Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: 19. Pursuit
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In the darkness ahead of me, ripples formed once more beneath my feet, reflecting the scene of reality. Unlike before, Minhee's figure appeared immediately this time. The reason was simple. She had woken up in this place. And since I'd been here once already, I could now easily locate not just Minhee, but that man as well. If I wanted, I could even enter that man's mental world. Though, given he possessed illusion magic like mine, he likely had mental defense barriers in place.
"That's strange. How did you figure out where I am in less than a day?"
The man now wasn't inside a car. He was in a place so pitch-black that even in this dark dream, it felt oppressively dim. He held the sleeping Minhee in one arm. I hardened my expression as I looked down at him.
"Hmm..."
‘Is there some ability user like that? I don't know anyone...’
His thoughts echoed after his voice. A strange sensation, like the air vibrating. I squeezed my eyes shut, then extended my hand downward. Time reversed. The ripples that had been below me were now in front of me. I reached toward that thin, water-like boundary. As my hand touched the ripples, creating new ones, I was sucked through—or rather, passed through.
Smoothly, my body slipped out of the dream into reality. No, I was still in the dream. Just a part of my mind had descended into reality.
The first time I'd accomplished this, I stared at my hand in surprise. It glowed faintly white, appearing translucent. I hadn't expected it to work this well, even though I'd done it myself. This was the first time I'd succeeded at something like this.
I looked around. The previous ripples were gone. This was a space close to pure reality. I slowly approached Minhee. Her eyes were closed; she was unconscious.
I reached out toward her. My hand passed right through her body emptily.
A slight tremor shook my chest. Honestly, I was startled. It was just like being a ghost. After a moment of silence, I turned to the man. He was lost in thought right before my eyes.
‘Tracking magic, huh. Not that rare an ability. But magic that ignores an A-rank item? This is a hassle.’
I watched him quietly, then scanned the surroundings again. This seemed to be some kind of warehouse.
Wooden crates and metal containers were stacked haphazardly. Floating like a ghost, I checked the location. There was a spot where light leaked in. I hesitated briefly but soon exited through the door. What I saw immediately outside was... the sea. Waves crashed against the concrete below. It looked like some port area.
I scanned the surroundings carefully. Aside from the ocean, there wasn't much to identify. I wanted to go farther, but Minhee weighed on my mind. I returned to where she and the man were.
When I got back, the man had pulled out his phone and was contacting someone.
『Sender: A.D
Assembly point changed. Underwater City Dongyeong. Come down.』
『Recipient: A.D
ok』
Dongyeong...
I closed my eyes after confirming it. One, two, three. When I opened them, true reality came into view. Excluding Teacher Min, who was driving, Teacher Jeong Junhwi and my friends were all watching me tensely. They'd probably been waiting like this for me to wake up.
"...Dongyeong."
I opened my mouth right away.
"It's Dongyeong. I saw they planned to meet there."
"Dongyeong?"
Teacher Jeong Junhwi's puzzled voice shifted to wide-eyed shock.
"Underwater City?"
"Yes."
I answered immediately.
Teacher Jeong Junhwi nodded and called someone—undoubtedly Master's place.
"Yeah, we found out. Dongyeong. Right. ...Got it. The kids..."
He glanced at us. Hansu jumped in quick-wittedly.
"We're coming too!"
"..."
"No."
"No way that's not allowed!"
"No."
Teacher Min spoke firmly in place of Teacher Jeong Junhwi, who stayed silent. Hansu fumed. Inha and Hyunho looked equally upset.
"That's not fair, Teacher!"
"We're worried about Minhee too."
Hyunho whined louder than Hansu, while Inha spoke calmly but passionately. But Teacher Min shook her head resolutely. I understood. It was only natural as a teacher.
I bit my lip and asked,
"Really, no?"
"...No."
His reaction shifted slightly at my question. His voice wavered a bit? I asked seriously once more.
"Really, absolutely no going along?"
"Yeah. Absolutely not."
As expected... Even if they needed my dream-viewing ability...
"Can't we at least watch from nearby? Or take us somewhere we can monitor the situation?"
"If you want to know what's happening, stay with the chairman. She's stepping in if things go south."
I kept biting my lip, thinking it over.
Truthfully, I had a way to monitor without being there: dreams. Just like before, it would work this time too. I glanced at my friends. Could I do it?
