Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: 14. Terror
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Lee Eunhee, Joo Je-hyeon, and Yu Cheonho pressed forward toward the elementary division, taking down the enemies in front of them. Sometimes they dodged or ignored foes. With communication impossible, they randomly passed on information to any allies they encountered along the way. They still hadn’t mentioned anything about Yoo Eunha. As they ran, the three recalled their earlier conversation. Lee Eunhee awkwardly ran a hand through her hair.
“I mean, I said it, but no matter how I think about it, it’s impossible, right?”
“…….”
“No matter how talented Eunha is, she’s still a child. A child’s mana growth has limits. And yet, putting up barriers around more than five hundred kids to isolate them from the disruption barriers... and on top of that, moving them all... to a distant location, no less. It’d be a miracle if even a few succeeded... No, honestly, isn’t it already a miracle that the fourth graders escaped?”
“...Maybe half could make it.”
“What?”
Lee Eunhee turned to Joo Je-hyeon with a startled look. He nodded as if convinced of his own words.
“Truth be told... there’s a secrecy rule, so I hesitated to say it, but... has that kid ever told you a bit about her skills? Then it’s fine. She didn’t seem to be hiding it much earlier anyway.”
“More like, she had no choice but to use it to escape, so she got caught and is just like, ‘whatever happens, happens’?”
“Yeah.”
Joo Je-hyeon shrugged at Yu Cheonho’s slightly teasing remark and spoke.
“That kid’s mana is already on par with an average adult.”
“...What?”
“Last year when I taught her combat... I put her in my ‘Domain’ to check, so it’s certain. She even attacked me with her unique magic.”
“What?”
Lee Eunhee now wore a utterly incredulous expression. Did he know how dangerous that was?
“Are you insane? Do you have any idea how dangerous your mana is... especially when you can’t control it delicately! Dark attribute mana is deadly if there’s no affinity!”
“But she had affinity. She took my mana and was totally fine.”
Lee Eunhee fell silent. But normally, a child with low mana purity would be poisoned by high-purity dark mana. That was why Joo Je-hyeon never sparred with any other kids in class.
“But... teleportation magic is special. Affinity matters more than anything. No, wait, it’s impossible anyway. How would she even target specific people here? We can’t bring Eunha over to put up the barriers either.”
“But she seemed to have some method. So let’s trust her for now.”
Joo Je-hyeon replied immediately. Lee Eunhee turned to him in surprise. And understandably so—Joo Je-hyeon rarely voiced such trust in anyone. The number of people he trusted was extremely small to begin with. Especially when it came to magic. And for a mere child...
“She has affinity for teleportation magic. You know I use a gate-like spell for mine, right?”
“Yeah. It’s just that in darkness, hardly anyone can sense the time lag.”
“But that kid sensed it.”
Lee Eunhee finally stared at Joo Je-hyeon in genuine shock. He grinned.
“One of those kids is going to become a monster. High chance it’s Eunha. So it’s worth betting on.”
Even as he used the cold word ‘monster,’ Joo Je-hyeon wore an incredibly gentle expression. Knowing how rare that look was, Lee Eunhee couldn’t hide her astonishment.
The two soon arrived at the elementary division. But not only were there disruption barriers—they were layered with powerful defensive shields.
“What a pain...”
That was when it happened.
A massive surge of mana shattered the defensive shields over the entire elementary division grounds. Three women then revealed themselves. Joo Je-hyeon, Lee Eunhee, and Yu Cheonho widened their eyes upon recognizing their faces. It was only natural they were shocked.
All three were extremely famous, and faces they knew well. Yi Yeoyoung, mother of Park Hansu—the boy they knew—who ranked in the world’s top 500 wizards and 7th in Korea. Kim Seona, an S-rank wizard ranking 2nd in Korea and within the world’s top 100, and mother of Kang Inha. And Jeong Mina, not in the world rankings but top 100 in Korea, and their mentor as well.
“H-How are you all here...?”
“I heard the situation from the kids and called them.”
Yi Yeoyoung was the one who spoke. The three gaped. They knew each other?
