I Just Wanted to Protect You, Younghee?
“I just wanted to protect you, Younghee?”
“Yeah, Cheolsu.”
Younghee smiles and answers his call. Cheolsu looks a bit flustered. No wonder. His friend, the class president, lies collapsed a short distance away.
“Who... did that to the class president?”
A snicker escapes at his question. Anyone could guess the culprit easily. Mana surges visibly from him right now, after all. This sensation is entirely new. Like he could do anything. It feels really good.
“Who do you think it was? Guess~”
She bends slightly at the waist, flashing a cute smile—like posing a fun quiz. Evidence litters the area. Deep gouges in the earth, blast marks. A mage battle is obvious. And yet Cheolsu’s eyes still hunt for the truth. No, he’s denying reality.
“No...... you?”
But even he has no choice but to realize. A combat prodigy like him would sense it instinctively anyway. Staring at the silent Younghee, his voice grows more anxious.
“You... did that?”
Younghee beams wordlessly. That says it all.
“Why? You and the class president are friends. Best friends.”
“She kept me from seeing you, Cheolsu.”
“Huh?”
“That’s all.”
Cheolsu’s eyes go wide. He doesn’t get it. Such an idiot.
“Listen, Cheolsu. I really wanted to see you.”
Younghee takes slow steps forward. Her lips twitch; the smile won’t stop. She feels too good. Hurting Cheolsu is pure bliss. It’s already this euphoric—how heavenly would it be to kill him? That ecstasy draws ever nearer.
“Hey, Cheolsu—”
Cheolsu’s such a good boy. He’d take any pain for a friend. He’s always done whatever she asked. So—
“Will you die for me?”
Black Mana Beam
-Pew!
Black mana fires like a laser beam. Cheolsu twists away reflexively, dodging. But the motion wobbles—unstable. Right, his body’s in rough shape. Should be easy to tag him now. Ah, it’s getting even more fun.
“Ehehe, Cheolsu~ Can’t you just take it?”
Younghee grins wide and reaches out. Black mana surges in response. That sinister vibe makes Cheolsu grit his teeth.
“Younghee, stop! Whatever that power is, it’s dangerous!”
“It’s fine. I feel really good right now. So happy.”
Black Mana Wave
Black waves blast out again—not just one. A barrage of dark mana bolts rains down. Cheolsu darts around, barely evading.
Kwajik! A tree shatters under a wave’s impact.
Wow, amazing. I’ve gotten so strong?
“Ahahaha! With this, I could even beat you, Cheolsu!”
“I’ll do anything! I’ll listen to everything, so stop—just stop, Younghee!”
“No.”
Younghee cuts him off, her voice slicing the night air like a blade. She gazes at him with a frigid smile.
“I don’t want to hurt anymore.”
Black mana blooms above her head once more. This time, it morphs into dozens of arrows, showering down.
Cheolsu grinds his teeth and draws his mana.
"Cheon-gong Geom"
"Blue Sword Style"
⟨ Mana Sword Formation ⟩
A technique to manifest mana into a blade. He sweeps it to swat away the black arrows.
“Wow, amazing! Cheolsu really is strong.”
“Younghee.”
“Why not protect me with that power?”
“Lee Younghee!”
Black Mana Wave Barrage
More black waves pour forth. Cheolsu grits his teeth and dodges. But desperation creeps into his face.
No...
That power isn’t any technique anymore. It’s just spewing uncontainable mana wildly. The backlash hits fast.
Blood trickles from Younghee’s nose and ears—mana overdrawn. Her body’s already straining. Yet she just giggles.
“Wow, weird. Blood’s coming out, but no pain at all. Aren’t I amazing?”
“Younghee... please...”
“Why the sad face?”
Younghee asks out of genuine curiosity. She feels this good, this happy—why?
No more pain. No need for headaches or worries. Just kill Cheolsu. Then everything’s perfect.
“Smile, Cheolsu.”
-Kwang!!!
A speeding black wave slams him dead-on. Cheolsu swings his sword and barely blocks—but his battered body sends him tumbling across the ground from the shock.
“Young... hee... snap out of it... still time... it’s okay...”
“You keep saying weird stuff, Cheolsu.”
Younghee beams. So utterly cold. Eyes dull and lifeless, skin ghostly pale. Just her lips twist into a smile. Broken. Anyone could see it.
