Exposure (4)
Lee Hyun found it rather unfortunate that the first place they exchanged words was somewhere like this. If they had met at the Cradle, he might have even offered her a cup of tea.
Choi I-re stood blocking his path, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Her seemingly casual words carried an obvious intent to stall for time, one she made no effort to hide.
Lee Hyun, recognizing her ploy, lowered his stance as if ready to pounce at any moment and growled.
"Oh my, how scary. But I'm afraid I can't do that."
Choi I-re shrugged her shoulders as if genuinely frightened. Yet her voice leaked with barely concealed playfulness. Behind her glasses, her eyes remained sharp, fixed intently on him.
—Whoosh!
Without wasting another second, Lee Hyun charged straight at Choi I-re.
Yet the bespectacled girl simply maintained her relaxed smile. Even as he closed the distance to point-blank range, she showed not a flicker of agitation.
—Thud!
Just as his fist was about to connect, the moment it reached a certain point in the air, it was deflected sideways as if it had slammed into an invisible thick wall, sliding harmlessly off target. The severe recoil sent him staggering backward. A low, heavy vibration spread outward from the point of impact.
"Hehe. How does it feel to taste the strongest shield?"
Lee Hyun quickly regained his footing and scanned his surroundings. Before him now stood a massive, translucent barrier resembling a perfect square membrane.
He charged forward once more. This time, he adjusted his strength, striking with a measured punch as if testing his opponent. The instant his fist touched the translucent wall, petal-like structures bloomed across its surface, vibrating to disperse the impact completely. Choi I-re's body remained utterly unscathed, not even a scratch.
Seeing that his attacks were ineffective, Choi I-re's smug smile deepened. In the world of mages, fifteen minutes was an eternity—enough time for the tide of battle to shift dozens of times.
Lee Hyun fell silent at her confident words, deep in thought. His breathing was ragged and his mind hazy, yet time was growing desperately short. Should he kill her and move on? No. Subduing her was one thing, but taking a life right now would be suicidal. Especially since she was the heir to one of the 27 Magic Families. Therefore, using his Authority to shatter the barrier was out of the question. He couldn't reveal it to an opponent he didn't intend to kill.
But did that mean breaking through the shield without his Authority was impossible? Not at all.
Barrier magic had many variations depending on the user, but they all shared the fundamental principle of hardening particles and then consuming an equal amount of particles to absorb incoming damage. The Seongsan family's unique magic was an extreme amplification of that concept. It built an even thicker foundation using the family's massive particle reserves from their bloodline, then layered additional formulas to dramatically improve the structure. When impacted, the densely clustered petal-like structures absorbed or redirected the force, greatly increasing the barrier's durability and lifespan.
Thus, Choi I-re's confidence had some merit. Breaking through it would not be easy for anyone. For some, it might even be near impossible—unless there was someone capable of unleashing endless attacks without worrying about particle exhaustion.
Lee Hyun reached his conclusion in an instant. He began layering additional magic formulas while further activating his Predictive Eye.
No matter how strong the shield was claimed to be, a barrier was still just a barrier. If struck with attacks exceeding its particle capacity, it had no choice but to break. And while that feat was impossible for other mages, for Lee Hyun, it was entirely possible.
"Cough... ugh."
The moment he released additional paths of his Predictive Eye, a pain like his heart being crushed washed over him. Every blood vessel in his body burned as if plunged into hellfire. His eyes throbbed as though they might burst. It was the consequence of forcing power through a body that had yet to recover. Still, with his destination now clear, there was no longer any reason or luxury to hold back.
He had to take down the obstacle before him as quickly as possible, reunite with Yeon Minha before the Predictive Eye's time limit expired, and head to the address the leader had given him.
"It's such a shame. No matter how I look at it, you seem like talented material. How did someone like you end up falling in with the Red Fire... huh?"
As he raised his aura, Choi I-re—who had been muttering to herself with casual ease—froze, her expression twisting into momentary bewilderment. Soon after, a cold sneer spread across her face.
—Boom!
Before she could finish, Lee Hyun shot forward like a bullet. His speed was several times greater than before. The barrier that took his punch head-on shook violently. The heavy shockwave from the recoil echoed loudly in all directions.
"...Maybe I should take back what I said about you being talented material. You might actually be a bit stupid... eh?"
—Crack!
Just as the still-composed Choi I-re was about to revise her assessment of him, an absolutely impossible sound—like something splitting apart—pierced her ears.
"W-what? Why is that..."