“We’re not that close, but being in the world rankings means we know of each other. Jeong Mina was the only special wizard in Daehyeon whose contact I had, and Kim Seona... well, she’s a parent. Plus, we’ve both personally been tracking that ‘Black Jaguar’ group.”
“...Ah.”
It made sense. The three, along with the Daehyeon combat wizards following them, turned their gazes to the three transcendent-level wizards. Unlike usual, Kim Seona glared at the school with an icy expression.
“Black Jaguar.”
The name was familiar to everyone present. Kim Seona gritted her teeth.
“They dared to touch our kids?”
In that instant, a frigid mana storm swirled around Kim Seona. She spoke.
“Sorry, but... some buildings might get wrecked, so I’ll ask for your understanding in advance.”
Right after, her magic activated, freezing the entire area in an instant.
When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital room. White ceiling, white walls, and an IV drip or something stuck in my arm. With sleep still clouding my eyes, I turned to look beside me. And then... the items packed tightly around my bed came into view.
“...Huh?”
My voice, full of bewilderment, drifted into the air. And understandably so.
The stuff crammed around my bed included flowers, fruits, snacks, and above all, stacks of books. I stared in confusion at what looked like condolence gifts. What was this? Why were they piled up like this next to me?
It was only natural I was flustered. I figured I’d collapsed from mana depletion and ended up in the hospital. If I’d been out for a day or two, some gifts made sense. But enough to fill an entire room? That was weird! I didn’t know that many people! I tried counting on my fingers the people who might send me gifts.
‘Inha, Hansu, Minhee, Hyunho... my friends, plus Eunhee sister, Je-hyeon brother, Cheonho brother... and the teachers? Teacher Junhwi, Teacher Min, Master, Auntie Seona, Uncle Jeongmin, Mom, Dad...’
“Ah. Yujeong sister and Inho brother might’ve too.”
I muttered, but still frowned at the bizarre situation. Even adding them all up, it shouldn’t make a mountain like that. I swallowed hard as I looked at it.
‘Maybe it’s not for me? Wrong room or... someone else in the bed next to me...’
I slightly propped myself up and looked around. But... this not-so-spacious room was clearly a single. With no choice, I moved the hand without the IV and pulled out the nearest item from the pile. There was a note attached.
『To. Yoo Eunha
Thank you for saving us.』
I tilted my head. ...Thank you? What was this sudden gratitude? And... this was my name, right? Definitely mine?
With a dazed expression, I set down the snack I’d picked up and grabbed another. And there too, and on the others, the flower bouquets—all had my name, addressed to me.
What was strangest was this.
‘Why polite language? I’m only 11... and it feels mixed in. I don’t even know any juniors.’
I rummaged through them, then paused. A familiar name was on one.
『So cool! How didn’t I know you were hiding your skills!
I’m a fan. Thank you so much! By Kang Yesul』
...Huh?
I checked the note again in panic. But no matter how many times, the contents and name stayed the same. Finally, I was truly flustered.
Kang Yesul? The girl I had a huge fight with before? We ended up in the same class again this year, but we’d been too awkward to even talk, right?
After a moment’s thought, I made a defeated face.
“...Right. I used magic in front of all the kids.”
Only then did I understand the ‘thank you’ messages from everyone. But Kang Yesul’s still didn’t make sense. ...Cool? Sure, blocking their attacks wasn’t easy. But I just kept blocking, blocking, and blocking. If anyone was cool, it was Inha and Hansu attacking them—not me. Don’t kids usually think attackers or those beating enemies are cool?
And why polite language? Sure, they’re grateful I saved them. But most of these seemed from classmates—why bother with polite speech?
A bit later, I clutched my head with one hand.
“Ah... this is driving me crazy... I don’t regret it. No regrets, but... ugh... am I the center of attention now...?”
Why had I hidden my skills in the first place? I hated drawing attention. Also, I was embarrassed to seem like I was bragging. But above all, gathering eyes was too much for my lacking confidence. A hundred times the pressure.
