Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: ACT.18 Four Rabbits (4)
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“Treatment? How?”
“I'm not sure. It's an attempt. Better than doing nothing.”
“If it goes wrong, it could turn into something much worse. You know that, right?”
Han Hyeok-jun asked worriedly, his brow furrowed.
I nodded gravely.
It's not that I didn't know.
But my underlying stats were high enough that I was confident I could avoid failure.
“Shop.”
The updated list of items, changed with the progression of the chapter, greeted me.
I immediately scrolled down.
‘It's mana exhaustion, but simply restoring her mana won't fix it.’
I had to solve the fundamental problem.
Calming the rampaging energy within her body.
I needed to use my ability to remove the energy, but if I did that to Jo Min-ah now, her body wouldn't be able to handle it.
It was like needing to perform surgery, but the patient's condition was too poor to operate.
I had to improve her physical condition first.
[It's been a while! Shall I open the Angel's Shop for you?]
Uriel, who was always on standby in my shop, smiled warmly.
She must think I want some top-tier potion like an elixir.
I scoffed inwardly.
“No. Just find what I tell you to.”
[Of course. What are you looking for?]
“A dual potion that restores both health and mana. The best quality I can currently buy.”
[Hmm, if it's that... I have this. It's 2500 coins, is that okay?]
“I don't mind.”
Anyone would spend 2500 coins if it could save a player with an S-rank unique ability.
As I paid the coins, a potion appeared in my hand.
You could only buy one of any type of potion per day.
That was one of the reasons the original game was said to be difficult.
Even though I had to enter the Ark Gate after this, the entire strategy for it was still vivid in my mind.
I could clear it without potions just fine.
“I'm going to start treating Jo Min-ah now. It requires a lot of concentration, so unless it's a real emergency, don't touch or disturb me. Understood?”
The three of them nodded and formed a triangular formation, taking up positions to guard me.
Nothing else was likely to appear in the residential area, but there was always a chance.
After steadying my breath, I opened Jo Min-ah's mouth and slowly poured the potion inside.
As if she was thirsty from the fire energy rampaging inside her, she thankfully drank all the potion I gave her.
I placed a hand on Jo Min-ah's stomach, closed my eyes, and focused.
The energy of darkness flowed from my hand into her.
I could faintly see the inside of Jo Min-ah's body, like watching a low-resolution video.
‘The fire energy has spread throughout her entire body.’
No wonder she had such a high fever and lost consciousness.
I slowly moved the darkness.
I could feel the fire energy flinch and become wary at the appearance of a foreign intruder.
‘Focus.’
The slightest mistake and the power of annihilation would touch her organs.
It was a delicate task that allowed for no mistakes.
I focused all my mental energy on my fingertips, to the point where my own breathing felt distracting, and meticulously controlled the darkness.
Like a general leading a war, I deployed my soldiers—the energy of darkness—and slowly devoured the flames.
The flames thrashed as if refusing to be defeated, but they gradually succumbed to the power of annihilation.
‘Don't let your guard down. Slowly. Perfectly.’
One of the clumps of energy slowly began to disappear.
It struggled until the very end, but it couldn't win against the darkness continuously flowing in from the outside.
[The darkness has succeeded in devouring the Blue Flame.]
[The darkness is absorbing the power of the Blue Flame.]
[Current Absorption Rate: 6%]
[A new effect will be added when the absorption rate reaches 100%.]
Just as I was searching for the next clump of fire energy and about to move my power, an unignorable system message appeared.
‘It absorbed the Blue Flame?’
Absorption, not annihilation.
I didn't know what the result would be, but it was certain that my power would be strengthened.
‘I never thought it could be linked like this.’
An unexpected harvest.
It was something I had to do anyway, but with a reward attached, my concentration intensified.
“Min-ah's expression is getting more peaceful!”
“As expected of Se-hyeon-ssi!”
I slowly eliminated the flames from the edges inward.