“I’m happy, didn’t I say?”
“It’s okay. I don’t know where it went wrong, but I’ll save you. No matter what.”
Really. Words aren’t getting through at all. She’s said she’s fine, happy—how many times? Maybe she needs to say it more sincerely?
“Ehehehe! I’m happy, Cheolsu!”
“...Yeah, won’t work.”
Cheolsu assumes his stance.
Even his wrecked body strains—but now’s not the time to nitpick.
“Might hurt a little, Younghee.”
-Thud!
Cheolsu vanishes in an instant. He closes the gap in a blink, appearing right before her.
“Huh...?”
Younghee’s black mana surges. Cheolsu wrenches his body, slashing at it with his sword.
"Cheon-gong Geom"
"Four Directions Slash"
⟨ Mana Severing Strike ⟩
Forcibly cleaving the black mana, he closes in on Younghee. So close their scents mingle.
“Cough!”
Overexertion—blood sprays from Cheolsu’s mouth. Wound must’ve reopened. But no time to care. He lunges, grabbing her arms to pin her still.
“Ugh! L-let... go! I’ll kill you! Have to kill you! Then I’ll be happy!”
“Younghee, sorry.”
“......Huh?”
Younghee freezes rigid. A memory flashes back—one she regretted endlessly, desperately wished to change. Those emotions blunt her thoughts.
“I’ll protect you now. For real.”
“Ah, w-wait...”
“No matter what happens, I won’t give up. I won’t let you hurt.”
“Stop! My... head hurts... it hurts!”
“So let’s talk. That’ll fix it. Everything will be okay.”
Talk? Ah, right. She wanted to talk too. Had words for Cheolsu. Things she had to say.
“So, it’s okay now.”
Is it really? No more pain? She won’t lose herself? Even after hurting others—hurting Cheolsu? Can she truly be forgiven?
“You’re... not mad at me?”
“Not even a little.”
“You’ll... stay with me? Forever?”
“As long as you want.”
Strength drains from Younghee’s arms. The black mana gradually recedes. Her chest swells with happiness beyond compare. Ah, right. She was happy with Cheolsu. Why’d she forget? He was her most precious person. Why believe she’d be happy without him? She can’t even understand it herself.
“Ugh, Cheolsu... I can’t control this mana.”
“It’s fine! I’ll get the teacher—someone! There’s gotta be a way!”
Younghee wrestles the writhing black mana down somehow. This might actually hold.
“You won’t... leave me behind?”
“Yeah!”
Younghee smiles brightly. A tear rolls from one eye. Her gaze locks straight on Cheolsu ahead. Her lips curve in an ambiguous smile—cry or laugh, impossible to tell.
“Good.”
That instant—
-Puk!
The sound of flesh pierced. Crimson blood sprays. It takes a moment to register: a wound straight through Younghee’s side.
“Ah... huh...?”
“Good job holding out, kid! We’ll take it from here!”
An unfamiliar voice pierces her ear. Heroes swarm in from the side—faces tense, on high alert, weapons drawn and fully geared.
...Makes sense, thinking about it. She fought the class president that hard; someone had to report it. If anything, they’re late.
“Cough!” Black blood dribbles from her mouth. Only now does the peril of her enveloping black mana sink in. Vicious-looking, utterly repulsive. Yeah, no arguing if they treat her like a monster now.
“Younghee...?”
“Cheol... su—”
Thud.
Younghee crumples. Fresh blood soaks her white clothes like defilement.
It hurts. She came this far to escape pain. Unbearable now.
Cheolsu...
Yet amid agony, she seeks only him. The pain sharpens her mind, even. The hypnosis resurfaces. Ah, yeah. No way she hates Cheolsu. Look—even now, only him fills her thoughts. Good. This heart’s real. So warm; it can’t be fake.
So... don’t cry, Cheolsu.
“Younghee, snap out of it! Stay with me! I’ll heal you—right now!”
Cheolsu unleashes clumsy healing magic. But this isn’t the time.
Hurry. Abandon me.
Enduring torment, Younghee forces her mouth open with dying effort.
“Ch... Cheolsu, run... away......”
Ah, still. Wanted those last words: not sorry.
No time to gather her feelings.
Younghee’s body erupts—the rampaging black mana explodes.