OMAKE #013: A Snowy Night (1)
Waves crashed over the promenade. The battle-scarred path was now utterly impassable for humans.
Crack.
The promenade froze solid. The ice encased even the waves, forging a path.
Click. Click.
A white-haired woman strode across the icy trail. Her locks gleamed like fresh-fallen snow, her eyes clear and transparent as the sea.
"......"
The woman's steps halted in a small clearing on the promenade. There stood two ownerless gravestones side by side.
2000.10.13
2025.10.13
Coincidentally, the death dates on both stones matched the woman's birthday.
"Ah came."
The woman gruffly placed the chrysanthemums she held onto the gravestones. Standing between them, she bowed her head briefly, then scratched it awkwardly.
"...Whew."
Her emotions churned visibly. She'd wrestled with it endlessly, tried to ignore it—but the lifelong companion who would stand by her side had desperately wished for her to come here.
October 13, 2026. Seok Ha-rang's birthday—and the day both her foster parents had died.
Standing squarely between the two stones, she spoke.
"...Dad passed, and a ton's happened since."
Seok Ha-rang began her tale.
"Came this close to killin' everyone. Yu-na, Ra-on unnie, ...all of 'em."
"Snapped out of it, though. Good thing. Hell, not even in some kid's comic—had to beat 'em senseless till they passed out to knock some sense into me. You know how embarrassing it was watchin' that footage later? One by one, recitin' my screw-ups like some black history parade for the whole world."
"...Thanks to that, awakened that spirit power or whatever, smashed the castle lord's pot too. Lived long enough to hit space. Heh."
"And get this..."
Seok Ha-rang raised her left hand. A silver ring gleamed on her ring finger.
"Ah got married. Been over ten months now. ...Thought for sure it'd be Yu-na or Ra-on unnie, even gave up on it. But that crazy bastard proposes right in the middle of my rampage. Fell for it like an idiot, snapped right back to my senses. ...Funny, right?"
"That lunatic tells me to come here. Says there's somethin' I gotta see. Just once, he says."
Seok Ha-rang pulled something from her bosom, her face on the verge of tears.
"Says this is the last Cube left in the world. Grants any wish, and he wants me to use it to see how I was born. Why Dad had to kill Mom."
"So here I am. Just once, the one and only time in my life, then never again. Least gotta know the reason before I curse ya out."
"Usin' this'll wreck the Cube, but he wants me to use it here as a birthday gift. Nearly chucked it in the sea, I was so pissed..."
"But figured knowin' somethin' might ease my mind enough to curse ya properly. How do ya up and leave without a single diary entry?"
"So tell me. What happened? Why'd ya abandon me? Why leave without a word?"
The Cube shimmered. Infused with Seok Ha-rang's mana and will, it scattered like grains of sand in a burst of white light.
Seok Ha-rang's consciousness sank.
[Flashback begins]
"Hey! Fire!!"
The man bellowed, squeezing off a shot. Lead pellets from the hunting shotgun streaked like light, slamming into the monster's hide.
Following his lead, the others unleashed a volley, halting the monster's charge.
Kyaaak!
The wolf-like beast took the bullet rain on its body. A blue membrane over its surface deflected every shot.
The man in the jacket yelled in disbelief.
"Where the hell did that come from?!"
"It's here, so deal with it, damn it!"
Cursing, the man checked the monster's status. Fortunately, the blue barrier was crumbling slowly, and the beast was reeling from the barrage.
We can take it like this.
But in that instant, the monster leaped.
Kyaaak!!
Covering over 3 meters in a flash, it raised razor claws. The young man in front dropped his gun with a scream. Spotting it, the leader bellowed.
"Yun-hwan!!"
Shing.
The sword cleared its sheath. The sole man in military uniform dashed forward.
Weaving through bullets, he charged the beast. Faint golden energy clung to his iron blade.
Kiaak!
The monster turned on the uniformed youth. Its claws flashed to rend him.
Bang!
A flank shooter targeted its eye. The orb was shielded too—the bullet ricocheted—but the beast lost sight momentarily.
The youth dove under it, thrusting his iron sword two-handed upward.
Pfsh!
The blade pierced its heart. The core split, and the monster slumped sideways.
Thud!
The bear-sized corpse shook the ground. The group sighed in relief.
The leader rushed over, ruffling the youth's close-cropped hair.
"Damn, Sergeant! Loyalty!"
"...Senior. I already got discharged."
"Quit it. Take off the uniform first."
Heo Yun-hwan, the uniformed youth, sighed and yanked the sword from the heart. The found blade, in an ability user's hands, felled even shotgun-proof monsters with ease.
The man whistled, prodding the corpse.
"Whoa. Ability users are no joke. Why'd you go regular army instead of superhuman corps?"
"Awakened on the 25th."
"...Ah, gotcha."
Sympathy flickered in the others' eyes. Yun-hwan awkwardly sheathed his blade.