‘...Can I?’
The answer settled in my heart. I can. I closed my eyes and opened them with an anxious expression.
"Got it. I know we're not old enough for adventures."
"..."
"Eunha!"
Inha, Hyunho, and Hansu stared at me wide-eyed. All three looked incredulous. I gave them a meaningful glance. Now they eyed me questioningly.
As they quieted, I continued.
"But if something unexpected happens... you have to tell us, okay?"
"...Yeah."
Teacher Min sighed in relief. The car screeched to a halt in front of the school. She said,
"For now, stay inside the school just in case. He knows all your faces. Might as well sit in on a class."
"Yes."
"Eunha."
"Hey, Eunha..."
Inha, Hansu, and Hyunho looked at me anxiously. But I just nodded to Teacher Min. After a quick word, she and Teacher Jeong Junhwi turned away.
"Um..."
I watched them carefully as they turned. Even if we could watch, we couldn't do anything in the end.
"I'll trust you. So..."
I swallowed my anxiety, squeezed my eyes shut and open. I clenched my dangling fist. With shaking but resolute eyes, I looked at the teachers.
"Please... take care of Minhee."
My voice trembled as I spoke, clear even to me. Teacher Min looked at me slightly flustered, then smiled warmly and nodded.
"Yeah. Definitely."
He extended his hand.
"Promise."
I hooked my pinky with his. It felt a bit embarrassing. I don't make promises like this often. It was awkward.
But reassuring too. I nodded and turned.
"Hansu, Inha, Hyunho. Let's go."
I watched the teachers drive off, grabbed their hands, and pulled them along. We walked at first, then ran. Other classes were probably in fifth period now. With all the homeroom teachers absent, they'd be pretty confused.
My friends looked puzzled as they ran silently after me. Hyunho asked while running,
"Eunha, where to?"
"Hm... Somewhere no one will come! A private space where we can even lie down and sleep?"
"Huh? Teacher Jeong Junhwi and Teacher Min's dorms?"
"Oh, right."
Perfect. I nodded immediately at Hyunho's suggestion. Teachers Min and Jeong Junhwi had their own homes, but they sometimes stayed at school when busy. That's what these rooms were for, or for resting. I'd been invited there a few times. I'd even accidentally seen some clear affection between them. Neither they nor I meant to.
Anyway, I knew the password, and they weren't there now—ideal.
"Alright, let's go!"
"Why? What're you planning?"
"Obviously, to check the situation! We can't just sit around knowing nothing!"
I grabbed my friends' hands, pictured the place, and teleported. Precisely, a bit away from the dorm building. Teleporting inside buildings had limits. We ran toward the two teachers' dorms again. My heart raced impatiently.
‘Definitely room 304, right?’
I explained roughly while running: about my dreams, how we might all view Minhee's situation through them, and needing a good spot to sleep.
"You can really do that?"
"No idea! I've never tried with anyone but myself! But if you stick close to me, you should at least be able to see. Anyway... even if we touch reality, we can't use any power. Like ghosts. People can't see us. That guy didn't notice when I reached for Minhee right in front of him."
Ghosts—exactly that. Or shards of the mind sent out. Either way, it came with my magic's growth, but it wasn't magic itself. Even that sensitive guy didn't notice.
Lots of people sense oddities in situations or presences, even without mana sensitivity. As a mental magic user, he should too. But he didn't. So it was safe. Plus, in that state, watching from the side wouldn't hurt anyone. Unless... it was mental-damaging magic.
‘So I need to set up mental barriers first... Actually, even touching reality doesn't feel like being in it fully. More like on a parallel layer close to reality?’
So no magic affects us. It was a ‘sense.’ My instincts on magic are rarely wrong. Especially my own.
It'll definitely be fine.
I pressed my lips tight. Truthfully, it gnawed at me that Minhee was in danger while we stayed safe watching. My chest hurt with guilt and pain.
He was an opponent I couldn't beat. An insurmountable skill gap, not even room to flee. Still frustrating. Minhee was kidnapped right before my eyes. How could I stay put?
I wanted to rush there now. But I'm not so naive as to blame myself entirely, or irresponsible enough to drag my friends into needless danger. Nor do I want to be.
