Chapter 76
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Two Dragons (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
BOOM!
With a deafening explosion, the restraints shattered into pieces. Red lightning crackled in all directions, and smoke billowed everywhere.
At the same time, the massive blue dragon's form was enveloped in light. A blinding flash seared their vision.
As the light faded, the plummeting giant dragon had vanished without a trace.
In its place, only a girl with snow-white hair floated down, eyes closed.
A girl with hair white as snow, blue horns, and a blue tail.
But she had only one wing; the right side of her back, where the other should have been, bore scorch marks.
"Got her!"
Han No-eul leaped through the air, stepping on mana, and scooped up the girl. She cradled her effortlessly in a princess carry.
THUD!
A heavy landing sound echoed as black dust rose. Han No-eul straightened her knees and stood. Fortunately, the girl seemed unharmed.
'Phew...'
She'd nearly panicked, thinking she'd killed one of her own kind with her own hands. Mana still pulsed from her—she was definitely alive.
Of course, that wasn't my only problem.
Flap, flap—
I was falling from the sky just as uncontrollably.
Sky, then ground, then sky again. My vision spun wildly.
My body, light as a magical girl, had returned to its original weight. Even reaching for the staff, it had already slipped from my grasp and fallen dozens of meters below.
'Gotta regain control somehow...'
I wouldn't die from the fall, but it was gonna hurt like hell.
Then,
Thud!
Someone jumped from the helicopter. A woman in a black suit—Yoo So-jeong.
"Miss So-jeong?!"
Without hesitation, she hurled herself into the air. Minimizing air resistance, she descended rapidly.
Tap!
With a soft sound, she landed on the road. She immediately looked up at the sky.
My spinning vision locked with hers for a moment. She was trying to catch me!
I appreciated the intent, but she wasn't a dragon. If my falling body hit her wrong, she could be seriously injured.
'Snap out of it, Yi Da-yoon!'
If I didn't want to hurt Miss So-jeong, I had to stabilize myself now.
I flailed my limbs like a fish and spread my wings to steer. Finally, my tumbling body oriented feet-first toward the ground.
But I was already too close to the surface.
Too late to twist with my wings—the turning radius was too wide. Even if I missed the ground, I'd smash into a building.
'...No choice.'
Brace for impact.
I squeezed my eyes shut and assumed a landing pose to cushion the blow as much as possible.
With only meters left to the ground, I steeled myself for the pain.
Poof!
But the agony I expected never came. It felt like landing on a soft, cushy pillow.
My body halted on the ground instead of continuing forward.
'...?'
Opening my eyes in confusion, Yoo So-jeong's face was right there, inches from mine. Her hair disheveled, expression twisted in a grimace.
Startled by her look, I blurted,
"Are you okay?!"
"Are you alright?"
Miss So-jeong said something similar.
Good. She's fine.
"Hee hee... I'm fine. Totally unharmed! I could run 100 meters right now!"
The situation struck me as absurdly funny, and I burst out laughing. After battling a massive dragon, here we were, tangled up like we were wrestling.
I felt Miss So-jeong's firm yet soft body. Burying my face in her chest, I savored her warmth for a moment.
"...Are you okay, Miss So-jeong?"
Still worried, I asked. Looking up at her face, I saw it was stiff and rigid.
"My condition is extremely poor."
Her voice was low. My heart sank.
"Huh? W-where? Your back? Or your head?"
Did she absorb all the impact when she caught me? Broken bones? Hit her head on the fall?
My mind raced with possibilities. My reckless actions had seriously hurt her.
"W-wait! Doctor! No, healer—I'll call a healer! Just hold on!"
As I scrambled to get up, Yoo So-jeong grabbed me with her arms.
"Not there."
My cheek pressed firmly against her. A heartbeat throbbed from her chest against my skin.
"I thought I was going to die of anxiety. Probably shaved 20 years off my life."
"...Huh?"
A dumb sound escaped my lips. My brain froze, unable to process.
20 years off her life—what?
A few seconds later, my mind caught up.
"Hey! You scared me!"
"I was far more startled than that."
"...Ah."
Right. When I acted on impulse, falling from the sky, she must have felt the exact same terror.
Now I understood her stiff expression.
"...Sorry."
I should have at least explained to her. I'd made a huge mistake.
Yoo So-jeong fell silent for a moment, then stroked my head.
"I'm just glad you're safe. Truly."
Her touch was as gentle as ever.
Then, Han No-eul approached with heavy steps.
"I don't know if you're dating or whatever, but how about looking at this first?"
In her arms was the dust-covered white-haired girl.
"The dragon suddenly turned into a little kid. Got any idea what’s going on?"
I got up and approached the girl. Surprisingly, her face resembled mine a lot.
