Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: 14. Terror
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I had no idea where to even begin. No, seriously—why were these kids, who were barely in fourth grade, treating attacks on people like it was no big deal?!
“But it’s true that terrorist incidents have been on the rise lately. You hear about it?”
“Hear what?”
I looked up at Minhee’s words with a slightly startled expression. Minhee saw my face and let out an “ah…” groan.
“Come to think of it, Eunha, you read a ton of books but don’t watch much news or the papers, do you?”
“…I check the top search terms, though.”
I flashed a sheepish grin to hide my awkwardness. Minhee shook her head at me and continued. Lately, it felt like they were starting to treat me like the kid instead. I made a complicated face.
“Sigh. So, there’s this group called Black Jaguar that’s been carrying out terrorist attacks in Korea. They caught a few low-level members, and get this—they turned out to be kids who went missing years ago. Turns out the group kidnaps kids, tortures them, and raises them as members. It’s so messed up.”
“Oh! I think I saw that on TV this morning a couple times.”
Hyunho nodded as he said it. Oh, yeah—that one. I’d seen it too. I nodded along.
“So now high-rank mages are out searching for Black Jaguar.”
“…I heard. My mom’s part of it.”
“Inha’s mom too?”
Right, that’s where I’d heard it—from Auntie Seona. Then Hansu chimed in like it had just occurred to him.
“Ah… my mom too.”
Minhee crossed her arms with a serious look after hearing them, nodding.
“My brother says our school’s the same. Our school’s official name is the Daehyeon Mage Protection Association, right? They focus on protecting young mages. Especially kids—that’s why they built this school. So…”
“Hansu and Inha’s moms aren’t exactly strangers to this. Hansu and Inha would be perfect targets for kidnapping, honestly…”
“No, that’s not it.”
I shook my head at Hyunho’s words. No way. No matter what, the odds of Hansu or Inha getting kidnapped were low. What group would pull something like that without thinking? Not unless they were pretty confident…
“You think any group would declare war on a world-ranked mage?”
“…True.”
“But it’s still unsettling. Hmm… guess we all need to be more careful now.”
“Yeah…”
Sigh. We all let out sighs at once. Times like this, I really wished I could grow up faster. By the time we’re adults, we’ll be proper mages with real power. Then we wouldn’t have to feel this fear… Looking back, choosing this school was a great decision. Meeting Eunhee Sister felt like pure luck now.
‘Come to think of it, the reason Eunhee Sister and I met was a terrorist attack too…’
We chatted a bit more before heading home. Once home, I decided to search online for news about the Black Jaguar Minhee mentioned.
『The sudden rise of the shadowy group, Black Jaguar.』
『Some members are children who haven’t even reached adulthood…』
『Traces of torture were found. According to them, they were kidnapped one day and forcibly raised as members. Some have powerful spells preventing escape or betrayal, or their memories wiped entirely.』
『The children are being protected in Korea while contact is made worldwide. Five have already returned to their parents.』
『After lifting restrictions on members, statements confirm executives at C- to B-rank mage level. Listed as C-rank danger group on Korea’s official blacklist.』
Terrifying stuff. I shivered reading the articles, muttering to myself. But the danger didn’t fully sink in. Of course not—most people think, “That won’t happen to me.” And my confidence came from trust in the school and our parents.
I knew this world was dangerous. Terrorism wasn’t rare. But kidnapping aside, what group would target our school? Civilians neither—that’d bring down the wrath of the Mage Constitution. We kids all lived in safe zones. Worst case, the city barriers would activate.
Plus, we all teleported to and from school. Kidnappings weren’t that common.
I spotted an article saying Black Jaguar’s activity had quieted lately. No incidents was good, but it’d make tracking them harder…
But then…
The incident happened just days later.
That morning, I arrived early and was telling Hansu and Inha about my training progress. They only trained hard when meeting their masters, but not me. My passion for magic, born with me, burned as strong as ever, fueled by a refusal to lose. Above all, using magic was just so much fun.
My magic—letters, illusions, barriers—was unique, blending into daily life more than combat. Versatile, so discovering new uses thrilled me. Combat and sparring training helped uncover them.
Lately, I started each day with mana-gathering meditation. In class, I kept mana circulating around me steadily (a trick from manga). After school, I trained with my master, or Inha for self-training, or alone—testing old notebook spells, brainstorming, experimenting wildly.