I’d wanted a normal life from the start. Even as a novelist, I loved when people enjoyed my work and loved me as the author, and my pen name getting famous was great—but the thought of my face being known and recognized on the street was burdensome. School was the same. In a place where talented kids stand out inevitably, I wanted to hide my skills, avoid notice, and just laugh and chat with the people I like. Was that too much to ask?
‘Ah... this is driving me crazy.’
After sitting like that for a while, I suddenly wanted some fresh air. Come to think of it, where were Mom and my friends? Leaving this mountain of gifts? I pressed the nurse call.
Soon after, footsteps approached the door. No, multiple running footsteps. The door slammed open.
“Hey, guardian! No running in the hospital. And no slamming doors!”
“Ah, sorry. I was in a hurry...”
“Mom...?”
I blinked and looked over. Beyond the mountain of gifts, I barely saw Mom’s face. She paled and rushed to me.
“Eunha!”
Dad appeared behind her. No, there were more footsteps. Auntie Seona, Uncle Jeongmin, ah, Inha. Inha, Hansu, Minhee, Hyunho...
The nurse who came with Mom approached me first to check my condition. She measured my heartbeat with the machine, checked my temperature... Meanwhile, Mom came close and talked to me.
“You’re awake? No dizziness? No pain?”
“Yeah. If anything, the IV spot hurts a bit.”
“Good... thank goodness.”
Dad sighed in relief, wiping his face. It felt kinda embarrassing. Soon, the nurse checking me said.
“Condition’s normal... You can relax now.”
“Ah...”
Mom patted her chest in relief. The others too. The nurse said I’d get a full check from the doctor soon, so rest until then, and left. I watched her go, then turned to my friends looking at me worriedly. Inha approached with teary eyes.
“Did I pass out after using magic? My memory’s like I just fell asleep... Why a hospital room?”
“No... you fell asleep. You did sleep, but...”
Inha couldn’t finish, her voice choked. She hung her head, wiping tears. I watched, unsure what to do. Then Auntie Seona patted Inha’s head and placed her hand on my forehead. A cool sensation spread.
“You overused your mana. Squeezed it to the limit... You wouldn’t know, but you’ve been asleep for two weeks straight.”
“Two weeks?!”
I stared at Auntie Seona in shock. No dreams at all, and that much time passed? She nodded and continued.
“You’ve trained a lot in magic, Eunha, but not much full-throttle mana use, right? First time to full depletion means slower recovery... And for a growing body, total depletion is rough. You entered a two-week sleep phase to recover it all.”
“Wow...”
Sleep phase—kinda draconic. I thought that and looked at my hand.
I naturally circulated mana around my body. Then I froze.
The feel of my mana... had changed.
“...!”
It wasn’t just more mana. The quality, or something— it felt different. Easier to move than before. I examined my mana quietly. And oddly, it felt transparent, like I could see right through it.
I settled my mana and tilted my head in a daze. Oh, right. I looked around at everyone with a slightly urgent expression.
“By the way, how’d the terror end? The others... sisters, brothers, seniors—all safe? The other kids too? And what’s with this mountain of gifts?”
“Oh, that?”
Minhee smiled brightly at my words.
“The school’s fine! Some buildings got smashed, though. Some minor injuries, but no serious ones or deaths.”
“Really?”
I patted my chest in relief. Minhee grinned and pointed at Auntie Seona.
“And get this. Inha’s mom, Teacher Mina, and Hansu’s mom wiped out all the enemies!”
“...Huh?”
I turned to Auntie Seona in confusion. She smiled proudly.
“Ahem.”
Seeing my blank look, Minhee slowly explained.
“So...”
Right around when Yoo Eunha activated her barrier magic to save the kids, Park Hansu’s mother, Yi Yeoyoung, quickly made a call somewhere. At first, the kids had no idea who it was to, but soon after Eunha fell asleep, they found out. The recipient teleported straight to Park Hansu’s house.
“Mom?!”
“Teacher Mina?!”
The two looked up in alarm. Their gazes immediately went to the kids circling around Eunha. They rushed over.
“Inha! Oh my god, Eunha?!”
“Yoo Eunha!”