Not exactly the same, but if I had a little sister, she'd look like that.
Evidently, things were more complicated than I'd thought.
Several hours later, the world was abuzz with talk of the dragon that appeared over Seoul.
And the 'certain entity' that clashed with it.
Fortunately, thanks to the cognition impairment guy pushing his ability to the limit with doping—nosebleeds and bedridden for weeks—my identity stayed hidden. But he couldn't block the camera noise entirely.
The first to break the story were the fast-reacting folks in online communities.
[Just witnessed the Seoul skies live – spilling the story (Video included)]
[Anon (211.36)]
Holy shit, live in Seocho-dong and suddenly an S-Rank pops up, thought we were fucked, Seoul getting taken by monsters again. Couldn't evacuate, holed up in the building peeking through curtains, nearly shat myself seeing a dragon flying past the window. Some massive white-whiskered whale-thing ripping through the sky;; But something even crazier than the dragon.
(Video: Shaky footage of a blue dragon battling a white-and-pink noisy blob)
See that? That's not Seong Ji-yun, she was in Busan. Dodges a few times then blasts a beam, dragon's wing just deleted ㄷㄷ Who the hell is that? Cognition impairment was badass??
??? Provincial fatass here, what the fuck is this???? Seoul doomed??????
If it was doomed it wouldn't be posted, retard
Beam rips the sky open ffs what
Cognition impairment is strong, no one else could've filmed it
Foreign hunter in Korea who caught it?
What the fuck is this shit;
[Breaking] Nightmare over Seoul skies: 'Blue Dragon' appears... Han No-eul Hunter dramatically subdues it
[Reporter = Park Jung-min]
Around 3 PM today, a massive monster presumed S-Rank, tentatively named 'Blue Dragon,' appeared over Seocho-gu, Seoul, paralyzing the area in an unprecedented crisis.
The monster unleashed indiscriminate lightning breaths immediately after appearing, threatening the city center, but was subdued in just 20 minutes by Flame Dragon Guild Master Han No-eul Hunter and unidentified allies.
Casualties are minor, but witnesses unanimously say, "Before Han No-eul arrived, a white light blocked the dragon," fueling suspicions of a 'third S-Rank Hunter.'
The government remained tight-lipped, saying only "under investigation," but experts suggest this may not be a simple dungeon break.
[3,821 Comments]
Never imagined real dragons existed, let alone Korea catching one. Does this even make sense? Feels like a dream.
Han No-eul is insane lololol catching that. Ranking 2 is no joke.
Didn't you see the flying person?
Who is that hunter? Hope they stay in Korea...
Gov hiding shit again ㅉㅉ S-Rank in central Seoul, alert late, response late. Without Han No-eul, Seocho-gu gone. More incidents since this president—blame him for ruining national fortune. Impeach the prez first and restore order.
Windows shattered but so relieved and grateful. Thought we'd lose Seoul again... Thanks unknown hunter. Korean hunters fighting!
New monster god born??? Salvation day for Korea????
[4K] REAL DRAGON vs UNKNOWN S-RANK HUNTER in Seoul! (Must Watch)
World Hunter News (5.8M subscribers)
Views: 12.4M (2 hours ago)
[Thumbnail]
A massive dragon crackling with blue lightning poised to breathe, opposed by a 'white-and-pink glowing noise blob' floating across from it. Red arrow on the noise with 'WHO IS THIS?' stamped over it.
OMG, that light beam? Dragon's wing literally evaporated. Human firepower? What's Korea hiding?
Might be a drake, not dragon
No-eul's finish was cool, but that white light? Frontally overpowered the breath. Insane. Drake or not, still nuts.
Korea always whining "not enough S-Ranks," but hiding secret weapons in the basement. If that's not S-Rank, what is?
Apart from all the online reactions, my mind was a mess.
Beep- Beep- Beep- Beep-
In a small underground hospital room managed by the Administration Bureau, the girl lay.
Bound in every restraint imaginable to prevent dragon transformation, hooked to an IV.
Special needle with mana infusion because normal ones wouldn't penetrate, but her condition looked awful even generously.
Beyond the wing I'd burned off, scars covered her body. Her neck bore restraint marks layered over old wounds, skin riddled with surgical scars.
Considering even those were healing via dragon power, the prior damage must've been unimaginable.
"Miss Da-yoon. Anything ring a bell?"
A bureau researcher asked.
"Hmm... It does seem modeled after me, like you said... Definitely a dragon, but no clue on identity. Best guess: mix of multiple races?"
Besides dragon, all sorts of energies suggested artificial origin.
'The question is when and where it was made...'
Probably couldn't learn more until she woke.
Then, her finger twitched. Heart rate quickened, eyelids fluttered.
And the girl slowly opened her eyes.