Her mana, gradually returning thanks to the potion, worked to control the flames from the inside, while I forcibly suppressed them from the outside.
Attacked from both front and back, the fire energy seemed unable to withstand it, its rampaging power weakening.
After 20 minutes, there was no longer any out-of-control fire energy left in Jo Min-ah's body.
[The darkness has completely absorbed the power of the Blue Flame.]
[An additional effect is added to the trait, 'Lord of Darkness'.]
[Black Flame (黑炎)]
A black flame that does not extinguish until the target is completely annihilated.
‘Black Flame.’
After checking the system window, the corners of my mouth twitched and rose on their own.
A harvest beyond my expectations.
Black Flame originally existed as a separate, top-tier S-rank trait.
For something like that to come as a bonus effect.
Even I had never seen Black Flame being obtained this way.
‘If Jo Min-ah had awakened as the Witch of White Flame as originally intended.’
This would have been impossible.
It was possible because Blue Flame was a lower grade than White Flame or Black Flame.
A slight disappointment had turned into a blessing in disguise.
After a short while, Jo Min-ah blinked her eyes and regained consciousness.
“Ah… Wh-where…”
“Are you awake?”
“Oppa… I, why…”
“It's okay now. It's all over.”
Jo Min-ah, still pale, relaxed her body as if relieved.
I had given her a high-grade potion, but her body was still limp.
She would probably need to rest for the whole day to recover.
Jeong Ha-yeon, who had been watching anxiously, also let out a sigh of relief.
“But the fires on the buildings and roads are still there.”
“I can't do anything about what's already been released. That'll have to be dealt with separately.”
Han Hyeok-jun clicked his tongue and drew his sword.
But before Han Hyeok-jun could use his Authority of Flames, something strange happened.
*Swoosh!*
The flames flickered, then suddenly flew off in one direction.
“Was the Flame Giant still here!?”
Seeing the unnatural movement of the flames, Han Hyeok-jun quickly turned toward their destination.
He was about to shoot forward, but he stopped and stared with a hardened gaze.
It was a presence I had also been sensing for a little while.
“Why are you just lying there, you idiot.”
The blue flames that had been burning everything were sucked into Jo Min-woo's mouth.
Like someone greedily devouring a delicious meal, he didn't leave even the smallest ember behind.
Jo Min-woo wiped his mouth and grinned at Jo Min-ah.
“I told you to lean on your big brother when things get tough.”
“…Who's… the big brother… I'm the older sister…”
Jo Min-ah retorted without backing down, but she was still smiling, albeit with difficulty.
Fire Eater.
It was the moment Jo Min-woo awakened.
‘Finally.’
A thrill ran through me, enough to make me shudder.
The twins' awakening was complete.
The twins are a crucial part of our strength for dealing with The Order.
With The Order moving much faster than in the original game, having the twins awaken early was a brilliant move.
“For the twins to gain their powers before even chapter 10…”
Jun Bo-ra muttered in amazement.
Normally, it would have been impossible.
It was only possible because this was reality.
“I'm going into the Ark Gate now. Han Hyeok-jun, Jun Bo-ra. You two stay here in case The Order sends reinforcements.”
“But then I won't get the proper rewards for this chapter.”
“That's not my problem.”
“Hey.”
A vein popped on Jun Bo-ra's forehead.
“Even with Han Hyeok-jun here, if The Order doesn't miss this chance and moves even faster, we could be in big trouble. We have to prevent that. If you don't like it, we can all just go down together.”
“You really…”
Jun Bo-ra, who was about to say something, put a hand to her forehead and sighed.
It was a tacit agreement.
Although I said that, delaying Jun Bo-ra's growth wasn't a good thing.
After all, the stronger she becomes, the more useful she'll be.
“I'll bring you a present instead.”
“A present? Is there some hidden item in that tower?”
Jun Bo-ra narrowed her eyes.
Not in that tower.
At least, not in *that* tower.