We soon reached Teacher Min's room. I unlocked the door and twisted the handle, entering quickly. The room was as usual. The spacious living room had bookshelves, a sofa, TV, desk, and two bedrooms on each side—one for Teacher Min, one for Teacher Jeong Junhwi.
I glanced around impatiently and said,
"Okay... Better to sleep together, and touching makes meeting in the dream easier... Sit on the sofa together?"
"Hey, but falling asleep suddenly here..."
Hansu looked uneasy. Hyunho and Inha nodded in agreement. But I shook my head.
"It's fine. I'll use illusion on you. Then we can meet in the dream world right away."
"If so..."
Hansu nodded reluctantly. Not distrust, just tense about the new experience.
We sat side by side on the large sofa.
Hyunho at one end, me next, Inha beside me, Hansu next to her. We gripped hands tightly. Great sofa for this.
"Alright. Here we go."
I cast Illusion Dream magic as I spoke. Mana flowed from my hand to Hyunho, Inha, and Hansu. Feeling it, I counted as usual.
"One, two... three."
Success was confirmed by ‘sense.’
I opened my eyes in the darkness, hands still clasped.
"Open your eyes now."
They did. Blinking clearly, even in the dream world. Early on, sensations felt blurry when moving in dreams, but now it was vividly real. My friends looked unfamiliar at first but soon calmed. They'd felt dream states before thanks to me.
"So, where's Minhee?"
"Don't let go. I'm dream-specialized, but you might not reunite easily if separated. Returning's simple, though."
Inha and Hyunho gripped tighter. Before moving, I said seriously,
"Caution points—remember?"
Smart kids—they nodded.
"If lost, visualize yourself?"
"Then we wake up, right?"
"Yeah. That works fine."
Then I cast thin mental barriers over us all, independizing them with script magic. So thin and quick, they didn't notice. Dream-world folk lack sensitivity to dream-related magic anyway.
"Let's hurry to Minhee."
I agreed with Inha. Hands clasped, I focused. Scenery shifted.
Something swept over us briefly. Friends gasped. I opened my eyes. Same sensation—we overlaid reality like paint.
Blue seawater and fish shimmering on glass-like light flows. Sparkling lights. Buildings, crowds. Mana stones everywhere.
Underwater City Dongyeong.
"Wow, pretty. Wanna live here when I grow up."
"Pretty, but not for living... Plants don't grow well. Real sunlight's better. Anyway, Minhee..."
Hansu replied flatly to Hyunho, turning. I pointed where he looked. Amid buildings and alleys below, a long-haired man walked. White brick path between.
Minhee walked beside him like a doll. Her black eyes unfocused.
I confirmed barriers, then released hands. Inha and Hyunho startled, looking at me. But Hansu flew straight toward Minhee the moment released. Literally ‘flew.’
"Ugh, Eunha! If we let go!"
"Barriers are up. Won't leave this area, fine."
"..."
Hyunho questioned anxiously; Inha watched Minhee and Hansu quietly.
"Hey, Minhee! Minhee!"
Hansu reached and shouted. But as ghosts, our voices wouldn't reach. Neither Minhee nor the man reacted, just walked. Inha alternated glances, eyes narrowing pityingly, and asked me,
"We're ghosts now, right? So we can't... do anything?"
"Yeah. Can't be helped."
"Can't... break the hypnosis?"
"I could."
Hypnosis isn't much against high-level illusion. It's a sub-form of illusion. Slight differences by type, but essentially.
Same in dream world. Easier here, even. Hypnosis resembles dream magic. So I could.
"But not now. Even if broken, no escape. Teachers... others need to come."
Minhee alone can't flee. Here, only I have power—Illusion Dream, dream manipulation. No physical effects. My dream magic never caused physical results. Still our dream, viewing reality through it.
Meanwhile, Hansu returned dejected. He said emptily,
"Really... didn't notice at all. Damn it."
"It's okay."
Inha patted his back.
"It'll be fine. Definitely."
Hansu sighed deeply, nodding at Inha.
"Yeah..."
Hyunho and I accepted it casually. Surprising from their old bickering, but routine now. They still argue plenty.
Minhee and the man walked on as we watched. He stopped at a cafeteria-like spot. After entering and exiting, they sat side-by-side outside—unbearably grating.
"Seriously, where are the teachers? They know Dongyeong, should be here, right?"