Choi I-re looked ahead and gasped in horror. Centered on the point where Lee Hyun's attack had landed, vertical cracks were rapidly spreading across the massive translucent barrier.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Lee Hyun's next attacks came instantly, giving her no time to process reality. He repeatedly hammered the cracked area with particle-infused punches.
—Shatter!
With the final blow, the tattered barrier shattered like glass, scattering into the air.
Choi I-re cried out in utter shock.
"Kyaa!"
The masked student closed the distance in the blink of an eye. The horrified Choi I-re retreated while frantically firing particle bullets. Some of her attacks were quite sharp—sharp enough that against a different opponent, she might have found an opening for a counterattack.
"Damn it...!"
—Clang!
But the masked student evaded them all with supremely efficient movements. Choi I-re tried to manipulate her particle arranger to recast the Phalanx formula, but it was brutally shattered before it could even complete.
At the same moment, Lee Hyun's fist slammed directly into her jaw.
This wasn't a spar—it was a real battlefield. The moment an emission mage allowed a circulation mage to close the distance, the outcome was practically decided.
"Kuhk...!"
—Boom!
She couldn't even let out a proper death cry. The helmet crumpled inward from the punch, and Choi I-re was sent flying dozens of meters before slamming into the rear wall with a tremendous crash.
Lee Hyun walked toward where she had landed. The dust cloud obscuring his vision scattered along with the shockwave. Choi I-re lay crumpled in a miserable heap, completely motionless. He had been prepared to break all ten of her fingers in the opposite direction if she resisted further, but fortunately, it seemed there was no need to waste energy on something pointless.
—Caw!
The crow that had flown into the sky at the start of the fight now descended, circling around Lee Hyun.
"Huff... ha..."
Lee Hyun stood still for a moment, catching his breath. His condition was worse than expected, and his mind grew increasingly impatient.
At his words, the crow flapped its wings and once again led the way. As the poisonous fog gradually thinned, the tragedy that had befallen the Red Fire estate slowly revealed itself around them. The once-beautiful garden was now littered with horribly mutilated corpses.
In the direction the crow guided him, the sound of fierce—almost desperate—explosions could be heard from afar.
"You... you dared to touch Father... you!!"
—Boom!!
A fierce pillar of flame descended upon Baek Seoyeon from the air. She erected an ice wall to block it, only for metallic spikes to sprout from the ground beneath her, attempting to bind her. She barely dodged, but this time a particle bullet aimed directly at her throat grazed past. It left a faint scratch on her neck before slamming into the dirt behind her with a deafening explosion.
"Ugh...!"
When Seoyeon clutched her neck, her hand came away slick with blood. The two glared at each other, their eyes blazing like clashing sparks. One was the strongest mage in history. The other, the strongest spirit mage. The question of superiority between them had always been the most popular topic among the students of the Cradle.
Despite their nearly identical rankings, in the past year of ranking matches at the Cradle, they had never once faced each other. Rumors had spread like wildfire that the Cradle's Education Committee had manipulated the matchups out of fear of the aftermath. The committee had naturally issued an official statement denying it, but the rumor kept resurfacing, fueling the students' imaginations.
Yet no one could have predicted that their first clash would be a life-or-death battle that could decide the rise and fall of their families.
"Yeon Minha. That's enough...! If you keep this up, you'll only add to the charges..."
"Shut up!"
—Boom!
With a savage shout, jagged spikes erupted from beneath Seoyeon's feet. She fired a spell to neutralize them and retreated. Tears welled up in Yeon Minha's eyes, which burned like the sunset. She poured all her displaced resentment solely onto Seoyeon. It was the only way she could keep her sanity intact.
Seoyeon reconsidered her approach. Yeon Minha was not someone she could simply pin down like the others. She was the embodiment of a spirit mage's strengths taken to the extreme. Considering how magic typically had elemental counters, a spirit mage who commanded dozens of different types of spirits was practically an all-attribute entity with no weaknesses.
And that woman was now coming at her with genuine killing intent. If she faced this carelessly, her survival would be uncertain.
However, Seoyeon had no intention of dying here. She still had things she needed to do. Until then, she could not surrender her life to anyone—not even if it meant taking someone else's to survive.
The moment she made her decision, Seoyeon, who had stepped back, manipulated her particle arranger to unfold a massive magic formula. Frost spread from beneath her feet, beginning to consume the entire surrounding landscape. If the Black Lotus family's unique magic, the Predictive Eye, symbolized the ultimate one-on-one combat ability, then the Paecheon family's Snowfield represented overwhelming battlefield control.
The area had already become the heart of an icy domain—meaning it was now the optimal stage for Seoyeon to exert her full power. A faint white breath escaped her lips. With the slightest gesture, the surrounding particles moved as if they were part of her own body.