And virtual training. I loved it lately. Awake or asleep in sleep mode for combat sims, or wandering dream worlds. Before bed, physical enhancement meditation.
That’s what we were discussing.
“Sleep mode virtual training is so fun. Using all sorts of magic while sleeping is wild. Makes sense, since my main magic is dream-related.”
“You ever do anything besides magic training?”
“Of course. Read books, make accessories, hang with Inha. And you guys?”
“Man, you’re ridiculously diligent.”
Hansu laughed. His tone was exasperated, but his eyes oddly warm. I smiled back, and Inha snorted lightly.
“Eunha’s always diligent.”
It was peaceful. The classroom filled up, and the bell rang. I listened drowsily. Korean class fun was poetry and short stories. This world’s novels differed hugely from 21st-century ones—magic changed everything.
Even slice-of-life growth stories felt like fantasy. No wonder I loved this world’s books.
Then, I felt something off. I frowned, glancing out the window at the sky.
‘The sky looks distorted…?’
It wasn’t wrong. Moments later, my eyes widened at the ordinary sky—but my senses caught the anomaly. The protective barrier overhead was melting away.
“…!”
I gasped.
‘The school’s barrier is gone?! Why suddenly…?!’
I hid my tension. No one—not the teacher, not the class—noticed. I closed my eyes, heightening my senses.
Mana… sensing all around. Then it hit me.
‘What is that?!’
Far off, approaching… a massive fireball…
An attack! I sensed it instantly. Huge, menacing—like a meteor. Slow, but its size and form matched.
Terrifyingly, it headed straight for our elementary wing. No time for other defenses—I cast.
Luckily, no other crowded buildings nearby—just the huge playground next door. I read its trajectory in a flash, erecting a barrier at its path: right beside me, window to playground center.
It felt like a wall of air surging up. Transparent, building-sized rectangular prism, thick. I focused.
“Huh? Something outside…”
By the time teacher and class noticed, evasion was impossible. A split second. My thought, the cast—all instant.
That sensation. When danger strikes, time slows around me alone…
“Everyone, get down!”
“Too late!!”
“Kya啊啊啊!!!”
Boom! The meteor hit my barrier. Heavy, fast—it’d shatter through and crush us. I squeezed my eyes shut, wringing out every ounce.
‘Focus… envelop it, accept… repel.’
I snapped my eyes open—the fireball ricocheted off. I exhaled held breath. Overwhelming surge choked me back. Breath ragged, chest aching. Sudden mana drain.
“Hah… hah…”
“What, what?! The fireball bounced?!”
“What was that?! An attack…?”
Chaos in class. Not just here—screams, shouts from next class, lower floors. Panic everywhere. Clutching my chest, I panted.
“What the… Hey?! Eunha, hey, what’s wrong with you?!”
“Eunha, you… no way…!”
Inha gulped, hand over mouth. Hansu, sensing it, supported me urgently, whispering.
“You did that? Bounced the attack…?”
That moment. A chill—I looked up. Exhausted from mana-heavy barrier, but I gripped the windowsill, staring skyward.
Sky warped. Purple cloud-like mana spreading. A barrier! The attacker cast an interference barrier to trap us!
I tried mana—resistance outside my body. My control’s specialty, so okay for me… I bit my lip.
Teacher yelled at the noisy kids.
“Kids! Emergency! Gather by grade—head to the auditorium now! Auditorium gym has A-rank barriers! Link with next class! Follow!”
“…Eunha.”
Inha gently took my hand. I gripped back, nodding. What was this? Terror? Assault? One thing clear: escape.
“…I’m okay now. Let’s go.”
They gripped my hands tight, following teacher. Kids, anxious, obeyed to escape. Teacher was our only adult now.
“There they are!”
“Damn! Too damn spread out! Found the class!”
“Oh no…!”
Teacher’s panicked voice cut off with screams as we rushed out. Thankfully, men in terrorist gear lay unconscious from teachers’ attacks.
Other classes poured into the hall too. Not just us planning to merge. Two other classes same. Ah! Minhee and Hyunho spotted us, ran over.
“Eunha! Inha, Hansu! You okay!?”
“Yeah. You guys?”
“We’re fine! But what the hell… I thought I was dead when that fireball came. School people blocked it, thank god…”
Hansu glanced around, whispered to Minhee.