"Who knows... Maybe scouting the organization while here?"
"Indeed!"
I silently affirmed Hyunho and Inha's talk. Likely. Saving the kid first, but uncovering the group if possible.
I scanned around. Flying up briefly, I spotted familiar mana colors. Disguised Jeong Junhwi Teacher, Teacher Min, Master, Minhee's foreign teacher, Inha and Hansu's teachers. Those five were close.
Minhee's only family, Joo Je-hyeon oppa, and homeroom Han Seonghu oppa were there, of course. With him: Eunhee unnie and Cheong Inho oppa. All disguised with face and build-altering magic. Mana control devices too. Famous in Korea, naturally.
Telling friends this, they gaped—they hadn't spotted them.
"You see all that?"
"Yeah. Mana quality doesn't change."
"True..."
Hansu eyed me sulkily but nodded, relieved.
How long we watched. Then someone approached them. Black-coated, deep-hooded man. Hard to see from above.
We descended as they checked faces. In this situation, that obscured face was surely allied with the man—Han Jae-il.
As we landed, the hooded man spoke. Pale foreign face, young-looking, bobbed hair. Unique: black tips fading naturally to white upward, overall faint blue tint. Gradient black-blue-white.
‘Dye? Nah...’
I watched him. Hood shadowed his eyes. He continued,
"A-rank organization's different. Surveillance blankets above already. Might need sea vessel."
"Sorry about that. But decent talent."
"No issue. We need talent too."
He smiled faintly.
"Plus, we're no pushovers. Long as their chairman doesn't show..."
"She will. For one kid."
"Hmm. Boss moves that easy?"
"That's her creed."
"Then we leave fast. Need talent, but no S-rank fights."
The man before Han Jae-il brushed his black hair smoothly.
"Monsters who casually shatter stars."
"Yeah... True."
Han Jae-il shrugged agreement. Hooded man reached for Minhee. Pale fingers stroked her hair. I hardened my face.
"This kid's skill?"
"Dunno. Young, but Daehyeon. Raised right, B-rank in five years?"
"Oho."
Man admired, gazing at her. He smiled softly, whispering,
"Flee or not, grab what's worth. Fine spoils."
"Not my place, but S-rank. Scary?"
"Please."
He chuckled.
"S-rank strong, not omnipotent. Flee, no pursuit. World too vast. Years later... forgotten. Then she's ours, new name, full force."
His hand trailed from hair to forehead, cheek. Chills. Of course. Some never forget, but time fades, changes. Give up, assume dead. Unknown motive allows that.
Years on distant planet, no meet? Possible. Wipe memories, change looks? Mana quality shifts too?
Happens often. Unrecognizable. Horrifying.
Pale-faced, I watched. Hansu clenched fists beside me—powerless. I gauged the man. Couldn't. Familiar sense. I knew this level.
‘At least... A-rank. Above Master.’
Bitter. Truly powerless. Nothing here.
Then it rang. Amid noisy crowds, distinctly quiet, clear. Woman's high heels: click-clack. Han Jae-il and the man glanced indifferently.
She had long black hair, dress. Ordinary. ...Seemed. Cold eyes opened. I saw pink mana around her—mismatching her look.
"First question."
Han Jae-il flinched at her voice. Naturally—identical. Master's reaction confirmed acquaintance. Relief as she continued coldly.
"You—no, are you Aion, vice-commander of cosmic outlaws Kelly, A-rank mage?"
"...You...?"
Hooded man frowned. Han Jae-il recoiled, shouting,
"Watch out! It's Jeongmina!"
"...Her?"
As man turned shocked, Master smiled coldly. Black hair reverted to brown; form normalized. Brown long hair tied up, lacy dress burdensome for casual, scarlet eyes glared. Eyes deeper than cherry blossoms, lighter than sunset.
Mana spread instantly, fielding kilometers. Electronic lines extended, systematizing—gamifying area. Master drew weapon.
"Inventory, lightning sword."
Western sword emerged. Lightning flashed around blade; golden tassel scattered.
"Eek! Dodge!"
Han Jae-il panicked. Master swung sword down massively.
"Game Master's command: suppress!"
Lightning sword arced long. Zzzt—not pure thunder. Subtle resonance, mana shot out, slashing surroundings.
Boom! Explosion roared.