Kim Seona saw Yoo Eunha lying pale on the floor, and her own daughter, Kang Inha, sitting beside her equally pale. Kim Seona ran and knelt by Inha, looking down at Eunha in panic. Jeong Mina hurried to Eunha and checked her condition.
“Inha, you okay? No injuries? What happened to Eunha? Why’s she like this?!”
“Mom. So...”
The kids buzzed at the sight. No one there didn’t know Kim Seona. Korea’s wizard rank 2, top 100 worldwide—impossible not to recognize.
Jeong Mina wasn’t at that level, but famous in Korea, especially at Daehyeon Academy. As she scanned Eunha’s body with magic, her expression darkened.
“...Mana depletion. Yi Yeoyoung. Why is this child in mana depletion?”
“Mana depletion? No, why Eunha?!”
Both turned to Yi Yeoyoung. She explained coolly.
“All comms in the school were cut. Jeong Mina, you didn’t get contact either, so you get it.”
“Someone attacked Daehyeon Association?”
“Yeah. Seems they timed it when the chairman and strong wizards were out.”
Yi Yeoyoung nodded. Kim Seona gritted her teeth beside her.
“So? Why Eunha?”
“...With all school comms down, no wizards to protect the kids. First, she put up barriers and teleported her whole grade to my house. Said it was closest and safest, knowing the owner.”
“Teleportation... linking barriers to move them. But that shouldn’t cause this much...”
“Then, at a senior’s request, she teleported the entire elementary division here. ...Sorry. I can’t use that kind. Only helped recover some mana a bit.”
“The entire...?”
Jeong Mina’s eyes widened in shock for a moment. No wonder the kid was out cold. You could imagine how desperately she’d wrung out her mana. Jeong Mina looked down at Eunha with pity.
Crack, crackle. Then came a sound like glass fracturing. Kang Inha turned to her mother. Whoosh... a cold breath like a blizzard. Kim Seona rose with an icy expression.
“You called us for cooperation, right?”
“...Yes. Daehyeon Association isn’t pushover. And our kids attend. If they dared anyway... our job’s clear, isn’t it?”
“Exactly.”
As Kim Seona answered, her form changed. Silver eyes gleamed cold blue, hair tips turning silver. Like ice itself. Kang Inha swallowed at her mother’s true face, seen for the first time.
“War.”
Thud, pressure hit. Kang Inha stared at Kim Seona in shock. The two rose and stood by Yi Yeoyoung. Kim Seona glanced at Inha.
“Inha. Wait here. Mom’ll get revenge for Eunha and come back.”
Kim Seona smiled brightly. Then the three vanished simultaneously.
They teleported straight to Daehyeon Academy. Out was impossible, but in from outside was fine. Especially with Jeong Mina’s magic ignoring the barriers.
Upon arrival, they assessed the school situation, then moved to the elementary division front, smashing the grounds’ defensive shields first. Kim Seona then attacked the whole school. The elementary division froze solid.
“Ah, sorry if any allies inside. Couldn’t hold back.”
Lee Eunhee, watching dazedly, snapped to. She shouted in panic.
“W-Wait! There might still be kids inside...!”
But Yi Yeoyoung turned to her coldly.
“Don’t worry. Eunha moved them all. Elementary kids are all at my house now.”
“I confirmed too. No need to worry. Not a single child inside.”
Lee Eunhee swallowed.
“Eunha really... succeeded?”
“All of them?”
Even Joo Je-hyeon’s eyes widened in astonishment. Lee Eunhee and Yu Cheonho’s shock was indescribable.
A small blizzard-like mana swirled around Kim Seona. Ice mana flowed along her body, winds whipping like snowstorms around it. Ice shards flew as snow dust. The gathered ice mana before her hand sparked like lightning. Actually, friction lightning from clashing ice and wind mana.
“So... I’ll sweep them all away.”
And the three charged ahead, felling every visible enemy at their feet.
========== Author's Note ==========
One more chapter until the Terror arc ends.
Ah, and I briefly added character introductions to the work settings. Note it's really very brief.
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