“That? Eunha did it.”
“What?!”
Minhee and Hyunho gaped at me. I nodded slightly. They stared in shock.
Anyway… we relaxed. Teacher would handle it.
“All kids here?!”
“Yeah, now teleport to auditorium—”
But it didn’t go smoothly. Footsteps from both hall ends. Armed terrorists aimed guns at us. Someone gulped.
“We’re surrounded…!”
“Idiots. You think we came without checking rescues?”
I bit my lip. …Those earlier words finding us—bait to relax us.
“Now, die quietly. Or want hurt kids?”
“Teacher! Teleport!”
“Hmph!”
Homeroom teacher glanced desperately at next-class teacher. But they just snorted dismissively. Next teacher’s eyes widened.
“Teleport… won’t work…?!’
“What…!?”
Homeroom teacher’s eyes bulged. Same for us.
Ah. Purple clouds covering sky. That… mana-disrupting barrier… no way!
Minhee beside me yanked something from pocket—a teleport badge. Grimacing at it, she yelled urgently.
“It’s true! Teleport’s blocked!”
“What?!”
Panic. But worse followed.
“Not just that. Been trying guards and others—no contact! Like the whole school’s jammed…”
“Then at least outside…!”
Male teacher shook head again. No go.
“Ugh… hahaha! Fools!!”
Terrorists laughed at flustering teachers. Homeroom glared sharply.
“What did you do?!”
“Simple. Interference barrier over whole school.”
Faces paled instantly.
Kids froze, trembling, unadapted to crisis. Me too. Sparring, virtuals—training. Real terror by mage group? How not freeze.
‘Kindergarten once… but no combat. Not against people…’
I clenched fists, pale. Man continued.
“Teleport out? Blocked. All movement magic too. Spread comms-block magic. Hacked all ID programs. No contact via IDs, traceable, no escape. Linked spells—comms, flame message, message magic—blocked. Think we invaded blind?”
“…”
“And! Barrier jams magic use. Even intentless artifacts won’t start. All your magic… frozen. We dominate.”
What to do?
But even hearing it, biting lip, I thought. Sudden attack, all paths cut. No prep time. But earlier barrier, merging, past minor terror— this extreme pushed resolve.
Feeling everyone cling trembling, I thought. Must buy time till rescue. Hold! Only kid thinking clearly here: me.
Body shaking, I scanned. Something? My barrier vs adult mages? Need effective defense…
‘Ah…!’
Hand to mouth. Yes… momentary protection! I cast flame message. Hard in barrier… but doable.
「Teacher, classroom.」
「Classroom security!」
「Classroom security runs on mana, electricity, solar! Pure machine!!」
Teacher startled, looked up. Didn’t spot me sender.
Teachers nodded at each other, cast.
“Barrier!!”
“Shield!!”
“Kids! Into Class 2! Hurry!!”
I shoved panicking kids in. As some entered, rest rushed. I stayed till all inside. Adult mind demanded responsibility. Heart pounding, hands cold, sweat beading—but stood. Barriers barely held terrorists’ mana bullets, spells. Teachers’ hands shook.
I entered last. Yelled at teachers.
“Teachers! You…!”
“Shut door! Lock! Hurry!!”
Crash! Barrier chunk broke. Bit lip. Quick call: shut, lock. Flipped switch—activated all defenses.
Security online. Machine hums, mana whirs. Barriers over windows, room. I trembled back.
Collapsed there.
“Teachers… what about teachers?!”
Kang Yesl? That girl asked. Bit lip, clutched forehead.
“…They’re fighting.”
“R-Really? They’ll be okay??”
“But interference barrier!”
“What do we do…! What…!!”
…No idea.
Fourth-grade teachers all C-rank. Twenty-ish surrounding mages, similar power. Plus interference. Can teachers win…?
“Hey! Anyone contact school!”
“No! Really can’t!”
“My sibling okay?”
“Just us? Middle, high schoolers?”
But knowing, no choice. We kids vs adults? Impossible. Especially jammed… I rose from slump, hands on knees. Limbs jelly. Body quaking. Never felt so powerless. Who’d expect this?
“Sob… Mom…”
Kids sobbed at least. Understood. I wanted to cry too. Depressed, stomach hurt. Bit lip. Friends asked if okay—I just nodded.
Then.
Boom!!
Something slammed classroom wall.