Frost suddenly spread across the ground and crawled up Yeon Minha's feet, binding her movements.
—Boom! Boom! Boom!
Before her opponent could even respond, particle bullets rained down from all directions in the air, beginning a relentless bombardment.
"Hngh...!"
Yeon Minha barely managed to raise a barrier to block it. The overwhelming barrage from such a massive particle reserve instantly reversed the tide of battle. Dust clouds rose, obscuring Yeon Minha from view. Seoyeon stared in that direction, continuously creating and firing particle bullets into the air.
—Slash!
Suddenly, a whip of flame slipped through a gap in the bombardment, wrapping around Seoyeon's ankle and yanking her forward.
—Sizzle!
"Hngh...!"
The flame whip bit into her flesh, releasing the stench of burning meat. Seoyeon barely managed to sever it and readjusted her stance.
"Ha... ha...!"
When the bombardment paused and the dust settled, Yeon Minha—now free from her bindings—came into view. Her legs trembled as if exhausted, and she was panting heavily. Her entire body was covered in cuts, blood streaming down, yet her disheveled hair and fierce red eyes still burned with deep obsession and hatred.
Seoyeon stared back at her with an equally icy gaze. In the end, this was the fate the two of them were destined for. She extended her fingers once more, manipulating her particle arranger. There was not a trace of hesitation in her concise movements.
In an instant, she created hundreds of particle bullets in the air and fired them all at Yeon Minha at once.
"Ha..."
At the overwhelming sight, Yeon Minha let out a deep, lament-filled sigh. She could already picture those sharp projectiles tearing her body to shreds. Accepting her impending death, she slowly closed her eyes.
But just before Baek Seoyeon's particle bullets could strike their target, a shadow appeared out of nowhere, instantly stepping in front of Yeon Minha.
Seeing him, Yeon Minha's eyes widened.
"Y-you..."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
He raised a barrier to deflect the attacks, but the endless barrage of particle bullets melted his barrier away in an instant, leaving no trace. He then used the edge of his blade to deflect the continuing assault.
Boom! Boom...
The prepared particle bullets finally ran out. Yeon Minha, as if the tension had drained from her, staggered and collapsed to the ground.
The masked student gently caught the unconscious Yeon Minha as if handling a precious work of art, then casually tossed aside the blade whose edge had long since broken. He assumed a combat stance toward Seoyeon, who still blocked his escape route, and began closing in at blinding speed.
—Grind...
Seoyeon bared her teeth, glaring at him. She drew a long, chilling spear shaft from her hand, preparing for close combat. He had already closed the distance until he was close enough for her to see his eyelashes.
—Crack... crack...
While its owner was lost in a trance and unaware, the mask—which had endured impacts far beyond its limits—began to reach the end of its lifespan.
—Crack... snap...
The fractures along the curves near the eyes grew larger and larger. Eventually, they formed a single vicious circle.
—Clatter!
Finally, the mask shed a piece of itself onto the floor, inevitably revealing to the entire world what it had so carefully protected.
"Ah...?"
And in that moment.
Within an illusion where a single second felt like an eternity, Seoyeon saw something. It was nothing more than a tiny gap through a crack. But she saw it clearly.
At the same time, what came to her mind was the most precious thing she had lost long ago. The one she could never recover because of her own mistake—the one that had plunged her into endless despair and regret. The clearest, purest eyes that had always looked at her and whispered the sweetness of love.
Seoyeon could not understand why she was recalling it now. But her will abandoned its resolve on its own. The sharp ice bullets that had been floating in the air, aimed at their target, lost their power and rained down helplessly.
—Thud!
And before she could even think, she felt a electrifying sensation piercing through her lower abdomen in an instant. Suddenly, Seoyeon's gaze dropped downward. There, she saw a rough, violent fist striking her stomach.
"Hngh...!"
The strange numbness—whether pleasure or pain, she couldn't tell—caused her to collapse on the spot. What was even stranger was that despite being struck, not a single ounce of hostility rose within her. As if it were an instinct engraved into her soul, those eyes that had momentarily flashed behind the mask burned away every negative emotion Seoyeon had ever held toward him without a trace.
"W-wait...!"
The fallen Seoyeon desperately turned her body and reached out. Even though the place she had cherished for her master had been cruelly violated, her voice came out gentle instead. But the masked student carrying Yeon Minha had already disappeared into the darkness of dawn long ago.
"Ah..."
Seoyeon remained with her hand outstretched, staring endlessly into the empty darkness. Her mind was filled with nothing but chaos.