on the opponent's strength.
In the original story, they fought it out and killed it before it escalated too far, so a manageable foe appeared.
But now?
"No matter how you slice it, he insta-killed it on sight, right?"
"Yeah. You can tell from that cool pose he's striking."
This was why I wanted to handle it. If you knew how to deal with that demon, you could suppress it easily and snag the goods.
But now that it'd gone down like that, there was no workaround. Had to take it out for good.
"I hate them. Hate the guild."
I hated Yang Min-ji. Hated her dad even more. Dawn Guild topped the list.
"What the hell do we do now?"
Should I pray? Yeah, might as well.
I clasped my hands and prayed. Whatever happens to Kim Tae-hyun, please let Shin Chae-yeon, whom I sent, come back alive.
"But does praying actually reach God?"
"Of course."
I stopped praying immediately.
The atmosphere froze solid. It sounded like a joke given how everything around was already iced over, but Kim Tae-hyun could feel it.
The mood was shifting. Not the heightened tension from battle moments ago. Something ominous was closing in.
Like a scene from a horror flick. The vibe flipped, overwhelming him.
Kiiik─ kiiikikikigik─!!!
As if to back up his gut feeling, the demon's corpse he'd just smashed let out a grotesque screech.
'No wonder it went down in one hit.'
Something felt off. A demon this weak? Dying instantly didn't add up.
He should've noticed when it froze solid─ Calmly reviewing his mistake, Kim Tae-hyun quickly realized this wasn't the time.
He stepped back from the wailing corpse. He lacked mana sight or anything like it, but the eerie aura was palpable.
Demonic energy poured from the body, tainting the air, corrupting it. Soon, even he could see the thick miasma billowing out.
How dense was it to become visible? Paralyzed by the oppressive presence, 'it' emerged.
Its form was a jumbled mess. No telling head from body, legs from arms.
Just a lump with protrusions sticking out everywhere. Grotesque on its own, but the sheer intimidation radiating from it drowned that out.
'What the hell is─'
His legs froze. Kim Tae-hyun looked up at 'it.' Victory seemed impossible.
He hadn't slacked this semester. He'd kept up with Justitia's training, added personal drills, and after losing to that demon, he'd trained like a madman.
Special encounters and incidents had spurred his growth, or so he thought─
「Grooo.」
That thing. He couldn't beat it. Instinct screamed as much.
「Groooooooo!!!」
A roar from an indeterminable source shattered his eardrums. Ordinary folk would've passed out from the sheer volume, but Kim Tae-hyun just grimaced.
Nothing changed. He stood firm, staring up at the monster.
His mind was exploding. In the thirty seconds since the beast appeared, countless thoughts raced through.
─Run? Can I even escape?
─If I bolt now, maybe link up with the guild members sensing the demonic energy.
─But I was carrying something...
─Just run? Fight a hopeless battle?
Every conceivable idea flashed by. Natural, facing someone stronger. Nobody charges in recklessly.
Humans are weak. Turning tail against superiors isn't shameful─it's instinct.
However.
'Against a demon?'
Kim Tae-hyun wasn't the type. Weakness tempted myriad thoughts, but he gripped his knife.
Cold seeped from the reverse-held blade. A startled voice echoed from nowhere, but he held his stance.
This was Kim Tae-hyun. He never showed his back to demons or fiends. Better to fight, score a scratch, and die than flee.
Didn't change the odds, but even in a tiger's den, presence of mind could save you.
'How do I win this.'
As he scanned for weak points, a voice rang from the air.
Not the playful tone from before. A sinister, low, mocking timbre.
A voice he'd never heard today.
[Not running? Think you can win? That's not courage─it's stupidity.]
No reply. He tightened his grip, pondering his first counter.
[Why'd you chase after it? Should've just let it go. Kids these days got no respect for elders. Even if you'd met me in the 'Eternal Night,' you think you'd have pulled that off?!]
"Hey."
Kim Tae-hyun looked up involuntarily. Words too pointed to ignore. Eternal Night, red moon. Epitome of demonic symbolism.
Childhood memories flooded back. He'd buried them deep, but now they resurfaced. He realized.
"Wait right there."
Couldn't let it go. Had to slay this monster and catch whoever was talking.
But how? Even his unique mana ability 「Path of Victory」 hadn't triggered─
That's when a blue panel appeared. The familiar blue he'd seen every fight.
[Conditions met. Unique mana ability 「Path of Victory」 activates.]
But nothing showed. No single path like usual. Wondering what the hell, he turned─
─Ah. Got it. Quit nagging.
─I said I get it. Nag once more and I'm out.
─Told you not to nag, so why claw me with your talons?
A blue-haired woman with a blank expression strode forward.
Her sword blade pulsing blue alongside her.
"Why me?"
Shin Chae-yeon replied flatly. This idiot spouting nonsense through a crow? Her response was only natural.
Shin Chae-yeon's greatest strength was rational thinking. Always calm, logical, deriving the optimal solution.
Or so she believed. Reality was anyone's guess.
Anyway, look at this mess. A monster spewing insane demonic energy. No student could take it.
Yet this crow was pecking her head relentlessly, demanding she help that guy.
Logically, U-turning to fetch guildmates was best.
Even that guy stood a better chance without her.
[Quit stalling and do it.]
"Sorry, but I'm not your maid. That's my sister."
[Twins? Close enough. You look identical.]
Should I kill it? Her hand twitched toward her sheath but dropped.
Who knew what chaos killing the crow would unleash. Headache just thinking about it.
"I've repaid the debt by now, right? No more."
Plenty of reasons. She'd already done one favor, and as heir to a swordsmanship lineage, she couldn't risk her life lightly.
But the biggest was.
"I don't wanna help that guy."
She'd lost to him once. Hated him for it. How do you aid someone you hate?
She'd lost to Michael plenty, but crushing defeat versus barely losing were worlds apart.
So she ignored the crow to call for backup, but.
Something brushed her mind.
─Ah. Can't come over? Because of 「Dawn」?
─Ah... It's fine!! Hehe.
─School starts soon anyway, we can meet then!!
"...."
Shin Chae-yeon drew her sword. Silently enchanted it with spirit, kicking up water as she advanced.
"Sure I can win if I help?"
The crow scoffed silently. Instead, it cawed mockingly as she marched in on foot.
"This means you owe me one. Fulfill a request later."
She walked on, picturing Lee Seong-hoon visiting her home for sword practice.
He didn't use a sword, of course. Teaching an outsider wasn't bad.
In her family dojo. Practicing forms, meditating together.
"No."
She shook her head. This was absolutely for her sister.
No ulterior motives. None at all.
Today, the sisters' bond deepened further.