"Still, thanks to it, we're alive. Think positive! Awakened, discharged, gates pop—still slaying monsters."
The man spread his arms. The others shrugged, gripping weapons. Yun-hwan hung his head.
"How long we gotta do this?"
Yun-hwan was exhausted. In endless fights, he—the only one who could finish monsters—suffered most.
The man averted his gaze.
"Dunno. No orders from above."
"...They all ran? Or wiped out."
"Don't jinx it."
"......Sick of it all. Risking life upfront. I'm discharged—why me?"
The man smacked Yun-hwan's head. It didn't hurt, but soured his mood. Yun-hwan glared sharply.
"What? Wanna go? I'll smack ya. Think you can solo back to Busan?"
"......No, sir."
The man slung an arm around him.
"C'mon. Hang in there. You do good, we live. Nation wouldn't scrape guys like us if it wasn't dire. Get the young blood, but others hurt too."
"......Roger."
Yun-hwan's hidden fist trembled.
Heo Yun-hwan got discharged, but couldn't snag a ride to Busan amid the chaos, crashing overnight in Sokcho, Gangwon.
Next day, December 25, Saturday. Seven gates ripped open worldwide. National emergency—Yun-hwan, clueless, got dragged back to a monster-slaying unit.
Mistaken for an on-leave soldier by his uniform, shoved into the unit, then defense brigade.
Global disaster—chaos everywhere. Border defenses lacked basics like gear.
Late night, monsters hit barracks. Platoon leader and a dozen down. Freshly awakened Yun-hwan fought, triggering his ability.
Low rank, but sole monster-killer nearby. Fresh off discharge, dreaming home—stuck in Gangwon.
[Flashback continues]
"Ptooey!"
Heo Yun-hwan coughed in the chill sea wind, scanning around. Military guarded the coast, but couldn't cover it constantly.
Day 25—first gate flood killed masses. Worst hit: active soldiers evacuating civilians, fighting back.
One day earlier discharge, and Yun-hwan might've been stuck in unit too. Joy or sorrow? Shivering solo on the beach patrol, he couldn't tell.
"Ugh."
Bold night stroll aside, Yun-hwan stayed calm. Monster-slaying mental toll, homesickness, post-discharge disaster fatigue—peaked.
"...Huh?"
Hallucinating from exhaustion? He rubbed his eyes.
"Jellyfish...?"
A white blob bobbed on black waves. Too lively for a buoy. Yun-hwan mana-boosted vision, then sprinted the sand.
"A person!"
No thought to strip or warm up—Yun-hwan cleaved water, swimming deep, reaching her.
"Hey!!"
He lifted the back-floating girl's head. Pale Western-featured girl, like from Northern Europe. Unconscious—no breath, if not mistaken.
"Damn!"
Yun-hwan gripped her desperately, swimming ashore. Mana drained, but sheer will to save her dragged them to land.
"Hah, hah."
Spitting seawater, he laid her down. Neck pulse: no breath, faint heartbeat.
Glanced around—no help in predawn gloom.
Quickly tilted her head back, hands stacked. CPR filled his mind.
"Hup, hup, hup."
Compressed chest on instinct. Checked consciousness—no sign.
Mouth-to-mouth...?
Hesitated, then committed. Pinched nose, parted lips. Deep breath, lips descending—eyes met hers, open.
"......."
"......Chelovak, ty umresh?"
"Pardon?"
Yun-hwan blinked dumbly. She slapped his hand away, sitting up.
Flop.
Anemic, she crumpled. Yun-hwan caught her shoulders from behind.
"You okay? You just drowned... Ah, damn. Language barrier."
She stared intently at his mouth. Yun-hwan released, fidgeting. She was tiny—two heads shorter.
"Uh, hello? How are you?"
"......Pfft."
She bit her lip, chuckled, then hardened.
Kyaaaaak!!!
Black sea churned—ferocious monsters emerged. Yun-hwan blocked her, drawing sword.
"Run! Ah, shit. Run away! Get outta here!!"
His legs shook. Abyssal horrors surfaced, grotesque.
But she didn't budge.
"......Tch."
She clicked tongue, stepping ahead. Her strength shoved him—Yun-hwan ass-planted dumbly.
Hummm—
Her hair fluttered; white mist jetted from fingertips. Yun-hwan startled at the mana.
"Ability user?!"
Kyaaak!
Monsters charged. She thrust hand seaward, clenched then spread fist.
And to Yun-hwan's eyes,
"Whoa...."
A snowy plain unfolded. Beach, monsters, sea—all frozen.
She turned smug,
"......Urp."
Mana depletion—down she went. Yun-hwan rushed, supporting her.
Onlookers gathered at the noise; Yun-hwan scooped her, bolting to medical.
"......Who am I?"
Her first words upon waking blackened Yun-hwan's vision.