“Anyway, I'm not just saying it, so let's compromise on that. It'll be more valuable than the coins you'll miss out on by not participating in the King of Disease raid.”
“…If you put it like that, then fine.”
“Hyung, I'll take care of Min-ah. Don't worry and go.”
“Okay.”
I saw Jo Min-woo's seemingly more mature face and let out a small laugh.
But superimposed over the image of the twins, Hwang Chan-jin's face suddenly appeared, and my good mood vanished in an instant.
We may have cooperated during the Disaster of Verdure, but he was still the person I needed to watch most closely.
Unlike Jun Bo-ra, there was just too little information on him, making it hard to grasp what he was thinking.
‘Hwang Chan-jin did say he would stop the apocalypse.’
But what exactly is he aiming for in that process?
Until I knew for sure, I couldn't help but feel uneasy.
I wondered if Hwang Chan-jin might try to do what I was planning to do first.
The condition was to defeat the King of Disease, and the Ark Gate hadn't closed, so I still had time to make the first move.
“I'll be here until the guilds get back, so go on.”
It seemed Han Hyeok-jun had also decided to stay because of my comment that The Order might come here.
I had already eliminated all the remaining dangers, so with Han Hyeok-jun here, there was nothing to worry about.
I immediately turned toward the Ark Gate.
“Wait. I'll take you.”
“You're not planning to 'coincidentally' enter the Ark Gate with me, are you?”
“I made a promise. I keep my promises.”
Jun Bo-ra grumbled and grabbed my arm.
If it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have trusted them one bit and would have immediately countered.
In a world like this, there's no such thing as kindness without a reason.
“…I have something to tell you.”
Right after she whispered so that only I could hear, the scenery changed.
Before I knew it, a massive gate exuding a desolate, dark-red energy stood before me.
The Ark Gate.
Seeing it in person, I could feel its ferocious energy.
“What is it?”
“About what I found out.”
Jun Bo-ra didn't continue right away.
Seeing her cupping her hand over her mouth, lost in thought, it seemed that even though she'd brought us here, she still hadn't decided whether to speak or not.
A secret she couldn't easily reveal.
After the Disaster of Verdure, Jun Bo-ra had vanished so completely that even Choi Yeon-su's information network couldn't track her.
It was unclear what she had been doing all this time.
However, I needed to enter the Ark Gate quickly.
“Is it something you have to tell me right now?”
“Because it's better for you to know beforehand.”
At this point, I couldn't help but be curious.
Jun Bo-ra placed a hand on her chest and took a few deep breaths.
Then, as if she had made up her mind, she opened her mouth with a determined look in her eyes.
“First, this is what I was going to tell you last time. There's something I have to say.”
I stared quietly into Jun Bo-ra's eyes.
What had she found out, and what did she want to say?
“Actually, I'm not the Strategy King.”
“…”
For a long moment, I exchanged glances with Jun Bo-ra.
What should I say?
She said it with such a serious face, as if confessing a huge secret, that it actually made it awkward to react.
[‘Devil Who Mocks the Heavens’ looks forward to seeing how you'll mess with her.]
[‘Cunning Hypocrite's’ eyes sparkle with amusement.]
[‘Angel of Benevolence’ covers her mouth.]
Jun Bo-ra waited silently for my reaction, perhaps thinking I was too shocked to speak.
“I already knew that.”
“…Huh?”
Taken aback, Jun Bo-ra was visibly flustered.
“Huh? What? Really? Why? How?”
“The fact that you thought you hadn't been found out this whole time is more amazing.”
“O-Okay, fine. Let's say you knew. That's good. It makes it easier to talk.”
It seemed that wasn't the main topic, as Jun Bo-ra calmly regained her composure.
But I had already lost interest.
I didn't have much time to get to where the King of Disease was, so I decided to move as soon as I heard what she had to say next.
“So, what did you want to tell me?”
“It's about Hwang Chan-jin.”
At those words, my body, which had been about to move, froze reflexively.